BajaNomad - When Does a Town Become "Too Touristy"?

When Does a Town Become "Too Touristy"?

bajarich - 2-11-2006 at 05:20 PM

You've all said it at one time or another, "That town's too touristy for me". When does a town cross the line from just a few t-shirt shops to becomming another Mazatlan, Cabo, or Cancun. Is it the point where people start flying in for weeklong visits, or the building of large hotels and condos. Whats your opinion?

[Edited on 2-12-2006 by bajarich]

bajajudy - 2-11-2006 at 06:20 PM

Well lets face it, we are all tourist here. Whether we live here or only visit.
I think that the density of multi-family dwellings, including temporary(i. e. hotel rooms) is what does it.
Los Cabos got a lot of international recognition when the APEC meeting was here. Now there are investors here from Japan, China. I hear more and more European accents around town.
To compare San Lucas to Cancun is not really fair IMHO. Although those two always come up as...."we will never let this development become another Cancun or Cabo". I personally couldnt stand Cancun the one time I was there. I arrived at about midnight and was in a rental car headed for Tulum by noon the next day. San Lucas has the marina and as I have said many times, if you get in a car and drive for 30 minutes you can be in the middle of nowhere. Your rental car company may not like where you have taken their car but you will be in a place of peace and quiet. I didnt see that option in Cancun.
Ok enough of that.

Too Touristy

capn.sharky - 2-11-2006 at 07:29 PM

When the mexican population can no longer afford to live in town it has become too touristy. Another tip off is if there is a McDonalds or any U.S. fast food chain opening up a store there. Also, if it has more than two Pemex stations.....more than one bank....and all the shops will accept VISA and other credit cards. A few dead dogs left in the street is a good sign that it is not too touristy. Also a good sign....the entire beach is availible to everyone and there is no nude bathing. There will not be a large Marina filled with Yachts and people will yell "Ep" to each other. Finally, the foreign population will at least be attempting to learn Spanish not the other way around. Oh--and loud mufflers or no mufflers on the cars is also a good sign.

bajajudy - 2-11-2006 at 09:30 PM

Sharkey
One of the things that I am happy to report is that one of our best selling categories is Spanish for Gringos....Several different titles and levels of Spanish.
Is that a start?
Ojala

Pompano - 2-11-2006 at 10:04 PM

When the main topic of conversation is NOT how bad the road is... or when the red tecate cans left at the roadside disappear as hazard signs...or when those idiotic daytime lights on on-coming traffic destroy all the old Baja Road warning signs to each other...or the left turn signal ahead of you saying it's okay to pass. What? You say you don't know about those things? Then you are where it's too touristy already.

capn.sharky - 2-11-2006 at 10:51 PM

Bajajudy---Que Bueno. It just takes practice, practice, pratice. I just love to conjugate the verbs. Hope all is well in San Jose del Cabo. By the way, I bought one of those beautiful baskets the indians were selling out front. They were quite a bargain. Mine was the rattlesnake basket and is for good luck. So hopefully, my good luck will allow me to visit with you and your husband again in the future.

Porky Pig - 2-12-2006 at 08:05 AM

when the first U.S. or Canadian real estate person moves in

Pomp

Baja Bernie - 2-12-2006 at 09:35 AM

Guess Baja Norte is beyond hope--I have not seen a Tecate warning/detour sign in a few years. Okay to pass seldom anymore. And I am afraid that many gringos (but not on the board) have no clue as to these modern highway signs.

too-oooo touristy

Dianamo - 2-12-2006 at 09:53 AM

for me it's when I have to go to some anonymous company, sign up in advance, to go fishing on a fancy charter boat. I prefer to go down to the dock and find a local with to go with! Also, when Ruth's Chris :wow:

steak house is on the main tourist route....that is too touristy for me!

The Running of the Pigs

Pompano - 2-12-2006 at 10:43 AM

Today in Mulege just 'might' be a little too touristy. But fun anyway. It's time once again for the umpteenth annual Pig Race. The SPCA, Sierra Club, PETA, DOAR, Vegans Unlimited, Chuleta Society, and Greenpeace are chaperoning. (The old days of using corncobs and kerosene are gone...I think?)

[Edited on 2-12-2006 by Pompano]

Bruce R Leech - 2-12-2006 at 11:35 AM

it seem like for most people I talk to it is when the first person moves in after they do. :tumble:

comitan - 2-12-2006 at 12:14 PM

When you go into the local tienda and theres more gringos than mexicans.

Tucker - 2-12-2006 at 12:27 PM

When people refer to it by initials, ie: TJ, GN, etc. Half the initialized towns posted here, I don't recognize, nor do I want to.

bajalou - 2-12-2006 at 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
it seem like for most people I talk to it is when the first person moves in after they do. :tumble:

Think you hit it right on the head there Bruce--

:biggrin:

Packoderm - 2-12-2006 at 12:38 PM

"When Does a Town Become "Too Touristy"?"

It's when civic support of tourism takes priority over the support of otherwise every day life issues for the locals. What percent of the local workforce's job description is to cater to tourists as opposed to producing something tangible? The real shame is that the Mexican economy widely excludes the Mexican people from the experience of being tourists in their own beautiful country.

On an aside, which city or town was the first tourist town in the world's history?

Pompano

vgabndo - 2-12-2006 at 01:59 PM

Having trusted my life many times to a flashing left turnsignal on a truck, I am now VERY MUCH more careful. Twice now I have, on those very rare occasions when it is possible, pulled out to pass a bus with a flashing left signal only to find that the driver was saying hello to his buddy coming the other way in an identical bus. (with his left signal flashing)
Heavy on the pucker factor!

I think I'd answer the original question with: When my host treats me more like a wallet with feet, than a welcome guest.

Bruce R Leech - 2-12-2006 at 02:03 PM

I think I'd answer the original question with: When my host treats me more like a wallet with feet, than a welcome guest.

vgabndo that is a good one I gotta remember that on. :yes:

Pompano - 2-12-2006 at 02:25 PM

vgabundo...those left turn flashing lights are also to give notice to oncoming traffic that..."I am wide, take notice and give me roooooommm!" Daytime headlights on were a notice to oncoming traffic of problems/danger ahead...most likely a wreck or livestock on the road. The dang Canadian always-on headlights helped to ruin that old custom. Sorry, Canucks, I like you but that's a bad deal for The Baja Road.

Also, remember those tapering lines of rocks left behind in the road by an recent accident...never could pass one of those barricades up without tossing them over to the side of the road. Now, THAT was dangerous!

Our custom on the old chuckholed pavement was to take our half right out of the middle when no traffic was present...which was almost all the time.
The chuckholes were huge...some hiding wrecked Volkswagon Bugs. :rolleyes:

Skeet/Loreto - 2-12-2006 at 03:40 PM

When the Road which use to take 5 days from TJ to Loreto gets paved, TV comes in, Telephones arrive, some Nut builds a 3 million dollar Monstrosity next to your Palapa on the Beach, then wants to start an Association, close off the Beach so that the Locals can no longer drive directly to the Cathouse,or clean their Daily Catch of fish!!

Tha is why I now live on the Wide open Plains of the Panhandle of Texas!!!

Skeet/Loreto

eetdrt88 - 2-12-2006 at 04:26 PM

hows the fishin in the Panhandle?

Morgaine7

Baja Bernie - 2-12-2006 at 04:46 PM

Welcome--That has been going on for over 25 years and will never stop as long at the Mexican who can speak English earns more money--even in Baja.

Pompano - 2-12-2006 at 05:33 PM

I dread the first sign with the Golden Arches near Mulege.

Paulina - 2-12-2006 at 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tucker
When people refer to it by initials, ie: TJ, GN, etc. Half the initialized towns posted here, I don't recognize, nor do I want to.

Case in point, "BOLA".

Initials for town names is a long standing tradition...

Mexray - 2-12-2006 at 09:50 PM

...in the Western regions of United States. Originating back in the Western Gold Rush era, many towns would paint or white-wash their town's initials on a nearby hill, open to the view of travelers and passers-by.

Many of these town 'initials' in rural areas have been maintained as a matter of 'civic pride' and can still be seen in Small cities across the west. We used to have some rural property in Northern Nevada near Battle Mountain - where you can still see the large, white-washed 'BM' on a nearby hill. As you travel along I-80 through Nevada, you'll see a big 'L' for Lovelock, a 'W' for Winnimucca, and others - we've all seen them.

Here on Internet Boards, initials for common names and phrases have, rightly or wrongly, become the 'norm', as our language constantly undergoes change...a good source of these 'acronyms' is at:

http://www.gaarde.org/acronyms/

I like to use a town's complete name when first posting comments, but also find it 'proper' to use only the initials later in the message, or when posting a reply to an earlier message about the same subject.

David K - 2-12-2006 at 09:55 PM

BOLA: bad (BOW-LAH?)

BdLA: good!

Bahia de L.A.: better!!

Bahia de los Angeles: best!!!

surfer jim - 2-13-2006 at 12:12 AM

The correct answer is....CAPN.SHARKY got it..."a few dead dogs left in the road.".... :lol:

....that was good.....

Dead critters on the road are okay..

Pompano - 2-13-2006 at 04:40 AM

Yup, capt. sharkey grasped a good concept and thought pattern that is paramount in Baja. Why not leave those dead and battered corpses just lay where they may and feed the vultures and ravens? They are natures garbagemen...the ultimate cleanup crew.

Ideal scenario.....I can see this horse laying on the freeway heading into Beverly Hills or La Jolla. A sanitation squad in full contamination suits would quandron off the area and all produce within a 5 mile radius would be destroyed. Brrr..what has progress cost us? Thus, I chose to live in Baja and Up North Dakota (shhh)...although much of Baja is becoming alarmingly like La Jolla.

If your area is becoming a little 'too touristy', just drag one of these roadkills to a location near your home and ..viola...instant Old Baja!

Santiago - 2-13-2006 at 07:42 AM

My top 10 reasons when a Baja town is too 'touristy":
1. When my wife says she would visit that town. 2. When the thought first crosses my mind: "I wonder what a lot whould cost here?". 3. When the kids don't stare at me in amazement and wonder. 4. When the full-time-retirees do stare at me in amazement and wonder. 5. When the menus are printed in english. 6. When there are menus. 7. When my buddy and I want a lobster dinner but have forgotten the word for lobster so we both stand up and prance around the table with our hands over our heads with our fingers pinching like claws and the young, nubile waitress says in perfect english, "Would that be clams, crabs or lobsters?" 8. When the word "Market" OR "Mart" is bigger than the word "Tienda". 9. If the town advertizes in the LA Times and the ads seem to indicate that if you visit, you'll likely get laid. 10. And if we're honest with ourselves, probably if we're there.

Skeet/Loreto - 2-13-2006 at 07:42 AM

PanhandleFishing is pretty good in all the lakes that have Water!!

Being able to see for miles out over the palo duro Canyon with no House to look at is just fine, Deer in the Yeard, Eagle and Falcon Around is O. K.

Battle Mountain Nev. --1969- Investigated an Accident there. Twin Cessna hit the mountain during a Storm. Very near to the Big "BM"

Only problem with leaving the dogs lyng is if they had been Posined with Strycnine. then it stays avaiable to other animals such as Cats. Bad Stuff.

The only real thing I miss about Loreto is the people!

Skeet/Loreto

other 'too touristy' signs....

Pompano - 2-13-2006 at 07:44 AM

Now I LOVE PIZZA!!...but perhaps it has become 'too touristy' when you can have an enterprising hombre deliver to your beach digs 20 miles away via satellite phone. It's a different Baja in 2006 as compared to 'back in the good ol days'. Care to join us...we will have some pepperoni, some Canadian bacon and pineapple chased down with cold Pacificos for dinner. Later we will open a chilled bottle of chardonnay, set out some patios de paloma and turn on some Ravels' Bolero.

Now I say with possible, yet inevitable, foot-in-mouth that I am called a Mulegeian by my friends and fellow citizens of this village I have called home for 35 years, but I am still actually a 'tourist'...pay no attention to our FM-1,2,3 and 'emmigrado' stuff...we are all 'tourists' on this earth-bus.

[Edited on 2-13-2006 by Pompano]

Don Alley - 2-13-2006 at 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Santiago
My top 10 reasons when a Baja town is too 'touristy":
1. When my wife says she would visit that town. 2. When the thought first crosses my mind: "I wonder what a lot whould cost here?". 3. When the kids don't stare at me in amazement and wonder. 4. When the full-time-retirees do stare at me in amazement and wonder. 5. When the menus are printed in english. 6. When there are menus. 7. When my buddy and I want a lobster dinner but have forgotten the word for lobster so we both stand up and prance around the table with our hands over our heads with our fingers pinching like claws and the young, nubile waitress says in perfect english, "Would that be clams, crabs or lobsters?" 8. When the word "Market" OR "Mart" is bigger than the word "Tienda". 9. If the town advertizes in the LA Times and the ads seem to indicate that if you visit, you'll likely get laid. 10. And if we're honest with ourselves, probably if we're there.

capn.sharky - 2-13-2006 at 09:35 AM

, some Nut builds a 3 million dollar Monstrosity next to your Palapa on the Beach, then wants to start an Association, close off the Beach so that the Locals can no longer drive directly to the Cathouse"
So Skeeter, you saying you now can drive directly to the Cathouse in the Texas panhandle? You need not worry about anyone closing off the beach or building something next to your palapa on the beach----there are no beaches in the panhandle. Speaking of monstrosities, you should see some of the stuff the gringos (excuse me), the white folks (that doesn't sound right either somehow), the non-indeginous people (there, I think I got it right), have built on the beach in Loreto.....clear up way past the old Penthouse. By the way, Beto said to tell you hello. Going back on the 26th. Feb. 25th is the wifes birthday and I thought it best to stay until after that. Hate to come home, but the doctors keep on checking this valve they put in my heart. Happy trails Russ

Don Alley

capn.sharky - 2-13-2006 at 09:38 AM

Your number one is soooooooo funny. Are they all like that. Mine is that way.

Skeet/Loreto - 2-13-2006 at 10:08 AM

Sharkey; Keep that Valve Popping!
Have they done anything at Doctors Point ?
Salute Beto Por Favor.

Not to many Cathouses in the Texas panhandle-Too many churches!
Lots of pretty girls wearing nothing but Chaps dancing away at the "Midnight Cowboy"!!

Have they started the "Comfort Inn"' up on the Highway Yet.. Salvat swore he would build it some Day.

Skeet/Loreto

With apologies to Groucho Marx...

Mexray - 2-13-2006 at 10:14 AM

...I don't want to belong to any town that will accept me as a
member.

The Sculpin - 2-13-2006 at 11:32 AM

It's too damn touristy when:
the well has water and the power is on for more than 2 hrs a day,
you don't have to negotiate with the fish co-op for ice,
the town mechanic no longer makes "house calls",
you go the the tienda rather than diving for your meals,
the "chief of police" no longer invites you to the c-ck fights,
the pangueros no longer care if you brought extra sparkplugs or rubber hose,
with horror, you realise that the latest trip report on the bajanomad site you're reading is your tiny spot of paradise!!!!!!!

:moon: :lol:

The Sculpin - 2-13-2006 at 11:34 AM

c-ck fights?????
c-ckfights???

Are the NFL censors on this site?
Now I know how Mick Jagger feels?

Pompano - 2-13-2006 at 12:40 PM

I loved it when they once threw a dead c-ck up over the fence and it landed on my wifes shoes. I don't think she misses not seeing another c-ckfight, which of course opens a Pandora's box for me going alone.

bajarich - 2-13-2006 at 02:02 PM

It's too touristy when:

1. You have to clearly explain the difference between your town and Cancun so that others will know.

2. the foreigners who moved there start compaining about all the other foreign languages they are starting to hear.

3. they want you to pay in dollars instead of pesos and all of the prices are in dollars.

4. the price of a Margaritta is $8.00 US.

5. most of the businesses in town are owned by Gringos who pay their help Mexican wages while charging US prices.

6. the airstrip is suddenly too small and needs to be expanded to acomodate international airlines. This is the beginning of the end for the nice place.

7. the town started around tourism. It never was a Mexican town in the first place.

8. the local cop asks you if you want a girl.

9. the local ecomomy is based on sales of time-shares

10. tour companies bring people in to see an "authentic Mexican town".

Pompano

vgabndo - 2-13-2006 at 03:29 PM

Although I agree with Skeet about the poison problem, I think you are dead right about leaving the road kill for critters that need the food source. Here in Siskiyou County CA, the fresh deer are, or used to be, taken to feed to prisoners in the County Jail. Likely cruel and unusual to feed them venison these days. Hereabouts we get a lot of help from low-life truckers to make the roadsides less inviting to tourists. Every few hundred yards there is a jug of pee they tossed out the window. It IS considered hazardous waste and costs a LOT of money to remove.

Hmmmm. If we jailed the truckers for contaminating the shoulders, we could make them clean it up, and feed them venison.

[Edited on 2-13-2006 by vgabndo]

Vgabndo

Baja Bernie - 2-14-2006 at 03:14 PM

I do cry at the lack of wisdom and I laugh at, mostly myself, as a philosopher. Regarding children I am afraid that modern society will brand me and punish me severally should I bow down to children--I do hold them in high regard for they are the keepers of our future society. I hope and pray that they are not to frightened to assume their role.

Would you just change your signature this is far to heavy for me.

bajalera - 2-14-2006 at 03:53 PM

Judy has a good point--you can find untouristicated Baja a short drive out of CSL. A similar approach sometimes works in other places as well--Mazatlan doesn't seem too touristy to me because I stay at the Siesta in the old and sort of rundown part of town, sitting on a balcony to watch the sun set over the Malecon and going to the popular outlying area only for shopping and maybe a dinner/floor-show evening.

As for all this admiration of the Old Baja, let's get real.

One thing I remember from those good old days is the Gracious Living Box I made, which included not only booze but also some pretty chunks of sand-blasted glass picked up on beaches. When we put these in a drink and stirred, their tinkling gave the impression of ice [which we sometimes hadn't seen for several weeks].

And then there were all those gourmet meals prepared with canned food and my very own homemade tortillas, because the nearest source of fresh veggies and meat and bread was a couple of days away.

I don't bemoan the fact that Highway One has made Baja California accessible to a whole lot of people who arrived after I did. Many of them, after all, are Nomads. So instead of having to rely on Gerhard & Gulick when we need info on hotels or temps or bugs or insect repellent or tires or restaurants or tequila or rain or books or kayaks orpractically anything else, we can count on getting some sort of an answer. That, to me, is certainly a plus.

Debra - 2-15-2006 at 08:41 AM

Santiago........TOO DANG FUNNY! I like your's the best.

David K.: I know you don't like "BOLA" you have mentioned that more than once, but, being that you don't type, I would think that you would understand perhaps more than some, the internet being what is it, Bahia de Los Angeles is just too darn long to write out as often as the subject is brought up here. Would "Bahia", (as the locals refer to it, work for you?)

David K - 2-15-2006 at 09:06 AM

Is typing 'L.A. Bay' too much? LAB, ???

Bay OF L.A. (BOLA) just sounds bad (to me)... Bola, ???

If you want to have an English abbreviation than it shoud be BOTA (Bay Of The Angels)... Bota, ???

:lol:

mcgyver - 2-15-2006 at 09:32 AM

BOTA: Spanish wine bag. Newer ones are poly lined, old ones were real leather which absorbed the resin in Spanish and Greek wines.
TPTGTH: That Place That's Going To Hell, AKA: Bahia de Los Angeles or BOLA. :lol:

[Edited on 2-15-2006 by mcgyver]

Debra - 2-15-2006 at 10:25 AM

Well yes David, all those hyphens and periods do take time. And I guess I missed those options that you gave......."BOTA"?

Sorry, "Bahia" it is.......... :lol:

Thanks for the info...

Mexray - 2-15-2006 at 11:27 AM

...all these years I thought 'BOLA' was:

"Best Of Luck, Amigo"

Pompano - 2-15-2006 at 12:41 PM

B O L A ......first I thought it was a balls & rawhide thong thing the Argentine cowboys threw at their dates on a Saturday night...no, not the sheep. Then I thought it was someone misspelling Boleo Co. bread from Sta. Rosalia...then maybe selfish Baja visitors meaning..."Butt Out, L.A." But then I get confused very easily, as my poker friends will attest.

Bahia de los Angeles.....I have been there twice. I went there in 1980 and again last month. I should have just went once.

bajajudy - 2-17-2006 at 07:50 AM

You know that a place is too touristy when you see a pipa that has the word WATER on the side.
I almost fell out of my car when I saw this yesterday.

shades of Dominoe's

Pompano - 2-17-2006 at 08:10 AM

You know a place is too touristy when the shrimp vendor says he will get the jumbos to your home within 30 minutes or you get them free of charge.

Tucker - 2-17-2006 at 08:26 AM

When driving through an old part of La Paz you pass by a tienda named "Big Bang Market".

Bruce R Leech - 2-17-2006 at 09:55 AM

if I'm there it is to touristy :lol:

Tucker - 2-17-2006 at 10:04 AM

Good point Bruce, I guess that would apply to most of us here.

bajajudy - 2-17-2006 at 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajudy
Well lets face it, we are all tourist here. Whether we live here or only visit.

Well at least we all agree on that!

Pompano - 2-17-2006 at 01:29 PM

Just what is a 'tourist' anyway? I know the dictionary definition, but WHAT makes a recent tourist more of a tourist than one who has been here awhile? And why does anyone care?

This might be a fun and appropriate thread... "You know you are not a tourist when....................?"

Am I Visiting Planet Earth? :?:

vandenberg - 2-17-2006 at 01:32 PM

How about ," if you have to make a living ? "

bajalera - 2-17-2006 at 06:52 PM

You're a tourist if you annoy the natives by stopping at the stop signs.

I've seen bumper stickers around here that say:

vgabndo - 2-18-2006 at 03:07 PM

If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them? :lol:

capn.sharky - 2-19-2006 at 09:58 AM

Bajalera---I have found the best way to handle the stop sign thing. A California rolling stop will work great. If you see someone coming from the right or left, either slow down or speed up depending on how far they are compared to you from the intersection. The rule in Loreto is---if no police are standing there---the stop sign is merely a suggestion. No policia, No multa. You are right, if you stop and a Mexican is behind you, he will be peeed. Glad I can't read lips.

Marinero - 2-20-2006 at 12:42 AM

Not on topic, but some years ago I took a mini bus from PV to Playa Blanca. It was night. Going up a hill and passing a small truck, the driver TURNED HIS LIGHTS OFF. I asked the obligatory " What the hell?" He said, " I can see if headlights are coming, I know it is not safe" I asked, "What if he, too, is passing?" He said, "Well senor, he would be in the other lane.!..............SCAREY!@!!!!