Beneath the high walls of an ancient crater, you glide across the placid lake in a rowboat, mesmerized. “This is surely the most peaceful place in all Mexico and definitely one of the most beautiful,” you tell yourself. But just beyond those protective crater walls rises one of the most dreaded forces of nature: an […]
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Bordering on the Pacific Ocean, and nestled up against against Jalisco and Michoacan, the small state of Colima enjoys the best of both culinary worlds: the ocean’s bounty of fresh seafood, and the typical ranch dishes of Western Mexico. In addition, it boasts a legacy of over 3,000 years of continuous civilization, and the attendant […]
Continue ReadingFrom tatemar, a Hispanic version of what the Diccionario Mexicano alternately gives as tlatemar, a Nahuatl term for putting something on or in the fire, this dish is cooked in a clay pot. If you do not have a Mexican cazuela, use any heavy-bottomed, lidded casserole or Dutch oven. Any mild vinegar is a fine substitute for the coconut palm vinegar […]
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The Volcán de Fuego In the past 400 years, the Volcán de Fuego (aka Volcán de Colima) has been the most active volcano in Mexico, and indeed one of the most active in the world, having erupted at least 30 times since 1576. It is considered to be one of the country’s most dangerous volcanoes. […]
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Palm trees reach towards the sky above the plaza. Water gushes from a swan-shaped fountain. Flowers bloom profusely. A banner above the bandstand declares February a month of ‘Love and Friendship’ in Colima City, Colima Mexico. Picking my way among smiling faces, I seek an empty chair, set up in the park for the evening’s […]
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Part 1 – Colima, City of the Palms La Hacienda de Nogueras is an elegantly restored hacienda hidden in the countryside of Colima. Six miles north of Colima City, it links the region’s rich pre-Hispanic past with colonial and modern history. To get there, you head towards the small town of Comala. You may drive […]
Continue Reading If you had to live the rest of your life in one Mexican State, which one would it be? A straw-poll of MexConnect readers suggests that their choice might well be Colima. Why? Because not only is Colima the perfect introduction to Mexico, boasting a little bit of everything, but it also avoids the excesses […]
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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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In January 2010, I wrote in these pages about our visit to Xalapa, Veracruz, a city off the Gringo radar screen, and how it compared to Ajijic, a pueblo very much on it. This time, Patricia and I decided to sample a city on the Pacific coast — Manzanillo. It is a city certainly on […]
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In the sixteenth century, when the Spanish adventurer Cortés heard rumors of an exceptionally favorable port site on the west coast of Mexico, he immediately sent men to investigate. Cortés’ information came from a Tarascan ruler who, under torture, had told of the arrival at a place called Tzalagua, years before, of the boats of […]
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