Cabo San Lucas

We share the adventures of our two visits to Cabo San Lucas. Why Jenn grew up being afraid of Mexico, what happens when a dog attacks the bride during a wedding and Jon pulled a Miranda and drank the water! Dog attack aside, Cabo is definitely a place to look at to get married. Plus, our review of two all-inclusive resorts (Royal Solaris and Paradisus Los Cabos) and Flora Farms.

Transcript from Podcast:

Cabo1

Jen: Yeah, well it's Sunday.

John: Right? Exactly. That makes complete sense.

Both: Yeah.

John: We're going to record a podcast. We're going to drink wine and it's Sunday. What are we drinking?

Jen: We are drinking Mason number nine.

John: Is it Mason or Meson?

Jen: Probably Meson.

John: Meson.

Jen: Because it's a French Rosie.

John: It's actually like from France.

Jen: Oh, it's like legit.

John: Not like, you know, one of those things that no, it's French, but it's really...

Jen: it's really not

John: From Carlsbad, California

Jen: And it's Post Malone's.

John: Yeah. It's like the bottle's cool.

Jen: The bottle is really cool.

John: I think about it. It's awesome.

Jen: What I don't like about the bottle, it does not fit in our wine fridge.

John: Right? You have a big issue with the fact that we can't, we have a wine fridge that we, Jen keeps her rosés and we like this Rosie, but the problem is it's too long.

Jen: It's too long.

John: So, it has to sit in our normal fridge.

Jen: Yeah.

John: Like who do we think we are wine in a normal fridge? How dare you.

Jen: It's really first of all problems, but you know,

John: it's when we heard it was Post Malone's, we originally were like eww. Yeah.

Jen: I didn't think it was going to be good.

John: When you think Post Malone, you don't think flavorful. Well, you think flavorful, but the wrong flavors?

Jen: Definitely not a French Jose.

John: No, but it's good.

Jen: I think like, you know, bud light.

John: Exactly.

Jen: Yes,

John: but this is legit.

Jen: This is pretty good.

John: Right, this is our first episode where we're not talking about Disney. So, for those who were like, 'Ugh, when are they gonna be done with Disney?" Good news. We are. Uh, that doesn't mean we don't want to still beg you though to review us or share our podcasts. Five stars only.

Jen: Yes, good reviews.

John: Only good reviews. If you haven't followed us on Instagram, it's #OurSavingsStartsTomorrow, but we're going to talk about Cabo San Lucas, a place that I have either been to many times or never before.

Jen: Oh my gosh. You, I can't like I can't with you. We've been there two times and yet every time you think that we've been there many, many times.

John: How many times have we been a Puerto Vallarta?

Jen: We've never been to Puerto Vallarta.

John: Cancun?

Jen: Never been to Cancun.

John: Interesting.

Jen: Not even on a cruise, because you were trying to convince me the other night, as we were talking about this, podcast that we had been to Cabo on a cruise.

John: We got off the cruise ship and we went to Cabo Wabo.

Jen: That was not in Cabo. Oh my gosh.

John: This was actually, so when we've almost every trip we've ever planned, you and I like to have some wine, a few bottles, get out the old American express, and then we book a trip. We just booked a trip to [inaudible02:40] doing that.

Jen: Yes. It's because it gives me anxiety to spend money on a trip. And so, I've got to take the edge off.

John: Yeah. And so, this one though is one of the few trips we did not drink before booking...

Jen: yes.

John: Success, or should we say it was a failure because we were sober?

Jen: No, it was, yeah it was a success.

John: We went to a wedding. So, that's why we booked it. We had good friends who were getting married and originally, they planned for June. And then because of the pandemic, they moved it to December. So, we went mid-pandemic to Cabo.

Jen: Yes. And. I would definitely go back in December.

John: Would you?

Jen: It was very nice. The last time we went to Cabo was like 13 years ago and we went in August and it is very hot in August.

John: Yeah. We hit in the room mostly.

Jen: Yes.

John: We'd go out and have an hour of sun and then hide in the room with the air conditioning for multiple hours.

Jen: Plus, where we live where it snows.

John: Yeah.

Jen: So, December was a nice little break from,

John: I think you need to be honest, so, and tell everyone how you're not a Mexico fan. Like that way, everyone understands where we're coming from. As we start to talk about Cabo,

Jen: I know full disclaimer. I am. I'm not a Mexico fan, nothing against Mexico.

John: Well, it sounds like it.

Jen: I love everything that Mexico brings.

John: You like Mexican food.

Jen: I love Mexican food. I love tequila. Um, but yeah, I think my mother scarred me for Mexico. I know my mom was so cool about so many things and we grew up in Southern California and her one thing was not to go to Mexico. Anyways, I am just scared to death of being kidnapped by a drug cartel.

John: And she's not exaggerating. Like if you think, oh, that's just something she's saying for the podcast. No, like we've been dating since high school and I used to try to get you to go down to Mexico or Tijuana. And it's like the one place, the one thing. And even when we got married and we were adults, you still never wanted to go to Mexico.

Jen: I know.

John: In fact, when we traveled here this time, you were still afraid of the cartel.

Jen: I know, and we stayed at a very nice resort.

John: The resort picked us up...

Jen: and, you know, And every time afterward, I'm like, okay, that was very nice, very safe. We should totally go back. And even now I'm like, yeah,

John: I don't want to get kidnapped by a cartel.

Jen: I'm a crazy person.

John: I grew up going to Mexico. Beach Campton in Sonata, and then went down to Tijuana a few times in college. So, that's my experience with Mexico. But, 13 years ago was the first time we went. And we stayed at the, was it the Royal Solares?

Jen: Yes,

John: it was nice. It was an all-inclusive. The food was fine.

Jen: The guacamole...

John: chip and guacamole bar.

Jen: I mean, I think that we just gain 10 pounds just because that's all we ate. We just ate chips and guacamole.

John: It was like in the middle of the pool. Not, not like in the middle of the pool, like that'd be soggy chips.

Jen: No,

John: but like next to the middle of the pool and it was just always fresh chips and fresh guacamole.

Jen: I know,

John: And it was the best.

Jen: That was really good.

John: That's the time when we went in August, it was very hot talking about, I did look it up though. A Royal solars has four out of five stars on TripAdvisor.

Jen: Yeah? And I think that they've, um, renovated it since he's been there and have like a really cool kids’ area too. I mean, 13 years ago we didn't have children, but. Nope.

John: Yeah. Um, if you think that you want to go to Cabo to jump in the ocean and swim around,

Jen: first of all, if you do, you're a weirdo, no one really likes swimming in the ocean. It's gross

John: salty. It's it makes you itch.

Jen: Yes.

John: Dirty.

Jen: It is dirty. People poo in there.

John: People poo in the pool?

Jen: Well, they shouldn't be in the pool. They'll close down the pool, but it's just, ah, yeah. Its sandy, you get sand everywhere

John: and it's just weird. Like, Cabo is not good for beach swimming and there are some places where you can surf in Cabo, but I'm telling you that half the time they have warnings out about the rip tide, actually, we have a buddy who was just there. Who's a lifeguard and he had to go out and save someone because of the Riptide.

Jen: We saw the video. It was, yeah, it was gnarly. But, and also, um, I think when we went in August jellyfish.

John: Yeah. So, they were saying, don't go, don't go in the middle of the day. And then this time around, there was only like one special Cove when we were staying at the, um, Paradisus. They're like, you can go here, but don't go anywhere else.

Jen: Right.

John: Cause the rip current will get ya.

Jen: Also. It's dangerous.

John: What's dangerous?

Jen: To be on the beach.

John: Is the cartel will take you. Why there's like vendors, always walking around the beach and you like, like, won't look them in the eye. I don't know what's going on now that you think you're better than them. It's just, you're scared of them. And they're just normal people.

Jen: I know trying to make a living, but you know what? I also am there and I'm on vacation and I don't want to buy bracelets, or

John: I heard though that one of those masseuse out there beach was like really good, but you had to go into like some hut and you have to follow this person

Jen: and to never be seen.

John: Right? Exactly.

Jen: Yeah.

John: Uh, before you go to Mexico, we did learn some stuff that you need to pack ahead of time.

Jen: I always bring our own sunscreen.

John: Yeah.

Jen: I just don't want it one, I don't want to spend extra money buying sunscreen at the shops at the hotel. I also don't want to buy some weird off-brand.

Both: [Laughing - 00:08:05]

Jen: And then also. Um, I know that people love to go to Mexico for the pharmacy. Yeah?

John: Yes.

Jen: Uh, but I personally like to bring my own medicine.

John: I had a suitcase full of medicine for both times we've gone to Mexico.

Jen: I know [whispering]

John: You pack so much stuff. We go to Costco. We don't even go through that stuff in a year, but somehow you bring it for our five-day trip down to Mexico.

Jen: I know, but I'm like, what if God forbid, we get a sniffle, I need some Dayquil. I need some NyQuil.

John: Yeah.

Jen: We gotta take ibuprofen. Cause drinks will be had, and I probably will have a headache.

John: Or a bad sunburn.

Jen: Or a bad sunburn.

John: Or maybe, some poops happen.

Jen: You gotta take some anti-diarrhea.

John: Yeah.

Jen: Remember what happened last time?

John: I drank water that I wasn't supposed to. I had been drinking pretty hard. This was 13 years ago and

Jen: oh, like that would change like now.

John: And I drank some water I wasn't supposed to

Jen: in the shower.

John: I know. I think they changed it since then. The Royal Solaris.

Jen: You did like a total sex in the city situation where you drank the shower water.

John: I thought like anything on the resort would be fine, but it was not.

Jen: No, they tell you not to drink the water.

John: Signs everywhere.

Jen: Yes.

John: Like please don't drink the shower water, but I did. And I woke up in the middle of the night and it was terrible and I didn't know how I was going to make it on the flight home. I was so scared because we were flying out the next day.

Jen: I know, I think I gave you like two anti-diarrhea medicines.

John: You gave me so much medication. I didn't go again for a week and a half. Like that's what happened.

Jen: Anyways, you want to take it because just in case you pull a John,

John: Yeah.

Jen: You're prepared.

John: We went to Cabo again because of a wedding. And we were talking about how, I mean, you and I got married young and we got married kind of where we grew up, but I get married in Cabo.

Jen: Totally.

John: Like it's beautiful.

Jen: If you're engaged, or your thinking about getting engaged you need to get married in Cabo. It's...

John: a tropical paradise.

Jen: It's so nice.

John: It gives you those pictures.

Jen: Yes. It's it was just perfect. Everything about it was perfect. And I was very close with the bride who got married. So, I was doing a lot of the helping with some of the behind-the-scenes stuff and they just really took care of everything. It was just awesome.

John: And they had a beach wedding. So, we didn't do it in the ocean, but we did it on the sand and they set the whole thing up for everyone. And it was, um, I mean the photos afterwards now they have like a drone out there.

Jen: Also, who doesn't want to get married on a beach?

John: I know.

Jen: Everyone does you do.

John: The only problem was that there's no way to like clear out everything on the beach. Cause you know, it's public property.

Jen: Right. And its Mexico's property.

John: Right. And there was this great dog the whole time we were there and we'd go down to the beach sometimes and play some, well, it was at the beginning. We liked the dog, like very friendly dog and we'd go down and, you know, play some beach games like volleyball and stuff and spike ball. But over time the dog became more and more friendly and we were like, shoo. Go away, stop. And then we're at the wedding and, I'm actually standing up there with the groom and you're hanging out and the bride's coming down and she looks beautiful and the music's playing and she's walking and then in the distance we see that small dog and the dog is just running. Full tilt just coming at the bride as fast as possible. The bride. No one else. Like the bride, doesn't see the bride's dad doesn't see.

Jen: No. But we all saw it.

John: We're like, there's no way this is going to happen.

Jen: And she was so far away. There was no way that, cause I thought about for a second. I'm like, could I just like book it towards the stock?

John: Yeah. She was like 200 yards away. The way from where the beach was, it was a long walk and the dog got to the bride, grabbed her it was at the veil and just tore it off of her head.

Jen: Yes.

John: Mid-walking down the aisle. God bless her.

Jen: She took it like a champ.

John: She just laughed it off.

Jen: She laughed it off. She was great.

John: And you would have murdered the dog right then and there in front of the whole wedding party.

Jen: Oh my gosh. I really would have. And also, I wanted to still, because I spend a lot of time seaming that veil for her. It was this long cathedral veil. I spent a lot of time on it.

John: I will say the wedding planner tried her best to get the Vail back. The wedding starts and I'm trying to focus on the wedding, but all I can see as the wedding planner chasing the dog around the beach, trying to get that veil. I don't, did she end up getting it?

Jen: Yes. And it's like ripped up.

John: Yeah. So, when we were at the wedding, we didn't stay at the Royal Solaris this time we stayed at the Paradisus.

Jen: Yes.

John: Which was another all-inclusive.

Jen: Yes.

John: And because we were a part of the wedding party, We were members of the reserve,

Jen: Which is like club level.

John: Yeah. I don't know if you have to, can you pay for that or do you have to be a part of their like vacation?

Jen: No, I think you can pay.

John: Okay.

Jen: Yeah. To do that. Oh my gosh.

John: So, worth it. Don't cheap out.

Jen: I don't know if we would have liked it as much.

John: No.

Jen: And because there's how many restaurants are at the hotel?

John: I think it seven.

Jen: And then because of the pandemic, there was only four open. And you know, it's all inclusive. There was a couple of restaurants that were like Nah and a couple that were good. But the one that was for the reserve.

John: Only for the reserve. So, you had to be this club level, which again, we didn't pay for, it was just part of the wedding.

Jen: It was called La Palapa and it had the best view and the best food.

John: Yeah. In fact, the whole party ended up eating their dinner.

Jen: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

John: Every meal. We didn't go to the other restaurants once we realized how good this one was.

Jen: Actually, we didn't eat dinner there, you know, that we never ate dinner there. I know. And I wish we would have, but you know, we were just trying out all the other places, but we had breakfast there every morning and lunch there every day.

John: By dinner, I was already going, I don't care. I, it has four and a half out of five stars on TripAdvisor.

Jen: I would totally go back to there.

John: Yeah. Although. So, we had an ocean view room. It was nice. It was like on the third floor you opened up and, you know, you could see out to the water, it was beautiful, but everyone else went and upgraded and we didn't upgrade.

Jen: No.

John: And they were able to get these pool rooms. And so, you would open, it was a ground level room and you'd open up the sliding glass door and they had like this long narrow pool all the way down. So, you could just step right into some water if you want to.

Jen: Yeah.

John: It was awesome.

Jen: Look, if you

John: think about it, it was so cool.

Jen: Okay. If you're going with a big group, I guess, and everyone had those.

John: Yes, they were next to each other.

Jen: It probably would be great to stay in that because then you just like open up your sliding glass door and then plop into the pool and like you've got your whole party and it's basically like a private pool.

John: Right.

Jen: But if you're going there just like with your family or just as a couple, I don't know. Because it's just like what you're. So, you're in a pool with like other people. I don't know. I'd rather have the ocean view.

John: No, I'd rather have the, I think there was something so unique. Like when am I ever going to be able to have a room where I get out and get my own pool.

Jen: I don’t know. How often do you open your window and see and hear the ocean?

John: You could still hear the ocean. You just couldn't see the pool part.

Jen: I want. No, I'm on ocean too.

John: To each their own. Also, the hotel was 15 miles from the airport, so it wasn't bad. It was quick.

Jen: No.

John: It was much better. When we went to the Royal Solaris I forgot about this story. Was it? When we, when we were going, we got into like, the cab that they told us to get into and they were driving us there. And again, Jen's afraid of Mexico. Um, and they pull off the highway on this dirt road and the guy's like, oh, we're having car trouble. And so now we're sitting there on a dirt road, off the highway in Mexico, and now I'm starting to get scared because Jen's so nervous thinking we're about to dig our own graves. And another car pulls up behind us.

Jen: And that's when I knew.

John: And it was an unmarked, it was just like a car, like a Toyota Tercel or something. And I was like, this is it. This is going to get murdered. And they just had us get out, get in this other dude's car who drove us to the resort.

Jen: And like idiots we did it.

John: I know.

Jen: What are we going to do?

John: I know we just go along with it.

Yes.

So, pay for transportation. Pay for transportation, or have the resort gets you transported. We only went off the Paradisus once. We went to Flora Farms.

Jen: Oh my gosh. And I had never heard of this place before, but a bunch of the other wedding guests, recommended it. And so, we went in like a big group. It was way cool.

John: Yeah. Do you think it's one of those things where you should, like you share with other people or no? Like, you know, small plates?

Jen: It's not small plates.

John: Okay.

Jen: But. We all, gosh, how many people were with us? 6, 8, 6, or eight people. And we all got an entree. And then everyone kind of took a bite of everyone's entree because it was so cool. it's a legit farm to table.

John: 25 acres. It's a working farm and you can actually wander around the farm. So, don't just go there and eat like. Spend time and

Jen: they had some little shops that you could go into too,

John: You know when you go on vacation you feel like you can live somewhere? Like we've been in Hawaii and we're like, oh, we can live in Hawaii or anywhere. I felt that way. Even with Cabo, when we were up at flora farms, cause they had all this real estate, like on the farm where you could like rent or buy these cat cottages. And it was so.

Both: Cool.

Jen: I know on the way there, I thought that we might

John: get murdered by the cartel

Jen: murdered by the cartel.

John: You have to do this weird drive up a hill in,

Jen: on a dirt road. And it's like a little bit shanty, like as you're going through. And then all of a sudden it opens up into this paradise.

John: Yeah. Where there's animals wandering around.

Jen: Yes, but it's also just very, um, like LA cool.

John: Yeah. Would you, because people do weddings there.

Jen: Oh, that would be cool.

John: Would you do that or would you do the beach?

Jen: Beach.

John: Beach? I know. I mean, it's beautiful, but I would still go for the beach. If we had to, also there was the turtle conservation on the beach.

Jen: Yes, a turtle conservation and hatchery.

John: We have photos of that up on our Instagram.

Jen: So, there's lots of, hotels that join forces to help conserve and hatch little baby turtles. And so, we just happened to be at a place that it was like our hotel in the hotel next to them I think that that did this. And one night

John: it's magical.

Jen: They were hatching.

John: The whole hotel was out there watching these turtle’s hatch.

Jen: I had never seen baby turtles before.

John: It was incredible.

Jen: They were so cute. They kind of stinky, but they were so cute.

John: And watch for hours.

Jen: Yes. And these guys were out there, it's dark and they're digging and...

John: helping these turtles come out of their shell.

Jen: Yes.

John: And then they save them and there's birds everywhere.

Jen: Yes. But they're in like a cage area, so yeah.

John: Yeah. It's worth it. Just for that. Also, one quick, other story about the bride. Not only did the dog attack her. And because we're already at 20 minutes and we want our podcast to be 20 minutes. But she really wanted to go horseback riding on the beach. If you've ever been to Mexico, you know that you can ride horses on the beach.

Jen: Yeah.

John: There's a bunch of people out.

Jen: Sounds magical.

John: Yeah. And she got on the horse and she started to ride it and she fell off.

Jen: She fell off the horse...

John: while it was like going, but galloping.

Jen: She hurt herself.

John: Oh yeah. How can you not.

Jen: I know

John: There's no medical health.

Jen: No, and she didn't want to get back on the horse, but she was like two miles from the hotel still. And so, she had to get back on the horse anyways, this poor girl, but you know what? She's a trooper.

John: It was a great wedding. It was really fun.

Jen: Anyways, you need to get married in Cabo. Not you. You're already married.

John: Oh, I thought you were talking to me now. I was like, this is weird, but ok.

Jen: Yes, no, you the listener, you.

John: That’s, that's Cabo.

Thanks for listening to our fourth episode. And if you haven't done so yet, follow us on Instagram. Review us. Anything else we need a beg for?

Jen: No.

John: Tell a friend.

Jen: Yeah, tell a friend.

John: Tell two friends, and then they'll tell two friends. It’s like a memo it's going to work.