Mexico: the first couple of days

It seems like it's been months already since we were in Mexico. It's kind of depressing how the things that we really look forward to come and go so quickly.  Anyway, enough sentimentality...on to the story of Mexico!

We had a short, but scream filled flight (courtesy of Millie, who, it is becoming clear, is not very good at coping with her jet lag) to Cabo, but when you're on a plane full of people who are anticipating their vacation in sunny Mexico, no one cares if your baby is screaming. In fact, they all think it's really cute and funny and everyone wants to talk to you about their kids and grandkids.  I'm pretty sure that our flight from Houston to Cabo was the happiest flight I've ever been on.

And going through Customs in Mexico is also a happy experience. In London and in Houston, despite our legal and legit visas and our American passports, and our complete innocence and respect for the law, we always wonder if they're going to let us in. It's just so intense.  In Mexico, the customs people are just happier and friendlier and not so scary.  I'm sure they deal with a lot of illegal activity, but they seem to give you the benefit of the doubt (unless, like the guys we saw being frisked by border patrol outside of the airport, you look like total stoners)...I'm not sure I would want to be on the wrong side of the law, though, in Mexico.

After customs we entered the onslaught of people trying to convince us that we should take their taxis instead of the one we had pre-booked. We had been warned that they would do this, so we weren't swindled.  There was then mass confusion with the taxi we actually were booked with, because all of us were under Dad's name.  But eventually we managed to get into the van to Cabo San Lucas with someone's golf clubs behind us in the perfect position to decapitate us, where we to make any sudden stops.  Despite all this, we made it to our resort.

Unfortunately, I didn't really get very many pictures of Cabo outside of our resort. It's a very arid place. In one direction there were shanties and miles of desert with huge cacti and sand...and then Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Sam's Club and Starbucks.   In the other was the Pacific Ocean, bordered by giant resorts and multi-million dollar oceanfront homes.  That's the side we were staying on ( a side note, as testament to how warped my sense of reality has become since moving to London: when I was flipping through a real estate magazine, I actually thought, "Wow...you can get THAT house for only $3,000,000!" In Hampstead, you can get an upstairs, tiny two bedroom apartment, with no modern fixtures and disgusting carpet for about a million. But it has a view of the Heath!  If you want a big house, you have to have at least 20 million at the ready. Sheesh. ).

This was the view from our suite (and Jim and Shug enjoying the view with fresh and delicious Mexican food and very strong margaritas):

And this is what we got to walk out to on our first afternoon in Cabo.  Off in the distance are the famous Cabo Rocks (including the dramatic "Arch" through which the waves crash from the bay to the Pacific Ocean and back again).  There were some beautiful beaches over there which we explored later in the week, but on our first day we stayed on our little resort/tourist strip of beach. 

Evie was fearless about the ocean on our first day, excited to be in the water with her Daddy.  And Millie was having a great time watching Evie and Jim in the water.  But after getting knocked over by the waves, Evie decided that the ocean was scary and that was the end of that.

On our first night, our room was the 'hub.' It's always a lot of fun when we all get together (and loud).  We were all in suites next to or across the hall from each other and when we were all 'home' we left our doors unlocked so that it was easy to come and go.  It was almost like having our own 5 bedroom house to wander in and out of and after my mom walked in on Jim in his underwear, he realized the importance of staying dressed during the daylight hours when you are on vacation with the Carpenters.

Will and Hope, looking handsome and radiant:

Sunrise on our first morning...yes, we were all up before the sun rose thanks to jet lag!

We took a family walk to the sister resort Villa del Arco (where we were supposed to stay, but for some reason, could not). Cora and Andy dug some holes en route. 

Villa del Arco had a pretty awesome kid's pool with fountains and rocks...but we weren't, it turned out, allowed to swim there.  Obviously we are good at following the rules.

Not to worry...there was a lot of fun to be had at our OWN kiddy pool, which is where we spent the majority of our time during our week in Cabo.

Fun in the sun at the kiddy pool...and bunny ears:

Millie suited up for snack time:

And Evie took a dip with The Shug in the big kiddy pool, which was heated and perfect for people who are wimpy about being cold!

Later in the day, we headed down to the beach, where we were hit up by all the beach vendors selling silver, name bracelets, henna tattoos, plates, bowls, blankets, dresses, purses, fish mobiles...and cigars (with a side of weed).  Their persistence was impressive!

Will, in Baywatch mode:

On the beach, we all enjoyed lying on our beach chairs with our beach drinks. I was double fisting:

Millie contemplated the sea...

And Hope enjoyed some beach yoga:

Cheers to Dad..the one who made our whole trip possible! 

The beautiful Aunt Kate and Cora, enjoyed the sun:

So did Evie, the Beach princess!

And Will and Hope gave us a little break, so we could just lie there like beach bums for a few minutes!  We were off to a great start to a fun week.