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What Do The Masters Golf Tournament and Los Cabos Have in Common?

April 11, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Sunday saw the concluding round of The Masters tournament, one of the golf’s four major competitions, and an annual rite of spring for North American sports viewers. Spain’s Sergio Garcia won in a playoff, but Fred Couples once again made a strong showing, as the 57-year-old showed flashes of the form that earned him the coveted green jacket at Augusta National back in 1992.

Couples has also been in the news for another reason:  the start of construction on the Twin Dolphin Golf Club in Los Cabos. The 64-time professional winner is working with Todd Eckenrode of Origins Golf Design on the course layout, which is expected to be ready for play by late 2018. “We want this to be a course that all players can enjoy,” Couples said.  “With its multiple sets of tees, it will vary in length and will feature undulating greens, dramatic elevation changes, impeccable fairways and natural bunkering.”

Named for an iconic Los Cabos resort that was open for decades on the same site, the Twin Dolphin Golf Club is set above scenic Santa Maria Bay, about six miles from Land’s End in the tourist corridor than connects cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

The March 28 announcement that ground had broken on this high-profile project added even more luster to an already unparalleled region for golf. Three of Los Cabos’ 15 operating courses are currently ranked among the top 100 in the world.  Six were designed by Jack Nicklaus, who holds the all-time record for major championships with 18; two more were designed by Tiger Woods, who is second on that list; and one each was designed by major champions Greg Norman, Davis Love III and Tom Weiskopf. Woods, Norman and now Couples are all currently at work on new layouts.

In addition to the championship level 18-hole golf course, which is set within a larger 1,400 acre hotel and residential development, Twin Dolphin Golf Club will also include a full practice range, short-game practice chipping areas, practice putting greens, a full-service clubhouse, on-course amenities and service staff, and of course, as befits a former Masters champion’s signature design, caddies.

Want to tee it up in Los Cabos? Contact Los Cabos Vacation Rentals for info on luxurious but affordably priced villa accommodations and custom tailored “stay and play” golf packages.

Call Los Cabos Vacation Rentals 1-888-655-4548

Los Cabos Golf

Photo courtesy of Flickr user SN#1.

 

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Los Cabos Fishing Report – April 9, 2017

April 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

April 9, 2017

With the spring season now officially arriving, belated daylight savings time also now adjusted, we continue to see increasing numbers of tourists, most schools have now taken off,  or are in the process of their spring vacation break. Local schools will be out this coming week and this is also traditionally the period when families take extended time off from daily routines, majority of them going on beach camping excursions, hard to find locals that will be available to work this coming weekend, this is time to spend with family and friends.

Weather patterns have been very pleasant, still dropping down into the upper 50 early in the mornings, days have been mostly clear, plenty of warm sunshine, highs near 90 degrees and winds were moderate, southern swells are becoming more predominate in recent weeks. Businesses have been busy providing services for vacationers, a good percentage deciding to their luck at sportfishing.

With higher surf conditions, the bait netters were not able to reach the schools of sardinas, warmer currents, now up to 73/74 degrees, have brought in more caballito in the marina area, anglers are also using some ballyhoo and squid. Some bottom action is being found with yo-yo jigs and the open water trolling is starting to finally produce some action. The warmer current is now closer to shore, off of San Del Cabo and towards Los Frailes, offshore the water is cooler, down to 70 degrees.

The striped marlin action improved overall this past week, on and off action trolling with lures and dropping back baits, near the 1150 spot, also shifting north off of San Luis, encouraging sign to see some billfish activity, it had been very limited throughout winter, now every day you are hearing about people having opportunities at marlin. Also a few reports of dorado offshore. Yellowfin tuna are striking on hoochie type lures closer to shore near Iman Bank, smaller tuna to 15 lb. Some yellowfin to over 30 lb. were landed from the charters that tried drift fishing over the same grounds, strips of squid is what enticed these larger tuna, though this bite was sporadic, one day s few fish, the next day none.

This week the action improved as the water temperatures warmed, cleaner currents shifted closer to shore north of Punta Gorda and winds laid down. The grounds from Cardon, La Fortuna, Iman and San Luis all showed better signs of surface action, wahoo even became more active later in the week, striking on trolled skirted lures and Rapalas, weighing to over 40 lb., also striped marlin were hooked into and smaller grade of yellowfin tuna striking on lures. These same grounds produced a mix of bottom species, a few more amberjack showing up, striking on yo-yo jigs, one amber weighed in at 90 lb. Heard of one nice yellowtail and a handful of leopard grouper. The big red snapper bite on the Outer Gordo Banks faded out, as the unusual run of larger crabs diminished, commercial fleet has been imported the smaller pelagic red crabs for use as bait for the snapper, though when the bigger crabs were drifting to the surface, those are what really produced the larger grade of red snapper, locally referred to as huachinango.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 78 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 14 striped marlin, 15 wahoo, 2 dorado, 36 yellowfin tuna, 1 yellowtail, 17 amberjack, 24 yellow snapper, , 15 leopard grouper, 380 huachinango, 12 sierra, 10 mojarra, 30 black skipjack and 80 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

—

GORDO BANKS PANGAS

Eric Brictson / Operator

619 488-1859

Los Cabos (624) 142-1147

e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com

WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM

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Gastrovino Takes Food and Wine to Another Level in Todos Santos

April 3, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Todos Santos has two distinct event seasons. The first takes place during the first few months of each year, when the Pacific Coast pueblo magico hosts a series of cultural festivals celebrating music, art, writing and film. The second begins in May and extends through the summer months, with the focus shifting to the culinary sphere.

Gastrovino is the first and best of these palate pleasing events, an annual food and wine festival that pairs fine fare and lively entertainment with wines from Mexico’s premier growing region, Valle de Guadalupe outside Ensenada. The festival, which returns May 5 – 7, was the brainchild of the owners of La Bodega de Todos Santos, a local boutique that specializes in wine and olive oil.

Over the past five years, Gastrovino has continued to grow in reputation, with auxiliary events like a Friday dinner at the historic Hotel California leading up to the main event on Sunday:  a food and wine extravaganza in the town’s plaza publico, complete with musical performances and a silent auction to benefit local causes.

This year, the Friday dinner at Hotel California has been transformed into an elegant White Ball, adding fashionable accents to the traditional feast, which falls on Cinco de Mayo. Saturday brings a GastroTour of the beautiful downtown district, as well as a Blind Wine Tasting Challenge at Jazamango Restaurant, with prizes going to the top three finishers after a flight of 12 wines.

The main event Sunday starts at 2 p.m., and features performances from the winner of La Voz Mexico (a national version of the international television series The Voice), top regional chefs and winemakers, artists painting live, a circus show, and discounted prices on bottles of wine. As always, proceeds are earmarked for charity, with the majority going to the Palapa Society of Todos Santos (which supports children’s causes), and the rest to the restoration of Old San Juan Park. The “after party” starts at the Sky Lounge at Guaycura Boutique Hotel & Spa at 7 p.m.

Todos Santos is less than an hour by car from Cabo San Lucas. Ticket prices vary according to each event, and may be purchased at several locations around Baja California Sur:  La Bodega de Todos Santos and Libreria El Tecolote in Todos Santos; Got Baja in La Paz; and the Wine Market and Galeria Pez Gordo in Los Cabos. For more information, visit http://gastrovino.mx/fest/.

Poster courtesy of Gastrovino Food and Wine Festival.

Call Los Cabos Vacation Rentals Now @ 1-888-655-4548

 

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Semana Santa and Mexican Spring Break

March 28, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Spring Break in Cabo San Lucas is like a series of waves:  first come the college students from Canada, then from the U.S., and finally from Mexico itself. The latter phenomenon is typically contemporaneous with Semana Santa – Holy Week, the week before Easter in the Catholic Church – a period in which not only students on mid-semester break, but often entire families take advantage of the holiday period to travel to popular beach destinations around the country.

For U.S and Canadian travelers, the important things to note about Semana Santa are the week-long closure of most banks and virtually all government offices, and of course the increased competition for accommodations of all kinds. Beaches are also much busier than usual. On the plus side, Semana Santa offers an interesting glimpse into the Catholic core of Mexican culture, and provides another good reason to visit the Los Cabos region’s lovely, historic churches.

Parroquia San Lucas Evangelista is the oldest church in Cabo San Lucas, dating to 1950, when a local school teacher named Amelia Wilkes – namesake of the plaza across the street – donated the land upon which it is constructed. There are several interesting features of this church. The bell in the bell tower dates to 1746, when it was consecrated to San Ignacio, and historical documents were placed in a bottle and built into one of the columns at the main entrance.

Parroquia San José has a much older history, its roots in the Jesuit mission built at what is now Plaza Misión (where the site is marked by a plaque) by Fr. Nicolas Tamaral in 1730. Tamaral was killed by the region’s indigenous inhabitants, the Pericú, after an ill-fated ban on polygamy in 1734. The mission closed in the 19th century, and Parroquia San José was built in 1840. Eight years later it played an integral role in the Siege of San José del Cabo during the Mexican-American War. A hurricane badly damaged the church in 1918, and it was not fully restored until 1940. Among its most famous features is the tile mosaic above the main entrance depicting the death of Tamaral.

This year, Semana Santa begins on Sunday, April 9, and culminates with Easter Sunday the following week, on April 16. Both Parroquia San Lucas Evangelista and Parroquia San José offer bilingual masses at noon on each of these Sundays.

Photo of Parroquia San José courtesy of Thelmadatter.

 

 

 

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Cheese and Wine Festival Benefits Local Children

March 21, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Los Cabos has burnished its wining and dining reputation in recent years with an ever increasing series of spectacular culinary themed events, from the enormous annual Sabor a Cabo festival – which features upwards of 50 top local chefs – to chic tasting affairs like ultra-luxury property The Resort at Pedregal’s summertime Art of Taste.

For connoisseurs of cultured milk products and fermented grape juice, however, the standard setter remains the yearly Cheese & Wine Festival, the 5th edition of which takes place this Saturday, March 25, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Proceeds from the high-end foodie fete, as always, go to benefit the Los Cabos Children’s Foundation, which for the past 13 years has been working to provide access to pediatric oncology, cardiology and intensive care programs to local children with serious medical issues.

The backdrop for this gustatory celebration will also be familiar to attendees of earlier incarnations:  the elegant and expansive Salon Hacienda ballroom at Sheraton’s 270-room showpiece resort in the Cabo del Sol development at Punta Ballena, a whale-shaped point overlooking the Sea of Cortez between cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

Sheraton’s Hacienda del Mar property has long been famed as a special events destination (Hacienda del Mar hosted each of the previous four Cheese & Wine Festivals, and also welcomes participants and guests for both the Los Cabos International Film Festival and the Los Cabos Pro-Am Golf Tournament); as well as for its numerous excellent onsite restaurants, which include Pitahayas (whose chef, Volker Romeike, pioneered pan-Asian fusion cuisine in Los Cabos), De Cortez Grill (home to superb steaks and seafood) and Girasoles (lauded for its traditional Mexican specialty dishes).

For tickets or additional information about the 5th annual Cheese and Wine Festival, visit www.sheratonhaciendadelmar.com, email hacienda.delmar@ sheraton.com, or call (624) 145-8000.

 

Photo courtesy of Sheraton Grand Los Cabos Hacienda del Mar.

 

 

 

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Los Cabos Fishing Report – March 19, 2017

March 19, 2017 by Leave a Comment

March 19, 2017

A steady flow of spring break vacationers continue to arrive in Los Cabos, also this is the big week for the annual San Jose del Cabo traditional as well, so the town is very busy. The weather is progressively warming up, already feeling like late spring, winds were light in recent days, skies were clear and high temperatures were in the mid-80s, ideal climate now. Still lots of whales being sighted, we expect with this warming trend, that these mammals will start heading north soon.

Schools of sardinas are being found near Palmilla, on most days sufficient supplies were being netted, other bait options included ballyhoo and strips of squid. Most of the local action has now been found from off of Palmilla, to Punta Gorda, La Fortuna and to the Iman Bank. Not much at all being found further offshore for the charters that did scout that out, lack of billfish action at this time, most charters are fishing closer to shore and over the normal rocky structure areas until reports offshore improve

Yellowfin tuna action was very spotty, the tuna were seen at times on the surface, but were very finicky in striking baits, not hitting on lures either. Best chances were found while drift fishing or slow trolling with live sardinas over the grounds of La Fortuna and the Iman Bank, we were only seeing a handful of yellowfin landed each day, anglers were fortunate to land one of them, of the fish we saw, they averaged 20 to 30 lb, though we did see one 60 lb. fish brought in mid-week. There were more black skipjack than anything else.

Off the bottom, on these same grounds, we saw a mix of species such as yellow snapper, island jack, amherjack, cabrilla, red snapper, pargo and triggerfish. Not a lot of larger fish, mostly in the 4 to 10 lb. range, no big quantities either, but all very good eating. Strong currents have been running, this never helps anything, especially when fishing the bottom. Inshore the main action was for sierra while using sardinas, we saw a few nicer sized fish up to eight pounds accounted for.

We have not seen any dorado recently, though we did have big surprise with a wahoo bite developing off of Punta Gorda, this is something we normally would see in December. Even though the water temperature is in the lower 70s, there were sizable schools of wahoo holding in this area, which is less than a mile from shore. Sizes ranging from 15 lb. to 60 lb. Fish were a bit finicky, coming up on baits, most often not striking, other times they would hit sardinas or rigged ballyhoo and many also hit on yo-yo jigs. A few of the local skippers tried other techniques normally used only while trying to snag baitfish such as mullet, not an approved method, but wahoo are very elusive and open game. Of course the word got out of this action by later in the week and then we saw free divers with spears working the same spot, this is always a quick way to spook the fish out of the area. With the ongoing warming trend anything can happen and this wahoo action in recent days has been a prime example of this, as March is not the normal season when we find these prized sought after gamefish.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 72 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of:  24 yellowfin tuna, 7 amberjack, 2 island jacks, 1 sheepshead, 33 wahoo, 25 yellow snapper, 14 flag cabrilla, 19 leopard grouper, 62 huachinango, 75 sierra, 60 black skipjack and 110 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

—

GORDO BANKS PANGAS

Eric Brictson / Operator

619 488-1859

Los Cabos (624) 142-1147

e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com

WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM

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NORRA Mexican 1000 Celebrates 50th Anniversary

March 15, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Without doubt, the Baja California peninsula’s most iconic annual event is the Baja 1000,
a high-octane, high-adrenaline off-road challenge for motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs and other four-wheel vehicles that unfolds over 1,000 miles of rugged terrain.

When the event premiered in 1967 – as a race from Tijuana to La Paz – it was under the auspices of the National Off-Road Racing Association, formed the year before by a group of enthusiasts led by Ed Pearlman and Don Francisco. The latter had been involved in the early 1950s with the Carrera Panamericana, an over 2,000 mile road race across much of mainland Mexico that was then considered the most dangerous racing event in the world. It was Francisco that flew all around Baja to chart a viable course for the first race, Pearlman who handled press and promotion. This was the beginning of the legendary Baja 1000.

NORRA backed out of the race following the OPEC Oil Crisis in 1973, and there was no race at all in 1974. In 1975, eager to continue the tradition, Baja California governor Milton Castellanos convinced promoter Mickey Thompson and his SCORE (Southern California Off-Road Enterprises) organization to take over the race, which they did in 1975. The Baja 1000 has been run under the SCORE banner ever since.

But it was the first few years under NORRA that set the standard for modern off-road racing, and drew celebrity contestants like Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones, as well as Hollywood movie stars like James Garner and Steve McQueen.

In order to honor that heritage, NORRA restarted the Mexican 1000 in 2010 as a fun, vintage-style rally race. Dubbed “The Happiest Race on Earth,” the new look Mexican 1000 features a mix of restored motorcycles, cars and trucks from the glory era of the Baja 1000, as well as modern desert rally cars. Classes are divided by eras to keep it fun and competitive for all, with high-speed off-road stages linked by controlled-speed highway portions.

The 50th anniversary running of the NORRA Mexican 1000 takes place April 23 – 27, 2017, coursing down the peninsula from Ensenada to San Felipe, San Felipe to Bahia de los Angeles, Bahia de los Angeles to Loreto, Loreto to La Paz, and finishing in San Jose del Cabo, site of the post-race awards ceremony.

To find out more about this legendary event and its fascinating history, visit https://www.norra.com/.

Photo courtesy of National Off-Road Racing Association.

 

 

 

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The History of Los Cabos by Population Figures

March 6, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Although it would obviously be impossible to tell a nuanced story of Los Cabos based solely on population numbers, these figures do quite elegantly suggest the grand sweep – the soaring highs and devastating lows – of local history.

When the first permanent European settlement on the Baja California peninsula was established by Jesuit missionaries at Loreto in 1697, there were a mere 10 Europeans and an estimated 50,000 indigenous inhabitants. The latter comprised three main tribal groups, one of which was the Pericues, nomadic people whose territorial range included virtually all of the present day municipality of Los Cabos.

The first Jesuit mission was built in San Jose del Cabo in 1730, and by 1799 the community had grown to some 389 inhabitants. Cabo San Lucas, although a port of consequence from the 16th century, was not settled and ranched until the 1820s. In 1835, when an English surgeon and naturalist named Frederick Debell Bennett visited Cabo San Lucas, the small pueblo had only about 30 residents.

By 1851, the peninsular population had dwindled to about 7,000. The natives had largely perished due to European introduced diseases, and many of the Spanish colonizers had left following the Mexican–American War, or because of the subsequent discovery of gold in the former Mexican territory of Alta California.

By 1900, however, the peninsular population had rebounded to almost 50,000, or approximately the number of people who had lived there prior to the European influx. After a five year fin de siglo drought, San Jose thrived as a farming and ranching community during the early 20th century, and by the beginning of the Mexican Revolution in 191o boasted 4,300 residents. Neighboring San Lucas, even with the introduction of a productive cannery, maintained a steady population of about 300 souls as late as 1955.

The age of tourism in Los Cabos effectively began with the opening of Rod Rodriguez’s Hotel Las Cruces Palmilla (on the site of the present day One&Only Palmilla) in 1958. From that point, the demographic arrow shot straight up. Cabo San Lucas grew from 300 to 16,059 by 1990; to 28,483 by 1995; and by 2010 had reached 68,464 residents. Growth in San Jose del Cabo was not quite as spectacular, but as of 2010 it retained its traditional advantage over its cape sister, with 69,788 inhabitants.

The Los Cabos municipality as a whole – which consists of the cape cities and their connecting corridor, plus the East Cape and small towns like Santiago and Miraflores – went from 10,000 residents in 1970 to an all-time high of 287,671 in 2015.

Those figures are expected to rise to keep pace with the current building boom, in which hotel capacity is increasing by about 35% over a three year period. But how high they will ultimately go is a story that is still in progress.

Image of the Jesuits converting the native Pericues courtesy of the Cabo San Lucas Natural History Museum.

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Los Cabos Fishing Report – March 5, 2017

March 5, 2017 by Leave a Comment

March 5, 2017

Similar pattern continues, many tourists arriving from northern territories to enjoy the ideal Southern Baja winter time climate. Not a large percentage of these visitors are serious hard core anglers, though many are deciding to give sportfishing a try as one of their many activity options to choose from. Scores of whales, as well as manta rays, sea lions and sea turtles are an added attraction for sightseeing. As we now transition towards the late winter season, low temperatures early in the morning are much milder, clear sunny skies have prevailed and daytime highs are near 80 degrees and this next week is forecast to be even warmer. Ideal time now to visit this resort area, surely the first waves of spring breakers will be arriving soon.

Ocean swells are moderate, water temperature is now on a slight warming trend, now averaging in the 71 to 73 degree range. Winds were predominately from the north, coming in cycles of two or three days, then diminishing for a period before returning, but for the most part the conditions were favorable for anglers to target what available options there have been. The red snapper bite had slowed over last weekend on the Outer Gordo Banks, but picked back up to start this week, the rare run of larger sized crabs were again present and were being netted and used for baits to drop down for the huachinango action, limits of these true Pacific red snapper were the rule, early in the day these fish were also readily striking on yo-yo style jigs, one California sheepshead weighing close to 30 lb. was also accounted for. This action for the snapper faded out again later in the week, north winds contributed to this and the crabs became very scarce as well, hard to say how this action will pan out in the coming weeks. Not much else going on for a variety of bottom species, a mix of yellow snapper, a few amberjack, cabrilla and the ever present triggerfish off rock piles closer to shore. No yellowtail action be reported this past week.

Sardinas have continued to found schooling close to shoe along stretches from the Regina Resort to Chileno and this was the bait of choice, with squid strips as a backup. The yellowfin tuna action has starting back up off of the Cabo San Lucas Arches, picked up strong mid-week for fish ranging 20 to 40 lb., quality sized yellowfin within a stones through of the shoreline. Wind was not a factor on these grounds, very calm, though once the word got out on this bite developing again the crowds swarmed, of course the sea lions and sea gulls were all in on this action as well. Anglers were doing best while slow trolling the live sardinas, but had to deal with the birds and sea lions taking their baits and then once actually hooking a tuna had to be  fortunate to escape from having a sea lion grab the battling fish. Overall charters were accounted for an average of three to six tuna per morning trip, with many black skipjack in the mix.

With very limited billfish action being found throughout the area and no dorado or wahoo to speak of, this bite for the yellowfin was definitely the best option presently. During this transition period a lot can happen from week to week, still hoping to see some yellowtail of decent size show up, have not seen any numbers of them now for several years, with water temperatures starting to rise hard to say what will develop.

Limited action close to shore now for mainly sierra, along the beach stretches from Palmilla towards Cabo San Lucas, no word of roosterfish recently, though warming water should start to bring in more roosters.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 72 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 sheepshead, 1 wahoo,170 yellowfin tuna, 8 bonito, 11 yellow snapper, 5 leopard grouper, 124 huachinango, 15 sierra, 4 amberjack and 80 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

—

GORDO BANKS PANGAS

Eric Brictson / Operator

619 488-1859

Los Cabos (624) 142-1147

e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com

WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM

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14th Annual Todos Santos Film Festival Kicks Off Tonight

March 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Los Cabos burst upon the cinematic circuit in 2012, with a flurry of red carpet galas and glamorous  soirees featuring A-list movie stars. The arrival of the Los Cabos International Film Festival was good news for Baja California Sur based cinephiles, but hardly a novelty since the nearby pueblo magico of Todos Santos had been hosting its own celebration of motion pictures since 2004.

The most traditional and long-running local film festival returns tonight, March 1, with a celebration of Youth in Video – one of the festival’s more enduring programs – at La Morena restaurant in Todos Santos; an evening of special screenings at the historic Teatro-Cine General Manuel Marquez de Leon; and, in the state capital of La Paz, a documentary about Mexican revolutionary hero Pancho Villa, as well as awards honoring the director, Carlos Bolado, distinguished actor Damian Alcazar, and actor and native son Enoc Leaño.

The 14th annual edition of the Todos Santos Film Festival will conclude Sunday, March 5. In the interim, locals and visitors alike are invited to enjoy a slate of fine films representing the best of contemporary Mexican and Latin American cinema. Given its proximity to Los Cabos – Todos Santos is less than an hour by car from Cabo San Lucas – the festival is one of the region’s most popular cultural attractions.

El Festival de Cine Todos Santos, as it is known in Spanish, was originally founded by local resident Sylvia Perel. Born in Argentina, Perel took a degree in Art History and founded and directed The Latino Film Festival in San Francisco before settling in Baja California Sur in 2000. Her meticulously curated Todos Santos Film Festival has, from its inception, been dedicated to promoting cinematic culture in the region, and in recent years has increasingly established a presence in nearby Pescadero, as well as in La Paz. Screenings will once again be held in all three communities this year: at Casa Ejidal in Pescadero, and at Cinemex and other select locations in La Paz.

The primary showcase, however, remains the beautifully renovated Teatro-Cine General Manuel Marquez de Leon, a vintage theater which first opened in 1944 across from the plaza principal in Todos Santos. Named for a 19th century military leader and freedom fighter, the Marquez on the marquee was a native of the mining community of San Antonio, but resided for many years in Todos Santos. His name also graces the international airport in La Paz.

Although all screenings are in Spanish, gringos needn’t feel excluded. Each of the  films screened at the 14th annual Todos Santos Film Festival will be accompanied by English subtitles. For a complete program of movie listings, or for information about tickets, visit www.todossantoscine.org.

Photo courtesy of the Todos Santos Film Festival.

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