Monday March 23, 2013 Las Vegas, Nevada

We were up before 7.  I didn't make coffee because our van to the airport was set for 9:20.  We were ready to travel at about 8:45 and had a bellman pick us and our luggage. 

We may call this a two week stay, but the first and last day are taken up with preparations and travel.  It is sad to leave, of course we don't particularly miss loosing so many Loteria games.  After all there are valuable prizes involved, not.

The van ride to the airport took about 45 minutes, the driver went through San Jose as opposed to taking the toll road around town.

At the airport we were checked in and at the gate by 10:45.  Our flight was scheduled for 12:30.  It was an uneventful flight to Los Angeles.  Once in LA we had the joy of going through Customs and Immigrations and having to travel to another terminal for our flight to Las Vegas.  Our flight was scheduled to depart at 6:05.  It was announced that it was a full flight and the airline asked that we check any carry ons we didn't need during the flight.  Gerri checked both our carry on bags.  The flight may have been sold out but departure was delayed while some other flights connecting to ours arrived.  Then we were told there would be a 10 minute delay while a technical problem with the passenger intercom.  The 10 minutes turned out to be more than an hour.  

We finally arrived in Las Vegas at 10.  The the baggage problems started.  Our baggage was announced to be on carousel 11, it eventually got on carousel 13 mixed with baggage that was supposed to be on 15.  Due to so much baggage crammed on to the carousel it broke down further delaying us getting out of the airport.

Meanwhile Hollis, who was picking us up was circling the airport. We finally got home at about 11:30.

Except for the last half of the trip home it was an enjoyable getaway and stay in Cabo San Lucas.  On the caching side I managed to find 4 even without a car.

Our next trip is in April.  A 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise on the Golden Princess.  Followed by a long road trip to Gerri's class reunion in Columbus, Mississippi.

Sunday March 22, 2015 Caoo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Goodbye pool, goodbye beach

 I was awakened earlier than usual by furniture movers upstair and people's voices carrying in from outside.  For the life of me I don't understand why the furniture is moved around so much.  It also seems against all odds, but we always seem to be down stairs from people who feel compelled to move it.

Vendors still sell Palo Fierro carvings

Goodbye whale bones

We started our coffee and got a little reading done before time to worship.  It has been nice having internet during our stay this year. We have been able to worship with the congregation at Oakey Boulevard via the netcast both Sundays we have been here. Randy's lesson was on how work fits into God's plan, as does generosity.  He also explained that we each have to work out our own salvation.  

We got to the pool area at about 1 and quickly found three lounges near the pool.  Neva won one Loteria game.  I stayed by the pool after the ladies left and read.

Goodbye landscaping 

Gerri made a casserole using some leftover chicken, tortillas, chips and cheese.  We had tomatoes and avocados with lime juice on the side.  That used up most of the things we had bought.  We are leaving behind a couple of unopened boxes of crackers, an unopened tube of Pringles and an unopened package of flour tortillas.  I'm not clear what happens to things we leave but I'm sure it doesn't go to waste.

We all struggled through the evening domino game.  I won.  The score ends at Neva seven games, me four and Gerri three.

Our shuttle leaves for the airport at 9:20 in the morning so we have to get most of the packing done tonight.  That didn't leave much time for reading before bedtime.

Saturday March 21, 2015Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

The Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar

 After our morning coffee, reading and computer time we got dressed and went to the pool area.  We didn't wear swim suits but wore street clothes.  We sat at a table in the pool area and played the daily Loteria games.  None of us won.

We spotted a different plant while walking through the complex

An Agave grinder and still near the Wyndham

After Loteria we went to the lobby and got a taxi to take us downtown.   The taxi dropped us off near the marina by the Wyndham.  We walked along the marina to Solomon's Landing, where we planned to eat.  http://www.solomonslandingcabo.com/  In the past we have found this the best place in Cabo for fish tacos.

Appetizers

Combo plate

Solomon's is next to the walk way by the marina and some of the harbor traffic, including a couple of sea lions could be seen from the restaurant. Today there were booths set up along the walk with arts and crafts and information on events. Combine that and spring break and it makes a lot of foot traffic going by the restaurant, which is raised about two feet above the walk.

Our waiter, Alfonso, and his assistant, Samantha, were very attentive and excellent waiters. We started with coconut shrimp as appetizers. Alphonso made guacamole at our table.  Not only delicious but also entertaining.  Although we came here for the fish tacos, I ordered a Mexican combo plate with a chilli relleno, enchilada and filet mignon.  The ladies both ordered fish tacos but asked for them in a taco shell as opposed to a soft tortilla.  All the food was very good. 

After eating we walked along the marina to a taxi stand.  

The walk took us past sections of the marina that hadn't been repaired since hurricane Odile and the front side of an uncompleted, abandoned resort resort.  The construction has been halted at the same point since we have been coming to Cabo, about 16 years.  I have been told it was shut down over a labor dispute and the developer went broke.  I

was also told that if a new developer buys the project they have to pay all the back wages since it was first shut down.  If that is the case we will probably be seeing the unfinished buildings until the concrete crumbles.

A sential

We came to a taxi stand and hailed a Taxi for the ride back to the Hacienda Del Mar.

We loafed on the balcony of our unit, letting our meal settle.  Later I fixed coffee for Neva and we had our nightly domino game.  She was grateful for the service but unmerciful in playing the game, she won again.

A satisfying, if not spectacular sunset.

We read until bedtime.  I'm not sure about everyone else but I was still feeling pleasantly stuffed by our earlier meal.

Friday March 20, 2015 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

We had our coffee and lounged around the unit until afternoon.  We were occupied with reading, games on the computer and computer chores.  I played several games of Words With Friends against the computer and won all three.  Not the same with the game I have been playing with DIL Dana.  Some day I hope to lose to her with less than a 100 points.

We had bananas and other snacks before heading to the pool area.  I walked to the pool via the walk on the north side of the resort, past the convention center and the Sheraton hotel. There are some time share villas on that side and a large pool area with a swim up bar.  They don't have activities there like Loteria so we have never used that area. There is a restaurant, Del Cortez, at the north end of the property on the beach.  In the past it was rather pricey.  It hasn't been reopened after the hurricane Odile.  The pool area starting at the Del Cortez and the beach area access have been changed since we were here in 2013.

We did get to the pool area in time for Loteria, but none of us won a game.  Wah-wah.

We relaxed and read around the pool until 4:30 and then went back to the unit.  Gerri and her mom stopped at the store to pick up some eggs for dinner.  Gerri fixed scrambled eggs and cheese, Canadian ham, and with tomatoes on the side.  I ordered a pizza through room service.  So we all had pizza and scrambled eggs.  We had pizza left over.

I was the dark horse and came from nowhere to win the nightly domino game.  With only two nights to go neither Gerri or I can match Neva's six wins.  We had vanilla wafers for desert during the game.

Tonight's sunset

Reading finished out the evening.

Today was the first day of spring.  Gerri's brother posted a tribute to spring and his mother on Facebook.  In case you don't follow Hollis' posts, I thought it was worth reposting.  So I am including it here.  


"SPRING
This is dedicated to my Mother. She was constantly getting us outdoors and not just to plant a garden or to smell the roses. She knows the inside of a house is so artificial. The outdoors offers God's gifts to the World. Whether it's fishing, camping, or hiking, it's part of Nature’s charisma. She encouraged me to play football, baseball, golf and swimming. My first garden was planted with seeds provided by my Mom. Her Brother, my dear Uncle Deb, grew tomatoes and veggies till his passing. I know my Mom is in her backyard every single day of her life, uniting nature with beauty and she offers her love of gardening to the grounds every year. The dirt is her canvas and she's painted an incredible blend of astonishing amazing colors of beauty. She makes the outdoors so awesome! Springtime is undoubtedly the most loved time of the year when the entire world sways to the rhythms of the heart induced by the beauty of nature. I think that no matter how old or in-firmed one may become, I always think that planting a large garden in the spring is so inspiring and glorious. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature’s rebirth? Spring is a true re-constructionist. Spring is when life's alive in everything. Spring is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine. Spring offers fascination and imagination to the mind. Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn. Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world. Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring? If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. Spring has come when you can put your
foot on three daisies. I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. With the coming of spring I am calm again. Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again. Don't ignore the small spring things, remembering the kite flies because of its tail. Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself. Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil. Spring is when life's alive in everything. Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.
Listen, can you hear it? It’s Spring's sweet cantata. It’s the strains of grass pushing through the snow, the song of buds swelling on the vine, the tender timpani of a baby robin's heart. Spring is alive. Spring is a heart full of hope and a shoe full of rain. Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. “Springtime offers so many traditions and the hope that it brings all of us to dream of those bright, sunny warm days enjoyed outdoors. April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks go. Remember making mud pies, getting grass stains and working up a warm sweat and the fresh smell of grass clippings. Thanks Mom for sharing your love of nature."

Hollis Thompson Barnhart, 2015

Thursday March 19, 2015, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Another normal day starting with coffee, computer and reading.  Then off to the pool area.

We played Loteria at 2 and I won a game.  After Loteria we ordered and shared an order of chicken tenders and french fries.

In the evening we had a salad with the leftover lasagna from DOC.  

Neva won the nightly domino game, bringing her to six wins for the trip.

Though today was a really lazy day it was highlighted with a really beautiful changing sunset. Neva took this series of pictures.  

At home in Las Vegas Neva submits outstanding sunset pictures to the Channel 3 weatherman. They are often shown on the evening weather report and credit given to her.

The way the resort is situated on the coast of the Baja peninsula we don't get a view of the sun setting into the ocean.  We do, however, get the effect of the sunset on the clouds over Cabo San Lucas.

 

Wednesday March 18, 2014 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Double Hibiscus

We had our coffee while reading and catching up computer chores.

Gerri put together another brunch of leftovers before we went to the pool area to relax.

In Mexico the beaches are all public.  The people that enjoy sitting on the sand near the water are open for solicitations of various Mexican junk.  To be fair some of the bowls and scarves are very nice.  These vendors work very hard at selling, they are on the beach all day.  They usually bring umbrellas for shade at the south end of the beach and watch for new arrivals on the beach.

Daily specials at DOC

Lasagna for two

At the pool area we got setup with lounges and began to relax.  At two we played the Loteria game, Neva won one game.  On the way to the pool I had stopped at the concierge's desk and made dinner reservations at the DOC Wine Bar downtown at 7.  DOC is our favorite Italian restaurant in Los Cabos.  They serve the best lasagna we have ever eaten.







We left the pool area at about 4 so we would have time to clean up and relax before heading to the restaurant.

The taxi ride is about six miles to the restaurant in downtown Cabo San Lucas.  We were seated immediately.

Happy diners at DOC

Of course we ordered the lasagna.  It comes as an order for two people so we ordered two.

Neva at DOC, happy too

 We shared a mixed green salad before our main course.  We made a dent in the lasagna but had enough leftover for another meal.










We couldn't resist the tiramisu and split that three ways.

Mi nueva novia.  Ella es tan fea ella es linda

Another taxi ride brought us back to the Hacienda Del Mar.  We had our nightly domino game, Gerri was the victor tonight.  I have a lot of catching up to do.

Again the evening was finished off with reading. I think I have finished 4 or 5 of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels.

Tuesday March 17, 2014 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Actividades de hoy son casi el mismo que el descrito en el blog de ayer.

The pirate ship still does tours, but we haven't seen her under sail for years

We had our coffee and computer time.  Gerri made a brunch of the leftovers.  We had quiche, with ham and salsa on the side.  She also fixed a tuna salad and also heated up the leftover hamburger from yesterday's late lunch.  We had plenty to eat.

A view of Las Pitahayas restaurant from the pool area

When we went to the pool area we weren't able to get lounges together.  After the Loteria games, which none of us won, we moved towels and belongings off three lounges together.  No one had been at the lounges for at least an hour and a half.

We spent the rest of the afternoon reading and watching the ocean and pool.

Mariachis at the welcome party

At 5 we went to the weekly owner's welcome party.  This week they served corn on the cob and fish empanadas.  You may or may not know that I seldom complain about food, but the corn was awful.  They served the empenadas
with a sort of mildly spicy thousand island dressing, cilantro and parmesan cheese.  With a little salsa added they were pretty good.  That was our supper.  Gerri did win a fancy bottle opener in the drawing

A bird of paradise at Villa Rosa

Our building name

Back at the unit it was reading and computer time until our domino game.  Neva won again.  The score now stand with her having won 4 games and gerri and I two each.

Reading and computer time finished out the evening

Monday March 16, 2015 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

This was pretty much a normal day for us when in Cabo.  We had our coffee and read in the morning. Just before noon we went to the pool area.  We got three lounges by the pool overlooking the sea. The last few days we have had to have other people's towels removed.  The resort no longer uses towel cards so there is no incentive to walk the few feet to turn them in, so previous users just leave them on the lounges and walk away.  The resort rules are that towels left unused for 45 minutes are picked up, so someone else can use the lounge.

Another tourist suning himself

Of course at 2 we played Loteria.  Gerri won the cover all.  After Loteria we ordered a late lunch. We had hamburger and tuna sliders. There were two small hamburgers per order and Gerri and Neva split an order of french fries.  The tuna sliders are three small tuna sandwiches and I ordered chips and dips to go with them.  We had some visitors on the wall this afternoon.  The gull or one of his friends came back later and snatched a piece of bun that Gerri had left.  The burgers and tuna sandwiches may have been small but added all together they made a good size meal that carried us into the evening.

Waiting for leftovers

No, they didn't collide

We sat reading and watching the beach and ocean traffic, occasionally talking to our neighbors until about 5.  We returned to the unit, cleaned up and played our domino game earlier than usual.  Neva won again.  That left us more time for reading and computer time.  I think we all went to bed a little earlier than usual.

We didn't have much to do today, and didn't finish.  We will have to pickup again in the morning and see if we can out relax today.

Sunday March 15, 2015 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, MX

We had our coffee and then worshiped with the congregation at The Oakey Blvd. Church of Christ via the netcast.  Randy Mabe delivered a lesson from the book of Ezekiel.  He tied together the warnings and promises made by God to the Jews through Ezekiel to the warnings and promises we have through the Church today.  Unfortunately, we lost the connection during and after the Lord's supper.  We had communion supplies and were able to complete that portion of our worship.  We did miss the announcements following the services, including prayer requests and visitor introductions.

The infamous Loteria game card

In the afternoon we went to the pool area and at 2 played Loteria.  None of us were winners. We stayed around the pool area all afternoon. We shared an order of tuna sliders.  This was a new item on the menu and was very good with a large portion of tuna with excellent seasoning.

Beach volleyball is popular with some 

Olas en las rocas

El faro en el Punto de Ballenas

There was some breeze.  Enough to bring up the surf on the rocks in front of the beach but not enough to discourage beach volleyball players.



























Back at our unit we cleaned up and tuned into worship services netcast from Oakey Blvd. Jesus Perez delivered the lesson.











We had quiche and Canadian ham for dinner.  Our evening domino game was another win for Neva.

Has usual reading and computer time rounded out the evening.

Saturday March 14, 2014 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, MX

An interesting tree seen while caching, anyone know what it is?

I set an alarm to get up at 7.  I planned to attend a geocaching meet and greet in San Jose Del Cabo.  The event was set for 9:26:53 today.  The event, GC5NNWZ "Eat Pi Meet n Greet", was set on this date and time because it is a Pi day of special significance; in the year 2015, Pi Day had special significance on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 a.m. and also some at p.m., with the date and time representing the first 10 digits of π. That same second also contained a precise instant corresponding to all of the digits of π.  

Eat Pi Meet n Greet; GeoNavPros, me and the Wennigets

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day.  The event was organized by GeoNavPros, Derek Campbell and his wife from Vancouver, BC.  The total attendance was 5, the GeoNavPros, Wenniget  (another couple from Alberta) and me.  We swapped geocaching stories and travel bugs.  I dropped one traveler, picked up three and discovered seven others.  Discovering a traveler adds it to your total found without having to take it to another cache.

I took a taxi from Cabo to San Jose but Derek gave me a ride back.  We found three cache along the way.  I was back at the resort in time to join the ladies for the last three Loteria games.  I was there for the first but it had already started, Gerri won that game.

Because of some threatening clouds Gerri and Neva had spent the morning and afternoon up to Loteria time reading at our unit.  The threat of rain went away as did the breeze and we stayed by pool side until about 5:30 reading and chatting with our neighbors.  Neva did get pictures of the workman putting the finishing touches on the tile  replacement on one of the domes in the building across the way.

We had leftovers for dinner, chicken tacos and finished off the asparagus.  After dinner we played our nightly game of Dominoes.  Neva schooled us on the game by scoring only 40 points, Gerri had over 100 and I had 200 plus.  We now have each won 2 games each.

As usual reading and computer time finished off our evening.

This sould have been on our first day blog