Starry Starry Night in Baja

At night, here in Todos Santos, all I seem to do is look up. At the stars - lots of them. On some nights, I can see the Milky Way and it is sight that renders me speechless. Not only is it entirely new to me but it is also deeply moving. How could it not be?

With these kinds of vistas, it is easy to find yourself asking questions about the world or the universe. As simple and cliche as it may seem, I often look up and wonder about our place in the cosmos and creation. You don't get these kinds of thoughts looking up in Los Angeles. With nothing to look up at, there's really no point, is there?

I grew up in Los Angeles, a city that is lit to the nines and it's located in a region that is lit from sea to desert by street lights, business signs, electronic billboards, car lights and more. You name it, it's lit. Even porch lights contribute to the light pollution. Some homeowners require klieg lights to keep the prowlers away, akin to using a hammer to flatten a slow-moving snail.

So when I came to Todos Santos, I was taken aback by the night skies. I can't get enough. After dinner many nights, when my friends and I are outside enjoying a warm Baja night, I often stand and look up. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to see a shooting star. Other nights, I realize that I saw a constellation I had not seen before. When the moon is full or nearly full, I love its effect on the landscape.

It's hard to imagine a similar scene taking place in Los Angeles. I am told that when the 1994 Northridge earthquake hit, we had dark skies for a day or two, and many saw the night sky as they had never seen it before.

There's a slower pace of life here and it is certainly tied to the landscape and, by landscape, I also include the skies. The beaches, the surrounding desert, the dusty roads, the cactus and star-filled nights put you in a different place. Sure, I sometimes miss the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, but there's something to be said for an environment and a way of life that give you moments of pause and reflection. How can you not appreciate that?