Under the Stars: A Magical Evening in Downtown La Paz
By Arthus • Posted April 30 • 2024.
It's been a particularly hot day in La Paz. The sun has been intense since the morning but has finally set, and the evening is cooling down. At home, with the air conditioning on and enjoying a cold drink, I asked my wife if she wants to go downtown later. She happily agrees; after a hot day, an evening walk in La Paz is almost a must to cool down the body and mind, breathe some fresh air (there's plenty of that here) and unwind in a healthy and happy way.
I start the car, and in less than 15 minutes we'll be in the center of La Paz. Actually, we'll reach the nearest parking lot in less than 10 minutes, but from there, it's about a 5-minute walk to the heart of this beautiful city. So we leave the house dressed in light clothing, my wife looking radiant in her summer dress and I, well, not so much, but at least I'm comfortable, ha, ha, ha. The drive to downtown La Paz, like everything here, is short but it allows us to see how people come out of their homes to enjoy the cooler evening air and, almost always, we get a glimpse of the beautiful Bay of La Paz, with the unique colors it takes on at each sunset.
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Well, we arrive at the parking lot, I park the car, and we walk out onto the clean and safe streets of La Paz. Interestingly, the design of this city is "upwards"; that is, starting from the Malecon, the streets begin to slope upwards, I imagine to protect the city in case of a high sea surge, something that as far as I know has never happened, but it's good that precautions are in place. So, we walk uphill, maybe two blocks or a little more, and we reach the center of La Paz, easily recognizable by its garden with a kiosk, the majestic Museum of Art of Baja California Sur, the beautiful Cathedral of La Paz, and of course, the people walking around and the small shops and restaurants surrounding the area. It's simply unmistakable.
Once here, we always start walking just to enjoy the cool evening air as well as the beauty of the garden and its kiosk, watching other people here, some couples dreaming of their future together, whole families enjoying their union, with parents pleased to see their children happy, tourists getting to know the place and filling their phones with photographs, or simply people walking like us, enjoying their life in this paradise. At the time we arrive, both the museum and the cathedral are usually closed, unless there is a special event, but this time that's not the case. However, the authorities have made sure to beautify them with lights and special illumination that enhances their architectural beauty. Moreover, the entire downtown is perfectly illuminated with soft lights, which makes it feel even more secure and even more beautiful.
Walking through the streets of this city in the evenings or at night gives you a true La Paz experience, and by this I mean that no matter the time, it is always warm, and if it's summer, this is even more true. Of course, the intensity of the heat decreases as the sun sets, but it doesn't disappear, and certainly, the sea breeze and the cool evening wind help, but the heat, though less intense, is still there. This makes walking through downtown La Paz a very pleasant experience; the temperature has dropped but it is not cold, the atmosphere is deliciously warm. As you walk and go around the garden again and again, you catch sight of the lights of the Museum of Modern Art of La Paz, which are a must-visit for all tourists, and it's common to find people eager to have their photo taken with this backdrop. People look happy, relaxed, and calm—this is the effect the city has on its visitors and its residents. The evening continues to be wonderful, you can breathe the relaxing atmosphere typical of La Paz, and this, along with walking hand in hand with the woman you love, while you see the garden, the historic buildings, and the stars above, makes you grateful for so many blessings.
While La Paz is a small city, it has everything a city can offer according to your tastes. Want a club? There are some. Want to grab a drink? There are plenty of options. Want to take your wife to dine at one of the charming little restaurants that surround the garden in downtown La Paz? You definitely can and should. That's what we did that day, after walking for a while and enjoying the garden, climbing up to the kiosk and taking a couple of photos, we decided to have pasta at a small place, where they prepare it fresh and which, if I remember correctly, is called Locos x La Pasta. The pasta is indeed fresh, and you can watch it being prepared, resulting in exquisite dishes that are enjoyed even more because of the beautiful view of downtown La Paz that this charming restaurant offers. Once we finished dinner, we decided to take one last walk around the garden, this time just circling it to appreciate all the beauties of the downtown area before heading back to Independence Street to walk to our car. In case I haven't mentioned it, the center of a small city is by definition small, and La Paz is no exception, but have no doubt that it is simply charming.
As always, we end up very satisfied with our visit to downtown La Paz. Whether by day or night, it's a beautiful place. Of course, before reaching the car, we walk one more block to the Malecon (that's how short distances are here) just to appreciate the beauty of the city that welcomed us as immigrants. We then return to the car, I start it and head home in the midst of the serene La Paz night. My wife and I are silent but holding hands, still enjoying deep inside, another visit to downtown La Paz. We arrive home and as we enter, she and I smile and exchange that knowing look we have, which without words always tells each other, "I still can't believe we live in this paradise."
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Tastes of La Paz.