Winter seemed to be something that was never coming, and then it hit anew and with a little fury. Our area is just not used to it, so school and businesses close for a day or two, and those of us who can kind of just hole up at home with a warm drink, hot soup and a good book. Some of us, however, just head south to get out of it.
A few of us did just that and ran away to Baja California Sur, the tip of the Baja peninsula. We boarded Alaska Airlines and in under four hours were in the land of sun and beaches. Our journey took us to the Grand Mayan Resort in San Jose del Cabo. This was our base for a luxurious two weeks. Everything was at our disposal, from pools with swim-up bars to miles of sandy beaches. We had art projects, cooking schools, and mixology classes. We read books and played cards. You didn’t need to leave the resort unless you wanted to. But it wouldn’t be much of an adventure if you didn’t get out and away from it all.
The town of San Jose is really not that large. It is walking distance to the center of town (or a short taxi ride). Here you find amazing art galleries, small shops, and wonderful restaurants. A little Spanish gets you a long way with a pleasant smile and a bit of patience. We found artwork, pottery, glassworks, jewelry, leather bags, tourist junk and everything in between. Hours can be spent ambling the streets and poking into shops.
We also took a day trip north about 90 miles to the capitol city of La Paz, founded in 1596. The roads to this area are beautiful freeways through the desert landscape, over auroras that are just dust streams until a quick flash flood hits, at which time they become raging rivers, and up hills with spectacular views of the Pacific. We tried whale watching but didn’t manage to see anything. The city itself is not for the resort-minded, but the Malecon promenade did show off the beaches and many sculptures. Here there are restaurants overlooking the water, small shops selling souvenirs, and miles of beaches. Our lady of Peace Cathedral sits in the center of the city. The mission was founded by the Jesuits in the early 18th Century.
Our second outing was to the wonderfully fun city of Todos Santos. This artist village sits with the Sierra de la Laguana mountain range at its back. It is about 50 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, and so it is easy to drive up for lunch and exploration. The first place that everyone wants to go is the Hotel California, some say made famous by the Eagles song of the same name. There is some controversy about that, but the mystique will always be there. Here you can go from artist to artist looking at paintings and sculptures, talking with those who make it all work. Restaurants abound, and of course there are many places to rest with a margarita, a cervesa, or simply a soda and just watch the tourists having fun.
In the end, you go back to your resort, put your feet up on the balcony, and watch the sun fade into the hills. We had brilliant sunrises off our balcony and then looked forward to the burning sky coming from behind us for an evening sunset. It was then time for some dinner in our condos and a few hands of cards before starting a new day.
Adventure keeps us young and alert. Come along with us another time. Currently, I have both a male and a female looking for a roommate on the South America cruise in January of 2020, including the Antarctica. There is also a male looking for a roommate on the Alaska cruise in August. Space is still available for Iceland in July and Egypt in May. Contact Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or linda.finch@gmail.com for further information on any of these trips. Or, if planning your own cruise or tour vacation, let Linda handle the arrangements for you.
SPONSORED CONTENT.