I Do, You Do, They Do Baja

I devoted my week in Baja to a mix of activities: a little shopping, a bit of beachgoing, plenty of socializing with the rest of the wedding party and exploring the town. Though sleepy, Todos Santos isn't behind the times. There are Internet cafes, as well as a latte shop and a range of restaurants, including Chinese and Italian spots -- and, of course, tons of Mexican eateries. At La Paloma, you can buy ice cream in such flavors as corn and beet. (One word of warning: Although beer and fish tacos are cheap, many other meals are somewhat expensive, with $20 lunches and pricier dinners at some places.)

The town is most striking for its colors and light. Small patterned flags flutter between shops, and the sunlight illuminates whitewashed buildings standing alongside dusty roads.

Some of the buildings are quite beautiful. The Todos Santos Inn, for example, has a stunning courtyard next to its wine bar, La Copa. An artisan shop in downtown is a brilliant blue, matching the sky above. And the private house I rented, Casa Sirena, offered a lush courtyard with flowers and plants below and a hammock-draped balcony above.

My friends Whitney and Jimmy were happy to shop, so we hit the streets the day we arrived, trolling for bargains. There's lots of silver jewelry in Todos Santos, in outside stalls and stores. For more ambitious purchases there are plenty of art galleries with works by local artists.

With such a scenic setting, Todos Santos has attracted a bevy of plein-air artists. Pat Cope, owner of the Galeria de Todos Santos, took members of the wedding party on a tour of some of the other galleries in town one afternoon. The style of paintings varied widely: Jill Logan's gallery reflected the influences of Kandinsky and Klee, while Gabo, from nearby Aguas Calientes, had a show of striking red paintings.

The Plein Air Gallery had more representational paintings. As Hester Golden, the gallery manager, noted, "Todos Santos has the light plein-air painters like." And Libusche Wiesendangerhad filled her Galeria La Poza with slightly abstract representations of women. The artistry extends to jewelry: A silversmith named Don Pepe comes from a family of silversmiths who produced jewelry for such famous Americans as Eleanor Roosevelt.

But, mostly, Todos Santos is a place to relax. There seems to be a hammock in nearly every lodging, and there's bird-watching and star-gazing, particularly nice from an open-air restaurant. That was the setting for Nina and Carina's rehearsal dinner, where friends got up to speak of love and how a chance meeting in Chicago turned into a lifelong partnership.

And while a national debate rages in the United States over whether my best friend can have her commitment legally recognized, the citizens of Todos Santos seemed perfectly willing to embrace Nina and Carina's devotion for what it is -- a joyous and enduring love like any other.

Juliet Eilperin, a reporter on The Post's national staff, last wrote for Travel on Alaska.

Details: Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico

GETTING THERE: Fly into Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos and rent a car for the 11/2-hour drive north to Todos Santos. Delta and America West, among other major carriers, offer connecting service from the D.C. area; round-trip flights start at about $500, with restrictions.