Every day is a good day - San Jose del Cabo Day 4

"How would you describe a good day?" I asked Bernie and Ali. They both smiled at each other and Bernie, the more talkative of the two, threw up his arms in the air and said with his nearly toothless smile: "Every day is a good day .... bad day ...no, no. Every day is a day and it is a good day."

Our good day was very relaxed. Chan spent a lot of the time reading, while I played with my new Flip and lay on the beach. I also wanted to find a fabric store ... no need to explain the reason for that. That proved to be quite a job, since few speak English, and fabric stores here are not very plentiful. But if you can find a childhood home in Pakistan that you left when you were 4 years old, well, a fabric store in San Jose del Cabo should be easy. A few questions here and there, a few wrong turns and we found it!

For supper we decided to visit Ali's International Cafe, for fish tacos, but mostly for the stories. We talked with these two amigos for about two hours, and Ali would not let us pay for our meals. "You are my guests," he said.

Both talked about how free they feel to live life the way they want to. Bernie has a small business in British Columbia, where he wholesales fruit and veggies three months out of the year. The rest of the time, he lives on the beach north of San Jose del Cabo, and comes to visit his lifelong friend when he needs to replenish his water and food supplies.

Ali has been a chef and some pretty impressive places, but found Mexico to be where he belongs.

If you are looking for a mean fish taco, and some interesting stories, don't pass by Ali's place ... oh, yeah, don't be surprised if he's not there ..... he only works when he wants to.

The other side - Day 3 San Jose del Cabo

We'd heard from our cabana friends that Ali's International Cafe just down our road had the best fish tacos. So, that's where we began our morning. In the little hut near the marina, we met Ali, who was originally from Timbuktu, and yes, his taco is not to be missed. Our quick stop ended up in at least an hour conversation with him and his friend from Vancouver, orginally from Germany.

If bumming isn't your style, then go west of San Jose del Cabo to the better known and definitely more monied - Cabo San Lucas. Big boats, big condos, cruise ships, luxurious hotels. I'm not going to show you any photos because you'll find images easily on the Internet.

We traveled north on Highway 1 go Todos Santos. It's a small town, with enough ambiance to satisfy any tourist.

The crashing waves on the Pacific side must draw surfers; however we didn't see any. Spectacular water action.

We followed the road north to loop down. We were surprised at the mountain passes, and hair-pin turns. Although we were in much need of a seista, the drive definitely kept us awake.

Tomorrow, with gas at $4 a gallon, we think we'll stay put. (We have been surprised at how expensive it is here ... our cheap ticket brought us to a place where dollars seem to flow out of your pocket.)

On the road to somewhere- Day 2 San Jose del Cabo

After fixing breakfast outside, we decided to take a road trip somewhere north but along the coast, not the interior. We wanted to stay off the main road. The only road available, well, was a gravel road to somewhere. We took it.

We saw a lot of beautiful scenery, spectacular sandy and EMPTY BEACHES.

There were some surprises along the way .... we learned that even the most deserted road leads to somewhere for somebody.

Ed Delfin Blanco - our thatched roof get-away

Another adventure off the paved highway. If you want to experience life in a small Mexican fishing village, I'd advise that you get here quick. Pueblo La Playa Mexico, just near San Jose del Cabo is quickly becoming Disneytized! The rugged, desert terrain is being transformed into golf courses and boulevards lined with palm trees and transplanted cactus for tourists who prefer a more sanitized experience. But for now, this place is still a slice of authentic Mexico, but the financial bulldozers are making their mark.
Chan calls this place "art" ... imperfect, life as it should be.
Now you wonder why I bring this up. It's because the push pull of development has spurred our hostess, Osa, to action. She is rebelling against the changes, and says that if she won't do it, no one will because the people of the village are poor and for the most part uneducated.
Osa's El Delfin Blanco is a quiet retreat close enough to the water to hear the crashing waves of the Cortez Bay, and the village dogs barking their power at night. Can you believe a golden sunset viewed from a nearly deserted sand beach? Well, it's here.
Osa must be in her mid-60s and originally from Sweden. She loves to talk, and will guide you through your place here that is in transition ... help you rent a car and even have it delivered, have beer, cheese and crackers ready as well.
Today we spent in San Jose del Cabo.
Ate Huevos Rancheros, fish tacos at El Herradero;
met a lovely couple our age who are adventurous...
Larry and Sharilyn Anderson of Bonney Lake Washington
They love to travel as much as we, but are minimalists .... she told me to save my old underwear for travelling so you can throw them away, and only have certain outfits that you bring (and wear your swimsuit under your clothes as you travel ... no need for a bra .... and you're ready to jump in the water.) Pack light... for her it is a backback, for him it is a small suitcase with wheels. Don't rent cars, use local transportation. Lots of good ideas for traveling on the cheap.
Tonight we cook our meal outside on a make-shift stove, and then go to the beach.

Ring in the new with a deep breath

PUBLISHED PRIOR LAKE AMERICAN 2000:

PHOTO - 1999 (Chris, Molly, Nick , Lee Ann)

By Lee Ann Schutz

From start to finish, it’s been quite a year ­– this year 2000.

The TV commentators and newspaper opinion writers have had their say on events of this year. Now it’s the historian’s turn to mull it all over and, with time, help us develop some perspective.
Remember how the year 2000 began? The Y2K scare was just the first of a succession of media events. Now we end the year with a presidential election that has left many of us questioning the legitimacy of our vote.

In this look-back over the past year, we can’t forget about the economy. The high-ride of confidence that bolstered our attitude and spending took unexpected dips and turns this year. The “new economy” shows that the simple law of physics – what goes up, must come down- still applies.

It’s just that some of us forgot to wear our parachutes.
Before closing the book on 2000, a respite, a breather, may be in order. That’s right, take a deep cleansing breath to get rid of all the negative. We do have the promise of a new year.

Our president-elect, George W. Bush, has a tremendous challenge before him. Instead of partisan bickering, what if our political leaders actually rise to the challenge, move forward in unison with the interests of the country in mind.
Maybe too, the slowing economy will force us to take a hard look at our consuming and place greater value on saving and stewardship. And while we’re taking a deep breath, think about our community and the residents who give of their time and talent to make our hometown a better place.
How about our young people – our kids, their friends? Sometimes we don’t acknowledge positive attributes of our young residents. But they have vision for which we can be proud. They show us committed involvement to school activities and to various community efforts.
As with previous New Years, we have the decision of whether we’ll be bystanders and complainers or part of the solutions.
May 2001 bring out the best in who we are.

A White Christmas

The Christmas eve/day snowstorm made for a good old-fashioned Minnesota winterwonderland. Estimates of about 16 inches of new snow, mild temps.... perfect for snowmen and snowballs.

Goodbye 2009- Hello 2010

I guess if there’s anything new this year in our lives it’s this: 2009 has been not a body-building year for us, but rather a body re-building year … physically and emotionally.
Each morning, Chan doesn’t exactly bound out of bed at 4:30 a.m., but he’s no slacker either. He’s at the Burnsville YMCA when the doors open at 5 a.m. In fact, if he forgets his I.D., they just smile and let him in. Yes, his 5 a.m. exercise routine has earned him the title of “A YMCA Regular.” Me, on the other hand, I just roll over and am happy that I have one more hour to lie in bed.
Chan ‘s heart bypass surgery last year was a real wake-up call for him, and his self-discipline and commitment to change is showing in his body and his smile.
My pivotal moment came in the summer when my leg just gave out on me. Yup. Just standing there and all of a sudden the pain just stopped me cold. No clear diagnosis other than overactive nerves. Maybe it’s polymyalgia, fibromyalgia, or as I call it “oldalgia.” Anyway, this and a wrestling match with the monster depression pushed me to deal with my “stinkin’ thinkin’.” Gosh, putting the pieces together again is darn near a full-time job!
And speaking of a job! How grateful I am that we have meaningful work. My prayer is that 2010 brings jobs and stability back to so many families.
Chan still has the store (not at the Mall of America) and is moving into other ventures (shhhhhh. I don’t think he’s quite ready to talk about it).
Me? Well I’m still at the House of Representatives and am now in the sixth year of teaching a community journalism class at the U of M. I am still very passionate about journalism, and love keeping the connection. My job forces me to keep up with technology, and you can follow the House on Twitter; follow my blog http://brovaldsims.blogspot.com/ or friend me through Facebook.
Yes, we took some trips this year. Probably the most memorable for me was our road trip to Calumet in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in search of my grandfather’s roots as a copper miner. A local historian showed us an 1894 directory with the address of my great great-grandfather’s house in nearby Lake Lillian. That was really interesting.
We also had a great visit with friends in Montreal, and took a spectacular side trip to Quebec City.
Our collective kids and grandkids (four for Lee Ann and five for Chan) are all doing well. This fall, Chan went to India with two of his grandchildren along with two of his children and their partners. What a wonderful experience; especially for the little ones and their grandpa.
The very best to you in the New Year, and please stay in touch.