Cabo San Lucas
I am on the southern tip of Baja Sur, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean.
When I first arrived in Cabo San Lucas and checked in my studio apartment on the marina, I felt a little bit lonely. It happens sometimes when you travel solo, and especially after being with great friends on the previous leg. But you quickly realize people are friendly everywhere, even in a party town like Cabo. I did see lots of bros and frat boys, but also families, senoritas and couples. I arrived in the evening, so I just planted myself at a restaurant, La Chitita, had sea bass (which seems to be the catch of the day every day), grilled vegetables (I even ate the grilled onions; if you know me, you know I hate onions), and rice.
Of course with a giant margarita with Grand Marnier, garnished with an,orange slice. And for dessert, fried ice cream, or helado tempura. The marina boardwalk, which is concrete, is great people watching as well. Lots of uh, scenery. Delicioso. And the food was great too.
So, the title of this entry translated is Day of the Sharks. Dual meaning as you shall see.
As I took a morning walk and in search of breakfast, I stopped at a booth offering various tours, city tours, food tours, off-roading, horseback riding, fishing, boat cruises, zip line tours, etc. I am interest in some, and you can get half off discounts...with a catch. Here come the sharks. Against my better judgment, I agreed to "play the game" and listen to their spiel about, not their timeshare, but their club membership, just a variation. You keep saying no, and the price keeps dropping or the plan option changes. You'd be crazy not to take advantage of this, which works worldwide, they say. Huge discounts on every hotel, everywhere, they say. No, I say. But they keep going and promise it isn't a high pressure sales tactic, even though the offer is for today only. Not high pressure? They have a way of making you feel terrible and stupid for saying no. I guess I'm stupid.
With my discount package and VIP pool and beach access in hand, I am free and head to the rooftop Baja Brewing Company for craft brewed beer and fish and chips. I usually get a sampler, or flight at similar places. 8 beers later, I need some valuable nap time. It is vacation after all. I'll hit the beaches later.
Tacos (Marlin, no sharks)
I signed up for a walking taco tour, visiting places where the locals eat, a more authentic (and less costly) food experience.
Here you see the vast difference between the touristy marina and the real Cabo. It reminded me of Matamoros back in the old days when you could actually walk around there. Street food, buildings, the honking buses and traffic, I found myself thinking, soon after this I'll be back in the U...wait I was already in Mexico, I'll be back from Mexico to Mexico?
It is that much different. For the foodies, I had smoked marlin taco, a mainstay here, sea bass ceviche, a beef torta, and some pork tamales, steamed in a vat right on the street. This particular vendor sells 1000 per day for about 2 dollars each. All very tasty. We ended with churros, filled with chocolate, but i must say the churros from Cafe San Augustin in Miguel was much much better. Go there if you want fantastic ones.
Otherwise all the food was great. You should venture outside of the marina to get better, cheaper, authentic south Baja cuisine. (Beer in the marina: $4-5; beer a couple of blocks away: $2; beer in San Miguel: $1).
Since this is a party town, I had to visit the famous (infamous?) Cabo Wabo Cantina, opened by Sammy Hagar. It's now a bar and restaurant and he's also created a tequila, of course called Cabo Wabo. If you don't know, there is a Van Halen song of the same name, precursor to the cantina and drink. While there is a stage, there was no live music this night, just pumping 80s, 90s, 2000s music and happy people everywhere.
I had Negra Modelo.
Real Tiberón
April is the very end of whale watching season as the giant beautiful humpbacks begin their migration back north with their calves in tow. So in search of whales, I boarded a small vessel for both sightseeing and the chance of a sighting. We set sail for the signature landscape feature El Arco, the arch, a formation with a hole in the middle made over time of Pacific waves and winds battering the rocky coastline.
This is the point where the Pacific and Cortez meet, also known as Land's End. There is also a little rock island where a colony of sea lions gather and bathe in the sun and water. Nearby is Playa d'amour, Lover's Beach and the aptly named Divorce Beach. Is this duality that I mentioned earlier in the blog? (he writes with a bit of sarcasm). Perhaps lovers and divorce are not exactly complementary nor harmonious.
Next we speed out to sea for great wildlife. We have 2 hours. In the first hour, however, no luck, but we do spot a shark. Not sure what kind, as there are several types in these waters, but it had a grey fin. We travel onward, a little more north. Regardless of whether we find the magnificent creature we seek, the day is warm and perfect and we have buena vistas of the beautiful blue Pacific water. We near a few other boats on the same quest and there is some excitement. But alas, no whales, it is another shark, this one a brown fin. It is the day of the sharks. I didn't quite catch him in the photo though. I need a professional camera operator.
Feeling somewhat disappointed but still loving the ride, all of the passengers agree to extend and continue looking. Further north, the Pacific gets much more rough waves and the wind is more gusty, and a little cooler, magnified by the showers we get from the crashing waves against the boat. But still no sign of whales, the larger swells and wind make it viewing more difficult, so we had back to port. On the way though, we did see something rare and maybe something we won't see again. We see what looks like a sea turtle, tortuga. A closer look reveals it is a male and female mating. It first I wasn't going to take photos, to allow the lovers some privacy, but decided it was too unique to pass up. We are in nature after all. It was quite fabulous even if we missed the whales. But sharks and turtles and sea lions are cool too.
Smoke?
I was either hungry for seafood and sushi or shuddered at the thought. I ended up having a Wagyu beef burger and finally an actual tequila sunrise, since you know, that's the name of this trip's blog entries.
The overly friendly host wants to know if I have a senorita with me and says he can get me anything - excursions, weed, a lady for the night - you know, the usual. No, I'm good, thanks.
This is becoming a theme. Everywhere on the boardwalk, independent merchants are hawking t-shirts, jewelry, knick-knacks, hats, and cigars, presumably from Cuba. The same cigar sellers ask if instead I want weed. I suspect the cigars are marijuana just in disguise. Wink wink. On the public beach for a while, I was also approaches by sellers of various items. I just want to enjoy the beach, man. In the evening after dinner (more sea bass and shrimp, flan for dessert), I was approached by a certain senorita offering her services. Everything is here if you want it.
Win one for the Zipper
It's my last day, and time to take my zip line adventure. I always wanted to do this but haven't found the time or was too nervous. But I tackle my fear and proceed and I rent a Go-Pro helmet mounted camera to catch the action. I'll post videos later (technical difficulties). It's so much fun, you just don't want to get stuck by using bad form, breaking wrong, or start spinning while traversing a canyon. Across one canyon, the wind caught me a turned me around. I sped backward a bit, then forward again but stopped 20 feet from then end platform. I had to pull myself backward, hand over hand on the cable. It happens. Thanks to Sebastian and the guys at Wild Canyon for guidance and support. You guys are the best.
Another couple of hours at the beach (yes I used sunscreen), more uh, merchandise sellers. The local and federal police have a large presence here, mainly because this is an obvious gateway for drug trafficking. But it doesn't seem to stop people from seeing contraband. I was offered on the beach by a jewelry maker, more "cigar" sellers, and later, at a bar, where I was seated on the deck right on the walkway, I was offered "cigars" three times within a few minutes. Maybe we should all make it legal and kill the cartels in the process.
Sunset and Moonrise (and Tequila)
My last adventure in Cabo and the vacation was a sunset cruise through the bay and into the Pacific. More views of Los Arco and both the sunset and the moonrise. Another activity that I sometimes dread as as solo traveler - lots of party groups or couples. But it also turned out to be very fun. It was a dinner cruise and we had pork fajitas, chicken mole tacos, and spaghetti. Wait, what? Well it was good too. The drinks if you must know were mai tai, margarita and cerveza.
Adios Mexico this time. I had a great time and I think I'll be back to both San Miguel and Cabo. I'm almost positive my next trip will be Machu Picchu and parts unknown in Peru and South America.
Peace
PS. Here are some photo links:
San Miguel de Allende 2017
Cabo San Lucas 2017
I am on the southern tip of Baja Sur, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean.
When I first arrived in Cabo San Lucas and checked in my studio apartment on the marina, I felt a little bit lonely. It happens sometimes when you travel solo, and especially after being with great friends on the previous leg. But you quickly realize people are friendly everywhere, even in a party town like Cabo. I did see lots of bros and frat boys, but also families, senoritas and couples. I arrived in the evening, so I just planted myself at a restaurant, La Chitita, had sea bass (which seems to be the catch of the day every day), grilled vegetables (I even ate the grilled onions; if you know me, you know I hate onions), and rice.
Of course with a giant margarita with Grand Marnier, garnished with an,orange slice. And for dessert, fried ice cream, or helado tempura. The marina boardwalk, which is concrete, is great people watching as well. Lots of uh, scenery. Delicioso. And the food was great too.
So, the title of this entry translated is Day of the Sharks. Dual meaning as you shall see.
As I took a morning walk and in search of breakfast, I stopped at a booth offering various tours, city tours, food tours, off-roading, horseback riding, fishing, boat cruises, zip line tours, etc. I am interest in some, and you can get half off discounts...with a catch. Here come the sharks. Against my better judgment, I agreed to "play the game" and listen to their spiel about, not their timeshare, but their club membership, just a variation. You keep saying no, and the price keeps dropping or the plan option changes. You'd be crazy not to take advantage of this, which works worldwide, they say. Huge discounts on every hotel, everywhere, they say. No, I say. But they keep going and promise it isn't a high pressure sales tactic, even though the offer is for today only. Not high pressure? They have a way of making you feel terrible and stupid for saying no. I guess I'm stupid.
With my discount package and VIP pool and beach access in hand, I am free and head to the rooftop Baja Brewing Company for craft brewed beer and fish and chips. I usually get a sampler, or flight at similar places. 8 beers later, I need some valuable nap time. It is vacation after all. I'll hit the beaches later.
Tacos (Marlin, no sharks)
I signed up for a walking taco tour, visiting places where the locals eat, a more authentic (and less costly) food experience.
Real Tiberón
April is the very end of whale watching season as the giant beautiful humpbacks begin their migration back north with their calves in tow. So in search of whales, I boarded a small vessel for both sightseeing and the chance of a sighting. We set sail for the signature landscape feature El Arco, the arch, a formation with a hole in the middle made over time of Pacific waves and winds battering the rocky coastline.
This is the point where the Pacific and Cortez meet, also known as Land's End. There is also a little rock island where a colony of sea lions gather and bathe in the sun and water. Nearby is Playa d'amour, Lover's Beach and the aptly named Divorce Beach. Is this duality that I mentioned earlier in the blog? (he writes with a bit of sarcasm). Perhaps lovers and divorce are not exactly complementary nor harmonious.
Next we speed out to sea for great wildlife. We have 2 hours. In the first hour, however, no luck, but we do spot a shark. Not sure what kind, as there are several types in these waters, but it had a grey fin. We travel onward, a little more north. Regardless of whether we find the magnificent creature we seek, the day is warm and perfect and we have buena vistas of the beautiful blue Pacific water. We near a few other boats on the same quest and there is some excitement. But alas, no whales, it is another shark, this one a brown fin. It is the day of the sharks. I didn't quite catch him in the photo though. I need a professional camera operator.
Feeling somewhat disappointed but still loving the ride, all of the passengers agree to extend and continue looking. Further north, the Pacific gets much more rough waves and the wind is more gusty, and a little cooler, magnified by the showers we get from the crashing waves against the boat. But still no sign of whales, the larger swells and wind make it viewing more difficult, so we had back to port. On the way though, we did see something rare and maybe something we won't see again. We see what looks like a sea turtle, tortuga. A closer look reveals it is a male and female mating. It first I wasn't going to take photos, to allow the lovers some privacy, but decided it was too unique to pass up. We are in nature after all. It was quite fabulous even if we missed the whales. But sharks and turtles and sea lions are cool too.
Smoke?
I was either hungry for seafood and sushi or shuddered at the thought. I ended up having a Wagyu beef burger and finally an actual tequila sunrise, since you know, that's the name of this trip's blog entries.
The overly friendly host wants to know if I have a senorita with me and says he can get me anything - excursions, weed, a lady for the night - you know, the usual. No, I'm good, thanks.
This is becoming a theme. Everywhere on the boardwalk, independent merchants are hawking t-shirts, jewelry, knick-knacks, hats, and cigars, presumably from Cuba. The same cigar sellers ask if instead I want weed. I suspect the cigars are marijuana just in disguise. Wink wink. On the public beach for a while, I was also approaches by sellers of various items. I just want to enjoy the beach, man. In the evening after dinner (more sea bass and shrimp, flan for dessert), I was approached by a certain senorita offering her services. Everything is here if you want it.
Win one for the Zipper
It's my last day, and time to take my zip line adventure. I always wanted to do this but haven't found the time or was too nervous. But I tackle my fear and proceed and I rent a Go-Pro helmet mounted camera to catch the action. I'll post videos later (technical difficulties). It's so much fun, you just don't want to get stuck by using bad form, breaking wrong, or start spinning while traversing a canyon. Across one canyon, the wind caught me a turned me around. I sped backward a bit, then forward again but stopped 20 feet from then end platform. I had to pull myself backward, hand over hand on the cable. It happens. Thanks to Sebastian and the guys at Wild Canyon for guidance and support. You guys are the best.
Another couple of hours at the beach (yes I used sunscreen), more uh, merchandise sellers. The local and federal police have a large presence here, mainly because this is an obvious gateway for drug trafficking. But it doesn't seem to stop people from seeing contraband. I was offered on the beach by a jewelry maker, more "cigar" sellers, and later, at a bar, where I was seated on the deck right on the walkway, I was offered "cigars" three times within a few minutes. Maybe we should all make it legal and kill the cartels in the process.
Sunset and Moonrise (and Tequila)
My last adventure in Cabo and the vacation was a sunset cruise through the bay and into the Pacific. More views of Los Arco and both the sunset and the moonrise. Another activity that I sometimes dread as as solo traveler - lots of party groups or couples. But it also turned out to be very fun. It was a dinner cruise and we had pork fajitas, chicken mole tacos, and spaghetti. Wait, what? Well it was good too. The drinks if you must know were mai tai, margarita and cerveza.
After eating I danced with others to a mix of disco and 80s and I don't know the genre, but it's music from zumba dance classes I've taken; salsa, samba, hip-hop. The only thing that was near disastrous was I left my favorite Panama hat on the boat. I didn't realize it wasn't on my head until 30 minutes later, almost to my hotel. A walk back to check with the boat crew was fruitless. I guess I need to buy a new hat. I did buy some tequila and mezcal to bring back. I never knew until this trip that tequila can be a sipping drink just like whiskey. I bought Esperanto Seleccion Piramide, aged 2 years in bourbon barrels. The other is for a friend but from the same distillery, aged 3 years in oak barrels.
Adios Mexico this time. I had a great time and I think I'll be back to both San Miguel and Cabo. I'm almost positive my next trip will be Machu Picchu and parts unknown in Peru and South America.
Peace
PS. Here are some photo links:
San Miguel de Allende 2017
Cabo San Lucas 2017
No comments:
Post a Comment