February fun in Cabo

We have been in Cabo for almost 2 months; in a few days we start our journey northward, here is a look at the last month.

We like our road trips so we thought we would take the coast road (mainly sand with a bit of gravel) and head north to Los Barriles. We didn’t realize that there was an off road race going on, using the road we were on – imagine our surprise we when came upon a barricade and a whole lot of dust! We had to turn around and go back, 70 km so instead we made it a beaches day, complete with picnic.

coastal road

goats everywhere here

off-road racing

picnic on the beach

Todos Santos is an “artsy” town north along the Pacific; we did a day trip there with Barb & Bill, friends who are also camping here in Cabo Glorieta. Lots of handicrafts to see, lunch & beer and a stop at the blanket factory.

We have gotten the hang of doing timeshare presentations – we have done a total of 5, all included breakfast, drinks if you wanted, sitting thru their “spiel”, touring the property and telling them we weren’t interested. We have netted $950 US cash, 2 separate whale watching tours, a sunset dinner cruise and a bottle of Kahlua. If it was up to Robin we would have done more, but I got tired of them – plus we had to lie and say we were staying in a hotel or resort. Not too hard to do as the guy who sets you up coaches you beforehand. The fanciest was Diamante, with the world’s 2^nd largest swimming pool and the world’s 38th best golf course.

 

the pool at Diamante

We have done another trip out to look for fossils and Megaladon teeth(ancient shark), found more large fossilized bones but no teeth.

fossilized bones, ? whale

cacti blooming

Took in the San Jose Organic market - huge outdoor market with everything from fruit & veggies to handicrafts to lunch, plus music. Lots of new ideas for crafts for us.

beautiful bead work

Megaladon teeth

The water here is pretty cold, mid 70’s F but I have been snorkeling a few times. We spend lots of time at the beaches, looking for sea glass, wading in the water and people watching. If we are lucky we see whales and bat rays.

Chileno beach

3 cruise ships in Cabo harbor

We did our 2^nd whale watching trip, didn’t even get wet this time! Saw a gray whale very close to shore and fortunate to see two whales breaching together!

dolphins swimming with our boat

2 humpbacks breaching!

rolling humpbacks

baby humpback doing rolls

It is much too easy to go out for meals here, food is good and prices are very good. We have found a good Chinese place and have now had shark fin soup. We went out for seafood with friends and had a Mexican family in to the park for supper with Barb & Bill one day. The Mexican family lived and worked at the RV park we stayed in 3 & 4 years ago – Julio brought his 3 kids & wife plus his cousin’s family – 10 of them piled out of an old Honda Civic!

Bill & Barb, Chris & Bert

Julio & family

We made it to Los Barriles, took the hiway instead of the dirt coast road – ran into a Spanish couple that we met this year and had a good visit. Checked out the campgrounds, still too windy for us there.

 

Tropic of Cancer monument

wall mural

We had a crazy rainstorm one day, must have gotten 2 inches in a couple hours, rivers of water everywhere.

We decided to venture out on another road trip, soon after the rainstorm, a bit worried about the roads but what the heck! Initially the plan was to go north & east but instead we took a gravel road west, stopping to wander about here & there checking out rocks. A fellow traveller came along on his bicycle and told us that the road “should” continue across the mountains to Todos Santos. So of course we decided to keep going. The road slowly deteriorated into a goat trail! We only had to stop and actually “rebuild” the road once (fill in holes with big rocks). We crossed water 11 times, scraped bottom several times and I had my eyes closed a few times! It was 55 km. across, once we saw the Pacific we got excited, but ended up still having 20 km to go. But we made it! We deserved a beach break by then so we stopped at Cerritos beach on the Pacific to watch the surfers and the waves.  Then back south an hour drive to Cabo.

goat trail!

had to add rocks here

Cerritos beach

We have neighbors here in an RV from Alaska – they are 80 & 84, but they don’t look it –they have shamed us into getting more active. She walks 4 miles most days and he goes out on his bicycle for a long ride. We have started taking a morning walk/jog, at least 3-5 km. – we figure it’s a start. Plus it should help offset the cervesas and good food.

We continue to feed the birds, so had to add a couple shots.

Cardinal

woodpecker & cardinal enjoying the "shower" from the hose

gray thrasher

Being in a city here it is easy to forget that this is still a 3rd world country - then you see kids everywhere being held in arms in cars, no car seats or even seat belts; you see walkers still being sold and you read about cars that are made to be sold in Mexico where the air bags are options! And the presence of the police and military is hard to miss. Sad.

baby walkers, long outlawed in Canada

yes those are machine guns!

We leave Cabo on March 1 to begin our month long trek home; we will hopefully fit in a beach stay, some more sight-seeing and catch up with some old friends. We continue to “live the dream” – but it sure will be good to see the kids and grandkids soon.