Traveling Mexico – Mayan Ruins
“Like the pharaohs of Egypt, he built a pyramid tomb as though it was his direct gateway to the underworld.” “Noble white robed ladies draw blood from their tongues next to pot-bellied dwarves.” The Maya have eluded scientists and researchers for years. Their language, their religion, their societies, basically their entire way of life,...
Driving Adventure in Mexico: Nogales to Zihuatanejo – Part II
The 5 cm. shoulder to those 100 m. cliffs lend excitement to the drive.” Destination: Troncones, Mexico, just north of Zihuatanejo. (Continued from last month) The road from Tepic to Guadalajara was an excellent cuota. The elevation rises to 5,141 feet though; this is not for a car with a weak cooling system. Our 720...
Taking the short bus to Ixtapa
There are a large number of Taxis in Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa that will take you just about anywhere you want to go at a pretty reasonable rate (20 pesos for anywhere in Zihua, 35 from Centro to La Ropa or 50-55 to Ixtapa depending on the time of day). But if you want something a little more interesting and economical, take...
Driving Adventures In Mexico – Nogales to Zihuatanejo
“They tried to confuse us into thinking we were in California by asking us if we had any fruits or vegetables. Just as in California a simple “no” allowed us to pass.” Bloodthirsty banditos around every corner! Extortionist Federales on the straight-aways! No gas stations and disgusting washrooms if you find one. Ominous warnings...
Travel – Shopping Lake Pátzcuaro
“Never send three women traveling on a shopping excursion with an empty Suburban.” I was asked to go on a scouting/shopping expedition to Michoacan, specifically the area in and around Pátzcuaro, with a friend. I have been to Pátzcuaro before and thought a return to the city I had become so enchanted with would be a wonderful...
Travelling Mexico – Taxco
“Small thoroughfares twist and turn, lined with silver shops and cafes. It is a wonderful place to lose yourself.” A true gem of Mexico, the old silver mining town of Taxco, is an excellent example of a Spanish Colonial town. The town is up in the mountains and the ride there is a long and windy...
Daytrips – La Union: a Perfect Town to Hide
Overstressed? Is the IRS looking for you? Need to chill? Then La Union is for you. Located 90 minutes north/northeast of Zihuatanejo by bus, this sleepy silent town of 6,000 souls is the county seat of the Municipio de La Union de Isidoro Montes de Oca. The county is the union of 140 villages. The...
To Tip or not to Tip-that is the question
So you’re on vacation, drinking in the sun and cervezas. The most problematic thing for you at this stage is Margarita…Piña Colada?… Margarita…Piña Colada? Then the cheque comes, and your fumbling through, figuring out which color pesos to use when a little thought comes creeping in, Do I Tip In Mexico? Well let me take...
Travelling Mexico – Copper Canyon
They say the Copper Canyon (Barranca del Cobre) is four times the size of America’s Grand Canyon. And if you judge the size by the length of the train ride through it, I’d put it at a good 10 times larger. Barranca del Cobre consists of 20 canyons and some of the most spectacular scenery in...
Day trips from Zihuatanejo – Petatlán, just an hour away
“…hundreds of thousands from all over Mexico come to visit the church for it is a well known pilgrimage site.” If you get bored with the beach scene of Zihuatanejo or Ixtapa and are in need of a diversion for a day, jump aboard a bus to Petatlán (petlatl and tlan), meaning the place of...
Traveling Mexico – Mexico City
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, D.F. (“day EFFay’) or just plain México, has long had a reputation as a scary place, don’t you believe it! Mexico City is so impressive: beauty, history, color, teeming with life, it’s unforgettable in every way. I travel alone, almost exclusively, and D.F. made me hesitate. But with a good guide book, an...
Day trips from Zihuatanejo – Acapulco
The genesis of the Mexican Riviera. This is the city that first drew the tourists down to Mexico and, in it’s hey day, was the playground of the rich and famous. The city is located about three hours south of Zihuatanejo on Highway 200 and can easily be reached via car or bus. The bus...
