Art in Los Cabos: ruining the secret for everyone

by Tom Johansmeyer on

When I think “Cabo,” I don’t think art … at least, I didn’t. A few paces into the San Jose del Cabo’s historic art district however, I felt my mind begin to shift. Galleries line Guerrero, Obregon, Morelos and Comonfort, each ready to invite you in for a look at the creations of artists local to Los Cabos (and Mexico in general). Don’t look for the schlock you’d find at a tourist trap in this part of the city – these artists are talented and experienced. Many of the galleries show investment-grade pieces and are priced appropriately.

Of course, there are bargains to be had in the art district. Traditionally, buyers are split between vacationers and people with second homes in Los Cabos, the latter usually looking to occupy the spaces of newly developed escapes. The art market shock that occurred last September has affected both classes of buyer. Fewer are traveling, as well, which has impacted guest purchases, and local property development has come virtually to a standstill as a result of the global credit crisis, leaving fewer walls to adorn. These unfortunate circumstances have brought buyers’ market conditions down to Baja California Sur … and the galleries are more than happy to ship your new acquisitions back to the United States.

Despite the plethora of high-caliber artwork in San Jose del Cabo, choose carefully. There are 16 galleries in the art district, and the quality does vary. Price does not always signify value. If you’re looking to make life easy, just head right to Galeria Corsica, on Obregon (between Hidalgo and Morelos). The gallery space itself is hardly impressive – especially by the standards of major art centers like Manhattan, London and Paris – but, the inventory is impressive.

The collection at Galeria Corsica transcends local. Consisting of both sculpture and paintings, you’ll encounter museum-quality artwork from the moment you cross the threshold.

Works in bronze are sculpted for impact, with intricate detail uniting the labor of the craftsman with the vision of an artist. Emotion emanates from each of the pieces on display, sharing the agony of creation with the aesthetically-minded. Just by looking, you participate in a birthing process baptized in the sweat of a master.

Along the walls, flat art captures the eye. There isn’t a single style that prevails, but each artist has his own space, ensuring that the flow of the gallery isn’t disrupted. I gravitated to the front corner, just to the right of the door as you enter. The room housed paintings that blend the mystical and surreal with a crispness that helps the viewer relate to the messages conveyed. Sensuality is not lost in the swirl of sensations to which the artist treats anyone fortunate enough to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Los Cabos may have a reputation as a party destination, but the choice ultimately is yours. Catch a taxi into San Jose del Cabo and make it a priority to visit the art galleries … specifically Galeria Corsica. Whether you collect or just like to watch, your jones for the aesthetic will not go unsatisfied.

Disclosure: The Los Cabos Tourism Board picked up the tab for this trip. But, if you know me, you know I don’t do anyone favors. The opinions are definitely my own.

America’s Cup Sailing: the top attraction in Los Cabos, Mexico

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Commands like “forward grind” and “backward grind” are guaranteed to elicit a chuckle, but when you’re deep in the throes of a sailing race, the laughter is pushed to the back of your mind. At the Cabo Adventures America’s Cup Sailing experience, recreation is seasoned with competition. Head out onto the water in Los Cabos, Mexico, and test your mettle against other visitors to Baja California Sur. Don’t worry, experts will be on board to help you along. And, yes, they keep score against each other, so the fix is never in.

Cabo Adventures is among the most interesting attractions in Los Cabos, and the America’s Cup excursion is at the top of the list. Skip the party scene for a little bit to do something for your body. The entire staff consists of experienced race crews who are more than happy to orient you to the tasks of sailing and winning out on the windy seas.

Those interested in watching the hard work can certainly find ways to abstain from the manual labor of cutting across the water, but the real fun is in grabbing a handle and putting your back into the quest for victory.

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As you push back from the slip, the first part of the voyage consists of a safety briefing and a general familiarization of what you can expect. In addition to showing you where ropes connect and explaining what your roles will be, the staff picks up a board and diagrams the basic racing tactics you’ll execute when the games begin. A bit of tradition is thrown into the mix, as well, from the countdown to start to the encouragement of trash-talking (all in good fun, of course).

And then, the race begins.

As part of your Cabo Adventures experience, you’ll race twice. The notion that each boat will claim victory once is wishful thinking for some, as the crews do keep score. If one of the men aboard your boat has suffered a recent losing streak, expect him to pull out all the stops to bring that disappointment to a close. Adding a bit of contention, one craft is named for Australia and the other for New Zealand. Old rivalries are perpetuated off the Cabo shore.

Throughout the competition, the staff is pleasant, helpful and understanding. You won’t be pushed; whips are not extracted from below deck to motivate you. The purpose, above all else, is to have a good time, and the team will help guide you through the challenges that await. It’s not easy, but you’ll be able to swap out with other guests during each race.

Once the second race has come to a conclusion, you’ll head back to the marina. Enjoy a cup of bear, stretch your shoulders and listen to the accented memories of the Australian, Kiwi and Mexican crew members. To call them experts is an understatement. Feel free to ask them about their own histories. They’ll talk willingly, but you won’t find boasting in these sea stories – just the untainted facts of professionals recounting the joyful pains of pursuing glory.

Oh, if you want a turn at the steering wheel, just ask.

From start to finish, the America’s Cup Sailing team was nothing short of a pleasure to be around. They are able to deliver a high-touch, insightful experience without even approaching obsessive or overbearing. The point of the excursion is to experience something you wouldn’t back home. They grasp this and make it a reality. Without a doubt, it has the potential to be the highlight of your Los Cabos vacation.

Back on land, check out a few of the other attractions that Cabo Adventures offers. A glass dolphin tank sits right in the lobby, and there are opportunities to swim with them, too. Special programs exist for kids, and there’s a “Dolphin Trainer for a Day” package that allows you to get your hands dirty wet with the staff.

If you’re headed to Los Cabos, this is the first attraction you should add to your itinerary.

Disclosure: The Los Cabos Tourism Board picked up the tab for this trip. But, if you know me, you know I don’t do anyone favors. The opinions are definitely my own.

One&Only Palmilla’s New Villa Redefines Los Cabos Luxury

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Set foot in One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico, and it’s pretty clear there isn’t a bad room in the house. Elegantly designed restaurants feature carefully constructed menus, and the beach is within easy reach of just about any spot on the property. But, sometimes privacy is paramount. Or, you’d like a bit more special attention than you’d get at the average upscale resort. When your needs are more complex, it’s time to book a stay at the property’s new villa. The four-bedroom escape-within-an-escape leaves nothing to chance.

While not dislocated from the property, the villa is out of the way. Hotel staff will take you to the large front door of this gated retreat by golf cart. An attendant will usher you in, and the world will begin to look different instantly. A staff of 12 works the villa, attending to everything from on-demand spa treatments (a therapist is on call) to private culinary requirements. The staff-to-guest ratio can be quite high, especially if a family of four occupies the villa, but the resort team, I’m told, remains unobtrusive.

Two master suites bookend the property. Each has a deep, large tub and walk-in shower, extra-large vanity and private terrace. The two “smaller” bedrooms include separate bathrooms and terraces, as well. The arrangement assures privacy for every guest even within the villa, without segmenting the experiences of people who choose to travel together.

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Anchoring the bedrooms is the central living space, which is decked out with high-end electronics and has walls carefully adorned with appropriate art – both of which are themes throughout the entire villa. The space is airy and open, a feeling enhanced by the large windows and sliding glass doors that open onto the main terrace and provide stunning views of the beach. Push through the doors, and you’re welcomed into what could be the setting for a thriving party scene or a serene hideout where you can enjoy the murmur of the waves undisturbed. Depending on your taste, you can sit at the full outside bar and sip your favorite spirit or take your glass over to the outdoor fireplace – the perfect way to pass an evening.

For the chronic workaholic, the villa has an office equipped for internet access, video conferencing and the other activities that keep you engaged when you shouldn’t be. The high-backed chair and leather floor add a touch of comfort to the time you spend spoiling your getaway. In all fairness to those who have to stay in touch, the on-property office may help alleviate the anxiety of wondering what’s going on while you’re away.

The price of convenience is high. Expect to drop from $8,000 to $12,000 a night for Palmilla’s villa. And, there are minimum stays of seven nights for some parts of the year. If you were thinking that this would make a great Christmas getaway, play (way) ahead. The space is booked for the next two of them already.

The Palmilla villa accommodates eight comfortably, though you can host parties that are much larger – just send everyone away when you feel like it, and spend some time enjoying the solitude of your private beach.

Disclosure: The Los Cabos Tourism Board picked up the tab for this trip. But, if you know me, you know I don’t do anyone favors. The opinions are definitely my own.

Next year’s planning for May: Think ahead

by Jamie Rhein on

May Day, May 1, Mother’s Day, the 2nd Sunday in May, and Memorial Day, the last Monday in May are the obvious “M” days for May celebrations. Then there’s Cinco de Mayo on May 5, a holiday I missed out on this year. I’ll buy a Dos Equis anyway. That’s not the only celebration opportunity that passed me by.

I have a calendar filled with hallmark days from around the world. Here are some of them that are significant in various parts of the world. It’s interesting to see which events or organizations have staked out a day as being special.

Don’t count on them being on the same date next year, however. Some are lunar which means, they move to match the moon’s cycle. Or some, like Memorial Day and Mother’s Day, are day specific.

  • May 2 and May 9–Both are Buddha related. May 2 was Buddha’s birthday. May 9, Vesak Day which was the biggie. It marks Buddha’s birth, death and enlightenment. Next year, meditate or head to a Buddhist temple. When we lived in Singapore, Vesak Day was a vacation day. It’s celebrated in across Asia with each country having it’s own mark. The photo is from the Lotus Lantern Festival in South Korea.
  • May 2–International Astronomy Day. Next spring, remember to look up at the stars. Better yet, head to a planetarium. One of my favorites is the one at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
  • May 8–World Red Cross Day– Next year, donate blood.
  • May 12—International Nurse’s Day–Next year, give a nurse a hug and some flowers. They make hospital stays bearable. You can also visit the
  • May 13–Tulip Time-Holland. Buy tulips. Give them to a nurse if you forgot Nurse’s Day. Better late than never. Or if your mother is a nurse and you forgot Mother’s Day, here’s a double opportunity to make amends. Or, to keep it simple go to the Tulip Time Festival in Holland Michigan.
  • May 14–Jamestown Day–Visit the living history museum, the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia. Or if you can’t visit, read a book about Jamestown.
  • May 17- Brown vs Board of Education–This isn’t exactly a holiday, but remember to be thankful that school segregation ended. Visit Topeka, Kansas, the centerpiece for this particular desegregation struggle.
  • May 29—John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s Birthday-Visit Kennedy’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery, unless you did that on Memorial Day.

This year, on Mother’s Day I saw the Broadway national touring company’s production of The Color Purple with my daughter. On Memorial Day, my mom, son and I went to a the Selma Walker Memorial Powwow. Sometime this year, I will donate blood to make amends for missing out on Red Cross Day. I donated last year and found out what my travel history means when it comes to giving.

5 study abroad destinations you’ve never considered (but should)

by Aaron Hotfelder on

“I hate when people who have just studied abroad try to talk me into doing the same thing,” a college friend of mine once told me. “Yeah, that is annoying,” I told him after I had just returned from a semester in Morocco. “But you really should.”

Studying abroad is not only a great opportunity to have some fun and learn about another culture, it’s a chance to take a giant leap outside of your comfort zone, an experience which author Michael Crichton once aptly described as “not always comfortable, but… always invigorating.”

Now, I’ve never been one to disparage others’ study abroad destinations– hell, buy me a plane ticket to London or Sydney and I’ll be there yesterday– but some places are better than others at challenging preconceptions, destroying prejudices, and introducing you to a previously unknown corner of the world.

Here are five study abroad destinations that will help you do just that:

5. Ghana Ghana is rapidly becoming West Africa’s most popular tourist stop, thanks in large part to its political, economic and social stability. Home to idyllic tropical beaches, wildlife sanctuaries featuring elephants, hippos, and monkeys, and dozens of cultural festivals every year, Ghana makes an appealing and unique study abroad destination for any student.

The University of Ghana, located near the capital Accra, is the country’s most prestigious university, and classes are taught in English, the official language of Ghana. Opportunities to learn foreign languages abound, however, as Ghana’s people speak dozens of languages including Twi, Ga, and Hausa. Just don’t expect anyone to understand you when you get back.

4. State of Chiapas, Mexico More Central American than Mexican, the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico is home to the charming colonial highland town of San Cristóbal de las Casas, headquarters of the left-wing Zapatista revolutionary movement. (A game: First one to find a wall without the group’s initials EZLN spray-painted on wins a peso.)

After a recent visit to San Cristóbal, the New York Times travel writer Matt Gross raved: “San Cristóbal was a city that had me joyously roaming its streets from morning till night. In fact, these lanes, paved with hexagonal stones, may have been the most roamable I’ve seen.”

Many more attractions await just a few hours away: the spectacular Mayan ruins at Palenque, the beautiful (and tremendously fun) waterfalls called Misol-Ha and Agua Azul (pictured above), and the fascinating town of San Juan Chamula, with its massive Sunday market and colorful church where worshippers drink (and burp) carbonated beverages on a pine-needle-covered floor to keep the evil spirits away. Yeah, that’s what I said.

The University of California – Davis has an interesting summer program in Chiapas on Indigenous Literary and Social Movements. Check out the details here. (And check out my guide to Chiapas here.)

3. Denmark Copenhagen, the Danish capital, is a perennial contender for the world’s “most liveable” city (if not its most affordable) and it’s easy to see why. The people are friendly and beautiful, the city is gorgeous and green, and the weather is not as bad as you think. English is widely spoken, and the University of Copenhagen has been named one of the world’s top 50 universities.

“I studied abroad in Denmark when I was sixteen,” says Gadling blogger Sean McLachlan. “It gave me an incurable case of wanderlust. Cute girls, bars open to teenagers, topless beaches– yeah, Denmark was a good place to be sixteen in.”

2. Ecuador

I’ve already sung the praises of Ecuador elsewhere (see my should-have-been-award-winning guide to the country here) but it bears repeating: There is simply no other country in the world that packs this much diversity into such a small space. The Andes Mountains, the Galapagos Islands, the Amazonian jungle, the beautiful, historic (and fun!) city of Quito, and the seaside surf town of Montañita– they’re all within a country smaller than the state of Nevada.

1. Morocco Despite being located only eight miles from Spain, Morocco is worlds away in terms of culture, language, and cuisine. Casablanca might be North Africa’s most cosmopolitan city, while two hours south, Marrakesh offers travelers one of the world’s largest markets and the spectacular Djemaa el Fna (see photo below), a massive square that comes to life at night with snake charmers, impromptu boxing matches, magicians, and some of the best street food you’ll find anywhere.

Other highlights include the cool hill town of Chefchaouen, well-known for the kif that grows in its surrounding fields (and where your waiter just might offer you some to smoke); the imperial city of Fes, home to the world’s oldest continuously operated university and the mesmerizing medina of Fes el Bali; and the gritty port town of Tangier, where travelers just off the boat from Spain first arrive– and are confronted with eager (and persistent) taxi drivers and guides.

Classes are usually taught in English or French, with plenty of opportunities to learn Arabic. (Go on, give it a shot.) And as a bonus, if you do study abroad in Morocco, you will almost certainly be invited to a Moroccan classmate’s house where you’ll be able to eat some delicious home cookin’ and experience some of that famed Moroccan hospitality.