MAKING A SMALL DIFFERENCE

A giver and a grateful receiver 

January the 6th is a special day in Mexico.  Known as "El Dia de Reyes" or Three Kings Day, this holiday represents the height of the Christmas season. The date marks the culmination of the twelve days of Christmas and commemorates the three wise men who traveled from afar, bearing gifts for the infant baby Jesus. The children of Mexico in particular look forward to this holiday as traditionally, gifts are exchanged on this date, not on Christmas day.

January 6 was also a special day for us because we received gifts of friendship and a sense of community here in La Paz.  It was our time to give back to those less fortunate.  

A little background....While cruising in Mexico Jim and I want to give back to kids and we heard about a fundraising effort over the holidays to help out nearly 30 kids who lived in a shelter.  Usually extended Mexican families take their kin in when necessary and provide them with love, food and shelter.  This shelter, on the outskirts of La Paz, is full of children that have no extended family and, consequently, have nowhere else to go when their parents are arrested and taken away to jail.  Some of the kids have been there for years, cared for by a hard working group of caregivers, teachers and volunteers who do their best to make the shelter 'home'.  They ranged from 3 years to 18 years.  

We connected with cruisers/Rotarians Bob and Charles and asked how we could get involved and if we could tag along with local Rotary International volunteers when they visited the shelter on Kings Day.  For years we had been involved in Christmas parties for under-privileged kids in Victoria and wanted to help the La Paz Rotarians do the same thing  - to make it a bit of a special day for the kids.  

Volunteers from the Quilters Club sewed the majority of the gift bags
but we were able to help them with the last few before stuffing began.

Rotary International is a worldwide organization where neighbours, community leaders and global citizens unite for the common good. They focus in six areas:  promoting peace, preventing disease, providiing access to clean drinking water and sanitation, enhancing maternal and child health, improving basic education and literacy and helping communities develop.  Check out their website:   Rotary International

In La Paz there are five chapters of Rotary that meet regularly.  We connected with a chapter that took on the challenge of fundraising and helping others very seriously. Our donation of school supplies and toiletries were happily accept for the cause and added to the growing stash they had collected.  I volunteered to help sew tote bags for each kid and Jim had a fun time filling the new bags with those much needed school supplies, toiletries and a special gift for each child.  

This little cutie would not let Jim put her down until...

Around 4:00 on January 6 a caravan of volunteers with gift bags, hot pizza and litres of juice headed out of town and into the dusty, rural foothills to the south.  Clouds of dust erupted when we arrived and parked the cars outside the shelter. Some kids were reserved; some were clapping, jumping up and down and running for us at top speed. We were surrounded by smiling faces looking up at us, some desperately wanting to be held.  I may have temporarily lost Jim's heart that day!  

I think the pictures will say it all from here...

another man picked her up.  She loved the bubbles!
We are very impressed with Bahia De La Paz Rotary Club.

Juice, pizza, Kings Day cakes....ready, set, go!

The pizzas, etc. were gone in minutes.  The kids loved it!

Everyone gathered before gifts were given out.
The younger ones could barely contain themselves. 

I wandered away from the chaos for a few minutes.
This blue building is home to all the kids in the shelter.  No grass in La Paz.

Every day must be laundry day.

Not much in the way of playground equipment but there was a swing as well.

Warmhearted Blanca Rafael showing the kids her Ipad.
She is the incoming president of this rotary chapter and
clearly puts her all into everything she does..  

Jim with Juan Rafael.  Juan and Blanca Rafael are amazing ambassadors for the
 La Paz Rotary and for the grass roots help Rotary International is known for.

A bunch of volunteers stepped outside for a break from mayhem

Blanca and volunteer Carol from the Quilters Club surprised this young
mom with a quilt for her tiny son.  She also received a bag of diapers
and other desperately needed baby products

This little guy was so thrilled to have something of his own.  He had already
taken everything out then put it back in but he had to look at his gifts again,
privately, or as private as it gets with 30 'brothers' and 'sisters'..

This young man sought out Blanca to thank her and shake her hand (top of page)
because he was given a new pair of runners and they fit.  He was so grateful.
This boy was not the only one who looked for Blanca to thank her.  

Now that's a very happy young man, wouldn't you say!

The young teens were very reserved and shy, sitting away from the little kids.
A volunteer gave special glitter pens to each of them,and
they very carefully took the precious pens, thanked her and shook her hand.

As we cleaned up and departed the kids were just getting
ready to party....tea party that is.

This was a wonderful event for both of us and one that well remember for a long time.

We are heading back to Canada mid February so we'll take a break from the blog then start up again once we begin our northern travels.  Bye for now....

Tricia and Jim Bowen
S/V Falcon VII
email: tandjbowen13@gmail.com

LOVE THE ISLANDS!

During January and early February we're staying close to La Paz to deal with a small medical issue (no need to worry!).  But we haven't been staying in La Paz at the docks all the time.  We've enjoyed a few days in the gorgeous islands near La Paz and are happy to share a few photos.  This is winter at its best!

La Paz is at the bottom of this shot. Espiritu Santo and Isla San Fransicsco
are shown north of town heading up the Sea of Cortez.

A close up of  tiny Isla San Fransisco with its crescent shaped bay where we anchored.

The view from our hike at Ensenada Grande on Espiritu Santo.

We followed the old riverbed for well over and hour.  Though the distance
was short on paper, the trail went on and  on and up and up to higher elevations.  We
had limited time and, for the first time ever, turned around before
reaching the summit for a view of the island. 

With the exception of seasonal summer storms or hurricanes there is
little water for plants and trees to survive...yet they do!

This little lizard was about 10" long and well camouflaged below the shrubs.

That's Isla San Fransisco's crescent shaped beach behind us.

The view east from the top of the ridge we walked.
This was one of the easiest hikes in the last year.  We'll
definitely return for another few days soon.

Jim near the summit with the morning sun shining behind him.

This was a spectacular anchorage on a calm day but we understand
it can get quite nasty when the northerlies blow.

Debra (Avant) and me, hiking back down the ridge to the other end.

Cruising friends Rob and Debra from Avant standing next to a cliff
leading to the other beach at Isla San Fransisco.

The other side of the island had a different feel to it.  We searched
and searched for raw agates and interesting shells with some success!

This colourful crab was enjoying a snack near snore.

The rocks and boulders shared their space with seashells,
some that remained like this beautiful spiral.

This locust was about 3" long.  We only saw a few but can imagine
the damage a mass of them would do to island vegetation.

We hope you've enjoyed your peek at the amazing islands in the Sea of Cortez.  We'll be exploring more of them starting late February when we return from our quick 10 day trip home to Victoria and Vancouver.

Tricia and Jim

Falcon VII

email: tandjbowen13@gmail.com

WELCOME TO 2015!

Wow!  Where did Christmas, New Year’s and January go?  Not quite sure but I know we were in La Paz and the spectacular islands nearby for all three.  This time I’m taking a break from writing a long blog  but will share our time with photos.

This shows the bottom of the Baja Peninsula and La Paz's location.

This long, but well marked channel leads to La Paz.  El Mogote on
the left is a peninsula with a few finished and unfinished condos.
People staying in the condos ride a small passenger ferry back
 and forth to La Paz.  The water between the two is heavily
 used by boats anchoring off of town.

This was our Christmas Tree - the decorated bulkhead
heater on Falcon VII.  We also had little hand painted
decorations I made hanging from each port light.

Christmas dinner on Falcon VII.  L to R Jim, Dina, Heather, Rob, Debra, Malcolm.
We cooked a full turkey in our little oven and made both potatoes and sweet potatoes
and the gang brought everything else.  It was a wonderful evening.  We used our new
colourful Mexican serving dishes and casserole dish to capture the festive
mood of the evening, one we will long remember.

La Paz builds an annual Christmas Village with little petting zoo
 and families love it.  What's not to love about goats!
There was a 2015 time clock, Santa's sleigh, big fake
presents, pinatas and kids running everywhere.

No snow but who needs it!

This walking bridge beside the malecon is very special.  Like a bridge in Paris.

It is a place to bring locks symbolizing eternal love.

I took a long walk on this particular evening to capture the
sunset and the statues.  Here's one of a dozen - a fisherman and his net.

And another with a hammerhead shark at the top.

The Christmas crowd enjoying the best fish tacos anywhere!  Jim and I tried
fish tacos from Ensenada to La Cruz and none compared to these.  It's a small
business with 8 stools and this round table, all outside of course.
We frequented it a couple of times a week...2 fish tacos and a glass of
sweet bright red hibiscus juice for about $4.00 Canadian!

Fishboats at low tide along La Paz's waterfront.

Something quite rare - an old wooden house. La Paz and the Baha
are mostly desert so the wood likely came from BC or Oregon 100 years ago.

An ingenious Mexican makes a living out of washing cars for people.  He
used his 'motorcycle' to carry his dog's bed at the front and his cart at the back.

Nothing a little duct tape can't handle!
John and Tim Bowles ...what do you think? Ready for the Baha 1000?

This merry go round  outside a pizza place is enough to cause nightmares!
A headless horse, a  dirty duck, and a cartoon dinosaur.

The Mexican's hate to throw anything useful away!

Remnants of damaged boats from September's Hurricane Odile
at Atalanta Boatyard, La Paz.  Some owners walked away from their
boats if insurance didn't cover the damage.  Others couldn't relaunch
their boats because of a damaged boat leaning against theirs.  Fights with the
insurance companies and the boatyard continue into 2015.

Winter northerlies blow through La Paz regularly.  These guys are just trying
to get back to their anchored sailboat.  Boats often drag in this busy
anchorage so they call it the La Paz Watz. 

These colourful pennants were flapping in the 20 knot wind at the docks.
Marina Cortez is anchored in place - no pilings or breakwater.  We stayed
there for 2 weeks.  Sometimes it was like living on a bucking bronco.

The La Paz Cultural Centre had a fantastic display of these embroideries.
There were about 10 of them, each unique and about 7 ft x 7 ft!

This one captured wildlife, another featured whimsical rows of party goers in
elaborate colourful costumes carrying instruments and dancing.

Intricate stitches formed the images.  The backside was as amazing as the front.

Photographer Craig Minelly joined a bunch of us for a half day trip to swim
with the sealions and whale sharks in the waters off of La Paz.
 I am using these amazing photos with his permission.

It was so much fun being in the water with these graceful creatures plus
the bonus of snorkeling with the tropical fish who shared the habitat with
the sealions.  The bulls were huge so we stayed clear of them.

We snorkeled with the whale sharks but the water was murky where they swam.
Craig captured this close up of the patterned skin and a video none-the-less.
The whale sharks we saw were about 12 ft long.

Jim and Trish after a morning of snorkeling at Bahia Balandra.  Life is good!