Riding the Bandito busline to Cabo San Lucas
Trip Start
Dec 28, 2008
1
2
5
Trip End
Jan 04, 2009
Cabo San Lucas,
Baja California,
Mexico
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Yesterday (12/30) Gina and I decided to catch the bus for the 20 mile trip into Cabo San Lucas, the fabled party town of Baja. As instructed we braved the main road running across four lanes of traffic to a concrete overhang where other "seasoned" tourists had gathered to await the blue/green regional bus that showed up every five to ten minutes (give fifteen or twenty.. we're on Mexico time here). The plan was to go to Cabo and see what was there, then hit Costco on the way back to check out the differences between here and home. Unfortunately Gina and I didn't have a clear picture between the two of us as to which would happen first... Cabo-Costco or Costco-Cabo. The bus driver (we'll call him Julio) absorbed the brunt of our confusion. Gina climbed on the bus and said Costco. I said, Cabo. Then Gina said Costco. Then I said Cabo. This happened a couple of more times with Julio (and the entire bus) just looking at us wondering what planet we hailed from. Finally I said Cabo Cabo which put an end to the siliness and handed Julio three 20 peso bills. We were of the understanding that the trip to Cabo was no more than 23 pesos para person (or 46 pesos total). I guess Julio felt the need to punish us 'cuz he only gave me 5 pesos in change... something I didn't pick up on until we were half-way to Cabo. I was really getting steamed until I realized it came to about $1.00 US. OK... fool me once... shame on me.
In Cabo we walked the streets and ended up at the shopping mall and then the harbor. There was a cruise ship docked in the bay and so the vendors were out in force. We walked up and down the street checking out their wares but ultimately didn't buy anything. I have to admit that there is nothing that remotely "spoke" to me.
After feeling we'd had the Cabo day experience we headed to McDonalds where we'd been told that the return bus to San Jose del Cabo would pick us up. Actually, it ended up being a couple of blocks from the McDonalds which the fine folks AT McDonalds were happy to clarify for us after we'd purchased a quarter pounder con quesa and a grande diet coke. Actually there was a gringo-girl from Seattle who was having lunch with a child who was very helpful. I was amazed at how well she spoke Spanish. Gina thinks she is a nanny. I think she's running from the law... Whichever, she told us to look for the white bus and it would get us to Costco for about a buck US. (Thanks Nanny-on-the-run!)
We made our way to the new bus stop (a street corner) and, sure enough, within about 10 minutes a white bus which had at one point in its life been a half-sized yellow school bus in the United States showed up with the words, RUI Hotel, Walmart, Costco painted on its windshield. We hopped in paid our 140 pesos (1.40) and off to Costco we went.
This was probably a highlight of the day. The bus was full of locals making their way to their destinations. Some were going to work, some were going shopping; there was a beautiful woman with her three little girls, all of which were very interested in us foreigners. One of her girls kept smiling at us and saying "hello". Precocious and sweet.
After about 10 minutes, the bus driver pulled over to the side of the highway, opened the door and said "Costco!" Gina and I hopped out (evidently we were the only ones heading to Costco) and scrambled across six lanes of busy traffic and headed for the entrance. We were really looking forward to seeing the many different items Costco had to offer here in Mexico. What we found was dissappointing... almost everything was the same as that which could be purchased in Seattle, or California, or Provo, or Kaialua Kona. There was very little real mexican products for sale. I'm sure the members here like the prices, but I can't see how it and places like Walmart and Sams Club really help the local merchants at all. Sad.
After our brief stay at Costco we again braved the traffic and got back to the "bus stop". In about 15 minutes we saw the blue/green bus coming our way and waved it down. It stopped, we climbed on, and I asked "Jaime" how much to the Baja Coral (Gina had already found a seat). He looked at the 50 pesos bill in my hand and said (wait for it...) "50 pesos". HEY! I told him 40 and he nodded, took my money, and told me to get back behind the line... I never saw my change. The Bandito Busline did it again. New rule: If you ride on the bus, make sure you have the exact change (or learn some Spanish so you can at least argue with the driver!)
When we got home, Gina hit the pool and I took a nice long walk on the beach (I was really steamed at Julio and Jaime). After that we headed out to a wonderful little restaurant just a bit north of our Hotel called "Cynthia". Gina had read a bit about it (and her) from other Worldmark members who had visited it. It was delicious and she was charming. I have never tasted better steamed vegetables or salsa. I highly recommend it.
After dinner we walked the rest of the way to Mega, the Mexican version of Costco. It was very enjoyable. We picked up some food for our own New Years celebration and then headed home where we watched some TV, did some hot-tubbing and played a game of 2500. I ruled!
Today we're going to kick it back here at the resort. Gina is out sunning herself and I think I might head over to a nearby bookstore... get a Spanish phrase book or something.
