Travel Day 14, RV’s are ready to go and everyone is standing in the sun waiting for the pre-driving meeting of the day. Today’s drive may seem like a milestone; we are going to Cabo San Lucas which is not a destination for everyone but for others it is, and also this is the half way point of our tour. We’ll spend 3 days looking and doing in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.
We passed by San Bortolo, a lovely small town tucked in a valley. Los Barriles, meaning “the barrels”, located on the east cape of the Sea of Cortez and popular for fishing, windsurfing, and kite boarding is a winter destination for many travelers.
Our first body break was at the Tropic of Cancer where we walked around, took photos and looked at the shops. This was a nice relaxing break.
Our next stop along the way was a propane stop, a nice big pull off area where Rv’s and portable bottles can be filled.
We had an easy drive through San Jose del Cabo, a large bustling city with old city charm mixed with the new. The hotels and resorts are lined up along the shore line. We saw repairs being done to many areas hit by Odile but on the surface the place looks ready for tourists.
Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo form Los Cabos with San Jose holding the responsibility of the local government.
Upon arrival to Cabo San Lucas we stopped at Walmart for grocery shopping, banking and lunch. Like at home, Walmart offers good parking for RV’s and is also part of a mall with a variety of shops and eating places. Most of us ate in our rigs after shopping. After lunch we went to Villa Serena RV Park to set camp for 3 days.
At the RV Park we met Dan & Lisa with their Baja Amigos group and spent some time visiting between their excursions and ours. About an hour after arrival the van was ready to take the group on an excursion including The Glass Blowing Factory which was an impressive experience. The ladies enjoyed watching the craftsman creating a fish and an airplane. The gift shop offers aisles of various glass items from earrings to chandeliers. A few gifts were bought and Christine wore a lovely pair of glass earrings, a gift from her husband, at dinner later in the evening. The group had a driving tour of the inner harbor of Cabo San Lucas and the down town before returning to the Park.
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The evening temperatures were comfortable as we all went out to Vagabundos Restaurant for one of the best dining experiences in Baja. The food is prepared well in a style of their own and the ambiance is a mix between sports bar and elegance.. Peter made sure we were happy and his music selection-Crosby Stills and Nash, brought back memories which had a few of us seat dancing and singing along.
Day 15, Dom & I started our day with a sunrise breakfast at the Villa Serena Restaurant with Dan & Lisa before they left.
We said goodbye to Dan’s group then our group was off for an excursion to Artesanos, a warehouse gift store housing shelves of gift wares including ceramics, metals, textiles, pottery, wood, jewelry and more. We stopped back at the Park to drop off shopping then continued on to the historic Art District of San Jose del Cabo. Definitely a worthwhile visit just to walk the cobblestone streets wandering in and out of the old adobe buildings which are shops, cafe’s, restaurants and galleries. A contented group returned to the Park for a relaxing afternoon and evening. Some of us sat out and visited as the sun set and the evening cooled.
Day 16, another full day of fun rises with the sun. This morning we went to Playa Santa Maria, a horseshoe shaped bay and beach perfect for snorkeling and swimming. Cliff was the first to don snorkeling gear and dove into the surf followed by Christine and Diane. Bev, Diane and Christine enjoyed a swim, the others walked the beach and picked shells. Pets used to be allowed on the beach but now a sign is posted not allowing pets so Dom took Grady our puppy back to the Park. We totally understand; not all pet owners take responsibility for their pets and beaches can get dirty which in the end spoils it for everyone. Grady wasn’t impressed with us but he forgave us.
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Back to the Park for lunch, nap, wi-fi, laundry or puttering. Our rigs got washed today by Julio, who does a good job for a very reasonable price. When the Park is full with everyone wanting their rigs washed Julio engages the help of his wife and brother; a family affair- good for a young Mexican family.
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At 3pm the group went out again to Medano Beach which means “The Dune” and is Cabo’s main beach, in the harbor where the cruise ships anchor and all kinds of water craft activities are available. Also from here you have a great view of El Arco, the rock formation with an arch. This is a great beach to relax and watch the beach activity. On busy days a continuous parade of tourists and beach vendors add to the entertainment.
Dom served margaritas, wine, and pop while Diane set the table with veggies, dips and other snacks. Lots of watching, visiting, laughing, and buying made a couple of hours go buy quickly. Everyone helped clean up and carry things back to the van.
The evening was spent quietly for most but not for Rudy and George who repaired a water hose break on George’s RV with a spare part that Neil had in his tool box. Thank goodness for the guys and their passion for parts and knowhow.
