Tepoztlan reputed to be the birthplace of deified Quetzalcoatl lies about 80 km southeast of Mexico City and about 30 km northeast of Cuernavaca. The Ex-Convento Dominico de la Navidad and Piramide Tepozteco are fairly well touristed here. While I was there the zocalo was being upgraded. The colorful tented restaurant/market area between the zocalo and church is an experience […]
Continue ReadingWhen you first arrive in Pátzcuaro you notice that there are large, mature pine trees everywhere with their bases painted white presumably for the benefit of night traffic. This immediately sets the mood for the town with calming and cooling effect. Among Pátzcuaro advantages are: It is a relatively small city of about 40,000 people. […]
Continue ReadingCuernavaca is one of the most interesting cities in Mexico. The dozens of pictures here only scratches the surface of attractions. Commanding the high ground above an agriculturally productive state and on an important land route the location has been prized since Aztec times. Cortes and his family made a base here after the conquest […]
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The city of Tlaxcala (pronounced tlas-kala) is the capital of the State of Tlaxcala. Its small town atmosphere belies a listed population of 69,000. Indeed it is a sharp contrast to the activity of Puebla just 30 km south. The city has a population of about 70,000 and is at 7,382 ft. asl. (Pictures taken […]
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Peculiar, but true. There are several lakes named Laguna Encantada (Enchanted Lake) in Mexico, but this one is near Catemaco in the Tuxtlas region of the state of Veracruz. Catemaco is famous for its witches, so perhaps one of them cast a spell on the lake, making it behave perversely, its level changing in opposition […]
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Let the adventure begin! The children were understandably excited as we exited Puerto Vallarta airport after flying from Seattle via Los Angeles. They were going to revisit some of their favorite haunts for the first time in several years. Smiling immigration officers were quick to deal with the sudden influx of passengers disembarking from the […]
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Close your eyes and imagine warm water rushing over your shoulders and massaging your back as you recline in the shade, leaning against a log. Open your eyes and you are at Las Huertas enjoying the artesian fed stream at the heart of the park. Paraiso Adventura Las Huertas (Adventure Paradise Las Huertas), located in […]
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Porfirio Santiago is at his loom, diligently weaving a massive 2 x 3 meter rug with traditional designs, from memory, with representations of Zapotec diamonds, rainfall, maize and mountains… just as his father Tomás, grandfather Ildefonso and great grandfather before him. Wife Gloria is carding a mix of white and caramel colored raw wool. Behind […]
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Where others see a mass of shapeless clay, Hilario Alejos Madrigal envisions exquisite forms that are just waiting to be coaxed out. And it is this creativity that has played a key role in the success of this award-winning potter. “It is necessary and very important to have an imagination,” Alejos explains. “A lot of […]
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As the world’s environment deteriorates, some of Mexico’s streets and plazas are stepping back toward better ecosystems by going native. Curiously, most ornamental plant species in many Mexican cities are not at all Mexican, but rather, introduced, or exotic, species. However, that’s changing as some Mexican city planners are going native and helping their cities […]
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