I began to discover that certain vested interests involving the Huichol did not welcome outsiders. There was almost a political rivalry among various individuals and groups who regarded the Huichol as their own private preserve. This sense of proprietary rights by over the Huichol was confirmed later when I went to Mexico City. Back then there was intense rivalry among people working with the Huichol., too. read more

The Huichol Indians of Jalisco and Nayarit have accomplished the almost incredible feat of maintaining their independence and most of their traditional values well into the 21st century. Thanks to the rugged terrain of the Sierra Madre mountains the Huichols were able to escape the brunt of the Spanish invasion. While their long-anticipated demise as a separate indigenous people has not yet arrived, new warning signs continue to appear on the horizon and the Huichol continue to be under siege by both secular and religious authorities. read more

Robert Richter’s new novel, Something for Nothing, is his third featuring Cotton Waters, ‘not your ordinary roving gringo’, who is called Algo by his Mexican buddies, shortened from the Spanish word for Cotton, algodón. Much of Robert Richter’s work is inspired by his 40-year love affair with Mexico. He has written three Cotton Waters mysteries (all available on Kindle): Something in Vallarta (1991), Something Like a Dream (2014), this latest, Something for Nothing (2015), all set on Mexico’s western Riviera. Richter has also written two non-fiction books about Mexico: Search for the Camino Real: A History of San Blas and the Road to Get There (2011) and Cuautémoc Cárdenas and the Roots of Mexico’s New Democracy (2000). read more

How this very rural elementary school has risen from nothing to something special is a stunning success story. The small Nayarit village in the foothills of the Sierra de Vallejo mountains, just 40 kilometers from downtown Puerto Vallarta, is a different world.

It is not distinctive and has been that way for generations.

Until Edd Bissell, by the grace of God or a quirk of fate, discovered the school and adopted it, nobody — nobody — had ever been beyond sixth grade. Today, a young woman is in her senior year of college architecture and several youth are in high school.,,. read more

Much of the novel, which takes place in 1982, is about the Huichols and Richter means "to introduce the reader to the Huichol people, their culture and religious life centered on peyote visions…."

For the Huichol, "the sacred and the secular are the same world, real and physical, enrapturing and mystical. Body, mind, and spirit; corn, deer, and peyote; nothing separates the idea from the daylight or the dream. It is all the same."

As in the finest of adventure stories — from The Odyssey to the present — Robert Richter´s protagonist, Cotton Waters, "Algo," is a seemingly ordinary man, not particularly successful in the eyes of the world, who for complicated reasons accepts a journey that has extraordinary challenges and that will change him forever...

read more

Stan Brock, an unusual Englishman made semi-famous by his role in the TV series Wild Kingdom, had founded something called Remote Area Medical and was soliciting volunteers for a three-week mission to one of the Tuxpans somewhere in the mountains of Mexico.

He described the poverty, misery and misfortune that plagued the small village. He talked of deadly disease and infant mortality. His plea for the primitive Indians, the Huichols, may have actually triggered a few tears among the tough military trainees...

read more

Isla Isabel is located 34 kilometers (21 miles) off Mexico's west coast. It is a National Park and wildlife refuge with a population of some 42,000 birds and, in 2003, was named a World Heritage Site. ... read more

Three Mexican fishermen, lost at sea for nine months and nine days, were world news for a few minutes in 2006.

Their survival was a miracle of faith and fierce determination, or the biggest fish tale ever told. read more

Link to interactive map The one hundred and eight mile (290 kilometer) coast of Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit extends from upscale Nuevo Vallarta to the historic, beach town of San Blas. Well, official... read more

This charming little beach town located on Pacific Mexico's Riviera Nayarit, is only a forty-minute drive north of Puerto Vallarta. Sayulita has exploded in popularity as an alternative beach vacation... read more

Here is a gift for you, good news, a mid-term report from my favorite little Mexican school. Several years ago I told you about Edd Bissell, pharmacist from New Market, Tennessee, who retired to the high-rent district, Punta Pelicanos, in the town of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, on the beautiful Bay of Banderas, in the state of Nayarit. That spot may or may not be something like Heaven. Gentle breezes come and go. The Pacific lovingly laps the sandy shore. Sunsets through palm trees range from spectacular to unbelievable. read more

Exploring the beautiful State of Nayarit Link to interactive map Are you looking for a unique and affordable vacation experience far from the world of all-inclusive resorts? Would you like to ex... read more

Larry Herman and his best friend Lynda escaped subsidized senior housing, packed suitcases and moved to Mexico — even though neither one had ever been south of the border.
They stayed in Bucerias for a month and explored the area by bus.
Their modest apartment in Sayulita, one block from the beach, costs them about $500 U.S. per month, depending on the exchange rate the day you pay. read more

The beaches of San Blas are extravagantly beautiful and beckon the adventurer with several palm lined pristine secluded beaches, and hundreds of migratory birds. For Indiana Joe and Jane, San Blas's co... read more

Rincon de Guayabitos on the Nayarit coast is an affordable, beautiful beach side paradise with something for everyone. read more

Playa San Francisco is a beautiful wide, sandy beach, fierce and riotous, set in the artsy town commonly referred to as "San Pancho." Like most towns along the Nayarit coast, San Pancho was once a fish... read more

Sayulita beach is stunningly beautiful, and most visitors are completely captivated by its charm. The two-mile long beach boasts soft fine sand, warm blue waters, perfect surfing waves and is adorned b... read more