Two weeks before we were to go to our house in Southern Baja – Hurricane Odile swooped in and left a trail of destruction like never before in Cabo San Lucas. Businesses and families rattled to their core – the biggest in their history.

Fortunately, our home escaped with but only a good sandblasting of the paint and a couple trees uprooted. Days later banditos helped themselves to our televisions, kitchen appliances and blankets to wrap their loot in.

I struggled with trying to “not be angry” – we got off easy – our homes and jobs were not lost. We were spared.

Visions of the widely televised looting in Cabo danced in my head. What is wrong with these people?

That evening our local news said that the 3,000 people who were evacuated from the King fire in California came home to find their houses had been looted.

The Gringo Gazette – an English newspaper out of Cabo – had an article that defended the action of some. Saying (and I am not quoting) many of the looters had lived in Mainland Mexico and took jobs in Cabo only to lose their jobs (pre-hurricane) and have absolutely no money to return home much less afford to buy food to eat. Ok, I can wrap my head around that one – money to survive. But what’s up with – as we read today in the paper – the multiple police, government officials and even an American couple (top timeshares salesman at Pueblo Bonito) who freely took what was not theirs?

Rant over.

Since the airport in Cabo was closed we took the long way to Los Barriles. A several day stop over in hectic busting Mexico City ensured a much appreciated landing in La Paz.

The hurricane painted this place green the likes of which we have never seen. Such beauty.

We have enjoyed the quiet in Los Barriles the past several weeks – restaurants have been slow to open – not too many people in town. A sleepy existence and much appreciated.

Now , the airport in Cabo is open – flights are returning and things are happening. The town is waking up. Restaurants are filling up, the hardware store is bustling and quad noise is on the rise.

Best yet – Cabo is back in business. God bless them. Popular stores and restaurants are back in business – roofless – but in business. Tourists are trickling in – residents are working, people are rebuilding and stores are replacing looted inventory.

Life goes on…