Good Gringos and Bad Gringos

Most Americans believe that being referred to as a "gringo" is meant strictly as a derogatory term. This isn't necessarily true. There can be "good" gringos and "bad" gringos to a Mexican (or other Latin American - be aware that Mexicans think of themselves as Norte Americanos). The term gringo dates back nearly two hundred years, to the Mexican-American war - there a number of theories for the origin of gringo, from the color of the jackets worn by US troops, to Irish-Catholic deserters who joined forces with the Mexicans and sang a song called "Green Grow the Lillacs" and to one about a US railroad builder urging the Mexican engine drivers to "Green-Go" at signals. All are discussed in depth in Wikipedia.

Whatever the origin, there is also much debate as to how pejorative or derogatory the word is - with context obviously making the strongest case for how its meaning should be interpreted. A recent article (Spring 2009) in a local Los Cabos magazine called Destinos (www.destinomagazines.com) discussed just that concept posited above - the "good" gringo. Here I've paraphrased some of the 23 aspects of being a "good" gringo that author J. Michael Sullivan made in the article entitled "Good Gringo? Si or No".

• Learn some Spanish - then use it.
• Don’t insist America is the best and/or the center of the universe.
• Know that Mexicans are also North Americans.
• Don't lose your cool when dealing when things don't go like you'd expect them to in the states (government, customer service).
• Be friendly, warm, sincere - always.
• Know that it's an honor to be introduced and meet the members of a Mexican family and be invited into their homes.
• Give your tips to your workers with the phrases “por cerveza” or “por sus ninos,” or for beer or for your children.
• Acknowledge that you tell Mexicans to arrive at 6 PM but be cool when they arrive at 7 PM.
• Realize that, for Mexicans, it’s considered rude to say no to an invitation even if they have no intention of showing up. Later you say that they were missed.
• Go with the flow when driving, knowing that, somehow, it all works.
• Understand how helpful Mexicans are, even if it takes a half dozen eight guys a half hour before the action plan hatches.
• Figure out that Mexicans see their history going back several thousand years.
• Be entertained, not annoyed, that all documents have to have three official stamps. Wap, wap, wap.
• Be alert to, and respectful of, the status and power issues among Mexican social classes, even if you don’t agree with them.
• And one my favorites: adopt a Zen-like attitude when you hear “manana".

All that said, one hopes that there many more good gingos (or gringas) out there than bad ones.

Esperanza - A Perfect 10 Resort

Far be it for me to claim to be a connoisseur (or even a frequent visitor) of high-end resorts, but I have had the pleasure of staying in many 5-star hotels and resorts in the past 20 years (an awesome perk when your wife works as a consultant to such hotels as Four Seasons, Ritz-Cartlton, and the like). So for whatever that's worth, I feel confident in declaring Los Cabos' Esperanza Resort a perfect 10.

As they say in the real estate biz, it's all about location, location, and location - Esperanza occupies some of the choicest real estate in Baja California Sur's Corridor, the 20 mile stretch of divided highway between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas (ergo Los Cabos). Set above the ocean, with stunning views of the rocks and arches at land's and occupying some 40 plus acres, Esperanza is divided into two distinct but visually integrated areas: the hotel proper with 56 rooms to the east and 60 fractionally owned one to four bedroom residences grouped in 12 buildings around three sublime swimming pools that climb in succession up the gentle slope from the cliff side playa.

Perhaps it's the hotel's incredibly well situated infinity pool, offering the lounging guest a tranquilizing and mesmerizing view over the edge of a sometimes seething azul and white surf that makes Esperanza so special.

It also could be the absolutely perfect architecture and landscaping - really nothing is out of place or over the top - it's tasteful and attractive.

But it really can be defined by the exceptional service one receives as a guest there, although this probably is an expectation that you have if you know that Esperanza is an Auberge run resort. No matter beautiful a place is, if the staff is surly (Kona, HI anyone?) it will surly spoil the experience.