Hola amigos...from the fun side of Trump's wall (seriously, there were some pretty funny t-shirts in Cabo, not all were quite so child-friendly)!
We've just wrapped up a full week in Baja California, meeting and connecting with new friends as well as rekindling friendships with those who've attended pop-ups previously. We're so glad to welcome you back!
Our weather was darn near perfect -- warm, sunny days and comfortable evenings -- which made exploring all the better. We hung out at the plaza, checked out the local museum, visited nearby towns, browsed traditional artwork in many shops, poked our noses in the Mision de Todos Santos, and enjoyed multiple beaches including two where we were dropped off by a local boatman.
We didn't always stick together; sometimes this was intentional as families pursued their own interest, but other times some of us got lost and just met up with the group later on. Some of us saw the glass blowing demos, some did the hike up Mt. Solmar for phenomenal views, some of us took a road-trip to La Paz and down the east side of the Baja Peninsula.
The Mt. Solmar hike was such a unique surprise. We met Enrique, owner of the local dog training school, who offers a hike with his dogs every morning.
He shared extensive information about the region: the local history of Cabo, stories of the past and current land owners, the process of turning this land into a UNESCO World Heritage site, and special energies and frequencies of Mt. Solmar including how this drew traditional groups to the area for religious and healing purposes.
Once we reached the top, Enrique encouraged all of us to really live in the moment. To taste the air and smell the smells. To let our thoughts fizzle and really take in the beauty of the area. Such an unexpected, yet appreciated, message. We saw at least five pods of whales spouting and jumping in the Pacific. Who knew a walk with the local dogs would be such an amazing experience?
But that wasn't all...the nature of this area is super impressive. This was rather important to our group because most of us were not into the hustle and bustle and hard-selling in Cabo town, we needed some downtime from the excitement. Thank goodness for the variety of local beaches and places where we could find peace and quietude.
We were so fortunate to have a wonderful boat captain for our tour of the arch and stops at Lover's Beach and again at Pelican Rock. Lover's Beach is on the protected side of the arch...and if you walk to the other side which touches the Pacific Ocean, it's called Divorce Beach (and also Widow-Maker Beach because the surf is very unpredictable).
The intricacy and variety of the rock formations was jaw-dropping, but we also enjoyed seeing sealions and frigate birds...plus the snorkeling around Pelican Rock let us get a glimpse of the animals below the sea.
The other animals we saw up close and personal were the Olive Ridley sea turtle hatchlings. At the beach just north of Todos Santos there is a turtle hatchling release every night from late fall through early spring. Though some of us were more interested in playing in the sand and making sand sculptures, we all had an opportunity to learn more about these adorable hatchlings and watch them make their first trek into the sea.
Our group was split between families who flew in and those who drove their vans and rigs down the Baja Peninsula...proving once again, there are no rules to family travel. We all do what works for us and find our own way to explore this planet.
But one thing that worked well for all of us was finding some amazing local food. Not that we planned meals out on the itinerary, it just sort of happened...more than once! You never know if you'll run into some amazing food or not, but luckily the teens ran some quick searches for reviews and found us a couple of fantastic stops: Guacamayas, Guss Tacos, and Tequiza T-Zal.
Though there was plenty to do and see, we really enjoyed our time just hanging out and getting to know everyone better. Some of our best memories are just sharing a meal or margarita or playing games with one another. Thanks everyone for showing up big, and showing up just the way you are.
We're so happy to whole-heartedly welcome you into our pop-up family. Can't wait to see you again!
~~View from the top of the Sugar Port Trail just south of Todos Santos~~
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