Birthday Bliss

Today is Marci’s 50th birthday.  Three years ago we were on top of a mountain in Glenwood Springs - and two days later she had a stroke.  The doctors say it was a freak event, an injury as opposed to the more typical variety involving blood clots in the brain.  She literally turned her head too fast and bisected her vertebral artery (in the back of her neck).  Luckily, we were six minutes from a Level 1 trauma center (Denver Health Medical Center) and the TPA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator) they administered.  She is almost ‘normal’, suffering only from a slight limp, a teeny droopy eye (when she is tired), and unfortunately, chronic nerve pain in her right extremities.

If the stroke had happened on top of the mountain.....

Anyway, here we are.  In Mexico.  Soaking up sun and sipping high end tequila in an amazing location.  It does give you an appreciation for the fleeting nature of life.

I woke up in time to see the sun paint a rose color on the beach and Marci followed a bit later.  We embraced the day slowly, as one should on a birthday of this magnitude. And then we went to La Roca for breakfast.

Wow.  Poached eggs in Chile verde, French toast with creamy butter, chicken breast soaking in a creamed spinach sauce, and tangy bloody Mary’s.  The bite of bitter coffee and the sweet tang of fresh squeezed orange juice were a perfect accompaniment to the sweet bites ending the first meal of the day.

We had a lot of fun taking the pictures and guests around us think we are travel writers...

Disconnecting....

The Spansish word “Cabo” literally means “cape” in English.  So, think of Cape Cod Massachusetts or the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, they are the tips of land at the end of the continent.  As such, Cabo is known as “Lands End”.  So, Cabo San Lucas is ‘land’s end Saint Lucas’ - or the town of Saint Lucas at the end of the land.  Make sense?  “Los Cabos” are the combined cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo - at the tip of the Mexican Baja peninsula.

And this is where we come to spend our Spring Break.

As I mentioned in the last post, this economy in almost entirely dependent on tourism.  The locals will tell you that the month and a half after the hurricane was devestating.  Not only was the infrastructure demolished - there was no money coming in to get people back on their feet.  It was a frightening time.

But Americans (and their dollars) did come back.  And they are coming now more than ever.  On the ride from the airport (about 30 minutes) our driver Julio told us that there will be 3,000 new hotel rooms by the end of 2018.  Properties are being built everywhere.

This is not only a resort town, there are also several cruise ships that dock each week.  And thousands of Mexicans are ready to serve them with smiles.

It is easy to come here and soak in the sun. To eat fresh fish and drink  frozen margaritas. To disconnect from the hectic life back home.  

So on our first day, we started with the gourmet Sunday Brunch at La Roca   DIVINE!  From the slow roasted barbacoa beef, to the sushi bar.  From the omelette station, to the poached eggs in ranchero sauce.  From the smoked salmon with capers, to the carefully crafted pastries.  And of course, all the mimosas and bloody Mary’s you can drink.

The rest of the day was spent in Marci’s favorite infinity pool and a quick trip to the beach below to watch the Mexican surfers.

Lunch was poolside. A hamburger for Marci and fresh Pacific fish tacos for me.

Dinner was at the five star Don Luis restaurant on the beach.  We ordered too much, but wanted to taste everything.  Marci’s beef empanada appetizer was a perfect combination of light pastry shell with seasoned beef.  My, my, my....

I had the seared bay scallop salad and grilled rack of lamb (over a hard wood coal grill a few feet behind us).  A fantastic meal.

Hard work DOES pay off

I hate to even name a blog post like this one.  It feels like such a millennial (or what is the next generational group called?) thing to say...

So take it from a Gen X / Boomer’s point of view.  We really mean hard work.  Decades of it.  Late nights, accepting direction from our boss (even the ones we didn’t like), forgoing new cars and fun vacations to raise kids (even other people’s kids).  We have suffered the loss of Marci’s mother, a stroke, injustice, and pain.  But we are happy people.

I’m not looking for a pat on the back - just an understanding of what it took to be able to do this.

Ok, off the soap box.

We’ve been coming to Cabo San Lucas since December of 2014.  We had just sold our Strasburg home (after a year of our wonderful kids helping us remodel and repair) and used a small bit of the profits to take a vacation.  Then we bought a time-share (I know, I know...) but WE LOVE IT.

The property is called Grand Solmar  and it is absolutely decadent.  Stunningly set against tan sandstone cliffs and a private beach on the Pacific Ocean - it is just gorgeous.  We bought at the right time too - the area was just emerging from hurricane Odile and the economy was desperate for an influx of cash.  There was a fear that the US tourists would not come back and that would kill the three towns that rely almost entirely on US tourist dollars.

  

A lot has happened in our life since that trip.  Some bad (Marci’s stroke) and some good (our grand-baby Aniyah) but luckily we get a week in this paradise no matter what!  We tend to go during Marci’s Spring Break. 

Anyway, we decided after the difficult year we’ve had, we are going to take a week and immerse ourselves in this place. In this moment. Leaving everything else in another place and time.

We paid for the “meal plan” (think all inclusive) so that all food and beverages are included in a daily price.  That means this blog will be filled with food photos (and foodie smiles).

We will celebrate Marci’s 50th birthday on Monday, our 30th Anniversary Friday (except it isn’t until next week), and being alive and able to enjoy this magnificent experience EVERY DAY.

We hope you enjoy!