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Cabo Offers A Siesta And A Fiesta Of A Timeby Jane CassieA number of years ago, a close girlfriend and I visited Los Cabos, thinking that a week-long Mexican siesta might cure a few of life's pending problems. We'd had visions of sipping margaritas by the poolside, catching the surf from vast windswept shores, and just plain old relaxing. Great concept, and yes, we managed to accomplish all of the above�as well as a whole lot more. In fact, my memoirs of Cabo have more of a fiesta flair than a siesta snooze! By replacing the free-spirited girlfriend with my husband and five kids, this recent visit provides me with a very different perspective of this paradise that settles on the southern tip of Baja. "That's the famous Land's End," exclaims a fellow passenger who shares elbow space with me on the deck rail. And as she retrieves her Minolta from its carrying case, she understatedly surmises the general feeling about this world-renowned site with, "It's really worth a photo or two!" Even under the unusually overcast skies, it is definitely a great Kodak moment.
From the Elation's anchoring spot, the sight of Playa Del Amor also gives me déjà vu of my previous visit. Sandwiched between towering rock boulders this romantic destination, otherwise known as Lover's Beach, offers secluded coves and isolated sandy patches on both the Pacific coast and the Sea of Cortez...and is made with lovers in mind. But we'd heard that the snorkeling was out of this world, so after renting appropriate gear, my girlfriend and I had made the necessary journey via water taxi from Los Cabos. Tiger, angel, and parrot fish were just a few of the sea-loving creatures we had checked out in the submarine canyon that lay less than fifty meters off the Sea of Cortez shore. Without a doubt, it had definitely been worth putting up with a bit of 'amore' around us!
Rising above placid aqua waters, sandy shores are now studded with jewel-toned resorts, lush golf fairways and swaying palms. The party town of Cabo San Lucas is separated from its quieter counterpart, San José Del Cabo, by a twenty-mile resort-laden strip, known as The Corridor. Together, they are all lumped together and simply referred to as Cabo. With only a short day in port to explore, we decide to check out the offerings at this boomtown of Cabo San Lucas. While meandering dusty streets fronting restaurants and shops, we also pass by a number of nighttime party places, reminding me that playtime here doesn't end when the sun goes down. In fact, for some of us, (as I vaguely recollected) that's when it had begun.
Getting There:For cruise lovers: To arrange your return flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles: By Brent Cassie |
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The last time that I had seen this 'signature landmark' for Cabo, where the Pacific chop meets the bath-tempered Sea of Cortez, had been from the deck of a party-packed, tequila-soaked booze cruise. Now, from within the palatial comfort of Carnival's cruiser, the Elation, and through focused vision, (both with and without the camera), I am more awestruck by this natural wonder than I had been the first time. Basking sea lions accompany long-beaked pelicans as they enjoy a siesta on Baja's granite monoliths, also known as Los Arcos. Created by wind and wave erosion over the last million years or so, these cathedral-like outcroppings drop as deep as the Grand Canyon in some areas. Their steep walls provide an excellent feeding ground for over eight hundred species of fish, making it an incredible dive site for those with experience. Linking like a spinal column, these rock formations connect in a snake-like bond on the ocean's bottom and extend all the way to Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
While transporting via tenders from the Elation's great hull to the arrival docks, I am able to take in a panoramic vista of this popular destination where the 'desert meets the sea.' Initially a favourite pirate hangout, this piece of paradise became a private haunt many years later for big-wig celebrities like Bing Crosby and John Wayne who yearned to capture the ever-prevailing marlin. Claimed as the undisputed billfish capital of the world, many tourists flock here today for the very same reason.
Cabo offers a bounty of beach offerings from secluded strips to high-energy playgrounds, and with time still left in the day, we gravitate towards Playa El Medano. This main beach that graces Cabo San Lucas also happened to be one of my favourite hangouts during my prior visit. This time though, I enjoy snorkeling and swimming with my hubby and five kids, instead of recouping with a siesta snooze accompanied by my free-spirited girlfriend.