Aysha Griffin - on San Miguel's Community Culture

Our Most Important Trade Partners?

Thomas L Friedman writes

I wonder how many Americans know that we sell twice as many exports to Mexico as to China, and we export more than twice as much to Mexico and Canada as to the European Union and three times as much as we do to East Asia. I wonder how many Americans know that out of every $1 of Mexican exports to the U.S., 40 cents comes from materials and parts made in the U.S. By comparison, out of every $1 of Chinese exports to the world, just 4 cents comes from products made in the U.S., according the National Bureau of Economic Research. And, with the discovery of natural gas in America leading to more manufacturing returning to this country, and the prospect of pending energy reform in Mexico, there is an opportunity to create the lowest-cost, clean-energy manufacturing platform in the world, with mutually beneficial supply chains crisscrossing the continent

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TRAVEL + LEISURE

Newest Wonders of the World includes El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

 

Desert bighorn sheep, black-tailed jackrabbits, Gila monsters, and the endangered Sonoran pronghorn all survive among the sand, cinders, and playas of this 1.75-million-acre reserve. The dramatic landscape includes 10 enormous, nearly perfectly circular craters, sand dunes that reach up to 650 feet, and granite massifs that rise 2,000 feet from the desert floor.

TRAVEL + LEISURE

World's Scariest Bridges includes Puente de Ojuela, Mexico



This bridge leads to a ghost town, but it’s the squeaky wood floor that makes it scary. Fortunately, steel cables suspended from two towers bring a greater feeling of safety. Still, steel is a relatively recent addition: when German engineer Santiago Minhguin built this bridge in the 19th century, those towers were made of wood. Where: The ghost town of Ojuela, an old mining settlement in the northern state of Durango, Mexico. Stats: 1,043 feet long; 2 feet wide; 360 feet above a gorge.

Pueblos Mágicos

The Programa Pueblos Mágicos ("Magical Villages Programme") is an initiative led by Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR), in conjunction with other federal and state agencies, to promote a series of towns around the country that offer visitors a "magical" experience – by reason of their natural beauty, cultural riches, or historical relevance. The Mexico Tourism Board acknowledges that México´s magical element, and not only its sun and beaches, is what keeps many tourists coming back. Thus, they created the Pueblos Mágicos {Magical Towns} program to recognize places across the country that imbue certain characteristics that make them unique and historically significant.

Tulum. Mexico

CN Traveller features Tulum as one of the great beaches.

Travel Channel

World's Best Stand-Up Paddleboarding Spots includes Puerto Vallerta




The south-of-the-border paradise of Puerto Vallarta is ideal for SUP-ers of all levels. Glide along the calm warm water in Banderas Bay and soak up the seascapes of this Pacific haven. Keep an eye out for dolphins, humpback whales and sea turtles that inhabit this area.

Spectacular New Highway to Link Mexico’s Two Coasts

Spectacular New Highway to Link Mexico’s Two Coasts

 An aerial view of a section of the Durango-Mazatlán highway in the western Sierra Madre near Concordia, Mexico. The new 140-mile highway is expected to be completed in August. (Dario Lopez-Mills - AP)

TRAVEL + LEISURE

50 Best Romantic Getaways  includes:

Dining in the Desert: San José del Cabo, Mexico



At One&Only Palmilla, on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, splurge on dinner in a hidden Sonoran canyon. You’ll be chauffeured in the resort’s own Hummer to this high-desert feast, where a table for two is illuminated by a bonfire and flickering candles. Share chilled champagne and dine on grilled meats and fresh salads, then take turns at the telescope set up to spot celestial bodies above the Pacific. Doubles from $675; dinner for two $1,210. —Shane Mitchell

Safety in Mexico

 blog.ailolalatino.com

Wandering Earl asks, "Is Mexico Safe To Visit?"

And while I could write an entire post telling you that Mexico is much safer than you imagine, assuming you don’t wander around the far northern areas where the overwhelming majority of the drug violence occurs, I decided that I would ask the travelers who participated in my tour to share their thoughts instead.

TRAVEL + LEISURE

World's Most Colorful Cities includes Izamal, Mexico




Mexico’s tourism secretary designated Izamal, in the Yucatán region, a pueblo mágico (magical city), and it’s easy to see why. The colonial buildings are awash in a vivid yellow that gives the monochromatic town a sunny look whatever the weather. Take a horse-and-buggy ride around the cobblestoned streets past marigold churches, government buildings, and the city’s centerpiece: the historic 16th-century Basilica of San Antonio de Padua.

TRAVEL + LEISURE

City Getaways: Ultimate Bucket List includes:



Palacio Nacional, Mexico City Diego Rivera painted a series of stirring, politically tinged murals depicting Mexican history inside the national palace. palacionacionalmexico.com