Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Things are changing in Baja Sur
Cape Fear
Cabo San Lucas has hit a new milestone: population 300,000. Some other big figures for the place; this year, about 900,000 cruise ship visitors,
millions of visitors arriving by air, ( the Los Cabos airport recorded 239 landings and takeoffs in a single day on January second of 2005) thousands
coming down the long gray highway from the U.S. The place is having growing pains. Visitor and local are squeezed into a narrow strip near the
shore. The rugged ridge of mountains stands like a mottled green wall; too steep for anything but travel poster back rounds, it defies encroachment.
So, with the mountains in the middle, ocean all around three sides, urban sprawl can only spread along the pricey beaches.
This awkward overcrowding has just begun. The power brokers curse the mountains. They dare not vocalize the burning question. Where can we put the
Mexicans? We can?t keep building our pleasure palaces, golf courses next to their barrios. They have to go. Where can we put them?
No one answer seems to work. In Cancun they built islands, thereby separating the resorts from the original town. In Zihautanejo they simply
displaced the village, forced the locals to move to the next village. The whole paradise scheme hinges on pleasing the expensive tastes of the
vacationer at the same time insulating him from the unpleasantness he might feel if and when he sees squalor or poverty, litter or filth in any
imaginable form. Los Cabos built a special highway from the airport around the city of San Jose so tourists would not even get a glimpse of the edges
of barrios that touch the highway leading to the golden city at Land?s End. More than a dozen grand pleasure palaces in San Lucas are All Inclusive
Resorts. Guests never have to leave the hotel. They won?t be offended by the sight of a very heavily populated barrio called Cartonlandia where the
poorest Mexican workers are crammed together in hovels that resemble cardboard cartons.
While the All Inclusives count for less than ? of the 20,000 available rooms in the town, they make a larger impact on tourist businesses like taxis,
restaurants and gift shops. The taxi barons run the politics in San Lucas. As they lose more fares to ?stay at homes? at the All Inclusive resorts,
they have the clout to raise their rates to a level unheard of in most tourist Meccas. At $3 per mile (or any part thereof) a ride from the airport
to your hotel is about $50. From your hotel to a nice restaurant is about $15 each way.
Vacationers still looking for bargains in Mexico are attacked from every side. A small rental car will cost you about $90 per day (even if you rent
one by the week). Now that you don?t have to suffer the gouging by the taxis you can tool about, find that perfect little spot for lunch or dinner.
You might want to start with a Margarita -- $14 U.S. Then soup, entree and salad ? say shrimp or fish filet, rice, beans and tortillas -- $32 U.S.
So, for Ralph and Margaret on their bargain vacation the room is $348, car $90, one meal $106 (including the tip) or about $5,000 dollars for two
people (including air fare) for one week if they buy nothing, have one decent meal a day. If they play golf add $260 more a day. For the same
vacation, same time, same accommodations in Hawaii it all adds up to about $2,600 U.S (assuming they leave from the west coast).
For the number crunchers: Cabo beats the average for Mexican resorts. The average cost per day per tourist in Mexico is $654 U.S. They get that
number by dividing the gross national tourism income by the number of visitors. Cruise ship passengers are not in this number. They spend on average
$55 per person per day (mostly T shirts). The K Mart cruisers spend a little less, passengers on the luxury cruise ship Ryndam spend $70 per
passenger. Let?s see; 900,000 times $55 equals just under $50,000,000 ? that?s a big boatload of T shirts. The cruise people buy no food or drink,
take no taxis. The T shirt brigade just walks around the area near the marina taking pictures while trying not to make eye contact with time share
contactors and diminutive Indian ladies begging in the streets.
What has developed from this visitor mix is a phenomenon known as ?One Shot Pricing?. Restaurateurs see only empty tables. Beset by All Inclusives,
the world?s highest public transportation cost, cruisers who disembark sated with gourmet food, fine wine, these beer and shrimp vendors are crying
?Foul?. It has become necessary for them to charge prices guaranteed to disappoint the diner no matter how fine the service, how tasty the meal. All
the vendors see is the ?One Shot? ca ching on the register.
The ?One Shot? fight for the tourist dollar is at its all time peak ? begins at the airport taxi/van booths, the rental car booths, winds its way to
the hotels, the beaches, the streets, bars and restaurants. Local gringos (about 90,000 strong) sit in their comfortable villas content to hunker
down and avoid and ignore the carnival. Their ocean view villas are like mini-All Inclusive resorts. The homeowners enjoy the same kinds of
food/booze/poolside comforts ? at both venues smiling Mexicans are seen cleaning the pool and ground, cleaning and cooking. The rich gringos can
hardly see a difference between their stateside homes, amenities and servants and their Mexican counterparts. So the only money local retirees bring
to the city now are those dollars that flow through the big box stores ? principally Costco and Soriana?s.
The governor and the mayor are afraid of the Taxistas. Local merchants fear Costco and the other big stores are going to put them out of business.
The restaurateurs believe the street vendors, the exorbitant taxi fees, the almost one million full bellied cruise passengers have come together in a
way that could spell bankruptcy. The hotel association fears more invasions by cheap, drunk spring breakers and higher room taxes. The time share
groups and the taxi companies fear higher crude oil prices which would drive air passenger numbers down. The poor street vendors/beggars fear the
police. The Mexican workers fear every thing and every body ? loss of their homes, loss of jobs due to automation, competition from mainland
Mexicans, the police, the Federales, and the Hacienda, the taxman.
There were fearless times. It?s hard to imagine the humble beginnings of this jewel between the seas. The first Europeans, Spanish missionaries,
anchored in the harbor near the now-famous arch. When their longboats reached shore they were greeted by a rag tag band of smiling, smelly lizard
eaters, Pericue Indians, who helped the padres build quarters, a chapel, pens for the animals. One early priest, once he got to know the Pericue,
wrote:
?Comen sin hastio, viven sin verguenza, mueren sin temor? ? ?They eat without greed, live without shame, die without fear.?
Recent discoveries in this area by archaeologists reveal the Pericue where not Amerindians. That means they weren?t aboriginal. THEY WERE TOURISTS.
It must have been pretty boring around here until the boats came. When the fleet arrived it was a time for celebration for the Indians ? they were
treated to beef, pork, chicken, potatoes and wine.
I guess you could say the Indians were the first spring breakers. They were drunk, naked and unashamed.
Can Cabo San Lucas persevere, rival or surpass Cancun, Hawaii, Tihiti? My bet is that for every ?One Shot? grumbler who promises never to set foot
in San Lucas again, for every underfunded frat member on a binge, there are ten well heeled pleasure seekers who just can?t wait to get there. If I?m
right the future might see the tops of the Laguna mountains blown to dust by well placed explosives, the dirt and rocks hauled away and hidden
somewhere. These new ?Islands in the sky? might reinvent the Cape, become platforms for resorts of unimaginable scope and opulence, cause an
explosion in tourism unknown in all the world. I hope it happens in my lifetime. It would be something to see. I?m gonna hate paying $80 for a beer
and some chips and guacamole dip but with that view it might be worth every penny. I suppose a complimentary lap dance would be just wishful
thinking.
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bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
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Yikes thank dog I already live here and know where to find the 75 cent taco and where the deposito is that gives free ice with my $12 case of
Pacifico.
I see it coming too but will hold out til the last moment in hopes of a reprival...
The Mexicans dont have choices, they have to live where they can work and it only takes a ride back behind the Raven golf club in the Las Lomas to see
how little they are benefiting from all the largess.....nada
Thanks for the informative essay, Osprey.
Where do you live?
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
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The U.S. government needs to buy/invade BAJA and just make it into another state ....that would put an end to this mess.....
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JESSE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3370
Registered: 11-5-2002
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| Quote: | Originally posted by surfer jim
The U.S. government needs to buy/invade BAJA and just make it into another state ....that would put an end to this mess..... |
Nah, just get them to agree not to send the CIA or NSA if we get rid of our goverment, and you can save a ton of cash.
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Germanicus
Nomad
Posts: 214
Registered: 6-13-2004
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I do hope that Cuba will get rid of Castro pretty soon.
Then the rich Americans have another playground and Baja will recover from those who just want to change things here.
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4baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1339
Registered: 9-4-2003
Location: morro bay ca
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san jose is next and that is why we left there. with the marina and building east on the dirt road it will not be long before the same crap happens.
denny and judy good luck.
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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Good essay Osprey...
I pray that power service never gets north of Cabo or else we'll see hotels and condos stacked all the way to Todos Santos.
Happy Trails!
Zac
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Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
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Its a Great World
I certainly Hope that all the Rich americans do not go to Cuba. I hope they will stay here and keep Making money We need lots of Jobs and Tax Money to
keep, supplying Jobs etc for those who are unable to become rich.
Also need a Good Strong Military to Protect Germany and France and their Poor People.
Baja will change but just ignore and overlook the Naysayser,Kooks, Crasies and find yourself a good spot and go for the Adventure
Throw away the Cell Phone, TV, Game Boy, the Therapy Manuel and have a good live, Beleive in yourself, Have no Fear of Life.
If your travel the Freeways of Calif. carry a Gun to protect yourself from those hate -mongering people who do not have the Ability to become a True
American, nor the Mind to Know the difference!!
We are the Best !!!
Skeet/Loreto
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mulegeloco
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 3-13-2005
Location: Mulege
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Mood: Alive
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I'ts good to read you Germanicus!!!!!
I didn't have news from you from a long time.
Don't you know who am I???
The man that walks "by the edge" in Mulege
JUST TO TELL YOU "HELLOOOO"
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jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4863
Registered: 2-2-2003
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Very well said Skeeters
"If your travel the Freeways of Calif. carry a Gun to protect yourself from those hate -mongering people who do not have the Ability to become a True
American, nor the Mind to Know the difference!!"
Unfortunately, the mindless ones seem to be the majority in some enclaves down here. You would'nt believe it!
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Germanicus
Nomad
Posts: 214
Registered: 6-13-2004
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Skeet,
on tha post I offered you a dialog.
Here I have to learn that you are just a half adjucated redneck.
1. Those you are calling 'Americans' are U.S. Americans.
You might not know, but "the Ameracas" stretch from Alsaka to Fireland > all people living in between are Americans.
2. The 'rich' Americans - and if I'm speaking about 'Americans' I mean the Gringos - are building and developing and buying land/properties in Baja to
get the money from those Gringoes who are spending their money.
The rich Gringoes are not making anybody else rich, other than themselfes.
3. Need a strong military? That's right. The U.S. wants to make war to those who have no nuclear capability.
All nations w/ nuclear capability don't have to fear the U.S.
To protect Germany and France and their poot people???
Well, there are nearly no U.S. soldiers in Germany. Only very few in Ramstein, as the U.S. needs a good and reliable partner in Europe. And that is
Germany.
France? There never, ever was any U.S. military camp in France.
So what kinda bulls... are you talking about?
4. Bu counting what you have to throw away, you forgot yourself and your computer.
5. Only point I agree in:
Carry a gun if you are travelling the U.S.
The Gringo's ( not the Americans ) don't trust each other.
They shoot each other.
They have natural killer instinct and genes.
And Yes, Skeet. (Qote: "We are the best")
You are damn right. The best in killing the world.
Invironmantally
With wars
with guns on your steets.
Everywhere and everyhow you can.
You are the greatest (from behind)
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osoflojo
Nomad
Posts: 378
Registered: 10-29-2004
Location: c.s.l./b.c.s.
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OSPREY............Have a couple of Pacificos and calm down....Take a page from Baja Judys book and pay attention to the good parts that are still
there in abundance. ( I still only pay $1 a beer in Cabo at most places and never pay those kind of taxi prices). The bad will eventually proliferate
everywhere. Make the best of the magnificant place the Cabo is.
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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| Quote: | Originally posted by surfer jim
The U.S. government needs to buy/invade BAJA and just make it into another state ....that would put an end to this mess..... |
oh wouldn't that be Nice .im sure things would be better then. one big long L.A.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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postman
Newbie
Posts: 20
Registered: 1-26-2005
Location: West Virginia
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I know you can't stop progress. It sounds like there are those who move to Baja to get away but as soon at they do they try to chang it to be like
where they were from. Saw the same thing in the south of New Hampshire, People from Boston moving there to get away from the high taxes. They wanted
all of the services of the big city but didn't want to pay for it. Why move?
I just want to get away from it all.
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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postman my sentiments exactly.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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