Playa Los Ayala is beach bliss, without the glitz or glamour! © Christina Stobbs, 2012

El Monteon, Punta Raza, Playa Los Ayala and Playa Friederas: Hidden gems on Mexico’s Nayarit Riviera

It’s all about being alone! The beaches of El Monteon and Punta Raza are two of my preferred Mexico beaches on the Riviera Nayarit because they are both well, off the beaten path, undeveloped and truly pristine. I love a hidden gem of a beach that I can call my own, at least for a […]

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John Pint with one of the smaller Piedras Bola. Megaspherulites have been found in a few other places in the world, but none are as large as those near Ahualulco, Mexico, some of which are nearly 10 meters in diameter. © John Pint, 2009

Las Piedras Bola: the great stone balls of Ahualulco

Approximately twenty-five years ago I heard rumors of some curious geological formations hidden high in the hills above the town of Ahualulco de Mercado, which is located about 58 kilometers west of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city. “There are giant stone balls up there,” I was told, “perfectly round and lying in a great bed of […]

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Templo de San Jose is a towered church some blocks northeast of the zocalo.

The beautiful colonial city of Morelia, Michoacan – a gallery

Morelia is the capital of Michoacan. The architecture is colonial style and the momentum of civic intent is to promote and preserve this inheritance. The city is organized around a large central square with fountains, trees, a bandstand, and a spectacularly maintained cathedral. There is also a large city park and a zoo. Published or […]

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Tourists straddle a Melaque street road, inviting a host of curses and, maybe, of injuries. © Gerry Soroka, 2009

Good morning, Melaque: one day in a small Mexico beach town

When we return to Canada in the spring, we are cheerful, rested and tanned. We tell our friends that, yes, we had another glorious extended vacation in Mexico. After the exchange of a few pleasantries, some people are likely to blurt out: “Six months in Mexico! Whatever do you do every day? What do you […]

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Manzanillo: Bustling port? Quiet resort? Or both?

Manzanillo. Most people can’t pronounce it, have no idea where it is, don’t know what the city has to offer, and can’t figure out how to get there. Manzanillo (pronounced mahn-san- nee-yoh), is the largest shipping port on the western coast of Mexico, located 165 miles south of Puerto Vallarta, or roughly midway between Matzatlan and […]

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