I happened to be the first of our group to check through as I only had one small carry-on bag. It is quite interesting to see how customs handles incoming passengers. There is a signal at the customs counter with a red and a green light. You push a button. If the light is green, you just walk right on through. If the light is red, they inspect your bag. I got a red light. The young woman who checked just unzipped the top of the bag, stuck her hand inside to feel around and zipped it back up handing it to me.I was the first to be greeted and Karen was snapping photos of me as I walked towards them. A port police officer came over and told her sternly, "No pictures". Apparently people somehow use photos taken there for illegal purposes.
It took quite awhile for all the baggage to be taken off the plane and we finally loaded up the vehicles and headed for Jack and Mary's home. Several of us were roomed at the house and the rest were driven to the McCann's condo about a half-mile away. After getting settled in everyone came back to the house for dinner prepared by the Tarabochias. Tortilla soup and chicken fajitas and both were delicious. The drink of the night had to be Margaritas, of course. Something about "when in Rome . . . ."
I opted to spend the morning just enjoying the beauty of the view from Jack and Mary's condo at Casa Del Mar. While enjoying the peace and solitude, a small brightly colored hummingbird begin sipping nectar from a group of small red flowers near by. I also saw a gray whale breech once but it didn't appear again because a boat was approaching.
When the snorklers returned everyone went to the Casa Del Mar Hotel swimming pool where most swam, sunned themselves and dined on chicken quesadillas for lunch. In the afternoon several of the gals went with Jack and Mary to ride All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) in the desert.
Later Karen and Marty picked up several of our group who headed for Cabo San Lucas to shop. It was great fun buying gifts for family back home. Later we had dinner at Pancho's and what a great experience. We were serenaded by a trio of musicians and sang along with them as we knew many of the songs they played. Both the musicians and the waiters play tricks on you as they quickly walk by they'll tap you on the shoulder making you think your neighbor did it. We finally caught on to their game. 
Shops in town all close at 10 PM so we headed back to the house and condo to rest up for another exciting day. Jack and I sat on the patio talking while he enjoyed smoking a good Cuban cigar which can be bought there quite readily. You can't take them back to the states.
The boat then motored around the very tip of the Baja Peninsula and we headed into the Pacific Ocean where the breakers are much bigger than in the Sea of Cortez. We saw sea lions basking on the rocks. The boat went back to the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula and the surf was much calmer there. We still had to jump off the front of the boat and hope we hit the beach when the waves were on their way out instead of in. Several ended up to their waist in water because of poor timing. I lucked out and didn't get wet but sure struggled through the wet sand getting to the beach itself. We walked across the narrow strip from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean side. Most of those with us had to romp in the surf both in the Pacific Ocean as well as back in the Sea of Cortez. Big, big difference in the size of the waves. Some of the gals also climbed up on the rocks and while none of our group did, several other people climbed all the way to the top of the rocks which must have been about 30 to 50 feet high. 
Our boat finally came back for us and this was the fun part. There are good sized Mexican men who earn tips by helping people get back into the boats. Problem is, they put their hands together, you step into their hands and they literally throw you back in the boat. Only time I got hurt on the trip. Had one toe that was nicely colored black and blue for several days. Some of us had appointments at the Casa Del Mar Hotel Spa for facials, massages or fingernail or pedicures. My appointment wasn't till 3 PM so I was able to rest and just enjoy the day. At 3 I went to the spa for my treatment which consisted of having my face, neck and shoulders as well as my hands and feet massaged and exfoliated by "Lulu".
She did not speak English and I do not speak Spanish other than "Hola" and "No, gracias". We had a ball trying to communicate. She finally got me to understand and then I spent the most relaxing 50 minutes I've spent in ages. She was a pro! After a treat like that I didn't feel like doing much else and while everyone else was having a wonderful Mexican dinner prepared by Amparo, our first grade teacher, and Marty and Karen, I retired for a good night's rest.
After everyone bought things to take back home as gifts for family or rememberances of Baja we headed out to Cabo San Lucas for our next adventure. Parasailing! It was a beautiful day and seven of us plus Jack and Mary were up to it. We met the parasail boat off of Baja Beach and transferred to their boat from the water taxi. I was the fourth one to parasail and here I am, having the time of my life.
Poor Meghan! Only one who had been hurt while riding an ATV and now when the guys in charge of the parasail boat started to bring her in, they let her get too close to the shore before gunning the boat to lift her up. She came back to the boat wet and coated with sand. Good sport that she was, she just laughed it off as another little "incident". Later she bought a T-shirt that said, "I survived Baja". On the other side it said, "Or Died Trying". I'm sure she will remember this experience for a long time. As Jack and Mary were getting ready to go up as a duo, the J B water taxi pulled up along side of us with a young couple who had paid to go parasailing. They were newlyweds from New York and were on their honeymoon. Jack and Mary went up for their ride and when they came back to the deck Jack asked the new bride if she had ever gone parasailing before. When she said, "No, and I'm worried about doing this", Jack said, "Well, watch that one cord that holds you up there as I think it is getting pretty frayed." Her husband had a heck of a time convincing her they'd be safe and he said he'd go duo with her so they would not go up as high as the rest of us did going solo. You go up about 300 ft and here is the view you see from up there.
| Dances of Mexico | Aztec dancers |
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I seldom drink anything stronger than a glass of white wine or an occasional beer with a meal so when he hit me twice (plus I was drinking a Margarita at the time as well), this will explain a lot about the next pictures taken at another famous Cabo night spot, "El Squid Roe". The place looks huge from the outside but it is a long and narrow building and when filled, it is jammed to the gills as it was this night. There were a number of young people who did not look older than 16 or 17 but we were told that at 10 PM they are kicked out by the management.We left before that time so I don't know if they did or not.
The music was canned and quite loud making it very difficult to talk to the person sitting next to you without shouting. They serve a shot of Tequila in a small paper cup of jello of different flavors and the waiter or waitress makes you tip your head back, they squeeze the jello in your mouth then shake your head back and forth till you swallow it. These go by several different names. Needless to say, after one of those on top of the other drinks I had at The Office, I was not feeling much pain at the time. There was a dance floor somewhere in the middle of this place but it was filled with people plus many others were standing wherever they could since seating was at a premium. Several of our gals climbed up on the metal deck behind their booth and started dancing. I love to dance but haven't in years. With all I had to drink, the next thing I know I'm up on the shelf with them dancing away. Much to my surprise two girls who were not with our group, climbed up next to where I was dancing and joined in. One even thanked me for the dance afterward. Made this old man's day, to say the least. 
Here's Mary with some of the gang in front of their new art work. Sadly it was time for us to head for the air port for the trip home. We all went to the condo to load up for the trip to the airport and presented Jack and Mary with a print of a beautiful church with two angels rising above it. Very appropriate as I said in the beginning of this, Jack and Mary had sure been angels as far as we were concerned. We arrived at SeaTac around midnight and after getting our baggage, all went our own ways. If you ever get a chance to go to the Baja Peninsula, especially to Cabo Real, Cabo San Lucas or San Jose Del Cabo, I hope you go. Believe me, you'll love it! My wife and I are planning on going there next year for our 50th wedding anniversary.
