Cabo

"Toca la guitarra"

So far Cabo was the highlight of the summer. It was both my mom and stepdad's first time out of the US, and our very first family vacation. I flew from San Luis Obispo to Sacramento and the next day we flew to Cabo from SFO. We took a shuttle to our hotel and our driver pointed out interesting places like Sammy Hagar's house, the rock that looks like Jay Leno, Santa Maria beach where Heather is getting married, and good restaurants to check out.

Our hotel was called Villa del Palmar and was aesthetically pleasing, but the service was HORRIBLE. Everything that we were told or that we read in the hotel books were different from day to day. There were so many little kids, and the beach area was not very accomodating. My aunt Cathy and cousin Michael were staying at Club Cascadas, which was one hotel down from ours. That night we ate dinner at The Office which was this really entertaining outside restaurant right on the beach. They had dancers on stage, and brought guys up to do a dance-off for a bottle of tequilla. I had a wonderful margarita and delicious fajitas.

The next day we walked over to Cathy's to relax on the beach all day. Her hotel has cute little cabanas where waiters deliver frozen drinks and appetizers right to you. We all played in the ocean which was surprisingly rough and had a very strong undertow. Michael, Philip, Phil and I all went jetskiing for a while which was really fun going fast over the waves and driving around exploring the ocean. We had dinner at our hotel which sucked because the food wasn't that great, and it took the server forever to bring us anything. Pretty much every day we layed in the sun and in the shade in front of Cathy's hotel, switching off from the pool to the ocean. Rough life, I know. :)

There were a million vendors walking the beach every day and we'd be asked to buy hats, sunglasses, jewelery, clothes, ceramics, pretty much anything you can think of. I don't think I've said "no thanks" so many times in my life. I did buy a new cowboy hat for $7 and my mom and aunt got sarongs. No matter what the item, everything was "almost free" and started out at $15. ;) I don't know how those vendors walked up and down the beach all day because it was about 100 degrees with 100% humidity. I was sweating the second I walked outside in just a bikini. My favorite night at Cabo we went to eat at this place called Da Georgio's Ristorante. It's an italian place set high up on a cliff overlooking the ocean and all of Cabo. We got there right before sunset and took pictures. It was the most beautiful restaurant I've ever been to and the outside dining was breathtaking. The food was also incredible! I got fettucini (sp? grr I tried spelling it 5 times, I suck) with shrimp and some red wine.

We also ventured into town one evening to eat dinner at Cabo Wabo. It was really good and I got to watch my parents take a shot of tequilla! All of the girls walked around town for awhile while the guys took a taxi home. I found a really cute bracelet in a silver shop, and my aunt negotiated the price down to 50% off! Woot woot! There were little stands everywhere selling a bunch of junk, but it was really fun walking around and see what life is like in Cabo.

Another day my mom, Michael, Philip and I took a glass bottom boat ride out to the famous Arch. Our tour guide showed us different rocks that resembled things like a pigs head and scoobi doo. Of course we saw the beautiful natural arch, and some caves. We also saw "Lover's Beach" and went over to the Pacific side of the ocean. Through the bottom of the boat we could see tons of beautiful fish!!

Monday, and our last day in Cabo, the boys were supposed to go fishing all day. They chartered a boat at 6am, and when the morning came, we were surprised with a hurricane!!! The palm trees were blowing sooo hard, and it was pouring rain with lightning and thunder!! They took a taxi to the marina to ask the guy what to do anyway, and of course no boats were going out. The waves were enormous all day long which was pretty cool to watch. All of the beaches were closed because the water came all the way up to the hotel restuarants. I didn't mind though because I got a 30 minute massage...my very first..and I was in heaven!!! I also got to eat the best breakfast burrito ever and take a nap and relax. When it cleared up, my aunt, Dorothy and I went to the mall for more shopping, and then dinner again at Club Cascadas.

I love vacations and I love my family so it was an awesome time. I can't wait to go back in June for Heather's wedding. Now, it's back to reality. I'm all moved into my new place, and my last quarter of school starts in 20 days. Summer is fading away... :(

"When autumn comes, it doesn't ask, it just walks in where it left you last. You never know when it starts until there's fog inside the glass around your summer heart"