By Doug Hansen June 20, 2022 As America began to emerge from many months of pandemic restrictions, interest in travel, cruising in particular, soared. But many travelers continued to worry about the potential health risks in the post-COVID-19 period. My wife, Sharen, and I, wanting to see for ourselves what conditions were like in this…
Category: Mexico and Central America
Seeing eye to eye with Gray Whales in Baja, Mexico
It’s a chilly morning and the orange face of the sun has just poked above the horizon, casting sparkling diamonds of light across the gently undulating waters of Magdalena Bay in Baja California Sur, Mexico. As my wife, Shirin, and I stroll down the narrow, sandy beach, our tranquil scene is transformed by a large…
Visiting Millions of Monarchs in the Mountains of Mexico
In late February, 2020, my wife and I journeyed to Mexico to witness one of the greatest mysteries of the animal kingdom–200 million monarch butterflies overwintering in the high-altitude forests of central Mexico. Many of the butterflies’ gossamer orange and black wings had carried them nearly 3000 miles to the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico. Miraculously,…
Discovering Guatemala’s Ancient World of the Maya
“I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” –Walt Whitman Sitting atop the largest pyramid in the world in northern Guatemala’s ancient Maya…
Tourists find San Felipe friendly, inexpensive
Town exudes subtle charm along blue waters of Sea of Cortez Our introduction to San Felipe began as we sat in the shade of a palapa, admiring the turquoise waters of the nearby Sea of Cortez, when suddenly our guide pointed to a mysterious speck high in the sky. It steadily approached until we could…
Eco Adventure at its best in Costa Rica
“Pura vida,” we all shouted in unison as we lifted our paddles victoriously into the air after smashing through another rapid on Costa Rica’s renowned Pacuare River. The shout meant “pure life” and that’s exactly what a weeklong visit to Costa Rica provided in abundance. Over the years I had heard such consistently rave reviews…
Baja Horseback Riding Adventure
If you want a memorable experience that provides adventure, nature, horseback trail riding miles from the nearest neighbor, and unparalleled peace and quiet, then read on about this highly recommended trip. My old friend Jim Berrian made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: He invited me to spend the day at his friend’s secluded…