Yea, Though I Ride Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

As I planned my annual trek down to Mexico for New Years Eve, I decided to take a different route this year.  Since Christmas falls in the middle of the week, I begged off from the traditional family Gluttonfest and Gift Card Extravaganza in order to stretch my vacation into two weeks.    I am meeting my brother Don in Oaxaca for our annual Mexico New Year’s celebration, so this would give me just enough time for a side trip to parts of Mexico not yet explored on the Bucket List. Continue reading →

More on Morelia…

There are those towns that you instantly get a “read” on….a good vibe, the minute you step off the bus.  Sometimes that first impression turns out to be wrong, but more often than not, the gut feeling is spot on.   I had about 6 hours to explore Morelia on my way to Patzcuaro last summer, and I instantly knew it was a place I wanted to return to spend more time. Continue reading →

A New Year, A New Town…

The internet is such a blessing and a curse. I can’t bear to think back on how hard it was to make travel arrangements back in the “olden days” before the likes of Trip Advisor, Frommers, and a few dozen blogger opinions on every destination under the UN.  As an ex-travel agent, I have no desire to return to the days of the OAG and waiting on hold for the airlines while hand-writing tickets.

However, the speed at which popular travel destinations can now become “too popular” can certainly kill a good “discovery buzz” in a hurry. Continue reading →

BORED-er Crossing

Off and on for the past several years, some faction of my family has made a trek to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to celebrate the holiday season.  This year, my brother Don and I planned to start the new year right by spending the month of January across the border in our “home away from home.”   Eager to outrun the dropping mercury, Continue reading →

Yippeeing and Yahooing Down the Canyon!

Excited to be on a field trip to Canon del Sumidero!

After having spent several chilly, gray rainy days in succession in San Cristobal, I was overly excited at the promise that a lower altitude destination might hold.  Just the prospect of having shorts and sandals on was enough to thrill me like a school kid on a field trip!  The trip to Sumidero Canyon National Park delivered all that and MORE! Continue reading →

Saint Sergio, Keeper of the Clothing…

“If everybody acted in a simple and human way, we’d all be saints.”
— Don Sergio Castro

What a full-on “gut check” it was to arrive at the “Museo de Trajes Regionales” at 5:00pm on a rainy night, expecting to tour a museum of indigenous clothing…which eventually happened.  But not without a reality check first of how the 45 year old costume collection came to be…. Continue reading →