Blue skies, no chance of rain

That's what someone was saying as they walked past me on the last morning in Mexico. With this view. I'm back in Denver now. Just trying to maintain the glow a bit longer.

Mexican miscellany

The second half of my week wasn't only spent by the pool at the Hilton, I swear. A few random moments that are actually connected to being in Mexico itself... 

Moving day, Mexican-style

The salsa bar at Felix's in Cabo San Lucas--super-friendly place enough off the main tourist drag that it was possible to truly enjoy a meal there before fleeing from town, which was otherwise WAY TOO MUCH. (Though it was interesting to learn that Cabo Wabo is actually a bar rather than just a nickname for Cabo San Lucas.)

Pretty gazebo seen while fleeing Cabo San Lucas after dinner.

Meat-roasting spit at Las Guacamayas restaurant on the outskirts of San José del Cabo.

Okay, I have to put a disclaimer on the next two. As someone who has repeatedly humiliated herself in half-a-dozen languages at this point, I want to be clear that I'm not including these to poke fun. I just truly love and appreciate the interesting linguistic things that happen in translation, and Las Guacamayas was fertile ground.

It's a little hard to read the best line. But: doubts? When has anyone ever invited you to share your doubts? So existential-sounding. And you gotta love anyone who does events in the domicile. And then this one, from the guy roaming the restaurant with his guitar:

No; tank you.

Hilton Los Cabos

Here's where you really get to hate me.

The whole reason for this trip was a friend who travels a lot for work and has Hilton hotel points up the wazoo was looking for a travel buddy to splurge on four free nights at the Hilton Los Cabos. Free sixth floor ocean view room with this view off the balcony:

And this view from the open-air hallway:

Free continental breakfast, free wifi. And of course total access to hotel pools, like this one. (The lighter foreground is the pool; the darker blue in the back is the ocean.)

Usually when I travel, I'm all about day trips and exploring the area where I'm staying. I had a whole list of potential things to do during the days we were based in Los Cabos. But I realized that usually when I travel, I stay in the cheapest place possible, which makes getting away from it and out into the surrounding area much more appealing. This hotel, on the other hand, is probably the nicest, most beautiful, comfortable place I have ever stayed in my entire life. My motivation to go anywhere else has ended up humming right above a level I can only call Nonexistant. Today, I literally spent my entire day sitting in this little magical chaise-lounge-but-more-like-a-bed thingie, ploughing through the 900-page book I brought with me, with breaks for swimming every so often. It really might have been one of the best days of my life, and I was so desperate for it never to end that I was still sitting there as the sun was setting and I was so chilly in the strong breeze that I was wrapped head-to-toe in beach towels.

Oh, and if restlessness does strike, how about some beach-walking right below the hotel?

They say there's no such thing as perfection, but I don't know. This day seemed to achieve it. Absolutely the only thing wrong with it is that it had to end. And even that part was gorgeous.

A trip to the beach

The time came to leave Todos Santos. Heading south out of town, we followed directions from Isabel and Gabriel at the Casablanca to turn off the highway and find an unmarked beach that they promised was worth the bumpy road. We took the car to the impromptu parking lot in the desert and then walked toward the sound of the waves through an awesomely tall palm tree grove.

And it was definitely worth the bumpy road.

Even the view inland was amazing.

And random horses on the beach? Seriously?

Finally, we got back in the car and backtracked through the picture-perfect desert.

Then turned the car back south toward Los Cabos for Part II of the Baja adventure.

Espiritu Santo

The splurge activity of this trip was a day-adventure out of La Paz to Espiritu Santo Island in La Paz Bay. An hour-long (?) motorboat ride took us from La Paz, up the eastern side of Espiritu Santo, past it's smaller neighbor just to the north (Isla La Perdita), and then to a couple of rocks just north of that which happen to be home to about 400 California sea lions.

This particular location is a safe haven for the sea lions because while their usual predators (especially orcas, sharks) sometimes pass by, they never linger. The absence of sharks also made is possible for us to strap on snorkeling gear and actually swim with the sea lions. Lacking an underwater camera, I don't have pictures of that, but it was pretty freaking great. The water was C.O.L.D., but the sea lions distracted us enough to withstand it for an hour-plus. They played with us like we were of their own kind, sneaking up on us, darting around us, swimming straight for our faces and then, at the last minute, veering down to swim just beneath the length of our bodies, and even sometimes playfully biting our hands like puppies...though that actually hurt and I don't recommend that part.

There were also beautifully colored fish, corals, and starfish to gaze at while snorkeling around, whenever the sea lions got sidetracked elsewhere.

Then we motored back south to Isla Espiritu Santo itself and pulled up to a beach for lunch.

Our guide, Francisco, took us for a short walk up into a canyon from the beach....

...and then we were able to get in kayaks and paddle around the bay.

Lots of fun creatures to gaze at while circling the rock in the bay and on land.

(Hard to see, but that's a starfish in the water)

Another day in paradise.

Todos Santos

First day of vacation = exactly what vacation should be. There was sleeping in, and then reading, and then eating, and then more reading in a hammock...

...and then a quick,

lovely,

walk to the beach.

Arrived with binoculars, hoping that the B&B owners' insistence that we were sure to see whales wouldn't end up being a jinx. Within five seconds of arrival, it was clear they were not kidding, though. For the next couple hours we watched dozens of whales frolicking not 100 yards off shore. Are they serious with this? Oh, yes, they are.

Then some more hammock reading time before summoning the effort to head into the center of town for a little look-see while it was still light and an early dinner. Todos Santos = adorable.

An arts festival had just ended, so we also got to see the spoils of the elaborate decorations that had (I assume) been created for that. (Though maybe this town's street lamps are always dressed as people.)

And then back to the beach for the sunset. Life is rough, I tell you.