Safety in Mexico City. Advice for Travelers. Featured in Mexico News Daily.
Mexico News Daily asked me to write about SAFETY IN MEXICO CITY. The feature story was published today! Let me know what you think. *** When The New York Times picked Mexico City as the #1 among 52 places to go in the world in 2016, I felt like doing a somersault. Finally, my much […]
Aye, My Aching Back! Keep the DSLR or Opt for Lighter Camera?
For the past three weeks I’ve been traveling in buses, airplanes, vans, taxis and collectivos in Mexico City, and the States of Mexico and Michoacan to discover more of Mexico. I’ve walked a fair piece over cobblestones and uneven pathways. I’ve climbed pre-Hispanic archeological pyramids with steps that are taller than me. All the while, […]
Inside the Nasrid Palace: The Alhambra, Granada, Spain
Carved wood, intricate plaster arches and decorative columns, outstanding 13th century mosaics, and water, water everywhere define the palaces of the Nasrid kings at the Alhambra, Granada, Spain. The best description I have found is this one from Islamic Arts that offers you a virtual walking tour. How to Buy Tickets It is not easy to […]
Post Knee-Replacement Surgery and Return to Oaxaca
You haven’t heard from me since Thanksgiving, two weeks ago. That’s because I’ve been flat on my back recovering, calmed by a drug-induced stupor from ample doses of powerful pain medications Oxycontin and Oxycodone. I can’t remember ever having such surreal dreams, supercharged, electrified, day-glow wonders. My mind took me to worlds I’ve never been, […]
Norma Hawthorne’s 9 Tips for Living in Mexico Successfully (Mas o Menos)
Norma Hawthorne’s 9 Tips for Living in Mexico Successfully (choose your own priority order): Speak the language. Learn to speak the language. Try to learn to speak the language. Keep trying. Hire a tutor. Take a class. Don’t give up and expect Spanish-speakers to understand you! Otherwise, you will stay isolated within the gringo community. […]