Cabo San Lucas: Oh No They Didn’t

by Brenda Yun on

If you have just the slightest clue what the title of this article refers to, then you will also know how I feel about the subject. I guess you could say there are two subjects in this case: Cabo San Lucas as a celebrity hotspot and Speidi getting married. Neither subject is a pleasant one in my opinion, but just the thought of the second makes me want to wretch.

Yes, they did. Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag of MTV’s “The Hills” fame eloped this weekend and got hitched at the One and Only Palmilla Resort. For those of you who don’t follow “The Hills,” this basically means there is no chance in hell that Lauren and Heidi will be best friends again, but did we really want that to happen anyway?The Palmilla appears to be the celebrity resort of choice in hot and heavy Cabo San Lucas. Britney escapes there, Christina Aguilera had her bachelorette bash there, and Eli Manning (the New York Giants quarterback) got hitched there in April. So, I guess it would come as no surprise, really, that the shallowest couple on the face of the earth would also choose the Palmilla as the locale for their secretive nuptial.

What really has me stumped, though, is the appeal of Cabo San Lucas. Based on all of the tropical and romantic destinations in this world, why does Cabo stand out for celebrities? Maybe it’s close enough to Los Angeles that celebrities can make it a weekend getaway, but I would certainly fly an extra hour or two to experience something authentic (like to Hawaii, for instance?) rather than Cabo, which is like a hot Disneyland for adults (and when is that ever fun?). I just remember spending a day there last month on what must have been the hottest day of the year and thinking I was going to sweat to death. I actually wrung out my clothes from all the sweat that day.

There are, of course, two redeeming things about Cabo and maybe just one with regard to Speidi:

  1. The famous “El Arco,” which is a natural rock arch formed by crashing surf is a sight to behold if you make your way to Lover’s Beach.
  2. Zippers, a surf break located about forty minutes by car from the Cabo San Lucas Harbor, is one of the best breaks in Mexico if not the world.
  3. I can look forward to jubilation upon hearing the news of Speidi’s breakup/divorce; it’s bound to happen.

Indigenous Drag Queens at the Center of Fiesta in Mexico

by Josh Lew on

Transvestites are a rare sight in a culture that puts a premium on machismo. But don’t tell that to the people of Juchitan, a town near Mexico’s Pacific coast. The town’s Zapotec population held an annual fiesta over the past weekend. The reason for the party: to celebrate the local muxes (transvestites) and to mark the end of the harvest season.

Why are transvestites revered in this corner of the country? According to Zapotec culture, people with traits from both genders are considered wise and powerful because they are said to have an understanding of both the male and female mind. Muxes are accepted by their familes and the community and even the local Catholic priests, who blessed some of the performers before the weekend’s festivities.

The traditions and values behind the fiesta in Juchitan are nothing new. They date back to pre-Colombian times. Some gods were depicted as having ambiguous gender and some shaman cross-dressed during religious ceremonies. Spanish colonists and missionaries forced these practices underground for hundreds of years.

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Mexico City airport adopts Japanese man

by Grant Martin on

A Japanese man named Hiroshi Nohara has decided to take full advantage of his tourist’s visa in Mexico City and has moved into the airport. He’s been living there for two months, and the initial avoidance from the locals has recently turned into a curiosity.

Nohara, who can’t explain why he decided to live in the city airport, has been getting by on free donations from local fast food stands and kind visitors. Apparently he was gaining so much notiriety with the local media that he’s even being sponsored by a few of the stands who give him free hats and shirts to wear. Now, as a tourist attraction in and of himself, people stop by the airport just to take their picture with him.

Meanwhile, Mexican officials can’t do anything to remove him from the airport as it’s a 24/7 facility and technically he’s there legally. His tourist visa runs up in March.

Until then, make sure you stop by on your connection to Acapulco and get your photo taken with Mr. Nohara. It’s a limited edition engagement so your photo will be worth millions on Ebay someday.

Why are these the world’s best airports?



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More on Caribbean travel

by Jamie Rhein on

This Sunday’s Columbus Dispatch travel section is devoted to Caribbean travel. With this morning’s post on Caribbean vacations, written before the Sunday paper arrived on my front porch, I’m wondering if I’m getting a message.

One article, “Caribbean offers comfort for less cash” by David Swanson points out an option not mentioned in today’s earlier post–Tobago. After reading about all of Tobago’s high points, I’m hesitant to let the word out because, frankly, I want the bargains to be there when I show up.

Here’s why Tobago sounds fantastic:

  • the oldest forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere
  • more than 200 species of birds for birdwatching (tour suggestions are given)
  • plentiful water sports
  • beaches tucked back in coves
  • several less expensive lodging options than some other Caribbean destinations.
  • great food at affordable prices

In the same article, Swanson outlines other Caribbean deals, including Mexico.

  • Playa del Carmen, Mexico is offered up as a lively, urban option that includes a beach.
  • Negril, Jamaica is a place to head for rock cliffs and plentiful lodging options (but avoid spring break).
  • Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic has whale watching from mid-January to mid-March.
  • Bermuda, although technically not in the Caribbean, this island becomes cheaper in the winter starting this month. Although, the temperatures are cooler, the beauty is the same and activities like golfing cost substantially less money than during high season.

At the moment, the link to that article is not available but another feature article in the travel section touts the wonders of St. John.

According to Steve Stephens, even though St. John has undergone a boom in tourism development, ecological preservation has been a top priority. Virgin Islands Nationa Park makes up “two-thirds of the island.”

Rick Steves Talks Up Tijuana

by Josh Lew on

In a recent syndicated column, European travel guru Rick Steves explains why Tijuana is a worthy travel destination. He admits that, at first, he was down on the border city because of its reputation, but had never visited until recently.

So what did the author and travel show host with the unlikely voice (“he sounds like my Grandmother” a friend once told me) think of life on the other side of the wire? Well, it is definitely not Tuscany: “Bars that feel like saloons come with cheap prostitutes wearing down their stiletto heels at the doors.”

But Steves notes that things were not as raw as he expected: “With this thriving economy comes a thriving culture: music, arts, and an impressive cultural center. The city, while architecturally dilapidated, is extremely clean. The streets were free of litter.” It seems that, despite the recent cartel shootouts, the local government seems to be delivering on its promise to spiff up Tijuana. Sure, the city has gained economically from rubbing against the US, but it is still on the outside looking over the fence. As Steves point out though, there is far more than cheap prescriptions and free flowing agave-based alcohol to this border town.