Life on the flip side: Fighting for Cabo

We skipped the sunset on the western beach today, and instead joined Alfreddo for a drink at the hostel. We watched the daytrippers pack up their towels and wander lazily along the beach into town. Bob Marley played in the background. It was the perfect way to spend our last night in Cabo.

Carl chills out under the verandah

Alfreddo has been living here on and off for the past eight years. He's a chef by trade and has run three restaurants here. But this is his first foray into the backpacker market, and he's loving it. The place is booked full throughout summer, so he's kept entertained by the steady flow of visitors mostly from neighbouring Argentina, Brazil and Europe. But he also pines for the quiet of winter when the beaches are empty and the whales come out to play.

We think its only a matter of time before the hostel is booked all year round and the competition heats up. We offer to tell all of our friends about his place, but Alfreddo shakes his head. You are always welcome, he tells us, but be careful who you tell - "only those who can appreciate the simple life and not too many" (which means you're all sworn to secrecy).

You see, Alfreddo is more than a hippy hostel owner. He's a committed member of the 'community of Cabo Polonio', a group of local residents fighting to keep the spirit of the town in tact. For example, Cabo can hold no more than 1500 residents during peak times, and the community wants to keep it that way. They've recently introduced a cap on new homes in the town. The next priorities are electricity for the local school and medical facilities, but they have to tread carefully. Such services don't come for free. They pay their taxes, but the Government is looking for an excuse to turn the town into another Punta del Este, a beach resort two hours and a world of concrete hotels away from here.

The local community is ready for a fight. They meet weekly to discuss their progress, and regularly meet with Government officials to agree a way forward that works for both parties.
Alfreddo asks us to monitor his website for news. They may need our help, and they've most certainly got it. We're already planning to come back here, and we want to make sure it stays just as we leave it.