It is a relatively easy walk to the Templo San Juan partially buried by Paricutin (approx 50 feet of lava). I was surprised to find lots of people around the church. A tent restaurant is nearby where you can buy drinks and food. © Rick Meyer, 2001

The cow killers: Memories of Michoacan in 1948

Luis Dumois’ article about Volcán Paricutín released a few vivid memories of my teenage years in Mexico. In 1948 I was incredibly lucky to visit the volcano of Paricutín in its full and frightening glory. Fountains of luminous, red lava tossed high in the air, crashing and spilling down the sides of Paricutín’s steadily growing cone. Thundering […]

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Bandidos

Every time I hear the word “bandidos” the hair on the back of my neck starts to rise. The word sounds scary, doesn’t it? Where do these bandidos come from, anyway? I’d give anything to see a bonifide “bandido.” I’ve heard about bandidos for years, but curiously, have never met anyone who’s actually seen one […]

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The lighter side of Mexican cooking

Suffering from post-holiday belly bulge? Thinking about trading in the guacamole and chips for cottage cheese and celery sticks? Before you do, consider the many healthy, diet-friendly ways of preparing Mexican dishes. Many people, especially those associating Mexican with Tex-Mex, think of it as heavy fare, laden with cream and cheese, consisting of fried food […]

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The Zuno house in Guadalajara (Ed Fesler)

The Zuno house in Guadalajara, Mexico is doubly ‘historic’

The venerable old Zuno residence is a historic house in its own right but was designed to teach Mexican history. So it’s doubly “historic.” The person who said modern artists try to hide their meanings was wrong. This house was designed by four distinguished modern Mexican artists — aided by two architects — and yet […]

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Cover of Mexican Kaleidoscope

Mexican Kaleidoscope – Myths, Mysteries & Mystique

Tony Burton’s Mexican Kaleidoscope is a whirlwind trip through some of the underpinnings of Mexican culture, told with humour, affection and well-documented facts. This readable compendium of little known stories made me want to revisit many places I’d already seen. How much richer my experiences would have been had I been able to take this user-friendly and […]

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A Visit to Don Otavio: A Traveller’s Tale from Mexico by Sybille Bedford

Cogan’s Reviews The first thing I should say about this book is that it was originally published more than half a century ago, in 1953. I mention that out front just so no reader assumes it is yet another recent travel book about Mexico. However, it’s a good one and it’s easy to see that […]

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