RON MADER'S UNUSUAL MEXICO LINKS
(Mexico on the Web)Journalist and savvy webmaster Ron Mader sifts through the web to find the most interesting and unusual Mexico-related websites. Ron is the webhost of the popular Planeta.com: Eco Travels in Latin America website -- http://www.planeta.com -- and has written about the internet since the early 1990s.
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MEXICO WEB CAMS
Mexico Web cams are popping up everywhere,
giving you a closer, real-time look at Mexico.The Internet is often touted as a virtual library. The description conjures images of endless bookshelves, a vast labyrinth of information. That's a good start, but there is so much more. Satellite photos and digital galleries are booming, bringing new meaning to the saying, "a picture is worth a thousands words." The biggest revolution is in real-time cameras. Web designers are learning to aim and shoot with the best photographers, bringing everyday vistas to the global stage. From busy streets to tropical beaches, cameras are capturing images and making them available to a worldwide audience. Cinéma vérité has never been so inventive. This month, we take a literal look at Mexico on the Web.
National Disaster Prevention Center (CENAPRED)
www.cenapred.unam.mx/mvolcan.html
/5 Stars
Mexico's famous Popocatepetl Volcano, currently on yellow alert, takes center stage on this site. If or when the mountain blows, cameras from the CENAPRED will document the explosion. Viewers have two choices - a smaller photo - www.cenapred.unam.mx/mvolcan.html - that loads quite quickly, or a larger photo - www.cenapred.unam.mx/popo/mvolcan.html - which takes more time, but offers more detail. Both images are updated continuously. Bookmark one or the other and catch a glimpse of changing clouds and fumaroles from the cone. You can even copy the picture and save it as a desktop background.
Besides the real-time shots, there is also an impressive photo album-www.cenapred.unam.mx/popo/album/album.htm-that archives the best images taken over the past few years. Images are accompanied by technical writing, mostly in Spanish. The website is highly recommended for students of all ages. E-mail contact: popo@cenapred.unam.mx
Bravo Net: Eye in the Sky
www.bravo.net/camera/
Heading for the U.S.-Mexico border? No matter if you are traveling north or south, you might want to check out the traffic at customs. Updated every five minutes, this website showcases a gallery of real-time photos from both sides of the International Bridge that connects Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. The site is simple in concept, but a brilliant idea: There is no other site like this on the Web. Of course, there is more to the two Laredos than automotive and pedestrian traffic. The gallery is combined with Bravo Net's regional overview of the two Laredos (www.2laredos.com/), including information on business, politics, and entertainment. Bravo! This site provides a unique glimpse of life in the borderlands. E-mail contact: webmaster@www.bravo.net
Mexico Live on the Internet
www.mexicolive.com/
This commercial site sells Web cams in Mexico and shows off the work of some of its clients, including resort hotels in Puerto Vallarta - www.allaboutpuertovallarta.com - and Cabo San Lucas - www. allaboutcabo.com/ - with a new site to feature Cancún in the works. The shots are updated only during daytime hours and show images of the beaches. This website has much potential and deserves repeated viewing to see if it gains more clients beyond the coastal resorts. E-mail contact: info@mexicolive.com
Reference desk
There are many other good Web-cam sites already in existence or under construction. To check out new sites or to register your own Web cam, visit the following sites:
Cam Cities
All Cam
Yahoo
