Those that travel often know how much international travel can shape you. No matter where we are, we’re constantly being pushed and challenged in new and invigorating ways. There’s no better way to learn about the beautiful world we live in than by being immersed into new cultures, skills, and traditions. From learning how to cook traditional Japanese cuisine in Kyoto to learning how to cha cha on the Caribbean seas, we’ve been able to experience some pretty awesome things.
We just returned home from the beautiful Paradisus Los Cabos resort - an all-inclusive resort located in between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. This trip was the PERFECT infusion of pampering relaxation and sensational cultural experiences. Here’s what we learned!
TEQUILA AND MEZCAL TASTING
Tequila vs. Mezcal. Do you know the difference? Have you ever had Mezcal? They were both born in Mexico, but are very different. They are both made from the agave plant, but the process of making Mezcal involves baking part of the agave plant in an underground oven. This gives Mescal its distinct smokey taste. We learned this at our incredible tequila and mezcal tasting at Paradisus. We had the chance to taste multiple tequilas and mezcals, which presents a perfect opportunity to learn the differences and what we prefer. This is not an experience for getting wild and drunk (although it would be possible), but rather one for refining taste and learning what you like. Both of us learned through this that we preferred añejo tequila to both reposado and blanco. With Mezcal, we liked it all. We are fans of the smokier stuff. This is the perfect type of experience to indulge in at Paradisus. You’re getting culture, cuisine, and some valuable knowledge you can bring home. So awesome!
YOGA (The Paradisus way)
What’s better than some poolside zen to start your day? We try to attend yoga classes as much as possible when we travel - as every culture approaches it differently. At the Paradisus, we learned new stretching, breathing, and meditating techniques we’d never seen before! From balancing on our tip toes to a new take on the downward dog, we were motivated and challenged by our energetic instructors… And can you beat this view?! Definitely one of our favorite yoga sessions to date!
CIGAR ROLLING
Bobby here. I’ve always been fascinated by cigars, so when I heard that the Paradisus team would be hosting a cigar rolling class, I was just a little excited. Ok, I was REALLY excited. We had THE Cabo Cigar Roller at Paradisus with an amazing setup of cigars, and soon-to-be-made cigars. He first talked us through and demonstrated how he would roll a cigar. He showed us the filler tobacco and how he rolls it together to form the insides of the cigar. Next, we learned about the final wrapping leaf, and how it is normally the highest quality of the tobacco leaves. We used a small amount of a glue-like paste to help the wrapping tobacco adhere to the filler, and then used a small Chaveta knife to properly cut the leaves. Once the cigar is rolled, you use a circular tool (essentially a mini cookie cutter) to cut the last piece that goes on the front of the cigar. After that, you are ready to light it up and enjoy! My cigar was decent… but let’s just say this whole experience made me appreciate the art of rolling cigars that much more! Thank you Paradisus and Cabo Cigar Roller!
TEPPANYAKI COOKING
Alli here, and you read that right. Probably not the first cultural experience when you think of Mexico… but hey - that’s the beauty of staying at the Paradisus! They happen to have one of the best teppanyaki restaurants in Mexico, so what better place to learn! I learned how to flip, grill, and perfectly season an amazing array of veggies and meats. And coming from a girl that has difficulty multi tasking - it’s a lot harder than it looks! I think I’ll leave this one to the experts at the Paradisus.
Even in a short, 3 day weekend, we came home from the Paradisus Los Cabos with new skills, new friends, and tons of new memories. We didn’t even have time to attend the tortilla making, ride horses on the beach at sunset, learn to roll sushi, or learn about cocktails at the mixology class! Guess we have to save some things for next time, right? ;)