My mom purchased an Executive Suite Condo at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach around 2001 before the beautiful resort on the West side of the Baja peninsula was even completed. The resort spans the entire hillside right along the Pacific Ocean. You almost can’t get any further South on the Baja unless you’re in the private home community housing the rich and famous like Oprah. Mom saw the potential of a great place to vacation, gift weeks to family and have a little something to pass down to her kids.
To be honest, at first the thought of bringing our 8-year old, medically fragile daughter and the other one, who at 6-years old had a tendency to run off if you weren’t looking, was quite daunting. In fact, that first family vacation we traded her week in Mexico to spend 2 weeks in Hawaii. THAT was an experience of a LIFETIME because not only did we have the 4 of us, we had mom, one of my older brothers and my mom’s brother, Uncle Art, along on our adventure. And because 7 wasn’t enough, we went to the Big Island of Hawaii where one of my mom’s other brothers, Uncle Ed, lived. So we spent a glorious 2 weeks on excursions and generally having one hellofa great time. It’s something we’ll never forget … but how do we top that?
Two years later, we were ready for another adventure … Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach was completely built and ready for visitors. Still, were we ready for a trip to Mexico? Dave, Mom and I had all been there before, and we experienced areas where safety was in question and water needed to be boiled. A little research held that the entire resort was all set for its U.S. cousins - every faucet and pool and restaurant on the resort was pre-filtered water. It had 5 pools, numerous restaurants and gas powered golf carts which brought us to anywhere on the resort we wanted to go. They outfitted us with a building where our disabled kiddo could travel right from our condo door, down the elevator and into the pool. The building also was the location of the Kids Club, a gathering for the little kids from all over the world with background-checked counselors who brought the kids on resort excursions, played games, planned movies, arts and crafts and even meals for the kids in their care. So basically, our youngest spent nearly the entire week there with her “new friends” and even some off hours when the counselors would request they bring her along on the fun “counselor only” volleyball games in the main pool or down to the beach to build sandcastles. She was the leader of the group and whether they spoke English or not, she made sure everyone was involved and would even go round them up at their condos to ask them to join in the fun. Once again, we had my older brother with us, but we’d also brought along one of my older sisters, her husband, Uncle Art again and one of my best friends, Rita, from her home in Mexico City. There was 10 family on our first Mexican adventure … and Mom purchased an upgrade to a Presidential Suite so we could accommodate our growing group. We played card games, ate, relaxed, spent a day in town and really reconnected.
We’d traveled back to Mexico 1 more time before my mom died in 2013.
Dave and I have kept her memory alive by returning to Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach every other year since her death. The first time I had trouble breathing when my friend Rita and I hugged for the first time since we’d lost her. It was a celebration of sorts, to thank her for this beautiful gift. Rita hadn’t been able to travel to the states for her memorial, and so this was delayed grieving for both of us. Rita has vowed to always join us when we come to Mexico and continues to try to convince me to make a side trip to Mexico City again. I’m working on it …. !
Next month will be our 3rd time back since 2013. And once again, I will revel in the opportunity for my family, including my sister/friend, Rita, and her family to spend dedicated time together in the sunshine. I will wake up every morning with my book and cup of tea, sit on the balcony and watch the sunrise, just like Mom always did. It pleased her to see my girls swim and have fun with their dad, my brother and her brothers.
After my mom passed, we started seeing ladybugs - one landed on the car near her burial niche, at the church during her funeral service, and each and every time we arrive at our condo in Mexico, we’ve found a single one roaming near the patio. I’m Catholic, and I don’t believe that my mom returned as a ladybug, but I do feel a bit like these signs are Mom’s way of telling me that she’s close. Believing that she’s proud of the adventures that she had a hand in starting and that we will continue to have until Dave and I are unable to travel … thank you Mom! See you in Mexico!
