G20: And now, they’re gone
By Ed Kociela I saw a lot of photos of the heads of state who were here for the G20 Summit and couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. Here they were, in this tropical paradise, all spiffed out in business attire. Is that any way to enjoy Los Cabos? I realize they had important work to do while they were here, but it was sad to see them all gussied up in shirts, ties, jackets, and dresses. I also felt sorry for members of the Mexican Navy’s infantry, who were clad in their camouflage fatigues with heavy Kevlar vests and helmets. They had to be...
read moreCarlotta a Category 1 hurricane; Baja safe
By Ed Kociela The Mexican government has issued a hurricane warning along the Pacific Coast from Punta Maldonado to Acapulco. The National Hurricane Center reports that Hurricane Carlotta has been classified as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph with higher gusts. Forecasters say it will build in intensity this afternoon and evening to Category 2 status. The hurricane is well south of Baja California Sur and no impact is expected in the Los Cabos area. However, the National Hurricane Center has released a statement...
read moreG20: It’s time
By Ed Kociela About a year ago, a friend of mine in the tourism bureau told me all about the preparations under way for the G20 Summit, a gathering of the top 20 heads of state from around the world here in Los Cabos. There was a lot of work to do at the time. There were pieces of the infrastructure–from road repairs to sewer line replacements–that had to be taken care of. There was a renovation of the San Jose del Cabo historic downtown. And, oh, yeah, there was a convention center to build. When I spoke with my friend, they...
read moreG20 closures, restrictions
By Ed Kociela Security for the G20 Summit, a meeting of the top 20 heads of state from across the globe, is beginning to tighten as Los Cabos prepares for as many as 10,000 visitors who will take part in the meetings, which will be held in San Jose del Cabo June 18-19. Heightened security measures include: Closure of the toll road leading to the San Jose del Cabo airport. The old route through San Jose del Cabo will remain open. (June 14-19) Restrictions on all beaches from the Holiday Inn (formerly known as the Presidente Intercontinental)...
read moreThe race is on to finish G20 site
By Ed Kociela On a hilltop overlooking the city of San Jose del Cabo, work crews are hustling furiously to finish construction of a convention center where the world’s top leaders will gather in mid-June for the G20 Summit. They’ve already had one pre-meeting here. A couple months ago, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in town to take part in some sessions running up to the G20 Summit and to sign some sort of an oil deal with Mexico. The city was buttoned up pretty good for her visit, with local, state, and federal police all over...
read moreFeliz Dia de las Madres
By Ed Kociela Mother’s Day is probably the most celebrated non-religious holiday around the globe. A lot of dinero is spent here on cards, flowers, dinners, gifts, you name it, as Mexico celebrates Dia de las Madres, Mother’s Day, which is always on May 10. Although things are changing a bit, Mexican culture usually views the father as the ruler of the family, the mother as its heart. Now, more often than not, my wife assumes both places in our household, but that’s only because she has more common sense and wisdom. Dia de las Madres is a big...
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