December 2007
Many people see timeshares in a negative light. However, sale-by-owner timeshares - also called timeshare resales - are different than resort offered timeshares. For one thing, resales are often thousands less than resort-offered property.... (more) article donated by Sell My Timeshare Now
August 2007
Mexico Maps is pleased to announce a breakthrough product for Mexico travel, the Mexico GPS Atlas. This product is the most complete and functional (please note that we are not saying "perfect") GPS map for Mexico (Garmin compatible). This GPS Atlas includes street level mapping for 44 cities in Mexico (including San Miguel de Allende and Puerto Vallarta).... (more) by Mark Walker
April 2007
Tips on How to Shop for Mexican Auto Insurance: If you are planning a road trip to Mexico, acquiring quality Mexican auto insurance should be one of your top priorities. It is not much fun to think about having a car accident in Mexico, but it will be even less fun if you end up getting in an accident and you don’t have quality Mexican auto insurance to back you up.... (more) by Jeff Nordahl, President, Adventure Mexican Insurance Services
January 2007
I am not ready to retire financially but am looking at relocating to Mexico. I am a dialysis nurse administrator and would like to work in a similar field there. I would be quite happy to do some humanitarian work and do not expect to get rich but to create some meamingful existance there...... (
more) Reply by
Bill Masterson
•Searching for Sustainable Communities
My friend Katie and I (two women in our late 20's) are planning a 2 month trip "through" Mexico, leaving in Feb. We are thinking about driving from the US-Mexico border at Nuevo Loredo and down the Gulf Coast to the Yucatan. We are planning on making a documentary along the way of sustainable communities (i.e. communities that are ecologically, culturally and perhaps even economically sustaining themselves)....(more)
November 2006
The problem with writing in the "now" is that it so quickly becomes "then". The situation in Oaxaca has become much more uncomfortable in recent days. Most of our "snowbird" friends have canceled their visits for this year. Sad as it is for me to say so, at this time (November 29) I can no longer urge anyone to come here.
Stan Gotlieb
I'm planning a trip to the mainland, and I plan on crossing from Nogales. I've heard different stories about being able to tow a car behind the RV. I hear only one vehicle per person is allowed. I've read where the suggestion is to put one of the vehicles in the spouse's name. Only one problem. No spouse..... (
more) reply by Carl Franz
Updated information on the lastest Guia Roji Road Atlas, thanks to Mark Walker at
Mexico Maps
I am a licensed Real Estate Agent here and am wondering if I would be able to continue with real estate sales in PV. Would I have to become re qualified to practice in some way? I realize the unemployment rates are high there. Is it practical for me to pursue employment?.... (more) Reply by Bill Masterson
If you’ll be a first-time visitor to Oacaca and expect to see the city/area made famous by travel brochures and travel guides - you do not want to visit now.....avoid Oaxaca like the plague for the next few months until the violence/disruptions subside... (
more) by
Bill Masterson
Stan Gottlieb's article about the violence in Oaxaca "Well, at least no tourists have been attacked" was a bit off center. He could have better described things as being, "A bit uncomfortable for tourism, but because no tourists have been attacked it serves to show that once the dispute has been resolved, things should quickly return to normal in the city of Oaxaca".... (
more) by
David "El Codo" Eidell
Today (November 3, 06), there are few tourists in the city of Oaxaca. They have been scared away by the massive propaganda put out by the main-stream press: anxiety, disaster, and fear sell newspapers and encourage viewers to buy mouthwash.
The actual story is somewhat different. Yes, there are federal troops, pro-government hit squads, and confrontations at various points around the city. Yes, the buses have stopped running, temporarily. Yes, people are getting killed, injured, arrested, disappeared and tortured. But no tourists have been involved... (more) by Stan Gotlieb, editor Oaxaca Essays & Online Newsletter
I hope this e-mail finds you well! I have been reading the People's Guide books and web site for several years now and love it!....I always see the old "can I live in 'so and so' for X amount of money" questions. It always makes me laugh because I couldn't even answer a question like that about my little English village I've lived in for the last 3 years. People all over the world generally live on what they have?....
In the States 'standard of living' is a big deal and the standard of living is quite high for average Americans. In most other countries that I've lived in (especially the siesta culture), it is more about quality of life....How tolerant are the people to busking (street musicians)?... (more) emails from Bill J and responses from Carl Franz
October 2006
The regulations on the sale of real property to foreigners are found in the Mexican Foreign Investment Law. An American (or any foreign national) can acquire land almost anywhere in Mexico with the permission of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The only exception in the Foreign Investment Law is that foreigners may not acquire directly real property in the "restricted zone".
The restricted zone is the strip of land 100 km from the border and 50 km from the beach. If a foreigner wishes to acquire land in the restricted zone, he or she may enter into a trust agreement with a Mexican bank.... (more) by Jonathan A. Pikoff, Esq.
I awoke a few mornings ago to the sound of pounding surf in my ears and a pungent seashore odor in my nostrils. I relaxed, this was home and it was August and dawn was muted by billows of summer rain clouds. It seemed as though everything happens in moderation in the tropics -- the temperature was neither too hot nor too cold; unlike in more northerly latitudes the sun doesn't rise too early nor set too late during the summer; and pointless enthusiasm is tempered by balmy temperatures. “Moderation”, I repeated silently to myself as I drifted off again-- “That's the key to life around here, mod…”.... (more) by David "El Codo" Eidell
I-10 at 90 miles per hour
It's 14 hours and roughly 500 miles from Tucson to Creel. If you do the math, that's about 35 MPH. Even driving at 90 miles per hour isn't going to improve your time because once you leave the I-10 interstate at the Benson turnoff, you're only 45 miles from Tucson. And now you're forced to slow down enough to enjoy the drive.... (more) By Mike & Cathy Waterman
We drive a diesel pickup truck with a camper on it. We've converted the truck to run on used vegetable oil, which I collect from restaurants when they throw it away. Obviously on the FAQ page of the Aduana Mexicana website there is no written regulation regarding crossing into Mexico with jugs of veggie oil hanging off the back of the truck, but since that is what I'd like to do, I'd like to try avoiding any hassle at the border by getting a written opinion in advance.... (more) Q&A between Steve Crofter and Carl Franz
When you are told the Mexican Notario Publico will charge $3,000 dollars to make you the beneficiary of a trust on a Mexican beachfront condo, you certainly know things are different in Mexico. This article will clarify the misconception that commonly occurs when individuals familiar with the Texas Office of Notary Public encounter a Mexican Notario Publico.
Despite sharing a common linguistic derivation, these two titles convey vastly different responsibilities upon their respective officeholders.... (more) by Jonathan A. Pikoff, Esq. and Charles J. Crimmins
The bus from Vallarta dropped me on the highway and I walked into a town out of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Pines with long shiny droopy needles that hung in circles around upright candles were the most common tree. Mostly one story buildings with tile roofs, all banded in two colors, open doors, dark rooms, a pool hall-dark with three tables, men standing around.... (
more) by
Joan Parker
July 2006
I wanted to give you an update about the latest mapping products for Mexico, especially state maps. It's Guia Roji out, Ediciones Independencia in! I highly recommend the new Ediciones Independencia series of state maps for Mexico. These maps are easy to read and each state map contains numerous city maps in a larger sheet size.....Commercial GPS maps for Mexico come to us from two publishers, BiciMapas and Garmin....(more) by Mark Walker
December 2002
After a summer of waking early every morning to catch the employee bus to my job at Xcaret on the Yucatan Peninsula, I should have had no trouble waking early this morning. After all, today was the day I was supposed to catch an eleven-thirty flight back to the United States. But as it turned out, I had slept late and might have slept straight through the day had not a gust of wind slammed back the shutters over my window and rattled me awake. I rose with a start, suddenly aware of the bind I was in. I packed hurriedly, threw my bag over my shoulder, and rushed out to the coastal highway. Once there, all I could do was wait.... (
more) by
Cameron Ellis
We have three dogs (one, Sucia, who we found in Vallarta as a small puppy almost 2 years ago and brought home with us!) and three cats who need to be transported. I have grave fears about their safety. Any recommendations that you have regarding airlines.... (
more) from
Nadin
Mishaps can, and do, happen. However, if you take the necessary precautions it should be ok, if car travel is not an option.... (
more) by
Pat Lawrie
I would be more concerned about getting the dogs out of Mexico by air. Since 9/11, I heard you need a broker to negotiate the dog across the border and it costs a lot.... (
more) by
Joan & Tony Sikes
We don't fit into many of the categories of couples trying to migrate to Mexico -- first of all we hope to find a very quiet place where not a lot is happening in terms of tourists or development...We are trying to find a quiet spot to do some healing, rather than a party lifestyle or high scale retirement. And we are trying to do it on about $1000-$1200 Canadian a year. Are we crazy, or barking up the wrong tree?.... (
more) Answer by
Carl Franz
I'm a Sr. Computer Guy... I have enough cash to relocate there and probably live for a year or so on my savings... however, I'd like to go into some type of work. What type of work I can get in Puerto Vallarta.... (
more) Answer by
Robert Foster
May 03
Whenever I do a search on San Blas Mexico the number one article is the people's guide article about hurricane Kenna. I was in the states when Kenna hit and after listening to the news accounts I wondered if San Blas even existed anymore. The answer is yes, it does.... San Blas is a small town and is somewhat dependent on the tourist dollars. I would like to point out that all the hotels and restaurants are open, they had the ramadas back up at the beach within weeks, there was no outbreak of desease and all is well here.... (
more) by Pat Cordes
