La Paz (Mexico) | Processing - Day 14 & 15

 

Over the last two days, I have noticed a feeling growing inside me. My heart has the desire to do less. I should read my blog and reflect on my travels. Although, I have made time to simply BE, until now, my heart had no desire to read my blog. The cinnamon roll by the way is fantastic! 😋

During the early part of the afternoon on Sunday, I head to a local outdoor bar to watch the Philadelphia Eagles take on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Conference Championship Game of American Football. It is a gorgeous day, and the game is a guilty pleasure I indulge myself in Today. The place has a fun "buzzy" atmosphere. Fans representing both teams are present. When a big play happens, the "Ooohhhh" and "Aaahhh" of the crowd often make it difficult to tell who they are rooting for. 😂 

This is how you watch a football game in Mexico on a warm sunny day and in style! Is there any doubt as to who he's cheering for? 😂 Today he chose the right team. The Eagles demolished the 49ers, who didn't really have a chance when they lost both of their quarterbacks due to injury.

Another cooling trend is approaching La Paz over the next few days. So, after they came, I took advantage of the great weather to wander the Malecon. Today is Sunday, and the Malecon is alive with people. The restaurants are all busy. It is a great place to be. Locals enjoy various activities like rollerblading, biking, and pedal carts along the Malecon. I loved La Paz from the moment I stepped off the bus. It is a great place to enjoy Mexican living without the Gringos.

Monday it starts to cool already. Unfortunately, there is something about the location of La Paz that makes it vulnerable to more significant temperature fluctuations than other parts of Baja. So I find my way to Doce Cuarenta (Twelve Forty), a deceptively large cafe with a great atmosphere. I spend hours here, finally reading my blog. As I am reading, I am doing two things. The first is organizing the labels to make it easier to find my posts and standardizing a few things. The second is processing. Culling thoughts, trends, and feelings from my posts.  

When I started writing my posts, I had no idea how this would turn out. I didn't know what my voice was going to be or the things I wanted to write about. But, I knew I wanted to make it enjoyable to read. Thank you all for the great feedback. I got lucky and found an approach that has been mostly enjoyable to read. 😆 Actually the feedback has been awesome, and I appreciate all of you who take time every day to read it and share your thoughts either on the blog or via emails or texts. Thank you, it means a lot and has helped me tremendously!

Even before I started reading, I knew I had moments where I struggled. I struggled physically as well as mentally. There were also times when I needed help with the blog. At times it felt like a burden. Other times it was great fun! I am also aware that my approach to my posts has changed several times during my travels. Most of these changes were intentional, others less so.

Over the next several days, I plan to spend time with my blog, reading and reliving my adventures. As I go along, I am keeping a running list of items to help me process this fantastic opportunity to live in the moment free of daily distractions.

Why take time while I'm in Mexico to do this? My answer is simple, Why Not? Mexico is a place that affords me great, well mostly great temperatures and a laid-back atmosphere where I don't feel the need to be out DOING all the time 😎. I have been in a reflective cycle as of late, so the time seems perfect to do this. As patterns start to emerge and I get a better sense of them, I will share them with you, so you can process them with me. In the meantime, I'll keep posting, but I will spend less time writing, so I will spend more time reading!!