Angel Ortiz, who created this Mata Ortiz ceramic pot, is trying to bring back folk art techniques from the early 1900s. Mata Ortiz in the state of Chihuahua is renowned for its pottery. This piece was exhibited in Chapala's annual Feria Maestros del Arte. © Marianne Carlson, 2008

Chapala’s Feria Maestros del Arte: guardians of the folk art tradition

In today’s world, where massive factories churn out goods at breakneck speed, it is hard for many people to imagine that there are still devoted artisans tucked away in remote villages of Mexico who dedicate days, weeks and even months to creating one exquisitely crafted piece. These artisans, toiling away in their secluded studios, are […]

Continue Reading
Interactive Map of Jalisco

Jalisco State resource page: tequila, mariachis and so much more

Photo Gallery Cradle of the mariachi, tequila, and the Jarabe Tapatío, or Mexican hat dance, for many, the state of Jalisco is the essence of Mexico. Colonial cities with architectural jewels, Pueblos Mágicos, quiet alpine towns, sophisticated urban centers, and the pre-Hispanic site of Guachimontones with its circular pyramids vie with tropical beaches along Jalisco’s […]

Continue Reading
A young girl dancing in traditional regional dress.

Hey Compadre

Whether you live in Oaxaca or vacation here on a regular basis, if you’ve begun to integrate into the community, eventually you’ll be asked to be a padrino or madrina (godparent) to an ahijado or ahijada (godchild), so you’d better familiarize yourself with “compadrazgo,” or co-godparenthood. In a nutshell, it’s a web of mutual rights and obligations of monumental importance throughout Mexico and […]

Continue Reading
From this marina in Bahia de Santa Cruz, you can hop on a party boat, or take fishing or diving tours.

Bahias de Huatulco on Mexico’s Oaxaca coast

Gallery: Bahias de Huatulco on Mexico’s Oaxaca coast Bahias de Huatulco (pronounced Wa-tool-co) located on the coast of Oaxaca, ( map) about six hours from Oaxaca City by car, and approximately three hundred miles south of Acapulco, is the latest development of Fonatur, Mexico’s tourist promotion board. Rumor has it that back in the early eighties, […]

Continue Reading
Bus ride in Oaxaca

The bus ride from hell that I learned to love Oaxaca

“Is it always this bad?” I asked, panting in the heat. “Oh no! Sometimes it’s much worse,” the grandmotherly woman across the aisle assured me. “It can be much hotter…and a lot more crowded.” The battered bus was making torturously slow progress up a mountainous jungle highway. I was hot. I was cranky. I was […]

Continue Reading