Galapagos and Beyond: day 17 - Chabad in Cabo San Lucas

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We all spent the day lazing around, chatting amongst the family and generally being idle! Even a bit of time in the gym or in the pool was fairly light activity.

In the late afternoon we went with one of Don’s brothers and his wife to the Chabad for Shabbat. It was only a 2 km walk and was a surprisingly pleasant stroll through town. Each store was either a bar or a tourist shop selling Mexican chutchkes: maracas, sombreros, ponchos etc. The people were very friendly - or were they just trying to sell us something? Cabo in daylight was busy but relatively peaceful, as we were to discover later that night. We passed a large walrus statue by the marina, and an imaginative roof display with King Kong atop the Statue of Liberty being encircled by moving biplanes.

We got to where we thought the Chabad house was when a police van pulled up and asked if we wanted help. Don told them we were looking for the Jewish house and very confidently one officer pointed in one direction and the second in the opposite direction! In fact Don knew neither was correct. Fortunately we were at the turn off, so we politely said thank you and walked off.

This part of town was not very well kept - the pavement was not only cracked but in one place, had a huge, deep hole! We got to Chabad house and went up the stairs to be greeted by the usual pre-Shabbat bedlam! Five kids under 10 running around getting ready for Shabbat, the Rebetzen trying to finish the cooking and to add to the chaos I upset a glass of water! There was another couple from Jerusalem there as well.

Everything got sorted and we lit candles and a form of calm settled over the household. We went into the next apartment which was the synagogue. The Rabbi knew that Don, Al and I wanted to say kaddish and so kept apologising that there may not be a minyan. The service started at 8 pm and ultimately we got our 10 men.

After the service we went next door to the Rabbi’s home and found about 30 Israelis there! It was like home from home. We were able to practice our Ivrit! It would appear that many of them were working in the cosmetics business in malls. They don’t always go to shul but they did this week! Somehow the Rebbetzen had managed to make enough food to feed everybody.

Eventually we walked back to the hotel through town. Now the town was heaving! Each bar was playing their music louder than the one next door. Over one bar was a drummer on the balcony pounding away. People were walking around town and everybody seemed to be having a great time.

A lovely way to start our shabbat!

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Photos

rooftop attack in Cabo town
(picture taken Sunday afternoon)