I’m sitting beneath a bower of intricately woven shade trees and enjoying a second cup of coffee. There is an inviting basket of “pan dulce” before me, crisp linen, sparkling tableware and I am trying to decide what to have for breakfast. But all I can do is breathe the fragrant air […]
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Puerto Vallarta is a well-known tourist destination on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Once a quiet fishing village, PV is a magnet for North American ex-pats who have created a vibrant community here. There is festive night life and an inviting boardwalk with plenty of diversion. Sun-worshippers sprawl at the edge […]
Our itinerary was challenging. We would visit Mexico’s West Coast by beginning on its Caribbean Coast. We hopped a quick flight from WDC to Cancun, a common destination for “adventurous Americanos,” but this was a way station on our way to the Pacific. We checked into a “traditional” hotel in […]
Northern Virginia Chrysalis Vineyard (June, 2017): Norton, the true American grape, at Chrysalis Vineyard, Middleburg, Virginia School’s out. And summer fun is ramping up at Chrysalis Vineyards. The June Pickup Party features a few new twists. On the sunny upper deck, VIP members are shaded beneath broad umbrellas. They casually graze […]
“Excuse me señor. Can you tell me where you got the coffee?” The young woman speaks perfect, though heavily accented English. Eight eager faces representing 3 generations wait for my response. They are tourists like me and for the first time in 3 weeks I am providing (not requiring) guidance. […]
Mexico Colonial Highlands (July 2017): I pull into the parking lot of “Finca Sala Vive” by Freixenet, one of the largest and most important wine producers in all of North America. I am a 10 minute drive from the Mexican “magic town” called Bernal. It is mid-day on a Sunday in […]
We checked into a “traditional” hotel in Old Cancun called Xbalamque. It was like spending the night in a museum. The walls were covered with hand painted murals depicting Mayan culture. Each floor was a history lesson. We also had our first exposure to the kindness and warmth of the […]
We’ve had lots of friends enjoy the all-inclusive Cancun/Riviera Maya experience. But we chose a beach excursion with a twist, an All-American Road Trip. By going just before “high season” (beginning approximately November 15) we took advantage of lower rates and fewer tourists crowding perfect beaches. By driving ourselves the […]