I've been suffering from an acute case of Sunseekeritis - why else would I color coordinate my espadrilles and vintage jute handbag to the crystalline blue skies and sandy beaches of my longed for destination?
Photo: Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus
Whether or not Mark Twain really did utter those famous words about his coldest winter having been a summer in San Francisco, is neither here nor there when faced with the prospect of enduring yet another foggy and windy August in our fair city. Not that I'm complaining too much, mind you. I very well appreciate our milder summer months, especially when compared to the steam bath endured throughout the rest of the country.
Every now and then however, an itch requires a good scratching. The urge to don one's summery clothes and beachy espadrilles can no longer be suppressed. That is why my family and I jetted off to sunnier climes earlier this month, where sparkling blue seas and fiery sunsets predominate, and everything else, happily, gets left in the dust.
Fasten your seat belts, now approaching blue skies and sandy beaches
Photo: Chronica Domus
A favorite holiday destination of ours, and one we return to time and again, Los Cabos is located at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. It is always summer in Los Cabos with perpetual sunshine no matter the time of year. Cooling breezes sweep in from the Sea of Cortez keeping the mercury in the comfortable zone - averaging between the upper 70 Fahrenheit range to the lower 90's at the extreme. Los Cabos has become the Acapulco of the 1950's attracting swells and A-listers in droves. And, who can blame them?
Whether it be the sandy beaches that appear like straw-colored ribbon along the coastline ...
Photo: Chronica Domus
... or, an infinity pool that keeps one lolling at the water's edge ...
Photo: Chronica Domus
... this truly is a blissfully relaxing and stunningly beautiful part of the world. I always find it such a struggle to leave.
Photo: Chronica Domus
This is the view from the upstairs open air bar which affords excellent views of El Arco. I could happily gaze upon this magnificent rock formation for eternity.
Photo: Chronica Domus
Of course, perfectly made margaritas only add to the enjoyment of the view. In the land of tequila, our usual sauce takes a backseat.
Photo: Chronica Domus
Yes, it was difficult to tear ourselves away from a place that left us wanting for nothing, but we did muster up the energy to hire a car and explore a little further afield. A drive to San Jose del Cabo, which is chock full of art galleries and silversmiths, housed in Spanish colonial buildings, is a pleasant diversion from beach and pool life.
Tiffany & Co., the world's premiere jeweler, well at least a Mexican doppleganger
Photo: Chronica Domus
The woven trunk of this clipped bougainvillea, which grows in front of the Mission of San Jose del Cabo Anuiti, is quite a horticultural achievement
Photo: Chronica Domus
For us, no trip to Los Cabos is complete without an excursion to the sleepy little town of Todos Santos, situated just a stone's throw from the Tropic of Cancer. The town is located about an hour north of the resort area and is one of my favorite drives due to the spectacular scenery. This is where the Pacific Ocean dramatically meets the desert in high-Mexican style. Just look at the size of that cactus!
Just across the road from this enormous cactus - which we estimate to be about fifteen feet tall - is the Pacific Ocean
Photo: Chronica Domus
It has become a right of passage to drop into the Hotel California for lunch and to sip upon tequila sunrise cocktails in honor of The Eagles' namesake song.
Photo: Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus
"Livin' it up at the Hotel California, what a nice surprise (what a nice surprise), bring your alibis"
Photo: Chronica Domus
Upon our return to Los Cabos, it was straight into the pool for more natatorial fun until the early hours of the evening.
A natatorial paradise
Photo: Chronica Domus
As I mentioned earlier, it is tough to willingly take one's leave of such a blissfully relaxing and beautiful part of the world, but leave we must. Taking pleasure in one final picture-perfect sunset before bidding adiós to Los Cabos for another year was the icing on the cake.
Adiós, Los Cabos, until we meet again
Photo: Chronica Domus
Once home, the familiar welcoming committee of ever-present summer fog embraced us with open arms. Our sun umbrella, I'm afraid, will continue to remain firmly shut with little foreseeable action in its future. It's time too, I suppose, to reluctantly pack away summer's glad rags.
A view looking up towards our balcony on a typical foggy August morning
Photo: Chronica Domus
Regardless of the current misty conditions, there is really nothing quite like being back at home, and for that I am most grateful. Home sweet home, indeed!
Hello CD, Having just returned to Taiwan, where the inside temperature hit 106F the other day, the idea of cool San Francisco seems pleasant indeed. A resort like Los Cabos appears idyllic from your photos and description, although a place like SF, with its history and architecture, make it a perfect vacation spot for me. You know what they say about the grass being greener!
ReplyDelete--Jim
Oh, goodness, 106F is an oven and entirely too uncomfortable for me unless, of course, there is a pool involved.
DeleteWhat in heavens do you do to stay cool? I'll happily send a little fog your way in hopes of relieving the infernal heat.
What a fantastical holiday, and what blue skies and blue water to match those stylish shoes! Such a wonderful trip it must have been, and just to know that it's THERE, when you're so far away in the foggies---that's a lovely thing as well.
ReplyDeleteThe sheer poetry of your praise for such a paradise is plu-perfect and past any brochure or color-blast website. They'll be at YOUR door soon, begging for the usage.
I've been a long time just reading and reading here today, and have partaken of a particularly-striking Jeffersonian salad AND the glorious puffs of TWO souffles, just from the little thumbnails at the footer.
I'm off to a soccer game, in this muggy-cloudy-86ish day. It's our Sweetpea's birthday, and so our presence is de rigueur despite the steambath for one and all. We had to postpone her party on the patio scheduled for yesterday, for the whole week has been thundery lightning and floods and tornado warnings right and left.
Must go and find myself something cool (as well as KEWL, for we GRANDS must not embarrass the young-uns) to wear.
Hello racheld,
DeleteI had not thought about travel holiday brochures since my move from England a couple of decades ago, but did recently hear a story on the radio that Thomas Cook (I believe it was them) will cease production of their enticing brochures and go entirely digital.
I hope the torrential rains don't cause too much havoc - please send some rain our way as we are in dire need of it.
Hello CD,
ReplyDeleteHow lovely that you have a favourite destination to visit when the urge grabs. It looks idyllic.
(And thanks for teaching me a new word: natatorial. I like it!)
Spud.
Hello Spud,
DeleteIt really is such a wonderful word, and one that is not used often enough in my opinion.
Imagine the reaction you'd get the next time you told someone you were off to the local natatorium. So much nicer than swimming pool, don't you agree?
Dear CD,
ReplyDeleteWould you name your fabulous hotel in Cabos?
What a divine holiday.
Greetings from hot/humid NYC.
Hello truth in fashion,
DeleteThe reason I have not disclosed the exact location of our stay which, incidentally, is a place we've frequented on numerous occasions and have been more than happy to return to due
to the excellent amenities, service, and wonderful staff is because, alarmingly, it will close at the end of the month for an extensive update and renovation. We are not entirely sure why such updates and renovations are necessary as we find the place to be in impeccable condition and would highly recommend to anyone interested in traveling to Los Cabos.
From past personal experience, whenever a favorite hotel
or restaurant closes for such purposes, the results usually signal trouble. What I mean by this is that whatever we had previously enjoyed about a place is likely to vanish, only to be replaced with whatever trend du jour has been deemed worthy of appealing to a younger/hipper/different clientele.
Do stay tuned though as an acquaintance of mine has already booked her stay there this December. I am hoping to get a full report on the forthcoming changes and will, at that point, update this post with the location if I believe
the spirit of why we enjoy staying there has been preserved. I am keeping my fingers crossed as we'd enjoy a return visit in the not too distant future.
CD
This is one place we've never been, though it's not that far from LA. Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos....they give a really good idea of the place. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHello Diogenes,
DeleteI know you get plenty of sunshine in your neck of the woods and can well imagine you'd be more inclined to seek out a cooler locale for a change of pace. However, I highly recommend a stay in Los Cabos if you get an opportunity to visit. Although there is some heat, the cooling breezes make it very pleasant, to say nothing of the stunning scenery.
Your holiday destination looks fabulous. I have to say, Mexico hasn't ever really been on my radar, but you do make it look pretty good! The Tiffanys made me laugh - you see a lot of that sort of thing through Asia as well... close, but just enough difference that they manage to escape the licensing legal people! I hope you do get a little patch of sunshine before the Autumn descends upon you though. Love the espadrilles - such a cheery shade of blue x
ReplyDeleteHello Heidi,
DeleteMy husband tried so hard to get me down to Mexico for years but it was not until 2009 that I finally bit the bullet and... well, the rest is history. It's my happy place away from home.
I just heard a hilarious story of a t-shirt purchased in Turkey that had the words "Tommy Hilfinger" written across it. Close but no cigar. I imagine this is the type of merchandise you make reference to.
Ah, those espadrilles are favorites of mine. I have them in black too (two black pairs!), and they come out each and every summer. I've had them for at least 10 years and will shed a river when they eventually die.
This looks like a picture perfect getaway destination for summer. Still, I would be happy to trade your Northern California fog and chill to the air in August for our quite warm Southern California end to summer.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Hello Karen,
DeletePerhaps it is time to plan a trip to SF for some light relief from the constant Southern California sunshine. They do say "a change is as good as a rest".
I shall look forward to your arrival.
Awfully hot and humid here in Washington, DC suburbs, so cool and foggy sounds like a relief! However, I understand the urge for a change. Your holiday sounds delightful. Our happy, tropical place is any of the Hawaiian islands.
ReplyDeleteHello slf,
DeleteGosh, I don't know how you Washingtonians survive summers in your beautiful town. I recall vividly stepping out of Dulles Airport to pick up our car rental for the drive to Georgetown and almost fainting at the heat and humidity in June. I've never experienced anything quite like it elsewhere.
I've not had the pleasure of visiting Hawaii as I manage to get sidetracked to Mexico being as it is so close to us. On my list though.
A marvelous piece of writing my Dear CD. You could make a trip to the dentist sound captivating.
ReplyDelete'Hotel California' is the one universally acknowledged 'great song' that never much interested me. I'd much rather listen to you & Patience plan your next adventure.
Dearest GSL,
DeleteThank you, but a dental experience would be a monumental challenge to write about as it was my least favorite place to visit as a child. Thank goodness I moved to America where dentistry is a delight.
I must admit I'm not much of a fan of "Hotel California" but it has become sort of an inside joke because of the hotel we visit in Todos Santos. It appears that they've built their entire reputation around it which, to us, makes it rather amusing.
I AM a big fan of "Hotel California" though I had no idea where it was. Los Cabos is high on my bucket list. Maybe one of these days...
ReplyDeleteHello lindaraxa,
DeleteActually, this "Hotel California" may not be the one The Eagles are singing about, but it sure could be if you listen to the lyrics. Either way, this particular establishment has made the most of the connection and is a fun place to order Tequila Sunrise cocktails (I think the only place we ever do, actually) and enjoy a spot of lunch.
I hope you get to Los Cabos soon for I know you'll have a swell time. We always find ourselves there in August, which is a nice time of year to go. It is hot but dry which makes all the difference in the world when sitting poolside.