The Costa Chica ("Short Coast" in Spanish) is one of two regions in Mexico with significant Black communities, the other being the state of Veracruz on the Gulf coast. The Costa Chica is a 200-mile long coastal region beginning just southeast of Acapulco, Guererrero, and ending near the town of Puerto Angel, Oaxaca. read more

Monday, July 26, 2010, the colorful pageantry of Mexico's Guelaguetza is reenacted once again during the Lunes del Cerro (Mondays on the Hill. A Zapotec word signifying offering or offertory, Guelaguetza was the term used to describe the Oaxaca ceremony and celebration held each year to propitiate the gods in return for sufficient rain and a bountiful harvest. Today it is one of the most colorful fiestas in Mexico. read more

Masked dancers take to the streets on July 25 to reenact an age old battle fought in Spain long before the conquest. The ceremonial tastoan (sometimes spelled tastuan) rituals come from the 12th century and were originally known as the dance of the Moors and the Christians. In Spain's version, the dance symbolizes the expulsion of the Moors by the Christians, while Mexico's variation is commonly interpreted as the representation of the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 1500s. read more

Soaking wet and covered with mud, we followed the narrow underground stream deeper and deeper into the cave until we found ourselves standing about three meters above a pool of undetermined depth. The ... read more

In Mexico, the lime — known as a limón — is everywhere, served with nearly all food except coffee and dessert (and some desserts are made with them) and sold in even the smallest neighborhood stores. Here, limes are considered a necessity, and almost no kitchen is without them. read more

This beats any lemon or lime ade I've ever tried. Its sweet-and-tart zing makes it a good substitute for margaritas if you want to serve appetizers without alcoholic beverages. The recipe comes from my... read more

This dessert uses the pungent limes that are indispensible to so many Mexican meals. Piled high in markets all over the country, they are often squeezed onto food at the table in place of salt. The Flo... read more

This specialty of the Yucatan, although it comes from a warm climate, is great winter comfort food. The variety of lime called Citrus Limetta grows in abundance in the Yucatan, although other varieties... read more

Since lime trees are so abundant in central and southern México, it's no surprise that good use is made of the leaves as well as the fruit. The following agua, or fruit drink, is probably one of ... read more

The michelada is a beer cocktail whose name is condensed from mi chela helada, "my iced beer." Every region, and even everyone who makes it, seems to have a different version of this popular cooler, but two ingredients that are included everywhere are lime and salt. I've been served micheladas both with and without ice, but even without ice, the idea is to start with ice cold beer. read more

Green salads in Mexico often come with just a wedge of lime, but this dressed up version uses olive oil and jalapeños to make a lime vinaigrette. The contrasting textures of the avocado and pepitas ar... read more

This is an easy, tasty way to prepare chicken, especially during warm months when a lot of cooking moves outdoors. I buy ancho chile powder from a chile and spice vendor in the mercado, but it can also... read more

Shooting Script: Door of Fire is a sequence of poems about several "heroes:" Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsky, with bit parts from Trotsky's wife Natalia, actress Paulette Goddard, surrealist Andre Breton and others.We see them — Diego, Frida, Leon — as if we are watching them through a camera lens. Three people driven by obsessions. read more

In Mexico, alternative medicine has long been popular. With the increase of healthcare costs, insurance, traditional medicines and a visit to the doctor's office in the U.S., many people are seeking al... read more

I've been to Mexico only in the winter. What is the rainy season like? Answer: Beautiful. Where we live, everything, from mountains to front yards, switches from brown to a lovely shade of green. Lake Chapala gets a much-needed gulp of new water and rises up to gently lap at the new malecones along the north shore. In theory, it only rains at night. We're not talking drizzles. There are downpours. Thunder rattles windows and lightening over the lake is at least awesome. There have been times I actually uncovered my eyes and ears and took it all in. read more

This is the third installment in a story about my love affair with an old house in Mexico. One day I found myself standing in front of a beautiful three story, art nouveau town house. It was shabby, obviously neglected, and unlived in, but it had certain magic about it, which captured both my imagination and my heart. I knew, in that moment and with great certainly, that one day I would buy it. read more

Did You Know That... During the month of July . . . DOWN WITH DICTATORS! NO MORE RE-ELECTION! MEXICAN NIGHTINGALE DIES - NATION MOURNS ... read more

Updated September 16, 2013 It is advisable to have international health insurance while traveling or living as an expatriate. Having an international health plan gives a person, family or group a va... read more

Old is good, especially when it's a freshly discovered newspaper from April 1929. It's exciting to read things that happened even before the stock market crash was to occur that coming October, leading America into one of the bleakest periods in our history. That sad period also saw the close of the oldest institution on the lower Mexican border: the Brownsville-Matamoros ferry.

The ferry (chalon) was an efficient means of transportation between the U.S. and Mexico for 110 years but, in 1929, it took its last trip across the Rio Grande. read more

Insurance can seem quite complicated. What is best for you and why? If you're spending time in Mexico, can you take your medical policy with you? Or should you purchase travel insurance? Are there othe... read more

This is a quick and easy side dish, a flavorful accompaniment to simple grilled or roasted meat or poultry. The recipe is adapted from 1,000 Mexican Recipes by Marge Poore. read more

Flour, eggs and huazontle become delicious tortitas © Daniel Wheeler, 2010 I had these for the first time at Las Cazuelas de Tlaxcala, a restaurant in Tlaxcala with really authentic Central Mexica... read more