3/20 Aeropuerto

up at 6, hang with relatives a long while, shower, pack, eat leftovers from last night’s fish taco take home and birthday cake from the hotel buffet. Sit around, photograph the group, get a bit of recovery story from T & M. L types away online. S watches. Lorna, Kendra, and Lee tell stories of the McKuens of Boonville. Time for goodbyes. Airport after a quick meal in San Jose.

Airport is full of vacationers with huge bags. We skip the line with some help from a friendly guard. Waiting in a bright room made of canvas. A bit of sampling of tequila.

Searched for liquids/water before boarding, then out on the warm tarmac to the plane’s back door. Watching, dust blowing, almost tasting it, throwing off that hot embrace, losing sight of those jagged final mountains.

little town – Ramundo and Lorena’s place – lush, fertile, beautiful in the long shadows of afternoon. Gardens, makeshift little corrals, huge mango tree, papayas, pottery, funny outhouse, large expansive porch, herbs, pots and pots of kalanchoe, cherry tomatoes, grapefruit (we shared one).

Letting this sink in
Trying to let this sink in
Try to let it touch you
No shrine but paradise
Man carries bundled palms
Buzzards roost in trees
Sunset, moon rise
They saw wild boar along the road at night hurtling down the mountain
and, arrested by a horseman messenger, met Lorena there

Afternoon – get Becca’s car and take 2 cards to La Candelaria (I hear rural Mexico singing)

Paradise in the hills –
dusty roads
fig tree shrine oasis

3/19 Wednesday – last full day
Spent mostly hanging around the resort waiting for things – people to shower, people to get online or offline, mostly Becca’s rental car timing. I prove to be stressed by hanging out. No Sunburn though!

Early am – voyage through suburban hills overlooking C.S.L. – no point but to get out of the resort and be moving/touring/discovering/avoiding people waking up either groggy or hungover or indecisive (my Type A behavior).

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Lorna’s birthday! mini-party with cards and presents in the morning.

3/18 Tues a.m.
Early beach walking with Sam – catch my first sight of Whales!

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3/18 Tues pm San Jose del Cabo
with Sam & Nate
Visit galleries (Galeria Ida Victoria – guy from Long Island, paintings of a crude revisionist Lord’s Supper and bull-ghosts enjoying the goring of a matador, plus some lovely textured dreamlike landscapes-with-rose that I liked.

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Walk in the heat, somewhat obnoxiously restaurant shopping with Nate. End up at Cactus Taco where I have an AWESOME cactus taco (nopal & camaron). And – cervezas.

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Mega SuperMercado – spaghetti for dinner and garlic bread. Smoothie ingredients for desayunos.

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Home to a free cocktail party for guests. I’m drained, so I take photos of people. Sam socializes. I take a sunset swim in the hotel pool and feel the entrance of some relaxation magic into my body. Moon rise. Whales spouting. Cruise ship passes ominously, ponderously out in the ocean while I hang on the infinity.

Monday Cabo San Lucas
3/17 Perfect Timing

Quick drive Todos Santos to Cabo San Lucas. Had to ask for the hotel location at National Car Rental. Find it finally, outside of town. Wind our way down to Vacation Club, Sam parks and steps out of the car, there’s Lorna waiting in the lot, while Becca and Lucy check in. Moments later, Kendra and Lee arrive on the shuttle. Much excitement.

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Monday, mostly at the resort. Grocery shopping at CCC, bought stuff for burritos and breakfast (potatoes and eggs). Beer, which we are craving. Evening at home catching up with each other, marred a bit by drunken escapades.

Try Miguel’s for dinner – closed. Go to Restaurant Las Fuentes and have a very good meal, although chilly in sweaters under the palapa. Ceviche in a tall milkshake glass and chile rellenos, margaritas. My favorite meal of the trip.

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Night at Maria Bonita.

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In the morning, coffee and an expensive desayunos at Cafe Todos Santos, but interesting art to look at, including paintings by the elusive Gabo.

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Little revolutions everywhere – the galeria of Catherine Wall, sensitive beautiful paintings of Mexican people and large intricate collages of trees, one of the Mexican revolution. She strolls through the gallery eating her breakfast, a bowl of oatmeal.

Oatmeal: avena
Sand: arena

Driving through oatmeal