Todos Santos, Mexico: Pueblo Mágico, Indeed

There are a lot of reasons I could give to explain why Todos Santos is one of my favorite places on Earth. My go-to response is: it’s the one place where my family and I go to do absolutely nothing. Apparently there is a ton to explore around Baja California Sur, but besides exploring the nearby beaches and driving over to La Paz (once, maybe twice?), we tend to stick to the town of Todos Santos, and more specifically Casa Luna — our house.

morning fog over the town of todos santos

We stumbled upon Casa Luna during our first trip to Todos Santos in 2005. We’re not a family that usually vacations in the same place every year; we like to travel to new destinations. We’re also not a family that has ever purchased real estate on vacation; in fact, I don’t think that idea had ever crossed my parents’ minds, let alone in a foreign country. So when we ended up touring houses with a real estate agent after only spending 5 days in Todos Santos, it was pretty clear that this town had a special charm that made a strong impression on all of us. Casa Luna was one of the houses we saw on that tour; 15+ years later, Casa Luna is home.

when we bought our house, our street was so new it was called “calle sin nombre”

Our agenda when we went to Todos Santos as a family was pretty simple:

1. Go to the beach (in the early years for boogie boarding; in the later years for tanning)

2. Drink margaritas (while watching the sunset)

3. Read books (we’d average a book a day and pass them around)

4. Eat tacos (and all the other amazing food we could find)

We were so content doing only those things. We didn’t have Internet access in the house, so we were forced to just be — to enjoy the house, the surroundings, the view (including the whales you could see from our rooftop), and each other’s company. We’d make a trip once a day to a cafe or restaurant to have a meal (or a smoothie, or a margarita) and access the Internet to check our email (and later, social media). We watched the sunset every single night, without fail.

la esquina - our favorite spot for wifi and 2-for-1 margaritas

casa luna - our favorite spot for whale watching and sunset viewing

Over the years, we invited our family and friends to join us, starting with my mom’s best friend who helped furnish the house. The two of them schlepped a 16-passenger van back and forth between Todos Santos and Cabo San Lucas — on what used to be a 2-lane road along rocky seaside cliffs, where the combination of slow-moving 16-wheelers and impatient drivers who liked to pass on a curve made the drive quite treacherous.

Every single trip I made to Todos Santos has a memory like that:

• The initial trips where we were “those people” at the airport bringing way too much luggage for a vacation in Cabo. Little did our fellow travelers know our suitcases weren’t full of vacation wear, but linens, towels, and dishes for Casa Luna.

• The time we were at Los Cerritos Beach (before it had been built up) and my high school bestie saw two boys struggling in a riptide so she swam out to save them (successfully!) but almost drowned herself.

• The time when my grandpa tripped down some stairs and ended up at urgent care. The two of us were taken into a dimly-lit, sterile, concrete room with dark spots on the walls (blood?) and left alone. My big, strong, non-Spanish speaking grandfather who has never needed my help grabbed my arm and said, “Don’t leave me.”

• The time with my aunt at Christmas where we cleared out the living room and had a dance party. The only Christmas decorations we had were an angel carved out of wood and our chili pepper lights. We still have those decorations.

• The college roommate trip where my parents picked us up at the airport, loaded us up with food at Costco, took us out to dinner, and then left the 8 of us alone on our own in Mexico (thanks mom and dad!). We mis-timed our return to the airport and I ended up driving us back to Cabo in our rented minivan at approximately 2x the speed limit. We all made our flights.

• The time my mom asked me to check on the house with her after Hurricane Odile struck in 2014 (it was so strong that it destroyed the SJD airport). It was a 4-day trip (the shortest trip I’ve ever taken to Todos Santos), which meant only two full days of tanning. So while my mom went around repairing damages to the house, my princess self laid out on the deck and tanned. (Sorry, mom.)

• The multiple times I came with friends that were full of strawberry daiquiris on the beach (Los Cerritos had been built up by then and had its own beach club), esquites in Doritos bags (don’t knock it ’til you try it), and driving Mexico-style (aka with a small post-margarita buzz). But mostly, they had to adjust to how I do things down here — to do nothing and to be quiet — and to their credit, they (mostly) complied.

• The two times when Casa Luna was rented but my craving for Todos Santos was so strong that I reached out to friends in town and was able to stay in their empty casitas. It helped me learn that even if I’m not staying at Casa Luna, I can still come to Todos Santos and have an amazing time. (The knowledge of which is helpful knowing that as I write this, this will be my last day in Casa Luna.)

• The time I brought my grandma here after her house burnt down in the Camp Fire in 2018. She got to escape “reality and the smoke that still lingered in California, and spend time with my aunt (her daughter) who was living in Casa Luna at the time. It was a trip that neither she, nor I, realized was so badly needed.

• The many times with my siblings when we invented games like “Tope” and phrases like “TTT” and had sunset photo shoots (thank goodness Instagram hadn’t been invented yet). The laughs and the memories are endless.

todos has the best sunsets, hands down

My most recent trip to Todos Santos is coming to an end tomorrow, and with it, my time at Casa Luna. The house is in escrow, and having been on the market for several years now, it’s about time.

I was fortunate to get to spend the past two months here. For me, it was an opportunity to end 2020 on a different note than the rest of the year; it was a chance to take some time for myself after experiencing a lot of loneliness and isolation; and it was a moment to have with this house and in this town that I love.

Considering we were still in a pandemic when I came down here, I knew that I might have to roll with the punches because conditions and regulations were changing all the time. What I didn’t know is that I’d be dealing with a whole other set of challenges: having my purse and wallet stolen from my house (while I was home), quarantining from my roommate who thought he had Covid (thank goodness he didn’t), having my passport and camera stolen in a second robbery (also while I was home), and then carrying my remaining valuables on my person every second of every day until I departed.

Through all of those challenges, I had incredible support, not only from my family at home but from friends and neighbors (old and new!) here in Todos Santos. When I had to quarantine from my roommate, our neighbors across the street brought me food. When my passport was stolen, our next-door neighbors printed the paperwork I needed to confirm my identity. When I had to file a police report, a woman from the neighborhood watch group (who also happens to live down the street) accompanied me to the police station multiple times.

I never thought that my aunt being in Todos Santos at the same time would turn out to be a blessing in disguise as well. When I needed a physical outlet for my stress, we played tennis; when I needed moral support, she provided the wine; when I needed a car to go to the police station, she lent me her Jeep; when I needed someone to spend the night after the second robbery when I could still smell his presence, I didn’t even have to ask. At every turn, these people checked in on me, made sure I was okay, gave me updates on what was happening in the neighborhood and town, and in general, were just good people.

As I walked around the neighborhood today to say “thank you” and “goodbye” to everyone, that’s the lasting impression I’m left with — it’s the people. It’s the many family members and friends who we shared this house, town, and some of our favorite memories with; it’s the neighbors and friends we met along the way who opened their homes to us, including the woman who first invited us to stay at her house in 2005; it’s the locals who have always been kind, curious, and welcoming. The kindness, humor, and generosity that I received from all of them is what will last with me the longest.

In 2005, my parents made a crazy decision to purchase a house in a foreign country where they didn’t speak the language. Their “midlife crisis” did not come without its challenges of navigating home ownership in Mexico and managing a property from 1,600 miles away. When I think about the many changes to life, family, and health that have occurred over the past 15+ years, I recognize the risk and sacrifice they made, and I could not be more grateful to them and the choice they made to give our family this special place in space and time. I’d say it paid off.

There is something special about Todos Santos — the people it attracts, and especially those who see and feel that spark, and those who choose to stay (or come back many times). My time and experiences here have taught me that you can make a home anywhere you go. If you’re willing to embrace a place with all its challenges and setbacks (and the rogue ladrón), it will embrace you right back. So with that: Thank you, Todos Santos. You are magic.

---

Recommendations approved by the Reed Wong Family

Restaurants

• La Esquina - they serve mostly breakfast and lunch and they have a great setting and service

• Fonda El Zaguán - our go-to order: guacamole and totopos, fish or shrimp in beurre blanc, and arrachera (they’re now operating out of La Morena)

• Miguel’s Restaurant - best chile rellenos in town

• Caffe Todos Santos - great breakfast; try their chilaquiles, smoothies, and pastries (we love the turnovers)

Cafes

• Baja Beans - on Sundays there’s often an outdoor market with local artisans and live music

Places

• Los Cerritos Beach

• Las Palmas Beach

Additional Recommendations approved by Veronica

Restaurants

• Tacos El Poblano - best al pastor tacos; I get them “con todo” on flour tortillas

• Hierbabuena - eat from their garden while sitting in their garden; it’s a beautiful setting

• El Refugio Mezcaleria - Thursday is pozole night; I highly recommend their cooking class

• Emmanuel Fish Tacos - best fish tacos; stop on your way back from Cerritos

• Restaurant Bar Bahía - huge portions of ceviche

Bars

• Jardín Alquimia - cute setting, great drinks

• The Green Room - a bar on the beach with the best vibe and views

• La Cocina de Cleo - this is a restaurant but they have a great margarita

Cafes

• Taller 17 - a little grab-and-go place with the best pastries (the sticky buns are my favorite)

• Docecuarenta - fancy (and big!) new cafe on the edge of town with a hipster vibe

• Coffee Shop Las Tunas - cute (and well priced!) coffee shop in a relaxed, garden setting

Viñales, Cuba: Off the Beaten Path, Onto a Dirt Road

When you think of Cuba, you might imagine an ice cold mojito, a warm cubano, a classic car chugging down the street, Fidel and Raul Castro in their revolutionary green caps, or a colorful street lined with lively Cuban people. But I would bet the image of Cuba that pops into most people’s minds is: the Cuban cigar.

tobacco leaves hung to dry

Cuban cigars have been treasured for centuries. The Taíno Indians, the native peoples of Cuba, were already smoking tobacco in a cigar-like form when Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean in the 15th century. Before authorizing the U.S. trade embargo in 1962 and effectively making them contraband, President John F. Kennedy ordered one of his aides to bring back 1,200 hand-rolled cigars from Cuba.

I am not a huge smoker (cigar, cigarette, or otherwise), but there was no way I was going to Cuba and not exploring this part of the country’s history and culture. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Havana to Viñales — the name of both the city and the valley that are home to Cuba’s tobacco fields. Some travel guides say you can make a day trip out of it, but if you want to experience the true Viñales, you have to take it slow.

every front porch has two rocking chairs and a laundry line

Everywhere in Cuba, people live the stoop life: Whether it’s on the stairs in front of their house or a second floor balcony, they find a comfortable chair, turn it toward the street, grab a cigar or a mojito, and people-watch. They holler to their neighbors as they walk by, invite friends in to join them for a drink, and thoroughly enjoy the passage of time from sun up to sundown. Nowhere is this more true than in Viñales. Every house, or casa particular, has a front porch with two rocking chairs (which are usually painted to complement the color of the house). Without moving, they beckon you to take a load off, grab a good book, and rock away the afternoon. And that’s exactly what we did. After some exploring, of course.

the stoop life

To avoid the challenges of renting a car in an unfamiliar country and navigating the roads without access to Google Maps, we decided to hire a driver to take us from Havana to Viñales, which ended up having its own challenges. We woke up at 7 a.m. to start the drive, and from the get go, we were on Cuban time. Our driver was MIA for 30 minutes while we tried to get in touch with the car company (by turning on our much-prized and very expensive data roaming). We eventually got in contact with him; he had gotten lost in the city but was on his way. When we arrived in Viñales, our driver couldn’t find our casa particular — not because it was hidden, but because they use family names to identify their houses instead of addresses, so we had to go around asking “Donde está Casa Tita?” When we finally arrived over an hour late, our tour guide, Dior, was patiently waiting there with a huge smile on his face, telling us not to worry: “This is Cuba!”

We hopped into a new car with Dior, and with a jovial “Ok? Let’s go!” (a catch phrase he repeated roughly every five minutes), we were off. A few of the stops — Cueva del Indio, El Jardín de Caridad, and El Mural de la Prehistoria — were deemed “must-see’s” and, while I’m glad I saw them once, I can’t say I’d go back again. We were really there to learn about cigars. Our first stop was a large warehouse where we observed the process of drying and curing tobacco leaves — a process that can take up to three months. Several women sat at small wooden tables flattening and classifying the leaves by size and color. They’d rip the stem from the leaf, removing the nicotine (who knew the nicotine was stored in the stem?!), and were paid based on how many leaves they could process in a day.

removing the stems, aka nicotine

women are paid by the leaf

With another hearty “Ok? Let’s go!” we headed out along a dirt road to a farm where we met a fourth-generation tobacco farmer. With a cigar hanging from the corner of his mouth (one of 10 he smokes every day), he showed us how to roll a cigar. His calloused hands and wrinkled face told the story of years of hard work accompanied by the enjoyment of many cigars. With 90% of tobacco leaves going to the government, farmers get to keep only 10% of their annual production, and they make sure to reserve the best for themselves (as they should). Unlike the cigars produced in factories, their cigars are all organic — no pesticides or fertilizers are added, and they even use honey to seal the cigars. We smoked a cigar with him, drank a Cuban (read: strong) coffee his wife brewed, purchased some organic cigars (as long as they are traditionally packaged, you can bring them back into the U.S. without any labeling or a receipt), and headed back to the town of Viñales.

farmer rolling a cigar by hand

afternoon smoke break

Upon returning to our casa particular, we were greeted by our host, who offered a refreshing mango juice and showed us to our room. We had an entire half of the house to ourselves. Although it was fairly basic, we didn’t need much more in this rural setting. While my boyfriend took a nap, I wandered through the fields and along dirt paths, observing how life is lived in Viñales: A farmer eagerly posed his two cows for my camera as they plowed; shirts, jeans, and undergarments fluttered on clotheslines outside every house; neighbors chatted from across the street or the next floor up; pigs and chickens roamed freely; and tourists could be heard laughing as they went horseback riding through the fields. With a mojito in one hand and a book in the other, I curled up in a rocking chair and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying life, Viñales-style.

plowing a field, posing his cows, and smoking a cigar — impressive

While Viñales is the second-most visited city in Cuba and may not technically be “off the beaten path,” it certainly feels like you’re stepping into another world when you visit. Lush green fields meet dirt roads, hard work is celebrated with lazy afternoons, smiles are contagious, and the best thing to do is soak it all in from a rocking chair on the front porch with a smoldering cigar perched between your lips.