Mexico City is a major tourist attraction for foreigners and Mexicans alike. It is a great vacation spot for anyone. Once you arrive you will find all kinds of activities and attractions just waiting for you.

Pyramids are not built on many cities of the world. Teotihuacan is one city where you will find pyramids and temples which are proud relics of civilizations dating back hundreds of years. It's just an hour outside of Mexico City and you will find this archaeological treasure one of its kinds.

If you want to view the second most visited Roman Catholic shrine in the world, you should visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Built on a hill, north of Mexico City, this shrine is the most important pilgrimage site in the country and is visited by several million people every year.

The "floating gardens" of Xochimilco are about 23 kilometres from the historic centre of the city and take a little more than an hour to reach there. The gardens grown on rectangular frames anchored to the lake floor on the canals of Xochimilco are awe inspiring. They are one of the biggest tourist attractions of the city.

The night life of this vibrant city has variety to offer. But one must be cautious going out at night. The orchestras, theatres, bars, clubs and endless sources of entertainment are always ready.

If you are interested in seeing museums, graphic art, photo galleries or works of muralists, Mexico City has them all.

These are just a few of Mexico City's attractions. The city has many more activities for every age, every interest and every budget; offered through out the year. Mexico City is ready to welcome you whenever you want.

You will find many deals offering discounted prices on a resort which at the time may sound good, but remember you are getting what you pay for.

Check out all the details before you book. Look up the resort on the Web and check out any traveller reviews.

Find out what the food is like and the condition of the property and rooms.

Look for the star ratings on multiple websites as some may rate it lower then others.

Your best bet is to look for a four or five star resort and try and stay away from anything that has a lower rating. If not you could be in for a big disappointment upon check-in.

Make sure that the food at the resort has good ratings or you may find yourself living off potato chips and soda if the food is not up to quality standards.

Check out other resorts in the area that may be under construction or if the one you are looking at is undergoing any renovations. This could be a factor in why the price is so low.

Look up the traveller reviews and send an email anyone who had a recent visit, they can give you the whole scoop on what is good and bad about the resort.

At times the resort may be having a last minute sell-off due to cancellations or under bookings and it may be a deal of a lifetime. But it is best to exercise a little caution.

This locale has long been cherished by Americans - surfers, campers, and others who appreciate the scenic seashore and pristine beaches as well as the friendly Mexican people and the inexpensive seafood restaurants. Tourists visiting San Diego find it alluring to day - trip to another country searching for shopping bargains or just cultural diversity.

Recently - especially over the past eight months - there have been an increasing number of reports of armed robberies, shooting incidents, and car jackings - even kidnappings - involving visitors to this beautiful, normally serene coastal region. These atrocities are being promulgated by well organized criminal elements who view visitors from up north as easy marks.

Mexican law prohibits guns to be carried into Mexico. You are warned of this at the border with unmistakable clarity. Penalties are severe for those caught with weapons in their vehicles or on their person. Apparently, the well armed criminals- some with automatic rifles - know of their advantage in robbing the unarmed.

Recent news accounts in the local San Diego Union - Tribune and other newspapers lead with such disquieting headlines as “Troubling sign in Baja…Surfers warn of armed robberies while camping on Mexican coast.” and “Surfer's Baja tale is warning to others…Camping trip ended in robbery, assault…”; the latest on January 24th being “Baja tourist bid enters crisis mode….” The November 25th edition of the North County Times ran with this: “U.S. renews warning to Baja travelers.” These and others have brought to light what has apparently become all too commonplace there. While at least seven atrocities have been documented, it is believed numerous other crimes of this nature have gone unreported due to distrust of Mexican authorities. In at least one instance, an RV was fired into when the occupants refused to open the door. When they complied with the robbers' demands, a woman in the vehicle was sexually assaulted while the robbers held her male companion at gunpoint. Surfers have been accosted by armed thugs on a too regular basis. Campers are especially at risk in the camp grounds which abound on the coast highway.

As one veteran Baja camper relates: “It is like the Wild West down there now.” The situation has become so potentially dangerous that many others, some long time visitors to the area, vow to never return. “It's an end of an era.” says one recent victim.

Most of the incidents have occurred south of Tijuana on the toll road along the coast to Ensenada and south. Most were at night on that road or in camp grounds nearby. During daylight hours there are patrols by the respected tourist assistance organization Angeles Verdes (Green Angels); there are none after dark along the unlighted highway.

The tactics have varied. Some people were pulled over by drivers dressed in military style uniforms with "official" looking vehicles equipped with flashing lights and sirens; others became victims while they slept in campgrounds or in their RV's parked along the highway. In each case, the thugs were well armed and ruthless, terrorizing their victims, and most times leaving them in fear of their lives.

Over the last Thanksgiving holiday weekend, tourism apparently dipped dramatically enough for local Mexican officials to become outwardly concerned. Mexican tourism industry officials know that the adverse publicity could be disastrous. An estimated 25 million visitors flock to Baja annually, most from Southern California. Meetings are being held to discuss what has become an embarrassment. Some say that millions of dollars in revenue have already been lost there - perhaps up to a 30% decline in spending over the last year - and that news of these most recent atrocities will further harm the tourism business, a major factor in the economy of the region.

Until recently, Mexican law enforcement officials had downplayed the problem hoping it would go away. Go away it did not as publicized reports of this malady erupted throughout the news and on television and began to effect tourism in a dramatic way. In January, Mexican government officials held emergency meetings concerned that the security problem had drastically affected tourism as word of these atrocities was publicized. An estimated 1.5 million less visitors to the region in 2007 than 2006 has prompted action on their behalf. A public relations firm has been hired and posters and other materials are being distributed urging Americans and others to “Come Back!”

Oscar Escobedo Carignan, Baja California's tourism secretary, pronounced at a January 23rd news conference “The image of the security problem has hit the state very badly...It is a challenge and we are working on it.” Escobar has stated that enhanced security patrols along the highway from Tijuana to Ensenada are in effect and are working to alleviate the problem. “…we feel confident that this will not be an issue anymore.” says Escobar. However, he believes that news reports have exaggerated the situation blowing it out of proportion. (Not if you become a victim of one of these all too frequent crimes!)

“We want to make it safe for visitors…” says one coastal town major. But safe it is not. The facts are that paramilitary style thugs roam the highways of Baja preying upon visiting Southern Californians and other tourists with increasing violence. The United States has issued a "Travel Advisory" warning Americans about the possible dangers of travel to that area.

Sadly, Baja California has become a war zone; Americans are wisely advised to travel there at their own risk until - and if - Mexican officials rectify this egregious situation and regain control of their once safe and friendly coastal vacation mecca.

For those who have never been there it is a rather large city. It is presently the 6th largest city in Mexico with around 1.5 million people. When I was there I believe it was around a million. However even in downtown sections there would be stop signs at intersections and not traffic lights.

The rental company I was using for a car rental forbid you from taking their car into Mexico because of the potential driving hazards. So we took a bus across the border and wow was that a good idea. After seeing first hand the insanity of the driving habits I was happy I wasn't driving. And I had driven in Boston, NYC, Chicago, and lived outside of Philadelphia.

Nonetheless we enjoyed many things about Tijuana. Had some great Mexican food for one thing. We got to hear some cool live music also. However one of things you do in Tijuana is visit the shopping section and "haggle" or negotiate over products you may want to buy. There were a variety of different jewelry, clothing, and leather booths to browse.

At this one "store" I spotted this wonderfully made leather briefcase. Ironically before we left for our trip I was looking at one very similar for about $80. The price on this one said $30. I was sold right away. The proprietor sensed my interest and approached me. Now I have to be honest I love to save a buck but for some reason I was thinking "I"m on vacation and it is early in the day, I don't want to carry this around' and so on'. Just I was completing this thought the merchant says "$25 and it's yours".

I look at him appearing guilty that he lowered the price before we even started talking and I said "no really $30 is a great price, I just don't feel like going through the trouble of getting it back to the hotel and then across the country".

Then he looked at me like "boy your good" and says "okay $20 and I let you have it". (hopefully you have been inserting your own Mexican accent for the full effect)

Then I shoot back "no really you're too kind. It's not the money I just am feeling lazy today. I'm on vacation. Although it really is a nice briefcase". Then I even diplomatically and politely started walking away in the general direction of the exit.

Surprisingly the man blurts out to me "you take for $15".

Now for some inexplicable reason I was getting a little upset. Does this guy just think I'm cheap? What do I have to say to get him off my back? So then I resort to the "white lie". I say to him "look I tell you what, I'll swing back this way before we head back to San Diego. I'll give you the $15 American then. This really is a nice case". As I was finishing I began moving more directly toward the exit.

With his super sales radar he knew I was lying through my teeth. I also believe he thought I had been negotiating with him this whole time. So he tried a diversionary tactic by bringing the price down in a $2 increment instead of the $5 pattern he had previously set. "$13, how's that?" he asks.

Without even stopping I kept walking. As I was getting near the exit I said back at him "your price is fine in fact you had me at $30. I'm telling you it's not the money". I built up to a nice crescendo to drive home the point. I was now leaving the store.

Suddenly I hear his determined voice yell out to me "$10 and that's final sale!"

As if I had no control of my body I was back in the store handing him $10 and saying "okay it's a deal". He was a happy camper and I was, well I was confused as to what just happened. On one hand I just saved myself $70 from the case I was going to get near home. Then on the other hand I was mumbling to myself "now I got to carry this thing and bring it on the plane" and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

I still have that briefcase and let me tell you it really is a nice case.

When the plant is ripe its core, or pina is dug up and hauled to the distillery. Here they are cut in half and roasted. roasting turns the pinas starches into sugar. From here the plants are shredded and pressed to extract the juices. The juices are then transferred to vats and yeast is added to start fermentation.

The juices are fermented for up to two days and are then distilled twice. The first distillation produces a lower grade alcohol commonly used to make mezcal. The second fermentation produces a better grade alcohol that is blended before being bottled. For the record, tequila and mezcal are not the same thing. Mezcal is made from that first distillation and tequila is made by distilling mezcal into a better grade alcohol.

From here tequila is aged until it fits one of five categories: blanco, oro, reposado, anejo and maduro. Blanco is unaged, clear tequila. Oro is tequila blanco with caramel coloring to simulate the look and flavor of aged tequila. Reposado is aged in oak barrels for 2-12 months. Anejo is aged in oak for 1-3 years. Maduro, or extra aged, is a new category of tequila aged more than 3 years in oak. Aging tequila mellows out its flavor and adds a nice oakiness.

Not all tequila is made to be downed as shots any more than a fine scotch would be. According to some sources, for example, only tourists use the lime and salt method of drinking tequila. As is the case with other quality spirits, tequila has a couple different dedicated drinking glasses. One is a tall, slender shot glass called a cabalito. The other is the small, snifter shaped riedel.

Even though the cabalito is the traditional way to drink tequila, there are no hard and fast rules. However, any liquor is best appreciated on its own merits, especially when its a quality spirit. Try tequila neat, at room temperature without the lime and salt. Take the time to enjoy the aroma and the complexity of flavor. As hard as this may be to believe, quality tequila can be on par with the finest brandies or scotches. And as such, it should be enjoyed and savoured in the same way.

I had never been down south before so it wasn't as hard as it now sounds.

I was heading to Cozumel, Mexico with very little expectation for anything other than a little warm water diving and way too many cold beer, chased with even more tequila.

Although I was correct about the beer and tequila, I found something I did not expect and there seemed to be no way to turn back once I was on the course. This unexpected finding has followed me to this very day and I am certain that it will follow me for the rest of my days.

Over the next several years I took lots of trip to the Caribbean, not only to Cozumel, also to many other destinations as well, until I finally landed in the place that I now consider to be the most life changing and enchanting location on the planet.

THE DISCOVERY

San Pedro Ambergris Caye, Belize is the place my soul fells completely at peace and my mind seems to wander to several times a day all year long. This stunningly beautiful and personally haunting paradise seems to engulf the emotions and capture the mind with a simple carefree attitude. This is most obvious when you realize that everywhere on the island you go nobody, except the newly arrived tourists, are wearing shoes. I know that when you read this it seems like such a small thing, however, I can assure you the first time you have a surf & turf meal at a nice restaurant and the waitress is bare foot on the sand floor, this becomes an awakening of the spirit that I could never fully explain.

GETTING TO PARADISE

Being a SCUBA diver and traveling the tropical climates of the world for that purpose it was inevitable that I would eventually come to find San Pedro, as it's located directly on the second largest barrier reef in the entire world and was also made famous by the world renowned underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau during his exploration of the Great Blue Hole of Belize. This is one of the worlds best dive locations and has a great attraction to all who love the underwater universe. Also Madonna sang about San Pedro and Ambergris Caye in the song "La Isla Bonita” and so it would seem that destiny alone would bring me to her.

Originally it was planned for me to travel there with the same to friends that had accompanied me to Cozumel and all of the other destinations that I had been for the years since that first awakening, however, one of them was forced to cancel at the last minute due to unforeseen business problems and it was down to just Kevin and I for the trip.

I was disappointed at losing one of the group since we always had a great time together, but I was also very exited for this vacation.

And so it was that Kevin and I boarded the plane in Toronto and stopped in Houston TX as the there are no direct flights to Belize from Toronto or most other North American cities for that matter, and there we transferred to the flight that would land at Phillip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) on the mainland. It would require another flight from there to get us to San Pedro and we chose Tropic Air as the means to get us there.

The flight was on a 10 seat Cessna Caravan and the pilot was very competent and professional for the 15 min commute.

OTHER OPTIONS

Although the travel method we selected was the fastest and most direct means of getting to the island it was not the most inexpensive or, for that matter, the most scenic.

If you are looking to get to Belize you will need to fly in from one of a small group of Cities in the U.S. or you can choose an option that will not only save you money, but will also provide an exiting addition to the trip for those who seek a little extra adventure.

For this you would fly into Cancun MX where you will then board a coach bus that will travel to Chetumal where you can fly or take a boat to the Island. Click here for details.

Either way the best stuff will hit you once you arrive in San Pedro.

ACCOMMODATIONS

We chose the SPINDRIFT hotel as our base of operations for the week. It was centrally located and also right on the beach and that was very appealing to us. The great thing about being located at a hotel with a pier is that all the tour operators on the Island will pick you up at the pier out front of the hotel for every excursion you plan.

Other locations on the island can be viewed here in order of price category. This will be useful as there are dozens of places to choose from and you can go as inexpensive are as high end as you would like. We chose the Spindrift for a combination of location and price. We love to stay in a hotel as opposed to a resort and this was the best we could find for the price we could afford.

I am happy to report that the staff was excellent and the accommodations were perfect for us.

GETTING AROUND

The most striking thing about transportation on Ambergris Caye is that most people walk if they are in town. If you need some sort of vehicle the most popular on Ambergris Caye is the electric golf cart. Traveler can rent these by the day, week or even the month at several locations and you can, if you like, make arrangements ahead of time for you needs. Although I would caution that time really does have a different meaning when you get here so you may want to just play it by ear and get the rental when you get there if you still want to drive around. You can check out prices here.

THINGS TO DO

If you are interested in doing more than sunning on the beach there are more options then I can count for day trips and tours ranging from local diving or crocodile watching to off island excursions to the mainland or other dive locations. There are dozens of tour operators and some times you can find better deals when you look around on the island but I would always caution that the reputable operators are the safest bet, as with anywhere else in the world.

A list of things to do will help you to find your best interests; some of my recommendations are as follows:

• SCUBA diving is the #1 thing for me to do
• Fishing is world class
• Cave tubing on the mainland is fun for the whole family or group

There are so many more options but I always find that I am far more interested in strolling down the sand streets or along the beach for an afternoon then rushing around from one event to another.

RESTAURANTS

The cuisine on this island would be considered fine dinning in any location in Canada or the United States, and would be out of the per meal price range of the greater majority of people if they were trying to find a location to get it in their home towns. The unfortunate part for those who could afford such meals is that, I believe, there is not one place in these countries where you could even find such cuisine.

The prices are very good and the portions will fill even the heartiest appetite, additionally the service and atmosphere of every restaurant in San Pedro and the rest of Ambergris Caye would shame the very best of the worlds dinning establishments.

The atmosphere is always fun and inviting, smiles are all that you will see on the face of any server you encounter and this attitude will most definitely rub off on anyone who enters, having the effect of creating a desire to sit all night and have drink with everyone who comes in.

The service along with being friendly and warm is traditional Caribbean service. This means that meals will be served to the table on island time but you won't be aware of how long it has been because you will be having so much fun just taking it all in. As well as the best cuisine and atmosphere you will also be able to find any dish you heart desires with the only exception being, chain restaurants and fast food.

TIME TO LEAVE PARADISE

When the sad event of leaving comes around it will feel all too soon and you will be left with a strong desire to return in the (unrealistically near) future. My next visit was an eternal 7 months later and this time was with a much larger group of travelers and I can assure it will not be my last.

It is required for you to contact the island airport the day before you leave to confirm your flight back to the mainland, no doubt because so many people have changed their mind about leaving by this time, but most resorts and some hotels can make this call for you the day before.

It is with a great deal of joy that I write this review of my experience in San Pedro town Ambergris Caye, Belize because I believe that this destination needs to be given the credit it is due for the outstanding work it does to not only treat every person who is there with the utmost care and respect, but to also keep the natural beauty of the island in place for future generations to experience.

The archaeological ruins at Monte Alban and Mitla (together with the smaller sites in the Central Valley) are reason enough to visit Oaxaca. The sights are breathtakingly, spectacular. The ruins have been designated by the United Nations as one of the most significant cultural zones on the planet. People venture to the ruins to gaze in wonder, climb and explore. For many, it can be a powerful experience.

Feeling the influence of Western influence, due to the close proximity of the USA, many Oaxacans are keen to preserve their culture and have thus developed museums over the years. With constant archaeological research they have become real traditional, community museums, with staff genuinely keen to preserve their culture and display to the world the splendors of Oaxaca. Here, one can only marvel at the meticulous patience that goes into the hand-made production of typical, intricately embroidered Mexican garments that are sold on for pittance and the careful, painstakingly whittled ornaments, carved to perfection. One can also only be gob smacked by the laborious work of a young potter who travels high up a mountain to collect special materials required for the hand-made mixture - it's no wonder that Oaxaca is revered for having some of the finest hand crafts in the world!

Despite boasting an affluent culture and colourful existence, sadly Oaxaca has been weakened by recent political strife and animosity reducing its number of usual annual visitors and making its economy frail. Although the situation has calmed greatly over the past year, the city is marred by the presence of federal police and graffiti scrawled angrily across walls. The residents of Oaxaca however, have become accustomed to this and continue with everyday life as normal. Like the citizens, one should not be put of visiting for it is generally safe and the experience far surpasses the present reminders of recent turmoil. With so much to offer, one will not be disappointed.

Each day at your dinner time, we would go back to our cabins and get all dressed up and go for dinner in the dining hall to the rear of the ship. There were waiters there for your every need throughout the whole meal, and they were very upbeat people, ours were at least. The food was very good, it was prepared by a top chef, and you ordered off of a set menu. After dinner you could go and get pictures taken in your formal wear around mid ship.

Every morning you get up when you want to and go upstairs to the top deck and choose what you want for breakfast and eat it outside in the morning sun next to the pool, or on the upper decks. Caught some rays in the afternoon and went to a show, or down to the casino in the evenings. The smaller kids were ecstatic that you could get ice cream whenever you wanted, 24 hours a day, and I must say that I enjoyed it myself.

Once we arrived in Acapulco, we went Jet Boating that afternoon. I wouldn’t really recommend the jet boating if you are squeamish, it was done in really dirty water and because of all the sulpher in the water it reeked, but if you are up to getting a little dirty and soaking wet and don’t mind the smell, this is definitely something you should try. I thought it was rather fun, but the rest of my family didn’t think of it in the same way as I did.

That evening we went out to watch the Cliff Divers and have a few drinks. This was quite a good outing I would definitely recommend this one to everyone. The restaurant is built right into the side of a cliff and the divers are doing their dives right in front of you into the dangerous waters below. Have a beer or a margarita and sit back and enjoy the show.

After this the ship set out again, this time back towards San Diego stopping along the way in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa where we went on a city tour, and did a little shopping. This was a nice stop, Zihuatanejo is a small fishing village. The port isn’t even big enough for the ship to dock, you go into shore in the little rescue boats. I enjoyed the little shops and markets, it was a nice relaxing stop.

Then we were off again to Manzanillo, where we got off the ship and went to an all inclusive resort on the beach. We spent 4 and a half hours relaxing on the beach and in the pools of the resort having drinks whenever we wanted. The food at the resort was pretty limited in choice, and it wasn’t very good, but the scenery and buildings were very nice.

Having your own secluded little world on the ship to go back to every night was a very nice feature to have. Especially if the food wasn’t very good on shore, you always knew that when you got back in the evening you could go get pizza or Chinese, Italian or Burgers, and so on.

All together these shore excursions ended up costing about $258 per person, some weren’t really worth it, but most were. The air fare from Vancouver, BC, Canada to San Diego, CA, United States, plus the cost of the cruise came out to about $1656 per person. Not bad considering it includes the air fare.

From Manzanillo we cruised back to San Diego, California, and began our departure, everything went very smoothly throughout the entire trip. It was very hot out but the breeze made that unnoticeable while on board the ship so be careful and put on sunscreen, I ended up with a pretty bad burn from laying on the deck too long one day, but other than that the service was rather good, and overall it was a very enjoyable voyage for the 8 of us that went. Happy travels.