Los Cabos Magazine Issue #54 Summer 2021 by Los Cabos Magazine

TODOS SANTOS Hostal, Surf and José

PUBLISHER Joseph A. Tyson GENERAL DIRECTOR Mtra. Perla Yesenia Palomino C R E AT I V E A N D A R T D I R E C T I O N Brian de León Vargas EDITOR IN CHIEF Dario Rogers Orríco WRITERS Dario Rogers Orríco Brian de León Vargas SALES Mtra. Perla Yesenia Palomino Gabriela Carra A D M I N I S T R AT I O N Jazmin Clemente García Daniela Merchant PHOTOGRAPHY Ana Laura Vargas Brian de León Vargas Dario Rogers Orríco

Edited and distributed by P u b l i c a c i o n e s Tu r í s t i c a s Lo s C a b o s S . A . d e C .V. C a l l e F l o r d e P i t a h a y a M z a . 7, Lo t e 2 9 , Fr a c c i o n a m i e n t o J a c a r a n d a s , C a b o S a n L u c a s , B .C . S . , M é x i c o , C . P. 2 3 4 7 3 P h o n e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 1 - 5 2 ( 6 2 4 ) 1 4 3 -1 3 4 6 Vo n a g e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ( 8 5 8 ) 4 5 2 - 8 3 3 2 E-mai.... ventas1@loscabosguide.com

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We’re trapped in a bubble. There are things we don’t know are there, but are. There are a lot of things that are hidden. Important things. At times the landscape is so big it feels like the camera can’t measure it. How much does it cost to enjoy Cabo? Honestly, you just have to get here. I want people to live Cabo as something deeper than the commercial and material. I want people to live Cabo and the whole Baja as what it is. We won’t forget about the food,

the restaurants, and the luxuries. But there’s a lot more to see in Los Cabo. It’s the desert. The sea. Its nature. When you experience it you feel alive. I have faith these two boys will turn this magazine around. I want it to transmit emotions, I want people to want to feel. I want people to want to be here. I want you to live. To break out of the bubble. -Perla Palomino.

“Photos must rapture. Striving to capture the moment in its natural form. What we will seek out is perfectly imperfect. That, it, takes you to the experience. We seek excellence and quality, we seek the soul. The scent that’s hidden. We will join voyaging souls and the unwinding. Underlying everpresent romance, we intend to enamorate our audience. To join, not one if not the other, mouth and eyes must boyage together. To portray an escense.”

CONTENTS

SURF I

I used to surf when I was a boy

THE ROAD I’ll be back before the flowers wither

PEZ GATO SURF II

TODOS SANTOS HOSTEL

TODOS SANTOS

JOSÉ ARCE EPILOGUE

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” Plans. How many have worked out? During hardship, I’ve sought to always have a plan on my side. Is it wrong to have a plan? Fate isn’t burdened by man’s idealizations. Don’t deprive yourself. Let revelation carry out its course. - León

When we arrive at a shooting location we behave as if starving. We feast like pigs. After you acquire all of the garbage to be had, you see its filth come forth over and over again, meaninglessly overflowing into reality. Spirits hide. It’s their nature. This is why the world is so ugly. You’ll find beauty everywhere, but not anywhere. Beauty is at the borders of your tunneled vision. In the open unseen. -Dario.

I thought this small adventure would have me take a few pictures and enjoy myself. It turned out to be a lot more interesting. We met interesting people with marvelous stories that you wouldn’t expect. It was all unpredictable. Starting from what I was asked to capture. A man about to fall off of his surfboard? Really? Why not capture him as he’s pulling off a trick? He may not land it, but no one would know from seeing the photo. Then and there, I began to see. I was no longer looking for some supposed “perfection”, now I was looking for errors, for folly, for defects, frustration, fatigue, effort. And as I went about my task I began to feel very full of something, like butterflies, and my finger on the trigger might have become the fastest in the west. It wasn’t long before the camera’s memory was full. I stumbled on to a new plateau, my love for photography grew, and all thanks to the interesting way of working of my Brother and Dario. I’m grateful that they helped me grow fuller. This magazine doesn’t portray the perfectly fake, in this magazine you’ll find the beauty in reality. -Ana.

Don’t skip a word, Rover.

ON COVER Cerritos, B.C.S., Mexico Photography by: Ana Laura Vargas Instagram: ana_vsalas

I’ll be back before the flowers wither

“I’ll be back before the flowers wither” Writen by Dario Orríco Photgraphy: Ana Laura Vargas León Vargas Dario Orríco

Photography by León Vargas

I got to see her smile in a new way. She giggled and beamed. Then and there I wished to be back already from the trip I had yet to embark on. Driving to me feels like meditating, or like a dream. Do you ever look at everything at once without thinking? Without editing reality through the narrow eyelet of your thoughts? It feels like watching a movie. We don’t go through life looking in the same way we watch a movie. We often poison our vision with thought, looking at everything with intent. Looking through a tunnel, looking through the projection of our thoughts. And as such, reality fades away and we deprive ourselves of observing the world around us. When you look without thinking the world unfolds before you as it is, as it’s happening. You get to learn, you become a spectator. To a world that’s trying to tell you something. The highway unfolded endlessly, trees as blurred towers, like smoky clouds, mountains like seas, flowing, shifting, changing like slow waves. Towns blurred in motion, blurred like the edges of memories. Sitting still, motionless, dreaming, on a black path as if it were film rolling, projecting, unraveling reality. All I, mine, the spectator.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

I’ll be back before the flowers wither

There was a green Virgen, and a gas station out of a toy set.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

I’ll be back before the flowers wither

Phothography by León Vargas

www.tencarrental.com

Ten Car Rental

“Quisiera que se sientan en confianza. Que tengan la seguridad de decir las cosas como ellos creen que son o como les gustaría que fueran y trata de hacer lo posible por que sean así. Para mi “ir más allá” es hacer las cosas no por que es tu trabajo; Es hacer las cosas que no son tu trabajo, porque es un placer.” - Francisco

Going The Extra Mile. “My goal is to make clients feel comfortable. I hope to make them feel like they can tell me what they think, and how they believe things should be, and I try to make it happen. To me “going the extra mile” means to do things that aren’t my job. I believe “going the extra mile” genuinely means doing things because it’s “my pleasure”. 14

Mr.Cane was in trouble. August-September is the peak of hurricane season in the Pacific. Warm waters rise up into the heavens, warm and cold air begins to waltz.

Many dangers are associated with hurricanes, flooding, strong winds, and tornados. Longitudinally the Baja Peninsula is at the heart of hurricane activity. As hurricanes rise up and meet the Baja they’re weakened by cooler waters, land’s-end is only met by a moderate glimpse of these behemoth forces. Safeguarded by cooling waters, lands-end is more often than not spared from confronting mother’s wrath. And is at most drizzled upon, which is a well-welcomed caress. The desert is often forgone by mother. Left to its own resources. As such, certain flourishings cease into the desert landscape, hidden neath white ash. Water’s path through the land is hidden in this manner. Veins become mistaken for roads. After work, you go home, get comfortable, turn the tv on. Crack open a beer. It’s a rainy day. It’s soothing even. Mr.Cane’s number appears on the phone. It’s 8pm. Francisco is a salesman. The rain titters outside.

So Mr.Cane is stuck. In a vein. Not a road, a path of water. Tears join together as they make their way through the land into a snake that takes as its own everything in its path. Fuller and ever more forceful the closer it gets to the sea. Strong enough to bury a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban in its path. In fact, one buried up to the chassis in mud and flowing water sat Mr.Cane, now on the phone speaking to his salles rep, Francisco. I’m stuck, I can’t move. I can’t get out of the car. What should I do? Yes, Everyones alright. Mr.Cane is told to stay put. No GPS to rely on, just a broad area. Mr.Cane and his wife are near La playita.

“We’re on our way.” Francisco meets up with Esau to commandeer another Ten Car Rental Suburban out to find Mr & Mrs. Cane. La Playita is amidst a large lot of land with many off roads. Mr & Mrs. Cane would be on one of these. In pitch black. The rain stopped, the flashflood subsided, it was about 12:00am when Ten Car Rental found Mr & Mrs. Cane. The suburban still buried up to its doors, a little digging allowed the doors to open and the Cane’s to exit the vehicle. Francisco handed over the keys to the fresh, unscathed, commandeered Ten Car Rental Suburban and sent the Cane family safely on their way. Back to their Hotel. Back to their vacation. The end? No, not yet. So, Towtrucks will not come out this far. Will not come out when it’s raining and will for sure not do the lot of it at 12am. Francisco and Esau now need to recover the Cane’s Suburban so they can get back. Yeah, the suburban buried up to its chassis. And being it all went down really quickly, the boys didn’t have tools with them. Digging with sticks it is! It took a while. Esau & Francisco had to dig the tires out of the mud with their trusty sticks, that accomplished, still, it wouldn’t budge. Nearby debris was the godsend to retrieving the Suburban from the mud. A slab of sheet roof brought along by the rapids pushed under the rear wheel acted like a ramp and provided the necessary traction to succeed in its excavation. It was about 4am when Fracisco made it back home.

Just in time for breakfast.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Ten Car Rental

Ten Car Rental Ten Car Rental offers its customers the opportunity to travel to Los Cabos with the best Rental Car price available. All our rates include: Free mileage, pick up and drop off at the Airport, taxes, and our exclusive “No Worries Protection Program”. Get a 10% off when paying online. Their 2021 special is Prepaying for 6 days and getting the 7th day free. This offer is valid only upon prepayment on their website; www.tencarrental. com. Drivers must meet all Ten Car Rental requirements. Not valid in conjunction with other offers, and Renters must meet Ten Car Rental terms & conditions.

Purple Safety Program At Ten Car Rental were committed to our customers. During these trying times, we’ve been working on a program focused on disinfecting our facilities and vehicles. The program’s main objective is to make the customer feel confident when renting a Ten Car Rental car. The “Purple Safety Program” Plan is an improved disinfection and cleaning process consisting of 15 points that follow the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. All of our vehicles are sealed and certified after undergoing the cleaning process. Assuring the vehicle is delivered to our customers completely sanitized. Our specialized personnel in charge of the vehicles has been trained in the Purple Safety cleaning and disinfection process. Ten Car Rental is enrolled in the Good Practices National Program for the Hygienic Quality of Mexican MSMEs “Clean Point Quality Seal” in response to health safety needs of the COVID 19 pandemic. In accordance with measures established by the Secretary of Health of the Mexican Government, to guarantee the sanitized vehicles, offices, and safety measured to keep the staff healthy. In addition, our collaborators have received training on “Recommendations for a safe return to work before COVID 19”, taught by the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS for its initials in Spanish). 16

All cleaning products used in Ten Car Rental are eco-friendly ECOLAB branded with BIODEGRADABILITY certificates, EPA (Environmental Protection Agency in the United States), and Federal Commission for the Protection of Health Risks (COFEPRIS for its initials in Spanish) which is a unit of the Federal Government.

Purple Safety Program consists of 15 points: 1. Starting vehicle inspection. • Report of bumps, scrapes, scratches, or any damage to body work or paint. • Gasoline level report; in case the level is below “full”, it will be filled up before continuing with the process. • Tire inspection (tire pressure level, tire lifespan). 2. Inside Inspection. All trash must be removed and forgotten items are reported to the customer. 3. Inside vacuuming. Vacuuming of the front and rear area of the units is performed. 4. Trunk cleaning and vacuuming. • Trunk cleaning. In case the trunk has dirt, stains, or odor, the Hiker will proceed to remove them before moving to the next vacuum point. • Trunk vacuuming. • In case any forgotten items is found, the Hiker will inmediately inform his/her supervisor to have the item placed in a safe place. 5. Glass check and cleaning • Broken or shattered glass: In the event of broken or shattered glass, the Hiker will notify his supervisor to have this car taken out of the active fleet for rent and the change of crystal or medallions requested. • Inner cleaning of crystals and medallions. 6. Fluid systems check. • Windshield wiper. • Engine oil. • Antifreeze. 7. Wiper check. In case any windshield wiper is no longer in an optimal op-

erating condition, the Hiker will need to notify his supervisor and fill in the proper paperwork for the washing and sanitizing control. 8. Air Conditioning System check. In case the air conditioner of a unit is no longer in an optimal operating condition, the Hiker will need to notify his supervisor and fill in the proper paperwork for the washing and sanitizing control. 9. Car clock check. The Hiker must ensure that the clock that says the local time of our destination is programmed on time. 10. Elimination of inside odors. It will be necessary for the Hiker to apply the indicated chemicals for the removal of odors within the units such as moisture, food, cigarettes, etc. 11. Outside washing of the vehicle. Once the inside washing has been finished, the unit will be washed on the outside, which includes washing the tires and applying Almorall. 12. Vehicle’s interior deep cleaning and desinfection using ECOLAB cleaning products. Car sanitization will be carried out through a mist system, using an approved cleaner and disinfectant which is a bactericide, fungicide and virucidal. 13. Quality assurance final inspection. A check list is carried out by the hikers and must be delivered to the supervisor after the washing and disinfection procedure of the unit is completed. 14. Car keys sanitization. Each key is subjected to a process of sanitization and delivered to the customer in a sealed bag. 15. Car sealed. The unit will be fully guaranteed and sealed after going through a complete hygiene and sanitation process.

Once the sanitization process has been completed, the car is parked in a special area where all the finished cars are located. This is where the unit is sealed with the guaranty that the car has gone through the 15-point process of our program.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

www.tencarrental.com 18

I PRETENDED TO READ Writen by Dario Orríco Photography: Ana Laura Vargas León Vargas Dario Orríco

Brother asked sister as if to a stranger: “How’s your mom doing?”, sister then replied as if to a stranger: “she’s ok, how’s your mother?” He replied: “she’s ill, she recently had surgery” sister said: “What a coincidence! mine too! what hospital did she go to?”. This wasn’t a place to be in a hurry.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

I used to surf when I was a boy. I wanted to be good, I wanted to spend the whole of my time on a wave. I never really enjoyed myself. I’ve always been very strict, I’ve always kept my eye on the price. All lacking I replace with will. I quit surfing. I lost faith and quit everything, eventually.

Phothography by Dario Orríco

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

That’s not what 24

Phothography by Dario Orríco

I don’t have a single memory of riding a wave. But I do vividly remember fighting the tide. I vividly remember how tired I felt. I remember fondly sitting on the surfboard waiting for a wave to come. I remember sitting there as the water lightly rocked me back and forth. I remember diving off of my surfboard to cool off in the deep waters. I used to surf with a goal in mind.

t surfing is about. Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Los Barriles Restaurant

EL SUEÑO MEXICANO

From waiter to owner. Yearning to do what wasn’t possible en el pueblo. You earn in a single day as a helper, what you make in a weekend as a waiter back home. It’s a temporary plan: To work from October to March. Francisco Zuñiga, de Chapala, Jalisco, after 15 days emigrates his family. Dad’s dream has always been to open a restaurant. From waiter to captain, from captain to manager. Dad is the salesman, Mom is the perseverance. Mom keeps us going when we want to give up. Most people never venture out, they say you need to have at least 6 months rent in case things don’t work out at first. We started with a prayer and a blessing. If I say we had 5thousand USD to start I may be overshooting. We paid a single month of rent and started with what we had. When we opened mom was the cashier, Dad was the host and I was in the kitchen, at the bar, washing dishes. For as long as I can recall I wanted to be a Chef. When we had a big family meal I wanted to be the guy at the grill, the one who made the Guacamole. We put the whole family’s savings into Los Barriles, money from my mom and sister’s laundromat, and a loan 1500 USD. We used to drive by this place. Many businesses failed here, often the lot was abandoned. We used to dream this is where we’d start ours. One day at the restaurant where dad 26

worked a client walked in complaining about a tenant who owed him 3 months rent. He went on about kicking the person out. The property in dispute was coincidently that lot we used to dream over. Where Barriles stands today. We believe that you can attract what you desire. If you work hard and want it bad enough, you’ll call it. As a family, we always believed. “If you work hard, and want it bad enough. It’ll come. That’s the Mexican Dream. It comes with grand effort.” it’s what we preach. The key has always been working together.”

Los Barriles Barriles first menu starts off with 60 different dishes. We had no idea what we were doing, we never thought about finances, never considered what things cost. It was all empirical. It was a mess, we had no idea what was going on. But we never fell into debt, somehow it always worked out. It wasn’t just the food, it wasn’t merely the service, what really did it was making friends. That’s what Americans are like, they really appreciate friendships. 60 Dishes? Dad put on the menu everything tasty he ever

encountered in his 15years in the restaurant industry. Anything the client wanted was available. We wanted to serve everyone. From Thai to Italian, Steak and Hamburgers, Seafood, Mexican food, and Flameo. Everything that Dad knew was good was on the menu.

running around mom’s laundry mat since he was 8, learning the ropes of the family business.

Our motto is:

We feel indebted to our customers. It’s been a while since we’ve spruced up the place. But were proud to say that the land over which Barriles stands is finally our own. Customers cant see the investment of owning the property, but it means the world to us and it took a very big effort on behalf of my family. What Barriles makes in profit we’ve always put back into Barriles, now that we finally finished paying off the property, were going to make our effort show in our customers the experience. Well always be the corned “fonda”, we won’t rid Barriles of its original vision. We want to build a second story palapa so our customers get a view, wed be the first on this block to offer a view. The administration went from being a mess to having it so well handled that it feels like I can manage it with a magic wand. We’re finally after so many years at a point where we get to see the fruits of our labor. We’re together in this. In the good and the bad. We’ve made it, it’s our turn to give back. We’ve always been more than just a business. The point has always been to make a place worth being at. A better place to live. A better place to work.

“Stop, drink and if I don’t have it, ill get it for you.” We once got fresh coconuts for a guy at 9 pm.

The Tradition The Father and Son who fell in love with the restaurant industry. After 10 years, Barriles has acquired traditions. Traditions we plan on keeping around. “Ring the bell” As you walk in you ring the bell that hangs through the arch and we all clap. It’s our way to make you feel welcomed. When you leave, you ring the bell and we say see you soon and clap for the good times. After 10 years we see ourselves in the traditions.”

The Flameo is also sticking around, we take a mobile cart-barbecue to your table and cook the catch of the day or the customers own catch. It’s a show, we make Shrimp, Tuna, Cabrilla, Steak in a burst of fire tequila or white wine. From father to son. Dad, Francisco Javier Zuñiga has 35 years of restaurant experience, he started working when he was 13. Francisco Javier Zuñiga Jr has been Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Our Customers have seen us grown-up.

Los Barriles Restaurant

We stopped comparing ourselves with others a long time ago. We stopped competing and decided to apart ourselves into a different market altogether. We work towards our customer’s satisfaction, we try to keep our staff happy, well trained, you pay for the service you get. We don’t ever negotiate quality. We want customers that can tell the difference. I like to say our service is personalized. We tend to each customer as if he were the only one in the restaurant. Even if it’s a full house. Every night either Im here or my Dad is. If ever we’re not at the top of our game ill personally wait the table and pick up the slack. We serve the tradition of a family business. The Father and Son who love restaurants. That’s what makes customers return 2-3 times a week. There are more than 300 restaurants in Los Cabos and our clients choose us time after time. We treat that preference with the utmost respect.

Respect. I buy from local fishermen, as a cook, I respect the product. We respect ingredients. Everything has a right way of doing it. We

won’t throw away the hard work of everyone involved in bringing these ingredients to my kitchen. It won’t be us who ruins all that hard work. We respect the restaurant. Recipes flourish from experience. Every plate on the menu has been revisited one at a time. We go over every plate so that each and everyone is done right. We cook it, taste it and try again, trial and error, iteratively. And we absolutely take into account our customer’s opinions of the dish. They’re a fundamental part of how we go about changes. Every plate on the menu has been corrected, detailed, and has our seal of approval. A couple passed by as we spoke, and yelled out into the restaurant: “I come here all the time, my favorite”.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Cabo Sails

Cabo

Sails We specialize in sailing snorkeling and whale-watching eco-tours while doing our part to protect our beautiful and fragile environment. We’ve always been concerned about how we’re impacting the environment. We decided to do something about it. Our mission is to eliminate waste in pollution in our operation. Being on the water doesn’t mean you’re environmentally friendly. You gotta be very cautious about it.

Creating Experiences. That’s what they all say. But they don’t mean it. They’re not committed to it. We realized a few years ago that our business was creating experiences, it always has been. Once we realized it, it permeated the whole organization. We’re committed. Committed to the clien30

tele and to the sea. When you passionately believe in something money doesn’t matter. No pinching pennies. We try harder every day, it’s about doing more, going a mile more after you’ve gone the extra mile. It’s not a speech. It’s a promise. It’s what makes me come to work every day. Few deliver. We do. It’s somehow inherent in the culture. The Mexican isn’t detail-oriented. In our devotion to the details, we make a difference. We get to give more to our clients. We don’t just give a tour. Every morning the staff meeting is carried out and we go over every detail of the tours. Allergies, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Repeating Clients, etc. We designed the tour accordingly.

Amphitheater of the Bay The wonderful bay, the sea, the sky, the mountains. It’s the pride of my home. If you go to Paris you have to go up The Eiffel

Tower. If you come to Cabo you have to go out on a boat. From the curved coastal line of the bay, the Baja begins to ascend and the square buildings look like staggered steps of an endless amphitheater crowned by the visible tip of its highest most point of the Baja, El Picacho De la Sierra La Laguna towering at over 6000ft above sea level. The bay is the stage. We out at sea are the protagonists.

mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Inspire the competition.

big impact.

We want to inspire those around us, the future is in taking care of what we have. We hope to see others take a step towards making a difference. Towards sustainability. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about at least trying. We want to strive for harmony. When I started two-stroke engines were what you could get. They’re very dirty engines. There was a time where that was the only option, spilling oil and fuel into the sea. As soon as the four-stroke engine was a possibility we invested in the upgrade. Back then we were the first to use four-stroke engines in the bay. In due time we upgraded the entire fleet with 4 stroke high-efficiency engines. Today we have the first electric engine boat in the bay. We spent over a year researching the most advanced technology to convert a diesel power sailboat to a 100% eco-friendly solar-powered vessel; Saving almost 90 thousand liters of Diesel that would have generated 200 thousand kg of carbon dioxide into the air, and challenged ourselves by

Our new goal is to replace all of our engines with electric engines. We’re doing our best to protect the environment. Even a small organization like ourselves can make a

Eliminating the use of all plastic cups and straws adding up to around 1079kg. 14 years running, following through with its zero waste promise on all of our vessels “We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pancho’s Restaurant

Restaurant Pancho´s & Tequila Bar. Birthed as a Taquería, here where it stands since 1989.

Customers walk in and ask for Fernando Rodriguez who’s been here 30 years, José “Pepe Tequila” whos been around for 26 years, JJ who retired after 20, they ask for Samuel, Juan Carlos, Santos, Reyes, and Chef Petra, who lovingly cooked her recipes at Pancho’s for 30 years. Late Chef Petra’s memory is well in the heart of Pancho’s, her recipes and tradition inherited to Chef Faustino, who cooked next to her for 20 years, keeps the love alive and well. Many come year after year, others come and go bringing back memories. Men reminisce about coming with their parents when they were boys. Others come for the 370 labels of tequila collected over the past 28 years. 32

At Pancho’s Tequila isn’t served as a shot, it’s served in a crystal glass, no salt, no lemon. Inhale, sip it, savor, swallow and exhale. Tequila at Pancho’s is about sharing an experience. Pancho’s is about family.

Up some paints of mexicans artist of the golden era of mexican cinema, on the right a rattle snake in a bottle of tequila.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pure Smile Makeover Center

Smile with confidence 34

PURE is a dental center dedicated to offering the highest dental care standards. Ranging specialties from Preventive, Cosmetic, Maxillofacial, Periodontal, Endodontics and Enfisysing in Implantology and Odontology. Whilst simultaneously hosting the full spectrum of X-Ray and Tomography equipment in-house.

Putting the Patient First Combining state-of-the-art dental technology with a soothing ambiance. The latest addition to a family of dental centers across Mexico. PURE is dedicated to offering the highest standards in dental care, technology, hygiene, and decor to ensure the best overall experience. The latest addition to a family of dental centers across Mexico. PURE is dedicated to offering the highest standards in dental care, technology, hygiene, and decor to ensure the best overall experience. Walking into PURE is like walking into a spa or a nice coffee shop, clean, calm, welcoming, and cozy. You’re immediately greeted by the front desk and checked in. The whole of the building has been laid out thoughtfully to provide the best experience and medical standards possible. As soon as you pass reception you’re met by your Doctor. Dr. José Antonio opened the glass door that separates the waiting room and graciously welcomed me into the facilities. Immediately as a walk past the first threshold into the hallway that leads to a staircase, I was asked to enter the first room to my right. Taking advantage of the full spectrum of in-house X-ray and Tomography equipment, every treatment beings with a panoramic X-Ray 2D scan, which allows us to see the full scope of the matter at hand. We have the equipment, we have the instruments, why not put it all to good use? It allows us to do a better job. Routine Panoramic X-ray. Often we get what i like to call “Radiographic findings”, things beneath the surface that if not for our Routine Paranoramic X-ray would have been unnoticed. This allows us to make an informed diagnosis, proceed adequately, and in some cases make a timely, thoughtful intervention. At times before it even becomes a problem. COVID-19 Safety Regulation within PURE Dental Center. Taking advantage of the 6 distinct isolated offices in the best interest of the patient by enforcing: ONE PATIENT PER DAY PER OFFICE. This means that each consultation room is only “contaminated” once and isolated off until completely sanitized the following day. PURE Dental Center’s all-in investment in equipment provides a world of state-of-theart of treatment options, likely hosting the most capable dental collective in Baja Sur, not to mention standards, warranty, quality control, and response times that can only be achieved by fabrication in house aids and prosthetics that are commonly outsourced. It is all to mean that PURE Dental Center has the capacity to offer extremely tailored sanitary measures, X-rays, 3D scans, modeling, fabrication, and treatments with a kind of all-in-one quality warranty that is unheard of. Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pure Smile Makeover Center

www.puresmilecenter.com

Surf & Cerritos

Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

Phothography by Dario Orríco

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

Phothography by Dario Orríco

I surfed a lot on this trip. I was eager to re-engage with something id lost. Something I never appreciated. I was on a really small board. The kind of board you use if you know what you’re doing. I don’t. But I do know to have no intention of riding waves. I want to fight the tide and sit on my board.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

Surfing is not ridding. Ridding the wave is a treat. Surfing is like climbing, it’s physically exhausting and challenging. Surfing is like playing tag. You’re chasing something, like hunting. Whilst you’re also being chased, like hunted. Nothing is killed if you succeed in your hunt and no harm is done if you’re caught. Exhaustion is counteracted by the refreshing water; the challenge is made safe, as safe as

Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas

being tethered to something buoyant. Surfing is like summitting, it grants you a privileged unobstructed view. A view that can only be had and felt when within nature. A sight of nature. Surfing is like meditation, like sitting around a campfire. Both calm and aware of danger. Surfing is all of this. Not about ridding.

Like listening to music, or dancing. There’s nothing to achieve. It’s the act itself that’s meaningful. We don’t listen impatiently until the song is over, we enjoy the moment as it is.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Surf & Cerritos

Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas & León Vargas

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Captain Tony’s Restaurant

Captain Tony's Restaurant Pisces Sportfishing and Luxury Yachts.

and can even suggest local restaurants where they can prepare their catch.

Mother company to Capitan Tony’s, started off as a family-owned business out of the City of La Paz, Baja, Mexico in 1978 with a single 28 ft boat. A couple of years later moved to Cabo to take advantage of the year-round fishing and emerging tourism market.

At Captain Tony’s

Since then we have grown to be one of the largest and most respected charter fleets in Mexico as well as being recognized worldwide by fisherman and conservationists alike. Pisces is committed to the conservation of billfish (marlin, sailfish, etc) We believe that by encouraging catch and release, we allow anglers to experience the thrill of the hunt while allowing them to swim off into the sunset to see another day. Protecting the marlin is important in order to keep our oceans healthy and ensure their survival for future generations. We’re proud of our 98.6% release rate. If a fisherman feels strongly about keeping their fish, we most certainly help them to do so within legal limits

We carry on our efforts in conserving and protecting the environment. We only serve responsibly caught seafood and species that are not endangered or reserved exclusively for sportfishing, we only cook the sportfish caught with its corresponding license. We are concerned about plastic in our oceans and now only offer straws upon request, all-natural bio-degradable materials. Captain Tony’s also prepares early morning 5:00 AM box lunch pick-ups for everyone that is going fishing at those standard break of dawn hours. Sending out over 100 meals daily to different companies, all disposable containers have been replaced with reusable Tupperware that’s sterilized. Cutlery is not provided so that there is no waste of plastic cutlery.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

The aftermath of Hurricane Odile Captain Tony’s became a community distribution center for food and clothing donations, firmly establishing themselves as a future center for relief efforts. Free meals were served to any in need. We regularly participate in charity events and donating our time, food, and staff services to support local efforts. Youth bands get an opportunity to host their talents before a public audience at Captain Tonys. And youth sports by sponsoring uniforms for local low-income soccer teams. Even manager Alex Alvarez regularly coaches the local girl’s touch football team.

Captain Tony’s Restaurant

cooked perfectly or to a light char (if you’re into that) in the wood oven, topped with anything from shrimp and bacon to vegetarian, Steak, and Jalapeños to BBQ Chicken to Cream cheese, Ricotta, and Parm. Early risers, breakfast is ready at 5:00 AM, or sleep in and come in and have breakfast as late as 3:00 PM. Dinner dates get live music three nights a week: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Courtesy of “Pura Vida”, playing the rock Classics of Carlos Santana, The Doors, The Beatles, some country, some Bruno Mars, an all-out good time.

You Hook It, We Cook It! Capitan Tony’s started off selling Tacos, Pizzas in a palapa with 2 to 3 plastic tables, and a small kitchen.

“This was one of the most exceptional dining experiences I’ve had in a very long time. We were greeted by a manager, they have mats on the floor to disinfect your shoes and, temperature checks upon entrance, everyone is wearing their mask. There’s a handwashing station, you’re required to wear masks until you arrive at your table. They have big menu boards on an easel to reduce contact with the food and drinks, We ordered cocktails and then guacamole. Margaritas were excellent as was the table side guacamole. I had tuna tostadas and they were delicious. My wife had coconut shrimp and once again they were simply the best.”

30 Years later the wood oven is still burning. Fisherman bring their fish to have it breaded and fried, made tempura style, grilled with a salsa platter on the side, and made into ceviche with a complimentary side of rice and vegetables or beans and rice or with french fries. You Hook It, We Cook It. Capitan Tony’s Pizza is the house specialty. Scratch-made dough and tomato sauce, Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

PEZ GATO Writen by Dario Orríco Photography: León Vargas Dario Orríco

White warm fiberglass, 1980s decore trying hard to evoke a modern flair, the faint (granted maybe be imaginary) aroma of sweat and coconut sunblock permanently one with the ship. A vague superficial eye, worn outlines, cheesy jokes said so many times they’ve lost their meaning and become a sort of mantra that is said like the prayer of an empty soul. I’ve lived my whole life in a tourist trap. This is what I’ve come to expect from a boat tour.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Oppositional attitude, Check. Swimming trunks, Check. Camera, Check. Enough sunblock to walk in and out of Chernobyl, Check. I’m ready to go. At 10 we’re guided from check-in to the catamaran by a tanned extrovert. We forgot to have our team email the photo consent form, that means: No photo consent. Now I’m interested. I’m out to capture the experience whilst hiding the identity of the tourist on board. A creative challenge to get the introvert involved. Good one. In 1985, the Pez Gato I, a Hawaiian style catamaran was brought to these sunny shores, the dream of California fireman, Paul Murphy. She was the very first Tour Boat Excursion here in Cabo San Lucas. Back there weren’t as many tourists. 58

A lot has changed since then, an elegant 65´catamaran was added to the fleet and The Jazz & Wine Tour was born. Then Cabo Mar, a 65’ double-decker Power Catamaran, was also acquired and the nightly Fiesta Dinner Cruise began. Daily excursions include the Pez Gato Whale Watching Tour, The Pez Gato Snorkel Cruise, the Pez Gato Sunset Cruise, the Tropicat Jazz & Wine Tour and the Cabo Mar Fiesta Dinner Cruise.

My yellow, not white, warm fiberglass, not 80s, but early 2000s Catamaran disembarked from the prophetically expected gasoline fragrant dock. Sweating patiently amidst board shorts and bare feet to begin the sightseeing. For me, the sightseeing has already begun, from passengers I pic my favorite characters: The postcard-worthy, the odd ones, those dressed in color schemes beneficial to my photos, Those who exude something other than vague superficiality, those wearing too much sunblock. I’ll keep an eye on them. The good thing about tours out of Cabo San Lucas dock is that they start off immediately. 2 minutes out of the dock, the sightseeing begins. To the left the adjacent Medano Beach, to the right the rocky spine of the larger mountainous structure to which The Arch belongs. Tourists scramble to prep their cameras, 5 minutes in, were experiencing the undeniably impressive sheer rock towers, three stories tall and formed from natural

erosion. Like stone glaciers, amidst the waters. If it’s hard to imagine glaciers float, it’s further mindboggling that these don’t. These “stone glaciers” tower all the way down to the oceans floor. The spikes of the crown on the head of the continental mass that lies beneath the sea. Everyone is now a wildlife photographer, so are we, we take the good ones, shoot some B-roll, avoid the selfies and conversely hunt for the most human of poses, the most human of interactions, the “fundamental images” of which were all a part of. Those where subject is no longer the individual but the collective. Those moments that are your memories had or to be had. As we part ourselves from the bay we see a more pristine landscape. To the east, beaches become disconnected by sharp black mossy rock. From the now Sea Of Cortez, we get to see Mansions and Golf Courses upon cliffs waves rain back into the sea as they slam against the rocks. Fins, goggles, and Snorkels are handed out as we make our way towards Chileno Beach.

Deeply intrinsic images of the soul. Cinematographically coordinated and intertwined by narration to express a deep reality. This task of mine is enriching. It, unbeknownst to me, through carrying the task, cultivates a deep pleasure in activities that used to seem vain to me. To have to awake the poetic beauty in the ordinary. I’ve never once enjoyed indulging in the “extroverted” list of activities until now. Until I’m asked to write a poem about it. Rushing to try to catch a picture as the anchor drops. We miss it.

Alas, we’ve arrived at Chileno Beach.

I’m excited. I haven’t snorkeled in years. I’m a purist in many ways. I used to rarely take photos because I had nothing to do with them. Now, it’s my job to take photos so I can tell a story. I need photos that ring with ecstatic truth. Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Eco-Cat Snorkeling tour was a good place to start. A nice middle ground between my disdain and reeindulging in the joy of my childhood fixation: Snorkeling. So hate it or not id get to snorkel at the least. Day two would be theoretically harder for me.

Cabo Mar The Cabo Mar is a double-decker 65´power catamaran that features an open-air large upper deck that provides an unobstructed view of the coastline. The downstairs area features built-in booth seating with a view from every vantage point.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Gloss white! I called it! It’s a white fiberglass floating dinner on the first floor and a canvas-topped terrace on the second. Following the success of our first shoot, I was excited. I was really excited to take my pictures, this catamaran somehow interacted more with the moment. It felt a bigger part of the day, and it had two stories! two scenarios for two different experiences. This time I knew what I would be doing. How I would have fun. Immediately I explored the lay of the land. The first floor was a sort of indoor seated area, not a really welcoming place to stand, it gives way to a second smaller open seating area at the bow. The second story has the dance floor, and DJ station. I chose my favorite subjects, but there was also a sort of self-selection according to where they chose to sit. First or second floor. This decision has a notable impact on how you experience the cruise. The indoor area means you’ll deprive yourself of the breeze, you’ll be closer to the bar, but you’ll experience the wonderous bay that attracts millions of tourists a year through glass, as if at a tacky museum. The second story means you’ll at some point be in or around the “dance party”, you’re further from the bar, but waiters soften that inconvenience. The only reason not to go to the Dance Party Deck would be the scary steep stairs or the dance party itself. Best of both worlds is to go back and forth from the bow to the indoor area, taking over the nearest booth from the bow. The bow has no shade but being that it’s a sunset tour it won’t matter too much, here you get the most pristine, unobstructed view, the soothing breeze of the sea, and structural partition from the dance party, direct access to the bar and no scary-steep-stairs. Goldilocks would do fine with this many options. 72

The tour sets off with Cabo’s famous landmarks, Lover’s Beach, The Arch, and Land’s End. Next to the arch, the peak of a massive submerged stone tower manages to breach exposing itself just enough to serve as a mini island that the Sea Lion Colony call home.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

La Ventana Del Pacífico We then venture into the Pacific for the sun to on cue make red out of blue, then pink and purple. Night and Anchor fall and before darkness can make you pensive the dancefloor lights reanimate every color of the rainbow strobing unapologetically. I mentioned earlier a sort of self-selection happened. First and second floor. You’d expect the young, the drunk, the party crowd to go to the top and the mellow, older, family-oriented to stay on the bottom but to my surprise, these metrics had very little to do with anything.

You see, it’s not about the white fiberglass at all, it’s not about the tacky jokes. I doubt anyone other than me remembers any of it. It’s not about who you are, or what you’re like. You see I expected the well-standing, formal man to sit on the first floor, but no, He was the first to take the dance floor with his wife. The elderly husband with a cane and his loving wife on their anniversary I thought would sit on the first floor, but no, they also took the dance floor as soon as it was inaugurated. I’m an undiagnosed amount of autistic. I’ve never understood. I never could get it. Until asked to write a poem about it, until pressed to take pictures that expressed the deep, deep, meaningful beauty of living could I see.

Its genuinely taken me this long in my life and the excuse of having to capture reality through a camera to see for the first time what it is that makes this so special. What can I say? I’m ignorant, Insensible, Blind, Dormant, Torpid, Prone to hyperbole. I know not anything to say of it. I hope only I may show you what I saw. What could I finally see.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Pez Gato

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Medi Center

February 2020, International Congress Number 31 on Emergency Care and Reanimation. By the Society of Emergency Medicine of Mexico. Acapulco, Guerrero from 10 to 14 of February. In February, it was a new subject, we only knew it was a viral disease of ample contagion and fast contagion speed, causing a lot of deaths with unknown causes. We knew it was an international emergency and we had to pay attention. A few days after the congress the disease rose to be categorized as a global pandemic. And the world began to prepare. At the time it was in Italy, it began to appear in Spain.

Dr. Alejandro Grimaldo returned to Cabo San Lucas and began preparing for what he believed would be a global pandemic. Dr. Grimaldo began acquiring masks, suits and sought out to find out as much as we could of this new disease, way before most even took it as a serious threat. On Abril 2020, Dr. Grimaldo received a call from a personal friend, his friend’s father, Caesar, had fallen ill in Tijuana, and there was no one there who knew how to stand up to covid. Caesar, 59 years old, 210lb, and High Blood Pressure, was flown in via air ambulance, at the time of his arrival had been sick for a week and a half and had 60% lung damage. Caesar was immediately put on high-flow oxygen, without intubation, it took two weeks of recovery and lung-oxygen therapy to completely recover. From March to April, Dr. Grimaldo saw an average of 10 covid patients a day.

What makes Dr. Grimaldo’s practice different is that he specializes in house calls. Managing covid as a housecall would turn out to be beneficial, as patients are quarantined in their own homes. Since, Dr. Grimaldo has noticed two other spikes since the original outbreak, the highest during April-MayJune, the second during December- January- February. At this point, Dr. Grimaldo has seen more covid patients than he can count. Those who don’t make it have all been tended to at stages where the illness was very far along. Active awareness of the evolution of symptoms, self-exploration, and a good medical historian are fundamental allies to the doctors fighting off covid.

Dr. Grimaldo says fending off covid is about counteracting general inflammation, keeping the patient hydrated

and well-rested. The best way of fending off covid is sleeping well, drinking lots of water, doing exercise, eating healthy, and using your face mask properly. Sleeping well, drinking water, and eating well, is what will fight off covid, if we’re lacking, covid may wreak havoc, and in fighting it off, Dr. Grimaldo will have to stop further deterioration while aiding the body in getting hydrated and rested enough so that it may carry out what it should have been capable of doing in the first place. Preventive actions are best, getting and staying healthy is the best way of never even coming into contact with covid. “Falling ill to covid is to have war be waged within your body for 15 days, it’s a war between the virus and your immune system. Your body’s capacity to fight back depends on hydration, and sleep helps the immune system proliferate, it’s the number of soldiers, the more antibodies you have, the larger the mass of the inflammatory cells aiding you, the better your capacity to react. If you don’t sleep well, if you don’t keep well hydrated your immune sys-

tem is deficient and the virus can grab on. The virus grabs on to your immune system which then causes a cascading severe inflammation to try, desperately, to counteract the virus from spreading. It’s the severe inflammation that leads to death in most cases. That’s why we try to avoid the inflammatory process with good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. The virus and illness because have a few stages. The first 15 days is the viral phase, it’s the war phase. During the first few days, although we don’t know of antivirals at this time, no treatments to kill the virus, there are treatment options that restraint the viral reproduction. It’s a lot easier to fight off a disease that reproducing at 20% instead of 100%. That’s what we can do when we identify the virus early on. In advanced stages, there’s no longer any point in restraining the viral reproduction, after a certain point the viral load is so big that your immune system cant eradicate it. All we can do is reduce inflammation and prescribe antibiotics to avoid secondary infections. If your immune system is fighting off disease at 100% it means nothings stopping other diseases such a bacteria and fungus to set in. In Mexico, three are kinds of tests available. Two for early detection and a third says how your immune system reacted to the infection. The third isn’t a diagnostic tool. The first two are the PCR and the Antigen test. PCR detects the virus genome, it Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

takes its gene and tells you if it’s there. And the Antigen tests detect the virus proteins. The difference between the two is when you have it taken. Antigen tests are best within the first 5 days of contagion. It helps us within the first five days. After that is becomes less effective. PCR gets better the longer the virus has been in the host’s body. PCR is the most effective and can detect the virus from day 1 until day 15, because it’s tracing the virus’s gene. The PCR tests has about 95 to 98% efficiency, and the Antigen test is a little lower than that. The Antigen test is a lot cheaper and it’s a really fast test, the only problem is that it’s less effective after the first 10 to 12 days. “

If you don’t go out, the virus won’t find you. Dr. Grimaldo.

ALCARAVEA

Alcaravea

Nací Entre Platos.

me. I had to let it go.

I was 23 years old. The kitchen moved me. I want to be a Chef. My Dad an accountant ventured into restaurants. Every weekend the whole family cooked. Those weekends with my family were my training. My mom prepared me. My father’s words stuck with me.

Demoralized and desperate I move to Toronto, Canada. I continued training, worked in Little Italy. My wife hated the cold. Cabo it is then. I would have stayed in Canada.

“Do what you want to do, be happy, don’t take life as if it were a job.” Dad, I want to be a Chef. “No. Not that.”, “This isn’t a game, Enrique”, he said. In the kitchen, time flies away from me. Thanks to the kitchen I’ve traveled, I’ve seen a lot, I got to live, I got to be in Italy and France during their zenith. When they represented the whole of the culinary spectrum. I traveled passionately. I married my job. It took me many years and two failed marriages to learn how to separate life’s passions. To learn how to divide my responsibilities. I spend twelve to fourteen hours in the kitchen and I don’t even realize it. My body does. But not my mind, not my soul. At 18 I started a Torta stand, at 20 a Hamgurguer stand, where things went so well demand overpassed my capacity to cope. So I had to let it go to someone who could manage. At 23, I decided I wanted to be a Chef. I went to culinary school, I traveled, I worked, saved some money, and with my dad’s help, I opened my first restaurant. It thrived, I welcomed partners and this became the death of it for

I arrived in Cabo San Lucas, 15 days before my family. I wasn’t convinced, so I went to walk around the town, to get to know the place. There hardly was anything here, it wasn’t at all a city, it was a town. After a lot of walking, I stopped at a Taco stand and saw a lot of people walking by, hoards of hotel staff swarmed past. You couldn’t find anything to eat other than Tacos and Fritangas. The tourist avenue had more culinary options, but their prices weren’t for the locals. I saw a for rent sign on that corner. I knocked on the door and asked the lady who opened to rent it to me. I made my own bar, my own table, I had no sign. I put on my Apron, pied de poule, and Toque. And cooked. I handed the hoards of uniformed staff samples of my food. To my surprise, it was full every day. It was the people who began to ask me to cook Italian. It had been 3 days since I arrived in Cabo. I called my wife and told her I had opened a restaurant. “Alcaravea, brings the good winds, and the good times.” A block away was a café. They ordered food from me every day. I became good friends with the owners. One day, they offered me their spot, they handed it over to me empty. A baron room. I put a few plastic tables and put up a canvas to partition the restaurant from the adjacent parking lot. To Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

this day, this is where you’ll find Alcaravea.

Alcaravea It’s about a lot of personal interaction. No matter what we have to do to go further. It’s about humility. We do everything we can to create an unforgettable experience. Money is subsequential. We work hard to cultivate our confidence, it’s in studying that we gain credence in what we do. The menu is only a part of the culinary offer. Alcaravea cooks with as many organic products as it can get its hands-on, they have gluten-free flour, pasta and bread, and vegan options that aren’t expressly on the menu. Alcaravea doesn’t claim to specialize itself as a Gluten-free, vegan or organic restaurant. Nevertheless, Alcaravea is here to serve our customers as best they can. There are always options that go beyond the menu if need be. Disposition is one of the utmost priorities. Little by little Alcaravea has grown into what it is now. Everything has been gradually added on. Designed by life and living. A little of the Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish and French. Crisis has always somehow made us grow. In the end, it’s the clientele who have the final word. When Odile passed through, half of the restaurant fell down, but my customers never stopped coming. They’ve always been here, they always come back and it’s their support that lets us keep going. It’s the customers who asked me to cook Italian. I treat the recipes tradition with respect. I treat Alcaraveas tradition with respect. The tradition of a restaurant for the people. 85

Todos Santos Hostel

Todos Santos Hostel Expecting good manners. Written by Dario Orríco Photography: Ana Laura Vargas León Vargas Dario Orríco

Upon arrival, I saw again and again guests become stunned by the silence and ease, they stand mute and awkward at the gate waiting for someone to walk them through it. It’s a good way to start. It immediately makes you aware that this is a place that warrants your social skills. Not to say it’s a socially demanding environment per se. People silently coexist with ease. The Rules: 1.

Don’t be a dick

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Todos Santos Hostel

Hostel “Noun: An establishment which provides inexpensive food and lodging for a specific group of people soca as student, workers, or travelers.” You get a fresh towel and your tippy cleaned every day, as you would expect. The general kitchen, bathrooms are cleaned twice a day. Bar service available but no food. You’re welcomed to cook in the kitchen. The rest is up to you. If it stays clean all day or if it degenerates into hell is reliant on the internal group dynamics. To further understand the complexities of being a tolerable human being we redact the following. Rule 1 extended: 1.1 Read the room During my stay “loud” wasn’t the theme. 1.2 Don’t be destructive Take care of things, clean up after your self, don’t stink, etc. 1.3 Be constructive Add what you can, clean up a mess you didn’t make, wash a dish that isn’t yours, follow the rules, inform the staff of anything out of line that you can’t manage yourself, etc.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Todos Santos Hostel

“I know if you take photos from the right angle you can make this place look 5 stars, but where not, this isn’t even glamping and I don’t want people to have such high expectations come and demand things we cant offer.”

Glamping “Noun: A form of camping involving accommodations and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping”. - from the Oxford English Dictionary. “We’re also not a brothel either. Once a guy came and took a picture of an ashtray full of buds someone filled overnight. That’s not what it’s like here. I don’t believe that’s how we should be portrayed.” 90

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Todos Santos Hostel

The mute awkward guests stand at the gate expressing a sort of ingenuity, an innocent fear, they say “can you help me check-in” with their eyes, but not with their mouth. They’ll even reply to a “good morning” without asking to be assisted with their check-in. I didn’t intervene either. It’s an important moment of realization. It’s important you know that you’re far away from your self entitled privileges. You’re not funneled by the architecture towards the front desk, here you won’t be immediately swooned off your feet by some “perky” plastic host. You’ll have to speak your mind, express what

you need, engage in cultivating a friendly environment for yourself. The “lobby” is a small office next to the kitchen and living room. There’s always someone sitting around reading a book, having a meal, drinking coffee, playing the guitar or flute, or any other bohemian act you can think of. The sociable approach the group respectfully enthusiastic, the introverted rely and piggyback off of this natural overflow to incorporate into the group.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Todos Santos Hostel

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Todos Santos Hostel

WORK FOR TODOS SANTOS HOSTEL. We’re looking for volunteers. 4 hours presence at the Hostel, 6 Days a week in exchange for a bed in the dormitory or a camping spot. Minimum 3 weeks stay.

Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas & León Vargas

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Todos Santos Hostel

Luxury is an often misunderstood concept. To merely poses, to be useless, engorged, dissociated, pampered children is no privilege. To speak of amenities we must first reestablish our criteria. Amenities are, amidst the substance of reality, gifts of true beauty, constructive artifacts that add to life. List of amenities found at Todos Santos Hostal: A Guitar, An Old Leather Arm Chair, Bicycles & surfboards available for rent, Cheesegrater ( to make hashbrowns ), A Hammock between trees in every secluded garden, Bar services,

Tons of free organic Hostal grown mangos (according to season) and

Magic. Magic is a sort of natural flow. It could be expressed through sociology, psychology, evolutionally, spiritually, but I mean concisely the lot of it. It’s what art has, it’s a sort of common internal human narrative, a way in which certain realities sync up our feelings.

This is what I’m getting at. It’s what stuns people when guests first encounter the Hostal. A common feeling

that calls for a certain kind of human essence.

I don’t believe this is done by design, it’s a mix of Todos Santos Hostal intrinsic nature, its lack of personnel, Todos Santos itself.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

Todos Santos Hostel

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Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas & León Vargas

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

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Todos Santos

by León Vargas Photography: Ana Laura Vargas León Vargas

A cloudy day. A longing, and the hope that it might rain. It didn’t. I really wanted it to rain, that would’ve made this the perfect trip. I like that soft breeze and I like that smell. It rained; It might rain again. This thought took to me as soon as we arrived at the Hostel where well spend our nights of Todos Santos. That smell and that breeze always get’s me. What can I say?

Do you know the smell of grandmas closet? That smell, “the smell of stories”. That’s what I imagine Todos Santos smells like. Why can does a place remind me of a smell? I see edifices from the revolution, houses that go on for the whole block, they remind of haciendas, in fact, I think they were. To me, Todos Santos is the place you imagine when you’re tired of malls, public transportation and civilization as a whole. Wanna be a hermit? Ill see you at Todos Santos.

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Todos Santos

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Phothography by León Vargas

Before I began to speak of a trip, I planned. Before the adventure I took on the task of researching places of interest we could visit during our stay, restaurants, beaches, bars, and even turtle shelters. Now I’m sure it’ll be an interesting trip. Cameras ready, my clothes are well packed and our backpacks are in the truck. Ready. We went to Dario’s house for a couple of surfboards. You shouldn’t spend a few days in Todos Santos without a surfboard, Cerritos is 8 minutes away. Why wouldn’t you? Because you don’t know how to surf? Us either. We set off, and went through the obligatory roadtrip ritual: a full inventory of equipment, a full tank of gas, buy and aux cord at the gas station and don’t forget to buy snacks for the road. Finally, were on our way.

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

It was a very pleasant drive. Three souls longing for an adventure, a perfectly planned adventure. I had our itinerary in hand. The first activity not on the itinerary happened before we arrived at Todos Santos: We took a detour towards Cerritos, the car must have taken to life and chose to drive off. That’s what adventures are about they tell me. Note to self: First lesson. After a while enjoying that beautiful beach, and dreaming of the pictures I would take, we reincorporated in to the planned stream of events. Fifteen minutes after, we arrived at our abode, Todos Santos Hostal. We decided we’d spend our first day at Cerritos, we’ll leave Todos Santos for the last day. Because it “smells old”.

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Todos Santos

After a long day of photos and waves, we had to go buy our rations for breakfast. When you see Todos Santos at twilight its almost as if it looked back at you. That sounds a little spooky, but its not. Or is it? its not. It’s something you feel in your heart, this place is starting to get to me. The streets seem frozen in time, the public lighting, the light poles seem stolen out of a movie set, set in

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Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas & León Vargas

the 1860s, there’s a soothing breeze strolling about. That’s when I understood that my list of places to visit was useless. You’re not supposed to plan for a place like this. Note to self: Second lesson. Dark blue, starfilled sky. You can even see the milky way.

“Tell me, what secrets you hide far from my sight? Is there someone out there for me? Does my love think of me as I do now? Is there life on other planets? I think im hungry” Or whatever you think about when you see a sky as beautiful as the one i get tonight. Theres no such thing as Luminous pollution in Todos Santos, it doesn’t exist. And if there is, its unbeknownst to all of us. The place

with “the smell of stories” in fact had some magical stories to tell. It’s decided! I want to get to know this place.

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Todos Santos Todays the day we chose to explore this Magical Town. Dario made his Legendary dish for everyone: Hashbrown & Sunny side up Eggs. Im sure I can ask for a smily face layout, but no. I must keep my head in the game. A little ketchup will suffice.

The mandatory visits: Benito Juarez Street or as locals know it the “highway” Todos Santos/ La Paz. This is the street Hotel California is on. There are banks, plazas, restaurants, cafeterias, a sort of flee market where youll find artisans, silver jewelry, clothes, hats and a quaint, modern bar at the end of the tunnel formed of vendors and canvas shadding. Santo Remedio Bar & Tacos. Why didnt anyone tell me there were Tacos? How did it take me so long to find out? The warm colors invite you to stay a little longer, Magical artifacts? you mean like swords and daggers made out of the skull of a sword fish? Yeah, you’ll find that too.

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Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas & León Vargas

And then right out on to the street, namely Manuel Marquez de Leon street, to your left you’ll see Paroquia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar. Todos Santos famous Parish. In the Parish’s court yard, the large letters sculpted of steel sheet that read “Todos Santos”. Another mandatory photo op. When you’re here, look at the letter O in the word “Santos” Whats depicted on it? A coven? Im glad this place is called “All of the Saints”. Behind the letters, Todos Santos’s “Mirador”, a balcony of sorts, looking over the whole town, a large portait of the sky and cityline, shifting as the sun makes it way through the day in to an impresive sunset. Remember to strike a pose for yet another obligatory photo op, or instead simply enjoy the moment with your loved ones.

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Todos Santos

This old “San Juan” is full of stories, you can see them at every corner. They speak of how time has passed, and how its been reluctant to leave, much like my self. This trips made it clear to me. This is definitly the place to go when youre tired of shopping malls, city noise and people. If you want to be lost for a while, Todos San-

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tos, the place that looks like it smells like stories, would be the perfect place for the weekend. Ill see you soon, Todos Santos. Yours truly, Leon.

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Todos Santos

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Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas

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Todos Santos

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Phothography by Leon Vargas

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Todos Santos

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Phothography by Ana Laura Vargas

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Jose Arce

Writted by Dario Orríco

Photography: Ana Laura Vargas León Vargas Dario Orríco

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SK8

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Jose Arce

We must see as if expecting something unknown to happen, without thought, not peering at a simplified narrative. To listen is to welcome silence.

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Phothography by Dario Orríco

Neath the Castle on the ridge there’s a colorful hut. José is the hut proprietor. Rental surfboards, buggy boards, wet suits, and surf lessons, to raise money for a new skatepark. A private skatepark, so we can keep drugs out.

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Jose Arce

José is someone who would save up money to buy a few surfboards, wet suits, and buggy boards, work in the blazing sun every single day, to put together funding to buy the bricks and mortar to personally build, that is, to do the labor of building a skate park at the mercy of donations.

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The kind of person who teaches local kids to surf for free, and acts as a kind of the unofficial lifeguard, the only one on Cerritos beach actively aware of the swimmers and neophyte surfers.

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Jose Arce

There wasn’t much to do around here as a kid. I want to keep the kids out of trouble, apart from drugs and alcohol in a town with not much else to do. My family owns a farm. I tend to the farm now. We grow mangos and papaya. I’m going to build the skatepark on this farm. It’s nice here. I’d like to turn it into camping grounds. We come out here and shovel after we wrap up at the beach.

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Jose Arce

Water titters down from the mountains through the oldest aqueducts all the way to this seemingly indifferent farm. Somehow providing what is needed, where it’s needed.

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Pescadero has a sort of emptiness to it. Emptiness is a complicated state to negotiate. Luckily the complicated void is put off via means provided by the sickening infrastructure that’s flatlining life in the name of progress measured unironically in terms of gross domestic product. It’s good to know progress has made it all the way out here to save and disassociate these souls.

May substance titter down to the seemingly irrelevant and provide what is needed, where it’s needed.

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Jose Arce

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Jose Arce

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Phothography by León Vargas & Dario Orríco

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EPILO G UE -What’s a deacon? A deacon is a Priest who’s a few months away from receiving Priesthood but is of yet to be fulfilled.

-Is it a self-imposed penance to rise to Priesthood? I don’t know what you mean. -What does being a knight entail? I saw a pamphlet that read “why become a knight” It’s a movement by the church. Their apostolate is “Knight of Columbus” they do different activities like taking food to people

in need, teaching Sunday school, they help with tasks of the church. -What does a priest do? We do a lot of things. -Is it an administrative duty? Among other things, it’s mainly a spiritual duty. Our job is to spiritually guide people. And within our spiritual duty there’s also some administrative duties. You have to watch over the caretaking of a Parish, pay the electric bill, pay for water, pay a secretary to do her job, and administrate.

-And the spiritual duty? The spiritual duties are the confessions, the eucharist celebrations, to accompany the deceased, joining in marriage, first communion, confirmation, and sometimes we’re asked to spiritually accompany people who are going through a difficult situation: the loss of a loved one that they may be struggling to understand. It’s a sort

of spiritual assistance. It’s not like going to the psychologist.

Science isn’t at odds with religion, but they are two different processes. -What comes after Priesthood? Some are called to a higher duty. The Bishop is called upon, one doesn’t ask to be ordained, it’s something that has to be granted. The order of the Diaconate and that of the Priesthood we ask for. We ask to be admitted to priesthood. But the order of eparchy is granted by the grace of God. Others see towards your talents and choose those who will lead the church. We currently have Bishop Miguel Ángel who’s the third Bishop to the diocese of La Paz. Who’s not governing over the diocese. After that, there’s the order of the Cardenal which is more of a service. The pope himself is a Bishop. But he’s the Bishop of Rome, but has the same order, that of Bishop. -What would you say is the spirit of Todos Santos? We inherit something from the land. People according to the land have a certain nature. I believe Todos Santos is a peaceful place. It’s not plagued by big problems that might red light it. That

doesn’t exist in todo Santos. It’s true that problems exist, like in any other place, problems as, alcoholism and drug addictions. -Is the difference clear to someone coming from elsewhere? It’s clear. It’s obvious. When you come from a place plagued with people, you become anonymous. You don’t have a face. Sometimes you don’t even have a name. When you arrive in a place like this, you begin to feel you belong to the land. You belong to a family, to a community, to the moment.

-A few will still behave with dignity. It’s not a big population, although we do now run the risk that it’s become a place attractive to tourism and because of it, it’s growing a lot. We’re at risk of thinking that because we sell more or because we have more economically we can be happier and that’s rarely the case.

-It sounds almost as if the simple degenerative conclusion may be that the more there are the worst it gets. Rather than quantity it’s the quality of human formation. Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

-But at home, In the familiar nuclei, we’re always a few. How is it that your social identity gets lost in being surrounded by more people? What you say about the people of Todos Santos y very curious to me, that they in some way bear a certain variety of respect, as if it were a matter of osmosis. How can it be that if I add a thousand people more it atrophies? It becomes atrophied when you’re not of the land, you weren’t born there, you didn’t grow up with the culture, you don’t know their mannerisms, their way of speaking. -You invoke a dangerous terminology, we begin to tread among rhetoric implemented against immigration which has been inflicted by the state over many innocent man. But then might one say: well, it’s not at all false? No. To impede immigration is to impoverish the land and a people. I may feel I don’t belong to this land. But when I arrive I must embrace its ways, their forms of expression, and relate it to myself and my lifestyle. When I embrace all of that, the community embraced me back. When you try to impose your own ways where things are running smoothly you may stir up conflict. -A seed may destabilize a whole ecosystem. Exactly. You breed discord, 133

you bring about division, these are the problems of man you see. We man are very strange. We’re designed to love, but somehow are unaware of it. It’s easier for us to hate, to discriminate, to divide.

love purely. They won’t even approach beauty because they’re not even aware of what awaits down that path.

-Isn’t that odd? In my experience, it’s the contrary that’s true. Every time you hate, every time you act in ill-will you’re punished in your own life. If you are a bad husband to your wife your life is worst because of it.

The people here are very close to the church, foreigners who come as well. They have a relationship to God, although their style may differ. Americans for example are very religious.

Of course.

The people who come, the visitors that come become amazed. I don’t know what it is that amuses them so. I believe it’s because they find a sort of peace. The mission is open every day and people come every day. Because there’s tourism every day. They come in, take a photo, I don’t know if that’s the best way of interacting, as they take a photo with the sign that reads Todos a Santos; in the museum, at a party, assuming the temple is a sacred place, we’d have to refer to it as such. As if to something sacred. To enter respectfully, to acknowledge that there’s something above us, it’s a hard thing to express to people.

-I believe it’s not easy to be bad. It makes everything worst. For yourself and for everyone else. How might that be easy? On the contrary, if you go out, give, if you seed the land and care, you’re life becomes better, it becomes objectively better. That’s how it works. Of course. -Nevertheless, they tend to degeneration, despite their suffering. How is this easier? And we’re now legislating death. We legislate murder. We create law that goes against our own nature. The intelligent being act irrationally. We lack foresight, to see where we’re heading. They forget the value in love. -I don’t think they forget. From what I can tell, it’s not that they forget it. It’s that some have never felt

-Are the people of Todo Santos close to the church?

-How about the others?

-And you intrinsically must, well. That’s been a thing I’ve always found admirable. You said it earlier in a way, you said that when one goes to a place where things aren’t the way we’d like them to be, one must be tolerant. In this case, in your house, it’s intrinsical-

ly disrespectful, it must hurt a little. But I recognize the capacity of simply accepting it and having faith that it may be that not everyone interacts in this way. It’s like when someone wants to enter your life. It’s obvious that if someone wants to enter your life in the best way, respecting your situation, you open the door, you let them in, and you discover secrets together. The same thing happens in the sacred space. The sacred is for everyone. It’s for everyone to come in. What’s subjectively interpreted by whoever comes in is a hard thing to manage, there are places where I’d ask of you for a larger amount of respect, because it’s sacred to me, and I won’t allow you to come and violate that. It’s like when a man violates trust, the same matter happens to our homes, with our bodies and temples which we care for greatly, because they’re exactly that, because we’re sacred. And it is a complicated matter to tend to adequately. Nevertheless, we’re always open. The Catholic Church will always be available to welcome any sort of matter of men, to shepherded and accompany. That’s what the church is. A teacher of the Conscience. It won’t make you do anything, it won’t take anything from you. It only educates the conscience and through these means will make you a free man so that you may choose how to live your life. That’s the church. It’s not a bureaucratic apparatus, it’s

not limiting as many young see it.

-What’s Santeria like around here? It’s present, no? Yes. From what I’ve heard. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never had any kind of experience with that because in principle it’s not something I’m interested in getting involved with. I’ve heard from the people of these sort of expressions and it’s worrying to me as an agent with the mission of educating the conscience, we must help man live well and thrive, to live happy and free. That’s our mission and it’s my mission with myself. There’s the good and the bad, there’s a good and a bad choice. And as so far as you allow it there will be a dramatic affect. There are things that aren’t good for you, that don’t make you happy nor help you live freely. And so would be the case with Santeria. -And Santeria is in fact a peculiar one, it thrives on your ribs. It utilizes the symbology of your order. Judas, the Virgen Mary but it also implements artifacts far from the church. And that’s a very different matter altogether. So I ask, is it that when, for example, the people of Todos Santos show a certain devotion to these embodied symbologies, is it that they’re in fact devoted to the church, or might it be they’re devoted to Santeria as its the same

iconography, so they come to you with secondary agendas. Yes, there is that religious syncretism. - I don’t believe its merely coincidental, it’s likely come about with intelligent intent. We in Mexico, our ancestors were like that you see. In Mexico City right outside of the Cathedral you’ll see people jumping and dancing around smoke, it’s linked with a purpose, a healthy one. -Is it? The performing of cleansing rituals, so that you may find a certain equilibrium, it’s linked to part of the culture. The problem is when you unlink it and you then exercise a sort of power over people or use certain ideas to impact their economy. -There are many ways in which one might interpret the Bible, there’s its intrinsic psychological underpinning, it’s a good book if you want to figure out how to be a good man. You can also see it from the perspective of the collective unconscious in so far as that’s everything in the Bible is real to every man. Have you read it or not, you know. It merely helps us remember or gain confidence. Then there’s the matter of well, magic. The magic. And so on, what’s the spiritual necessity for a “spiritual cleansing” if you must only confess. Yes, well, I don’t know. People who seek out these Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

expressions, we’d have to know their situation. We’d have to know. It’s too easy to judge from the outside. As many times were often judged by others. For our appearance, for our manner of speaking, the way we sit. When a person seeks out this sort of practice we’d have to be patient enough to accompany their journey to know what’s happening within them, what dramatic gestures are happening that they can’t find solace in their faith. To know what’s happening. I think it goes along these lines. To say you’re a catholic practitioner who seeks out a Chaman to conduct a spiritual cleaning, so that he may read you your future o tell you what’s happening in your life. We should intuitively judge what path is best and who to have on your side. That’s what I understand of the matter. -Do you believe the cards can tell you your way? No, I don’t. I believe we make of today the capacity of living on tomorrow.

-Then there’s no powers at play when a Chaman does his doing? There are ideas, expressions, forms, images, all of that. Necessity breeds creation. -You speak in psicológicas terms. And it is so. But is it to mean that you don’t believe 135

there’s something else? Like an angel that might touch one’s soul? That’s not what I said. -that’s why I ask. I have a degree in psychology you know? -Ah! That explains it. So then is it you don’t believe in magic? There’s such a thing as powers that goes beyond our capacity to understand. I don’t know if I would call that magic. I believe I don’t know what we might name it. I’d call it faith. And I’ve been many things in my life, I’ve been at many plateaux which I’ve had the opportunity of studying, so on, I don’t know, I’d call it something greater than magic. There are matters we don’t know how to express. -It’s incredible to me how the collective unconscious may from a collective dream, which we all know within our soul. Somehow then with great finesse redacted in the poetic compendium that is the Bible. -This collective narrative we can describe in psychological terms as that, the collective unconscious. But I could call this magic, God, angels, and their way of connecting with a person through the mind and through experience. All to get to if there’s such

a thing we can agree upon be it at least: “the collective dream” I would then expect its shadow to exist at well. A “collective nightmare”. -And if one can through the development of the self, get ever closer to the collective dream, and feel its calling and drive. Then if one were to allow himself to fall ill, for illness of the mind, of the soul, would there be then a way in which one may come into contact with the collective nightmare? As in, If I were to empower certain beings of the mind through Santeria, could be it so that these spirits and powers of the collective nightmare begin to wreak havoc, poses me even?

to its highest expression, Holiness is what awaits us in the collectives dream and so Unholiness is what would take us to the collective nightmare. If you want to see it that way, fine. -You don’t see this as possible? As God can save sick men and recuperate them in his glory, the holy can bring back men from degeneration and save them, if one welcomes it. And it in fact does. -Of course.

-But might It have the force of God?

-But then if one allows it, in his folly, one may be taken towards that which is opposite to the Holy and there exists something not as powerful as the holly, but none the less potent.

No.

Yes.

-If one where Ill?

-That may make man further deteriorate, some as, and I’ve coined the term during our conversation: The collective nightmare.

Of thoughts, It may.

God is more. God is most. God goes beyond all our terminology, God escapes the limitations of our expressions. God is beyond our comprehension. -Holiness I meant to say. God is beyond it all, however, he wants to be understood. This is the dilemma. -I meant to speak of that which is Holy and the Unholy and that there are ways in which I perceive Santeria may take man towards Unholiness and to take that

Well, that’s the thing. It’s. We’re free-willed. You’re free. No one is going to make you live that kind of experience, you must go and choose, like a drug addict might. To the drug addict, drugs aren’t bad for him. They’re pleasurable, they grant him satisfaction, they give him a certain kind of emotional stability. It allows him to escape his reality, which he definitely, in accordance to his way of living,

cannot understand. This is to say this man is wrong in accordance to my lifestyle but it may not be the subjective case for him. -That’s not right. I don’t believe that. Well, it’s nice to be open-minded. But I do believe there’s such a thing as an instinctive objective order of the good and bad. Yes, there’s a supreme order. -The drug addict is wrong.

The drug addict is wrong. What he does is wrong; how to put it. We’re all addicts of something. And therefore you and I are also wrong. But no one has told us, and we need someone to tell us. What happens with the drug addict is he’s informed of the matter.

-But not he who fasts. I don’t understand. -In spiritual teams. Fasting isn’t a drug, it’s a habit, it’s an accustom, not something you take. -That’s what I mean, on a spiritual level, to not take. To abstain. He who has limits. -He who is void, who exists in the moment. As I understand it in catholicism it’s done at times, to purify or

absolve one self. In other religions, it’s Buda. He truly isn’t an addict. You said you and I, You said everyone. And I believe there are ways to not be it. It’s because you consider it to be a bad thing? -I don’t know, not necessarily, no. A bad thing as in I’m addicted to doing a bad thing. How about someone who does exercise daily, to stay fit. That’s not bad. -is that an addiction? Someone who reads. It may be taken as an addiction by some other person. He goes to the gym every single day. -He went to the church again!

He goes to church every day. What’s going on?! He’s addicted to god! Now he’s praying! he’s becoming addicted to praying! It’s not that addictions are a bad thing, all man are addicted to something. -When you go about, walking on your way, and a dog comes to you as if he’d known you his whole life, Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

plays with you, those are visions, those beautiful moments where your soul interacts with reality. -I believe in the same way there are situations in which one might get into where one interacts with things that are opposite to this beauty. -When one asks through the means of Santeria for The Virgen marry to grant a miracle. Is it in fact The Virgen Mary who heads this call? Would it be Mary who replies? I once met a character, we ended up becoming friends. I’d say to him: Why would you go looking elsewhere for what you already have? Why leave your treasure for something lesser? That doesn’t make sense to me. If we’re called upon to perfect ourselves, to grow, and to reflect ever more finely; why lessen oneself. If you already know the sublime, why would you go towards the obscure? That’s what I can’t wrap my head around. This is what I find incomprehensible of man’s nature. Humans are contradicting. Sometimes where well and because we’re well other people become uncomfortable with us or it may even be so that we become uncomfortable with ourselves. I’m well, but I somehow have to not be well so that I feel at ease. As if they want to be in constant war with themselves. That’s what man is like, we contradict our own existence. One would have to work on the self, to estab137

lish and discern the beauty of living a harmonious life. -What say you of the sea? The sea is beautiful here in a Todos Santos. You can go lay, sleep and be at peace with yourself, discover nature, it’s -It’s mystical, the sea is like the Forrest. If you wanna put it that way. -No, I meant of the darkness. It inherits mysticism. Well, the sea has two realities, life, and death. You may even feel it. It’s dangerous, there also lay neath creatures that go beyond our capacities, the sea inherits two natures. It’s beautiful but at the same time, it can injure you. As long as we can we should enjoy it.

-That sounds hedonistic And even a little selfish too, hu? We should be hedonistic sometimes. -Oh, boy! We should be hedonistic sometimes. -I wasn’t expecting that from a man of order! No; We should. We should

be hedonistic sometimes. -Please tell me more. We should stop, they’ll say this priest is too open-minded! -No, not at all. You kept good composure. You’ve spoken with moderation. -I say it with admiration, too. I’ve come to understand your way of seeing the matter, and you’ve been careful not to answer certain questions I’ve made. You rather reframed my inquiry. -And that ok. Some things may be best left unanswered. Yes. -I see. Well, then again, I am speaking with a future man of Priesthood, not just any man. I may have had my way with most. To speak of the obscure. It’s not for morbidity’s sake. But I do believe there’s something there. That is my opinion. Obscure things within the church? -No. No, no. I mean, and as I said it’s only my own opinion, and I acknowledge why it’s in a way wrong and I comprehend the posture you hold. But it’s that Santeria implements the force of the church to go about its business. To call people towards a nightmare and surely many come to you and ask for holly water to be used in different affairs. And they coast

off of the religious infrastructure of this institution. And it’s more than just that, it’s more than an institution. How many of the devoted who come are in fact not devoted to Catholicism. Yes. -Are they In fact something other, who use the church. Whilst you sit here and let it be. -It may be the right way of doing it.

-You said earlier: Man gets lost looking for something, to be assisted. Why doesn’t the church get involved in the darkness and bring them back? But maybe it shouldn’t. No. That’s not our job. -And your good name? Nor is it our mission. -It becomes atrophied. When I choose to discern a situation

I must first leave myself. -How is that done? When I chose to join the church I must leave myself behind. Everything I am, everything I have I must leave behind to serve a different lifestyle. Otherwise, I’d turn a gracious space into that akin to industry or business. -But then as one loses himself does one lose his will of opposition? I don’t understand. -You said one must lose himself, this is like ego death, is it not? Yes. I mean, there are certain things we must unlearn. -Which is a fine thing to do for oneself. Ego death that is.

Yes, It is. That doesn’t mean I’m not hedonistic you know? It doesn’t mean I don’t like enjoying things. That would be fatalistic of me. I personally really like hedonism, really. In the best sense of the word. Hedonism is about pleasure. About enjoying things,

enjoying creation. To enjoy a beautiful structure, beautiful people, to be in the presence of something greater than myself. Why should I deprive myself of the sun on my skin? -But now you speak as an artist I speak as a human being. -And as far as I understand the order is a thing of purity. Of the mind. What I mean to express is that we’re not completely dissociated from what it means to live in the world. We live in the world as well. Although my job is something other, we live in this world. To deprive oneself of it would be very fatalistic, to go where a breeze can’t reach you, where the sun won’t shine, where you can’t enjoy. That’s not life. That’s my way of seeing it, it’s my way of thinking and the way I live my life. Some might say I’m too liberal. That I go against many practices. But it’s also not as if I impose my views upon others. -What must one sacrifice to become a priest? Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

It’s not sacrifices. They’re free choices. Choice you yourself might make someday. -Can you have a family? I can’t have a family. I mean I can. As a man, I can. But I accept this fate when I begin my studies. You’re aware you’ll be celibate. And as such, you’ll live alone and you’ll have to work on controlling your sexual impulses. Which exists your whole life and within any lifestyle. Be it married or single, sexual impulses will appear. It’s a human matter. But if you wanna put it as a sacrifice, the fact that I’m celibate, then yes. I take it as a life choice. I’ll be celibate. I understand that being celibate lets me enjoy an afternoon with books without anyone bothering me. -Now don’t try to convince me! Ha! Well, maybe that’s the case. Maybe you’re running away from that lifestyle. -You speak of all the opposite, you speak of love, of the breeze. No. We also feel love you know? -I know. But you lose touch of other lively aspects. You won’t have a wife, you won’t have kids, you won’t have a family. But I do have a family. I have parents, I have brothers, I have nephews, I have 139

a Family. The fact that I won’t procreate is different. But I do have a family and my community becomes my family and some might like me, others not so much, some might say this priest is very strict, others not so. Just like a family. You get along with some family members, with others not so much. This lifestyle grants you a family. You just concede of physical contact. -That’s what I was going to bring up. At some point, when your mom passes away, will there be anyone who will caress you? Who knows! -And to no longer feel. It’s beautiful, how would God not want you to feel the warmth of a caress. Which he’s made so great. Well, that’s what I choose. When I was young I felt that warmth. That time should have been marvelously warm. As one grows up we grow apart from mother. -But you may continue to feel warmth from others. The only person left who will still caress you will be your mother, but the day she passes, you’ll be completely deprived of this warmth. How saddening. But there may be other people. -There may? Yes. There may be others, with who to share a hug. I can give hugs. There’s noth-

ing wrong with it. -But what you speak of, how is it I’ll never feel the breeze again. How is it I’ll never feel something intimate A hug, a kiss? -Yes. There’s something other than the banal superficiality of corporal sex. There’s something deeper when two bodies know each other, love each other and their souls intertwine and the contact might be merely a hand on your neck, a caress down your back. Never could mother make flesh feel so warm, and that’s something that at some point in your life, left. As if a last sunset. My mom still lives. -But I speak of touch. -And that is like a breeze, to never be felt again. But it’s a choice. You’re not born into Priesthood. Which is to say that I had my time to feel it.

life with someone. It’s not about the intimacy. Sexuality ends someday. It’s a potential of youth. And therefore ends. You must look for someone to be with. -Most don’t even realize that potential. The sexual act isn’t the fun part. One must cultivate and be there, like a journey, at the right moment, and then take it to its height. It’s not immediate, it’s not just something you do. No. -It’s a flirtation, it takes restraint to wait for the right moment, for the fire to burn bright, and at its hottest, let it consummate itself and burn out.

And do you agree that there’s something mys-I’m not at all judging tical about that too? you. I merely ask, of Something spiritual, the idea, I find it unsomething beautiful? imaginable, but I’m That’s it. Where creatof the arts. Which is ed for that. For love. To of warmth. Of beauty. live in plenitude. That’s And you recognized its our mission, to let our glory, but hold a cerself live in plenitude. tain restraint. It’s not brute, not something you merely take, No, it is very beautiful. it’s not something that I find it beautiful, I find lasts seconds and then it very beautiful. That disípales as if nothing one might share his

happened. If it’s so we should search within in us once more. -Why is there no place in the church for this? There’s a place for everything, that’s why we marry. -Yes, but not as an agent of order. But that’s because I chose it. -But if someone like me were to want to serve the order, I wouldn’t be welcomed. Not if I refuse to yield. The church isn’t at odds with our corpus, with our body. I believe it’s a misunderstand-

ing. -I don’t understand how it works. That’s why I asked at first how the order works. Ah, well, inside of the church there’s also the permanent deacon, these can be married men. -Can they be single? They do exist, the permanent deacon who is single. But it’ll be the same thing. You’d be like me. A permanent deacon as an adult is a married man, with a wife, with children who are independent adults and take care of themselves. That’s the permanent deacon. It’s a process within the church that the whole family

Los Cabos Magazine | Summer 2021

must agree with, the wife must also be a part of the process. If a young man asks to become a deacon he’ll be asked to be celibate to become a deacon. That’s why many chose not to. They don’t want that life. The church’s job is to accompany man as best as it can. It’s not asked of everyone to be consecrated. We can’t all be concentrated. In the same way we can all be president. -It’s been a pleasure speaking with you. Likewise. What’s your name again? Dario.

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TO SUPPORT BUILDING THE NEW SKATEPARK Pescadero, B.C.S., Mexico José Arce Instagram: @josearcesk8 Phone: 6241212448 or contact Los Cabos Magazine at: www.loscabosmagazine.com