Visiting Mexico, Telling the World MexicoVisitor

Bullock's oriole By Suzanne Staples While spending time in Oaxaca city in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, we decided to explore the mountainous areas surrounding the city.  Oaxaca rests in a valley between three mountain ranges.  The Majestic Sierra Madre del Sur rises to the south, climbing to about nine thousand feet. At the top, a dense pine-oak forest is interspersed with tree ferns, brilliant orchids and meters-long climbing vines. Tiny red salvia flowers and orange paintbrush generously dot the road that is carved from the steep mountain.  Many of the simple homes along the road at the higher elevations have plant nurseries.  Colorful pots of flowers line up in neat rows against the steep hill.  Pink and red begonias flourish here, as do rich blue Nile lillies and white calla lillies.  The people carry baskets of these blooms into Oaxaca city to sell in the many markets. The small hamlet of San Jose del Pacifico perc...

Our blogs usually consist of stories and information about Mexico, but as we travel around the country we think it's important to begin to point out the great hotels, restaurants, tours, etc. that we have experienced. And a great place to start is a wonderful restaurant in Puebla; Entre Tierras . Puebla , as many of you know, is possibly the heart of colonial Mexico cuisine. There are numerous choices throughout the city from excellent taco stands to fine dining and of course Mole Poblano . However on this trip I decided to try a fine dining establishment just outside the colonial center. Entre Tierras is located across the street from Hotel Señorial and about a 4-5 block walk from the Zocalo in Puebla's historic center. I had actually read about the restaurant in a magazine on my flight from Los Angeles to Puebla. As mentioned above Puebla is famous for it's cuisine and there are many famous dishes and restaurants to try. Institutions such as El Mural de ...

Hurricane Patricia is the strongest hurricane on record with over 200 MPH winds. It is on a direct path to the Costalegre , Mexico between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo . We will update this blog post with any news we receive. Please come back and refresh often. Assistance and some ways to help: U.S. State Department - You can alert us to U.S. citizens affected by the storm, including yourself, by calling us at 1-888-407-4747 (From the United States and Canada), +1-202-501-4444 (From all other countries), and email PatriciaEmergencyUSC@state.gov if you have additional questions or concerns. http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/hurricane-patricia-travel-alert.html Embassies & consulates in Mexico - http://www.mexonline.com/embassy.htm American Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/ International Red Cross - https://www.ifrc.org/en/ Direct Relief - http://www.directrelief.org/emergency/hurricane-patricia-mexico/ -------------------...

Sunrise view from Jocotepec overlooking Lake Chapala Nearly a decade ago I was told of a place with perfect weather and a community that was said to be the largest accumulation of American expats in the world.  For many years since I have been flying in and out of Guadalajara confined by a time schedule that never allowed me to take the short trip south to visit this destination.  But last week’s trip was different and after saying goodbye to my group at the Guadalajara International Airport I drove thirty minutes south and ended up on the north shore of Mexico’s largest lake, Chapala. The surface area of Lake Chapala is nearly three times greater than Lake Tahoe and the towns on the shores surrounding the lake are filled with fascinating history.  There are towns known for manufacturing Huarache sandals.  Towns known for  berry farming and even an island that was one of the last strong holds defending against the Spanish invasion in the early 1800...

Many people know of Cinco de Mayo , but most don't know why they are celebrating other than having a margarita or tequila shot. In fact, most people outside of Mexico think Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day , it's not. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican forces in the Battle of Puebla over the battle-tested and twice as large army from France in 1862. Some say the key to General Ignacio Zaragoza's victory were the defense of the twin forts; Guadalupe and Loreto in the hills above Puebla.  Inside the walls of Fuerte Loreto  Defensive walls outside the fort Today, the Mexican and Puebla governments have restored these forts and made the surrounding area a large park called  Centro Civico 5 de Mayo. The complex also includes a planetarium, an archaeological museum, a Olympic soccer stadium and green areas. it has become an area for families and visitors to learn about history and relax on a day off. The Forts (Fuertes de...