12-22 Welcome to Cabo |
12-22 The Harbor - the Pirate Ship |
12-22 Our Ship - The Spirit of Yorktown - Holds 138 Passengers |
12-22 Getting Ready to Depart |
12-23 Rough Seas on Sunday AM Heading to Isla Espirto Santo |
12-23 The sun has come out |
12-23 Pretty, but still too rough to anchor |
12-23 A quiet day onboard, after a rough first night |
12-23 It's calming down, so hopefully tomorrow will be better |
12-23 Beautiful evening sky |
12-23 Full Moon over the Sea of Cortez |
12-24 The setting Full Moon as we approach San Franciscuito |
12-24 Full Moon sets in the west as the Sun rises in the east |
12-24 Finally, we make it to dry land - the first DIB landing |
12-24 Watch your step |
12-24 There's the Yorktown, out there, while we play on the beach |
12-24 A beautiful, clean beach -- all to ourselves! It's like having our own island! |
12-24 Paulino preps us for our nature hike to the other side of the island |
12-24 A low spot in the middle of the island creates an inland saltwater pond |
12-24 Jumping Cactus |
12-24 Paulino explains the diverse flora of the Sea of Cortez ecosystem |
12-23 Pack Rat's nest in the middle of the cactus |
12-24 Prickly Pear |
12-24 So many different cacti, and see how the ground changes from sand to red rock |
12-24 At the far side of the island, another bay |
12-24 Lace coral, washed up and dried |
12-24 Dried up dead puffer fish |
12-24The remains of a coronet fish, related to the seahorse but way larger! |
12-24 White corals on the beach |
12-24 On the DIB, heading back to the ship |
12-25 Good morning - Merry Christmas - Feliz Navidad! |
12-25 Clear, bright dawn on Christmas Day as we approach Balendra Beach |
12-25 Baja Ferries travels from the mainland to La Paz on the Baja Peninsula |
12-25 Our Christmas Day beach |
12-25 This island appears to have a lot of little inlets |
12-25 Set up for a nice day on the beach |
12-25 The DIBS bring people in and out all day |
12-25 All set up with shade, food, and everything we need |
12-25 Fresh made ceviche on every table |
12-25 Lunch is served - all local dishes, all wonderful! |
12-25 A group of pelicans swoop in looking for their lunch |
12-25 Our entertainment includes ancient dances re-enacted beautifully |
12-25 Beautiful costumes, beautiful dancing |
12-25 From the ancient, to more recent folk dances |
12-25 The men are not left out |
12-25 More swirling skirts |
12-25 And now a pirate story, complete with buried treasure! |
12-25 A Christmas Fiesta isn't complete without a pinata |
12-25 Watch out! She's a little off course! |
12-26 Another beautiful morning - today to Loreto and San Javier Missions |
12-26 Entering the small bay near Loreto where we will dock |
12-26 That small white building is on the dock where we will tie up and disembark for Loreto and San Javier |
12-26 The setting moon over the mountains south of Loreto |
12-26 The cactus are Cardons - with birds perched on the tops |
12-26 Our first stop on the drive up to San Javier, Mario shows up a fig tree growing in the rocks |
12-26 Walking in to see the painted rocks, an archeological site |
12-26 The rock paintings |
12-26 Our lunch stop in the town of San Javier |
12-26 The Mission of San Javier, built in the 1690's, all still the original structure |
12-26 The side courtyard at San Javier |
12-26 Some of the detailed original brickwork, all from the late 17th Century |
12-26 Inside Mission San Javier, the main altar |
12-26 The side altar on the right |
12-26 The side altar to the left. The Mission is in active use today |
12-26 Looking from the main altar back toward the entrance |
12-26 On the way down to Loreto, Mario takes us to a local family's farm to visit |
12-26 The house in the center, well on the left, and patio and workshop on the right |
12-26 The Mission at Loreto - the 1st of the California missions - has been mostly rebuilt |
12-26 The Loreto mission bell tower, which still functions |
12-26 Entering into the mission, which is still active today. There is also a museum there |
12-26 The main altar at Loreto |
12-26 A little closer view |
12-26 Outside in the courtyard, we are serenaded |
12-26 We each shared our tables with local children. This sweetheart was 3 years old |
12-26 Good company, and we were treated to local wines and cheese as well |
12-26 Everyone got into the act |
12-26 A 15-year old local boy with an unbelievable voice! Not to mention personality |
12-26 After a long day in San Javier and Loreto, it's back to the ship |
12-27 Coming into Isla Partide - that little white patch just to the right of center is our beach |
12-27 Look how the water has shaped the rock -- every island was different |
12-27 Whale jawbones on the beach (about 28 inches long) |
12-27 Today will be a kayaking day for some |
12-27 Just a beach day for others |
12-27 Another puffer fish - this was was floating, dead, but not yet dried out |
12-27 Some of us are again nature hiking with Paulino - but today includes boulder climbing |
12-27 A short rest after the first hurdle, then up some more |
12-27 Looking back toward the beach, we've definitely come a ways up |
12-27 A little rest in the shade -- we're going how much farther ?? |
12-27 Yucca |
12-27 And now I'm supposed to go back down ?? |
12-27 Made it down and back to the beach - that's going to hurt tomorrow |
12-27 Shells and seaweed in a small saltwater pool about 200 yards in from the beach |
12-27 Sunset as we leave Isla Partida |
12-27 The sky keeps changing - this went on for about 45 minutes |
12-28 Coming into La Paz in the early morning |
12-28 We share a small dock with a Mexican Navy ship -- no way this would happen in the U.S. |
12-28The lady of the harbor at La Paz welcomes everyone |
12-28 In one of the artisan shops near the harbor |
12-28 Street vendors - so many beautiful things to see |
12-28 Do you need a shark jaw? |
12-28 The Embarcadero at La Paz |
12-28 Near the harbor are many beautiful little bed-and-breakfast places like this |
12-28 We've walked from the harbor up into town, into a shopping district. Coca Cola everywhere of course |
12-28 Every shop has pinatas in the rafters |
12-28 And pinatas outside blowing in the breeze |
12-28 Chiles, every kind you can imagine |
12-28 This man was cleaning prickly pear while selling his other produce |
12-28 Inside the Mercado -- stalls selling everything you can think of, and more |
12-28 Beautiful produce |
12-28 Sugarcane |
12-28 Dresses for first communion |
12-28 Nikes and Adidas, too |
12-28 And lunch outside, from a cart, fix it your way |
12-28 Cuisines collide -- Chinese food en espanol |
12-28 Puffer Fish One More Time -- this guy was a monster |
12-28 Fresh tamales and pastries being delivered |
12-28 We finish our visit to La Paz with a fiesta -- music, dancing, and margueritas |
12-28 A local band serenades us with traditional songs |
12-28 Traditional folk dances go along with the music |
12-28 Mom and I have had a great time - thanks to Charles for taking our picture |
12-28 Now some of our shipmates are getting into the dance act - watch out. |
12-28 These guys were great |
12-28 Everyone was having a super time |
12-28 It seemed the dancing would go on forever - we hoped |
12-28 After a great day in La Paz, it's back to the ship, one last time |
12-29 After sailing all night, we head back into Cabo just as the sun is starting to rise |
12-29 As we entered the harbor, the fishing ships were heading out for the day |
12-29 A quiet morning in the ship's lounge, sharing addresses, saying goodbye, getting ready to disembark |
12-29 Thank you Captain - it was a great cruise |
12-29 The whole crew came out to say good bye - they were all wonderful |
12-29 A last stroll around the harbor in Cabo, waiting till it's time to go to the airport |
12-29 Advertising at it's finest |
12-29 Will wonders never cease? |
12-29 The Tequila Museum -- yes, they did also sell & serve it |
12-29 But it is, in fact, a real museum |
12-29 See? -- the sign says so |
12-29 One last look at the harbor -- and then we leave |