http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , Mexico en-us Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:20:16 +0000 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:20:16 +0000 HolaToday was an interesting one. To start it costs 28 bucks for a cab to the airport from my apartment in downtown Philly. I feel like I was robbed. I'm sitting in the cab wondering to myself why the fare clock wasn't on... turns out it's a fixed fee. Note to self never use Capital Cabs again. Regardless I persevered and caught my flight. As soon as I boarded the plane I instantly fe http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-480682.html For that trip one of my goal was to find a scorpion or a tarentula by myself and take pictures of them. I succeeded with the scorpionsI found one in the jungle at night and the second one my wife found it in her bedIn Yucatan peninsula we visited Merida and Campeche cities Celestun biggest concentration of pink flamingos in the world Calakmul region where you have a cave with hundreds o http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-480448.html Mexico City and Teotihuacan http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Estado-de-Mexico/Teotihuac-n/blog-480043.html Hi all I know its been a while but weve been on the move. We left Jocotopec about a week ago and headed to the coast by bus. Let me tell you ... its been quite a challenge to arrange bus trips without knowing Spanish. Tried calling the bus line no English spoken...so we winged it and finally ended up in Manzanillo for a couple of nights. The buss we used Primera Plus bus line are really http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-479732.html Our whale watching trip was a full morning on a small fishing boat with just the 2 of us. We met the boat early and despite the fact that they thought that we wanted to go fishing and were surprised that we wanted to go whale watching it all turned out just fine. They had 2way radio as well as cell phones and after a while got a tip from one of the other boats as to where the whales were be http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-478537.html The Vallarta Botanical Gardens is a display of the typical plants found in the jungles of this area and is found south of Puerto Vallarta in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains. The plants range from palms to cacti and flowers such as orchids hibiscus and bougainvillea. Actually not much was flowering when we went so it was mostly green but a good representation of the area. The http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-478528.html Wow We are so becoming like the other gringos in Costa Bravaphone internet and NOW satellite TV I have promised myself to NOT become a couch potato. There is just too much to do but in the evening it might be nice but it will be totally monopolized by sports mania That is fine.Yesterday I went to a friend's place and she showed us how to make these pillow covers for throws do you beli http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Baja-California-Sur/blog-478345.html Monday February 22 we took the second class bus from Zirahuen into Patzcuaro where we had visited the market the day before. The great thing about these buses is that they stop all along the way and you get some pretty good local flavor. Chickens roasted on spits for instance and giant crucifixes. Could these be yard art We're just not sure.The mission of Patzcuaro find a dentist. Y http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Michoac-n/Patzcuaro/blog-478297.html After leaving Mazatlan on the evening bus we were head to a little mountain town called Zirahuen. Rosita from Port Hadlock had recommended it as a lovely destination out of the way. She and Jim were to be there so we figured why not meet them. After an overnight bus and a short taxi ride we were delivered into this small pueblo nestled in the mountains cradling a crystal clear blue http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Michoac-n/Patzcuaro/blog-478293.html PalenqueWhen we felt we had recovered sufficiently we set off for Palenque a town within the jungle of Chiapas that while pretty nondescript as a town has some pretty amazing sights in its vicinity.We stayed at a place called El Panchan which is about 4km out of town. It is a slightly chaotic melee of cabins set in reforested jungle that was farmland not long ago with a stream winding its http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/Palenque/blog-478043.html Since we haven't left La Paz I could write a blog about my cleaning of the bilge or Dave pulling his hair out trying to get his new weather fax working but I wouldn't even want to see that. So I thought I'd go for a walk on the Malecon and take some pictures.The Malecon is a seawall protecting the city. It runs for about 2.5 to 3 miles along the edge of the bay. When it was built it wasn't to http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Baja-California-Sur/La-Paz/blog-477246.html Thought you might like this video that someone took last weekend during the Mardi Gras parade. Look for LAS ESTRELLAS LOCAS DE COSTA BRAVA in masks and capes We appear at 4.36 minutes in the film if you want to fast forward I am on the 3 wheeler. The parade took place in downtown Los Barriles. Mardi Gras Parade http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Baja-California-Sur/blog-477053.html Pacific DreamsSo once again I find myself including a few too many photos... Sorry everyone I tend to think they tell a story of their own as Irsquom not actually expecting anyone to struggle through my longwinded stories Irsquoll try to keep it short this time...MaruataI guess I shouldrsquove learned by now that anywhere described in the Lonely Planet isnrsquot actually going to http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Guerrero/Zihuatanejo/blog-476862.html After Puerto Escondido we hopped a bit further down the coast to another group of beaches San Agustinillo was the name of our chosen villagebeachhome for the next 3 nights. Its a great little place with a golden sandy beach and a handful of cafes and restaurants including a place that did the best pizzas ever... we had our dinner at the pizza place the first night right on the beach on http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Oaxaca/San-Agustinillo/blog-476637.html Donc on est arrive jeudi a Veracruz. Notre hotel etait deja reserve vu le monde attendu pour le carnaval. Chaque jour ou l'on arrive le matin meme on se repose un minimum. Il etait 7h arrives a l'hotel et avec un peu de chance une chambre etait pour faire le check in tout de suite. On a dormi tout le matin...L'apres midi il y avait deja beaucoup de monde dans les rues mais les soirees sont davan http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Veracruz/Catemaco/blog-476635.html One day last week we went south of Puerto Vallarta to a little place called Mismaloya. It took us 3 buses to get there....about an hour or so. If you are old enough to remember Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor the story of how they fell in love and got married not sure which time.... begins here. Richard Burton was starring in a film called Night of the Iguana that was set in the jungle http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-476633.html Today is the last port day with my Uncle Allan Aunt Renee and cousin Kelsey. Wersquore in Manzanillo. We decided to go on the excursion that would take us to an allinclusive resort for the day. Karmina Palace is a popular spot for crew to go to for the day too. Irsquove been told lots about it but hadnrsquot actually been yet.The resort is gorgeous. As we walked through the elaborate http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Colima/Manzanillo/blog-476628.html About a month before my family came to cruise with me Irsquod emailed them options for what we could do in the ports of call. The one thing my cousin Kelsey had to do was swim with dolphins. Irsquod never done this before though itrsquos been offered on most ships Irsquove worked on. Crew rarely get passes to do this tour and Irsquod never wanted to do it badly enough to spend the m http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Guerrero/Ixtapa/blog-476625.html One of the ldquomust seerdquo things in Acapulco are the Cliff Divers. For generations local men have been diving off a cliff from a height of up to 120 feet into a narrow channel where the water is only 1825 feet deep. I hadnrsquot been to see the divers on my own yet as it was something I wanted to bring my family to see. So tonight was the night to see the divers.We had a quick room http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Guerrero/Acapulco/blog-476623.html I have family onboard and wersquore in port an excellent combination Todayrsquos port was Acapulco. We donrsquot arrive in port until noon which considering I work so late at night I love. I get to sleep in and still have a full port day. Uncle Allan Aunt Renee and Kelsey watched the ship sail into Acapulco Bay and up to the pier while I still slept. But then we met up and headed o http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Guerrero/Acapulco/blog-476621.html