Destination Northern Baja

This video is for American travelers who want Mexico to be just like home. To that end, the producers point out over and over again how much American culture is available in Baja California. When showing a parade, for instance, a tiny amount of time is given to children in festival clothing, compared to lots of footage of cheerleaders shaking their pom-poms and booties. (Wow, that's something you don't see in the U.S.) We are assured that most service workers speak English, and the program spends considerable time in upscale hotels, particularly the bathrooms (as if to prove they have running water). Northern Baja offers "international cuisine" for people who prefer Burger King to icky ethnic food (the latter exemplified by buildings with "Mexican Restaurant" painted on the side in English). Viewers will see aerial views of Ensenada, Rosita, Mexicali and the beaches, but unfortunately these sights are marred by the inclusion of the airplane's wing strut or wing in nearly every shot. To be fair, the video is a little more than a list of selected hotels. Several cultural and historical highlights are featured, including natural wonders, ancient petroglyphs, modern museums, and a bullfight, but there's not much time or emphasis placed on their historic context. This tape may be useful as a second or third choice for some public libraries where there's interest in resort hotels, but other less commercial, less Yankee-oriented travelogues should be a first choice. Not recommended. Aud: P. (R. Reagan)