In March 2016, Debra and I cruised along the Baja Peninsula and Sea of Cortez aboard the Ruby Princess. We visited five ports - San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Loreto, and La Paz. We had a wonderful time from start to finish!
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Mediterranean Holiday.
This story, part of a series, is about our day in Cabo San Lucas.
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Mediterranean Holiday.
This story, part of a series, is about our day in Cabo San Lucas.
El Arco—The Arch
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (March 3, 2016) We arrived midmorning, and when I stepped on deck, I was greeted by a blast of hot air. Without a cloud in the sky, the heat from the sun was unrelenting and intense! I checked my weather app—it was already 90 degrees, and the forecast for midafternoon was 95.
“This heat is too much for me,” Debra—who’s prone to prickly heat—announced when I told her of the weather. “I’ve seen Cabo before, so I’ll stay on board this time around where I can relax and stay cool.”
“This heat is too much for me,” Debra—who’s prone to prickly heat—announced when I told her of the weather. “I’ve seen Cabo before, so I’ll stay on board this time around where I can relax and stay cool.”
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If you haven’t been to Cabo, here’s something good to know: It is renowned for an iconic rock formation, El Arco (The Arch) at Land’s End. Made of granite sculpted over millions of years by sea and wind, El Arco marks the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula—essentially the last stretch of land (thus, Land’s End) before the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
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It's a breathtaking sight from afar, but you can also explore it up close and personal by boat—something I’ve never done.
It was nearly noon when I boarded a tender boat that transported me from the Ruby Princess, anchored in the harbor, to the pier at Marina Cabo San Lucas—a lively spot filled with shops, restaurants, and bars. From there, it would be easy for me to venture further into Cabo and the surrounding region. But I didn’t stray far from the pier as there was plenty there for me to see in the few hours I allotted to myself.
It was nearly noon when I boarded a tender boat that transported me from the Ruby Princess, anchored in the harbor, to the pier at Marina Cabo San Lucas—a lively spot filled with shops, restaurants, and bars. From there, it would be easy for me to venture further into Cabo and the surrounding region. But I didn’t stray far from the pier as there was plenty there for me to see in the few hours I allotted to myself.
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Enroute to the pier, I spied something that made me laugh. There was a small fishing boat—Gavinia IV, I think it was named…and if so, its name was inspired by a prehistoric fish—with a few tourists on board and one very large sea lion who seemed intent on joining them. Perhaps it was my imagination—or maybe it was heatstroke from the high temperature—but I could have sworn I heard the sea lion bark, “Permission to come aboard, sir.” HAH!!
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There were two cruise ships in port—Ruby Princess (at the left) and Norwegian Jewel (at the right)—which meant upwards of 5,500 passengers descended on Cabo that day. Without a doubt, Cabo was a beehive of activity.
I have a tradition when I visit Cabo: The first thing I do is explore Marina Mercado, a marketplace with a flea-market style.
The Mercado, which opened in the mid-90s, had a wide selection of arts and crafts, including the “best carvings of ironwood in town, great pieces of ceramic with many beautiful designs, and handmade dresses of different Mexican cultures”—so said a brochure I picked up along the way there. Not to take anything away from vendors who sold authentic Mexican handicrafts, but the Mercado also had its share of peddlers who sold mass-produced merchandised, including tee shirts, ball caps, beachwear, and trinkets.
No matter, though, as I always had fun poking around the hundred plus “shops”—although I seldom bought anything—where the atmosphere was spirited as vendors engaged with tourists in friendly bargaining.
For you, Senor, only five dollars.
Classic!
Afterward, I wandered along Andador Dorado, a pedestrian walkway where I was approached by many “promoters” hawking fishing trips, snorkeling tours, and other adventures. “No, gracias,” I said to each and every one.
Soon I was downtown, where I stopped for lunch—a couple of tacos and a beer—at Cabo Wabo Cantina. Here’s something interesting: Cabo Wabo was founded by Sammy Hagar, onetime lead singer for the rock group Van Halen. The cantina was crowded—no surprise with so many cruise passengers in port—and the atmosphere was lively, with a mix of rock and local Mexican music playing in the background.
And that was my day—just a fleeting few hours—in Cabo San Lucas, where I had wandered with no particular purpose and left, having enjoyed the sights and sounds, with a few moments worth savoring.
The Mercado, which opened in the mid-90s, had a wide selection of arts and crafts, including the “best carvings of ironwood in town, great pieces of ceramic with many beautiful designs, and handmade dresses of different Mexican cultures”—so said a brochure I picked up along the way there. Not to take anything away from vendors who sold authentic Mexican handicrafts, but the Mercado also had its share of peddlers who sold mass-produced merchandised, including tee shirts, ball caps, beachwear, and trinkets.
No matter, though, as I always had fun poking around the hundred plus “shops”—although I seldom bought anything—where the atmosphere was spirited as vendors engaged with tourists in friendly bargaining.
For you, Senor, only five dollars.
Classic!
Afterward, I wandered along Andador Dorado, a pedestrian walkway where I was approached by many “promoters” hawking fishing trips, snorkeling tours, and other adventures. “No, gracias,” I said to each and every one.
Soon I was downtown, where I stopped for lunch—a couple of tacos and a beer—at Cabo Wabo Cantina. Here’s something interesting: Cabo Wabo was founded by Sammy Hagar, onetime lead singer for the rock group Van Halen. The cantina was crowded—no surprise with so many cruise passengers in port—and the atmosphere was lively, with a mix of rock and local Mexican music playing in the background.
And that was my day—just a fleeting few hours—in Cabo San Lucas, where I had wandered with no particular purpose and left, having enjoyed the sights and sounds, with a few moments worth savoring.
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Cabo was fun to visit, but my fondest memory from that day was dinner with Debra in one of the ship’s main dining venues, Michelangelo. It wasn’t the food—both of us ordered Michelangelo’s version of surf and turf, which included grilled shrimp and steak— but rather the time we spent together.
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Over dinner, we had a rousing conversation about our days—Debra’s day aboard the ship, my day in port. And like the show Seinfeld, famously referred to as “a show about nothing,” we realized that neither of us did much of great import. (LOL) And yet, what we did was fun to talk about!
Here’s something else: Debra knows how to make me laugh, so I guffawed when she mugged with a breadstick as though it was a cigar. That’s my girl! |
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