Written March 13th, 2015

Steve’s birthday was fun and low key. He got to do whatever he wanted, and there was lots of chocolate and even some Champagne. Prosecco actually, but whose keeping score. While having our bubbly and hors d’oeuvres (stuffed celery and black olives – using up what’s in the fridge) we got to see the most amazing sunset from the roof.

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After dinner (I reprised the braised pork, but this time the base vegetables were poblano peppers, onions, garlic and celery, once again to use up the stuff in the fridge) we headed down to the beach for a walk. Steve had the flashlight. What was I thinking?

He’d say, “Watch out for those rocks.” I’d be thinking, “What rocks?” because he’d have moved the flashlight to look at something in somebody’s yard. Thankfully the rocks were the size of medium red potatoes, so I wasn’t about to trip over a boulder or anything. Our catchphrase is now “Watch out for those rocks”.

We went to the Coral Reef restaurant for an after dinner drink, and I mentioned to Ramundo that it was Steve’s birthday. Steve, a brave man, ordered a shot of Don Julio Silver Tequila. I ordered a cerveza. The guys at the restaurant, who have seen us several times during our stay very sweetly put together a serving of flan with both chocolate and caramel sauce and a birthday candle, and sang Happy Birthday to Esteban. It was really good flan.

Today is our last day in Cabo Pulmo, and it’s really hard to fathom. We’ve been here for two and a half weeks, but it seems like a couple of days. I was trying to decide if today would be a good snorkeling day at Los Arbolitos, as the wind had changed direction in the night and I’d pulled the comforter up over us as the temperature cooled down. I took my binoculars up to the roof to check out the conditions, and my timing couldn’t have been more perfect. While scanning the Sea of Cortez for white caps I saw a puff of spray. Whales! There was a pod of at least three, spouting and diving, showing off their tails. And closer in a sea lion was swimming over the reef, sticking his head up to look about. I hadn’t seen whales or sea lions since being here, but we hadn’t done any boating, choosing to snorkel from the beaches. So while I’m sad to be leaving Cabo Pulmo I’m excited to be heading to our timeshare in Cabo San Lucas, because the whales are always in evidence right off of our beach.

I took my normal beach walk after breakfast; the Cabo Pulmo beach rarely has more than a couple of people on it and today was no different. The wind was gentle, and out of the southeast; it felt warm. The pelicans and the terns were diving for small fish, sardines maybe, and I waded in. The fish were around my legs, and the occasional bigger fish would chase them. The temperatures are so comfortable here, and the wind is usually on the cool side, so I rarely swim for the sake of swimming. If I’m going in the water it’s to snorkel, or I’m in a heated pool at our timeshare. But today it was so inviting, the water was so incredibly turquoise, and the pelicans and the terns, or as I call them, The Cabo Pulmo Air Force, were flying around me, I just couldn’t resist the urge. I swam out and watched the terns circle and dive for fish. A Cara Cara flew overhead; once again he knew I didn’t have my camera. The pelicans floated around me. It was bliss. The water was warm and the most amazing color. I felt incredibly blessed for the experience.

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I’ve gone online every day to check the at-home local news and the obituaries. Why? To make sure I’m not in them. Because Cabo Pulmo looks a lot like what I envision heaven to be.

Deborah