New Adventures of DJ and Cheri

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2010-09-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

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An Amazing series of Videos showing the Beauty and Diversity of Mexico

2010-09-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

A Video about La Posada del Rio Sonora by my brother

2010-08-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

L.A. Times article Report: Mexico's tourist zones much safer than many in U.S.

2010-08-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

Now Mexico's real estate industry is fighting back. A day before President Barack Obama visits Mexico to discuss, among other things, the troublesome drug war issue, RE/MAX Investment Properties issued the results of its research claiming that tourist zones in Mexico are up to 26 times safer than many tourist zones in the United States.
Among its findings: The state of Baja California Sur, which includes some of my favorite destinations such as Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Loreto, has a homicide rate 26 times lower than Orlando, 18 times lower than Miami, 17 times lower than West Palm Beach and 12 times lower than Tampa and Honolulu.
(Note to self: Stay away from Florida!)
Almost ditto for Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
The report used some of the same sources Outposts has used, including a daily tally of drug cartel-related homicides kept by Excelsior newspaper, which through Tuesday listed only one homicide in 2009 in Baja California Sur (compared with 115 in the northern state of Baja California, which includes Tijuana), and four in Quintana Roo.
The report also states that BCS has a homicide rate 39 times lower than Washington D.C., 19 times lower than Houston and 17 times lower than Dallas. There's lots more but the point is as clear as a glass full of blanco tequila, which may or may not be offered to Obama.
-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Dolphin goes airborne at Cabo Dolphins facility alongside the Cabo San Lucas marina. Credit: Pete Thomas / Los Angeles Times

Murder Rate of Americans in Mexico

2010-08-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is a Re-Posting of an Important Message from a man that has been living in Mexico.
Warning ! - The contents of this article are shocking and may induce fear of violence.

Murder Rate of Americans in Mexico - According to the US State Department and Associated Press

Since I wrote this impassioned article about the murder rate of Americans in Mexico in 2009, things have changed. The murder rate for American citizens in Mexico went up. You still are more likely to get hit by lightning in the USA than to be murdered in Mexico, but murder is gaining ground! I just want to give you the facts and let you reason things out. I am not trivializing the deaths of anyone. Death is a tragedy. Neither am I sensationalizing these peoples' deaths, as the media does. I encourage people to go to Mexico. The news stories and Mexico bashers harp on the thousands of deaths due to drug violence. Here is a less sensationalistic story about your personal chances of being murdered in Mexico as an average tourist.
The Associated Press came up with their own statistics (although I could not verify them with the U.S. State Department web site. Call it a conspiracy or maybe I have gotten senile, but I found the death rates for US citizens in Mexico and the world easily last year and now they are all gone?).

Deaths Are Up

Let's assume the AP stats are legit. As sensational as they are, they should be examined. One story reads that, "... the number of U.S. citizens killed in Mexico in 2009 was more than double the number killed in 2007." Hmm, and what happened to 2008? That astounding, astronomical number of deaths of Americans in Mexico was - 78 (more people are murdered in the USA in 2 days). In 2007, 37 Americans (they say) were killed. That is possible, since in 2008 the U.S. State Department authenticated the murder deaths of Americans in Mexico (from ALL causes, not just drug-related) at 50.
Every death is a tragedy. Statistics dehumanize deaths, but maybe that is a good thing. Cold, dispassionate numbers should help to put things into perspective. We, the general public cannot know all of the people who have died.

These Murder Statistics Will Scare You

But even when reduced to numbers, murders can induce hysteria. That is what is happening now.
The murder rate is frightening. It makes me afraid to go back. And to think I used to live there! Why, since Jan. 31, 2010 (to April 1) 40 people have been murdered. That is an increase of 107.7% in just the last week. Since the first of the year 28 more people were murdered . That is 58 people this year alone.
Lest you assume I am talking about Mexico, let me assure you that these statistics are from a city with a Latin-sounding name, Los Angeles, California. This info is not from a tabloid, but from the LA Police Department’s own web site http://www.lapdonline.org/.
LA is not the most dangerous city in the USA by a long shot (pardon the pun). Places like Oakland, Detroit, Philadelphia (a friend from NJ told me she would not go to Philly because, “people shoot each other in braid daylight there.”), Newark, New Orleans and so usually win the death lottery.
Every day, approximately 45 people are murdered in the USA, according to FBI statistics.

The USA Leads Canada In This

611 people were murdered in Canada in 2008. That is less than 2 a day.
Yet, the Sunbelt states are happily inundated with unarmed Canadians every winter. I guess they have not heard the news that the USA is dangerous. Or maybe, they view things in perspective.
I am not denying that there is a dangerous war going on in Mexico between the drug gangs and the government. I am not denying that people are getting killed. I do not deny that very unfortunately, a few innocent bystanders are caught in the crossfire. Even worse, deadly mistakes have been made by the very people charged with cleaning up the gangs. They have shot innocents. But how many innocent people are killed in the USA every day?

The Border Is Not All Mexico

Mexico is not Reynosa. Mexico is not Nuevo Laredo. Mexico is not Tijuana. And so on. Mexico is not one city. In general, Mexico does not have murders like the USA does. Drug gangs and soldiers slug it out. Drug gangs kill other drug gangs. I talk to friends in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Cabo San Lucas, Tamazunchale, Pachuca, Puebla, Oaxaca, San Blas, Putero Vallarta and on and on. Not one of them expressed fear of living in Meixco. Every one of them knew what was going on back on the border.

Putting Things Into Perspective

The facts are that an American’s (extrapolated to any foreigner’s) chance of being murdered in Mexico is less than his chance of being struck by lightning. According to the U.S. State Department, in 2008, 50 Americans were murdered in Mexico. 90 Americans were struck by lightning in the USA. Read on if you have an open mind. Oh, and to further fly in the face of accepted hysteria, in an average year, 20,000 people are killed by the “common” flu in the USA.
One advantage of living a few decades is that it gives you perspective. Back in ancient times (the 1960’s and 1970’s) people tried to dissuade me from driving to Mexico. It’s not safe, they cried. You’ll be robbed … shot by bandits … arrested. Today people shout the same untruths. They were wrong then and they are wrong now, according to US State Department and FBI statistics – the same statistics used by the Houston Chronicle, MSNBC, AP and others to scare people from going to Mexico.
In forty years and half a million miles of driving to almost every nook and cranny of Mexico. I’ve yet to see a bandit. I’ve yet to be kidnapped. I’ve yet to be afraid. Oh, I was arrested once, but I deserved it.
About 1 ½ million Mexican tourists visit the USA yearly. How often have you seen a headline: Mexican tourist robbed (or shot)? It happens. It’s just not headline-worthy. A friend of mine in the consular service in Los Angeles said that helping Mexicans who’d been robbed or murdered were part of his duties. Not one newspaper every asked him about such “incidents.”
The Chronicle headline that screamed that more than 200 Americans had been killed in Mexico since 2004. That’s nearly five years. That’s about fifty a year, but that’s not headline-worthy. To the Chronicle’s credit, it fairly pointed out that most of the homicide victims were involved in organized crime. Some were wanted for crimes in the USA. It allowed that in 70 cases, “ the victims were apparently visiting family, vacationing or living or working there.”
People get murdered anywhere in the world because of grudges, arguments or love affairs gone wrong. Or, sometimes people just get robbed and shot who don’t deserve it. It happens here. Every few days I read about someone getting shot in my hometown. It’s a shame, but it’s not a symptom of … a nation out-of-control as some try to label Mexico.
Yes, gangsters shoot at each other and the army shoots back. It’s unlikely you’ll be in the neighborhood – any more than you’ll be in the neighborhood of a gang shootout at home. The chance of getting murdered for any reason in Mexico is less than the chance of getting struck by lighting in the USA (90 deaths versus 50). It’s one-sixth the likelihood of your being gunned down in the USA. You could get gunned down in the USA at: a museum in Washington DC, a church, a mall, a fast food restaurant / convenience store, by a serial killer in South Carolina, California or anywhere, a drive-by shooting and so on.

Statistics From 2007 and 2008

The FBI 2007 statistics state that there were 1.4 million violent crimes in the USA. 466.9 per 100,000 people with 16,929 murders or 5.6 per 100,000 people. http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2007/offenses/violent_crime/index.html That sounds pretty scary to me.
The US State Department reported that for 2008, there were 221 deaths from all causes of American citizens in Mexico. As I said earlier, the link to that document is gone (deleted) from the State Department web site.
Detroit is as far from the Mexican border as you can get so that claims of “spillover violence” can’t be used (unless there is a Canadian Cartel). It has about 900,000 residents. In 2007 there were 19,690 violent crimes with 392 murders. Houston, our forth largest city with about 2 ½ million people had 24,564 violent crimes (351 murders the same year. Gee it seems that some of our cities have more murders each year than death from all causes of American citizens in the entire country of Mexico.
Most Americans who met their Maker in Mexico did so via highway accidents or pedestrian fatalities (89). Second was homicides (50), next was suicide (24) with drowning and my favorite “Other,” trailing in the polls at 21 each. I’m surprised the Chronicle didn’t glom onto the category, “Executions.” (9). All but one of those occurred in Cd. Juarez.
Sometimes news stories mention a “poor American” who got into trouble in Mexico, but, believe it or not, some of us get drunk, high or loud-mouthed and go places we shouldn’t. I speak from experience, having done all four in my youth in Mexico and the USA. The only places anyone pulled guns on me or beat me up were in the USA. Well, there was that time in Oaxaca, but I don’t want to talk about it.
With about three million Americans tourists a year and about one million living in Mexico, the murder rate for Americans is around one per 100,000 or so – about one-sixth the murder rate in the USA.

Here’s what Antonio Prado, director of The Spanish Institute of Puebla had to say about safety for Americans in Mexico in my upcoming book,
Meet The Mexicans:
Most of our students are surprised at how safe they feel in Mexico compared to how they thought they would. I have been at this school for ten years. In that time we have had about 5,000 students. The worst thing that happened to any of them was that two had their pockets picked. Most Mexicans are afraid of the States from what they see on TV. My wife and I went to a Catholic Mass. There was a Black man there. My wife was afraid to shake his hand because of the negative stereotypes from movies.
The people who are committing the crimes in Mexico know who they are committing crimes against. I feel very safe and in twelve years of living in Mexico, I have never had an incident. In the USA I was broken into, my car was stolen. Here the worst that happened to me was that the mirrors from my car were stolen.

For more article like this visit. www.mexicomike.com

New Book coming out on Blurb about La Posada del Rio Sonora

2010-07-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

La Posada del Rio Sonora by Darrin Jones and Bill Steen | Make Your Own Book

Entrance to "La Fonda Banámitzi" at

2010-07-13T18:36:00.001-07:00

Entrance to "La Fonda Banámitzi" at , originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

5 reviews of La Posada del Rio Sonora in Banamichi

"La Fonda Banámitzi" at "La Posada"

2010-07-13T08:31:00.001-07:00

"La Fonda Banámitzi" at "La Posada", originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

La Posada del Rio Sonora a boutique hotel in the charming historic center of Banámichi, Sonora, Mexico , the very center of the historic and scenic route called "La Ruta Rio Sonora". This is an area steeped in historical, biological and geological significance. A place where time is simpler and the sun shines about 360 days a year. www.mexicoecoresort.com

Los Cenzontles

2010-07-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Los Cenzontles provides the local community with a family-friendly setting for traditional arts education and cultural events while producing critically acclaimed CDs and DVDs and attracting collaborations with internationally recognized recording artists.

In our classes, we are listening to and learning from our maestros. In our events and performances, we are adding our own voice to living traditions. Through our CDs and DVDs, we document our journey to share with you, the world and future generations. Check them out at http://www.loscenzontles.com/

Pets Pack Your Bags for Mexico

2010-07-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yes...You may bring cats, dogs, and other household pets into Mexico.

Those wishing to travel to Mexico with their dogs or cats must obtain the following documents beforehand:
1. A Health Certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian and
2. Proof of vaccines against rabies and distemper, administered at least 15 days before the arrival of the pet in Mexico.
3. Proof of ownership. A letter from your veterinarian will suffice or you may have an adoption certificate from your local shelter.
No consular certification is required and it is not necessary that these documents be translated into Spanish.
However, in the numerous times we have driven from Mexico, through the U.S. into Canada and back again, we have never experienced anything more than slight interest in our pets. We even have “Pet Passports” which we thought were real cute, but nobody has ever wanted to see them. But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared! And the best thing is there is no quarantine in Mexico!

The Secret Powers of Time

2010-07-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

This visually depicted discussion of time, culture and geography was quite interesting to me. It helps me understand perhaps why I am the way I want to be when at lower latitudes with higher altitudes. It just fits.

Well enjoy.....

DJ

Cabalgata 2010 Rio Sonora

2010-06-24T19:28:00.001-07:00

To get a glimpse of the numbers...x 20, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

To get a glimpse of the numbers...x 20, estimated at 2500 riders. I will be brief and say.....it was AWESOME!!!

As we enter Baviácora from the South

2010-06-24T19:20:00.001-07:00

As we enter Baviácora from the South, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

Our first and only Cabalgata so far was 24 kilometers long. We rode with approximately 2500 other riders (all of which wore white cowboy hats, while mine was dark brown). The Governor of Sonora Guillermo Padrés Elías (PAN), rode along with us. The entire ride lasted 3-1/2 hours and ended in La Estancia. We were hosted by the Contreras Family, they provided transportation, Great horses for Cheri and myself, sipping Tepúa Bacanora and cold beer. They watched over Cheri like she was a daughter or sister and this allowed me to mix with the crowd and sample other types of Bacanora, Tequila, Mescal and even some form of whiskey. It is amazing that I stayed on the horse, but had I fallen off or had any trouble, I am confident that there would have been plenty of friendly folks there ready to help. This event was absolutely AMAZING. I hope we can repay the kindness and generosity shown to us there. We made some "once-in-a-lifetime" memories that day.

DJ

The Tepúa Bacanora King Roberto

2010-06-24T19:07:00.001-07:00

The Tepúa Bacanora King Roberto, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

A new friend and a new family and a new home. Cheri and I are Blessed to have made so many great friends in such an amazingly short period of time. The genuine quality that I admire and respect so much in my new friends is their willingness to share and to help us forge into a new life. The Contreras Family of Hermosillo and the Rio Sonora area have been so kind to us. This photo is of Roberto Jr. and he is an incredible fellow, a bright young man that will help his Father achieve a family dream of making and marketing Bacanora (under the Tepúa label in Mexico and Cielo Rojo in the United States). We cannot wait to attempt to help them achieve their dreams as they have helped us with ours.
Finding Great people to have as friends is one of the greatest gifts we can have in our lives. I will always be Grateful!

Back on Pavement

2010-06-24T05:57:00.001-07:00

Back on Pavement, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

Sometimes those rough patches in the road of life are there just to make you appreciate the smooth parts.

DJ

En la masa

2010-06-23T19:12:00.001-07:00

En la masa, originally uploaded by Fano_Quiriego.

Con las manos expertas Doña Lupe prepara tortillas de harina a la orilla de la playa de Bahía de Lobos, una pequeña población pesquera del Municipio de San Ignacio Río Muerto que, frente a lo ordinario de sus calles y casas, ofrece al visitante un escándalo de naturaleza sin par.

Uploaded by Fano_Quiriego on 13 Oct 09, 10.25PM MST.

With the expert hands Doña Lupe flour tortillas , prepared at the edge of the beach of Bahia de Lobos, a small fishing village of San Ignacio Rio Dead that, contrary to the ordinary streets and houses, offers visitors an unparalleled nature scandal .

This album had some of the best photos of children I have seen. Cheri nailed it when she said "If people (Gringos) could only see the happiness on the children's faces, then they wouldn't be trying so hard to change their culture..."

I really like the way Fano captured the hands.

Wonderful Water in Sonora

2010-06-23T09:04:00.001-07:00

Vertedor(HDR), originally uploaded by Iván Fernández V..

I have been asked by several friends and relatives about the water around the area. They all know me and Cheri and know how important water and natural beauty is in our day-to-day lives. My foto-search on Flickr with the query of "Sonora Beauty" brought me this striking image from Iván Fernández V. of a Dam and water reservoir. I wanted to share this via the easy (almost too easy) "Blog This" feature from Flickr. This Álvaro Obregón Dam has been captured so beautifully with the sky and earth and water.

Opata Words Defined

2010-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

A message manipulated by Hate, Fear & Ignorance

2010-06-23T06:59:00.001-07:00

A message manipulated, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

"Thank God for the border patrol that this did not come over the border. "
"Look what they found at the Arizona border!"

Sent to me in an attempt to warn me of the dangers of Mexico, by those whom have never been.

Taking images (from others) and trying to tell a story (lies and deception) of how the Mexican Drug Cartels are trying to smuggle guns and ammo North of the Border and that US Military captured them. Which was a series of lies that were 180 degrees from the Truth.... but via ignorance and the ease of forwarding to all your email buddies and they in turn to theirs and on and on. That is how Fear, Lies and Propaganda spreads like wildfire all across the good ole USA.

South of the Border, confiscated by Mexicans......

Exactly what do you think you are seeing here?

This is a Mexican Military Operation confiscating more than 300 long guns, 200 short guns, grenade launchers, RPG's , grenades, ammunition and vehicles all being smuggled from the United States to the Narco-Traffickers that in return try to keep Americans supplied with the Cocaine, Marijuana, Chrystal Meth, and now even Heroine that they can't ever seem to get enough of. I am glad to see that at least one side of the Border is being Pro-Active in this 185 Billion Dollar per year drug/arms trade. When was the last or even first time you can remember any of our more than 3500 ICE Agents along the Border stop the U.S. Gun Smugglers before they can make their way across the Border heading South? Why is Arizona the most concentrated area of weapons and ammunition sales in ratio to population in the Western Hemisphere? Where do you think all those "legally purchased" guns and ammunition is going? Go online and see where the "Big Gun Wholesalers" and "Bulk Ammunition" sales companies are located.

To the untrained eye, some folks might be easily mistaken in believing that these are American Armed Forces capturing weapons being smuggled North into our country. Anyone believing that may as well believe that the USA is the largest drug smugglers and providers of illegal drugs to Mexico and all of Latin America. With that logic, you would have to also believe that Mexico has a higher percentage of it's population addicted to drugs than anywhere else on the planet. Any and all of these assumptions would be 180 degrees wrong and would represent the height of ignorance and the ability of propaganda to lead uninformed people in any direction, even to believe in the opposite of Truth.

Uploaded by MexicoEcoResort on 23 Jun 10, 6.47AM MST.

The Colors of La Posada del Rio Sonora

2010-06-21T08:06:00.001-07:00

LaPosada UpperPorchJan10, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

This photo by my great friend Bill Steen is still my favorite image of the hotel. We finally did it! Now I am trying to handle getting both houses sold and do my Ultra Job while still planning ways to bring new customers to the hotel. www.MexicoEcoResort.com and www.LaPosadadelRioSonora.com are our two websites and I am trying to remake both of them. Each one will have a defined and separate focus and demographic target.
Please feel free to FB or Twit or share in any way possible. We need Your Help. Thanks for all the support so far. We couldn't have done it without it.
Ciao for now!

DJ

A Guest Survey - Please feel free to fill-out and submit if you have stayed there

2010-06-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

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If you have stayed there in the past, could you be sure to add approximate date in the last field before hitting submit? Also I would really like to have your email address...please, It is for hotel promotions only.

Buchichiqui

2010-06-20T19:05:00.001-07:00

Buchichiqui, originally uploaded by DrCarlosAMG ¡Vamos México!.

There have been some awesome photos made of Hummingbirds/Collibri but this one is my new fav on Flickr. I have been exploring the images from Old Mexico from so many Great Mexican Photographers. In fact I have joined several of the photo groups focused on Old Mexico and specifically Sonora, and even more specific - La Ruta del Rio Sonora. It is a great way to share a common hobby and an enchantment with the landscape and the people of Mexico.
Viva Mexico!

Upper Terrace View in the Morning

2010-06-19T05:54:00.001-07:00

Upper Terrace View in the Morning, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

This is the first video post that I have tried from Flickr. It should give you a breif look around the upper terrace at La Posada. The back apartment is being rented by a Gold Miner's Daughter and the front apartment has just been occupied by our General Manager.
Please make plans to come and visit us after we make the Big Move. Now it is just a matter of time.

DJ

La Posada Patio & Courtyard

2010-06-19T05:46:00.001-07:00

La Posada Patio & Courtyard, originally uploaded by MexicoEcoResort.

Mine at last...well ours actually. Although there have been no big "Press Release" regarding this transaction, it is official now. Cheri and I have purchased "La Posada del Rio Sonora" in Banámichi and will be moving there later this year. We are keeping on all the staff and even promoting Mauro Maldonado to General Manager. Over the next couple of weeks you will most likely notice a new look if you check in on our two websites: www.MexicoEcoResort.com and www.LaPosadadelRioSonora.com

Please share this on FB or any medium you can. We are counting on making this non-typical, non-touristy experience successful by generating as much good old fashioned fun and adventure as we can in this beautiful location. It is hard to describe, but impossible to forget. Just ask the folks that have been there.

This will be the beginning of an entirely new chapter in our lives.

Cascada de Tamul @ Tanchachin, SLP, Mexico

2010-06-12T19:29:00.001-07:00

Cascada de Tamul @ Tanchachin, SLP, Mexico, originally uploaded by Don César.

There are so many WONDERFUL locations within this vast country. Living and working here will allow us to not only experience and immerse ourselves in a new culture, but will allow us to intensify our exploration of this beautiful place.
Tomorrow is the "Cabogata" a horse festival with around 2,000 riders including the Governor of Sonora. Cheri and I will be riding thanks to the Contreras Family. Roberto Contreras Sr. and Jr. are the proprietors of "Cielo Rojo" (Red Sky) Bacanora (a type of tequila). We want to thank them in advance. They also sell it under the name "Tepua" in Mexico and we are more than proud to serve it in our signature drink at "La Posada del Rio Sonora" - Bacarita.

Find out more at www.MexicoEcoResort.com

Choices (to wait or not to wait)

2010-06-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

Dr. Seuss’ words about waiting
The Waiting Place…
…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

Clearly to Dr. Seuss, waiting is not a good thing. (& I agree)
I read it again recently and one part keeps popping in my head. The story warns the boy about getting lost in life’s “rat race.” Not taking action, but instead just …waiting.

Enter Franz Kafka. As a writer, he’s one of the all-time greats. As a boy born in Prague in a German Jewish family, Kafka struggled with identity. A minority of a minority. He didn’t accept it well. It was tough times for Franz and his writing shows it. His dark writing style was usually about “senseless, disorienting, often menacing complexity.” (sources)

What’s Kafka say about waiting?

Kafka’s words about Waiting
You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

In a Nutshell…
There you have it.
Seuss says: waiting = bad
Kafka says: waiting = good

What are your thoughts?
Anyway, this is what’s weighing heavily on my mind,
.......today and the past few weeks.
Thanks for reading,
-DJ

Google Search to a New Life

2010-06-06T08:52:00.001-07:00

Mexico-our New Winner

2010-06-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Mexico-our New Winner

Moving up four places to take our top spot as the world’s top retirement haven this year is Mexico. Mexico offers the perfect mix of centuries-old traditions and contemporary lifestyles. Moving to Mexico means you can still have all of the amenities you grew accustomed to north of the border: cable TV, high-speed Internet, and modern home appliances. And if you prefer, when you move to Mexico you can even bring all of your favorite things with you without paying import taxes.

Goods and services cost less, so you can afford the kinds of luxuries only the very wealthy enjoy up north: a maid, a cook, and a gardener for example. In your retirement here, you’ll have time to volunteer at the local school, time to golf in the mornings, time to relax on the beach…time to savor life.

Whether your vision of the ideal retirement involves shopping, fishing, sunbathing, diving, biking, mountain climbing, parasailing, collecting crafts, visiting archeological sites, partying, going to concerts, attending the theater, or fine dining, in Mexico you can engage in all of these activities, and many more.

How our Global Retirement Index is scored

* Real estate. Countries where real estate prices are low and the purchase of real estate is relatively easy receive the highest scores. We use our own experiences plus reports from our contributing editors and real estate contacts around the world to rate each country. Weight: 15%

* Entertainment, Recreation, and Culture. This category considers the number of newspapers per 1,000 citizens, the number of museums and cinemas per capita, the number of university students, the literacy rate, and the variety of cultural and recreational offerings. Weight: 10%

* Cost of living. This score is based on statistics from the Indexes of Living Costs Abroad, Quarter Allowances, and Hardship Differentials, published by the United States Department of State, and on data published by Business International. We also use our firsthand experiences living and traveling in these countries. The lower the score, the higher the cost of living. Weight: 20%

* Safety and stability. This measure of unrest in each country is based primarily on Interpol data and State Department statistics. It also takes into account the civil liberties and political rights granted by each government. Our own experiences and reports from expatriates living in these countries also influence the safety scores. Weight: 5%

* Health care. Considered in this category are the cost of a typical visit to a general practitioner and the cost and coverage particulars of health insurance. Weight: 20%

* Climate. Countries with temperate weather throughout the year, moderate rain fall, and little risk of natural disaster come out on top in this category. We use data representing each country as a whole instead of favoring one region over another. Weight: 5%

* Special benefits. This category considers government provisions that make moving to and living in each country easier and more affordable for foreigners. Taken into account are property rights for foreign residents, property tax rates, duty-free imports on personal belongings, currency controls, employment restrictions, voting rights, and transportation discounts for seniors. Weight: 20%

* Infrastructure. This section considers the number of cars and telephones per 1,000 residents, the length of railroad track in usable condition, the number of airports, the quality of the country’s road and highway network, and the availability of telecommunications. Weight: 5%

If health care is a concern, you should know that in much of Mexico the health care is first rate. Private clinics and hospitals are staffed by expert physicians (many of whom trained in the U.S., Europe, or in Mexico’s own world-renowned teaching hospitals), and medical care and prescription drugs will cost you only a fraction of what you would pay in the States. In our Index, Mexico scores 79 out of a possible 100 points in this category.

Mexico is such a diverse nation that everybody can find exactly what they want. You don’t have to choose between water or mountains; here you can have both. And because of geographic diversity, you can also choose the climate to enjoy during your Mexican retirement: from hot and dry in the north, to hot and humid in the south, to spring-like temperatures all year round in the Colonial Highlands.

You can also own the home of your dreams in Mexico-for much less than it would cost you most anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. The real estate market offers endless possibilities for your retirement. Mexico receives a high score of 84 in our Real Estate category. Despite what you may have heard, it’s not too late to buy real estate here.

You can own beachfront-not just ocean view property-in Mexico for less than $100,000.

Once you decide to move to Mexico, it’s difficult to know where to go-it’s a big country. Below are the 10 places we think make the most sense for expatriate living in this country, based on criteria such as health care, climate, infrastructure, and housing costs. These are places our husband-and-wife team in Mexico, Dan Prescher and Suzan Haskins, have personally scouted and personally recommend above other options in this great big country. They are: Rosarito Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Quer?ro, Mazatlan, M?da, La Paz, Campeche, Playa del Carmen/Riviera Maya, Ajijic/Chapala, and Sayulita/San Pancho (San Francisco). Of course, we’re not forgetting San Miguel de Allende, one of Dan and Suzan’s favorite places in Mexico. Suzan recently reported of this town: “San Miguel is one of the prettiest towns in all of Mexico. Stepping into San Miguel’s Centro is like stepping back in time…but with all of today’s modern conveniences.”

In second place…
Ecuador

Ecuador always does well in our Retirement Index,.....

Top for Europe

Italy comes third in our Index this year with high scores across the board. It’s difficult to......

Why Panama fell from glory?
Panama won our Retirement Index for six years in a row. But, it’s fallen from the top spot....

Mexico drug war doesn’t stop Americans from moving south of the border

2010-06-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

‘As safe as Seattle,’ says a transplant to Mérida, Mexico, where there is no sign of the violent drug war waging in the north. Expatriates are fast buying and renovating colonial haciendas.

By Sara Miller Llana

Mérida, Mexico

Bill Engle is outside, sweating in work clothes while he oversees renovations to his colonial house in Mérida, Mexico. It sits on a street dubbed “Gringo Gulch,” a pretty row of baby blue, violet, and mustard facades where expatriates outnumber Mexicans.
“It is not the climate,” says Mr. Engle, explaining why he moved to the Yucatán Peninsula. “It is the people. It is the most welcoming place.”
Americans scared off by violence in Mexico? Not here.
In towns far from the US border such as Mérida, Mexico’s drug wars seem like another world. In fact, according to a recent survey by the International Community Foundation, violence reduced the frequency or duration of trips to Mexico for only 7 percent of American retirees who live or travel frequently to Mexico.
No one knows how many foreign retirees, entrepreneurs, and families relocated to Mérida in recent years, but judging from real estate deals, new members to the English-language library, and observations by locals, it is not a few – nor is it ebbing.
'As safe as Seattle'"I feel more part of a community here and safer or as safe here as I did in Seattle," says Martha Lindley, a retired chaplain and lawyer who moved here three years ago.
Of 5.25 million Americans living abroad, 1 million are estimated to live south of the border. Some communities, such as San Miguel de Allende (a Heritage Site in central Mexico), seem virtual US suburbs. Mérida is becoming a magnet as transplants rush to buy old mansions and haciendas from the 19th century boom in henequen (a fiber used to make rope).
"I do not feel any violence here," says Dan Karnes, a retired lawyer from New Orleans who moved here last year. He purchased an 18th-century colonial mansion, last used as a warehouse, and on a recent day was overseeing workers digging a pool foundation and laying an oval courtyard. When done, Mr. Karnes will boast an 18,300-square-foot home.
Mérida housing market rebounds with retirees Mérida became a hot destination five years ago, says Mitch Keenan of Mexico International Real Estate. He's sold homes here for 15 years. While the global recession hurt sales, he says the market is rebounding and sending in more well-heeled retirees.
With America's baby boomers retiring, potential for further growth is huge. The International Community Foundation found that Mexico remains their retirees' No. 1 travel destination. The possible extension of Medicare benefits to Americans who retire abroad could further fuel that.
Ellen Fields and her husband, Jim, run the site Yucatanliving.com and help expatriates settle here with the company Yucatan Expatriate Services. "It is so neighborly," she says. She once left her keys in her door; instead of getting robbed, the keys got returned.
Locals say foreigners blend easily with the city's 1 million residents.
Alvaro Martinez and Sara Lopez, who moved to "Gringo Gulch" 70 years ago, long before it earned its nickname, are one of two Mexican families on the street. "They are good neighbors, there are never any problems," says Mr. Lopez, his arm draped around his wife. "They are moving in all around us."

csmonitor.com

Mexico's health care lures Americans

2010-06-06T06:09:00.000-07:00

By Chris Hawley, USA TODAY

MEXICO CITY — It sounds almost too good to be true: a health care plan with no limits, no deductibles, free medicines, tests, X-rays, eyeglasses, even dental work —

all for a flat fee of $250 or less a year.

To get it, you just have to move to Mexico.

As the United States debates an overhaul of its health care system, thousands of American retirees in Mexico have quietly found a solution of their own, signing up for the health care plan run by the Mexican Social Security Institute.

The system has flaws, the facilities aren't cutting-edge, and the deal may not last long because the Mexican government said in a recent report that it is "notorious" for losing money. But for now, retirees say they're getting a bargain.

"It was one of the primary reasons I moved here," said Judy Harvey of Prescott Valley, who now lives in Alamos, Sonora. "I couldn't afford health care in the United States. … To me, this is the best system that there is."

It's unclear how many Americans use IMSS, but with between 40,000 and 80,000 U.S. retirees living in Mexico, the number probably runs "well into the thousands," said David Warner, a public policy professor at the University of Texas.

"They take very good care of us," said Jessica Moyal, 59, of Hollywood, Fla., who now lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a popular retirement enclave for Americans.

The IMSS plan is primarily designed to support Mexican taxpayers who have been paying into the system for decades, and officials say they don't want to be overrun by bargain-hunting foreigners.

"If they started flooding down here for this, it wouldn't be sustainable," said Javier Lopez Ortiz, IMSS director in San Miguel de Allende.

Pre-existing conditions aren't covered for the first two years, and some newer medicines and implants are not free. IMSS hospitals don't have frills such as televisions or in-room phones, and they often require patients to bring family members to help with bathing and other non-medical tasks. Most doctors and nurses speak only Spanish, and Mexico's overloaded court system doesn't provide much recourse if something goes wrong.

But the medical care doesn't cost a dime after paying the annual fee, and it is usually good, retirees and health experts say. Warner said most American retirees enroll in IMSS as a form of cheap insurance against medical emergencies, while using private doctors or traveling back to the USA for less urgent care. Medicare, the U.S. insurance plan for retirees, cannot be used outside the United States.

Program prompts relocation

The program has helped people such as Ron and Jemmy Miller of Shawano, Wis. They decided to retire early, but knew affording health care was going to be a problem.

Ron was a self-employed contractor, and Jemmy was a loan officer at a bank. At ages 61 and 52, respectively, they were too young to qualify for Medicare, but too old to risk not having health insurance.

"We knew that we couldn't retire without Medicare," Jemmy Miller said. "We're pretty much in Mexico now because we can't afford health care in the States."

The couple learned about IMSS from Mexico guidebooks and the Internet. They moved to the central city of Irapuato in 2006, got residency visas as foreign retirees, and then enrolled in IMSS.

The IMSS system is similar to an HMO in the United States, Jemmy Miller said. Patients are assigned a primary care physician and given a passport-size ID booklet that includes records of appointments. The doctor can refer patients to specialists, a bigger hospital or one of the IMSS specialty hospitals in cities such as Guadalajara or Mexico City.

In 2007, Ron Miller got appendicitis and had emergency surgery at the local IMSS hospital. He was in the hospital for about a week and had a double room to himself. The food was good, the nurses were attentive, and doctors stopped by three or four times a day to check on him, he said. At the end of it all, there was no bill, just an entry in the ID booklet.

The Millers may soon move back to the United States, but Jemmy Miller said they want to try to maintain the IMSS coverage. "If something big really comes up, we'd probably come back to Mexico," she said.

Different levels of care offered

IMSS is one of several public health systems in Mexico, each with its own network of hospitals and clinics. The program, which was founded in 1943, is funded by a combination of payroll deductions, employer contributions and government funds. It covers 50.8 million workers.

IMSS facilities are a step up from the state hospitals, but not as advanced as Mexico's private hospitals, which are often world-class, said Curtis Page, a Tempe, Ariz., doctor and co-author of a book about health care in Mexico.

Most patients seem grateful nonetheless. When Michael Kirkpatrick, 63, of Austin, fell off his motorcycle near his home in San Miguel de Allende, IMSS surgeons gave him a stainless-steel artificial hip.

There was no physical rehabilitation after the surgery, just a checkup a few weeks later.

"There was not the kind of follow-through and therapy that you would expect if you were doing this in the first world," Kirkpatrick said. "But it was satisfactory. The hip feels good."

Bob Story, 75, of St. Louis, had prostate-reduction surgery at an IMSS hospital in Mazatlán and discovered that patients were expected to bring their own pillows. It was a small price to pay, he said, for a surgery that would have cost thousands of dollars back home.

"I would say it's better than any health plan I've had in the States," he said.

Hawley is Latin America correspondent for USA TODAY and The Arizona Republic

Does driving a 4x4 through the canyons and in the river sound FUN?

2010-06-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

Courtesy TerritorioScuola

This eight minute video done by Robert from New Years shows the hotel really well. It also shows how fun driving the "Old River Route" can be. Don't get me wrong the scenic 98 is incredible and probably one of the least used and most scenic drives in the Southwest, but for a real adventure I prefer the more watery route. We have done this a couple of times and each time it still thrills me.

The greenish-yellowish highlighted route from Nogales to Magdelena to Cocurpe to Banámichi is absolutely the fastest way from Tucson. We usually go through Bisbee and Naco toward Canennea and turn South on 98 (which is marked 118 and my Garmin shows as Hwy 17) just before entering Canennea. This is what most would consider the scenic route. Probably takes 30-45 more minutes than Nogales going down, (depending on city traffic), but the return portion is so much easier for me at Naco that I choose this route going North. If I am in no big hurry I turn off toward Bamori at this sign-

about 15-20 miles North of Banámichi there is a dirt road to the right. If you look back 20 yards/meters after turning on this road and see the sign above, you are on the right road. (I will try to include lat lon soon) but you get the idea. Then just follow the road through a little village and make your first river crossing and bear left where the most defined marks are, in a worse case scenario wait until you see a cowboy on a horse and see which way they are heading or ask "Arizpe" and point, they will laugh and point you in the right direction. After all getting a little lost on a wagon trail that criss-crosses the river about a dozen times is part of the adventure, right? We never needed 4x4, but may need it during monsoon season when I expect much higher water levels and rougher road conditions.

Then if you are lucky, you will roll into the Southside of Arizpe on a shady tree-lined smoothe dirt road that is where the teenagers and young folk hang out after church on Sunday afternoons. We even saw several of those gorgeous Sonoran girls riding bareback. A couple of them sharing a horse almost ran into a tree while flirting with this old gringo in the old 4x4 Montero. Cheri was telling me to keep my eyes on the road....and believe me I was, but I was driving sllooooww to take in all the sights and sounds and finally the smooth feel of pavement. Then we backtracked a bit on the main road and had a Great Lunch at the Pemex on the Southside of Arizpe. Leave a note on a napkin under the clear plastic table-clothe if you do make it there, and tell 'em DJ and Cheri sent ya (they won't understand a word of it, but they will smile and feed you some really great food at a very decent price anyway).

Tinamastes Banámichi

2010-06-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

Courtesy TerritorioScuola

Activities:
*Outdoor Training
*Excursiones/ Excursions
*Rappel/ Rappel Training
*Cañonismo / Rock Climbing
*Puentismo (Rappel in Real World)
*Senderismo / Hiking
*Bici de Montaña / Mountain Biking
*Paintball
*Tours Off Road

A.P. Impact: US-Mexico border isn't so dangerous

2010-06-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

— It's one of the safest parts of America, and it's getting safer.

It's the U.S.-Mexico border, and even as politicians say more federal troops are needed to fight rising violence, government data obtained by The Associated Press show it actually isn't so dangerous after all.

The top four big cities in America with the lowest rates of violent crime are all in border states: San Diego, Phoenix, El Paso and Austin, according to a new FBI report. And an in-house Customs and Border Protection report shows that Border Patrol agents face far less danger than street cops in most U.S. cities.

The Customs and Border Protection study, obtained with a Freedom of Information Act request, shows 3 percent of Border Patrol agents and officers were assaulted last year, mostly when assailants threw rocks at them. That compares with 11 percent of police officers and sheriff's deputies assaulted during the same period, usually with guns or knives.

In addition, violent attacks against agents declined in 2009 along most of the border for the first time in seven years. So far this year assaults are slightly up, but data is incomplete.

"The border is safer now than it's ever been," said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Lloyd Easterling.

Can you domesticate a wild Javelina? ....only in Banámichi

2010-06-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Courtesy TerritorioScuola

I found this short video of a local Banámichi Hombre that has done just that,
made a pet out of a wild pig. Only in a place as tranquil as Banámichi.....

"Where the River Turns"

2010-06-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

New Rules for Travel to Sonora

2010-05-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

“Only Sonora” is a vehicle permit program that allows Americans to enter their cars into Sonora by paying a federal temporary importation permit fee. Only Sonora operates from the 21-kilometer checkpoint, which is about 12 miles south of Nogales, Sonora. Tourists who plan to drive beyond the 21 checkpoint in an American vehicle are required to have a car permit and a personal visitor permit.
However, the inspection station will be relocated within a year from past February to the border zone of Empalme, which is about 350 miles south from the US border. This will allow US vehicles to travel without a permit around most of Sonora and without having to pay the $29 federal temporary importation permit fee unless they decide to travel beyond Empalme.
Sonoran Governor, Eduardo Bours, announced this relocation will improve tourism and support investments planned for Guaymas and San Carlos. As well, he outlined that this will not change the activities related to customs and immigration inspection done at 21-kilometer checkpoint. Mexican officers will keep monitoring the importation of goods and materials, as well as issuing tourist visas. However, vehicle permits will now be done at Empalme, Sonora.
The new relocation of the inspection facilities will benefit all of those Americans who like to travel to our beautiful Sonoran beaches, including Rocky Point, Kino Bay, and San Carlos!

It may be possible then by entering at Nogales and heading East at the center of the Magdelena By-pass Road to Cucurpe and on to Sinoquipe, you may be able to visit the entire Ruta Rio Sonora and Banamichi without needing to pay for (or go through the process of obtaining) a vehicle decal. This makes the entire state of Sonora far more accessible to tourists North of the Border. (see Map at this link), We took this route last time and were able to make great time down and enjoy the more scenic route by heading North via the Ruta del Rio Sonora on Hwy 89.

I will continue checking out various routes and get more details regarding when the "Ruta Rio Sonora" is officially included in the "Hassle Free" Tourist Zone. Look for a post after the June 12-18th, 2010 trip, including Lat Lon coordinates and more photos.

In the future I will be adding waypoints for GPS units that may be handy for many travellers that use these devices.

A Fellow Blogger Does a Great Story of Banamichi and Aconchi

2010-05-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

Please take the time to read this young couples story of their travel experience when they traveled through the Rio Sonora area in an old Airstream. They are really getting to experience the culture and the people of the area and the flavor, which is what caught my attention. He or she writes really well...much better than you will get from this blog, but it will get better; Just hang in there.

Airstreaming Mexico: (more comprehensive link)
Bringing the Heat. Agua Caliente and Chiltepin

"Life on the road is wonderful and I can feel my body grow stronger and my soul grow quieter with every breath I draw in." - a quote from the author of TurkeyDawg Blog

)

Finding the right vehicle for our Mexican Adventure

2010-05-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

We were in search of just the right vehicle for our transition into the "Mexican Culture". Of course it has always been a hobby of mine to sniff out good deals on vehicles, but rarely have I been put in the circumstances that I had found myself in. We actually needed to buy a vehicle and have it there for use during an upcoming trip. My guests will be having a tight schedule and I cannot miss much time from work during high season, so that left me with using the Internet and the help of my great friends Ed & Trudi.....

We needed to find an SUV type vehicle that meets the following criteria:

It needed to be reliable
It needed to be not too flashy
It also needed to fit 4 adults
plus luggage and 2 dogs
I really wanted a 4 x 4
but fuel economy was important too, with 22 MPG targeted as a minimum ave.
It needed to be unique & cool
I really wanted A/C and a good sound system....
To make it really challenging, we needed to keep it under $5,000
Lastly, I wanted something that I could kinda customize over time, you know with Rhino Bar, winch system, jerry jugs, the whole "Off-Road" ready-to-go anywhere look.

I wanted something that could not only cross the Sonora River on the few times that the main road crosses it, but could handle crossing it during Monsoon Season. This vehicle should be able to allow us to cross over the river even on the old wagon routes or maybe on some routes that don't even exist yet.

We would be able to take something like this all the way to "Five blues Lake" in Belize...that's a whole other story that I'll reserve for another day.

We even wanted to explore some canyons and arroyos in the region.

Well after I had exhausted my search in the Tucson area on Craigslist and Autotrader.com, I was feeling a little less than optimistic. Then Trudi emailed me and directed me to check Sierra Vista on C.L. and after about an hour, we got lucky.

Called the real seller, (you won't believe how many are scammers on Craigslist) and talked to a nice old guy named Carl. Then after the initial conversation, I asked E & T to drive 20-30 miles to check it out and they happily agreed.

When I got the initial, post-test drive reviews from Trudi and Ed, I knew we had found the right vehicle and here she is. Just the right color for the desert and blending in. The A/C works, cruise, power windows and 4x4. It is a Mitsubishi Montero LS 1991 with about 92,000 miles. Everything works and Ed is going to have a mechanic buddy of his to give her a good once over and then meet us at the Tucson Airport.

Now if that isn't a couple of AWESOME friends, there is no such thing. You guys are GREAT.
After finding that we had sealed the deal, I did some more research by reading the consumer reviews. There were so many extremely positive things said by so many current and previous owners. It seems to have a more loyal following than Jeeps, Land Rovers and Land Cruisers combined.

And with the price being less than
one half of our budget, it leaves
plenty of money for repairs, accessories
and extra cool toys.......
Like some T-90's and Vintage Vespas

Hotel in Banamichi

2010-05-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

The streets of Banamichi.

2010-05-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

Casa de Huespedes in Banamichi. In other words, a simple hotel.

2010-05-06T17:29:00.001-07:00

Dax on Banamichi morning ride.

2010-05-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

P Photo by Bill Steen

Banamichi plaza band stand.

2010-05-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

The old bus station in Banamichi, Sonora.

2010-05-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

Nopales (prickly pear) on Banamichi street.

2010-05-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

Banamichi fields.

2010-05-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hidden Gems

2010-05-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

Hidden Travel Gems
Every traveler dreams of discovering that picture perfect spot free from other tourists and their associated influence on the local culture, prices, food, etc... There's no better feeling than going out on your own and telling your friends tales of exotic and unheard locales. While some of these locations might not be entirely hidden from travelers, they may be popular with local travelers or tourists from one specific part of the world, they are for the most part off of the typical tourist trail.

The look and feel of an Historic Hacienda with all the timeless beauty that is Mexican Architecture.

The comfort and style that will bring peaceful rest to the adventurous traveler that is willing to take "the road less traveled by".....

The Mexican Courtyard that is reminiscent of an oasis and celebrates a climate that is easily enjoyed all year long.

A cozy spot to relax and read a good book or have a glass of wine with a lover while enjoying a warm fire during the high desert chilly nights. Something you surely wouldn't experience in the sandy, humid beach side resorts.

A converted Mill that has been transformed into a full service spa to rejuvenate the body and soul.

All of these elements I see potentially available in the Historic Ruta del Rio Sonora. All it takes is some imagination, motivation and willingness to invest in an area that is still a diamond in the rough.

The materials and skilled labor is already here or near by. The buildings that warrant the investment are just waiting for the right set of people to come together to bring this area back to the beauty and grandeur that it was 300 years ago when it was the cradle and capital of New Spain, which today is made up of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and the Northern parts of Mexico.

Those early Spanish Aristocrats had great taste in climate and natural beauty and chose this area to be the heart of their vast domain. Now we have the opportunity to embrace this paradise and preserve it for future generations without turning it into a major "Tourist" destination. I prefer a slow, sustainable process of renovation and enhancement that will not impact the sleepy little communities that embrace life on life's terms and creates the warmth and charm that is the best of Old Mexico, and is still a "Hidden Gem".

A Great Story of "The Bandits of Banamichi"

2010-04-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

The Bandits of Banámichi
by Gary Thrasher

_ _

“Surprise, Surprise,” my wife Carole announces. “We are going to
Mexico.” We are spending the winter in Tubac, Arizona, our home away
from the record snowfall and cold in Nebraska. Carole has signed us up
for a trip into Sonora with Fiesta Tours International.

As the word spreads among our friends, I begin to get phone calls. “Are
you guys crazy?” “Are you sure you want to do this?” “Is your will
current?” Just a sample of comments I receive prior to our trip.

I have heard the news reports about Mexico and having traveled all the
continents except Australia and Antarctica, I prepare a checklist for
this trip. Bulletproof vest, hostage negotiator, ransom money, satellite
communications, and armed guards seem to fit the bill. I also place a
call to our youngest son Trevor, and ask if his Green Beret team is
available for standby the week we are to travel.

Based on the headlines, I expect to encounter armed gangs, brazen cartel
operations, drugs, lookouts guarding illegal activity, weapons, seedy
hotels, and trash everywhere.

My wife has already paid for the trip, and I am too cheap to back out.
Our tour leader,

Marshall Giesy has been leading tours into Mexico for over 20 years. He
stops by our home and assures us we are going to a “quiet spot” in
Sonora. Oh, by the way, we will not be taking the nine passenger van as
planned. Two couples have backed out of the trip so there will only be
three intrepid fools making the trip with Marshall. He will be driving a
Ford Escape. Escape seems like a good idea, but my wife is game for any
unusual experience, so I will tag along to protect her.

Trip day arrives and we head for Nogales early in the morning. We take
the truck route in and stop about 20 kilometers over the border to get
our tourist visas. Marshall is fluent in Spanish and knows the ropes, so
we get through the paper work uneventfully.

The highway is not bad by American standards and we make good time,
arriving in Magdalena for lunch. We explore the beautiful town square,
mission, and tomb of Father Kino, a renowned missionary. We tour the
local market place and have lunch in a small /taqueria/. Marshall is a
good friend of the owner and the food is great. Maybe we won’t have to
worry after all. Marshall will show us a lot of hidden gems on this
trip. Places no gringo tourists alone could find. Along the way, we stop
at several road side stands. Marshall introduces to several local
pastries and jellied quince. Not bad! Marshall has personal knowledge of
the local foods and what delicacies are the fare m lost favored by the
locals. Each village we visit seems to have its own special cheeses and
pastries.

Now for the “dangerous” road to Banámichi. We roll through the Sonoran
desert, hardly passing another vehicle. There is danger here though.
This is open range country, and we need to keep a sharp eye out for
cattle. Marshall is a student of Mexican history and culture. He gives
us a running commentary about the native tribes of Sonora, and the
Spanish missionary activity. His fascinating stories make the time fly
by as I keep my eye out for stray cattle. He also must want to keep our
minds off of the lack of guard rails on the winding hilly road. We
arrive uneventfully in Banámichi about 4 o’clock.

We are staying at the bed and breakfast La Posada del Rio Sonora. It is
American owned and gorgeous. The building was used as a general store in
the 1800’s and has been totally renovated. We check into our rooms and I
covertly check the streets on the town square for gang activity. No
gangs, just a solitary young man raking the square. The scent of orange
blossoms drifts from the trees across the street on the town square.
This must be a clever cartel trick to cover up the scent of marijuana,
and dope factories.

Banámichi is a small village sitting on a bluff overlooking the Sonora
River. Home for ancient Opata tribes, it was established in 1637 by the
Jesuits. Where there is a river there is irrigation, and the river
valley below the town is covered in green and yellow. Cattle roam
freely. If not for the mountains in the background, I could be in
Nebraska. Clever how these natives are lulling us to ease with this
tranquil, pastoral scene. That evening, after cocktails on the terrace,
we enjoy a fine meal and turn in for the night.

“Trouble” starts the next morning. As golden sunlight creeps through the
lattice of ocotillo branches that artfully cover our bedroom window, we
encounter our first lookout for the locals. A rooster crows and crows.
No alarm clock is needed here. This rooster will wake us every morning.
My wife insists he got lucky one morning as he was especially melodious.
This troublesome fellow must be a sentinel for a local crime family.

After coffee and breakfast, we stroll the streets. There is no vehicle
traffic to speak of. All of the native pedestrians greet us with a
friendly “good morning” much like any small town in America. The streets
are clean and tidy. We see natives sweeping and the town square is
cleaned every day. There are trash bins everywhere. No litter. This too
must be a clever ruse to make us drop our guard. There are also no
tourist t-shirt stands and no one trying to sell us useless trinkets. In
fact, there are no tourists, just our small group.

We have a mid morning cooking lesson in the La Posada kitchen. Twice
each day, we will learn how the native dishes are prepared, and then
enjoy them at our next meal. The foods are fresh from the market and the
meals are delicious. They must be fattening us up for something ominous.

After our cooking session, we are to meet one of the notorious local
family leaders. Her name is Dahlia. This sinister person is a retired
school teacher who is keeping the local history alive. She tells us
about the mission church, rebuilt many times. The first flour mill in
the area was constructed here, and lies abandoned just below the town.
She tells of the area gold mines, the local cottage industries, and the
many festivals. Most interesting is the one run by the local teenagers
completely in silence to honor Jesus. How do they get along without
iPods and electronics? We stroll through the town with Dahlia visiting
both schools located in good looking buildings, and end up in the
courtyard of her home to enjoy fresh oranges and grapefruit picked from
her garden. I knew there would be weapons! Dahlia has a knife that she
uses to slice our fruit. I must not drop my guard. This is not the
Mexico I hear about on T.V.

The next day we head a few miles south to Aconchi to visit the hot
springs nearby. It is Saturday, and we anticipate spotting illegal
activity as we drive down a remote semi-dry river bed through /vaqueros/
(cowboys?, or cleverly disguised drug family guards?) herding cattle. We
arrive at the hot springs and I soon spot unusual activity. Three
generations are working _together _to set up tents for the weekend
campout. Grandparents, parents and teenagers working as a team to set up
their camp. Very suspicious! There is beer, food, music and hot tubs
filled with the locals, and most unusual, there is a couple from
Colorado camped right in the middle of them. Don’t these people know
they are in Mexico?

After enjoying the hot springs, we return north to Huepac. We stop at a
local shop to buy some “/chicos/”, the dried, baked white corn that made
such a delicious soup at the La Posada yesterday. We are going to take
some home with us. Here on the town square, I spot organized “gang”
activity. Dozens of people are answering the five o’clock bell and going
to Mass. Saturday night also finds the local teenagers hanging out.
Groups of girls in makeup and boys in their best jeans, sauntering
around the square trying to catch the eye of the opposite sex. A scene
that plays out every Saturday night most places in the world.

On the road back in Banámichi, we finally spot “cartel” operations.
These dealers are so brazen here that they use loudspeakers on their
trucks. I knew the weekend would bring them out at last! There are no
large stores, only small neighborhood shops and these “dealers” bring
merchandise of all descriptions from the larger cities. You can buy
corn, potatoes, fruit, charcoal and household goods right in the streets
in broad daylight! Most picturesque are the trucks loaded with brooms
mops and plastic buckets of every description. We decline to get caught
up in this illicit trafficking and return to another gourmet meal at the
La Posada. We will bring many fine recipes home with us.

Sunday we are going undercover and get inside an illegal trade at last.
Too bad there is no cell phone service. Our “connection” is covertly
disguised as a local cowboy driving a pick up truck. He is tall, rugged,
and looks like the Marlboro Man. He is very nervous, this is the first
time he has led a group of tourists on an undercover mission. We
disguise our activity by making stops at several “cartel operations”
hidden on small farms. Here we witness the local trafficking in homemade
cheese, chile powders and /posole/, a corn flour that looks like powered
cocaine. Certain that we have not been tailed by the local authorities,
we abandon our vehicles and stealthily approach the targeted
“underground operation”. These operators have booby trapped the local
area with cow pies, certain to ward off the unwary. Smoke wafts through
the dense mesquite trees. We spot three desperadoes manning two stills
made from 55 gallon drums. We have found a /bacanora/ plant making the
local liquor from agave. Not tequila, but the traditional drink of the
region. We find that the government has now made this backyard brew
legal. Just like Mexico to make bootlegging legal. Back in town we stop
at an unmarked door. Marshall enters and makes a buy. He returns with an
unlabeled quart coke bottle of the evil brew. We have a taste. Not bad.

Just to make sure the authorities remain off balance, our cowboy guide
leads us to San Felipe de Jesus and a modern park. Here, his entire
family has assembled for a Sunday cookout. We are the guests of honor.
The charcoal grills are going strong and his wife is making large thin
tortillas on a convex metal plate over the charcoal. My wife tries her
hand at making these thin tortillas. The plate is hot and she is not
adept. Her efforts look like lace doilies with lots of holes in them. We
all have a good laugh at her disastrous results. The young kids in the
family play ball in the park. The rest of us enjoy cold drinks and
authentic beans, carne and sauces. We practice our Spanish and younger
family members practice their English. The scene is most enjoyable and
we hate to leave.

I have figured out that hostage ransom money will not be necessary here.
Carole asks too many questions of our hosts in fractured Spanish. I am
sure if we were kidnapped, after about two days, our captors would pay
me to take her back to the States.

Sadly, on Monday, we must return to the U.S. We have had a great time,
and had some memorable experiences. We have been the real “Bandits of
Banámichi”. We have stolen three days of the idyllic way of life still
found in these Sonoran villages. Our local hosts have been most gracious
and accommodating. We shared the ordinary lives of small town people
trying raise their families as Christians and to make a living off of
the river and the land. The families have deep roots, having lived in
the region for several generations and evident pride in their
communities. Best of all, they have treated us like newly found friends,
not tourists. Our guide Marshall has been most informative. It has been
great to have no cell phone service, T.V. or newspapers. Such peace and
quiet, nothing like the scary headlines about border towns. Now if they
would just get rid of that damn rooster, we might risk coming back again.

A History/Description of La Posada from Lynn Matthews

2010-04-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

"The welcome signs announced the town of Banamichi (pop 1500) and soon the bikes were parked in front La Posada del Rio Sonora. A posada is an inn. The Posada sits on the site of an 18th century hacienda. Made of adobe, the building is unusual in that portions of the structure are two stories. Bill, the American owner purchased the building six years ago. At that time, much of it was in ruins; the roof caved in places and portions of the adobe severely eroded by wind and water. Bill and his wife Irma, who he met in the town, put together a crew of local craftsmen and went to work."

"The structure was stabilized, reinforced and reconstructed. The building now shines. Eight guest rooms, two apartments, dining room, bar and library are now ready to lodge, feed and entertain guests. The area above the dining room and kitchen forms an intimate rooftop terrace complete with a fire grate for cool winter evenings. The inn is filled with treasures Bill has collected from all over the world. A 300 year old door from Tibet leads from the bar to the dining room. A set of 18th century doors from China waits to grace the front entrance. African sculpture and a tin mask from Bolivia adorn the walls of the courtyard while the guest rooms show off a combination of locally crafted furniture and antiques. All this in a setting of stuccoed adobe washed in bright yellows, blues, strawberry and peach beneath a tile roof."

I found another tale of great fun at Banamichi

2010-04-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

La Posada del Rio Sonora - Nov '09

La Posada

Hey, all. We just stayed two nights in a fantastic hotel in Banamichi, Mexico called La Posada del Rio Sonora (The Inn on the Sonora River). Check out the pictures below, but also check out the website here to see other photos and read a little bit about the place. It's an eco-resort in a quiet little Mexican town. We walked around the streets day and night, and never felt the slightest bit unsafe. It is a very quaint and friendly place.

The hotel has a very interesting history that we got to hear straight from the owners, Bill and Irma, while we ate with them. The original building is over 200 years old, and used to be a Mexican hacienda. Bill and Irma restored it over 6 years, with the help of local craftsmen. Every room is unique! I didn't get to take my camera everywhere, so I'll describe the trip here.

We got there at about 6 o'clock on Friday night (it's about a 4-5 hour drive from Tucson) and started with Bacaritas (margaritas made with Bacanora, a regional tequila-like alcohol) before dinner. Dinner was an excellent 3-course meal including soup, a giant plate of beef, vegetables, and salsa for burritos, finishing off with flan. After dinner, we took a walk around town to see some of the local homes and buildings. It seemed like every turn presented the smell of a new flower or tree! We then got to bed to prepare for a busy Saturday.

Saturday's breakfast was served from 7-9 and included fruit, yogurt, and granola followed by a choice of hotcakes, huevos rancheros (eggs ranch-style), or huevos con machaca (eggs with reconstituted beef and spices). At 9, it was time for a two-hour guided horseback ride through the countryside. This actually began at about 10 to allow about 8 horses to be gathered from around town. I suppose it was 9 o'clock, Mexican time. The ride took us up and down mountain trails, through washes, and we encountered other roaming horses, burros, and cows. A very relaxing, scenic ride.

Shortly after returning from the ride, it was off on bicycles to the spring-fed public pool about a mile away. The pool was filled with water that comes out of the ground at about 80 degrees and is continuously draining and refilling. We were the only ones there in crystal-clear water that was probably in the high 70's. Once we were refreshed, it was time for lunch that Bill and Irma had brought to the pool and set up for us! Lunch consisted of pasta salad and some pico de gallo with tilapia dish called ceviche. Apparently the tilapia was marinated in citrus oil that "cooked" the fish, and it didn't taste like fish at all. We then biked back to the hotel and cleaned up for dinner. Luckily, there was enough time for some cards and more bacaritas before dinner!

This dinner was another 3-course meal of caldo de queso (soup with locally made cheese and green onions), gorditas and tacos, followed by dulce de leche (like a smooth vanilla ice cream with marshmallow) for dessert.

After dinner, we put our swimsuits back on for a 30-minute car ride out of town to a natural hot spring. Here, there were dozens of pools constructed that filled with 100 degree water constantly flowing in and out. We found a secluded pool with no one else in sight and relaxed in total darkness under the most stars you could ever imagine seeing at once. This ended our second night, and we slept very well.

Our final day started with another breakfast followed by a one hour couples massage. We then took a walk to a nearby house that friends of Bill and Irma had restored. They are retired and split their time between Banamichi and Tucson.

Finally, we got our lunches for the road (beef, bean, and cheese burritos) and headed home.

It was a fabulous and fairly economical trip that we would love to do again with anyone who'd like to come along. Check it out!

Love,

Pam and Brian

Great Photographs added by Bill Steen

2010-04-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

Nightfall at La Posada del Rio Sonora

Colorful Rooms at La Posada del Rio Sonora

The Courtyard at La Posada del Rio Sonora

Laid back - Latino Perspectives Magazine - July 2007 - Phoenix, Arizona

2010-04-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Laid back - Latino Perspectives Magazine - July 2007 - Phoenix, Arizona

I found this cool magazine article about Banamichi written by Keith Rosenblum back in 2007 and thought I would share a link to it here.

A slide Show of La Posada del Rio Sonora

2010-04-15T16:21:00.001-07:00

LA POSADA DEL RIO SONORA BED & BREAKFAST

Long Way Down

2010-04-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

https://www.box.net/shared/8fs26uzd5r cut and paste this or click through the title "Long Way Down" to hear the music that I want to add to this blog.....

National Geographic Traveler

2010-04-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

In this September 2008 issue they had a special section labeled
MEXICO ! 50 Great Discoveries
Here is a link to page 128 (link)
which is an article
and to page 129 (link)
which is a photo of one of three stairways to upper floor and terraces...

for more about Banamichi and "La Posada del Rio Sonora"

Keep checking in, You know this will happen !!
I Love it when folks leave comments...please do.

DJ

A Google Map of Banamichi

2010-04-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map

Testimonials from People Who Know

2010-04-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

I Feel Safe in Sonora

Mar 06, 2010

My husband and I have lived in San Carlos for more than three years and have had no incidents of any kind that would make me feel unsafe. OK, I take that back: there was a scorpion at my front door one night, the kind they say really hurts when it bites.

During the 30 years I lived in California I learned not to feel safe. My car was broken into and my purse stolen. My houseboat was burgled and my new stereo stolen. I was mugged in San Francisco on my way to my night class, and my purse with my final exam was grabbed. I was the victim of a midnight home invasion, complete with guns aimed at our heads and everything of value taken. A couple of times I’ve been stalked, and had to run for help. And I was not hanging out in dangerous neighborhoods or with dangerous people.

When we have to go to the US I never feel quite as safe as I do at home in San Carlos, and we always feel a sense of relief after we cross the border back into Mexico.

Bliss Cochran

Crime in Mexico vs. The United States

2010-04-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

CRIME in the USA vs. MEXICO:

on a personal note:

I have traveled every state in Mexico except Baja Norte and have always felt safe while driving during the daylight hours. After dark, I am just worried about wandering livestock. In the state of Sonora there are scenic routes where you may not even see another vehicle for hours. Having been there recently, I can say that I felt every bit as safe as driving in Arizona and safer than many places I routinely drive in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama...

Just about every country in the world is now experiencing increased crime rates. However, there are usually safe areas in every country where the crime rate is lower or non-existent. The U.S. State Department put out a warning about the violence in Mexico. The report states that 128 Americans were killed in Mexico between January 2006 and December 2008.
Looking more closely at the data for the northwestern part of Mexico, including Rosarito Beach, Ensenada, Mexicali, San Felipe, Tecate and Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) had 42 Americans killed, from all causes (there were at least four suicides) in the last three years combined. Those are the largest tourist areas of Northwest Mexico, excluding Tijuana. In Los Angeles County, there have been 103 murders in the last six months. In 2008, there were 324 homicides in L.A. County. People in Los Angeles would probably say that there are certain unsafe areas to avoid. According to the latest FBI crime statistics, Phoenix, AZ is the kidnapping capital of the US. People in Phoenix would probably say that there are certain unsafe areas to avoid. People living in Mexico would say the same thing.
For more than a dozen years more than five major US Motor Coach Tour Companies travel the Mexican Copper Canyon route every week with around 40 older/retiree passengers per coach. They travel through Nogales to San Carlos, then through the Copper Canyon, then up through Chihuahua and Juarez. There is even one company that travels exclusively from El Paso/Juarez to the Canyon and back; the areas covered by news reports. That's over 7000 tourists per year. In all those years, including 2009, there has not been one incidence of drug related violence against any of them.
Recent FBI statistics show the murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants in Baltimore is 43.3, Washington DC is 29.1, and Detroit is 47.
Mexico, which suffered an especially violent year in 2008, recorded a murder rate of about 10 per 100,000 inhabitants. Life is statistically far more dangerous in the north.

More information from the latest 2009 US State Department Travel Advisory: While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including thousands who cross the land border every day for study, tourism or business), violence in the country has increased recently........Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable........U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during daylight hours, particularly the toll ("cuota") roads, which generally are more secure. I think the scenic routes are entirely safe in Sonora.....

Reports of violence are extremely overblown. Some recent visitors to Mexico say the reports of disorder have been overly exaggerated. Paul G. from Arizona said "I would definitely say that the impression that the Americans get in the media is more intense and hyped-up than reality." Richard L. from New Mexico said "Millions of people go to Mexico every year without any incident whatsoever. However, I never drive my car at night and I always use the toll roads rather than driving through towns and cities. It's faster that way, too." Henry G. from Nevada said "The situation is grave in some sense, but it's not that significant for most tourists......But people need to be careful and stay informed where the major incidences are happening." Nancy K. from California said "People who know Mexico will keep going. It is less expensive than many places, and it is easier to get there." She continued "But then, I'm cautious. I don't do stupid things. I dress appropriately and I'm not rude to people. I try to speak Spanish as much as possible," she said, "These are all the things that I do as a traveler anywhere." Looking at crime statistics, it would appear that Americans are safer in Mexico, especially Sonora, than they are in many parts of the United States. There is violence in Tijuana and other border towns, however generally the violence is Mexicans against one another (much like gangs or gangsters of 1930's Chicago prohibition), the vast majority of Mexico's murder victims are themselves involved in the drug trade. This is also true with kidnapping, it's not tourists or snowbirds. It's also important to remember that the rise in violence is due to the pressure being placed on the cartels and corruption by a Mexican President and new administration that is dedicated to clean things up and removing as much corruption as possible.

Sonora Only

2010-04-06T09:45:00.001-07:00

Sonora Only

The state of Sonora operates a program known as "Sonora Only". Designed for visitors staying in the state of Sonora, the program eliminates the need for a credit card and waives the $11.50 fee. In addition to normal proof of citizenship documents (needed by all visitors to Mexico's interior) "Sonora Only" visitors need only present a valid drivers license and proof of ownership or legal possession by the driver. Legal possession can be proven with one or more of the following documents:

Vehicle registration (in the name of the driver) or original title

Lease contract (for leased vehicles)

Proof of labor relationship between driver and car owners (for company-owned vehicles)

Notarized permission from the leasing company or bank (if money is still owed on the car) giving owner permission to take the vehicle to Mexico.

Permits are valid for 180 days and may be obtained at the check point at Kilomete 21, south of Nogales on Highway 15. If you are entering from another border crossing, please call 1-800-4-SONORA. Permits must be returned to this check point within the allotted six-month period.

Insurance

U.S. & Canadian auto insurance is not valid in Mexico. While Mexican auto insurance is not mandatory, it is highly recommended. If you are in an accident or other vehicle-related problems and you do not have insurance, you may be arrested and your vehicle impounded until the authorities can figure out the situation. Here are some insurance companies which allow you to buy insurance over the phone, fax or Internet.

Visit the Mexonline.com Directory of Insurance Agencies

Towns of the Ruta Rio Sonora

2010-04-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

Towns of the Rio Sonora
Urés - founded in 1644 and capital of Sonora between 1838 and 1842, and between 1847 and 1879. In Ures you can visit “La Plaza de Armas” with its four 18th century bronze sculptures, San Miguel Mission and the church bearing the same name with its legendary mesquite stairway. .

Baviacora - founded in 1639 displays colonial architecture and two beautiful churches, the newer build along side the old.

Aconchi's - main attraction is the hot spring pools west of town. The park is nicely developed and easy to get to. The San Pedro Church features 18th century Franciscan architecture and a legendary Black Christ. Anchonchi is also home to a number of furniture factories.

Huepac - founded in 1644 features the old mission of San Lorenzo de Huepac dating from the 18th century. The city hall features what is believed to be one of the original copies of the Mexican Declaration of Independence and a bone from a woolly mammoth that was found nearby.

Banámichi - Dating from 1639, features a beautiful temple and a plaza with a kiosk bring to mind a feeling of colonial times. An antique stone, carved by the Opata Indians; is diplayed n a statue of Opata warriors bearing the rock on their shoulders. Banamichi is also the home to a nascent movment to revive and restore the original Colonial Adobe buildings in town.

Arizpe - Founded in 1646 is where the topography becomes more mountainous. Arizpe was the capital of Northern New Spain which encompassed all of the American Southwest, California and Texas. The bones of Juan de Anza, founder of San Francisco, California are interred in under glass in the floor of the Asunción church.

For some absolutely GREAT Images and far superior writing on this amazing area check out Bill and Athena Steen's Blog at http://www.caneloproject.blogspot.com/

Comments from Visitors to La Posada del Rio Sonora

2010-04-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

#1) - I was amazed at the little paradise Bill and Irma, the proprietors, have created for themselves and guests. Banamichi is a peaceful, quaint town that is exactly what I imagined an old town in Sonora would be like. La Posada is right on the town's main square, and immediately stands out from the surrounding buildings and homes as the "happening place". The courtyard and interiors are rustic, to be sure, but have a clean modern and airy feel. If you look in Bill's photo album, that shows before and after pictures of the place, your jaw will drop. I had a couple of tremendous massages from their well-trained staff, cycled through the countryside, swam in a spring fed pool and enjoyed the fantastic home made meals served in the best (only) bar/restaurant in town. Irma's flan is to-die-for. I've stayed in hotels and B & B's all over the US and Europe and I can honestly say La Posada rates up there with the best. I give them 5 stars!

# 2) - Beautiful landscape, beautiful people, great food, rest and relaxation. Unlocked doors, a friendly wave from every one you pass or that passes you on foot, by car or on horseback. A feeling of being in the safety of home, among friends and family. Banamichi, Sonora, Mexico is only 4 hours south of Nogales, AZ. Banamichi destroys the myths of the “dangers” of Mexico. La Posada del Rio Sonora offers all this and more. If you are looking for the excitement of the big city, (along with the high prices, and unsafe areas,) this is not the place to go. If you are looking for the gracious hospitality of old Mexico, with authentic home cooking, and the best margarita you have ever tasted, don’t miss this wonderfully restored 200 year old hotel located on the central plaza of Banamichi. Natural hot spring pools, a short 30 minute drive away will top off your visit.

# 3 ) - WOW, is a great way to start. The hotel has the feel of a home and the charm of old mexico. The courtyard is so lush and welcoming, i enjoyed reading and drinking there everyday. I only went indoors to eat and sleep, and both are first class. The food is fresh and generous. I ate better than i do at home. The bed was so comfortable, i overslept the first morning. I live in tucson so a 4 hour drive is easy for a quick getaway. Thanks to Robert for keeping me active between meals and showing me the town and the people.

# 4 ) - A BB hotel that can be described as gorgeous, beautiful, quaint, eclectic, asthetically appealing and breath taking. Great Service-attentive, friendly, and approachable staff. The food was exquisite. The scenic route is worth every minute. So much to do...horseback riding, biking, hiking, long walks, scenic views are incredible. Just a wonderful location on earth. A must see for anyone looking for a little piece of heaven on earth. We had the greatest experience in Banamichi enjoy the locally made Bacanora and the hotsprings in nearby Achonchi.

# 5 ) - La Posada is already a draw to the village of Banamichi. It is a beautifully restored old house directly across from the main plaza. The use of bright colors and tile, accented with potted palms and cacti throughout the property, make it a very attractive place to stay. The decor and the attention to artisanal touches raise the hotel well above cookie-cutter level.

Rooms are furnished in, shall we say, an eccentric manner. Big, rustic wooden armoires share space with gold-leafed, Rococo tables and lamps. Bedsteads could be tree branches bolted together, or hand-forged iron spirals. The mattresses are big and comfy, but inexplicably covered in heavy vinyl covers that crackle each time you move. I took mine off the bed the next morning and hid it in the armoire for the remainder of my stay.

The staff are pleasant and willing to help make your stay pleasant. A staff member went out to buy us our preference for beer the first night. One guest with car problems was attended to by a local mechanic arranged by the staff, with another local called over to translate. If manager Vicki is not there, you will need to speak Spanish.

Menu items are limited; the caldo con queso was excellent, though a meal in itself. The other menu items are average, and a chicken cutlet was fried to shoe leather. Coffee was served to us at the upstairs patio without being asked for, though if you like coffee before 7:30 or 8 a.m. you might want to bring your own.

The village, while quite clean and friendly, was surprisingly noisy. A neighbor's dog barked incessantly during the night. A young woman in a big SUV tooled around with woofers on full blast. The tortilla seller cruises up and down the streets honking his horn each morning, which in a village that small can be heard from anywhere in the hotel or town for quite a long time.

Banamichi is not a place to come expecting a Disney-fied, Cancun type of Mexican experience. This is the real deal. There are no souvenirs to buy; the Posada Web site even mentions "no t-shirt shops." Restaurant choices are extremely limited. There is no gas station in the town; filling up requires a detour either north or south to another village. So why come? For just the reasons stated in the first sentence of this paragraph. There is some fine birding to be had early in the morning just down the hill, or even, for the less ambitious, the upstairs terrace, which puts you tree level with a grand parade of species. There are numerous places to plant yourself with a good book within and without the hotel.

One major caveat: The Web site advises travel from Tucson to Banamichi by way of Nogales-Cananea-Arizpe. A sedan might have problems with this route as it involves a couple of riverbed crossings. A long stretch of road near Cananea is under construction and one lane. Best to travel from Nogales to Magdalena, turn east to Imuris-Sinoquipe, then south to Banamichi. The road was decent, and we got there in four hours from southern Arizona.

#6 ) - Stopped here during a motorcycle trip with a buddy and it was the highlight of the week! The owners (Bill and Irma) were there to hand us a much appreciated cold beer as we got off of the bikes. The entire staff was friendly and couteous. The food was plentiful, authentic and very tasty. The entire property was very clean and tastefully decorated with an eclectic collection of local and global art.

I would recommend this to couples looking for a romantic getaway or explorers looking for a base of operations. ALL of the people we encountered during our trip through Mexico were friendly and helpful. Please don't let CNN or any other media keep you from visiting here with their sensationalized reporting. Mexico is safe and a ton of fun!

La Ruta del Rio Sonora

2010-04-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

The Ruta del Río Sonora (Sonora River Route) begins just below Cananea, a large and fairly prosperous mining town some 80 km. (50 miles) southeast of Douglas AZ. There Sonora highway 118 sets off to trace an easy day's drive through spectacularly varied countryside and a number of picturesque villages quite different from those encountered along the more frequented national route 15. Historical interest lies in the fact that several villages were founded in the 1600s by Spanish explorers and missionaries, as the river valley provided a convenient route for exploration to the north.

Bacoachi and Arizpe, both founded in 1646, are the first towns of note going south from Cananea. Arizpe has the historical importance of having been a provincial capital in the 1700s, and its colonial church dating from not long after the town's foundation was the first in Sonora to gain Cathedral status.

Due to its elevated situation overlooking the valley to the west and the mountains beyond, its former prosperity from agriculture and the nearby Santa Elena gold mine, and its well preserved historical center, many visitors find Banámichi, dating from 1639, to be the most attractive of the Río Sonora valley's settlements. The central plaza -- a green oasis with an attractive kiosk -- is surrounded by colonial architecture of government buildings and homes, punctuated by the brilliant white presence of the well maintained Temple dedicated to Nuestra Señora de Loreto.

Futher south is Huépac, a mission settlement dating from 1644. Of architectural interest is the imposing 18th-century church, and the Palacio Municipal displays a mammoth femur found in the area. Aconchi is the next town of note, known for production of the tiny fiery chiltepín chile. Visitors are attracted to its 18th-century Franciscan church containing a black Christ figure, and to the thermal hot springs 4 km. to the south, whose waters are thought to have medicinal qualities. Baviácora (1639), also a chiltepín center, is the last of the villages going south on the Ruta del Río Sonora, which can be said to end at the intersection of Sonora highways 118 and 21.

Driving the "River Road" from Bamori to Arizpe was a bit more adventure than Miss Trudi could handle after her second river crossing out in the middle of nowhere. I understand her trepidation because it wasn't a 4-wheel drive and we weren't prepared for any prolonged stays in the river canyons.....Still I was the designated wader and driver, when the water got up close to my knees, Trudi said "No, No, No". It was still alot of fun and made for a cool photo op. Just after deciding that we couldn't make another crossing, an old Ford Taurus did it with ease and local knowledge. But doing a little back tracking gave us a chance to see some things we missed the first time through.

More Photos (Here)

From one review on Bed n Breakfast.com

Won a bid at an auction that benefits people with HIV/AIDS, TIHAN, a non-profit group in Tucson,AZ. The return was ten-fold! I got to see a place where time stood still. I don't know why people are afraid of venturing to Mexico. The area is almost untouched by tourism. If you want to get away and contemplate about life, you are in the right place. No phones (except for the hotel use), and no television! The hotel is outstanding! The workmanship of the local workers are amazing! The decor is very eclectic! The owners, Bill and Irma are world travelers and picked up items on their trips that decorate the entire hotel. A lot of the local artisans work are also on display. The staff of the hotel who took care of us, Pati and Alba where wonderful! Between my broken Spanish and their limited English vocabulary, we somehow managed to convey what we need. The menu is limited BUT you can always make a request, even if you are a vegetarian! Make sure you request their Menudo! So good! They offer cooking classes and Spanish conversation classes if you are so inclined. The hotel is very clean and has it's own well.The other attractions are the people, their hospitality and the whole town itself! So clean. No panhandlers, trash bins in every corner and a daily morning sweep of the street! Imagine a store owner telling you to come back and pay for the battery (if it works) the next day or just being short of a peso and to be told it's o.k. AMAZING! People have their front doors open. They wave at you whether you're driving or walking or horseback riding! Other areas of interests are horseback riding, either guided or not, followed by a dip on a hot springs half an hour away! I came home completely re-energized and my faith restored on humanity!

and a Night time shot of the moon from the terrace....

Finding a Peaceful Valley in "Old Mexico"

2010-04-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

With most of the modern conveniences of the 21st Century lies an unspoiled tranquil valley in Old Mexico. For those of you who check out my blog or have been reading various postings over the years, you might describe me as a "Dreamer" or a man that is search of a better life. Don't get me wrong, I have lived quite a charmed life, full of exotic travel, dangerous adventures and occasional international intrigue. But you won't be far from the bull's eye to say that I have been searching.
Perhaps what I have been searching for has been a more humane pace of life. A place where the sun shines most often and the people have priorities that are more inline with those of my own. God, Family, Relationships, Creativity, and way down the list are things like careers and money and all the things that one can buy at the mall with all that money. I subscribe to a belief that by working at what you love, there will always be a sufficient income to serve as a means to an end. It is just of paramount importance not to get caught up with confusing the things that will ultimately be called our end. Is it better to make millions or billions of dollars or to live each day and week as though it was your last?
There are places where time has not changed everything. The only time I have found this case to be true in the good ole US of A is by journeying to places that are represented by those very small dots on the map or by traveling its coasts or inland waterways. There are some great unspoiled spots left out there, and I get the feeling from most of the people who live in such places are just happy to keep them from being "discovered".
I can write of a few place that have captivated me by mind, body and soul, but it will suffice to say that they will not have the same effect on everyone. But if you long for a simpler way of life, a glimpse into the past or just a great and deserved break from your routine work-a-day world, then this blog may be an insider's map to some of the best hidden gems on God's Earth. Or at least the parts that I have been blessed to stumble across.

The Grand Mayan

2010-03-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

in Los Cabo

The Grand Mayan Exotic & Luxurious Resort - Accommodations & Amenities | Mayan Resorts

* Grand Master Room
* Grand Suite
* Grand Master Suite

Tranquil Surroundings

Surround yourself with the finest things life has to offer. Comfort, beauty and sleek modern design are the details found in the accommodations at The Grand Mayan. Every room is exquisitely furnished and offers spectacular views of either the sparkling waters of the Pacific, or the exuberant tropical gardens. The interior design of each room offers an atmosphere of distinction and tranquility within spacious areas.

Grand Master Suite
Maximum capacity

6 adults and 2 children less than 12 years old.
Beds

2 King-size beds, 3 sofa beds. (A Grand Master Suite is comprised of a Grand Suite and a Grand Master Room combined).

Amenities:

* Terrace with private mini-pool
* In-room Jacuzzi in each room
* Sitting room
* Living room with two sofa beds
* Kitchenette, fully-equipped, including:

o Dinnerware, glassware and cutlery
o Blender
o Coffee-maker
o Electric stove
o Fridge-bar
o Microwave oven
o Pots and Pans
o Toaster
* Dining Room
* Marble bathroom with:
o Shower
o Double vanity
o Hair dryer
* Breakfast nook
* Desk
* Air conditioning
* Ceiling fan
* Color cable TV (Flat screens in some units)
* Direct international dialing telephone, with voicemail
* Drinking water
* Iron and ironing board
* Safety-deposit box

These Stone Statues are over 40 feet tall...Amazing !!

Golf Courses that are the Best in the World

And a Couple of VERY HAPPY People, Glad we bought four weeks here for the next 100 years....I hope Chynna and our friends, Family and ancestors will ENJOY IT TOO!

Right now we are going to be lucky to get to use it two weeks a year.....

Am I a Lucky Guy or What? But I still want to sail the World !!!

DJ

A Great Letter - "The Truth About Mexico"

2010-02-25T20:27:00.000-08:00

Sovereign Man

Notes from the Field

Date: January 20, 2010
Reporting From: Mexico City (DF), Mexico

My route to Panama has become quite slow and roundabout thanks to a bit of bad weather, and the fact that I gave up my seat on an oversold fight to accommodate a lady who was rushing home for a family emergency.

I am optimistic about this series of events, though, because I have the opportunity to once again put my boots on the ground in one of Mexico's "most dangerous places."

Ask a foreigner about Mexico City and you'll get the "Good God don't go there!" speech. After all, that's where they filmed that kidnapping movie with Denzel (Man on Fire).

It's funny how Hollywood and a few negative media reports can cause completely irrational levels of fear. The general public is a willing participant in spreading misinformation (thank you, Wikipedia) as most people who render an opinion about 'dangerous' countries usually speak out of total ignorance.

To put it plainly, stories of chaos and violence in Mexico are substantially overrated, just like Colombia. Mexico City, where I am presently, has the worst reputation in the country, but again, this is mostly hearsay and manufactured sensationalism.

Yes, kidnappings, drug trafficking, and violent crime occur in Mexico... just like they do in the US, UK, and Japan. But Mexicans are no more cast in the throes of criminal violence than the average Italian who goes his entire life without ever once seeing a mafia henchman.

Oh, and lest I forget, the 'swine flu' started here as well, further stirring the pot of falsehoods and misconceptions.

Here's the bottom line-- Mexico is one of the largest economies in the world and has an established, stable middle class. People do not hide in their houses from drug gangs; daily "OK-Corral style" shootouts do not occur; and there is no H1N1 pandemic.

My friend Jeff who lives on Mexico's pacific coast recently had this to say in an email to me:

"You know, Simon, things in Mexico are definitely not how they appear in the American media. Mexico is a huge country and is as diverse as the US, so to paint the entire country with one brush is simply an exercise in futility.

Honestly I would think that Americans and Canadians are safer here than in their home country. I've lived in Acapulco for 2 years and haven't personally seen or heard of ANY crime, including basic theft or anything.

When I lived in Vancouver it seemed that about once every month or two I'd have to scatter out of a nightclub with my head down as rival drug gangs shot it out... not to mention having my car broken into on nearly a monthly basis!"

Simon again. If you can get past the stigma, Mexico may be a viable option for you to plant a residency flag. Personally, there's no way that I could live here in Mexico City-- the endless urban sprawl grates heavily against my DNA, and a country this size has hundreds of better options to choose from.

Regardless of your preference, though, the benefits to Mexico are plentiful, particularly if you are from North America:

First, it's close to home and has an established infrastructure. You can drive back and forth (yes, it's safe), or choose to fly to/from several of destinations-- Acapulco, Guadelajara, Oxaca, Cancun, etc.

It's so close that when I used to live in Texas, I would even fly from time-to-time down to Monterrey just to have dinner; my favorite steak house in the world is located there, and the flight would only take about 35 minutes.

Second, the cost of living is reasonable. It's not eye-poppingly cheap (go to Ecuador or Thailand), but you can do quite well in most cities for less than $2,000 (US) per month.

If you want to go high-end, premium properties on the coast list in the range of $3,500 to $6,000 per square meter-- so a tier-1 ocean-view condo can set you back between $400,000 and $1.2 million.

Third, Mexico is already accustomed to a bit of social and political instability... whatever negative consequences shall occur down the road as a result of dwindling oil output and rising inflation will not cause a systemic failure-- instability and economic challenge are nothing new here.

Contrast that with wealthier countries which have yet to undergo a widespread panic and collapse of confidence in its modern history. As strange as it sounds, you might find yourself better off in a society that has experience dealing with turmoil.

I'm often asked to compare Mexico to Panama, which frankly is a great question... I will save that for a future letter, but suffice it to say that they are different options for different desires.

More to follow.

Simon Black
Senior Editor, Sovereign Man

You can sign up for Simon Blacks newsletter at the Sovereign Man website http://www.sovereignman.com/

A Slideshow From our 1st Trip to Cabo

2010-02-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

40 Most Useful Travel Websites That Can Save You a Fortune

2010-02-19T16:49:00.000-08:00

Photo: iStockphoto

Traveling doesn't have to break the bank (in fact, you can travel for free), and there are plenty of places that'll help you find the best vacation for your budget. Get discounts and the insider scoop with these great resources. Don't forget to ask for free travel upgrades.

Cheap Flights and Accomodations

Find the best rates for airlines and places to stay, no matter what type of traveler you are. Choose from hotels, hostels, hometels, or even just a couch. Interested in offering your place to a weary traveler? Get some tips on how to host a traveler in your home.

CouchSurfing - Bum a night's sleep on somebody's couch and save hundreds of dollars on hotel costs! CouchSurfing is a worldwide community of amazing hosts and adventurous travellers seeing the world on the cheap.

Farecast - Farecast gathers data from all over the web so you can find out if airfare for a trip is rising or dropping over the next 7 days, if a hotel rate is the best deal based on past rates, and if there's a better travel offer on another site. Use their smart travel search to buy with confidence.

Home Exchange - The most comprehensive listing of home listings. You list your house on the site, find another house where you'd like to stay, and contact the member to see if they want to trade homes for a bit. This exchange system lets you live like a local in a comfortable house or apartment instead of a tiny and expensive hotel room.

Hostel Bookers - Easiest way to book hostels all over the world. You can find prices, amenities (including pictures), and customer reviews of each location so you know what you're getting before you land. You can also book directly from the site.

Hotwire - Hotwire is a robust site that not only offers some of the best travel deals available, but includes planning tools and tips for a smooth trip. Hotwire's partners offer unsold inventory at big savings and rest assured that Hotwire only works with partners you know and trust.

iStopOver - Connects people who want to rent out extra rooms in their homes to travelers who want to save on costly hotel bills. It has the added benefit of offering travelers a taste of “home” on the road; a cozy place to stay that is far from the sterile cubicle environment of a hotel or motel. iStopOver currently has listings in the United States, Canada, London, France, South Africa, and Brazil. But they are expanding as hosts from more countries are adding their listings each day.

Kayak - The only place you need to search for discounted airfare. Kayak searches over 140+ airlines and travel agencies (including Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com, Hotwire.com, and other big airfare search engines) to aggregate the best flight deals all in one place.

Last Minute - All last minute airfare, hotel, attractions, and packages in one database. If you want to book a vacation for this weekend or grab a flight for tomorrow, start your search here for the best prices on last minute deals.

Orbitz - With Orbitz Price Assurance, your guaranteed the lowest rate offered by Orbitz. If another customer books the same flight on Orbitz at a lower price, you'll automatically be issued a refund for the difference. They also offer real time traveler updates to keep you apprised of your flight status.

Priceline - Priceline puts the power of pricing back in your hands by allowing you to name your own price for hotels and pay no booking fees for flights, cars, or vacation packages. The site also offers reviews by travelers to help you make the best travel decision.

Roomorama - Roomorama is a peer-to-peer short term rental marketplace. As a host, you'll have peace of mind knowing that your guest has paid in advance of the stay. As a guest, rest assured that Roomorama is keeping your money secure until you check-in and hand over the payment code.

SeatGuru - Database of airplane seat configurations by airline. You can get diagrams with notes on where the good (and bad) seats are on the plane. You can see a layout of where the galley is (get your food faster) and where the bathrooms are (stay far away). If you know what type of plane you'll be flying on (ask the airline ticketing agent), and you get to pick your seat, make sure to check out SeatGuru first so you don't pick the bad seat next to the toilets.

Travelocity - One look at the Travelocity Customer Bill of Rights is enough to know that this company cares about your travel needs. The Travelocity Guarantee is the most proactive and comprehensive in the industry. Have peace of mind when booking with Travelocity.

TripAdvisor - The biggest online community of travellers. This is the first (and often, last) stop for vacation planners. Not only can you book flights, hotels, car rentals, and get tickets for attractions here, but you also get a amazing breadth of reviews and tips from real travellers. The destination guides on TripAdvisor are often much better (more up-to-date and more detailed) than the expensive guide books in your bookstore.

Wegolo - Wegolo shows you the "all-in" fares, which includes the total cost for all passengers together as charged by the airlines, so you get no surprise taxes and fees tacked on at the last minute. Their search tool allows you to combine your out- and inbound flights with 2 different airlines and select the optimum departure/arriving schedules or airports.

Yapta - Yapta stands for Your Amazing Personal Travel Assistant. Yapta notifies you when prices for flights drop. It can do it even after you purchase your tickets, giving you a chance to get a refund of the difference from the airline. If you prefer, Yapta will haggle with the airline on your behalf for a $15 fee. Their new killer feature is emailing you notifications when a seat that is reedemable for reward miles comes available.

Destination Guides and Travel Communities

Get the lowdown on your locale with destination guides and reviews for what to see and do, how to get around, where to eat and sleep, and information about local customs and processes. Listen to the people who have actually been there and done that. Don't forget to check out onsite resources for travellers.

The Backpacker - The community reviews local bars, restaurants, accomodations, attractions, and tours. All reviews are user-submitted, and many places have multiple reviews. They also have a travel wiki (destination guides) and you can post your vacation stories.

BootsnAll Travel - BootsnAll seeks to cultivate an organic community that encourages independent travel. It does this through thousands of travel stories & travel blogs written by travellers, travel guides to destinations all over the world, a membership of passionate travellers, and the ability to book all of your travel needs - air tickets, hostels, RTW tickets, adventure trips, and more - from one website. In this way, BootsnAll aims to be the ultimate resource for the independent traveler.

Frommer's - Whether you're venturing close to home or across the globe, whether your budget is limited or limitless, Frommer's strive to live up to your discerning approach to travel by delivering the most candid and reliable information. Explore your travel destinations the way locals do.

IgoUgo - IgoUgo travel reviews and photos will spark your wanderlust and help you plan your next adventure. With more than 500,000 travelers on IgoUgo sharing trip stories and pictures, they've built a library of honest opinions, tips, and experiences that you won’t find in any guidebook. To date, their travel community has contributed hundreds of thousands of reviews and photos of everything from cheap eats to luxury hotels in 8,000 destinations worldwide.

Lonely Planet - Lonely Planet is renowned for its first-hand approach, up-to-date maps and commitment to providing the best information for travelers. Their authors are professional writers and journalists who nail down all the practical info about a destination then build on that with insider knowledge, thorough reviews, little-known facts and authoritative recommendations. Their aim is to get you accurate, practical information, impartial recommendations and best-value tips.

Timeout City Guides - Time Out is an international multimedia publisher of cultural experiences for urban adventurers. They provide up-to-date and accurate information to help readers remain at the cutting edge of culture. Around the world, their local teams of critics are connected to the very best that their city has to offer. Listings are generated in-house and reviews are completely independent.

UpTake - Aggregates information and travelers' opinions from 5,000 Web sites -- some 20 million opinions -- and boils them down to a single rating along with the most telling traveler comments. It's like visiting TripAdvisor and every other travel review site in one fell swoop.

Viator - Once you land, you need to have things to do. Viator is the easiest way to plan your days in-country. You can book tours, plan daytrips, buy tickets, and discover other things to do and attractions to see.

Virtual Tourist - As the single largest source of user-generated travel content in the world, VirtualTourist is a great resource for travelers seeking an insider’s perspective. Get real travel tips, reviews and photos from real people who have actually been there and done that.

WikiTravel - Like Wikipedia.org for locales. Free, complete, and reliable worldwide travel guide written by actual travellers. Great resource for learning about your destination cities before you start planning a trip.

Budget Traveler Magazines and Blogs

These are just some of the best reads on travel. Get travel tips, recommendations and ideas. Go to these when you're looking for some inspiration or just want to live vicariously through a fellow adventurer. Bookmark the stories for your to-travel list and follow these travel junkies around the world. If you're a fan of Globe Trekker, you'll love these sites.

About.com Budget Travel - Mark Kahler, About.com Guide to Budget Travel, posts weekly deals, has tips on finding the cheapest vacation packages and airfare, and has a fantastic series of step-by-step articles on maximizing your travel budget.

The Art of Nonconformity - In the battle against conventional beliefs, Chris Guillebeau's blog focuses on three areas: Life, Work, and Travel. He writes about travel hacking in general and his journeys to more than 25 countries every year. So far he has visited more than 100 countries, and over the next four years intends to visit every country in the world. He's also an esteemed fellow member of LifeRemix.

Budget Travel - Web magazine by Frommers (the guide book publisher) focused on budget travel. Writers post stories on destinations, budget itineraries, tips for finding cheap flights or accomodations, and more. You can even post your own travel journal, photos or videos, and read others' travel journals. There's a paper magazine version that you can subscribe to ($20 for 20 issues), if you prefer to read your cheap vacation news in print.

Cool Travel Guide - Perpetual globetrotter and travel writer Lara Dunston has traveled to over 60 countries, authored and updated over 40 guidebooks, and has had scores of articles published by top travel mags and sites. This blog is about the things that are cool about travel, the things that inspire us to travel, and what's inspiring about travel.

Frugal Traveler - Matt Gross seeks out high style on a low budget. Follow his journey as he uncovers affordable hotels, cheap eats and other budget tips.

Hobo Traveler - Andy is a homeless perpetual traveler who has visited over 79 countries over 10 years. He has no intention of returning home.

Perceptive Travel - Perceptive Travel is an online travel magazine filled with unique perspectives from around the globe, written by some of the best travel writers on the planet. Come here for authentic travel tales about interesting places, not for top-10 lists and tourism bureau advertorials.

The Professional Hobo - Nora Dunn sold her lucrative financial planning business, sold all her stuff, and embarked on a round-the-world vagabonding life. She shares her adventures on this fun site. (Nora is also a Senior Writer for Wise Bread and contributed lots of financial planning and budget travel articles to our money saving book.)

Song of the Open Road - Currently on year 9 of his global journey, Wade has ventured through over 30 countries on 5 continents, sometimes moving slow, sometimes moving fast. It's obvious that travel is his passion.

Travelvice - In December 2005, Craig Heimburger sold most of his possessions and took off for an extended travel adventure around the world. Join the journey by reading his travelogue, exploring the topics inside the Compendium, or perusing the Snapshots gallery.

Trek Hound - a web site for independent travelers. Here you will find information on travel literature, movies, travel tips, budget saving ideas, chronicles of past trips, food and lodging reviews, information on pet travel and much more.

Viator Travel Blog - The staff at Viator are passionate travelers. When they’re not busy talking about their last trip, they're busy planning their next adventure. On Viator, they share their passion and inspire all of us to make that next trip.

Wanderlust and Lipstick - Wanderlust and Lipstick provides both the nervous newbie and the well-seasoned Wanderluster with all the tools needed to set out on a dream journey, whether to Paris, Peoria or Prague! Find travel stories to whet your appetite for adventures around the globe, read travel tips from experienced globetrotters, learn about Wanderlust and Lipstick-recommended travel gear; and salivate over the glorious photos in the WanderGallery submitted by travelers the world over.

Working Your Way Around the World - Between telecommuting, work visas and networking, it's perfectly possible to pick up and move to different parts of the world on a regular basis — and work along the way. We focus on jobs that you can be proud to put on your resume: from finding a job abroad to building a business of your own, we've got the resources you need.

Write Away! - Lauren Carter is an award-winning writer whose articles about trekking in Ecuador, searching out authentic tango in Buenos Aires, hiking the Matra Hills in Hungary, paddling Ontario’s French River and discovering Toronto’s West Queen West have appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, the Toronto Star, and many more.

A Great Real Estate Site for a slightly more "Laid Back" Area of the Baja

2010-02-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

This site is a great source for Real Estate on The East Cape of Baja California SUR.

This includes La Ribera, Los Barriles, Buena Vista, Punta Pescadero, El Cardonal

as well as many of the little out of the way areas on the East Cape.

David and Carlene Lokey have lived on The East Cape of Baja for over eleven years.

Some Great Photos by David....

Colorful Boats at Caye Caulker

2010-01-31T19:55:00.001-08:00

Colorful Boats at Caye Caulker, originally uploaded by Captain DJ.

There is a good story to tell about this boat...I have a large print hanging in my den. If you ever want to hear the story, just ask...or if somebody comments and asks, then I will write it and post it here.

Ranguana Caye, Belize

2010-01-31T19:50:00.001-08:00

Ranguana Caye, Belize, originally uploaded by Captain DJ.

Testing my old ability to blog post straight from Flickr...

The Palo Blanco property owners have made counter offers

2010-01-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

The fact that they made counter offers is a nice way of saying that they turned down or declined my offers. Is it meant to be? Here are the houses again for review:

Casa # 4 came down nearly 6% from the most current asking price, but are still nearly 8% higher than our written offer.

Casa # 6 came down nearly 13% from current asking price but still are 25% higher than our written offer.

My friend's Brother set Four World Records Yesterday

2010-01-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a party that I hated to miss. Reid Stowe completed his 1000 days aboard a boat that he built himself, schooner Anne, and never took on supplies or got off the boat or pulled into a harbor. One Thousand continuous days at Sea.....what a voyage.
Congratulations Reid !!! Check it out at www.1000days.net

A Life without too much "Sin Tax"

2010-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

While shopping for a week's worth of food, I was not only amazed at the variety and value, but also by the absence of "Sin Tax". What I mean by this is that alcohol and cigarettes are considerably cheaper than what I am used to. From buying cartons of Marlboro Lights at Costco for around $15 to getting liters of Bacardi for $10 or less at the grocery store, it just impressed me how much we are taxed for these types of items back at home.

Maybe I got a little carried away with my Rum purchases.....but for $9 per liter...can you blame me? It was the holidays and we had a lot to celebrate.

Grocery Shopping in Los Cabos

2010-01-17T11:29:00.001-08:00

What an assortment of fresh fish to choose from. The seafood department at this local grocery store in San Jose del Cabo was easily ten to twenty times larger and more diverse than anything I have experienced in the United States. Is it because they are located near the best fishing areas left on the planet? or is it because the people that live and shop there really know how to prepare and enjoy great seafood (Mariscos)? My guess is that it is a bit of both......

Peppers, peppers and more peppers,... God knows I love peppers, or chilis as they are called in Mexico. More colorful fruits and vegetables create better overall nutritional health . Nowhere in the great state of Alabama have I ever shopped for food at a place that offered so many choices. And most of the choices seemed to me to be more natural and organic than the big corporate food stuffs that we are offered here in the USA.

Baja Micro-Brewery

2010-01-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

Our Glasses are surely more than half-full. Believe it or not Cheri took this photo when we were at the Micro-Brewery in San Jose del Cabo...then we realized that there was another location in Cabo San Lucas for this establishment. It was at the top floor of the resort we were staying at Cabo Villas. This top floor brewery/restaurant/bar probably has the best views in all of Cabo San Lucas,(and that is saying a lot!). Cheri was drinking the dark beer called ESCORPION NEGRO, and I was drinking the lighter ale, called Baja Blonde.

This place had great food and great entertainment. It should definitely not be over-looked. These goofy cartoon maps will show you where both locations are...and I recommend enjoying both. The atmosphere is totally different....kind of like the differences between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo just 18 miles up the road.
Tell 'em DJ and Cheri sent you....and they will likely say-"?Dice Que?, Gringos Locos???" or maybe not.

A Fog Desert - One of only Three in the World

2010-01-16T07:28:00.000-08:00

The strongest influence on the temperature of Baja California is the dissimilarity of its surrounding bodies of water. The Pacific Ocean dominates the temperature regime of western Baja California with its south-flowing, cold California Current, which is responsible for the coastal advection fog (Shreve 1951) and cloud cover that, with steady onshore breezes, keep the coastal temperatures relatively low. In consequence, the west coast of Baja California, from approximately El Rosario south to Todos Santos, is a cool coastal desert that Humphrey (1974) referred to as the Pacific Coastal Desert. In fact, the northern portion of this area, south to Punta Eugenia and inland 6 to 10 km, is one of only three fog deserts in the world (Meigs 1966). Its fogginess results from warm, moist belts of air cooling as they descend and contact the cold surface waters of the California Current. As this air cools, its moisture forms fog near the surface of the water and is carried inland by continuous onshore breezes. The California Current is submerged beneath the north-flowing, slightly warmer Davidson Current in the vicinity of Bahía Magdalena during the fall. Here, along the Magdalena Plain, the Pacific Ocean also influences the climate of the peninsula, although cloud cover is less and annual mean temperatures are slightly higher (Hastings and Turner 1969).

The temperature of the southern and eastern portions of Baja California is controlled primarily by the Sea of Cortés. A much warmer body of water than the Pacific (Robinson 1973), the Sea of Cortés offers little amelioration to the peninsula in the form of precipitation or cooling. The areas east of the Peninsular Ranges receive no cooling from onshore Pacific breezes, and consequently the Gulf coast becomes extremely hot during the summer (Markham 1972).

The Loop Driving Route that we Enjoyed

2010-01-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

Cabo Loop Baja California South Mexico

An interactive road map of Baja California Mexico with camping, RV, golf and other points of interest

La Paz, Todo Santos, Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, Los Barriles

Click on any area you wish to explore

Saving the Sea Turtles

2010-01-07T10:48:00.000-08:00

These babies would have died...they had all but given up. Then when they got wet, they swam their little fins off.

Casa Angel in Palo Blanco Hacienda

2010-01-03T11:39:00.000-08:00

Casa Angel

This one is the one that Cheri found, and boy am I glad she did. It will probably not stay on the market long, we ARE going to make an offer on this one right away. When I say right away, I mean within a week or two. It is such a charmer that I am a little bit hesitant to post too much information about it. The last thing we need is to get a bunch of other potential buyers interested. But instead of telling the price and exact location, I will tell you what we like about it.

This house is charming, like San Miguel de Allende charming. It even has doors and windows that were purchased in SMA and Guanajuato incorporated into every room. It is two bedroom, two full bathrooms, Living room, kitchen, private courtyard/terrace. It is in a compound with a total of three 2 bedroom houses and three 1 bedroom houses, all done in a variety of Spanish Colors and themes that are reminiscent of old colonial architecture meets top-shelf designer to the stars. The plants, trees, and walkways are fabulous. Off street parking for one vehicle and a shared pool, cabana and laundry room. A very fair $275 H.O.A. fee takes care of gardener/groundskeeper, exterior maintenance (including doors and windows and roof), all water and electricity for pool. cabana and laundry room.

To top it all off- there is a collection of cool neighbors that only use their places as vacation homes, so I can envision a quiet compound all year long. And perhaps the best thing is that there is another two bedroom house for sale right next door. This one is my personal favorite, but the one next door comes fully furnished, has a balcony with a commanding view and a private garage/storage area and exclusive entrance to the compound. The other house is for sale by the architect/builders of the entire compound and is equally enchanting.

Casa Osborn

2010-01-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

More Picture (click here)

Casa Osborn is the "fixer-upper" in the Southern part of San Jose del Cabo, right on the "Golden Corridor", meaning Mucho Traffico. It has great potential, a good bit of land and is quite possibly zoned for multi-use, which could come in very handy down the road. Currently the sellers are firm on their price of $315,000 and that is at the upper end of our budget, and leaves little cash reserves for a total make-over. It has been empty for at least a couple of years, but is built extremely well. The all concrete structure (with steel reinforcement) shows absolutely no cracks. The 8" thick walls, roof and foundation seem to be in tip top condition. This house is also the oldest, probably 20-25 years old. But the views are amazing!!! There is a nice cobblestone, steeeeep driveway and a carport for two small vehicles. It is fenced on two sides, and has approximately 15,000 sq. feet of land, (quite enough for a pool, cabana, and a guesthouse casita) . This could make a great office or business location with us living in the "planned casita"....

Who knows??? I am told by our trusted real estate agent that this one will still be available, (more than likely) later on and we can wait until April to make an offer that is more in-line with our real budget. I can see this being a project to be undertaken after we are successful in selling my shop in Historic Downtown Decatur, Alabama. Maybe next Spring or even the Spring of 2011.....

Christmas in Cabo

2010-01-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

This Christmas and New Year's Eve was the first one we have spent in Cabo. Hopefully it will not be the last. I wanted to share this collage of pix from Christmas Day and write more about specific events during this trip. There will be many entries today; I wish I was this inspired to post entries to my work blog, but for now....writing about buying our dream house seems much more fun.

Bronze Sculptures at La Paz

2010-01-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

La Paz (The Peace) the Port of Illusions,

We enjoyed our daytrip to the capital city of Baja Sur. Walking along the Malecon, walkway along the tranquil shores of the calm water harbor where so many cruisers have anchored or moored in gave us a great way to get to know this city. Having fresh shrimp tacos, prepared two totally different ways by a seaside vendor allowed us to taste the flavor of Mexico and complete the sensory extravaganza that was already overwhelming our senses. The drive from Cabo first up the East Coast and mountainous roads along the Sea of Cortes and then taking the more direct road home (already feeling at home in Cabo) along the Pacific Coastal road through Todos Santos, watching the sunset, was a great way to spend a long day.

This road trip alone deserves multiple blog entries. I can just imagine it now, telling about Buena Vista and Los Barrilles, budding sea side fishing villages. And then stopping at El Triumfo, a quaint colonial town before entering the metropolis that is La Paz. So many new Pacific Beaches and beach communities to share with you. It is hard to believe that so many "Life-Experiences" can be taken in in just one day.

Diving in the Southern Baja

2010-01-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

The best snorkeling and diving is up in Cabo Pulmo, home to the only living coral reef on the west coast of Mexico. You can drive 10 minutes north to get there, or you can use the aluminum boats or sea kayaks at Villa Los Frailes. We had some great snorkeling at Mermaid Bay (Playa La Serrita on the map). This bay was about a 15 minute boat ride from the villa. There we observed eel, turtles, various puffer fish, schools of Barracuda, and numerous other kinds of tropical fish. Visibility was about 50 ft. Water temperature was probably about 77 degrees. It was perfect with a 3mm wet suit, but you could get by with nothing. About half way between Cabo Pulmo and Villa Los Frailes is a sea lion colony. We took the aluminum boat their twice, once for snorkeling, and once for diving. The sea lions are extremely friendly. They seem excited when you come to swim with them. They are swimming all around you, blowing bubbles and barking in your face. Stay upwind of their rock if possible, because they smell pretty bad. We also dove El Isoltes off of the aluminum boat. This was a very nice dive, teaming with marine life. The usual tropicals were there, as were several large eels and an impressive vertical wall of coral. I highly recommend this dive. Just go down to about 70 feet and slowly circle your way back up to the surface. It couldn't be easier to navigate. Below are some pictures from the dives at the sea lion colony and Los Isoltes.

The mellow one checking us out

strange fish

sea lion pups

unique orange fish

The playful pup

Sleepy

sea lion bulls

The intimidator

blowing bubbles in our face

Snorkeling with sea lions

Angel fish

The sea lion dive also has fish

bigger fish at the island

beautiful coral

Eel with octopus leg on it's nose

rock fish

colorful groupers

Flame angel standing out in a crowd

porcuipine puffer hiding

puffer

lots of caves for hiding

Cabo Pulmo Divers boat dive

Sea lion cruising the reef

In addition to diving on our own, there are three dive shops in Cabo Pulmo that you can choose from if guided diving is more your cup of tea. All the diving is from pangas which are basic fiberglass boats with outboard motors. Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort has a dive shop. This is where we rented our tanks from. Rafael was extremely helpful telling us where to dive and anything else you needed to know about the area. Unfortunately we didn't get the opportunity to dive with them. Our one experience with boat diving was with Cabo Pulmo Divers. We booked a two tank morning dive on a moderately windy day. The guide was sick, so we opted to just dive on our own with pre-dive briefings. The seas were very rough. Our first dive was at El Bajo De Los Meros. This reef is the most northeasterly dive on the map above. Is a reef at a depth of about 65'. It's about 35' wide and 300' long. There are several cracks, crevices and overhangs that support all sorts of marine life and coral. There were huge grouper and pargo hanging out on the fringes of the reef. The highlight was probably the schools of porcupine puffers. I have never seen porcupine puffers in schools out in the open like this. They were everywhere, and they were just hovering in place, right out in the open. Visibility was only about 30 ft. The swells got the best of us on our surface interval, and we weren't feeling too good before the 2nd dive. The 2nd dive was at El Cantil. This reef structure was more varied than our first dive, with small canyons everywhere. The coral on this dive was more impressive than at El Bajo. Unfortunately, the air was not too good. We both felt a little nauseous about 15 minutes into the dive and decided to go up a little early with about 1200 lbs left over. We didn't feel too good the whole way in to shore. The people at Cabo Pulmo Divers were very nice, but the bad air wasn't very pleasant. Give Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort a try. The other dive shop was Pepe's Dive Shop. They are supposedly top notch, unfortunately Pepe was out of town during our stay.

Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort dive shop

Cabo Pulmo Divers

Pepe's Dive Shop

Typical panga. Most do not have shade cover.

Two Days to GO

2009-12-22T13:14:00.001-08:00

Just two more days and I will be looking out at this view again and trying to figure out a plan. The plan will be to sell-off what real estate we have in North Alabama and finding someone with a great bluewater sailboat, motorsailor, or catamaran in the Baja Area that wants to trade for a Grand Banks Trawler located on the Tennessee River and conveniently placed to cruise the Eastern third of the U.S. in what is called The Great Loop. Now that second part of finding someone who wants to trade boats, may not be as difficult as it sounds. For me it will seem more challenging to sell a house in the Historic Albany District, a commercial complex in Old Decatur and a riverside townhome. But, as is likely to be the case with all of these obstacles, it can be as easy as simply putting the sign up "For Sale" and then setting the price so fair and attractive that they sell almost immediately.
For example, the house four doors down to the East of us was listed with a realtor and sold for full price within one week. And then there is the case of the house three doors to the West that was placed "For Sale by Owner" and sold within 24 hrs. Both of these actually happened within the last month or two. I guess it will be up to me to set a good price and be ready for a quick sale. That is hard when you have spent nearly two decades in one location.......

Safety in Mexico

2009-12-22T12:31:00.001-08:00

Whenever I talk to folks seriously about our "Plans to Retire in Mexico", the first question is always regarding safety. Not only do I feel that we are indeed safer in Mexico than in the United States, we are focusing our efforts on the single safest state (out of 32) in all of Mexico. The Baja Sur reported only one homocide in all of 2008, which is 100 times safer than the same population area of North, Alabama (including Birmingham). In fact our little city of Decatur reported one homicide for 2008, Huntsville, 28 and Birmingham much more than that. Not only is the area of focus, San Jose del Cabo nearly a thousand miles south of the drug cartel related violence at the border, it is the most sparcely populated state in all of Mexico. Here are some well made points and statistics from Arthur Frommer-

Arthur Frommer, publisher of the famed travel guides, recently traveled to Mexico and stated, “In actual fact, the resort areas of Mexico . . . have experienced no violence directed against tourists and are, in fact, almost totally serene, as I myself witnessed on a recent stay. It is as safe to vacation in the tourist part of Mexico today as to go to any city of the U.S. or Canada.”

Arthur Frommer makes a good point. Looking at crime statistics, it would appear that Americans are safer in Mexico than they are in many parts of the United States. The United States is the most crime-ridden country in the world. Mexico is not even in the top five. The top five are (based on total crimes per country):

1. United States – 11,877,218
2. United Kingdom – 6,523,706
3. Germany - 6,507,394
4. France - 3,771,850
5. Russia – 2,952,370

On a per capita basis, the United States ranks 8th, while Mexico is 39th. Reporting that all of Mexico is not safe based on violence in three or four cities is like saying that the United States is dangerous based on the crime statistics for New Orleans (209 murders in 2008), Detroit and East Los Angeles. In 2008, more Americans died in New Orleans (one city) than in all of Mexico.

With all of that, and 360 days a year of sunshine, wouldn't you feel safer there?

A Little History of San Jose del Cabo

2009-12-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

Spanish galleons first visited Estero San Jose at the mouth of the Rio San Jose to obtain fresh water near the end of their lengthy voyages from the Philippines to Acapulco in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. As pirate raids along the coast between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz became a problem, the need for a permanent Spanish settlement at the tip of the cape became increasingly urgent. The growing unrest among the Guaycura and Pericu Indians south of Loreto also threatened to engulf mission communities to the north. As a result, the Spanish were forced to send armed troops to the Cape region to quell the Indian uprisings in 1723, 1725 and 1729.

In 1730, Jesuit Padre Nicholas Tamaral traveled south from Mission La Purisima and founded Mission San Jose del Cabo on a mesa overlooking the Rio San Jose some 5 km. north of the current town site. Due to the overwhelming presence of mosquitoes at this site, Tamaral soon moved the mission to the mouth of the estuary on a rise flanked by Cerro del Vigia and Cerro de la Cruz.Tamaral and the Pericus got along fine until he pronounced an injunction against Polygamy, a long tradition in Pericu society. After Tamaral punished a Pericu Shaman for violating the anti-polygamy decree, the Indians rebelled and burned both the San Jose and Santiago missions in October of 1734. Tamaral was killed in the attack. Shortly thereafter the Spanish established a presidio, which served the dual purpose of protecting the community from insurgent Indians and the estuary from English pirates.

By 1767, virtually all the Indians in the area had died either of European diseases or in skirmishes with the Spanish. Surviving mission Indians were moved to missions farther north, but San Jose del Cabo remained an important Spanish military outpost until the mid-19th century when the presidio was turned over to Mexican nationals.

During the Mexican American War (1846-48), marines from the U.S. frigate Portsmouth briefly occupied the city. A bloody siege ensued and the Mexicans prevailed under the leadership of Mexican Naval officer Jose Antonio Mijares. Plaza Mijares, San Jose's town Plaza is named to commemorate his victory. As mining in the Cape Region gave out during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, San Jose del Cabo lost population along with the rest of the region. A few farmers and began trickling into the San Jose area in the 30s and in 1940 the church was rebuilt.

San Jose del Cabo remained largely a backwater until the Cape began attracting sportfishers and later the sun-and-sand-set in the '60s and '70s. Since the late 1970s, FONATUR (Foundation Nacional de Fomento del Turismo or National Foundation for Tourism Development) has sponsored several tourist development projects along San Jose's shoreline. Fortunately, the developments have done little to change San Jose's Spanish colonial character. Local residents take pride in restoring the towns 18th century architecture and preserving its quiet, laid back ambiance.

In November of 1993, a severe storm wreaked havoc on beachside condos near San Jose del Cabo but the town itself suffered little damage. Today, San Jose del Cabo provides a welcome respite from the busy, fiesta atmosphere found twenty miles south in Cabo San Lucas.

A Handy Mileage Chart for Highway 1

2009-12-22T12:20:00.001-08:00

Highway 1 / Distance Table

Tijuana
68 109km	Ensenada
187 301km	119 191km	San Quintin
223 359km	155 249km	36 58km	El Rosario
444 714km	376 605km	257 414km	221 356km	Guerro Negro
532 856km	464 747km	345 555km	309 497km	88 142km	San Ignacio
557 928km	509 819km	390 628km	354 570km	133 215km	45 73km	Santa Rosalia
615 990km	547 880km	428 689km	392 631km	171 276km	83 134km	38 61km	Mulegé
669 1125km	631 1015km	512 824km	476 766km	255 412	167 270km	122 197km	84 136km	Loreto
788 1268km	720 1158km	601 667km	565 909km	344 555km	256 413km	211 340km	173 279km	89 143km	Ciudad Constitución
922 1483km	854 1374km	735 1183km	699 1125km	478 771km	390 629km	345 556km	307 495km	223 359km	134 216km	La Paz
1059 1704km	991 1594km	872 1403km	836 1345km	615 992km	527 850km	482 777km	444 716km	360 580km	271 437km	137 221km	Cabo San Lucas

The 6,000 Mile Journey of the Gray Whales

2009-12-20T09:18:00.001-08:00

Whales

The migration of the California Gray Whale is one of the most amazing animal behaviors on record. Every winter, beginning in mid-October, Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) migrate south from the Bering Sea to the warm lagoons of Baja California (6,000 miles). Breeding along the way, they arrive at the lagoons in December and January and it is here that they give birth to their young. When the calves have grown big enough for the trip home the whales start heading north again from February to May.

There are three major breeding grounds in Baja: Laguna Ojo de Liebre (once known as Scammon’s Lagoon, see below), Laguna de San Ignacio and Bahia Magdalena. Laguna Ojo de Liebre is also the home to the Parque Natural de la Ballena Gris, a national park.

Gray whales are baleen whales. This term refers to the bristled plates that hang downward on either side of their upper jaws. These bristles act as a sieve to filter food out of the water. Their upper jaws can expand when taking in large amounts of water and when the water is forced through the bristles, small invertebrates are left behind and eaten. An adult gray whale can eat approximately 2,600 lbs (1,200kg) of these small crustaceans. When migrating and calving however, the grays eat very little.

Gray whales are mottled gray in color. They are covered in barnacles and usually have scrapes and scars from feeding along the bottom and from encounters with their only water-borne enemy, the Killer Whale. Gray whales have no dorsal fin but have a low hump followed by 9-12 knobs. The flippers are large and paddle-shaped and the tail very broad, its width equaling almost 25% of the body length.

Gray whales are slow swimmers, averaging 3-5 mph (5-8 kph). When traveling, the make shallow dives of 4-5 minutes and then surface to blow 3 or 4 times. Grays also like to breach (leaping out of the water) and spyhop (raising their heads out of the water). These behaviors are not understood but may have to do with breeding or navigation.

In 1857, an American Whaling captain named Charles Melville Scammon heard about the whales’ migration to Baja. Following a pod of whales into a small lagoon, he determined that the traditional harpooning wouldn’t work to kill them. He devised a new method and in the small confines of the lagoons, was able to slaughter hundreds of whales a year, selling their oil and blubber for great profit.

By the 1930’s, nearly all the gray whales had been eliminated. It wasn’t until 1972 when the U.S. government passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act that the gray whale began a comeback. Now, thirty years later, the comeback of the gray whale is considered one of the greatest successes of the environmental movement.

Be sure to check the Gray Whale Fact Sheet and these great Gray Whale Photos.

Baja Information

2009-12-20T09:03:00.000-08:00

Geography and Climate

Mexico is a very large country spreading southeast from its northern border with the United States to the Caribbean Sea and from the Pacific Ocean on the west and south to the Gulf of Mexico on the east. Mexico covers almost 2 million square kilometers (460,000 sq. mi.) and also shares borders with Guatemala and Belize.

In the northwest portion of the country is the Baja Peninsula. At 800 miles long it is one of the longest peninsulas in the world. The peninsula is also very narrow averaging less than 70 miles in width with the narrowest part being 26 miles wide.

20 million years ago, there was no Baja Peninsula. The land was originally connected to the Mexican mainland with the tip of Baja located near Puerto Vallarta. Thanks to the San Andreas Fault and the movement of the earth’s plates Baja is now is nearly 300 miles away from its old neighbor.

Baja's mountains form a largely unbroken barrier running the entire length. The mountains are actually a series of ranges each with their own name. The mountains average between 2,000 and 3,000 feet. The tallest mountains on the peninsula are the twin peaks of Picacho del Diablo, or Devil's Peak, which rise to 10,154 feet.

There are four main desert areas on the peninsula. These are the San Felipe Desert, the Central Coast Desert, the Vizcaíno Desert and the Magdalena Plain Desert.

Being a peninsula, two of Baja three sides are water. The Pacific coast is characterized by ocean swells and the occasionally heavy surf. Due to upwelling of deep ocean water, the water temperature is cool though it warms as the water mover south.

The Sea of Cortez is over 600 miles long and in places, the depth reaches more than 14,000 feet. With its location along the San Andreas Fault, the Cortez is very seismically active. Earthquakes in the 1800's destroyed the towns of San Ignacio and Loreto.

Due to its long narrow shape, the Cortez produces one of the largest tidal ranges in the world. Near the Colorado River Delta the tides can fluctuate up to 31 feet between high and low tides. Water temperature can also vary by large extremes. Depending on the season and the location, the temperature can vary from a high of 91°F to a low of 47°F.

Climate

Much of northern Baja California has a climate similar to Southern California. Along the Pacific coast the summers are warm with cool night, while the winter is cool with chilly nights. The Sea of Cortez has hot summers days and humid nights, while the winter is cooler with strong cold winds. Most of the rain falls along the Pacific coast in the winter, with an average of 10 inches of rainfall a year.

The southern half of Baja is more sub-tropical. Summers are hot and humid, while winter evenings can be cool. Rain is rare and mostly in the summer in the form of violent storms.

What is the weather like in Baja California today? Follow these links to The Weather Underground for La Paz, Loreto, Cabo San Lucas or Tijuana. Or check out this satellite map from Weather.com or from Earthwatch.com.

Try converting the temperature in your town from Fahrenheit to Celsius.

What time is it in Baja California as compared to the time in your home town? Check this!