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Against the backdrop of the dome of the Palacio del Arte in Morelia, Claris Leydi, a Cuban gymnast swings on a high trapeze in the opening act of Atayde Hermanos Circus. ... read more

Israel Gonzalez, of the circus family known as the Kaylicoas, is the tightrope walker of the Vazquez Hermanos Circus. He also performs an act of gymnastics, balancing on alternating hands, and breezes ... read more

It was all Molly's idea. Not unusual. After all, everything we do is always Molly's idea. This time, she thought it would be nice to invite a priest over for dinner since we were finally settled in Mor... read more

My guide book tells me that it's exactly 1,000 kilometers from Guadalajara to Oaxaca. That's about 660 miles. I know of people who say they've driven the distance in one day and I have to concede that it's possible. The only way you can do it is to take toll roads the whole way, start at the crack of dawn and drive like hell. The other thing you have to do is drive through Mexico City. read more

I’d love to have had this book five years ago when we first came to live in Mexico. It’s not that we ran into a string of problems then but it’s just such a useful source of information and opinion about living here it would have cut a lot of corners for us at the time. As the author says, this book is written for people of all ages who want to live in Mexico and Central America, from retirees to baby-boomers who want a new life to artists and writers who want a stimulating and less expensive way of life. read more

On February 20th, 1943, after a couple of weeks of ominous earth tremors and strange underground sounds, the Paricutín volcano in Michoacán, erupted among prayers and rogations, fire displays and int... read more

What the Spanish Conquistadors thought was gold was often only an alloy called tumbaga. As they explored the New World, the early conquistadors were spurred on by the possibility of finding treasure a... read more

G. M. Bashford's Tourist Guide to Mexico was first published exactly fifty years ago in 1954. It was one of a spate of motoring book guides written after World War II as Americans began to hit the open... read more

Large families, devout Catholics, modest clothing, very poor - these are some of the common preconceived notions about Mexicans from a rural eastern Oregon perspective. However, such a view is limiting... read more

It's 7.30 a.m. on Friday, June 3, a bright, fine morning in Morelia, the state capital of Michoacán. My Ford Explorer roars into life. I have on board two passengers and 199 pairs of glasses. The '... read more

It's been my pleasure over the past year to meet many new friends through this column. They've stopped by for a day, stayed for weeks or months. They've rented homes, stayed in hotels and B&Bs. T... read more

Enjoying the Mexican beachfront or colonial hillside town, you've decided to put down roots in Mexico and "save money" by buying in. Think twice: you may make the deal of a lifetime, or you wish you'd... read more

Few places in the world have the magic of Pátzcuaro. Surely the Purépecha Rey Curateme had to have known that back in 1324 when he founded the town. For many visitors, Pátzcuaro spells the Island o... read more

James Metcalf, Stephen and Maureen Rosenthal and Vasco de Quiroga have a lot in common. Each was a foreigner who came to Michoacan's hills and dales surrounding Lake Patzcuaro, married art with commerc... read more

Visiting Mexico is one thing. Living here is another. Basking amid sweet breezes and swaying palms, marimba rhythms, strains of Eres Tu, and romantic vistas, the tourist's Mexico is temporary, amid room-serviced luxury or experiential trysts with simple-pleasured paradise. For most of us, neither is an option for a permanent lifestyle. Reality lands, bringing mundane concerns and excess baggage of money, medical care, reliable phone service, the mail, and nearly every other aspect of Peoria as home becomes Mexico.

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The Monte de Piedad, or National Pawnshop, bears little resemblance to the usual perception of the tawdry pawnshop, bordering the bail bondsman's office in a not-so-savory part of town, patronized by t... read more

"Every year there are more and more tourists. They're not coming to see our tradition, they just want another reason to have a fiesta. It gets worse later, when they start urinating on the candles."

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Mexico Connect Forum Discussion Threads Posted by Ann Bice on June 29, 1997 We are planning to check out the Guad-Lake area for potential retirement-it sounds too good to be true. Anyway, we can g... read more

Posted by dave on Mayo 04, 2000 Can anyone tell me what the area is like around the Colima volcano? I am interested in learning if there are any small villages, lakes and nice valleys around the... read more

Posted by Thom on January 04, 1997 My wife and I just returned from MONTH in Mexico, the better part of which we spent in Mazatlan. We have been to Mexicoís other Pacific coast resort areas seve... read more

I will soon be making a trip to Merida. This will be a vacation/preliminary research trip as I am considering the possibility of moving to Mexico. My eighteen-year old child has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. We have a van with a wheelchair lift. So the ferry from Tampa to Progresso is attractive, as it would allow us to return to the USA for visits and take our van with us. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has knowledge or personal experience with the assimilation, inclusion of persons with disabilities into the Mexican culture.

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"Most Mexicans don't live on dirt farms, wear sombreros and eat only beans and tortillas. Most Mexicans stay in Mexico because they think the quality of life is better than in the United States. … These are their stories." To write Modern Mexico, "Mexico" Mike Nelson talked with lots of people... read more

Below are some archives of letters to the editor that Stan has chosen to answer with open responses.December 20, 1995 Victor Salas writes that, having been born and raised in Mexico, and having come t... read more

Before you send me an EMail, check here to see if your question has already been answered. Since going on the World Wide Web, I have received many letters from readers requesting specific i... read more