| The Mexican Spa
Story and photos by John Lamkin “SPA TREATMENTS” read the hand-lettered sign, which seemed perfectly normal…until I remembered I was in a prison, in Mexico! 
Prisoner in Courtyard with Pet Coatamundi
Outside, a tarp strung between the large trees was flapping in the breeze. Beneath were chairs for chair massage and pedicures. Inside the wooden shack I found one massage table and three therapists – one man, one woman and one of unidentifiable sex. This primitive spa “palace” was in the middle of the courtyard of a prison located in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico, just a half an hour north of the Belize border. Read the full story.
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Cerocahui, Mexico: Tarahumara Indians, Jesuits and Wine
Story and photos by John Lamkin
Cerocahui Valley
Bumping along 45 minutes of dirt road from the train station, through
the wooded landscape, the forest opens to reveal the alpine-like valley
of Cerocahui (sero-kah-wee), a mile-high paradise. Below, I catch a
glimpse of the hidden valley with its silver river winding through its
vineyards and apple orchards — I could have been somewhere in Southern
Europe, but I am actually near the edge of the Barrancas de Cobre (Copper Canyon), Mexico's Grand Canyon. Little did I expect to find ancient vineyards here on top of the world.
Read the full story
*** Rancho Encantado: Hidden gem of the Yucatán
by John Lamkin
Nestled on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, far from Cancún, travelers can find relaxation and adventure at Rancho Encantado where warm, healing waters lap at the shore in an ever-shifting array of iridescent blues and greens.
They call it, "The Lagoon of Seven Colors," but I know there are more. From my hammock, I was tempted to open my eyes and drink in the light patterns playing on the water; but I resisted. The sun and soothing breeze made it difficult to expend too much effort. (Read the full article)
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Juan Luis and family
Day Of The Dead With The Zapotec Indian Weavers Of Teotitlán: The 21St Century Meets Ancient Mesoamerica
Article and Photos by John Lamkin
Nearly 40 years ago, I bumped along the pot-holed highway south out of Oaxaca City, Mexico to get to the Zapotec Indian weaving village of Teotitlán del Valle, an enclave of dirt streets and meager houses--with earth floors, outdoor kitchens and outhouses. The only school had but three grades, and there was very little electricity.
Less than half a century later, Teotitlán del Valle is a modern, successful village that keeps its fascinating Zapotec heritage alive through its ancient traditions and celebrations. The art of weaving, for instance, has been practiced for centuries in Teotitlán del Valle, dating back to the pre-Hispanic era, a time in which the village paid tribute to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan through offerings of woven cotton products at the end of the XV century. (read full article)
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The Lost Maya City
words + photos by John Lamkin
Narrow jungle road to Lost Maya City ©John Lamkin
Cora Amalia, the president of the municipality, affirmed the stories
I’d heard for a while. There was a “lost” Maya city in the nearby jungle
that rivals Tikal in Guatemala and has a pyramid larger than the one at
Palenque in the state of Campeche.
“When can I go there?” I asked the government tourism officials. “Only when you get permission from INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia),” was the answer, “And you can’t go now because the jungle roads are too muddy. You must wait for the dry season.”
Well, the dry season came. We applied for and got the INAH permit and set off on the adventure – seven of us in Luis’ Suburban.
Our crew consisted of Luis Tellez, professional guide and
photographer and his wife Leti, myself and my significant other, Susy,
two expats that lived locally and had done some research on the city,
and don Millon a 90-year-old farmer who had worked in the area as a chiclero, one of the men that harvested the chicle for making chewing gum, and who had visited the ruins in his youth. Read more at Your Life is a Trip.
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La Petite Crêpe, A Mexican Culinary ExperienceStory and photos by John Lamkin
We
were having a culinary adventure (and mis-adventure) coming up from the
Belize border, heading toward Cancun. On the way down from Cancun we
had a quest – find the Peninsula's best flan. We did, at Rancho
Encantado in Bacalar.
La Petite Crêpe Highway Roadside Stand
About half an hour north of Belize we saw it. The sign read “La
Petite Crêpe, comida francés.” Comida francés -- French food! Where were
we? Surely not in Mexico, on the highway, approaching a roadside stand. Read the full story.
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John's Blog
More here soon.
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Tulum & Sian Ka’an Real Estate: From Backpacking to Luxe
By John Lamkin
As the whole Caribbean coast of Mexico goes steadily more upscale
in its real estate offerings, the ex-backpacker enclave of Tulum and
regions to the south are heating up in anticipation of a new
international airport.
Tulum Beach - Mexican Caribbean - photo © John Lamkin
A few years ago the image one had of Tulum, Mexico was a unique Maya archaeological site, backpackers, pseudo-Maya huts and bare-breasted Italian women on sparkling white powder sand Caribbean beaches.
Now that image has changed considerably to include luxury homes and
luxury resorts. Plus ecology has crept into the picture – Read more at Luxury Latin America.
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Manatee Hormoneswords + photos by John Lamkin Dani has a face that only a mother could love, but he doesn’t have a mother – he’s an orphan. Dani is a manatee, sometimes referred to as a sea cow. I guess if he had a mother she would think he was beautiful. The horny seafarers of earlier times thought manatees were beautiful. When seen in the ocean from a distance, they were mistaken for mermaids or sirens. 
Dani was found by a couple of boys, four days old with an injured flipper – caught in the mangrove roots. He was left an orphan, unable to leave this annual birthing lagoon with the other manatees. The lagoon lies just off the Caribbean Bay of Chetumal in the south of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The villagers took him to Chetumal to have his wounds attended. Once treated, the state wildlife department decided to return Dani to the lagoon and put him in the care of the village until he recuperated. Well enough to swim, he was released to return to his manatee family, but he didn’t want to go. Read the full story.
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Cuenca, Ecuador – The Next South American Real Estate Boomtown? Story and photos by John Lamkin
 Perfect spring-like weather year round, reasonable cost of living, great quality of life and a place where luxury real estate values are many—that pretty much describes Cuenca, Ecuador. And no mosquitoes! Situated in Ecuador’s southern Andes at an elevation of 8200 feet, Cuenca, Ecuador’s third largest city, is considered the country’s cultural heartland. In 1999 the city was as awarded the distinction of being a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site. Everywhere you look there are flowers, blooming trees, grass and rushing waters (four rivers flow through the city). The city is cleaner and safer than most large cities in developing countries and there are claims it has purer water than most U.S. and European cities. Read the full story
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Taos Magazine November/December 2009
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Investing in Tranquility: Paradise found in Bacalar
Story and photos by John Lamkin
Few outside of Mexico have heard of Lake Bacalar, even though it lies
between the Riviera Maya below Cancun and the hot growth area of
Ambergris Caye in Belize. It’s not hard to see the future potential
though, as those who follow the government’s tourism development lead
are usually in for a wild upward ride.
Read the full story
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Luxury Oceanfront Living for Less: Cruising for condos in Cancun and the Riviera Maya
By John Lamkin
© John Lamkin
Half a century ago, Cancun and the Riviera Maya, on the Caribbean coast
of the Yucatan peninsula, were only blank spaces on the map. Today it's
no undiscovered backwater, but the area still offers some of world's
best values in accessible luxury real estate. Read the full story***
The Hippie Hat
Story and photos by John Lamkin
We were looking for sombreros–hats. Viewing the giant hat
sculpture in the village plaza, there was no doubt we had arrived at the
hat-making town of Becal, Campeche, Mexico.
 Hat Monument and Church, Becal, Campeche, Mexico
We saw several tricycle rickshaws in the town center waiting for
passengers. Judie, who has ridden camels in the Sahara, funeral boats in
Mog Mog, said, “I want to ride one!” So she hired one of the taxistas to take her to the cave of the best hat maker and we followed in the car.
Hats have been made in Becal for generations in the humid
environments of backyard limestone caves. The humidity keeps the fibers
pliable for easier weaving. It is said that there are more than 2,600 of
these caves in the area.
The women of the families weave hats in the caves, while the men gather the materials and sell the sombreros.
They make everything from colorful, floppy beach hats to expensive fine
“Panama” hats. Don’t mention “Panama” to them, however. “Panama” hats
are not from Panama. Originally men building the Panama Canal bought
hats from Ecuador and called them “Panama.” This is somewhat akin to
buying a Christian Dior or Chanel chapeau in Chicago and calling it a
“Chicago hat.” Read the full story.
Skype Package "The whole world can talk for free" High Tech Travel
by John Lamkin
Here are three easy-to-use "tech" items that will help you travel lighter--dump your laptop!
Wherever we go in the world we find Internet--cafes, hotels, kiosks, friend's houses.
Here's what you want to take care of all your needs on the road.... (Read the full article) *** | |