October brings crisp autumn days. In Pachuca, Hidalgo, a regional food fair is celebrated during the annual festival in honor of Saint Francis. Find out why Pachuca and Real del Monte are called "Mexico's Little Cornwall." Karen Hursh Graber's article - and recipes - can also be read in Spanish.
October 7th is the birthday of a Madonna image that was miraculously transformed and is venerated in Talpa de Allende. Jenny McGill describes the events that took place in 1644 in The Legend of Nuestra Señora del Rosario.
The McGills are longtime Mexico residents who first visited Puerto Vallarta in 1966 and moved there in 1973. A born storyteller, Jenny takes us back to P.V.'s early days with her first book, Drama & Diplomacy in a Sultry Mexican Beach Town, reviewed by James Tipton.
Marvin West also tells a true tale about the early days in Chapala with Shootout at Paris Cafe.
The former caminos reales, or "king's highways" that connected convents in Morelos and Puebla were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1994. Miguel Angel Cuevas is working to revive the network by reopening the routes and organizing cultural events there. Julia Taylor describes the roads and project in The Pre-Hispanic, the Colonial, the Royal Roads
of Morelos and Puebla. Cuevas' original photographs and commentary are the perfect complement.
Traveling with children? In Mexico, they can experience a new culture, play soccer, pick up Spanish and more. Molly McHugh tells about her experience in A Month of Fun and Learning in Morelia and suggests several other destinations for families with little ones.
Or perhaps you're considering Mexico as a retirement haven. We highly recommend the Canada2Mexico Retirement Seminar to be held in Toronto at the end of the month. Mexconnect's own Tony Burton will be speaking as part of this comprehensive program.
Linda Abbott Trapp's series on Mexico's native tropical plants continues with the Acalypha, Anthurium and Sago Palm. Her photographs are beautiful, and tips on cultivation make it easy to add these splendid specimens to your own Mexico garden.
Fiction fans will enjoy another short story by George Bergin - "Small Brown Bishops," set in Baja California Sur, where he and his wife have their home.
Sergio Wheeler brings us a 2007 update to three popular articles. Driving Across the Mexican Border includes new fees, vehicle categories and bond amounts; subscribers can also access instructions for applying for the car import permit online. Immigration Visa and Entry Requirements has new information current for the last week of September, 2007. And the Baja-Pacfic Coast Ferries are now under private ownership, with a number of changes in place. Read about them in this issue.
Do you live in Mexico? We'd like to know more about you and your lifestyle, and invite you to take our Survey, if you haven't already. You can see how your choices compare with other Mexconnect readers.
Naturally, October wouldn't be complete without a Hallowe'en essay. Maggie Van Ostrand tells the story of Ghosts, Goblins and Gonzales-Gonzales.
Plus, of course, the wonderful variety of offerings from the rest of our columnists.
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