Todos Santos (Mexico) | A Quinceañera - Day 10

The downtown of Todos Santos is full of little stores selling a variety of handmade textiles. It's a great place to flaneur. Each material has a unique smell. The leather shops selling a variety of bags smell incredible. The cotton blankets have their own comforting smell.

I have finally had it with the cold wind in La Paz and decided to head west to Todos Santos. It is a small village on the Pacific side of Baja, Mexico. I am surprised that the Pacific side is less windy and 6-8 F (4 C) degrees warmer.

This morning, the hostel is quiet. There are only 6 of us. Myself Colleen, Emily, and 3 younger English women arrived last night. Over breakfast, Colleen (Seattle), myself, and Emily are discussing our plans. "I am heading to Todos for a few days while this front passes through," I say. "I am looking forward to Mazatlan. I'm going to fly from La Paz. I so need some warmer weather," says Emily. The three of us agree before Colleen says, "I am going to Uber to the bus station and then catch the 11 am bus to Todos. Do you want to join me?" 

I look at my watch. "Appreciate it. I need to go pack and will meet you down here soon." Soon the Uber shows up, and Colleen and I jump in. On the way, Colleen and I chat about how expensive cell service is in the US versus most other countries. Then the Uber drops us off, and we walk inside the bus station. "Shit! I left my phone in the Uber!" I say, laughing. "Oh no!" says Colleen as she immediately starts contacting the driver. Ten minutes later, the driver pulls up in front of the station with my phone in hand. I tip him 100 Pesos and thank him for his kindness.

The bus ride is more than one-hour southwest of La Paz. When I get off the bus, the air is noticeably warmer. This is what I was expecting the temperature to be like in Baja, I say to myself. Todos is the classic little town in Baja. The city draws some tourists from Cabo San Lucas looking for a quieter way to spend their time in Baja.

The side streets in Todos Santos remain unpaved. This is where dragging a small suitcase around isn't as practical as having a backpack. Nevertheless, the walk is short, so I opt to carry my suitcase instead of rolling it through the dirt. 

There are few places to stay in Todos Santos, so I booked my stay at a hostel. After settling, I head to the city center to explore and grab a margarita. While wandering through town, I bump into Colleen again. "I was going to grab a margarita. You up for one?" I ask her. "That sounds good. Where?" she says. We both look around and notice a rooftop with a few people. "Let's go there. Do you think they have margaritas" she asks. Only one way to tell. Let's go check it out! 

The view from the rooftop is lovely! The red building on the right is Hotel California. Don Henley of the Eagles claims it had no affiliation with inspiring the song. How about this view!!

"Let's go grab a bite to eat," I say. "Good idea. The hostel recommends a seafood taco place down the street," says Colleen as she pulls up the list on her phone. I didn't even see the list when I was there, so I appreciate running into Colleen today.

The grilled fish tacos are incredibly cheap, 35 Pesos ($2 USD), and very good. While eating dinner, I look up and see a young girl wearing a blue princess dress. "It's a Quinceañera," I say to Colleen. Quinceañera is a celebration, a right of passage for young Latina girls. This tradition historically marked the age at which women could marry in Mexican culture. Nowadays, the festival has evolved but still maintains many rights of passage into womanhood celebrated by her family and community. For example, at the age of 15, young women are allowed to shave their legs, pluck their eyebrows, and wear makeup, jewelry, and high heels.

Watching the Quinceañera celebration this evening was beautiful. This tradition reminded me that, for the most part, we no longer have a rite of passage ceremonies in our modern cultures. We have lost the connection with intentionality. Most North American cultures no longer celebrate these transitions. Why do we feel they are no longer necessary? More importantly, why are we no longer bringing extended families or communities together to celebrate these transitions and welcome children into adulthood like the Mexicans still do?