Loreto, Mexico

This week I will write about my five-week trip to Loreto, Mexico. However, before getting to that I present the usual weekly logic puzzle.

Logic Puzzle

There is an island consisting of politicians and logicians only. Politicians always lie and logicians always tell the truth. You are gathered with three inhabitants. The following statements take place, in order:

Alex: Mumbles something you can't hear.

You, asking B: What did Alex say?

Bob: He said he is a politician.

Charlie: Don't believe Bob, he is lying.

What profession are Bob and Charlie?

Loreto

Let me start with some facts. Loreto has a population of about 16,000. The number of traffic lights is one. It located about ¾ of the way down the Baja peninsula on the Sea of Cortez side.

There is a fairly small airport which can still handle large planes. Here are cities serviced to/from Loreto:

Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines

Phoenix on American Airlines

Tijuana on Volaris

Overall, Loreto is a tranquil town. The people are friendly, the city is clean and I didn’t perceive any crime or vice of any kind. On the negative side, there isn’t a great deal to do and prices are rather high, probably due to its geographical isolation and tourist ecnomy. For restaurant meals, expect to pay about the same as American prices or maybe a little less. For everyday items, like clothing and bicycles, expect to pay much more.

My typical day was spent bicycle riding, running, taking long walks, reading, annoying the locals with my awful Spanish, and going through Breaking Bad for a second time.Much time my first two weeks was spent solving the so-called “Hardest Logic Puzzle Ever”. I plan to write a future newsletter about it.

At first, I was a little frustrated finding ways to spend time, but as my stay went on I adjusted to the more slow-paced small town Mexican lifestyle. Time seemed to lose its usual meaning. Seldom did I wear a watch or was conscious of what time it was. I became happy to sit on my patio and stare at the Gulf of California for long periods of time. Normally, I struggle with attention deficit disorder, so this was rather unlike me.

Early in my trip I fortunately ran into Bert, an American who ran a bicycle and kayak rental business with his partner. We did several bike and kayak trips together. There were also a few locals I got to know a little, but I won’t bore you with those stories.

I enjoy swimming but much of the time I felt something sting me, usually on the arms. I was told the culprit were very small jellyfish. It wasn’t extremely painful, but enough to feel. In talking with others, I was told the water was both unusually warm and fully of jellyfish that season. If these things are correlated, I don’t know. I seem to have a high sensitivity to such things. Then again, I didn’t see many other people swimming either and those who did seemed to be Mexicans who are probably tougher and more resilient to such things than us gringos.

If you’re considering visiting Mexico, I should also explain there is a town several miles south called Nopoló, which for some reason every gringo calls Loreto Bay. This is a very modern clean and protected area consisting of mostly vacation homes owned by Americans. The only Mexicans you will meet there are the workers who commute from the city of Loreto. In choosing where to stay you should ask yourself if you want an edgy authentic Mexican experience or something that looks like the outdoor shopping district at the Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas.

This was by far the longest I have ever stayed in one place on a vacation. In fact, it was my longest vacation period, even longer than the Camino de Santiago trip, of which I have written many newsletters. I was a little bored at times, but Loreto itself is very nice and I plan to return every year around Christmas.

I think I will return to Loreto for about a month every year around Christmas. It is important to me to escape the crass commercialization of Christmas in the US. In fact, I think I’ll set a goal to never again spend a Christmas in the United Stages again.

In closing, here are just some of the many pictures from my trip.

One day Bert and I rode bikes to San Javier, which is a small town up in the mountains. If I’m not mistaken, this is the first Mission along the Camino Real.

Logic Puzzle Answer

Bob is a politician and Charlie is a logician.

Logic Puzzle Solution

Before even hearing Charlie's statement we can easily determine that Bob is lying. Both logicians and politicians will claim to be logicians. Think about it, how often do people admit to lying unless caught. Most liars won't even admit it when caught. Whatever Alex said, it couldn't be admitting he is a politician.

Charlie must then be making a truthful statement in accusing Bob of lying.

Note that we don't have enough information to determine the profession of Alex, but it wasn't asked.

Note: This puzzle was adapted from the book What is the name of this book? by Raymond M. Smullyan.

It is also discussed on my forum at Wizard of Vegas