100 Things I love About Mexico

And thats just the balloons. Look at all of those balloons. Ok I can't get rid of this underline so I guess we'll just have to deal. Sorry. My lack of computer skills and impatience will not allow me to find the solution. So moving on to San Jose days, or as our friend Claudia says, just for the gringo's, "St. Josephs". But nobody really calls it that so lets stick with San Jose. San Jose days is a local celebration that we first discovered years ago in our favorite little town of San Jose. It seems to always occur the week right before Semana Santa (Holy Week) The week right before Easter, a very big holiday down here.The town center comes alive with balloon vendors, clowns, candy carts, and glow the dark toys for the kids. I look forward to the town carnival every year. I have been lucky enough to have been almost every year. Last year Katie, Autumn, Molly and I all went. And Katie and I found the most amazing plantano (big banana) stuffed with a churro smothered in butter and covered in caramel. No seriously Katie and I started jumping up and down and cheering when we saw them slap that butter on. This year we skipped the plantains and went strait for the balloons and glow in the dark toys.
This is the first year that I have been able to bring Ophelia to this town fiesta and was so excited that she was finally ready because I knew she would flip! There was a dance recital on the town center stage and Ophelia immediately made a bunch of dancing buddies and they all rocked out on the town center gazebo.
I love San Jose because it is totally different from the party town of Cabo. This is where Mexico's true culture shows through. The center square is a family focus and there are always local events. I have a fantasy that one day Ophelia will debut her dance on this stage. San Jose also has all of the best restaurants, and art crawl in which I love to go and visit all of the paintings and pieces that I will never be able to afford but enjoy still the same.

I think there is little doubt that Cabo is one of my most favorite places on the planet. Even as Cabo grows it still maintains it's small town (or twin town) feel. Giving a little slice of just about everything I am in to. On this trip I have done everything I could imagine to do here. We threw a wedding at Villla Miguel. I went sailing. We saw the whale babies and got to touch them. I hiked a waterfall. I visited Cabo Pulmo and kayaked with manta ray's flying out of the Sea of Cortez. I'm working on getting my Scuba. Have met some amazing and inspiring people. Partied like the rock star I am. Learned how to make tortilla's. Got Ophelia to play in the ocean. Took my first motorcycle ride. Learned how to Salsa. Got my mom in a Kayak. Panga fished with Champagne. Slept under the stars. Saw a lunar eclipse and lots of shooting stars.
So many things that have reinvoked the passion in me. I have been so excited by these experiences that at times I feel as if I have popped out of my body and am watching another persons wonderful life. When I realize it is me I am astonished. Life has not been perfect here, no doubt, we have had our challenges. But isn't that what life is all about?? I don't think I could have appreciated my time here nearly as much had I not just emerged from the most challenging time in my life. What I have learned for this trip combined with the loss of our beloved Mikey is that life is not to be taken lightly but by the horns. For me it is time to ride that bull. I'm going to make the active practice of doing the things that I love and not wait and not be afraid of what might happen.

We are in our last week here in cabo and it's pretty obvious that introspection has smacked me in my suntanned face. However, we are looking forward to seeing everybody at home. It is my goal to get the stories and pictures of all of our experiences out on this blog before I get home. But you may just have to wait to hear some of them in person. We are excited to see all of you and share our stories.