Page 117 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2022 DISCOVERING MADRID

our first stop. Cabo can be a tough port for inde- ming with whale sharks. The sea around La Paz is
pendent cruisers. It's a hot dusty walk to town, dotted with islands where sea lions and seabirds
which isn't the most scenic spot in Baja. There congregate. Hammerhead sharks circle above a
are plenty of activities like golfing, kayaking, nearby seamount, while giant mantas leap and
whale watching and such, all requiring a substan- splash. The sheer amount of sea life is amazing,
tial cost. I debated joining a tour to San José del making La Paz a leading dive destination. The
Cabo but had no interest in rushing about. I've fishing is awesome as well, along with kayaking
been to Cabo dozens of times and write about around the islands. Such adventures were out of
the area frequently. We spend a week or so there reach this time around.
a few times a year, relaxing, dining and generally I was on our balcony early to catch the sunrise
soaking in the scenery. Instead of sightseeing, we as we approached Loreto, our favorite Baja des-
spent the day at the Casa Dorada Resort swim- tination. In the old days, we set out to sea at
ming, sunning and sipping mojitos with a view of dawn in small skiffs, watching the Sierra Gigante
the iconic rock arch at land's end. I had hoped to turn endless shades of gold as the sun rose,
swim daily in our ship's pools, but they were too sending sparkles across calm waters. The scene
crowded and hard to navigate with a cane. Our wasn't as dramatic from the big ship floating far
resort pool day helped satisfy that expectation. from shore, but it was good enough to have us
We hung out onboard in La Paz, the capital of rushing to the tenders. We strolled along the wa-
Baja California Sur, succumbing to ennui. We'd terfront malecón, watching pelicans pose on
been there recently, admiring the sunsets from pangas and admiring the improvements since our
the malecón, sampling tangy ceviche and swim- last visit. Pretty Loreto was the first European

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