7 Best Things About Visiting Mexico

thetravelerszone.com

Mexico is famous for its fantastic beaches and Mayan and Aztec ruins and pyramids. However, there’s a lot more to this historic country and that’s why it’s the 10^th most visited nation in the world when it comes to vacationers.

These are 7 of the best and most popular things about Mexico.

 

(photo by schlaeger)

1. The History

When it comes to history, Mexico is very rich indeed. Mayans, Aztecs, Hernan Cortez, and Montezuma are just the tip of the historical iceberg. The history of the nation is quite colourful and sometimes a little complex. It’s believed that there were at least 12 different pre-Columbian civilizations which rose to prominence and then fell in the area that’s now known as Mexico.
The country has belonged to several different empires over the years. These include the Olmec around 1500 BC and the Bourbon in 1821. The land was rich in silver and it helped finance the Spanish economy for a few hundred years. In addition, descendants of Cuauhtémoc, who was the last Aztec emperor ascended into Spanish nobility.
Mexico has also been home to revolutions, revolts, republics, monarchies, dictatorships, and more throughout the years. The amazing thing is that archaeologists are continually unearthing more historical sites each year. The best places to learn about Mexican history are the Museum of Anthropology and Museum of History in Mexico City.

2. The Music

The most popular style of music in Mexico with visitors is usually mariachi. However, if you wander down to the Mazatlan waterfront you’ll likely hear some wonderful sounds coming from a group of local townsfolk playing an assortment of brass instruments in a style known as banda.
Some of the other popular styles incorporate traditional drumming, dance performance, and acoustic guitar and vocals in an assortment of styles such as tamborazo, and ranchera. You may also find yourself hearing a cantador singing love ballads in local restaurants.

3. The People

The people of Mexico are made up of over 50 different indigenous groups. This means that just about all citizens of Mexico have indigenous blood in them. Mexicans are very friendly indeed and proud of their culture and heritage.

4. The Food

Mexican food is quite famous, but there’s a lot more to it than tacos, fajitas, burritos, chile peppers, refried beans, and tomatoes. Actually, corn is the foundation of most Mexican dishes. People there have been creating corn tortillas by hand for centuries with locally produced yellow, white, red and blue-corn mesa. You’ll also find some excellent vegetables, seafood, and meat dishes.

5. The Water

Mexico is home to some of the world’s greatest beaches as the warm, crystal clear water kisses the sand all along its coastlines. You’ll also find that the country has some great pools of water up in the mountains as well as hot mineral waters. Some of the best areas for inland water are Los Azufres National Park, which is located in Michoacán, and Lake Chapala, which lies in Jalisco.

6. The Weather

Mexico enjoys some of the best weather on the planet. Yes, it’s true that the odd hurricane will blow through, but most of the time country is quite warm and agreeable with visitors. In the nation’s middle highlands you’ll find the temperatures are usually in the low 80s every afternoon and the low 60s when the sun goes down. The beach resorts are kept comfortable by onshore breezes and the mountain regions are also quite warm.

7. The Mountains

Along with the fantastic beaches, Mexico is filled with many beautiful mountains and volcanoes. There are several famous mountain ranges in the country, such as the Sierra Madre Oriental), the Sierra Madre Occidental, and the Sierra Madre del Sur.

Travel News: Over 80s Still Enjoy International Travel with Age Being no Obstacle

9 February 2013

 

Domestic and international travel doesn’t stop because of age according to customer datafrom Age UK Enterprises, the commercial arm of the Age UK charity.

Data revealed that 27 per cent of all Age UK Travel Insurance policies in 2012 were held by those aged 80 plus and a further 19 per cent were held by those aged 70-74.

Europe is the most popular destination for the Age UK insured traveller with half of those aged over 80 travelling to the continent. A further one in ten over 80s are going further afield and are choosing to take out worldwide cover so they can visit destinations such as the USA, Canada and the Caribbean.

Gordon Morris, Managing Director at Age UK Enterprises, said: “We have over 30 years of experience in successfully providing travel insurance that meets the needs of those in later life.

“It’s surprising to see many providers refusing cover to older travellers due to their age - we firmly believe that no one should be refused travel insurance based on this.

“Older people’s travel ambitions don’t stop and there needs to be adequate provision to cater for the needs of this group.”

In addition, sales of annual trip cover were strong in 2012, accounting for a third of all policies, which indicates that those in later life are enjoying overseas breaks more than once a year.

Gordon added: “Products such as the Age UK Travel Insurance have no upper age limit and provide appropriate cover for customer needs.

“As with our entire product and service range our travel insurance policy has been designed with the older customer in mind to provide the ‘right fit’ for their individual requirements.”

The perks of international travel

• International Travel
• February 4, 2013
• By: Pablo Guzman

A picture from sunset taken in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Credits: 

Pablo Guzman

It's time to schedule your vacation time at work. Instead of going to California beaches or exploring the big cities you're thinking of going somewhere international.
This is sometimes nerve-racking.

International travel is very different from traveling within the states, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. As long as you can be open to new experiences and places it's a great thing to try.
In fact you may find that international travel is more rewarding. Here are some reasons why.

• Traveling to different countries exposes you to different ways of enjoying life. It can be a laid back, time relaxing vacation in Mexico or an active sightseeing experience in Italy.
• When you visit other countries, you open your mind to different perspectives. This new perspective can lead to a more productive work environment when you return.
• The food is going to be unique and possibly amazing. Who doesn't love food?
• Everybody loves a good accent. This includes you listening to locals and locals listening to you (yes, we Americans have accents).
• It's fascinating to see that life can be enjoyed in different forms. Life isn't non-stop everywhere else. A large portion of the outside world works at a different pace and are highly encouraged to take travel time.

A lot of times traveling within the U.S. means still being involved with the hustle and bustle of work and regular life. Getting further away is a nice break-up to this.

We all need a little breather and break from work. Be open to experiences and international travel. After all, what's the worst that will happen? You'll arrive back home with a little extra work to do, but even then, life and work picks right back up where it left off.

4,000-Year-Old Spearheads Found in Mexico

Published December 27, 2012

EFE

• 

Researchers discovered 4,000-year-old spearheads and other artifacts at a site in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History said.

The find "will change the chronologies of the antiquity of human settlement in the northwest of the country," archaeologist Joel Santos Ramirez said.

The items reflect a rudimentary technology also seen in artifacts from the U.S. Southwest, from what is now the central Mexican state of Puebla and in some desert regions of northern Mexico.

Archaeologists found the spearheads at a site they dubbed La Flor del Oceano, 50 kilometers north of the Pacific resort city of Mazatlan and near a set of rock engravings known as Las Labradas.

The spearheads turned up in the course of search for where the makers of the rock engravings lived, said Santos, the director of the Las Labradas project.

Along with the spear-points, researchers discovered knives and tool fragments, he said.

The distribution of the artifacts would indicate the presence of temporary encampments and a workshop, Santos said, while acknowledging that the team still doesn't know if the items belonged to the creators of Las Labradas.

Underwater fish tornado off Baja California

Fish tornado via Octacio Aburto

Photographer and marine biologist Octavio Aburto captured this amazing photo at Cabo Pulmo National Park in Mexico. He calls it “David and Goliath.”

We saw a fire tornado, and in recent months it’s been a photo of a “fish tornado” making the rounds. Photographer and marine biologist Octavio Aburto captured this amazing photo of the at Cabo Pulmo National Park in Mexico, in the course of studying the courtship behavior of a species of Jack fish. He titled it “David and Goliath.”

David and Goliath, by Ocatvio Aburto.

Aburto said he hopes the image will foster appreciation for the marine universe, for Cabo Pulmo National Park in particular, and will “bring attention to other successful marine reserves, especially in Latin America.”
Mission Blue has an interview with Aburto, explaining how his scientific background inspired him to snap the mysterious imagery. Among other things, Aburto said:

The picture you see was taken November 1, 2012. But this picture has been in my mind for three years — I have been trying to capture this image ever since I saw the behavior of these fish and witnessed the incredible tornado that they form during courtship. So, I guess you could say this image took almost three years.

Bottom line: Fish tornado photo – titled “David and Goliath” – taken off Cabo Pulmo National Park in Baja, California on November 1, 2012.

Amazing Mazatlan

naturestudent.wordpress.com

Posted on February 3, 2013 by NatureStudent

 

Northward along the western coast of Mexico, the city of Mazatlan lies due east of the tip of Baja California, marking the southern edge of the Sea of Cortez.


The spectacular setting features outcrops of volcanic & metamorphic rocks both on land & offshore.

On the Malecon

On the waterfront promenade, the longest Malecon in the world, many of the outcrops have been transformed into lookout points.

Dos Hermanas

The islands offshore are roosting colonies with birds soaring continually above. Onshore, a few oystercatchers explored the tide pools.

On the way to El Faro

When the lighthouse was built it was famous for being the highest in the world. The top is a popular hiking destination.

Harbour View

The Sinaloa region is drier than the Riviera Nayarit, and cacti are now part of the landscape. These prickly pear cactus are called nopal in Spanish.

White-winged Doves

Several species of doves have been frequent in both the rural & urban environments, here perched among the cacti.

Mazatlan Panorama

The amazing setting of the city is revealed from the top of the lighthouse hill.

Peregrine Falcon

Among the frigatebirds riding the thermals above the hill, there was the occasional raptor.

Orange-crowned Warbler

A few warblers flitted around the shrubs at the top- we assumed this was an Orange-crowned Warbler having heard their trill on the way up.

Grey-breasted Martins

Below in the old town residential areas, urban birds are prevalent.

Lesser Goldfinch

These goldfinches are the hesperophila subspecies, with a greenish back & partial black cap.

Orange-fronted Parakeets

In the shrub & garden areas we heard parakeets & finally caught a glimpse of these wild ones among the larger trees.

Notebook: Experiencing the world through meaningful travel

By Tehreem Sajjad, Daily Arts Writer
Published February 1, 2013

It’s 5 a.m. in the morning and your alarm clock has just snatched away an exquisite dream. You attempt to open your eyes, but all you see is gauzy darkness. For a few seconds, you manage to convince yourself that your wakefulness is a mistake, and therefore, you simply go back to sleep. But then, you roll over and your eyes fall on the zippered suitcase that you placed by your bed before getting under the covers. You yawn loudly and let out a sleepy groan: You’re going to the airport.

Outside in the cold, you wait soberly before the orange glare of a streetlight for your taxi to arrive. The taxi is late. Once you’re on your way to the airport, the taxi driver gets lost. Now you’re nervous because your flight leaves in an hour. Finally, you arrive at the airport. You hurtle towards Terminal C, your wheeled suitcase half suspended in the air so that you can wait in a long security line. Your belt buckle sets off the metal detector, and your Dior perfume bottle is confiscated.

You arrive at the gate, but the storm has already come and gone: You missed your flight. Now, you’re stuck in Terminal C for the next 223 minutes, your only source of consolation is a cup of caffeine and a McGriddle sandwich. You’ll miss your connecting flight and wait — in a different city, with the same menu — for another plane. And then, 20 some hours later, you’ll get where you need to be.

Why do we travel? For most people, sitting in a plane, surrounded by another 100 people in the vicinity of 200 square feet of airplane space is cumbersome. Strolling through airport malls selling useless souvenirs and getting X-ray screenings brings out the sad reality of modernity. Yet, here we are, packed in great numbers onto planes that don’t seem to be getting any larger. Sometimes, we travel because we have to. We serve as business representatives or we miss eating our mother’s turkey at Thanksgiving. According to Frequent Flyer Service, three percent of business travelers fly outside of the United States. Thus, most travel isn’t non-negotiable. Instead, we travel because we want to; because the hassle of going through airport security is outweighed by the intrinsic thrill of being somewhere new; because home is boring and Italy will always be Italy.

Travel is a basic human desire: a desire to lose ourselves. In some ways, traveling is similar to reading a novel. Sometimes, when overwhelmed with worldly issues, we turn to books to lose ourselves in its pages. Reading sprinkles a little change in our thoughts and gives us the time needed away from the real world. Traveling has the power to do the same, but to a much greater extent.

When we travel, we open our eyes and our hearts to embrace the world around us. We take in more information about the world than a newspaper can accommodate. Traveling provides us with time to think about our lives and ourselves. It gives us time for the tiny moments in our lives when we can peek into our own hearts and see what’s really there when no one is looking.

My point is that by changing your location, you can convert one single noun into a new web of associations. There is only so much that you can take from a place where you’ve spent your entire life or even a few good years, because sooner or later, you’ll reach a point when none of those places or people will teach you something new or different.

This is what traveling can do for us; it’s an authentic recipe that lets you experience the world hands-on. It compels you to pause, to look more closely and deeply at all the tiny details, it lets you linger and reflect on unexpected situations and to soak up everything that an experience has to offer. There are a lot of different aspects of this world that are unique, but it’s traveling that holds at its heart the spirit of uniqueness.