About San Ignacio in Baja California Sur – Land of Palm & Calm
If you wan to see a classic little Baja pueblo oasis in
the Vizcaino desert, get off Baja Highway One at San Ignacio and be sure
to take the time to visit the main plaza in town.
(Click on images in this article to expand)
Every
time I have stopped by and rested in the main plaza while having a cool
drink under the Indian Laurel trees I have experienced real peace. The
beautiful old Misión San Ignacio Loyola was built in 1786 and has four
foot thick volcanic walls.San Ignacio is a slow moving, relaxing little town that will infect your
soul with laziness.
The
people of La Paz have jokes about San Ignacians and how lazy they are.
While true Pacenos (people of the city of Peace, La Paz) are not the most
energetic people they claim there are people lazier than themselves.
The anecdote goes like this:
“An old man is sitting in his living roomand he sees a scorpion coming
through the front door of the house. He then yells to his wife to go get
the antidote.” [Planning on being struck by the scorpion because he is too
lazy to get up and avoid it.]
Laziness does seem to hold true as the cool sea air rolls into the plaza interrupting the persistent desert heat, rustling of the leaves of the giant shade trees. Not much going on here for me, but total release. Just let it out and relax. Ah I could spend hours in that plaza.
By the way if you are headed down, just over the border on a straight through trip to the south you may want to stop in here and acclimatize to the Mexican way of life. I know of no quicker way of returning to the understanding of the concept of manana manana (that is “not today”) than to chill out here for a few hours.
San
Ignacio has been a favorite for travelers since the mission days,
surrounded by mesas, the oasis, being a respite for many a traveler from
whatever Baja journey they may be on. Many tourists today visit San
Ignacio and use it as a base to see some the greatest natural wonders of
Baja California.
You
will find on one side of the mission the Museo de Pinturas Rupestres de
San Ignacio (museum of painted caves). Here you will find much
information and beautiful photographs of the painted caves created by
ancient Indians found in the Sierra de Franciso.
You may also want to pay a visit to Laguna San Ignacio to see the nursing area for the grey whales. The Laguna is forty miles west (a couple of hours) from town on a dirt road and tours are available with reservations suggested.
After that well deserved rest in the plaza you may want to go explore the lake edge or go for a dip depending on the weather. It is really amazing the quantity of water that exists in the palm lined lake or river of San Ignacio.
As you return to the trans-peninsular Baja Highway One, you will notice
little of the sea or palm groves as the desert takes over and you leave
this incredible oasis behind.
Tomas
