Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for mexico
The Great North American Eclipse
By Linda Tancs
Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
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Night of the Radishes
By Linda Tancs
If food art inspires you, then you won’t want to miss the annual event in Oaxaca, Mexico, this month. Every December 23, the locals celebrate the Night of the Radishes (La Noche de Rábanos) with an eye-catching display of sculpted radishes featuring everything from saints to cemeteries. But don’t try this at home; the radishes used for the festival are grown in a restricted field and can weigh as much as 7 pounds! Carvers aren’t just in it for the art; the competition for cash prizes is fierce. The festival is complemented by music, fireworks and Christmas market stalls.
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The Heart of Tequila Country
By Linda Tancs
Mexico is the official home of tequila. Its origin lies in the blue agave fields of Jalisco, where the plant is native to the region. Tequila is made by roasting the heart of blue agave and then crushing or squeezing it to release a liquid that is distilled to produce tequila, the authenticity of which is protected by international trade agreements. You can take guided tours of distilleries in Jalisco to learn the art of tequila production.
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Sultaness of the East
By Linda Tancs
Dubbed the Sultaness of the East, Mexico’s Valladolid is more than just a hub for a nearby visit to Chichén Itzá. Yucatán’s third largest city is also a treasure trove of art and architecture. You’ll find the largest collection of Mexican folk art in private hands at Casa de los Venados. Deeply Mayan yet distinctly Iberian (founded by invading Spaniards in 1543), the quiet streets are dotted with pastel walls, colonnades and cenotes (sinkholes filled with fresh water). Renting a bicycle is a great way to get around.
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A Gastronomic Safari in Mexico
By Linda Tancs
Ensenada is one of the oldest municipalities in Baja California, Mexico. What’s new is the Baja Med gastronomic concept, the result of a blend of influences from Mexican, Mediterranean and oriental cuisines. Embraced by chefs and food cart vendors alike, it combines Mexican ingredients such as chicharrón and cotija cheese with Mediterranean olive oil and Asian lemongrass. If your taste buds are less adventurous, try a traditional dish like abalone tiradito. Whatever you choose, you’ll want to pair it with a wine from the Guadalupe Valley, gateway to the wine route.
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Mexican Resort Offers Tahitian-Style Bungalows
By Linda Tancs
If the allure of a South Pacific bungalow has you longing for a Tahitian holiday (but not the flying time), then consider its North American equivalent in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Rosewood Mayakoba is a 1600-acre luxury resort enveloped by silky Caribbean sand and a verdant jungle. Imagine yourself being welcomed to a deluxe overwater lagoon suite with an outdoor terrace and a heated plunge pool. Have your private butler hail a boat from your private boat dock, sail around the nine classes of gorgeous accommodations and meet your neighbors. You’ve found your Bali Hai.
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Doomsday Deal in Mexico
By Linda Tancs
The Mayan calendar ends on 21 December this year. So perhaps it’s fitting that a Mexican hotel should capitalize on Doomsday mania by offering an end-of-world promotion. That’s right. Book any three-night stay or longer that includes 21 December at Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen and get a complimentary stay on that day. If the world should end, you’ll get double your money back. Now that’s cheeky.
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An Eco Lesson for Kids
By Linda Tancs
Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa, located on a beautiful white sand beach
in Riviera Maya, is one of the hottest destinations these days in Mexico. Because of its quiet location in the middle of a lush green area at the edge of the Riviera Maya exotic jungle surrounded by cenotes, mangroves and natural lagoons, the hotel caters to families. Of course, you’ll find a water park, video games, a jungle gym, trampoline and a bouncy castle. But the resort also boasts eco activities for children focused on teaching them to live in harmony with nature, like Sandos Planet, an educational program explaining the effect of our everyday actions on the land, oceans and atmosphere. We could all use a lesson like that.
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Mexico’s Independence
By Linda Tancs
You might think that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. Actually, it isn’t. That stellar occasion on the Mexican calendar comes on 16 September. So what’s the distinction? Cinco de Mayo represents the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, whereas, 16 September marks the revolt against Spanish colonial government and the road to independence. It’s a day for flags, balloons, sombreros, food and mariachi bands across the country. Here’s a nice synopsis of Mexican Independence Day.
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The Blowhole in Baja
By Linda Tancs
Seventeen miles south of Ensenada, Mexico, is the second largest marine geyser in the world, La Bufadora. Spouting 60 feet into the air, the spectacle is caused by the pressure created when ocean waves are forced into a partially submerged sea cavern. Just as wonderful as the overwater view is the underwater view, diving being hailed as a real treat in this area with an abundance of sea life and visibility up to 80 feet. To get there, head south out of Ensenada until you reach Maneadero. There are clearly marked signs for the exit to La Bufadora.
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