GLASS BOTTOM BOAT TOUR
By Bob Van Leer

  (CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico, July 15, 2006) - Betty, my sister, June Pallardy and I took a scenic tour of the Cabo area this afternoon. We were picked up at the hotel, driven downtown, and then drove over some of the back roads in residential areas. There is little paving here, indeed not even gravel. The streets are simply dust. But our guide, Rolando, said it only rains three-four days a year so it apparently works out. We toured a glass factory, but there was no crew working, so it wasn't very exciting. But what was interesting, we took a tour on a glass-bottom boat out along the reef and around the point into the Pacific Ocean. We passed over one shallow reef that was alive with a variety of fish and growing coral.

   A string of rugged rocks mark the southern end of Baja California. Between a couple of them is Lover's Beach, a strip of sand that extends from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean, which is only a few yards. This beach is busy, but seems to be accessible only by water. Farther on is the Arch, used as a symbol of the city. Around the last rock there is a noticeable roughening of the water as we went briefly into the Pacific.

  After a tour of a shopping mall we drove north to San Jose del Cabo, where the airport is located and about 15 miles north of Cabo. (Cabo is cape in Spanish.) It is a little greener town than Cabo. On the north edge of the city there is a creek that was actually running water, the only open water we have seen around here. Mostly it is desert. Rolando said there are plants here that can live for two years without water. He pointed out one tree he said had edible fruit, but the nuts are paralytic. Eat them and you can't walk.

  There is a building boom in both of these cities. Condos are sprouting like weeds in a garden. Rolando said this was fueled by U. S. and Canadian money. At the airpo0rt and all around are time-share salesmen eager for a sale. Rolando said we were about 1000 miles from the U. S.

  We visited a jewelry shop that processes opals. Apparently there is a considerable amount of opal mined in this area.

  We arrived back at our hotel shortly before 8:00 p.m. instead of the scheduled 6:15 missing a dinner set for 6:30 p.m. for the U. S. contingent of our parties. But, hey, this is Mexico.

  Satuday we decided to laze around the hotel. Quite a number of our party went snorkeling, but I didn't bring my gear. I have a face mask with my glasses prescription built into it thanks to Dr. John Rush, and this makes snorkeling more fun.

  This evening our party is to gather at 7:00 p.m. for a steak dinner.