la jaguar tulum
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la jaguar tulum Post Review
Enmedio de la contingencia por el #Covid19Mx, en #QuintanaRoo los animales comienzan a tomar lo que es suyo...este ejemplar de jaguar fue captado por las cámaras de seguridad de un Hotel en #Tulum https://t.co/aExRn90anO
Atropellan a jaguar en la carretera Cancún-Tulum, quedan unos 4 mil 800 ejemplares en el país #Veracruz https://t.co/CvX48xh26a
Estas salvajes bestias, tuvieron la desfachatez de tomarse foto después de cometer este crimen. Asesinaron a un jaguar, un jaguar en peligro de extinción. Increíble tanta crueldad. Supuestamente en Tulum. https://t.co/eYM3ihbOqa
[Vídeo] ¡Impresionante! Jaguar entró a un hotel en Tulum en medio de la cuarentena. #elBogotano https://t.co/dbwBqctflG
#Día #Mundial de la #Conservación del #Jaguar #tulum #QuintanaRoo #proteccionanimal #selvas #mexico #peninsuladeyucatan #felinos #felinosgigantes #Valladolid #yucatan #Amazonas #AmericaHoy #Centroamerica https://t.co/t7fDfJuPLj
Dans la famille cons,ya pas que le dentiste tueur de lion.Hier,un abruti a buté un jaguar derrière chez moi à Tulum. http://t.co/rWtA4Db7Ka
Balam o jaguar guardian de la selva maya #tulum #biodiversidad @robpalazuelos @mexdesconocido @VisitMex https://t.co/nOR8LNdSsN
Ella es 'Tulum', la jaguar que nació en Nuevo Laredo http://t.co/oVuf7So06q http://t.co/TAe4vltXTB
Pobladores de Tulum hallan el cuerpo de un jaguar acribillado; la Profepa presentará denuncia ante la PGR https://t.co/XCPNCp771F https://t.co/aNNSFGhti8
🐯¡Éste siempre fue tu hogar! 😳🐯 Aprovechando la ausencia de turistas, captan a a jaguar en el estacionamiento de un hotel en #QuintanaRoo https://t.co/z8cbuqwJ3a
la jaguar tulum Q&A Review
How can I rediscover my Mexican heritage?
You will notice by my name I am not Mexican, however I am married to a Mexican woman and can answer a few things for you. I also have a degree in Latin American History and Politics. I hope my answer will bring you joy. It is quite obvious that your heart is nostalgic and you want to revive and get closer to your roots. I hope the effort I put into this answer will help you start your journey today. Before starting I would like to mention and briefly discuss the importance of the Spanish language as part of your quest to learn and get closer to your heritage. If you can't speak Spanish or you have forgotten your Spanish, then the first thing I would suggest is learning Spanish. Knowing the language will open your world. A wealth of Mexican culture will be at your disposal. You can still enjoy many aspects Mexican culture without Spanish but it is far richer and more intimate when you learn Spanish. The most important door it will open is to Mexicans. They will be your biggest teachers in many ways. (Note! I will include some articles which are in Spanish, some of the best articles are written in Spanish. All articles can be translated to English or any other language by writing the address of the page into the following translating service Google Translate Web. They will translate all of the web page for you). ,Google Translate Web A way to understand your heritage and getting closer to it, is by knowing and understanding Mexico’s history. I suggest you read about Mexican history in the books by Enrique Krauze, one of Mexico’s top historians. Gandhi a Mexican bookshop has many of them and they can ship abroad ,Librerías Gandhi - Busca entre miles de Libros y Encuentra el Tuyo, . ( Enrique Krause Books: ,Chaordic Systems search page template,). Mexico has very interesting prehispanic cultures. Studying about the Maya's, Aztecs, Zapotec and others Mesoamerican cultures is not only important, but it will leave you feeling very proud of your heritage . These are some of the most ancient and valuable civilizations in history. One of the most important Aztec archeological sites is Templo Mayor located behind the main Cathedral “La Catedral de Mexico” or just “Catedral”, in what could be considered the very heart of Mexico. The temple was mainly dedicated to two Aztec Gods: the war God Huitzilopochtli, and Tlaloc the rain God. . Temple mayor was the highest building in the world at one time. The cathedral of Seville was considered to be one of the tallest buildings in the world. According to historians Templo Mayor was taller than Sevilles Cathedral. It is located in the Zocalo, right in the heart of Mexico City. Temple Mayor official Web Page: ,ENGLISH Two pictures showing the way Templo Mayor used to look: Aerial view of Templo Mayor: The construction of Templo Mayor. A very interesting article: ,El Templo Mayor. Etapas de construcción. History and details of the Templo Mayor area, great page: ,GRAN TENOCHTITLAN, Centro Ceremonial y Templo Mayor Article from an Archeological magazine on the destruction of the Templo Mayor: ,Destrucción del Templo Mayor de Tenochtitlan The recent discoveries which have all history scholars excited : Museum Templo guided tour (in Spanish but the sites are worth it): Teotihuacan is one of the most impressive Mesoamerican cities in the world. It was home to the Aztecs and at one time had close to 120,000–125,000 people (some historians think there were as many as 150,000 people). It is located about 29miles/40kms from Templo Mayor which is in the Zocalo, Mexico City’s main square. It has two main structures which are the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the moon, at one time Teotihuacan had many smaller pyramids near to the Pyamids of the Sun and Moon. The main avenue was called “Calzada de Los Muertos” or “The road of the dead” ,Teotihuacán : la ciudad de los dioses,. Official web page:,Archaeological site of Teotihuacan Teotihuacan 3D illustration: Teotihuacan history and tour: The Aztecs, engineering an empire: You can still see the Aztec influence today. On weekends men and women preform the Aztec dances, you can even find shamans which will do limpias or spiritual cleanings. An alternative for modern medicine. People don’t dress like this in Mexico, they are just dancers. For more information on the significance and techniques of Shaman doctors please see this article (translate into Spanish with the translating tool I mentioned) ,Limpias y rituales de sanación mexicanos (curaciones a través de espíritus) - Más de Mx, The most famous place for these rituals is in Catemaco Veracruz. There have been some vary famous Shamanic healers in Mexico, two that come to mind are Maria Sabina and Pachita. TÉCNICAS DE CURACIÓN CHAMANICA Shamans in the Zocalo. Maria Sabina is so famous that the Mexican President gave her a house. She worked with hallucinogenic mushrooms. The other interesting Shaman is Pachita, she did spiritual healing and would perform surgeries with a regular knife. She worked with the aid of her hermanito Montezuma or her dear brother Emperor Moctezuma. Most Mexicans go to regular doctors and Mexico has some very large hospitals. Shamanism is more common with people in rural communities or people which are desperate and have seen Many doctors and are still sick. Many have found comfort where Western Medicine has failed them. Documentary of the Aztecs, The spirits of the Jaguar Aztec Mythology Weapons and Rituals: For additional reading on the Aztecs I could suggest: Amazon.com: Handbook to Life in the Aztec World (9780195330830): Manuel Aguilar-Moreno: Books Jungle of Stone: The Extraordinary Journey of John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, and the Discovery of the Lost Civilization of the Maya: William Carlsen: 9780062407399: Amazon.com: Books . The Mayas were a large civilization, which extended from Southern Mexico to Central America. Following is a map with the main Mayan cities stretching from Mexico to Honduras, a total of 5 countries! Mayan science and interesting facts: Top Mayan Gods (a small list) I will recommend supplemental reading later on if you want to learn more. Pok-ta-pok, the Juego de pelota or Mayan ball game. Exhibitions are still held in Mexico and Guatemala. h2g2 - Pok-Ta-Pok - Ballgame of the Ancient Maya - Edited Entry One of the most famous cities is Palenque, one thing that makes Palenque so special is that it is located in the middle of the jungle. It is located in the state of Chiapas: The Mayan ruins of Tulum are spectacular because they are next to the beautiful turquoise Carribean Ocean:,Mundo Maya Official Web Site The Mayan City of Bonampak is close to the Guatemalan border, it’s located in the state of Chiapas. It is well known for its wall paintings (pictographical messages). Probably the best preserved in Mexico: ,Mundo Maya Official Web Site Calakmul is a mystical place in the state of Campeche. At one time they were at war with Tikal. ,Calakmul - The Ultimate Guide to the Mayan Ruins - The Ultimate Guide, The official site,Zona Arqueológica de Calakmul, and ,Mundo Maya Official Web Site For additional reading on the Mayan culture, religion and history I could suggest the following: Amazon.com: Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World (9780195183634): Lynn V. Foster, Peter Mathews: Books An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: Mary Ellen Miller, Karl Taube: 9780500279281: Amazon.com: Books Amazon.com: Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering The Dynasties of the Ancient Maya (9780500287262): Simon Martin, Nikolai Grube: Books Jungle of Stone: The Extraordinary Journey of John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, and the Discovery of the Lost Civilization of the Maya: William Carlsen: 9780062407399: Amazon.com: Books The state of Oaxaca is home to some of the most important civilizations in Mexico. It is probably the most diverse state in terms of cultures and regional languages. It is the home of the Zapotecs which developed a distinctive civilization in the region. Following is a map of where the different ethno-linguistic groups livein Oaxaca. The Zapotecs are still an important ethnic group in Oaxaca There are two large archeological sites in Oaxaca. One is called Monte Alban, the other is called Mitla. ,Zapotec Civilization Monte Alban was the Capital City of the Zapotec Civilization: Zona Arqueológica de Monte Albán, Oaxaca, and ,Museo de sitio de Monte Albán Mitla is the second most important archaeological site in Oaxaca. It is very unique because of the painted walls it preserves, and also because of all of the geometric designs sculpted into its stone buildings. Pueblos Mágicos de Oaxaca: San Pablo Villa de Mitla (Información) For further reading on the Zapotecs: Amazon.com: The Cloud People: Divergent Evolution of the Zapotec and Mixtec Civilizations (9780971958746): Kent V. Flannery, Joyce Marcus: Books Amazon.com: Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved (New Aspects of Antiquity) (9780500050781): Joyce Marcus, Kent Flannery: Books In certain aspects, the Aztecs and Maya's were more advanced than the Europeans. The Aztec calendar and the use of astrology is very unique to Mexican history. The ancient Aztec calendar or piedra del sol (Sun Stone), is very popular in Mexico. It decorates the current coins in Mexico and a couple of years ago it was even used as the design for the Official Mexican Soccer jersey . This video will discuss some of the basic functions and details of the Aztec Calendar: Luis Hernandez, El matador, one of Mexico’s greatest football players, using the Aztec calendar in the official soccer jersey Mayas used to have their own observatory called the caracol or the snail. Check this video on Ancient Mayan astronomy (located in Chichen Itza ,Mundo Maya Official Web Site, and ,Zona Arqueológica de Chichén Itzá The premier museum for prehispanic cultures is the “Museo de Antrpologia” or the National Anthropolgy museum in Mexico City. Take a look at this brief video tour showing its many historical gems and respresentations of the diverse Mesoamerican cultures. The official homepage of the amused Nacional de Antropologia (The National Anthropology Musem) ,http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx A tour through the Museum: I recommend that you read the Popol Vuh. It is often known as the Bible of the Mayas. You can buy it in Amazon and it's available in kindle format also. ,Amazon.com: Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Maya: The Great Classic of Central American Spirituality, eBook: Allen J. Christenson, Carl Waldman: Books The Popol Vuh is a very important book for Mexico and its history. Here is an animated version of the Popol Vuh. Along with The Popol Vuh, I would suggest you study the Borgia Codex. The Borgia Codex: The original Borgia codex is now stored in the Vatican, it was written by the Mexicas most likely in Puebla by the Mixas. It has information that everyday people would consult on. An example of things covered is that it could tell you the best time to marry and when to go hunting etc… It was written anywhere from 1400–1500, most likelay before the Spanish conquest. ,https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/21322/RMA%20thesis%20Samantha%20Gerritse.pdf?sequence=1,. For further study I recommend: ,The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript (Dover Fine Art, History of Art): Gisele DÃaz, Alan Rodgers: 9780486275697: Amazon.com: Books Scholar talking about the Borgia codex: The different images of the Borgia codex: While the Aztecs and Mayas are the most popular prehispanic cultures in Mexico, Mexico also has other ethnic groups which have their unique history and are important in the cultural formation of Mexico. Mexico was not a land of one or two cultures, it was and is a multiethnic tapestry of civilizations and cultures. An example of this is the Purepecha culture of Michoacán They formed the Tarascan state with Tzintzuntzan as its capital. The capital, Tzintzuntzan means place of hummingbirds. The importance of Purepechas in Mexico is that they were never conquered by the Aztecs. ,Tarascan Civilization A woman singing in Purepecha language: The most famous Purepecha city today is Patzcuaro. In Patzcuaro a Museum was opened to honor the Purepecha culture. “El Museo de Artes e Industria Populares de Pátzcuaro”. Next to Patzcuaro is the island of Janitzio which has been able to keep many of its ancient traditions alive. Official Web Page: ,Ayuntamiento de Pátzcuaro Michoacán - Portal web del Ayuntamiento de Pátzcuaro 2015-2018 Walking in Patzcuaro’s street: A brief tour through Janitzio: Butterfly net Fisherman in Janitzio, traditions which are being lost quickly: The Totonacas are another important culture in Mexico. Their ancestors helped the Aztecs build Teotihuacan. They moved to the state of Veracruz. The capital of the Totonacas was the Tajin. They currently live in two other states, the state of Puebla and the state of Hidalgo. Official Web Page for Tajin: ,Zona Arqueológica El Tajín y museo de sitio The Tajin archeological site: The Voladores of Papantla originally from Papantla. This traditional dance can be seen in Veracruz, Puebla, Mexico City and other places. The dancers don’t have any protection, it is a unique pole dance which you have to see: ¿Qué significa el ritual de los Voladores de Papantla? - Más de Mx A Totonaca wedding: The Huicholes: They are a very unique ethnic group and culture in Mexico. They come from the state of Nayarit, Zacatecas, Durango, San Luis Potosí and the state of Jalisco. They claim that they are originally from San Luis Potosí. Many still keep their own religious beliefs. Their religious beliefs encourage them to have a pilgrimage every year, where they use the “Peyote”. The peyote is a drug that opens the universe for them, they are able to experience a unique mystical side of their religion with the Peyote. Note! They are not into drugs, and only take these occasionally for religious purposes. The Wirikuta, the sacred place of the Huicholes: The medicine man: Huicholes and their sacred journey: Huichol and the creation, a mystical tribe Huichol song: Some more music of the Huicholes, street musicians: Huichol history and Religion: The Tarahumaras are also very unique. They live mostly in Northern Mexico, in the State of Chihuahua. They are known for their long runs. They can run without stop for long hours. They are worldclass athletes and love to run, it is part of their everyday culture and everyone takes part regardless of age and or sex. Unfortunately they are often criticized because they live in poverty. They have tried to run away from modern life and have been able to keep their traditions. The fact that they don't want to live like the rest and want to preserve their heritage doesn't make them wrong in any way. Born athletes, the Tarahumara: The wisdom of the Tarahumara lies in their simple life and in running: The Olmecs are one of the most ancient civilizations in Mexico. Since they were the earliest civilization in Mexico, they would set the example for many other civilizations that would follow. Olmec comes from the Nahuatl word Olmecatl, which means rubber people. They are famous for their large stone heads made out of stone. They lived in Veracruz and in the neighboring state of Tabasco. La Venta was their main ceremonial center. Many of the Olmec artifacts can be found in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco in the “Parque-Museo de la Venta” ,Parque-Museo de La Venta The Olmec and Mayan Empires compares. The yellow portion is where the zoomed used to live, the red is the Mayan empire. Olmec head There are many other Mesoamerican groups that I could suggest you look into. The subject is too large. What I did want to do is give you a feel of the different groups in Mexico. I suggest the following course from The Teaching Company Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica ,http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/maya-to-aztec-ancient-mesoamerica-revealed.html You also have to learn about the Spanish conquest. Ultimately all Mexicans are a cultural mix of Spanish traditions with local traditions. I would suggest you read “The Conquest of New Spain” by Bernal Diaz. He traveled with Hernan Cortes and writes a superb diary of how the Spanish arrived and how they eventually reached Teotihuacan. A second book would be “Letters from Mexico “ By Hernan Cortes. These are the letters written by Hernan Cortes to the King of Spain. They have detailed information on Mexico and takes you back in a unique way Hernan Cortes and the Spanish Conquest The end of the Aztecs La Otra Conquista is a wonderful movie. It explains the Spanish invasion, church relations and other issues from the perspective of the indigenous people of Mexico (it’s in Spanish, I could not find it in English on YouTube) You can but the DVD in Amazon ,Amazon.com: The Other Conquest (La Otra Conquista): Elpidia Carrillo, Josefina Echanove, Guillermo Rios, Inaki Aierra, Diana Bracho, Alvaro Guerrero, Honorato Magaloni, Jose Carlos Rodriguez, Damian Delgado, Salvador Carrasco: Movies & TV You can also read: The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico ,Amazon.com: The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico (9780807055007): Miguel Leon-Portilla, Lysander Kemp, J. Jorge Klor de Alva: Books,. The book gives you a nice history of the Spanish conquest from the perspective of the Aztecs and locals. The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492, 30th Anniversary Edition: Alfred W. Crosby Jr.: 9780275980924: Amazon.com: Books, Some of the unexpected consequences of the clash of two worlds. Amazon.com: Genealogical Fictions: Limpieza de Sangre, Religion, and Gender in Colonial Mexico (9780804756488): MarÃa Elena MartÃnez: Books, A bit expensive but you can find it used at a reasonable price. They talk about racial mixing in Mexico. Most Mexicans have. Mixed heritage, this book is important. A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies: Bartolome de Las Casas, Nigel Griffin, Anthony Pagden: 9780140445626: Amazon.com: Books, Bartolome was a Spanish friar which settled in Chiapas he became a fierce defender of Amerindians. (Not! these books are tough and deal with a sad moment in Mexican history, if you prefer light reading skip the books I a, recommending on the Spaniards in Mexico). The Porfiriato and Mexican Revolution are also very important historical periods which I suggest you learn, because they have influenced Mexico in a radical way. The Revolution claimed 2 million lives in Mexico. Look at these two videos, one is very brief, basic but very good. The second has a little more depth, some of the scenes are a little harsh , war is no laughing matter. Along with Mexico’s history it is important to learn its geography. Each state has its own customs, many have their own prehispanic languages. People even look different from one part of Mexico to the next. For example “Regiomontanos or Regios”, the (i.e. people from Monterrey) tend to have lighter skin, they are also taller. A Chiapaneco will probably be darker and shorter than a Regio. I am not going to say that every state feels like a different country but they do feel different. A quick pictographic and locational overview of the Mexican states: Mexican geography and a little of its terrorial history: Many of these states have their own ancestral languages, even though Spanish is the only oficial language of Mexico. Most people are not aware of the linguistic diversity and richness Mexico enjoys. Mexico has about 65 recognized languages by the government and plus dialects for about a total of 150 unofficial languages and dialects. There has been a recent effort by the government to try to help these languages from vanishing. The newer generations are sometimes not interested or embarrassed to speak their native languages. They are an important part of Mexico’s culture which is being lost. Pope Francis tried to counter this by publishing Bibles in 7 Mexican Amerindian languages. He also asked all indigenous people for an apology for all the pain they have lived since they were colonized. I will include a sample of the 10 top spoken languages Indigenous languages, so you can hear them. Some are spoken, some are trying to teach the language to someone on the video, others have singing: Náhuatl ,Nahuatl language, pronunciation and alphabet Maya/n ,Mayan hieroglyphic script and languages Mixteco ,Mixtec language, alphabet and pronunciation Tzeltal ,Tzeltal language, alphabet and pronunciation Zapoteco ,Zapotec language, alphabet and pronunciation Tzotzil ,Tsotsil language, alphabet and pronunciation Otomí ,Otomi language and alphabet Totonaca ,Totonacan languages - Wikipedia Mazateco ,Mazatec language, alphabet and pronunciation Chol ,Ch’ol language - Wikipedia What languages and dialects are spoken in Mexico ,¿Cuántas lenguas y dialectos se hablan en la República Mexicana? The most frequently spoken Amerindian languages in Mexico. ,Las lenguas indígenas más habladas en México Now that you are a little more familiar with the geography and some of the languages of Mexico, a sure way to feel proud of your heritage is to see all of the beauty that Mexico has. Mexico has some of the most exotic places with raw natural beauty in the world, from, jungles and deserts to forests and volcanoes, Mexico has a little of everything. It also has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Cancun is world famous close by you have the Isalnd of Cozumel: Baja California boasts of wonderful beaches, next to the desert: Mayan Riviera, beautiful beaches and a bit isolated from the rest which is ideal: Nuevo Vallarta is one of the newer beach resorts: Isla Holbox, an Island in the Yucatán region full of natural beauty: Along with beaches Mexico has other places which have natural beauty I will show you a couple: Xcaret in Quintana Roo is very popular with Mexicans and foreigners alike. It has a lot of natural beauty: http://www.xcaret.com.mx Agua Azul in Chiapas (in Spanish but the scenery is worth it) Montebello in Chiapas (in Spanish but the scenery is worth it) Islas Marieta, a very special place. Unfortunately the beauty of this beach is also its curse. An overload of tourism started to damage the corals and fish. The government has closed it before to try to preserve it. Las Coloradas Yucatán: a very exotic place, one of the few pink lakes in the world Santuario de las luciernagas, The Sanctuary of the nightingale in Tlaxcala: The butterfly forest in Michoacán, home of one of the largest insect migrations in the world. The monarch butterfly settles down in Michoacán once a year: The whale migration from Canada to Mexico is also a spectacular site. You can at times get so close you can touch the whales: Celestun is a one of a kind, located in Southern Mexico. It has many flamingos, similar to what you would find in kenya, it also has mangroves and very attractive natur: The Cascada de Tamul, or Takmul waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Mexico. It is located in San Luis Potosí. It is in the Huasteca Potosina. This is the waterfall of Tamul: The Huasteca Potosina and its stunning beauty: The Copper Canyon, goes through the state of Chihuahua. It is larger than the Grand Canyon. One of the best trips you can ever take is crossing the canyon by train with the Chinuahua Pacifico. http://www.chihuahuamexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=569&Itemid=291 Ferrocarril Barrancas del Cobre The Dunes of San Luis Río Colorado in the state of Sonora El Nevado de Toluca is located in Mexico State, next to the Capital City. . The Nevado de Toluca is a volcano which has snow a good part of the year. You can drive right up to the crater, the volcano has a road built on it. Paisaje agavero de Tequila, the agave landscapes of Tequila Tequila and beauty go together. The Mexican First Lady used to be a soap opera star and played the part of an Agave farmer. It is called “Destilando Amor” If you want to learn about tequila and the life of people around it watch the soap opera and see Mexico’s First Lady Angelica Rivera de Peña Nieto: (she is happily married to Enrique Peña Nieto, the current president of Mexico) Cuatro Cienagas Coahuila, this is in the middle of the desert! El Cañon Del Sumidero, or the Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas. There are two volcanoes in the Mexico City area. The Popocatepetl or Popo which is active and the Iztaccihuatl or Mujer dormida, the sleeping woman. The two volcanoes have an Aztec story. The Popo is supposed to represent a warrior taking care of her woman Iztaccihuatl. The details are explained here: ,The Legend of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl,. The Popo flexing its muscles, Nov 2016: Prismas basálticos de Santa María Regla in Hidalgo Tolantongo in Hdalgo is a place which is quite different from all the rest, it has amazing thermal waters. The enchanting Tolantongo Caves are a magical hidden paradise Laguna de Manialtepec (Manialtepec Lagoon) Located in Oaxaca. The lagoon is famous for its blue fluorescent waters Bacalar is a small town in Southern Mexico which has an amazing lagoon. It is known as the 7 color lagoon. A place of outstanding beauty ,Useful information, Bacalar, Quintana Roo The cenotes are large holes with water. They look like caves, you can go in some of them, and swim. There are many famous ones and thengovernment tries to preserve them because of their natural beauty. 20 Fantásticos Cenotes para conocer en la Riviera Maya Mexico also has some of the most beautiful colonial towns in the Americas. I will show you a couple: Zacatecas, is a mining city which was famous during the Mexican Revolution. It is one of the prettiest colonial cities in Mexico. Many of the buildings are made with a rose colored quarry rock.,Colonial Zacatecas, Mexico | VisitMexico Puebla is ‘ home to the 5 de Mayo battle. This colonial capital city of Puebla, of th state of Puebla. Many French stayed in Puebla, there ar even villages like Chipilo which are famous cheese makers, they also make very good cream. Puebla City followed by Cholula close to Puebla inside Puebla state. The video of Cholula shows a traditional wedding Guanajuato is considered by many people to be the most beautiful colonial town in Mexico. They hold a yearly festival dedicated to culture it is called the Cervantino, paying homage to Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. He is responsible for creating Don Quixote de La Mancha . The city also has a Mummy museum. At night singers known as Estudiantinas sing in the most traditional places of Guanajuato, this is known as a callejoneada. Also famous El callejon del beso or the ally of the kiss. There is a legend of two lovers which ends in tragedy. Luis was poor miner and Carmen’s father would not allow he to see him. The father went so far as telling her that he will take her to a convent before she can marry the man she loves. They used to kiss at night balcony to balcony. Today lovers go to Guanajuato and kiss in the ally under the Balconies, honoring the love of Luis and Carmen and making sure that their own will last forever. ,https://www.inside-mexico.com/the-alley-of-the-kiss-a-love-story-in-guanajuato/ Tour of Guanajuato: ,Discover Guanajuato's Wonders | VisitMexico Taxco is another mining city, famous for its silve shopping. The church in Taxco is one of the best in Mexico. Though it doesn't have all the gold as some Cathedrals, it does make up with its artistic style. ,The History of Silver in Taxco Mexico, also see ,Silver jewerly in Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico The Church of Santa Prisca Some pictures from Taxco including a Jaguar made of silver, displayed in one of the silver shops. San Miguel de Allende y famous with American and Mexican tourists. Many Americans retire in San Miguel. It's a Colonial town in the State of Guanajuato, not that far from Guanajuato City. In 2008 it was named by the UNESCO as a world heritage site, because of its beautiful architecture and its roll in the Mexican independence. It has a couple of Museums including a museum dedicated to toys. San Miguel has very good food, it is very safe and has very nice people. It is also not far from Leon which is Mexico’s leather town. You can buy or have almost all leather goods, some even offer make tailormade goods (shoes, bags etc..) ,Tourist Attractions Guide in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico., and ,The History of San Miguel de Allende A tour around San Miguel: Mexico also has some of the most beautiful villages, here is a video which shows you some of them; Real de 14 is a ghost town which used to be rich because of its mining. A strange but wonderful place to visit. Many films are produced in this town: ,History of Real de Catorce One way to get back to your roots is Mexican food. Mexican food is quite different from Tex Mex which you get in America. Each region cooks differently. One of the unique cuisines of Mexico is from Yucatán. The food from that region is delicious. Cochinita Pibil, Sopa de Lima, Panuchos, Poc Chuc (roasted pork over charcoal) Pollo en Achiote. (Achiote is a special type of condiment ,¿Que es el achiote o axiote? Aprendamos un poco sobre este. ,), Papadzules These are truly delicious and I would highly recommend if you can try it. Cochiinita Pibil, or pork Pibil style served with onions with vinegar and oregano,: The food from the state of Oaxaca is also excellent. The cheese that the male in Oaxaca called quesillo in Oaxaca is a long cheese which curled up into a ball. In the rest of Mexico the cheese is known as queso Oaxaqueño or cheese from Oaxaca. They also have a soup called Caldo de piedra, or stone soup. It’s a Normal soup which in heated by placing a hot volcanic rock inside the soup. The broth is placed with all raw ingredients, the hot volcanic rock heats and cooks all ingredients in about 4 or 5 minutes. This is cooked by The Chinanteco people, an ethnic group that lives to the north of Oaxaca City. Stone soup Chinanteco style: Tejate is one of the traditional breverages of Oaxaca, mixing corn flour with chocolate. The biggest treat is going to the food market in downtown Oaxaca and having a meal there. They will cook your meat, make quesadillas, sopes and other regional goodies. They have some large tostadas which are called Tlayudas which are really good. They are also reknown for their 7 Moles. Mole is the equivalent of a Curry but from Mexico. The sauce has many ingredients including: crushed tortillas, several type of Chiles, chocolate, nuts , almonds, bananas, clove, garlic, raisins, onions, tomatoes, peppers , cinnamon and sesame seeds. Each Mole will change the ingredients a bit but it does contain at least 10–16 ingredients. The Mole sauce is usually served with chicken. Mexicans will even put Mole in Tamales or enchiladas. The seven moles of Oaxaca: The state of Veracruz in known for its fine seafood , it also wa wonderful Coffee. The best place to drink Coffee is Cafe de la Parroquia in the Port of Veracruz. Some recipes from Veracruz ,Platillos Tipicos De Veracruz,::. Cafe de la Parroquia (The Parish Cafe) Fish Veracruz style or pescado a la Veracruzana: The North is famous for Ita high quality meat. Besides just having very good meat, in a Monterrey they serve Cabrito, or goat on the rack, it is the official dish in Monterrey It is Very delicious. The typical breakfast is called machaca served with meat and eggs. Mexicans in the North of the country tend to eat with flour tortillas while in the South they use corn tortillas. San Pedro de Atocpan in Milpa Alta , Mexico State is known for its Mole. They have a fair every year Which brings many tourists. The Mole made in San Pedro Atocman supplies most of the Mole in Mexico City Tamales in Mexico have changed quite a bit you have exotic flavors such as chocolate, cajeta or dulce de leche. They even have cheesecake with blueberries . Tamales are divided into 2 types. There are some which are made with corn husks other are wrapped in banana leaves, these are known as tamales Oaxaqueños. Both are very good. Cheerful ladies preparing Tamales Oaxaqueńos in Oaxaca: I will include some web pages with some other regional food. Eating is an important cultural part of anyone and Mexicans love to eat. Puebla is famous for its food, I will include a page with pictures and another one with recipes ,9 comidas que tienes que probar en Puebla, and for recipes ,PLATILLOS TIPICOS DE PUEBLA,. Chiles en nogada, or stuffed peppers with nogada sauce is a national dish. It is meant to look like the Mexican flag. Green peppers, the “Granada China” which is red and the nogada sauce which is white Sauc. This dish is eaten usually on special occasions. I included a video it is in Spanish but it can compliment the recipe Imalready gave in Platillo tipicos de Puebla. Pozole is another national dish and it varies from state to state. It’s a soup which is made out of chicken or pork. If you like pork it is a little better, though both are good. They add mahogany corn to it. The soup is served with many additional ingredients, for example lime can be added, radishes, oregano and lettuce. In some states the broth is red, in others it's a light broth and in others its green. Some states like Guerrero serve Pozole on Thursdays. Pozole can be eaten on special events but there are many restaurants and people in Mexico that serve and eat Pozole all year long. I would also like to mention tortillas. That is. Sample food for most Mexican families. Most used to make hand made tortillas which are just the best thing you can try. Today most families go to small shops called tortillerias where they can sell you tortillas by weight. You can also buy the masa (the dough), so you can make tortillas, sopes, tlacoyos, haraches and a few other things. The science behind tortillas (nixtmalizacion): A tortiileria in action: Making tortillas de harina (flour tortillas ) home Typical hand made tortillas, the best! In Mexico they are called tortilla hecha a man, when you ask someon if they know how to handmade ortillas you say “ sabes echar torrillas?” (Do you know how to make hand made tortillas?) In the video you can see Purepecha ladies making handmade tortillas at the market. They are from the State of Michoacan. Mexico ha a wide array of traditional sweets and candies. All of these vary from region to region. For example in the state of Puebla they sell Camotes or sweet potato, in Acapulco many weeks are made of milk and other are made of coconut, They also sell tamarind candy, two varieties are available with child amdnwoth sugar. In Michoacán they have Chongos zamoranos which were made in convents at one time, in Jalisco palanquetas which is a thin nut candy is popular so are jamoncillos which are made of nuts and Almonds, in Jalisco borrachitos are also eaten which means little drunkards filled with Rompope (Rompope is a traditional light alcoholic drink which is very sweet, originally made by nuns). There are many more and just mentioned a small sample. Sweet market in Morelia: Mexican alcoholic drinks are also very good and you should learn a little about them. I explained a little about Tewuila while showing you the agave scener. I would also like to touch on Mezcal and Pulque. Not all Mexicans drink Pulque, however it is popular in some places. This video is very good and it goes through Tequila and Mezcal and their process On the differences between Tequila and Mezcal (in Spanish, very interesting to watch) Tequila vs. Mezcal, (Explanation in English from a different source) Pulque used to be a highclass drink in ancient Mexico. It was used by priests for special rituals. It somes in 2 varieties, regular flavor or curados which are mixed with fruits. They usually serve pulque in a pulqueria. Pulque is no longer the traditional drink of the upperclass or religious men in Mexico, it has become a drink which is consumed by the rest. Pulqueroas are never found in highclass places. Many Mexicans may have not even tried Pulque, it is traditional but not popular with everyone. ,What is Pulque? | Del Maguey, They have Pulque fairs in a couple of places in Mexico. The states of Puebla and Tlaxcala have their own fairs. Pulques curados (with fruit) A little on Pulque A Pulqueria Pulque fair in San Mateo Ozolco Other drinks you can try is the Tepache ( a drink made out of fermented pineapple juice) and the Tejuino a prehispanic drink usually made in the State of Jalisco, though sometime you can find it elsewhere)). I will just explain briefly what is a molcajete and a metate. A molcajete is a bowl shape object made of stone which has a isually has three short legs. It has a stone which is lightly long, fat on the bottom side and slimmer at the top, it is called a tejolote in Spanish. This is what you make salsa with, Mexicans that know how to cook don't make salsas in a blender. If you find one at a market you can't use it right a way, you need to fix it they call it curar el molcajete in Spanish or during the molcajete. The Molcajete and tecolote are made of volcanic rock, so naturally the Bowl will not have a smooth surface. So if you grind your salsa ingredients and yon don't cure it before, you will be eating volcanic rock mixed with your salsa. You have grind rice and salt. The end product will be gray, you have to use new round of rice and salt. Do it as many times as required, till the grinder produces a white power without any grey color That means the surface is smooth and you can use your molcajete for salsas or guacamole (note! guacamole is done in a variety of ways this is only for a thick liquid guacamole). Curing a molcajete: Making a molcajete Salsa This is how a metates is made. The second video shows a woman working with a metate and explaining what the metate means to her, her ancestry and her cooking Not all Mexicans cook in cazuelas or clay pots, however many do and the food tastes very different when served and eaten in clay. Mexico is the birth place of chocolate. At one time it was used as currency. Today in some states like Oaxaca, you can order and eat chocolate made from scratch. There is nothing better than 100% organic freshly made chocolate that's same day. I will show you 2 videos, one is a very traditional look at people which know how to make chocolate. The second is a chocolate shop called El Mayordomo or the butler which makes chocolate from scratch, a bit more modern but both unique as you can rarely eat fresh chocolate in other countries. Grinding and roasting the chocolate and adding ingredients such as cinnamon: El Mayordomo and their wonderful chocolate, in Oaxaca city. I am going to suggest a page on YouTube called Comidas de Mexico. If you enter you will see a variety of very typical and exotic dishes from all over the country (it is in Spanish) Most of these are not in fancy restaurants. Fine gastronomy in upscale restaurants exist all over the country, however I wanted to show things which were more typical. It is pointless to show you The Cheese cake Factory or Tony Roma’s There are also good hotels like Camino Real and Presidente which have delicious Buffets which mix international food with Mexican dishes. Other restaurants like Mexico Lindo y que RICO have what is called Nueva Comida Mexicana or New Mexican food. First class chefs mix traditional Mexican flavors with their own international cuisine mastery. The result is a very unique blend of flavors that produce unusual but tasty dishes. By the way 5 de Mayo is very important because the Mexican army defeated the French army in a battle in Puebla The thing you should know is that 5 de Mayo is NOT a day full of festivities like in America. It is an official day given by the Mexican government and most people either rest or travel. It is possibly something special in Puebla but it is not a parade day or national fiesta day. The big national day in Mexico is Independence Day. This is the grito which is what the president does that day, all municipalities in Mexico do the same thing at a smaller scale: Followiing the grito or “the shout”, which is held Sep 15th at night, the government holds the military parade which is liked by children and adults alike. I have also included a video on Mexico’s war of independence for you. The Virgin of Guadalupe is considered by many to be the first Mexican flag. It was carried by a Priest called Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the Father of Mexico’s independence. A very famous day is the day of the dead in Mexico. There are two days, one which people pray for adults and the other day they pray for children which have died. Oaxaca is a very typical state and they are very traditional that day. People go the cemetery and take’food to their relatives. The custom is taking the food they liked when they lived and praying for them. They take an orange looking flower which is used only that day. Children get sugar skulls with their names. It is a treat which every child likes. People in smaller towns usually, still set up altars for their relatives at home, schools will set up altars to show children the traditions of the country The day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is probably the most important religious date after Christmas. It probably rivals Christmas as you may see millions visiting th holy shrine of Guadalupe that day. It's very impressive. Tradition stated that at the very top of the Tepeyac hill, (that is where the Basilica is located) you are granted miracles. It is a custom that Stars sing to the Virgin before the clock strikes 12 greeting her a happy birthday. To get in touch with your roots you have to learn the history of San Juan Diego. 80% of Mexicans are Guadalupanos. They follow the Virgin with devotion. The different indigenous communities go and dance and sing to the Virgin I know a man that has been doing that since he was a child. They dress in typical garb and will sing and dance for countless hours under the sunlight. While September is the month of the nation or Mes Patrio, December is very important for the diverse festivities which are held. The first is the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe which I explained. After that you have what are called posadas . Though the tradition is being lost , many still have Posadas. These are 9 parties which are held before Christmas Eve. The people in the posadas (which means inns) act the moment when Joseph and the Virgin Mary were looking for a place to stay. There are some that play the part of the holy family and people in houses and neighbors at times play the part of the inn keepers which wouldn't allow the Virgin in just before she gave birth. Finally one of the houses accepts the holy family. Mexican family asking for posada: A public posada Piñatas are very popular and used during the posadas as well, here is a small video about the piñata s and the markets: Holy Week is very important in Mexico. The traditions have been changing though. At one time Mexican families didn't like to travel during Holy Week. They would stay at home and rest. These days many take advantage of Holy Week for traveling. Going to the beach is popular so is going to villages or other places. The place people go is restricted by money, school schedule and work. Some places still have their own ways and traditions in regard to Holy Week. Some South American countries and the Philippines have processions. A man will play the part of Jesus the day he was sacrificed. In the Philippines its often a brutal affair, people take it seriously. In Mexico it's a mix, the most popular in Mexico City is in Iztapalapa, it is known as La Pasión de Cristo en Iztapalapa (The passion of Christ in Iztapalapa. Their are very large crowds, it is not for everyone, many do enjoy it. Not for the faint of heart: La Pasion de Iztapalapa Another famous procession is La procesión de silencio de San Luis Potosí. (The procession of silence in San Luis Potos) It is held on Holy Friday in San Luis Potosí. The hooded people are not KKK, word of warning before people get funny idea, they also use hoods in Spain in some places. A documentary of the procession in San Luis Potosí (in Spanish) The processions of Taxco are held all of Holy Week. The most important procession is the Procesión de la Santísima Trinidad or procession of Saint Trinity. The Procession of La Santisima Trinidad The posadas, have their traditional dishes such as hot fruit punch, almost always home made or groom a punch vendor. Churros and buñuelos are also eaten, Churros are long, sugary doe sticks that are fried and eaten with hot coco or chocolate molinillo. Two other hot drinks are popular, the Atole and the champurrado. These two are made of corn and you drink it while hot. Atole has many flavors while champurradomis hust Atole made from chocolate. Pictures of the fruit punch, Buñuelos (served with honey), Churros served with hot coco or a chocolate sauce: Christmas is celebrated Dec 24th at night. The 25thnis not as important. The family will get together on Christmas Day to eat what was left over the previous night. They often call it going to the “recalentado” or reheating of the food. The traditional food varies according to the region and the social class. People with money will drink champagne or a fine white wine, people with modest incomes will drink apple cider which is very popular in Mexico. People with money will buy a turkey, people with modest incomes will by roasted chicken (pollos rostizados or even fried chicken, it really does depend on the family. The other traditional dishes are Bacalao which is cod, and a dish called Romeritos. Romeritos is seepweed in English, the plant is cooked with dried shrimp and mole. A special salad made from fruits and beats is made called Ensalads de Noche Buena (Holy night Salad) you sprinkle raw peanuts wothout salt. The menu also varies quite a bit from family to family, but the things I mentioned are quite common. Mexicans like to decorate their homes with the Noche Buena flower which is only found during the Christmas season. Romeritos:,How to Cook Romeritos With Mole Bacaloa ,#RECETA Bacalao a la vizcaína por Mikel Alonso Ensalada de Noche Buena ,Receta de Ensalada de Nochebuena - Mama Latina Tips Flor de Noche Buena (Christmas eve flower) The Mexican carols are called Viilancicos, they are liked by all: Villancicos: Most Mexican homes have manger scenes which are known as Nacimiemtos in Spanish. Small figures, usually made of clay (though modern version now have other materials) are bought respresenting Bethleham and the birth of Christ. The manger is called the Portal which has all the most important characters, the Virgin, Joseph, animals and on Christmas eve families will place the Christ figure to represent his birth. Some are very elaborate and very beautiful. The markets usually have all the figurines and are quite full in December. ‘The nacimientos can be large or small Two different styles of nacimientos: Typical market place where you buy things for your nacimiento: Three kings (wise men) day is very important, especially for children . Known in Mexico as Dia de Reyes or just Reyes, it celebrates today when Jesus was visited by The three wise men. Children get gifts, if the family has money, the child may order 3 toys , one for each Wise man or “king” as they are known in Mexico. Children will leave food at night so that the TWM will eat something when delivering presents diring the night. (Similar to Santa Claus, in Mexico kids get both days. Children write their letters and many times send them up in balloons. The balloons sold have the Three Wise men on them. letters to Three wise men (in Spanish) They will also buy a special bread which has an oval shape. The rosca de Reyes usually has two or three small plastic dolls which are hidden inside. When a family or friends get together to eat a rosa they say they are “partiendo una rosca” or cutting the roses. The person which gets the dolls has to buy Tamales for everyone Feb 2nd. Traditional families will get together to eat Tamales and many will have a statue Jesus as a child, which they decorate in a special way for that day the tradition is called “vistiendo al niño”. The story of the Rosca de Reyes, or bread of the Three wise Men (in easy Spanish): The day of St. Candelaria, Tamales and baby Jesus. There are special places, markets and shops where you buy the clothes for baby Jesus in the colors you like. Mariachi music is very popular, you can hire them for a “serenata” (the man usually accompanied by the mariachis he hired will sing infront of the girls house. If she turns on the light, you are in business. You will get invited inside by her parents and her for some coffee and cakes or cookies etc… The woman can live alone or with friends also. The best way to a Mexican woman's heart is through romance and they love serenatas, even if they are not as frequent as before they are always appreciated if the girl like you. Typical scene from a serenata: Mariachis are also used for someone's birthday and to welcome someone at the airport. They are used in Mothers day very often and also for a special party. Amor eterno or eternal love is one of the saddest songs people like to sing this song to remember their mothers which are with our Lord. This is Juan Gabriel, one of the top rated singers in Mexico. He passed away not so long ago Pepe Aguilar is another great Mariachi singer The Mariachis Mexican grandmothers like to listen to. Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete Jose Alfredo Jimenez is a towering giant in the Mariachi work and respected by most. He is one of the old timers which many still likethese days The following is a duelo de rancheras. Two singers try to out wit each other using songs. In this case it's a couple that has love problems, each will try to outperform and be wittier than their counterpart. (Colombian Soap opera clip) Mexico also has many traditional dances, each region has a special dance, the traditional dresses for these Are very beautiful. Every year the state of Oaxaca holds a festival with all of the different dancing and singing at times. It is one of the best tourist attractions, it is called La Guelaguetza, usually hell in close to July. The Guelaguetza dancers from some regions close to Oxaca City: Dancers from Tehuantepec, some of the most colorful dresses in Mexico belong to this region: In Mexico City you can go and see a show in the Opera House, known as Bella's Artes (fine arts) The Opera house was made by ex-Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz, he loved Opera and made an Opera house nor his pleasure. Today all Mexicans enjoy it. The show you can see has been running for many years, it has amazing dancing from every single state in Mexico. I would suggest you see some traditional Mexican movies. “Como Agua para chocolate” is very good and a new classic. Here is the full movie for you to enjoy some traditional Mexican culture through its food: Watch Hecho en México (2012), produced by Duncan Bridgeman, here is the trailer: Danzón (1991), produced by Maria Novaro. Nice film, shows some traditional life in Mexico. Your relatives which came from Mexico most likely danced Danzon.Thos Movie Stars Maria Rojo, which was quite popular many years ago. All of Cantinflas movies are extremely popular in Mexico. Cantinflas is quick witted and a master in using double entendre, mostly in a healthy and comic way (In Spanish they say double sentido or albur) Cantinflas is liked by young and old, His comedy and fame have survived many decades, he is loved by most Mexicans. I wll include one of his movies so that you can enjoy (I apologize I couldn't find the movie with English subtitles). His movies are available at Amazon. He made many movies this is his filmography ,Cantinflas Filmography, The movie I am imcluding in Su Excelencia (Your Excellency) Art is another way of enjoying and getting back your cultural heritage. I will divide this in 3 parts. First it I will discuss handicrafts, secondly painters and muralists and finally the music scene in Mexico. Mexico is home to some of the most talented handicraft artists in the world. Each state also has and displays a wide variety of handicrafts. I will go through some of them. The first is Talavera pottery. This will include tiles also. They come from the state of Puebla, they have been making talavera pottery since the 16th century. They have some moorish and Italian influences. Originally they were only painted in Blue.mAntique talavera that you find is most probablymblue. Colors are incorporated today. Talavera art: In Tonala Jalisco you see varied handicrafts of all type. They make something called th tree of life which is very detailed: Huichol art is very complicated and done by sticking beads together to form amazing creations ll of color. They do Jaguar heads, iguanas, to trees with deers etc… A huichol worked over 9000 w in finishing his masterpiece, a VW. The state of Oaxaca in San Bartolo Coyotepec the people make black pottery. It is a style of pottery painted in black which looks very elegant: In Tehuantepec in the State of Oaxaca they make art I. The form of dresses. The Tehuana dresses are used for special events. They are quite expensive, a new one from a good tailor will cost 10,000 usd or a little more. Used ones are available for a fraction of that price. In the state of Morelia there are whole villages which are dedicated to one particular craft. For example in vasco de Quiroga they make copper handicrafts Paracho Michoacan is a village dedicated to guitar making. The best in guitars in Mexico are found here and they export to many countries. Unfortunately many greedy shopkeepers are importing factory made guitars from China and putting the livelihood of this wonderful town at risk. If you go to Paracho make sure you buy the local guitars which have superb quality. Beautiful textiles are produced in Zinacantan in the state of Chiapas. They are full of vibrant colors amd theor own part. , Small documentary in Spanish regarding Zinacantan and their textiles Olinala in the state of Guerrero has a unique brand of handicrafts, they are very detailed, their workmanship and beauty makes their handicrafts famous: The ciudadela market in Mexico City sells samples handicraft form all regions of Mexico: Secondly you can enjoy Mexico and its cultural legacy through its painters. These mean and women were often rebels, some spoke against society others were revolutionary, others just had beautiful art. Learning about Mexico through it Artists will bring you closer to your heritage. I will mention a few, show younsome of their art and give you more info if you want to study them on your own, my list will not be complete. It will just represent a small fraction of the paintors, however I tried to choose some goods ones for you. Jesús Guerrero Galván was a Purepecha and was alove during the age of the Mexican muralists. ,Jesus Guerrero Galvan,. For further reading “Jesús Guerrero Galván (Spanish Edition) (Spanish) Hardcover – January 1, 2004” by Dafine Cruz Porchini Niña sentada (sitting girl): Genesis de Puebla Maya (Genesis of the Mayan people) Artodyssey Diego de Rivera one of the premier muralists in Mexico. He was born in the state Guanajuato. Some of his art is on display in government buildings. He is highly political and paints some of the toughest moments in Mexican history, he has also painted in America at the Rockefeller center. The mural which was highly criticized it had a picture of Lenin. Rockerfeller made him quit his painting. His house was kept and turned into a museum,d, His wife was another Mexican great: Frida Kallo. ,Diego Rivera The piece that caused all of the scandal at the Rockerfeller center, depictin Lenin and class struggle. ,Destroyed By Rockefellers, Mural Trespassed On Political Vision Carnival of Mexican life. a dictatorship Mural at Palacio Nacional or the National Palace. Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park (1947–48) Frida Kahlo is Diego Rivera’s wife. She is a complex character. She suffered a great deal because she couldn't have children And also because her body was engulfed by pain because of an accident. A bus ran over her, she would paint as a way to escape what she was going through. Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird Wounded Deer Many paintings of Frida Kahlo Music is a way to get in touch with your Mexican heritage. American and some European Music is popular in Mexico, and has been for a long time. Mexico has come up with their own rock and pop bands. Two popular rock bands today are El Tri and Grupo Jaguar. Three female pop stars which are always popular are Thalia, Paulina Rubio (la Chica dorado, the golden girl) and Alejandra Guzman, which sings some pop but her signature songs are rock, she is getting up in years but is still pretty good. The pop music scene also has a good band called Mana, they mix some reggae into some songs, they are very good. In addition to that many people may enjoy something more traditional. Luis Miguel is a singer that has been able to bridges the generational gaps and sings to people of all ages. The late singer Juan Gabriel is one of the most charismatic singers in Mexico, he passed away recently. Ana Gabriel also simsg traditional music and has a very unusual voice, another great singer of Mariachi songs is Aida Cuevas and Lola Beltran. Most ladies seem to like Alejandro Fernandez which sings Mariachi and pop. Marco Antonio Solis sings Ballads and has had very popular songs for a long time. Music is very diverse in Mexico, you can see some of the different genres here and decide what you like: Thalia: (pop) Grupo Jaguares (Mexican Rock) El Tri (Mexican Rock) Paulina Rubio (pop): Alejandra Guzman, the queen of Mexican rock Mana (pop, sometimes they mix reggae feel to their music) Marco Antonio Solis Singing with his old band Los Bukis Marco Antonio Solis with Enrique Iglesias Luis Miguel (pop, traditional ballads and Mariachi songs): Ana Gabriel Ana Gabriel with Vicky Carr Aida Cuevas (Mariachi) very gifted. Aida singing to her father: Lola Beltran (RIP) (Mariachi) Alejandro Fernandez (Mariachi, Pop, some ballads) Alejandro Fernandez singing with his father Vicente “Chente” Fernandez. The father is as or more famous than the son Alejandro Fernandez with Christina Aguilera (famous soap opera song) Alejandro Fernandez and Placido Domingo Juan Gabriel (Mariachi and other types) Juan Gabriel duet with Marc Anthony (Mariachi, pop, Mexican traditional, he wrote almost everything he sang) Juan Gabriel with Juanes Juan Gabriel with another very good singer, Espinoza Paz The Music from Northern Mexico is known as Norteño. They make Norteño music in Nuevo Leon, Baja California, Tamaulipas, Sonora, Coahuila and Chihuahua. They are restricted to a certain amount of instruments, if its true Norteño music. Norteño music has many things in common with polka. In fact it was German, Austrian and Czech immigrants which brought accordion. If you hear mennonites in Mexico playing their music it sounds alot like Norteño music. Some of the most famous Norteño groups and singers are called “Los Tigres Del Norte” (The Tigers from the north) and Ramon Ayala. Los Tigres Del Norte (Noteño) Los Tigres Del Norte with Paulina Rubio Ramon Ayala Three famous singers are Joan Sebastian, Espinoza Paz and Lupillo Rivera. They sing a mixture of songs including Norteñas, Banda and traditional Mexican music. Espinoza Paz (one of his ballads) (Noerteńo music and ballads) Joan Sebastian RIP (Norteña and ballads) (He wrote over 1000 songs) Joan Sebastian with Thalia Lupillo Rivera In Mexico you have two groups of Music called Norteño (means from the north) They are usually 4 to 6 members. I included a potpourri of Mexican Banda . This potpourri has Banda El Recodo, Banda Recoditos, Banda MS, Banda Arolladora el Limon and Banda Activa: Banda Carnaval I will also include some more music from Singers or groups that can often be heard today. I will include Jesse and Joy, HA-ASH, Sin Bandera, CD9, Reik, and Camila. Lista 40 de la semana Mexican Music: Top Mexican Songs Chart TOP 100 - Banda y Regional Mexicano 2017 (actualizada), a playlist on Spotify Jesse & Joy (pop) HA-ASH (pop) Sin Bandera (pop) CD9 (pop) Reik (Pop) Camila (pop) Some more gifted voices: Yuridia Paty Cantu Sheyla Mexico’s best Opera singer Rolando Villazón Singing Granada in NY City Sports are always a nice way of looking into your culture. Mexico is a soccer nation, known as Futbol. The most popular teams are America, from Mexico City and Chivas from Guadalajara, both of these are enemies and have the best games against each other. America-chivas y known as el clasico or the classic. The state of Jalisco has another popular team called Atlas. Atlas and China's hold what is called El Classico Tapatio, theie matches are usually very good. Cruz Azul is another popular team, from Mexico City, they are owned by a cement company called Cemento Cruz Azul. America-Cruz Azul is known as the Classico Joven, the young classic. The capital city has another team which belongs to the UNAM, the largest university in Mexico, they are known as Pumas. The Pumas fans are very rowdy and have a classic against America known as El Classico Capitalino. There are two teams in Mexico from Monterrey. The teams are called Rayados (striped, they have blue stripes) and Tigres. both of these teams have one of the great rivalries, this one is called El Classico Regio. Other teams worth mentioning are Toluca, known as the diablos rojos or the Red Devils (they have fans which are also quite loud). They used to have one of the best players from Paraguay, Saturnino Cardozo. He played and became a legend in Toluca, after retirement he coached the team. The last team I will mention is Santos, or the The Saints of Torreon. They used to have one of the most famous goal scorers in Mexican footbal, Jared Borgetti (now retired). if you want to follow the league, always a good conversation starter with a Mexican, I suggest reading Record ,Bienvenido a RÉCORD, and Ovaciones ,Ovaciones,. Mexicans follow foreign leagues also. They try to keep up with European teams where Mexican nationals play Also two good pages to follow Mexican Football ,Página Oficial de la Liga del Fútbol Profesional en México .: Bienvenido, and to see the current standings ,Página Oficial de la Liga del Fútbol Profesional en México .: Bienvenido, The national team is known as El Tri, they also have very good games and have beat some of the top teams like France and Brazil. The newspaper I mentioned give frequent news on El Tri you can also look at this page to look at the El Tri’s next games: ,El calendario de la Selección de México para el 2017 - Goal.com Best goals of the Mexican league 2016 Some of the best goals of El Tri The Mexicans playing in Europe are called by the media “Los Europeos” or the Europeans These are some of Mexicans playing in Europe, please note that these may not be the current teams of all players on the video. They do get traded at times. Mexico’ best player of all times: Hugo Sanchez. He played his best footbal with Real Madrid, he used to play for Pumas at one time, and also played for the National team, El Tri If you want to see a good football show , with plenty of debate and good journalism, ty Futbol caliente. This program is on ESPN. ESPN hired one of Mexico’s top football journalists called José Ramón Fernández Álvarez which worked for Aztecs Tv. Since the program is a little out spoken it is not always liked by everyone, especially America fans, America is owned by Televisa which is the rival TV network which he worked for at one time. You can see his program in YouTube. Mexican wrestling known as Lucia libre y a very popular sport. Mexico has some very good wrestlers, many which have wrestled around the world in important wrestling companies such as WWE, and Japanese companies such a NJPW and NOAH. The classic wrestlers were so famous they even made movies. The best of the older generation are Dos Caras (father of Alberto Del Rio), The Santo (The Saint ), Mil Mascaras (1000 masks), El Pedro Aguayo and Blue Demon (the list I gave you is very short and is just a small sample. Today's best would be Mistico Mystic), Alberto de Rio or Dos Caras Jr, Mexico has two mayor Luche Libre companies: AAA and CMLL. I will include the web page of both of you want to keep up with either of them. For the CMLL ,::: CMLL ::: La Mejor Lucha Libre del Mundo, and for AAA ,http://www.luchalibreaaa.com Dragon Rojo vs Japanese legend Justin Thunder Lyger Bullfighting is still popular in Mexico I am writing this in reference to culture in Mexico, in this case this is a Spanish sport that has been practiced in Mexico for a long time . Bullfighting is a controversial subject these days ,Arguments For and Against Bullfighting, There are Bullfights every weekend. Similar to Las Ventas in Madrid. When the Bull is better than the bullfighter he can be forgiven or indultado. Some of the most famous Toreros or Matadors as they are known in English from Mexico are: Eulalio Lopez, "El Zotoluco" , Luis Freg "Don Valor" , Alejandro Amaya, Humberto Flores, Arturo Macias “el cejas”, Ignacio Garibay there are many more. A bullfight sport/performance art Bullfighting in Mexico City explained: El Pajarito and his unusual feat The Rodeo is another popular sport/show. Never as popular as Football but it doe have a strong following especially in certain States inside Mexico. Charreadas are similar to Rodeo shows. They include riding will bulls as well as riding broncos. Roping horses and bulls is also popular. One of the most attractive things about a Charriada is called Floreo de riata or cuerda. These are skilled roping tricks Charreria in Puebla Charros, charreria and their history (in Spanish) Floreando la cuerda, Charro rope skills Boxing in Mexico is also a national sport. Not many people practice it but many people follow it. Mexico has a long list of champions, especially in the lighter weight classes. The best of all time is Julio Cesar Chavez while the best today is the Canelo Alvarez. Julio Cesar Chavez Canelo Alvarez Mexico also has a Baseball league. Baseball is very popular in the North, but good teams can be found all over the country. The league has 16 teams. The current champions are the Pericos from Puebla (Parrots). The team which has won the most titles are the Red Devils of Mexico City with 16, followed by the Tigres de Quintana Roo (The Tigers of Quintana Roo) with 12, The Sultans of Monterrey have won 9. Today's campions have won 4 times (this year included). Torreon has two teams, that always leads to rovalaries. The two teams in Torreon are Saraperos vs. Vaqueros Laguna. The Saraperos have a rivalry with the Sultanes or Sultans of Monterrey and the most important Classic would be Tigres vs Diablos. The official site of the Mexican Baseball league: ,The Official Site of The Mexican League | lmb.com.mx Homepage, You can follow scores and the teams on that page. I hope you have enjoyed this. I would recommend that you try to make some friends from Mexico. . They will teach you many things. Also travel to Mexico, stick to safe places and enjoy your adventure and most important of all enjoy your journey of self-discovery as you get closer to your culture heritage and the land of your ancestors. If you want to follow the news you can look at the following: El Universal | El periódico de México líder en noticias y clasificados El Universal newspaper Presidencia de la República, The news from the presidential headquarters For gossip and news regarding Mexican artists: ,Inicio - LaBotana.com - Noticias y Chismes de los Famosos - Farándula - Espectáculos - Entretenimiento Sitio Oficial Far�ndula Televisa | Far�ndula | televisa.com
How accurate were the human sacrifices depicted in Mel Gibson’s film Apocalypto?
Accurate enough but the wrong civilization. The ceremony shown here is very faithful to the most lurid sources on the Aztec ritual. The victims are splayed on a column at the top of a pyramid, and a priest cracks their ribcage open with an obsidian knife to pluck out their still-beating hearts. Just one problem: Mayans weren't Aztecs. They did go in for a bit of human sacrifice, but it was more a case of throwing the occasional child down a well for the water god to eat. Which really wasn't super nice, either. ,Apocalypto and the end of the wrong civilisation Apocalypto has been criticized for portraying a type of human sacrifice which was more typical of the Aztecs than of the Maya. Archaeologist Lisa Lucero said, "the classic Maya really didn't go in for mass sacrifice. That was the Aztecs." Anthropology professor Karl Taube argued that, "We know the Aztecs did that level of killing. Their accounts speak of 20,000." According to the film's technical advisor, the film was meant to describe the post-classic period of the Maya when fiercer influences like the Toltecs and Aztecs arrived. According to Hansen, "We know warfare was going on. The Postclassic center of Tulum is a walled city; these sites had to be in defensive positions. There was tremendous Aztec influence by this time. The Aztecs were clearly ruthless in their conquest and pursuit of sacrificial victims, a practice that spilled over into some of the Maya areas." Anthropology professor Stephen Houston made the criticism that sacrifice victims were more likely to be royalty and elites rather than common forest dwellers, as shown in Apocalypto. Anthropology professor Karl Taube criticized the film's apparent depiction of widespread slavery, saying, "We have no evidence of large numbers of slaves." Another disputed scene, when Jaguar Paw and the rest of the captives are used as target practice, was acknowledged by the filmmakers to be invented as a plot device for igniting the chase sequence. Some anthropologists objected to the presence of a huge pit filled with rotting corpses near the fields of the Maya. Hansen states that this is "conjecture", saying that "all [Gibson was] trying to do there is express the horror of it". The Washington Post reported that the famous Bonampak murals were digitally altered to show a warrior holding a dripping human heart, which is not present in the original. ,Apocalypto - Wikipedia
What are some of the best countries to travel if you love nature?
Starting from number 15, here are the top ranked countries for natural resources. Ambroise Tézenas 15. Kenya Landing in the 15th spot on the list is ,Kenya,, and anyone who’s visited will understand why. In the southwestern part of the country, the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley is home to giraffes, kudu, cheetahs, lions, and black rhinos. Northeast of the capital city, Nairobi, is Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa, and in the north, spilling into Ethiopia, is Lake Turkana, where Nile crocodiles and hippopotamuses breed. ,Here's how to see the great wildebeest migration,. Advertisement iStockphoto/Getty Images 14. Indonesia It seems logical that a country that is home to the world’s only population of Komodo Dragons — giant, aggressive lizards — would make it on the list. ,Komodo National Park, is set on volcanic islands, where 5,700 of the lizards live. Of course, Indonesia is a string of islands, so it has much more to offer as well, from beaches in Bali to rainforests in Sulawesi. Martin Morrell 13. France France has actually dropped five spots since the last report, but from the vineyards in Bordeau to the beaches of the French Riviera, there’s no question the country is gorgeous. And there are places outside of the mainland helping ,France,’s rating as well: La Réunion National Park on Réunion Island, east of Madagascar, has a breathtaking combination of rainforests and cloud forests, and New Caledonia’s lagoons host an impressive collection of marine life and coral reefs. Advertisement Getty Images 12. Italy Though many travelers who visit Italy make the trip for cultural reasons (the ruins of ancient ,Rome,, wine tours and eating pizza in piazzas are all very good reasons to visit), the country also has natural resources worth showing off. Monte San Giorgio is considered to hold the best marine fossils of the Triassic Period, and UNESCO describes the Dolomites as “the most beautiful mountain landscapes anywhere, with vertical walls, sheer cliffs and a high density of narrow, deep and long valleys.” Advertisement Kseniya Ragozina/Getty Images 11. Ecuador With two active volcanoes, tropical rainforests and glaciers, the sprawling Sangay National Park would have plenty to show off even if it weren’t for the fact that it’s home to threatened species, including the mountain tapir. Don’t forget that the ,Galapagos Islands, are also part of Ecuador. The volcanic islands are home to a wide variety of endemic mammals and reptiles, and there is also plenty of ocean life. Advertisement Stephen Yelverton/Getty Images 10. United States From the Redwood Forests to the Gulf Stream waters, America already is pretty great. With 58 national parks including the ,Grand Canyon,, Papahānaumokuākea (northwest of the Hawaiian Archipelago) and Glacier National Park, you could spend a lifetime exploring and never get bored. Advertisement LOOK/Getty Images 9. Spain Any traveler who enjoys serious hikes has Spain’s ,Camino de Santiago, on their list. With trails snaking across the country to the final destination in northwest Spain (one of the most popular routes runs about 500 miles), it covers some serious — and seriously beautiful — ground. Doñana National Park, where five threatened bird species live, and Garajonay National Park in the Canary Islands, which houses a huge laurel forest, are also worth a visit. Advertisement iStockphoto/Getty Images 8. Tanzania Tanzania is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain peak, as well as the Serengeti. In the latter wildebeest, gazelles and zebras live, and UNESCO calls ,their migration, to watering holes while being followed by predators “one of the most impressive natural events in the world.” Advertisement iStockphoto/Getty Images 7. Thailand The fact that ,Thailand, is listed in the top 10 is no surprise to anyone who has seen this country. From the stunning islands that run down the east coast in the Gulf of Thailand to the gorgeous rock formations of Krabi, there’s no shortage of beach destinations. But outside the coastal regions there is also lots to enjoy, including Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries, home to elephants and tigers. Advertisement Sean Fennessy 6. Australia Although Australia came in at number six overall, in World Heritage Natural Sites alone, Australia comes in first. From the world famous ,Great Barrier Reef, on the east coast to the Ningaloo Coast on the west coast, and from Kakadu National Park (,which “Crocodile Dundee” made famous,) in the north to the Tasmanian Wilderness in the south, Australia has incredible sites in every corner of the country. Advertisement Peter Bohler 5. China As the fourth largest country in the world, ,China, has a head-start in encompassing tons of natural assets. Some highlights include the Three Parallel Rivers in Yunnan, and Huanglong valley, with its hot springs giving way to forests and mountains in the backdrop. We’d be remiss not to mention the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, as well, which are home to about a third of the world’s endangered pandas. Advertisement Pespectives/Getty Images 4. Peru Coming in at the fourth most naturally beautiful country in the world is the home of the incredible Incan ruins, ,Machu Picchu,. But it’s not just the world-famous sanctuary that gives the South American country bragging rights. Peru also boasts Mount Huascarán, in the world’s highest tropical mountain range, and Rio Abiseo National Park, which is home to another 36 archeological sites. Advertisement Giordano Cipriani/Getty Images 3. Costa Rica Costa Rica, comes in third on the overall list, but the tiny country ranks second in natural tourism digital demand and attractiveness of natural assets. Cocos Island National Park has bragging rights for being the only island in the eastern Pacific with a rainforest, and Tortuguero National Park is known for its ,sea turtles,. Advertisement Richard Ellis/Getty Images 2. Mexico It’s no real surprise that ,Mexico, landed close to the top of the most beautiful destinations. Between the ruins of ,Tulum,, Sian Ka'an’s networks of tropical rainforests, marshes and mangroves and the stunning Revillagigedo Islands, there’s plenty of beauty. Mexico also has a wealth of wildlife. Check out the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino and the stunning Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve for a dose. Advertisement Thelma Gatuzzo/Getty Images 1. Brazil Landing the top spot on the list is ,Brazil,, which has the most — and most diverse — natural resources in the world. From the The Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves, which comprise 25 protected areas (and is home to jaguars, woolly spider monkeys and ocelots) to the Amazon Basin, there is no shortage of splendor in the South American country.
Why is Jamaica the best place for fulfilling a family vacation?
Beaches & Lakes, ,Family Travel, ,Hotels & Resorts, ,Kids, ,Preschoolers, ,Tweens & Teens, ,Caribbean, ,Bahamas, ,Jamaica, ,Mexico, ,United States,Southern US, ,Florida, ,Western US, ,California 25 Best Warm Winter Family Vacations 11/16/15 - ,By Allison Tibaldi Winter in NYC can be a grim experience. From perpetually wet feet to relentlessly cold temperatures, the need to escape the city is a feeling many of us know well. Whether you are in the grips of the winter blues or planning ahead this season, here are 25 warm-weather destinations that beckon you to shed your parka and bask in the sun. 1. Atlantis, Paradise Island — ,A fantasy destination for many kids, thanks to its out-of-this-world water park, budget-minded ,Comfort Suites, hotel provides free admission to ,Atlantis Resort,, so you can slip and slide the day away and return to your clean and simple room in the evening for a fraction of the price. 2. Palm Springs,, ,California, ,—, Welcoming ,Palm Springs ,is a popular destination for LGBT families, design and architecture buffs, or anyone who enjoys stylish mid-century hotels with giant swimming pools shaded by palm trees. Family favorites include ,The Saguaro ,and the ,Ace Hotel,, both popular for their hipster-meets-diaper poolside scenes. 3. San Diego, California, ,—, With its near perfect year-round climate, world-class zoo, miles of beach and cute Old Town, ,San Diego, is loaded with personality. Take a scenic cruise around San Diego Bay before you enjoy some fresh Pacific seafood for dinner. The ,Hotel Del Coronado, is an iconic resort that caters to kids. 4. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, ,—,There's so much to do in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico's Baja California, especially for families. During the winter season, guests can get up close and personal with whales migrating from the arctic to the warm, calm waters surrounding the Baja Peninsula. You can go zip-lining, rock-climbing, swimming with dolphins and even camel riding in the dessert! A stay at ,Grand Solmar Land's End Resort, will leave you sun kissed, relaxed and well fed. 5. Cayman Islands — ,This chain of three islands features glorious shallow water and calm sea, so all ages may enjoy a dip in the Caribbean. Diving and snorkeling are popular activities, while young naturalists will enjoy visiting Cayman Turtle Farm. ,Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort ,has recently completed an extensive transformation, making it an excellent choice for families staying on Grand Cayman. 6. ,Grand Lucayan, Bahamas, — ,This beachfront family resort is everything you've dreamed of. The ,Grand Lucayan Beach & Golf Resort, is the largest hotel on the island and considered by many to be the finest. The hotel offers the sandy beaches, warm sun and ocean breezes that the Bahamas are known for, along with lots of amenities, dining options and planned activities. It's in the the island's touristy Lucaya district, making it easy enough to take in some of the local sights if you want. 7. ,Palm Coast, Florida, — ,This quiet little northern Florida beach area is the perfect place to let your stress melt away. The beach may be cold during winter, but you can enjoy ,Hammock Beach Resort’s, Fantasy Pool Complex, golf, tennis, a huge spa, kids club and more. There’s lots to do within a few hours drive including Orlando theme parks, Kennedy Space Center, and Marineland Dolphin Adventure. 8. Hollywood, Florida — ,While Miami’s South Beach glitters, Hollywood’s oceanfront Broadwalk and laid-back family-friendly vibe are a great budget beach getaway. There are plenty of hotels offering affordable suites with bedrooms and kitchenettes, perfect for larger families. 9. Scottsdale, Arizona — ,Scottsdale is a golf, tennis and spa mecca, and families are welcomed with open arms. The dry desert air works magic on winter-weary bones of all ages. The ,Westin Kierland Resort ,offers tweens and teens nonstop fun with the FlowRider, a machine that lets you pseudo surf in the desert. Giant swimming pools and numerous children’s programs are also on the menu. 10. Tree House Lodge, Costa Rica — ,Costa Rica offers so many unique and wonderful experiences. We’ve raved about the new ,Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, in Costa Rica before, but how about taking an Into the Woods adventure, sleeping in a beachside treehouse in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge with a visit to the nearby Jaguar Rescue Park? ,Tree House Lodge ,is a fairy tale getaway to be sure. 11. ,Aulani,, Hawaii —, The Hawaiian Islands is a fantasy destination for many. Whether you want to learn to surf on popular Waikiki Beach on Oahu or visit the volcanic wonders on the Big Island, this chain of islands is paradise. Families are flocking to ,Aulani,, A Disney Resort that has garnered numerous accolades. 12. Circus Circus, Las Vegas — ,Love it or hate it, Sin City has succeeded in become a family town. Yes, there have been a few cold snaps this year, but a stay at ,Circus Circus ,brings all the fun indoors. Its perks include thousands of hotel rooms right on the Strip, America’s largest indoor theme park, live circus acts and cheap and cheerful buffets. If you’re feeling Lady Luck on your side, there’s an onsite casino. 13. ,Disney Fantasy Cruise, ,—, If running around a theme park isn’t your idea of fun, taking a Disney Cruise can be a great way to get your Disney on. The magic makers pull out all the stops from impressive theme restaurants, magical entertainment and, of course, one-on-one time with your favorite characters. With lots of grown-up only areas to enjoy while your kids are busy at the incredible kids clubs, this is a lux vacation everyone will enjoy. Ships now depart from several ports including Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, and San Diego. 14. Rome, Italy — ,The Eternal City is fabulous for families. Most of the greatest sights, fountains, antique ruins and piazzas are outdoors and most require no admission. Don’t miss living La dolce Vita family-style. Sunday afternoon is when Roman families hit the town’s many glorious parks and gardens for a walk, so why not join the dapper crowd? The Villa Celimontana is a lush, centrally located garden with a large playground. It’s just far enough off the tourist map to feel totally authentic. End the afternoon with gelato and you’ll be feeling positively Roman. 15. Punta Cana — ,The Dominican Republic is easy to reach, thanks to numerous nonstop flights from many East Coast cities. The ,Grand Palladium ,in Punta Cana is a huge beachfront property. It’s all-inclusive, and you’ll feast on over a dozen dining options. There is a Baby Club for guests ages 1-3 and a Mini Club for kids 4-12. If you tire of the white sand and blue water, a spa and casino are adult diversions. 16. ,San Juan, Puerto Rico, ,—, Old San Juan has the charm, history and culinary delights of a foreign destination without the hassles of needing a passport. Plus, nature seekers will enjoy hiking in nearby El Yunque rain forest. The ,Condado Plaza Hilton, gives you the best of the beach with the culture of Old San Juan just outside your doorstep. 17. All-Inclusive Jamaica — ,Whether you want to relax at your resort or crave ,active adventures,, Jamaica’s beauty is legendary. The island has perfected the all-inclusive resort concept. You can‘t go wrong with ,Beaches Negril, or the more budget-friendly ,Hotel Rui Palace,. 18. Cancun, Mexico — ,You could grab a lounge chair and never leave the silky sand and Caribbean Sea at one of the dozens of hotels in Cancun, like ,Azul Beach Hotel, which makes travel with kids as seamless as possible, but it would be a shame to miss out on excursions to places like the Mayan ruins in Tulum and many other unforgettable destinations nearby. 19. El Conquistador, Puerto Rico — ,El Conquistador, makes a splash with its on-site water park, a private resort island, Arthur Hills Golf Course, deluxe Waldorf Astoria Spa and more, making an ideal vacation spot for the whole family. 20. Marco Island, Florida — ,This island is the pride of Florida’s, Paradise Coast,. If beautiful Gulf beaches strewn with colorful seashells and proximity to the Everglades and its natural beauty sound good, you’re in the right place. Marco Island is located very near Naples and it’s easy to reach when you fly into Southwest Florida International Airport. The ,Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort ,has a great pool if you’re not feeling the ocean. Rooms are large and lovely, plus they offer children’s activities and babysitting. 21. ,San Antonio, Texas, —, This charming Texas town is loaded with appeal. Take a narrated cruise or stroll River Walk, visit the Alamo and enjoy delicious Mexican food. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, head indoors to the San Antonio Children’s Museum. The Witte Museum is a fabulous place to discover Texas heritage with a smattering of science and natural history thrown in for good measure. Embassy Suites River Walk and the Mokara Hotel and Spa are fine hotel options on the River Walk. 22. ,Clearwater, Florida, ,—, Located very near the Tampa airport, Clearwater Beach is a relaxed beach town where you'll find loads of amusements and casual dining options. The Gulf Coast is great for families; sprawling white powder-sand beaches, gentle waves and water that tends to be a few degrees warmer than the Atlantic on the other side of Florida make the beaches great for families with young children. 23. ,Beaches, Turks and Caicos, ,—, It’s hard to beat Beaches Resorts for a family vacation. These all-inclusive resorts are designed from top to bottom to ensure that every member of the family has a spectacular time. Turks and Caicos is a jewel in the Beaches family crown with stunningly blue waters and a long coral reef with amazing aquatic life to take advantage of the only resorts where scuba diving is included. 24. ,Mall of America, Minnesota, ,— ,It may seem counterintuitive to head to a state which gets over 70 inches of snow most winters, but sometimes the coldest places do thawing-out best. Mall of America isn’t just one of the largest shopping malls in the US, it houses the largest indoor theme park, Nickelodeon Universe, an aquarium, plus experiential exhibits like Star Trek and Barbie The Dreamhouse Experience, flagship stores and lots more. You can even stay right on site so there’s no chance of catching a chill. 25. ,Great Wolf Lodge, ,—, If airfare isn’t in your budget this year, a drive to the closest Great Wolf Lodge might be just the ticket to thaw out your bones. This national chain of resorts offer indoor water parks that kids go ga-ga for. Make sure to check our tips for ,saving money and enjoying a Great Wolf visit,.
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