If New Years is cancelled….then so are all the New Year’s resolutions, right? Okay, then throw out the diets..… LET’S EAT!!
Determined not to let the cancellation of the New Years Eve celebration dampen our spirits, we took to the streets on New Years Day to sample what Oaxaca is famous for….. Continue reading
For the past four years, my brother Don and I have been going to magical San Miguel de Allende (Kiss it goodbye as it was recently named Number One on the “Top 25 Cities in the World” list by Conde Naste Traveler magazine) to ring in the new year. Although we try each year to convince other family members to join us, the reaction is typically “Mexico??? Over my dead body!” So year after year, we make the trek down to escape the ice storms of Texas and get our “fix” of warm and sunny culture and climate. Continue reading
It was a 24 hour bus ride from Mazatlan to Oaxaca, which was both a little bit of heaven and a little bit of hell. Most people flinch when I tell them I am riding a bus across Mexico. I have done this more times than I can count, from Texas all the way down close to the Guatemala border, and still keep coming back for more. This trip alone would take me six different buses to get where I am going. Continue reading
Although this is a quiet, sleepy little village, there is plenty to see and do here on the Isla de la Piedra to pass the days away. One can sit on the beach, parked in the shade of the palapa as the world turns. Continue reading
No problem spotting Lynne on the Plazuela Machado on a quiet morning following Christmas Day. We got caught up over a couple of Fish Burgers, then headed off to explore Isla de la Piedra, or Stone Island, just a short distance from Old Mazatlan. Continue reading
The Christmas holiday now behind me, I was ready to leave El Fuerte and continue my journey south, but since I had gone straight through on the El Chepe train without getting off to overnight along the route, I now had a couple of days to kill before meeting up with Don in Oaxaca for New Years. Continue reading
I chose to end my El Chepe rail journey in El Fuerte, another of Mexico’s “Pueblo Magico” towns, rather than continue on to the big city of Los Mochis. It was the day before Christmas Eve, and I didn’t want to risk “No room at the Inn” on Christmas. Continue reading
The 400-mile “El Chepe” rail journey makes six stops at small towns or villages along the way where one can exit the train for an overnight stay to explore the canyon. The first of these stops is Creel, one of Mexico’s “Puebla Magicos,” or Magic Towns, a category designated by the Secretariat of Tourism for their natural beauty, cultural or historical significance. Creel is also the main backpacker destination, offering hiking and camping excursions deep into the canyon. Continue reading
Mexico’s Copper Canyon, or “Barrancas del Cobre,” may lack the glorious palate of beautiful colors painted across the Grand Canyon, but it more than makes up for it in size. It is four times bigger than the Grand Canyon and the deepest in North America. Continue reading
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