The main entryway to Casa Del Mar, as we arrived.

The grounds are designed so that in any direction you look, there's some kind of an eye-catching but understated scene of beauty. This fountain is situated outside the condo unit where we stayed.

This was the view from the front of the condo unit, of the stairs leading up to the Spa.

Dana enjoyed a couple of spa treatments during our stay -- and I actually joined her one day for a tandem pedicure. (Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, guys -- it's like a footrub on steroids!)

And this was the view from the condo itself...a large second-story balcony, overlooking the neighboring Las Ventanas resort and beyond it the Sea of Cortes.

Of course, the very first order of business upon our arrival was to hustle ourselves down to the beach pool.

We were both a little giddy with excitement at having finally arrived after a year's planning and countdown.

My math is actually rather simple: give me a beer, a book and a swim-up bar and I am likely to be a happy boy.

"Would you like wave noises with your headphones, ma'am?"

It's become a tradition that our first night we walk up the beach to Las Ventanas to have dinner at the Sea Grill.

Las Ventanas indeed represents the "powdered sugar" treatment that my Oma used to talk about. It is a very nice resort, but is ultimately much too over-the-top. They definitely do have a stick in an uncomfortable place.

Some family with way more money than they really needed was actually holding a wedding at Las Ventanas. The rehearsal dinner was set up out on the beach, and these musicians serenaded the gathered family and friends.

This was the elaborate setting that Las Ventanas provided for the rehearsal dinner.

The next day we ventured to the Mega market for a grocery run.

I was amused by the "Golden Nuts" brand name.

No, you can't see my golden nuts! Keep your hands off them!

An interesting indication of the increasing Americanization of this area was the sign leading you to the nearest Ruth's Chris Steak House.

During this trip, Dana arose before the sun each day, and would already be out on the balcony sipping coffee and taking pictures when I woke up.

She captured many striking sunrise pictures.

More sunrise...

The beach bungalows of Las Ventanas formed a terrific setting for the sunrise shots.

In your mind's eye, add the sound of gently crashing waves...

Or, just click on this MPEG video snippet.

I love the way the clouds lit up.

The biggest challenge was choosing which sunrise shots to exclude from this web page.

Remember, all of these pictures are actually 1024x768. Right-click any of them and open them on your computer locally for an extra-large view!

If there's one image that I had to pick to summarize the trip, this one would probably be it...our feet propped on the balcony at sunrise.

On this visit to Cabo I finally managed to get myself out on a fishing boat. I rented what they call a Panga, which is as low-end as their charter boats come -- it's just 23' open boat with an outboard motor, a sunshade and some rudimentary fishing configuration.

And as it turned out, it was plenty enough.

For 4 hours Tuesday morning, it was Jose-the-captain and me. I asked Jose how long he had been working these boats, and his answer was a wistful "All my life."

Self-portrait at arm's length...

The high point of the day's fishing was when we hooked up with a Wahoo. This fish was over 5 feet long and weighed easily 90 pounds or more - it fought for 25 minutes before we pulled it in.

By the time this fish was on board the boat, my arms were exhausted, and my lower pelvis was well-bruised from bracing the butt of the fishing pole against it as I worked the reel.

Jose was also seemed rather excited at landing this fish -- I heard him on the radio afterwards crowing about it to his colleagues.

I let Jose keep the Wahoo, because we also caught 4 nice Dorado (that's Mahi Mahi!)

Jose filleted the fish on board, and I took lots of fish back with me that day. We had the hotel restaurant prepare and serve some to us that evening, and when we flew home at week's end we brought about ten pounds of frozen fish back with us.

At the hotel we had noticed thousands of little yellow butterflies migrating through the hotel grounds. I was amazed to see that they were also out at sea, headed in a direction where the closest landfall was Hawaii. Little flying lemmings...

Heading back in, I liked this shot of a cruise liner at anchor in Cabo San Lucas framed between the rocks at Lover's Beach. It looks almost as if it's run aground.

The actual cape - Cabo San Lucas, marking the official boundary between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortes.

And the famous Cabo signature arch.

But of course, it's always back to the beach.

Freakin' bliss!

The soft crash of waves, the occasional whirr of a blender...and me snoring.

Cool shot Dana took of the underside of a beach umbrella.

It's surf like this that's the reason this beach pool exists -- unsafe and dangerous waters, can't swim in the ocean here, need a pool.

And of course, back to the condo.

"Gilligan! Oh, Gilligan!"

The adjoining beach in front of Las Ventanas, after their sand Zamboni had done its work.

And it wasn't all sunrises...we managed to catch this great sunset as well.

...and a little bit of atmosphere...

Dana took this rosy-sunrise shot down the length of the balcony.

Pleasure craft venturing in close to shore...

And as we wait for the taxi to take us back to the airport, I get all high-concept in this shot with the two large facing mirrors in the CdM entryway.

We are getting better and better at this!