Beachcombing on Playa Las Viudas

Treasured souvenirs from the playa, resting upon an 1837 hand-colored engraving of

seashells drawn by Captain Brown and engraved by G. Cranston, from my personal collection

Photo: Chronica Domus

I've been fortunate enough to visit a fair number of beaches in my life.  My parents enjoyed traveling extensively when my sisters and I were children and our summer holidays would always include stints by the seaside.  The fine sandy beaches of the Aegean and Mediterranean became our summer playgrounds.  We spent many happy hours splashing about in the warm currents, a novelty as compared to the frigid waters of the English Channel.

Being a curious child, I always made a point of scouring the beach for interesting objects. Unearthing the odd dropped coin or fragment of polished colored glass was always an exciting prospect. However, my favorite objects always remained the natural treasures which appealed so greatly to my sense of delight, and fascination with natural history.  You may be amused to learn that this gentle author secretly harbored dreams of becoming the next Mary Anning.

An inspiring figure from my youth, Mary Anning and Tray her faithful canine companion, depicted with Dorset's Golden Cap outcrop as a fitting backdrop

Source

It turns out that my love of beachcombing remains strong to this day.  While holidaying in Mexico recently, I took the opportunity of indulging in this pleasant pastime on one of the most secluded little beaches I have ever visited.

A view of Playa Las Viudas with its clear waters, pristine sandy beach, and rocky outcrops - we had the place to ourselves the afternoon we visited - it was heavenly!

Photo: Chronica Domus

Playa Las Viudas is a magical hidden cove that is tucked away off the main highway along the corridor between the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.  Volcanic rock outcrops abound and although the sand is quite coarse, I greatly enjoyed getting my feet wet as I waded along the shoreline within inches of the crashing waves.  

Photo: Chronica Domus

We spent an enjoyable hour or so absorbed in the hunt for treasure. With the sun's beating rays upon our backs, combined with the stirring sound of the Sea of Cortez, it really was quite the tonic for unwinding.

Photo: Chronica Domus



Photo: Chronica Domus

What we found was astonishing.  Remnants of sea life aplenty.

Photo: Chronica Domus

I was all agog at the variety of corals and seashells we espied with seemingly little effort.  Their colors - which ranged from brilliant orange, mauve, gray, and taupe - and their intricate shapes were utterly beguiling.

Photo: Chronica Domus

I was enchanted most especially by the little orange-speckled oval seashells.  I had never seen anything quite like it on any other beach and here I was with two in the palm of my hand (well three, actually, but the third example had faded in the strong Mexican sunlight).

 

A dorsal and ventral view of Jenneria pustulata with its distinctive colors and pattern
Photo: Chronica Domus

Of course, this led me on a hunt down the electronic rabbit hole that is The Internet until I unearthed what exactly it was that had wholly captured my imagination.  Jenneria pustulata, it turns out, was first mentioned by the English botanist and conchologist John Lightfoot in 1786. Interestingly, Mr. Lightfoot was the curator of The Duchess of Portland's personal collection which in its day, was the most extensive and coveted natural collection in England.  I also discovered that aside from Western Mexico, Jenneria pustulata is found in such exotic locales as Costa Rica, Panama, and the Galapagos Islands, all places I have yet to enjoy the privilege of visiting.

Aside from a multitude of seashells, nuggets of lily-white coral litter Playa Las Viudas.  This stony coral happens to be the main food source of Jenneria pustulata which would explain why there was such a high concentration of it on one small stretch of beach.

A trio of coral nuggets rest upon another hand-colored engraving by C. Cranston, circa 1837, from my personal collection

Photo: Chronica Domus

These very special seashells, together with the other bits of unearthed natural treasure, make charming souvenirs of a place that has captured my heart.  I shall cherish them always as fond remembrances of a pleasant afternoon spent beachcombing in a spot that must surely be as close to paradise as one can imagine.

A lone boat sails past Playa Las Viudas
Photo: Chronica Domus

Tell me, do you have fond memories of visiting a favorite beach, or have you ever found anything of interest to capture your imagination that was laying about in the sand?

Chasing The Sun

I've been suffering from an acute case of Sunseekeritis - why else would I color coordinate my espadrilles and vintage jute handbag to the crystalline blue skies and sandy beaches of my longed for destination?
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Whether or not Mark Twain really did utter those famous words about his coldest winter having been a summer in San Francisco, is neither here nor there when faced with the prospect of enduring yet another foggy and windy August in our fair city. Not that I'm complaining too much, mind you.  I very well appreciate our milder summer months, especially when compared to the steam bath endured throughout the rest of the country.

Every now and then however, an itch requires a good scratching.  The urge to don one's summery clothes and beachy espadrilles can no longer be suppressed.  That is why my family and I jetted off to sunnier climes earlier this month, where sparkling blue seas and fiery sunsets predominate, and everything else, happily, gets left in the dust.

Fasten your seat belts, now approaching blue skies and sandy beaches

Photo: Chronica Domus

A favorite holiday destination of ours, and one we return to time and again, Los Cabos is located at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula.  It is always summer in Los Cabos with perpetual sunshine no matter the time of year.  Cooling breezes sweep in from the Sea of Cortez keeping the mercury in the comfortable zone - averaging between the upper 70 Fahrenheit range to the lower 90's at the extreme. Los Cabos has become the Acapulco of the 1950's attracting swells and A-listers in droves. And, who can blame them?

Whether it be the sandy beaches that appear like straw-colored ribbon along the coastline ...

Photo: Chronica Domus

... or, an infinity pool that keeps one lolling at the water's edge ...

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... this truly is a blissfully relaxing and stunningly beautiful part of the world.  I always find it such a struggle to leave.

Photo: Chronica Domus

This is the view from the upstairs open air bar which affords excellent views of El Arco.  I could happily gaze upon this magnificent rock formation for eternity.

Photo: Chronica Domus

Of course, perfectly made margaritas only add to the enjoyment of the view.  In the land of tequila, our usual sauce takes a backseat.

Photo: Chronica Domus

Yes, it was difficult to tear ourselves away from a place that left us wanting for nothing, but we did muster up the energy to hire a car and explore a little further afield.  A drive to San Jose del Cabo, which is chock full of art galleries and silversmiths, housed in Spanish colonial buildings, is a pleasant diversion from beach and pool life.

Tiffany & Co., the world's premiere jeweler, well at least a Mexican doppleganger

Photo: Chronica Domus

The woven trunk of this clipped bougainvillea, which grows in front of the Mission of San Jose del Cabo Anuiti, is quite a horticultural achievement

Photo: Chronica Domus

For us, no trip to Los Cabos is complete without an excursion to the sleepy little town of Todos Santos, situated just a stone's throw from the Tropic of Cancer.  The town is located about an hour north of the resort area and is one of my favorite drives due to the spectacular scenery.  This is where the Pacific Ocean dramatically meets the desert in high-Mexican style.  Just look at the size of that cactus!

Just across the road from this enormous cactus - which we estimate to be about fifteen feet tall - is the Pacific Ocean

Photo: Chronica Domus

It has become a right of passage to drop into the Hotel California for lunch and to sip upon tequila sunrise cocktails in honor of The Eagles' namesake song.

"It's another tequila sunrise, starin' slowly 'cross the sky, said goodbye"
Photo: Chronica Domus

Photo: Chronica Domus

"Livin' it up at the Hotel California, what a nice surprise (what a nice surprise), bring your alibis"

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Upon our return to Los Cabos, it was straight into the pool for more natatorial fun until the early hours of the evening.

A natatorial paradise

Photo: Chronica Domus

As I mentioned earlier, it is tough to willingly take one's leave of such a blissfully relaxing and beautiful part of the world, but leave we must.  Taking pleasure in one final picture-perfect sunset before bidding adiós to Los Cabos for another year was the icing on the cake.

Adiós, Los Cabos, until we meet again 

Photo: Chronica Domus 

Once home, the familiar welcoming committee of ever-present summer fog embraced us with open arms. Our sun umbrella, I'm afraid, will continue to remain firmly shut with little foreseeable action in its future. It's time too, I suppose, to reluctantly pack away summer's glad rags.

A view looking up towards our balcony on a typical foggy August morning

Photo: Chronica Domus

Regardless of the current misty conditions, there is really nothing quite like being back at home, and for that I am most grateful.  Home sweet home, indeed!