Sometimes I forget that a mere 15 miles away from downtown San Diego is a-whole-nother country, with its own customs and laws that, despite their close proximity to America, are light years away from those …
July 24, 2013
Mexico Travel
Into Mexico
Ensenada by bus
Many travelers still want to visit Baja California, but are concerned with safety or even bored with Tijuana day trips. A great alternative is to skip Tijuana and head to Ensenada for a weekend stay. …
July 13, 2013
The "Magic Town" of Cuetzalan
A hundred and eight miles from the city of Puebla in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, mystical Cuetzalan is dotted with waterfalls, springs and natural pools set in tropical forest. Most guidebooks describe …
June 6, 2013
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres, once home to occasional pirates and Mexican fishing families, has become a popular off-the-beaten-path destination for tourists and divers as well as an expat art colony. Many tourists visit the island as a …
May 2, 2013
Río Lagartos — The Yucatan's Natural Side
When you're in Cancun – and are tired of white sand beaches and turquoise water – drive to Río Lagartos, where you have a chance to see bright pink flamingos, sea turtles, rare birds and …
March 28, 2013
Celebration of Life at Day of the Dead, Oaxaca
“The word death is not pronounced in New York, in Paris, in London, because it burns the lips. The Mexican, in contrast, is familiar with death, jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates …
March 18, 2013
Caution: Whales at Work
Our whale-watching excursion in San Ignacio, Mexico, turned into a close whale encounter in the literal blink of an eye. On the Pacific side of the Baja peninsula, there is a large lagoon where gray …
February 15, 2013
Chichén Itzá: It's the End of the World as We Know It
December 21, 2012, marked the milestone of not just another candle on my birthday cake, but also the Apocalypse: when the Maya's "Long Count" calendar indicated the end of a 5,126-year era. Forget America’s “fiscal …
February 7, 2013
Lucha Libre, T.J. Style
“Did that really just happen?” A lucha libre wrestler had tried to roll into the ring, miscalculated, and slammed down hard on the concrete. Instantly, the arena erupts in laughter, and the wrestler begins yelling …
February 5, 2013
Vamos a Las Gaviotas, Baby
Here’s what you will do: head south to the land of Baja California, where tumbleweeds run like wild desperados under the tangerine glow of a nuclear sun. Hard work is commended, yet siestas are encouraged. …
February 1, 2013
Borderlands: Two Days in Ensenada
We drove through downtown San Diego in a state of anxiety, paranoia and excitement. It’s hard not to be affected by the constant media deluge of horrors from south of the border: decapitated heads, mutilated …
January 27, 2013
Cheap (Foodie) Thrills in T.J.
Less than ten years ago, Tijuana was a cultural mecca for the salty, surf-inspired natives of San Diego. A gateway to the Baja Peninsula touting cheap drinks and cheaper thrills, promising an unforgettable experience with …
November 26, 2012
Baja Is Still Baja
On our first of what will be many journalistic journeys south of the border, we explored the towns of Rosarito, Puerto Nuevo and Ensenada to check out some of the upper Baja’s more renowned spots. …
November 13, 2012
Cruising Down to Ensenada
“16 miles! Please tell me you’re kidding?” It’s 12:30 p.m. and I’m at the first break spot along this 50-mile Rosarito–Ensenada Bike Ride. I’ve been on my $40 Craigslist-bought beach cruiser (the title doesn’t lie) …
November 6, 2012
Tijuana Revisited, Part 3
(continued from an August 23 travel story) Via my acute investigational skills and combined Gringo/Uruguayan/Mexican/Spanish language abilities, I finally locate a Tijuana orphanage to spend time with. It was a long, tedious search for answers… …
September 25, 2012