Tuesday, May 9, 2000
As much as I hate to fly, I must admit that the flight over
Mexico was pretty spectacular. Everyone should have the opportunity
to see Baja from the air. On the approach you can see endless miles
of unspoiled beaches in either direction. No high-rises in sight,
not even any houses.
We arrived at San Jose del Cabo airport about 1:30 p.m. Hotter
than hell. The shuttle to San Jose cost $8 each for the 10-mile
ride - robbery! There aren’t any public transportation alternatives
available.
Hotel Diana
Found a room at the Hotel Diana for $22, recommended in our
"Moon Guide." Not bad for the money. After a long siesta, we
decided to go for a walk, and the manager stopped us on our way
out. It seems he needed to climb through our window because he
locked himself out of somewhere. I understood his Spanish, but
thought that I must have misunderstood this unusual request. He
seemed very grateful, though, as he walked across the extra bed and
out our window!
Tom hams it up
We tried to find the estuary trail we had read about, but ended
up walking down a hot, dusty dirt road to the beach at Puebla la
Playa about 2 km or so instead. We bought a couple beers and
located a trash can to dispose of our empties. A few minutes later
we saw someone emptying the trash can into the ocean! Oh well. We
got to see little kids body surf in rough seas and teenagers grope
each other by the pangas (boats). We both got splashed by sneaky
waves. Drank a couple more cervezas and walked another km or 2 down
the beach along the estuary to the Hotel Presidente, where an
employee ran us off.
Looking down the beach from Puebla la Playa
We ate dinner at a little hole in the wall across from our
hotel, Pasteleria las Tres Leches. This would become one of our
favorite dining establishments! It's a tiny place with few
customers, but the prices, as well as the food, were very Mexican!
We took a long nap afterward. Mexico makes us sleepy.
The colorful Pasteleria las Tres Leches
We took another long walk in the evening along the plaza and
residential shopping area (mercado), which was very interesting for
people-watching. The town really comes alive after it cools off in
the evening. Finished off the day with some killer margaritas at
Xochimilco Sabor Mexico restaurant before retiring.
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