Foreigners in Mexico

My son recently sent me a link to an online game entitled "Can you name the most prevalent countries of origin of foreign-born residents of Mexico? " Intrigued, I tired it out, guessing correctly 15 of 22 (17 if I could have spelled two of my countires correctly). You have four minutes to complete this - many of the answers (and numbers) will surprise you.

Rodrigo y Gabriela 11:11

It's always a joy to discover great new music and this pair of Mexicans have an incredibly diverse and varied background. Combine that with their compelling and circuitous route to stardom and you'll soon be a fan. Starting out Mexico City playing heavy metal in the band Tierra Acida, they grew disillusioned after having recorded an album that was never released - supporting themselves teaching guitar and playing in Bossa Nova clubs help diversify their styles. However they grew bored and decided to take their chances in Europe when they were offered a place to stay in Dublin, Ireland... the rest is history and their newest album 11:11 is a pleasurable listen whose complexity grows with repeated plays. Try it, you'll like it.

Mexican Destinations - Rated by National Geogrpahic Traveler

The November/December 2009 edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine gives their sixth iteration of the top 133 Travel Destinations Rated. It's fascinating reading and their selections and reasons are sometimes intriguing but most all distilled down to two or three sentences in the print version of the magazine, hardly enough to get an understanding for their reasoning(s). You need go to the online version to get the full story.

They state that their survey isn’t a "popularity contest" but an "an assessment of authenticity and stewardship, evaluating the qualities that make a destination unique and measuring its integrity of place". You can gain a better insight into their standards and thinking here: About the Survey.

That said, only two places in Mexico make the list, and only one gets a none negative rating and that with caveats (it's lumped in the "Places with Troubles" section):

Mexico: Riviera Maya Caribbean Coast, Quintana Roo and comes in with a score of 44 (1 being the best. here's the magazine's summary:

"Beautiful beaches obscured by miles of hotels," which threaten freshwater resources, coral reefs, mangroves, and the relaxed atmosphere. It's still possible to find "authentic natural and cultural tourism."

The other location mentioned falls in the middle of the seven rated worst - Cabo San Lucas Region, Mexico. Again the quote in the magazine is short and dismissive: "Sleepy fishing villages have been transformed into places "where drinking tequila shots upside down is the number one tourist attraction and gated communities are the main economic activity."

While this sweeping statement is essentially true, the region still has lots going for it. Cabo San Lucas twenty years ago didn't have much to offer. Next post, some contrasting views (mainly my own ;-) about southern BCS.

AeroMexico - Mexico from US on Sale!

AeroMexico has a great sale going on but you must make reservations made by October 6, 2009. Aeromexico has significantly reduced fares from cities across the U.S. to many of the most popular destinations in Mexico like Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Los Cabos and many more starting at just $85.13 one way! I priced LA to Guadalajara mid-week over Thanksgiving weekend and with taxes and surcharges included the roundtrip fare came to $316 - ¡muy bueno!

Por ejemplo:
From Chicago to:
Aguascalientes-$156.69, León-$156.69, Zacatecas-$156.69, Morelia-$162.69, Durango-$192.69,
From Los Angeles to:
Guadalajara-$105.00, Puerto: Vallarta-$116.95, Acapulco-$140.69, Los Monchis-$156.95, Leon-$181.00
From New York to:
Mexico City-$130.00,Cancun-$139.69, Monterrey-$183.69, Oaxaca-$183.69, Los Cabos-$194.69, Guadalajara-$209.70, Aguascalientes-$233.69, Acapulco-$234.00
From Las Vegas to:
Cancun-$138.69,
From San Diego to:
Los Cabos-$149.00
From San Anto:nio to:
Cancun-$100.69, Guadalaja-$146.69,
From Ontario, California to:
Los Cabos-$110.69,
From Phoenix to:
Hermosillo-$160.00, Cancun-$191.55,
From Miami to:
Mexico City-$85.13, Guadalaja-$155.69, Merida-$183.69,
From Houston to:
Merida-$97.69, Monterrey-$112.70, Oaxaca-$122.69, Acapulco-$127.69, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo-$127.69,
From New Orleans to:
Mazatlan-$176.69, Acapulco-$190.69, Oaxaca-$190.69, Puerto: Vallarta-$190.69,
From San Francisco to:
Los Cabos-$116.70, Mazatlan-$156.69, Puerto: Vallarta-$161.69, Oaxaca-$199.69, Acapulco-$200.69, Veracruz-$209.69, Mexico City-$213.00, Hermosillo-$220.69, Cancun-$220.69

September Mexico Travel Deals

Mexico Airefare Deals

Mexicana Airlines - $120 & up
Round Trip Air to Cancun This Fall
Beach & city destinations in Mexico on sale now - Travel on select dates in September & October. Caveat is plus tax - generally $100.
Celebrate Septiembre 16 in Mexico - - Mexican Independence Day

Hotels Deals in Mexico

This Week's Top Pick from the Cabo Azul Resort

$599 -- Cabo: 4-Night Stay in Luxurious Villa, Save $900
This offer is for 2 guests and includes $100 resort credit
Sunday arrivals through Nov. 18

Mexico's Bajio

The Bajio (lowland) region of central Mexico covers the states of Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi and Querétaro and also includes parts Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Michoacán and Hidalago.

For Mexicans, the Bajio is la cuna de la revolucion, the cradle of the revolution. What Valley Forge and Bunker Hill are to us Americans, Guanajuato and Hidalgo are to Mexicans. The 1810 Mexican war for independence from Spain began in the Bajio.

It is attractive area of fertile plains and rugged mountains, vineyards and silver mines. The cities here date from the 16th century and each is a jewel of colonial architecture. The Bajio draws many Mexican and international tourists during the harvest festivities such as the International Festival Cervantino, held every October in the Unesco World Heritage City of Guanajuato arts from around. Also of note are The Spring Festival and Italian Festival have become traditional events which offer tastings of the typical varietals from these parts.

Currently Mexicana airlines is running a fare sale to the cities of Leon and Morelia.

Mexico City Revival

As a travel destination Mexico City seems to be gaining traction for many in spite the triple whammy of swine flu, drug violence and the poor economy that Mexico has endured this past year. Recent articles such as one featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, report that the "savvy have little to fear in Mexico City" these days and paint a much rosier picture of the capital's charms.

The author reports "It's hard, in fact, to feel threatened in Mexico City at all, as long as you use common sense - no flashy clothes or jewelry or fistfuls of cash. In Polanco, Condesa, Roma, Zona Rosa and Centro Histórico's core, visitors who exercise the same caution you would in downtown San Francisco will have plenty to explore without worry."

Article highlights include a charming description of myriad activities at El Museo Nacional de Arte Popular (National Museum of Popular Art) and those at the nearby Interactive Museum of Economics, both in the must see Centro Histórico.

Other Mexico DF neighborhoods visited include colonias Cuauhtemoc and Polanco and the newest barrio on the city's western outskirts called Santa Fe. It's a new development, built on former landfill and sand mines, and is home to Latin America's largest mall, the Centro Comercio Santa Fe.

it's an article worth reading if just for the things to do section at the end. Check it out amigos, perhaps you'll you'll see me there.