Uruapan, Michoacan – a city of Festivals
All year long there are festivals occurring in Uruapan. The two most noteworthy and that fill the hotels are; Noche de Muertos (Night of the Dead) and Semana Santa (Holy Week) The first is November 1 and the second is Holy Week. Michoacan is the center of the part pagan, part Christian celebration of Noche...
Exchanging Money in Mexico
If you’re coming down for a few weeks or even for the entire “high season,” you can convert your funds in three ways. First, you could bring U.S. (or Canadian) cash and trade it in for Mexican pesos at either a bank or a casa de cambio (a money-changing station). Second, you could arrive with...
The Bookstores of Donceles Street, Mexico City
Step into any one of the dozen or so bookstores on Donceles Street in Mexico City´s historic center and you might find yourself in a predicament similar to the following: Do you stick to the game plan, zeroing in on that novel about the Mexican Revolution that you haven’t been able to find anywhere else,...
Trip Report – Ixtapa, Mexico – Feb 27 – Mar 13, 2013
Last year we opted for a spontaneous trip to Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo to attend the International Guitar Festival. We loved it so much, we decided we needed to return this year. We booked a condo through VRBO (Home Away) and our airfare through Westjet, using our trusted travel agent. The value of a good travel agent can’t...
Tonala and Tlaquepaque
Tonala and Tlaquepaque….no, neither a singing duo nor a rock group, but sister cities southeast of Guadalajara where you can shop till you drop and do much less damage to your pocketbook than you would have ever thought possible. Some people still consider Tlaquepaque and Tonala “suburbs” of Guadalajara, but with the population of...
Magic Carpets, Oaxaca’s Master Weaver Preserves a Zapotec Tradition
When you enter The-Bug-in-the-Rug store in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, you are greeted by the master weaver himself, Isaac Vasquez, a friendly, soft-spoken man with salt and pepper hair. He invites you into his workshop, housed in the sunny courtyard of his family compound. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the carpets on the adobe...
Mexico Ignites Italy!
In the month of June an impressive delegation of Mexican luminaries landed in Europe, embarking on a promotion tour spreading Mexican culture, food , music, and dance across northern Italy. Mexico Week in Veneto included various food, wine and culture events during the week of June 4 – 10, in multiple cities, filling the streets of...
Morelia, City of Light
Latin America’s Illuminated City Gets More Lights
Morelia is more than the political capital of Michoacan, it is also the cultural center. In 2003, the city embarked on an activity, ”Plan Luz.” Buildings and historical monuments are lit up at night. The architecture is a true sixteenth century jewel. In 2010, Morelia was named, “Latin America’s Illuminated City,” by the organization, Lighting...
Whale watching in Zihuatanejo
While visiting or living in Zihuatanejo, there are many reasons to go fishing, snorkeling or diving in the waters that surround Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa… During the months of November through April, you might just see one of nature’s largest mammals swimming along with you. If you frequent or have an ocean view of your own...
Museo Dolores Olmedo
Tranquillity in the Big City
You can travel thirty-two kilometers from the zocalo (town square) to the quaint canals of Xochimilco and still be in Mexico City. Just short of this is a retreat, the sixteenth century monastery/hacienda/Museo Dolores Olmedo, home to the largest private collection of original Diego Rivera paintings, Frida Kahlo works and the largest private collection of...
Estero Del Yugo
Mazatlan's First Class Bird Watching
Mexico is a premium destination for birders, and guided trips are popular across the country. Less well known is that great birding exists in resort locations as well… Mazatlan, about nine hundred miles south of the United States, is one of Mexico’s favored year-round destinations for American tourists. This jewel of the Pacific...
Mexico City’s Historical Center
Centro Historico, the historical center of Mexico City is filled with impressive buildings ranging from Aztec times to the modern, amazing museums, remarkable murals and awe inspiring cathedrals. There is much to see and do in the old town area; here are some of the sites that are not to be missed. The Zócalo...
