Mexican Art in San José del Cabo, Baja California

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Plenty of art and culture:  Two years ago I visited several Art Galleries in San Jose and was smitten by the fantastic creations of Mexican Artists. Last month, I came to San Jose again and discovered even more street art and many new additional galleries.  These art galleries exhibit work mainly by local artists.  There is even an Art Walk that takes place every Thursday!

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Art District Art Walk: 

From November to June in downtown San Jose del Cabo, galleries and shops stay open late on Thursday nights for Art Walk — it’s essentially a big block party with live music!  But you can do your own art walk around town if you come on another day.  Just wander around and stroll the picturesque streets.  The San Jose del Cabo Art Walk takes place every Thursday evening from November to June.  The event begins at 5 pm and ends at 9 pm.  The best time to attend is from 6 pm to 8 pm when the galleries are most vibrant. 

Here are Some Famous Galleries:

Ivan Guaderrama Art Gallery

Situated on Alvaro Obregon, the main pedestrian thoroughfare on Art Walk nights, this contemporary art gallery features religious-themed paintings, prints, and sculptures. Guaderrama, a native of Chihuahua, is creating specialized software and hardware and applying them to his works of art.  Ivan’s paintings, most with a religious or devotional theme, not only produce sounds when touched but also come alive with the use of a self-developed application for both iOS and Android technology.  Paintings show hearts and angels and form a permanent composition of his work. 

Frank Arnold Gallery

An abstract figurative painter and sculptor, Frank Arnold divides his time between Mexico City and a working studio, home, and gallery he designed on Calle Comonfort.  The New York Times has described his spacious gallery as “one of the must-see sites in Los Cabos,” and with reason.  Arnold’s expressive oil paintings, displayed in private and corporate collections,  in galleries and museums throughout the U.S. and Mexico, depict abstract solitary figures that appear both personal and universal. 

Patricia Mendoza Art Gallery

Located on a quiet side street within the Art District, this contemporary art gallery, presided over by the personable Ms. Mendoza, reflects her life-long passion for art. The gallery space was specifically created as a place where Mexican artists, both established and up-and-coming, could show their work. The gallery more than succeeds in expanding awareness of leading Mexican artists. 

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Tree Bark Art Gallery

This gallery, showcasing the Paper Amate of Pueblo, is my favored place!  The Santos Salvador family of San Pablito, high in the mountains of Pueblo are recognized for their creative designs in paper amayte, the hand-hammered bark paper.  The art of bark paper making was hidden from Spanish invaders by the Juju tribes and survived through the centuries because the spirits and gods cut from bark were, and is used by the Nuju in their spiritual work. 

The paper made by the family has received national and international awards for its combination of delicate and imaginative cuttings. The paper is made from the bark of the Jonote Tree. The Nuju people cook the pulp to prepare it to receive the color from natural dyes of flowers, ash, earth, bark, and other plants. 

The bark is laid out and hammered with a flat stone until the grids merge, creating sheets of solid paper and dried in the sun. In addition to the cut paper, the Santos Salvador family has developed several interesting methods of decorating the bark paper with paper patterns and textures by adding intricate beadwork and fine stitchery into the weaving - ancient skills that are still used by the Nuju women.

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Recently, the Historic Center of San Jose del Cabo entered the program 

“Magic Neighborhoods” of the Mexican Ministry of Tourism, which 

distinguishes emblematic places located in capital cities or points of the 

interior of the country, reflecting the spirit and essence of a city.

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Shop for Handicrafts in Town

Every block is filled to the brim with handicrafts. I literally could have bought everything!  Some things you will see and want to buy are hand-woven straw bags, flowy beach cover-ups, Mexican-made textiles, wide-brimmed beach hats, and delicious Mexican honey and coffee.

Explore the Town of San Jose del Cabo

On my first-ever trip to Baja California, I didn’t even realize there was a small town close to the airport to explore!  It’s recently gotten pretty trendy, with bohemian shops, artistic restaurants, a serious cocktail scene, and lots of colorful cafes and galleries.  You’ll easily find lots of traditional Mexican charm over here.  The beautiful San José Missionary Church, rebuilt in 1940, faces Plaza Mijares in the heart of the historic district.

Two Towns Have Cabo in the Name

These two towns couldn’t feel more different from each other despite being only 30 minutes apart! There’s San Jose del Cabo (the quieter of the two and way more cultural with its ​​historic colonial buildings and art galleries), and Cabo San Lucas (known for its wild spring break nightclubs and beach activities). Being on the tip of the Baja California Sur, the area has easy access to both the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez.

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Don’t only land or depart at San Jose airport.  Rather spend a day or two in this lovely town, or choose it as your vacation spot.  For those who prefer a more relaxed atmosphere with plenty of art and culture, San Jose del Cabo is the perfect choice.  The town also boasts several beautiful beaches.  And It doesn’t hurt that there’s perfect weather 99% of the time!

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The Mildest Winters in Western Canada

 

While frigid temperatures and snow are the winter weather rule in other parts of Canada, the Southwestern part of British Columbia - Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Metro Vancouver, and the Gulf Islands - barely sees frost or snow.  During several winters I spent here, I only once had a snow day or better said: some snow hours.  Then all the white stuff was gone.

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Last month I helped a friend on Vancouver Island to carry the Orange and Lemon bushes into the glass house.  They were full of fruits, ready to be harvested.  And in her garden,  roses, hellebores, and heath flowers were thriving. 

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On a day trip via the ferry to Vancouver I discovered more blooming shrubs and flowers.  Here, as on the islands, the grass is green all year round, and one can often hear mowers cutting the lawn in December or January.  

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The first Daffodils also pocked out of the soil, ready to bloom in a month.

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Chicken in the middle of the City!

Despite the mild temperatures, rain occurs often, mostly in November, December, and January.  Thank goodness the ski areas of Whistler and Big White can be reached in two or three hours. 

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Booking Through Agencies versus Direct Booking

 

It was already 7 pm and heavily snowing when our airplane landed.  Living 200 kilometers away from Halifax, I had booked a room next to the airport.  The regular bus to our town left the airport only once a day - in the morning at 11 am.  To call friends to pick me up was not in my mind, at least I did not want to ask them on this snow day to drive 400 kilometers round trip.

It took about half an hour until the hotel shuttle bus arrived to pick up a group of seven travelers. However, the shuttle drove to a huge parking area where all others had their cars parked. One couple did not find their car and the driver patiently cruised around and around until these folks recognized their vehicle under a snow cover.  Finally, almost two hours after landing, I checked in and got a room twenty meters from the reception. 

Thin walls allowed me to be entertained beyond midnight by listening to arriving guests or phone calls from the receptionist… The short night ended at 4 am when calls by the receptionist (this time another one) woke me up.  

I tried without success to continue sleeping.  At 6 am I got up, walked over to their desk, and asked for the manager. He would arrive around 9 am I was told.  “OK, then, when and where is breakfast?”  “Sorry, but due to the pandemic, we cannot offer breakfast”.  “What? Where can I get a cup of coffee and something to eat?”  “The next place is a coffee shop at the airport”.  At least I could catch the shuttle bus to be driven to and from the airport back to the hotel.

There I opened my laptop to use the time until the manager would arrive.  But no luck, the Internet did not work.  I packed my suitcase and got ready for departure, hoping that the Internet at the airport would work.  In the meantime, the manager (or his junior assistant) arrived at his office, and I complained about my not-so-clean room, about the missing breakfast (which was included in the hotel fee), and about the loud noise that kept me from sleeping.  I demanded a discount.  The manager told me that he could only talk about it if I would have booked directly at their hotel (chain) - but not when booked through a third party.  I would have to go through Booking, Priceline, Expedia, or wherever I paid for my hotel room.  I was furious, but couldn’t do anything other than to write a one-star review for this hotel on Google.  And I swore myself to never, ever book through an agency for flights, trains, rental cars, or hotel rooms.

As I am almost a full-time traveler, my resolutions, however, melted in the sun… 

In Spring I traveled near Algonquin Park and in the late afternoon, I discovered an attractive hotel in a small town.  I went in and inquired at the reception about a room and its price.  A bit shocked about the answer, I gambled and offered a lower price “which I had seen on the Internet”.  

The receptionist explained to me that I would have to order it online to get a price like this. “So, you mean I can pull out my laptop and order it online in front of you and get a lower price?  Even though the agencies deduct you another 15-20%?  Why don’t you just give me a lower price?” “No, that’s not possible” she explained, “due to directions she got from her manager”. 

“OK, then please give me your password, and I’ll order online”.  “No password needed, you can go directly to the Internet.”  So I sat down and checked the agency's hotel prices.  To my surprise, it was only ten dollars lower.  But at the same time, I saw a bed & breakfast with lots of favorable reviews - and I booked a room there - without an agency.  Thanks to the friendly but firm receptionist (or her managers) - they lost a potential customer…

Weeks later I prepared for another trip to Europe and to avoid traveling in trains or busses during the pandemic, I booked a rental car.  Despite having paid in full for three weeks before through the agencies' website, I was forced to leave a deposit of 2,000 euros.  When I returned the car I demanded my credit card payment back.  No, they cannot give me the credit as I had booked with an agency.  But I had given my credit card for the deposit in person at the Salzburg, Austria, rental company, and I wanted my deposit back from them!  They assured me I would have the credit returned within 3 days by the agency. 

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Four months later I still did not have the money back on my credit card, despite dozens of emails, calls, and even a registered letter.  I was bounced forth and back from the rental place to the agent and vice versa.  I then went to the Internet and Social Media and posted the case to several consumer sites, to the Salzburg tourism office, and the city of Salzburg, as well as to authorities in Munich where the agency is located.  I even sent the case to several daily papers in both cities.  I am not sure who or what influenced the agency or the rental office, but finally, five months after the incident, I got my money back.

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On another occasion, during a busy, long travel weekend, I even drove from hotel to hotel in person, but every room in the area was booked.  Until my laptop showed me a hotel through Booking.com where one room was available.  I drove to the place and when checking in, I showed them my loyalty membership card for their hotel chain. To my dismay, I learned that loyalty cards are not recognized once a guest books through Expedia, Priceline, or Booking.com and I could not get any points.  Most hotel brand loyalty rewards programs don’t offer points on stays booked through third-party sites, I learned through my research.  On top of this, when I checked the hotel’s website, I saw that a direct booking with the hotel would have saved me sixteen dollars.

Using hotel agencies, you will lose not only your points from hotel chains 

but also all discounts for seniors, AARP, military, and membership points 

from the AAA (US) or CAA (Canada).

Enough is enough!  I am done with these agencies and will avoid any of them, and book hotel rooms, rental cars, flights, etc. directly - even if I pay a couple of dollars more.  Some of the hotels are fed up with agencies and try to lure customers back with price-matching and other perks, such as a free breakfast.  Other places are not so smart and lose not only money by paying agency fees but also by losing some customers who avoid places where customer service is bounced back to the booking agency. 

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The travel website Frommer’s stated in an article: “To get the best deal, you should always surf the Web for the best hotel price, right?  Well, no, not anymore.  Hotels are increasingly trying to sweeten the pot if you agree to book a room directly with them.  To get the best deal, you should always surf the Web for the best hotel price, right?  Well, no, not anymore.  Hotels are increasingly trying to sweeten the pot and are fighting back with special rate discounts—so long as guests book directly with the hotel.”

“Hyatt Hotels Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which includes Holiday Inn, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo began offering "Your Rate by IHG Rewards Club" discounts for its loyalty members as well.  Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott also have similar 'Best Rate Guarantee' policies in place.”

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Read more about direct booking vs booking agencies:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/why-no-hotel-points-ota

"Hotels were shelling out more for commissions, on top of reimbursing affiliated loyalty programs for points accrued by members during stays, causing a noticeable hit to profit earnings.  Recognizing the need to minimize overhead expenses, hotels took various steps to control how customers make reservations.  In addition to gradually cutting OTA commissions, hotels rolled out exclusive member rates and status perks to entice travelers to book directly. There were entire marketing campaigns launched around direct bookings. Likewise, hotel programs largely stopped awarding points for OTA bookings. After all, points aren’t free, but they’re often cheaper to award than paying an OTA a large commission. As a result of all of this, you’re still usually unable to earn hotel points when you book a hotel through an OTA."

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Book Flights ONLY Directly!

After staying away from Booking.com  and similar agencies for a couple of years, I fell into their trap again. 

I booked a flight with ITA (formerly Alitalia) from Palermo, Sicily to Vienna at the online booking agency.  The flight was split in two: first to Rome Fiumicino and from there to Vienna. I stopped in my tracks and only after I read their guarantee that they would help their customers should anything go wrong with these two flights I clicked on the order button.

Sure enough: The first flight, even though early in the morning, had a delay, and running through the huge airport, I did not reach the counter to get into the next flight to Vienna. The “hotline” of Booking.com didn’t answer my calls, the airline refused to help me, and I had no other choice than to book a new ticket from a travel agency at the airport for more than 450 Euros. However, I could not get a flight until the next afternoon, and the only one I could purchase was one to Budapest in Hungary, and then I purchased a bus ticket for another 50 Euros to Vienna. All this trouble because I had an important meeting in Austria. I came 15 minutes late to Vienna, but it worked out!

Contacting Booking.com after this horrible Journey and reminding them about their warranty, didn’t help, they refused and said I would have to contact the airline.  ITA refused too and stated that one and a half hours flight delay doesn’t allow for a refund, a hotel room, or any other compensation. 

Facit: 

When the reservation relationship is between the guest and the hotel, car rental companies, or airline, it's clean and easy because there are only two parties involved: the customer and the business.  When a third party (booking site) gets involved, this is when things can get messy. 

Read more:

https://www.triptease.com/blog/8-reasons-why-direct-bookings-matter-for-hotels/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2015/06/03/why-you-should-book-your-stay-directly-with-the-hotel/83307734/

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Leavenworth, Bavarian City in the Cascade Mountains

 

Years ago, I drove well after dark from Idaho towards Seattle, WA, when I felt 

like seeing a fata morgana: A Bavarian village in the middle of nowhere - or better 

said the Cascade mountains. Hotels, guesthouses, churches, beer halls, and homes were 

brightly lit and the main road was decorated with lots of Christmas Trees. 

Skiers arrived back from night skiing and mountain slopes were well-lit. It felt like being in an Alpine village, but sorry to be not able to stay as I had to find my booked hotel in Seattle.

I promised myself to return to this place as soon as I would come back to this area one day - 

which was just last month.

Mining of gold and other metals in the nearby Blewett Pass area and the Red Mountain Mining District held promise in the early twentieth century but eventually declined. Lumbering in the area of Lake Wenatchee provided more reliable employment.

Logs were floated down the Wenatchee River to a sawmill the Lamb-Davis
Lumber Company from Iowa, built at Leavenworth in 1904. The town was incorporated in 1906.

         The temporary boom resulting from mining, the railroad, fruit, and lumbering boosted                               Leavenworth’s population to 5,500, larger than Wenatchee at the time. 

                Along with the boom came the usual excesses -- saloons, gambling, and brothels.

During the early 1960s two men from Seattle who lived nearby, inspired the residents to revive Leavenworth as a tourist-themed town. The alpine setting suggested the perfect motif:
a Bavarian Village. 

Theodore H. “Ted” Price and Robert F. “Bob” Rodgers had jobs that took them through Leavenworth regularly.  They loved the river and the mountains and often returned to vacation in the area.  Bob had been stationed in Bavaria after World War II and loved that mountainous state in southern Germany that had once been an independent kingdom. 

After several years of heroic volunteerism and financial sacrifice by longtime residents and crucial outsiders alike, it became successful beyond their imagination, developing into Washington’s second most popular tourist destination, after Seattle.

Even a Starbucks has the Bavarian motto and paintings on its front wall.
The Fall Leaf Festival, Oktoberfest, the Village Lighting Festival, the Bavarian Ice Fest, 

             Mai-Fest, yodeling and accordion festivals, wine tastings, the Reindeer Farm, the 
                Nutcracker Museum and other events bring throngs of tourists to Leavenworth. 

Leavenworths´ location, a comfortable two-hour drive from Seattle, is an advantage. 

Even more compelling is its unsurpassed mountain scenery. 

Leavenworth is also a popular destination for hiking, camping, and rafting.

On the Wenatchee River, Waterfront Park is a habitat for ospreys and eagles. 

The village is a gateway to nearby ski areas and wineries.

Leavenworth had become a theme town based on Bavarian heritage.

Alpine-style buildings with restaurants serving German beer and food line Front Street.

Although a few Leavenworth residents could claim German descent,

it had to be based on something else: the beautiful alpine setting, so similar to that of 

Bavarian towns such as Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Mittenwald, and Oberammergau.

On March 21, 1968, Leavenworth was one of 11 cities to receive an ¨All-American City Award¨ from Look Magazine and the National Municipal League.  According to the Leavenworth Echo, Leavenworth “was honored for pulling itself out of a 

serious economic slump”.

Read more about Leavenworth and visit soon!

Christmas is a beautiful time there!

https://www.leavenworthreindeer.com/

https://www.visitchelancounty.com/leavenworth

https://worldadventurists.com/leavenworth-christmas/

https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/inspiration/travel/small-town-charm-leavenworth-christmas.html

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