The September 13, 1847 capture of Chapultepec Castle by U.S. Marines made a paragraph in a MexConnect listing of significant events by geographer, historian and all-around good guy Tony Burton. This was war. Fighting had reached Mexico City. Men were dying. Generals surrendered but there were numerous acts of bravery, including the celebrated stand by […]
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Living, working or retiring in Mexico is a dream for people in many parts of the world. For others, it has become a reality. This Resource Page is intended to provide a solid base of practical advice, viewpoints and personal experience. Through articles, resource materials and references, this Resource Section will assist those considering the move, […]
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A fishin’ we will go, a fishin’ we will go; hi, ho, the merry-o, a fishin’ we will go. Second son Gary came to the west end of Lake Chapala, to the suburbs of Jocotepec, in the colorful state of Jalisco, for a winter holiday, free food and probably an inspection of his aging parents’ […]
Continue ReadingYou’ve heard about those push-and-shove Americans who cross the border with their arms full and want Mexico to stop, look and listen. Well, they’re at it again. These northern do-gooders, wearing Lens Crafters lapel pins and waving the Lions Club banner, are bringing in boxes and barrels of used eyeglasses to give to Mexicans who […]
Continue ReadingPoint your car (or take the bus) along the south side of Lake Chapala, past San Pedro Tesistan and San Cristobal Zapotitlan and San Luis Soyatlan and San Nicolas and Tepeguaje to Tuxcueca. Make a right turn and keep your eyes wide open. You may encounter official Mexican soldiers conducting inspections. Sometimes they just look. […]
Continue ReadingGolf is the magic carpet that lifted Violeta Retamoza from Cerco del Laurel in Aguascalientes and sent her out to see the world. So far, it has earned her a scholarship at the University of Tennessee and freshman honors in the Southeastern Conference. Most likely it will some day earn her pay. Violeta was introduced […]
Continue ReadingIt is my sad duty to inform you that the times they are a changing, at Barra de Navidad.Our favorite spit of Pacific sand, sticking out just a little bit from Highway 200 along the west bank, is not what it used to be. Oh no, nothing has happened to the T-shirt sale — still […]
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The scene is set: The pit, the crowd, the beer, the betting. No question about when the cockfight begins. The tension level goes up and noise soars with it. There is a violent explosion, a blur of fury and feathers, bad birds flying at each other, trying to stab and peck in an angry, bloody […]
Continue ReadingAncient American Alexander R. Pembrooke, 84, retired gospel singer, pipe-smoking trout fisherman and stock-market survivor, retains an insatiable appetite for information. He selected our south-of-the-border adventure for 20 Questions, then tacked on “Who is the most famous Mexican?” My fumbling, bumbling, stumbling answer advertised my weakness in history and made the quiz sound like multiple-choice. […]
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After an all-Mexico breakfast of fresh-squeezed orange juice, honeydew, banana, raspberries and mango, we dusted off our faithful VW bug and pointed it toward Tapalpa. (Tom McEwen of the Tampa Tribune used to begin columns with his morning menu. Then, I thought it goofy. Now, I think such small talk might calm a raging appetite, replace a […]
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