Back in 2015 I surprised Hendrik with a
birthday getaway to Cabo and I think after our trip this year it will become a tradition of sorts. As of August of this year I didn't plan on going on any more trips but Hendrik wanted to take one more long weekend away before Winter set in and we got bogged down in 4th quarter and holiday madness. We decided to go around his birthday to get away for relaxation and celebration purposes so that meant I needed to really get on the ball and renew my passport. He for sure wanted to go surfing and wanted a short direct flight so we decided on Cabo, even though we had already been there a couple years prior.
I booked our 4 night getaway through Expedia.
How we got there: We had a direct flight, 3 hour travel time, leaving from DFW to Cabo through American Airlines.
Where we stayed: On short getaways I usually try to get us an all-inclusive hotel so we don't have to waste what few short days we do have hunting down good food. This time around we stayed on the furthest Western point of
Cabo at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort and Spa.
Thursday September 14, 2017
Although we had a short, direct flight right into Cabo our flight was delayed 1 1/2 hours but we still managed to arrive in Cabo around 3:30 that afternoon instead of 2 like we should have. I was a little bummed because by the time we got our rental car and drove 45 minutes to the hotel we had spent up most of the daylight. We had to wait a while to get checked in. It seemed everyone was checking in/out at the same time probably due to the flight delays. We got checked into our room and since we had been traveling all day decided to make reservations for an early dinner at 6:30.
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| waiting for our flight |
Side note: I have decided to start traveling with ONLY carry on baggage. When we decided on taking this trip I jumped at the chance to get the travel backpack I've had my eye one. The Osprey Farpoint 55 is a 55 liter travel backpack and boy I LOVE it! I will admit that given its size it will be a challenge to fit everything I need or THINK I need on those longer trips but I'm going to make it work.
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| Peace out Dallas see you soon Cabo |
Our hotel was beautiful and not crowded at all...the best part of coming to Mexico in the Fall...no one is here!
We ate dinner at the Peninsula restaurant at the resort that had Baja cuisine. We started out with a bread basket, both had the octopus as an appetizer and we also both had white bean soup that was so good with the truffle oil. For my main dish I got the pesto pasta and salmon and Hendrik got the grilled shrimp and black bean puree.
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| bread basket with dipping oil and butter |
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| grilled octopus |
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| white bean soup |
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| pesto past and salmon |
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| grilled shrimp and black bean puree |
What our resort looked like.... We had a little daylight left after dinner so I took this time to take a tour and document. Also my camera was taking all of its pictures UPSIDE DOWN so getting any picture was a challenge. Thankfully when I uploaded them they auto corrected themselves. I had been having the problem on and off for about a year and it made its self permanent on this trip. It was so aggravating but I'm glad that when we got home I was able to get it fixed.
We ended the day by unpacking and tucking into bed early so we could be well rested for the rest of our trip. I don't know about you but no matter the time frame or how long the flight traveling is exhausting.
Friday September 15, 2017
One of our main goals on this trip was to find some surfing in Cabo. I had done my research prior to our trip and found that North of Cabo about an hour is the best surfing during this time of year but our rental car people told us something different. Hendrik wanted to see what the rental car company's advice was all about so after getting up and ready around 8:30 that morning we had a breakfast buffet and coffee seaside before grabbing our rental car and heading across Cabo to Chileno Bay. We checked out the surf at the Surf Hotel but Hendrik decided it was too rough. The waves were coming in one after another and just didn't look like something we were ready to conquer or that would be fun trying. We loaded back up and decided to spend the rest of the day at the hotel by the pool and beach.
To get to our hotel we had to drive a crazy curvy road up and down the backside of the mountain and the views were breathtaking. On our way back to the hotel from the surf spot we stopped so I could take pictures, which of course don't do it justice at all.
When we got back to the hotel we sunned, read, and ate by the pool until around 3. We could feel ourselves getting pretty crispy so decided to go check out the spa facilities and book some appointments. Something that has become customary on our beach trips is to visit the resort spa at least once for a massage. It is something we both love and seeing that beach vacations are all about relaxation visiting the spa makes perfect sense. We booked Swedish massages for ourselves at 5 and then 6 pm. Before we had them we headed back to the room to rest a little and make dinner reservations as well. I got my massage first at 5 and while Hendrik was getting his I got ready for dinner and met him back at the spa before heading over to Pescados sushi restaurant for dinner.
For dinner we both started with the spicy tuna wantons and shared several different rolls. We got tuna sashimi, salmon raw roll, spicy tuna roll, and a specialty roll called Pacifica. We went all out and even shared a fried rice ice-cream for dessert before heading back to our room.
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| spicy tuna wanton |
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| specialty roll- Pacifica |
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| tuna sashimi |
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| spicy tuna roll |
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| raw salmon rolls |
Saturday September 16, 2017
On Saturday I woke up earlier than Hendrik and wanted to enjoy several cups of coffee before breakfast so I got dressed for the day and headed down to the breakfast area to sit out on the beach and have coffee. Hendrik met me down when he got up and ready and we had breakfast before heading off for our day. After breakfast we headed to downtown Cabo to explore and the streets. We window shopped in the mall, I got some new Ray-Bans, and I got a few tops at some market stores. Hendrik got a coconut ice cream before we drove North to the local surf spot I had researched.
We drove about 45 minutes North up the Baja Peninsula through the mountains. The drive was so pretty getting glimpses here and there of the ocean as the road twisted and turned. We drove to a public beach area that was filled with locals called Cerritos. Once we parked and changed into our swimsuits in the car we talked to a couple surf board rental booths that were set up near the beach. We worked out a price and lined up a couple instructors to give us refreshers then headed over to the beach side restaurant to grab some lunch.
I had fish tacos and Hendrik got loaded nachos. If we had known how much food they were going to bring us we probably would have just shared one dish since we were going to get in the water and surf the rest of the day. We left STUFFED!
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| fish tacos |
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| nachos |
After lunch we headed back to the surf board shack and grabbed some boards and headed out with an instructor for a 1 1/2 hour refresher course. We both surfed a ton and probably in all reality didn't need a lesson but it had been a year since we had surfed and that was in Bali. Both of us paddled and did the entire process on our own and surfed a good bit with and without an instructor. Once the instructors headed off we got set up on the beach and took turns watching the bags and surfing.
There was a really bad storm and hurricane around 10 days prior to us going down to Cabo and the results of the storm were all along the beach. We surfed our hearts out and packed up around 5 to head back to our hotel. Not only was the tide coming in and the waves were becoming un-surfable I wanted to be heading back in the daylight so I could get more pictures.
On our way back to the hotel we saw some kids playing soccer on a dirt field and I had to stop and take pictures I really wanted to stay and watch and go sit with the locals but Hendrik wanted to keep going. At the top of a big hill/mountain before the crest and the downward spiral to our resort you can see over the entire local community and I thought all the different colored rooftops and just the entire scene was so pretty. We were wet from surfing and I was barefoot but had to get out and take more pictures. I must have got a little shard of glass in my foot because later that night and the next day my foot was SO sore.
When we arrived back at the hotel I wanted to be sure and catch the sunset so we made reservations for a late dinner and changed clothes quickly before heading down to the beach side bar to watch the sunset and also watch a wedding that was going on!
After our romantic sunset viewing we had dinner at the Baja cuisine restaurant again. I had the sea bass appetizer and Hendrik had the scallops. We also both had the white bean soup again and when Hendrik finds something he likes he sticks to it so had the grilled shrimp he had the first night. I tried something new and ordered the squid risotto which wasn't too great.
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| sea bass with relish |
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| scallops |
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| white bean soup |
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| squid ink risotto |
After dinner we headed to the room to shower and crash into bed....we were worn out from all the surfing and a day full of adventuring. Today was my favorite day of our entire trip and I know why...its the reason that the days like today are always my favorite and why I continue to travel and explore. Today was one of those days that travel is made for...exploring new places, hanging with the locals, eating fresh food, and just seeing Baja for what Baja is. Don't be afraid to leave the resort, try the new dish at dinner, or take pictures over the city barefoot. It makes for the best stories and travel experiences and leaves me wanting more of the world.
Sunday September 17, 2017
Sunday was our last full day before heading home and the resort was pretty much shut down. The weather reports predicted a huge storm hitting Cabo so for the most of the day the beach chair cushions and anything extra that could be blown about was stowed away for safety. Although it was overcast and really windy most of the day we never had any bad weather. We had heard of the bad weather the night before so I went ahead and booked myself a vitamin C spa treatment for Sunday morning. I got up and went down to breakfast and coffee alone so I could make it to the spa. After my spa appointment I headed back to the room to find Hendrik and we grabbed some things to enjoy all afternoon by the pool. We went back and forth between 2 different pools and had snacks poolside. We headed back to our room around 4 and we both ended up taking a nap.
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| rocking my new Ray-Bans that I grabbed in the mall yesterday...Hendrik hated my aviators so he got me these! I love them. |
After our nap and sushi dinner we used the rest of the evening packing up and lounging before traveling back to our scheduled programming the next day.
Monday September 18, 2017
D Day...Departure Day! We got up around 6:30 Monday morning to be sure we had time to get breakfast before we left. We had plenty of time, ate breakfast, and checked out of our room before returning our rental car and getting a shuttle to the airport. We got to the airport waaayyy early which is normally the case when we are heading home. We were even there in time to catch the earlier flight to Dallas but was going to cost so much money to change flights. I have no clue why they do that....if they have room and I've purchased a ticket what does it matter what plane we are on...the likely-hood of them selling those seats are slim to none...but whatever! We made it home safely ready to rock on to work on Tuesday.
All in all a great getaway with my great husband. Although I'm not big at all on traveling to the same place multiple times I could see myself making Cabo a tradition around Hendrik's birthday for us. It is always just a long weekend and we can find new things to make the same place interesting. It is also usually the last time of the year that we are able to get away so I'm ok with it! As long as he keeps going new places with me I'll allow it ;)! Onwards to the next adventure.
