Cabo Before Christmas

We made a last minute decision to join our friend Z in Cabo San Lucas again this year, much closer to Christmas than last year. I relish the chance to go somewhere with warm weather in the depths of winter. I do appreciate our climate, but it is so hard to beat the beach after months of dark clouds and near-constant rain. I managed to prepare for Christmas at home by decorating the house (always done the day after Thanksgiving) and sending the holiday cards before we left, but the cookie baking with mom was scheduled for after our return. Mostly this trip is about spending time with Z and complete relaxation.

Christmas tree in the lobby.

The first sunset.

Flights of fancy.

Glimpse of the cape.

 

I made an effort to keep up with my routine, even away from home. I did my meditation every morning on our deck. It was a favorite part of my day. I saw gray whales several times, and even managed a few pictures with the telephoto lens. After the first night, Z upgraded to a nicer room, one with a more spectacular vista of the gulf and a private hot tub on our deck. It was perfect for morning meditation with a 180 degree view of the sea. I also did a workout every morning before breakfast, usually in the resort's gym, but a couple of times Russ and I took a walk on the beach instead.

Morning meditation.

Morning view form the deck.

Sunrise.

Taking pictures of the whales.

Birds skimming the water.

Hello to the waves.

Beach walk.

The horses for beach rides get a chance to have some fun.

Bird in flight.

Wet shorts. The beach falls off very steeply and it's easy to misjudge the waves.

Worth the wet.

Walk as far as you wish.

Feet and foam.

Pristine.

Another day, another sunrise.

Red sky at morning.

Z contemplates eternity.

Footprint.

Good morning sun.

Always beautiful.

Crash.

Capturing the wave.

Splash.

Rocks near and far.

Soul rejuvenation location.

We ate some nice meals; I especially like the breakfast buffet. We enjoyed lounging by the pool and by the beach. Z and I floated the lazy river and went to the spa. The spa here has a hydrotherapy area that I would be glad to visit every day. I tried to catch some of the live music the Villa La Valencia Resort features, and did managed to hear some favorites. One musician sang La Incondicional at my request on guitar. It's usually a piano piece, and he transposed it on the spot during our breakfast. I was impressed. I made good use of my lounge time and did a lot of reading. We had drinks after dinner in the lobby bar and caught a fireworks show (I think it was for a wedding at the property next door). It felt very freeing to just live in the moment and do what I wanted to do without a plan or a schedule.

Reading on deck.

The view of Villa La Valencia from our deck.

Drinks before dinner.

Winter flowers.

The infinity pool at dusk.

Moonrise.

Sunset palms.

Tan rico!

Fireworks. This was a lovely surprise.

Sunrise and swimming pools.

Lunch by the pool.

Sunset beach.

Waiting for dinner.

Christmas poinsettias.

Outdoor dining.

Moonbathing.

Lunch by the beach.

Lounging (in a cabana) on the beach.

The brisk wind kept us from overheating.

More reading.

This was a small art fair. We bought a piece to carry home.

Sunset calm.

Art at dusk.

Lights and moon reflected in the infinity pool.

My favorite employee of the resort. He helped me practice speaking Spanish.

Lunch on the beach.

Music with the meal. He played La Incondicional at my request.

Taco night.

Mmmm. Desayuno.

The flight home.

The glowing sunset persisted.

Spectacular.

Almost dark.

We returned home rejuvenated and jumped directly into Christmas. It was a wonderful trip. I feel like my Spanish improved, too. I made an effort to use it whenever I could. In the past, I would not take so many resort trips; I prefer other types of travel, but these are an opportunity to spend more time with our friend Z, and I'm glad we joined her.