Mineral de Pozos

I’ve written many times before about Mexico’s “Pueblos Magicos” program which translates to “Magic Towns.” This program established by Mexico’s Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR) is a way to recognize certain towns for their historic or cultural ambiance that lends itself to a “magical experience.” I think of it as the urban version of the National Park Service. Just as you can be assured when a park has achieved official “National Park” status, there will be something there worthy of a visit, the same can be said for Mexico’s Magic Towns. There will, in all likelihood, be something Continue reading

Feliz Año Nuevo from the Fun Side of the Wall!

In light of the news lately, one of my dear friends asked me, “What will you do if he follows through on his threat to close the border?” My answer? “Party on…after all, I’m on the fun side of the wall!” 

This past year has felt both toxic and chaotic beyond the point of description. I am happy to see the winds of change blow 2018 on out the door. And as the cacophony of church bells peel outside my window near the Jardin in San Miguel de Allende marking Continue reading

Noche de Paz

Silent Night, Holy Night here in beautiful San Miguel de Allende. I came down south of the border a bit early this year to house sit for a friend and take care of her three cats.   It’s my first Christmas in Mexico, and I must say it now ranks as my favorite holiday here. Past visits have been timed around New Years or Semana Santa (Easter,) so I am enjoying seeing the differences between the celebrations. I find Christmas has a more Continue reading

And Then the Haze Came…

It seems contrary to what we know as typical weather patterns in North America, but May is by far the hottest month in Colonial Mexico.  Locals and expats alike flee the cities of Guanajuato and San Miguel during this month when the heat finally arrives, right before the monsoons come to cool things back down.  It’s a steamy, sticky time when an oppressive brown haze seems to hang in the valley, trapped by the opposing hills. Continue reading

Staired Out in Guanajuato

After living in Guanajuato for almost two months, my brother Don sends me an email asking, “Staired out yet?”   Having lived in Guanajuato himself off and on for the past couple of years, he knows what a mental and physical toll climbing 150 steps, about the equivalent of ten stories every day can take.   It’s not just the climb, but the carry.  Continue reading

Tastes and Takes on Dolores Hidalgo

On another “field trip” with my Spanish school, Escuela Falcon, six of us students load up into a van on an early Sunday morning to explore the nearby city of Dolores Hidalgo, another “Pueblo Magico,” or Magic Town, a tourism designation for cities with natural, historical, or cultural significance.   Dolores Hidalgo draws crowds for three very different reasons.  Continue reading

Música y Museos of Guanajuato

Sitting in Starbucks just inside the large floor to ceiling open wooden doors, I can hear two different mariachis bands battling it out in the Jardin, complete with dueling snare drum and cow bell.  A group of estudiantinas, strolling musicians like Pied Pipers, are conducting a sing-along at the end of the block.  There is a crowd following them, Continue reading

Mountains, Missions, and One Massive Monolith

We make one last stop before leaving the Huasteca Potosina region at the Sotano Golindrinas, or Cave of the Swallows.  Falling just six feet short of being 1,000 ft wide at it’s widest point, this air pit cave is over 1,200 ft drop from its highest karst ridge overhead, making it (according to wikipedia) “the largest known cave shaft in the world.”  Although swarms of birds are reported, Continue reading

A New Meaning to “Concrete Jungle”

As we continue our southerly loop around the Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda, we stop in the Pueblo Magico, or “Magic Town” of Xilitla.   I have written about Mexico’s Magic Town campaign before, whereby towns are chosen by the Department of Tourism for their natural beauty, cultural riches, or historical relevance.  I make it my goal to see as many as I can, because each offers up some gem of interest or beauty usually worthy of an out of the way stop. Continue reading

Canoes, Cascades, and Cameras…Huasteca Potosina, Part Two

Huasteca Potosina is often referred to as a “water wonderland,” or place of “aquatic adventures.”    For the next two days, we will be spending time canoeing and floating down rivers, swimming in caves, and jumping off waterfalls.    A photography enthusiasts dream!  So one would think what a great opportunity Continue reading