10 women on what you need to know when moving to Mexico

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March 4, 2024

brooke-cagle-ICFPv3xJY90-unsplash — Ten women from across the world share their experiences and wisdom about Mexico. (Unsplash)

Moving to Mexico is incredibly exciting but comes with its own set of challenges. For many of us who have made the move – either full-time or part-time, short-term or long-term – there are likely a plethora of things we wish we had known before the journey, as well as tips and advice we can now offer other women who are considering a life in Mexico.

Mexico News Daily spoke to ten women who have traded life in their home country for the excitement, beauty and culture of a life in Mexico. From twentysomethings to retirees and sea-seekers to city dwellers, here’s what they had to say.

Look past your preconceived notions of Mexico to discover the incredible country within. (Kinga Howard/Unsplash)

Escape the Expat Community

“Try not to get stuck in the expat bubble. It’s easy to make only English-speaking friends and stick to areas like Condesa and Roma in Mexico City or Americana in Guadalajara, but is that really why you left your home country?

Practice your Spanish, visit local markets and nightlife spots and make local friends. I promise you, it will open your eyes and show you an entirely new perspective on life in this beautiful country!”

-Elizabeth, 27, [Australian based in] Guadalajara

Patience is a Virtue

The founder of the popular Facebook group Mexico Wild Women Expat Community said, “I am not by nature a patient person. Mexico has taught me the value of being patient and flexible. Being like bamboo is the key to success here. Mexicans have a different sense of time; accept that, and you will be much happier.”

-Wendy, 64, [American based in] Lake Chapala

It’s Safer Than You Think

“I relocated to Mexico in August 2022 without any prior visits or acquaintances in the country, leaving me largely in the dark, aside from clichéd notions of tequila and tacos gleaned from American media. Naturally, my perceptions were colored by skewed portrayals often found in TV and news reports. However, upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to find an incredibly warm and welcoming nation.

Hailing from South Africa, where safety is a paramount concern, I am particularly mindful of my surroundings and security. Despite this, I’ve never felt threatened or uneasy in my immediate neighborhood of Condesa. I frequently take solo walks and feel at ease, knowing that the kind-heartedness of Mexicans is always near.”

-Sarah, 33, [South African based in] Mexico City

Mexico can be a great opportunity to find yourself and experience something new. (Unsplash)

Forget Your Expectations

“Arrive with an open heart and mind. Try to lose your expectations about what it could and would be and experience it for what it is. Live in the present and learn to slow down. Try your best.

First, learn the language and then you start to understand the culture, and it won’t be so foreign and scary. I’ve been here for 10 years, and Mexico has taught me so much.”

-Michelle, 34, [American based in] San Cristóbal de las Casas

Embrace the Challenges

“Living in Mexico is not the same as being on vacation here, and it’s not like living north of the border; comparing life here to life in your country doesn’t help. Learn to love all that Mexico has to offer. I first moved here 27 years ago, and I’m still challenged each day. It keeps me on my toes and feeling young. Mexico is not for everyone, but I would not want to live anywhere else.”

-Maria, 77, [American based in] Zihuatanejo

Learn the Language

“Learn Spanish because it will change your experience in a phenomenal way. I spent a couple of years in an expat community, from 1996-1998, and hung out with only Americans and Canadians. Learned poquito español. Now I live in a non-tourist city and, after eight years, my Spanish is pretty good. I’m 76, so anybody younger can learn a lot faster. Besides, the depth of the friendships you can make with Mexicans… helps in navigating all the stuff in life that comes up.

Looking back, it would’ve been better if I had taken learning Spanish far more seriously early on.”

-Barbra, 76, [American based in] Aguascalientes

Explore Before You Commit

“Don’t make plans, sign a lease or settle down in a place based on what you’ve read or seen on travel sites and Instagram. Move around if you can and see how different places feel. Mexico is huge, and the beaches feel so different from the mountain towns, which also feel different from the cities. But it’s also the people who make the places [what they are] … maybe you make a few friends and discover your happy place in a location you never would have expected.”

-Jess, 29, [Canadian based in] Mazunte

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Explore all that Mexico has to offer. (Shutterstock)

Travel Far and Wide

“The beauty and diversity of the country surprised and delighted me. I came here for a job but have been lucky enough to see so many amazing places during my years here, from the surreal Xilitla to the stunning Hierve De Agua (and the crazy drive you take to get there).

I can’t recommend enough exploring beyond the cliched destinations and embracing the country’s cultural wealth, warm people and amazing landscapes.”

-Kate, 37, [Brit based in] Puerto Vallarta

Understand the Cost of Living

“Most North Americans think of Mexico as inexpensive, but the cost of living varies wildly!

The cost of rent, bills and transport in bigger cities and fancy beach towns, like Mexico City or Playa del Carmen, can cost almost as much as living in Canada – especially if you develop a taste for good restaurants and nightlife. Choosing a more local city or rural town – even a gorgeous beach town – can cut your costs by half, and people tend to be friendlier.

If you can accept the slow pace of life, you’ll find absolute paradise.”

-Joana, 43, [Canadian based in] Oaxaca City

Just Do It

“What I love about Mexico is not just one thing, it’s a combination of all of them.

You can take your pick of weather, climate and geography. There are mountain ranges, valleys, deserts, jungles, tropical forests, coastlines, cenotes and more. For food, you can choose from fresh seafood, vegetables, meats, farm products, salsas, tortillas and more. Different regions offer different seasonings, varieties of tacos and food for every palate.

As far as the people, how much time do you have? I can’t say enough about people’s warmth, open arms, genuine ways and kindness shown through manners, sharing food and more.

My advice is DO IT! What are you waiting for?”

-Marel, 59, Nomadic [American based in different places around Mexico]

Laurel is a nomadic lifestyle journalist whose favorite stories focus on weird and wonderful travel and culture. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Vice, BBC Travel, Travel + Leisure, South China Morning Post, The Culture Trip and more. @laureltuohy. www.laureltuohy.com

How you can save Mexico’s wild Lacandon Jungle

By

Ana Paula De la Torre

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March 4, 2024

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cabin — The Canto de la Selva hotel is tucked away in the heart of the Lacandon jungle. (Canto de la Selva)

Can you imagine waking up to the sound of howler monkeys and exotic birds in the middle of the jungle, with all the comforts of home, while helping to preserve the ecosystem? In the most biodiverse part of Mexico, considered one of the 25 biological hotspots on the planet, you can do just that, thanks to a sustainable tourism conservation project called “Canto de la Selva.”

The tropical jungle in question is the Lacandon Rainforest in Chiapas, and we’ve discussed its outstanding natural beauty before. It is home to 600 species of trees, including Spanish cedar, mahogany and rosewood. Located next to the Montes Azules Biosphere, this 1,500-hectare tropical forest is one of the last surviving remnants of the tropical jungle in Mexico, thanks to the conservation efforts of its inhabitants, the Indigenous Lacandon people, who have preserved this amazing place for centuries.

The Lacandon Rainforest is the home to 24% of Mexico’s terrestrial mammal species, 44% of its birds, 13% of its fish, 10% of its reptiles and 40% of its diurnal butterflies. (Canto de la Selva)

A story of conservation

In the 1970s, most of Mexico’s tropical jungles were destroyed and converted into agricultural fields; fortunately, places like the Lacandon Rainforest and the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve survived, though to this day both remain under threat of deforestation. That is why in 2009 a group of residents of the community of Galacia decided to set aside 1,500 hectares to preserve their jungle and focus on ecotourism, with the advice and support of environmental organizations such as Natura and Ecosistemas Mexicanos.

To give you an idea of the pivotal importance of this paradise, the Lacandon Jungle is the most extensive rainforest in the Americas and is included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The Lacandon Rainforest is home to 3,400 species of plants, 625 species of butterflies, 345 species of birds and 84 species of reptiles, many of which are endemic (not found anywhere else in the world) or endangered.

Fortunately for the people living near Canto de la Selva, ecotourism is a great option to diversify their productive activities and improve their income without destroying the natural wealth of the forest. In fact, no trees had to be cut down to build this charming hotel with its 14 cabins and terrace overlooking the Lacantún River. “We took advantage of a disused agricultural area that has now been rehabilitated, and the local vegetation is our garden,” says the community on its website.

As you can see, a visit to Canto de la Selva is a perfect way to preserve one of the world’s most special ecosystems and enjoy activities that will leave you with unforgettable memories.

The jungle is home to 3,400 species of vascular plants and almost 600 species of trees. (Canto de la Selva)

Activities to awaken your senses

“Canto de la Selva” is not only comfort in the middle of the jungle, which is a dream in itself, but also a direct connection with its history. The owners and managers have deep roots in the Lacandon Rainforest, with family ties stretching back for centuries. As you can imagine, this means that they know the secrets of this magical place like few people in the world.

If you want to see the giants of the jungle, you can pass through tree corridors lined with enormous ficus cedars or climb “Las Dos Torres,” a place where you can contemplate the immensity of the jungle from the heights. The guides of this hotel also offer a nocturnal walk to listen to the orchestral sound of the jungle in the dark. It is also possible to kayak the Lacantún River, one of the last clean and biodiverse rivers in the country.

The lodge offers bird watching, monkey watching, mountain biking, hot springs, suspension bridges, zip lines and more. “The jungle enchants, the jungle heals, the jungle educates, the jungle transforms,” says Omar Vidal, a passionate scientist and former director of the World Wildlife Fund-Mexico, who previously wrote about the magic of the Lacandon Rainforest for this publication.

More information is available on the Canto de la Selva website.

Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator of various media such as Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.

The week in photos from Mexico: Huachinango to Tulum

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MND Staff

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March 2, 2024

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A gray whale surfaces near a boat in the waters off Mulegé, Baja California Sur — Feb. 27: After traveling over 10,000 kilometers from frigid Arctic waters to the Mexican Pacific, gray whales breed off the coast of Baja California Sur every year. The area is protected as a marine reserve and is a popular eco-tourist attraction from November to May, with the most sightings around late February. (ADOLFO VLADIMIR /CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Take a visual tour of Mexico — from a religious ceremony in Puebla to the newly opened Maya Train station in Cancún — with this selection of pictures from the week.

Huachinango, Puebla

A woman holds a ceramic vessel with incense — Feb. 24: Dozens of people attended one of the religious ceremonies in honor of the patron saint of Huachinango, Puebla, Lord of the Holy Burial, which is held every year from Feb. 22 to March 3. (ESTRELLA JOSENTO/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Tulum, Quintana Roo

View of the construction of Jaguar Park in Tulum — Feb. 24: The new Jaguar Park in Tulum, which includes recreational and protected areas, is getting closer to completion. The park covers around 2,913 hectares. (SEDATU/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Guadalajara, Jalisco

Patti Smith in Guadalajara — Feb. 27: The “Godmother of Punk,” American singer-songwriter and poet Patti Smith attended a press conference in Guadalajara, where she participated in an immersive sound performance called Correspondences with the Soundwalk Collective. (FERNANDO CARRANZA GARCIA / CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Acapulco, Guerrero

Tennis players in a match at the Mexican Open in Acapulco — Feb. 29: Australian tennis player Alex de Minaur in a match with Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Mexican Open 2024 in Acapulco. (CARLOS ALBERTO CARBAJAL/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Cancún, Quintana Roo

Cancún Maya Train station — Feb. 29: President López Obrador attended the opening of the Cancún to Playa del Carmen stretch of the Maya Train on Thursday, including the Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Cancún stations. (FOTO: ELIZABETH RUIZ/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Mexico City

Why will Mexico benefit from the ‘collapse’ of globalization?

By

Travis Bembenek

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March 2, 2024

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Skyline of Monterrey — Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek continues to explore the geopolitical shifts that put Mexico in a enviable position, based on insights from the book "The end of the world is just beginning" by Peter Zeihan. (Shutterstock)

In my column last week, I shared my thoughts on a book called “The end of the world is just beginning” by Peter Zeihan.

In the book, Zeihan predicts an accelerated collapse of globalization in the years to come. He also predicts that North America — and specifically Mexico — will be big winners in this new world order.

Today I will dig more deeply into the big question: Why will Mexico be a big beneficiary of the “collapse of globalization?”

Geography

The book talks a lot about the benefits of “good geography” and Mexico clearly has the huge benefit of proximity to the U.S. market, a massive shared border with the U.S., and access to oceans both to the east and west.

Demographics

In a world of rapidly aging societies, Mexico stands out as having a relatively young population and relatively high birth rates. The point is not that Mexico won’t at some point have a demographics problem, just that it will happen decades later than most of the rest of the developed and developing world. These “good demographics” ensure that Mexico will be one of the best-positioned countries globally to continue to ensure both growing domestic demand (consumption) from its citizens, as well as a growing workforce to supply companies looking for labor.

Food security

Mexico is a net exporter of food, and the food it does import largely comes from the United States. This puts Mexico in a relatively safe position with respect to food security in a deglobalizing world.

Energy security

Mexico produces a lot of its own energy and is in the process of increasing its refining capacity, with energy independence possible by 2027. Even if this goal isn’t met, the proximity to the United States energy production and refining centers in Texas ensures that Mexico is extremely well-positioned with respect to energy security in a deglobalizing world. Mexico also has significant untapped wind and solar energy potential that has yet to be realized.

Trade agreements

Mexico already has trade agreements with 50 nations globally and a multi-decade comprehensive trade agreement with the United States and Canada (the USMCA, formally NAFTA).

The latest version of this agreement, ratified in 2020, increased the amount of “local content value add” that must occur within the block of countries to 80% in order for goods to flow free of tariffs. This ensures that actual value-added work (not just final assembly of parts made elsewhere) occurs in the region. This is a hugely important clause to drive investment and employment in the USMCA countries.

Labor skills and costs

Many countries are finding that their labor costs have increased to a point in which their workforce is no longer competitive except for doing the very highest skilled work. In many cases, this has pushed the work to a lower cost country, often far away from the home country. In the case of the United States and Mexico, the two nations’ workforces are highly complementary. The high cost/high skill work can remain in the United States while the lower cost/lower skill work can be done in Mexico — ensuring that both parts are completed all within the same region.

Logistics

The COVID-19 pandemic opened the eyes of the world to the risks of long supply chains. Multinationals are now far more aware and concerned about the time, cost, and risks of long or complex supply chains. Mexico is exceptionally well positioned from a logistics perspective. Highways and railways that can quickly and with low cost supply the United States and Canada and shipping ports on both coasts to receive and ship goods around the world. Mexico is actually the solution to many of the supply chain concerns and problems that the world has today.

The above factors along with others mentioned in the book make Zeihan confident enough to predict that, over the next 30 years, Mexico will have the fastest-growing GDP of any nation in the world.

That is such an important point that I think that it is worth taking another minute to look at the list above again.

Ask yourself: Does any other country in the world rank as highly as Mexico does on this list of critical factors? It’s tough to come up with one.

However, Zeihan did highlight several areas in which Mexico must make improvements to fully realize this opportunity such as the rule of law, expanding quality and depth of financial markets and dramatically improving infrastructure.

Zeihan stated that Mexico needs over US $1 trillion in infrastructure (transportation, energy, and water) investment in the near future to fully realize its potential, and that the country is actually already years behind on this important investment. Lack of investment in this area would act as a significant drag on the growth potential.

I ended the discussion by asking Peter what he would say to the many cynics who suggest that Mexico has a tendency to often under-perform versus its potential.

He stated that this opportunity is so big, and the relative strengths of the region so strong, that Mexico will benefit regardless of what has happened in the past. He sees Mexico “winning” in any political or economical scenario that could take place going forward. The next president of Mexico, to be decided in just a few months, has a huge responsibility to deliver on the promise of this opportunity.

It’s inspiring and motivating to read such a positive outlook for North America — albeit a decidedly not very positive one for the world — presented in the book. Mexico truly has a golden opportunity with this rapidly changing and deglobalizing world.

We at Mexico News Daily are committed to giving you a front row seat to see the action!

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.

How to swear in Mexico: Curse words for south of the border

By

Sarah DeVries

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March 2, 2024

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salma-ebdd0d93255b40a6b40b85822bb6ba38 — Be warned: Our guide to Mexican curses could be very useful, but it certainly isn't polite. (YouTube)

The time has come, my friends: it’s time to talk about cursing and swear words in Spanish, and in Mexico particularly.

Several specific regions of Mexico are well known for their – ahem – colorful language. One of those places is my home state, Veracruz, where curse words flow as freely as the beer from our much-loved caguamas (those liter-sized returnable beer bottles), a mere expansion pack of our casual speech.

Mexico City is known for its colorful language, so knowing the right words will help you fit in with the chaos of big city life. (Isaac Esquivel/Cuartoscuro)

Other places, particularly those closer to the center of the country (save Mexico City) tend to be more conservative and proper in their speech, lest they be seen as crass or vulgar. Coastal cultures, particularly ones that became accustomed quickly to receiving “guests,” have by necessity developed a more open and relaxed attitude, pearl-clutching being something that just holds everyone up.

That’s my theory, anyway.

Anyway, let’s get this show on the road! Though before we begin, the necessary heads up: there are very bad words below; don’t read them if you’re easily offended by off-color language. Below each, I’ve given a non-cursing alternative.

Common variations of “chingar.” This is the closest Mexican Spanish equivalent to the word “f*ck” in English. And like its English equivalent, it’s both very rude and very common. Common variants include the insults “chinga tu madre” (“F*ck your mother” – yikes) and “vete a la chingada” (Go f*ck yourself), the exclamation “¡chingada madre!” (Motherf*cker!) and the more tame “chingao”, whose equivalent might be an emphatic “damn it!” in English. “Chin” is closer to “darn it” if you want to use something extra tame but still common.

Honestly, an entire book could be filled talking about just this word…it’s complex and varied, with plenty to unpack culturally. But we’ll let someone else write it.

“Pendejo(a).” This is a common insult for calling someone something between an *sshole and an idiot. Incidentally, “idiota” sounds about as harsh to the Mexican ear as “*sshole” does to ours, so careful with that one! If you want to say something like “dummy,” “tonto” or “zonzo” are safe non-curse options, the latter being closer to “silly.”

“No mames.” This is also an exclamation you’ll likely hear pretty frequently that means, basically, “Come on,” or “No f*cking way,” or “You’ve got to be kidding me.” It literally means “Don’t suck,” and you say it when you’re calling someone out on their bad joke or misbehavior, or when you’re in disbelief (usually disappointed disbelief). One way to take the cursing sting out of it is the more tame “No manches” (literally, “Don’t stain”), which means the same thing. “No puede ser” (“It can’t be”) is a good slang-free option. (Funny side-note: my partner, a native veracruzano, saw this list and said, “What? “No mames” isn’t cursing!” It is.)

We can’t guarantee that former foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard won’t judge you for your language choices. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)

“Pinche.” This word is an adjective meaning “bad,” and I’d put it somewhere between “damn” and “f*cking” in terms of rudeness. It typically precedes another word (“Pinche comida fea” – “f*cking disgusting food”), and is used to emphasize your distaste for something. Alternatives include any other negative adjective or adverb like “terrible” or “terriblemente,” depending on which part of speech you need.

“Desmadre.” De…mother? Don’t ask me how anyone came up with that. Anyway, a desmadre is a big damn mess or maybe even “sh*tshow,” and can be used both for actual physical messes (“Con la construcción el tráfico está hecho un desmadre” – “With the construction going on, traffic’s just a big damn mess”) or for some kind of big blow-up fight. A tamer way to say it: desorden (literally, “disorder.”).

As I’m sure you know, this isn’t anywhere near a complete list. That said, all the words and phrases above are quite common.

I personally curse quite a lot in both languages — I learned Spanish in Veracruz, after all. I’m neither proud nor ashamed of it; it’s simply part of my vocabulary. Here in Veracruz nobody bats an eye, but I once said “desmadre” to a friend in Querétaro and promptly got a speech about how ladies didn’t talk like that.

Just like in all languages, who is doing the cursing matters, as does the context. Hanging out with friends and having a few beers, fine; in a job interview or with someone’s grandma, not so smart.

So go forth, my fellow compatriots, immigrants, and visitors, and understand more of what people are actually saying!

Just be sure to proceed with caution if you plan to partake.

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

Baja California’s secret ingredient for the perfect margarita

By

Chris Sands

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March 2, 2024

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sandra-seitamaa-ov7wVWCma2c-unsplash — Baja California's Margarita is the world's most popular cocktail, but the addition of a single local ingredient can elevate it even further. (Sandra Seitamaa/Unsplash)

The Baja California peninsula has made some pretty invaluable contributions to modern life. Where would we be, after all, without margaritas and fish tacos? Caesar salad is pretty great, too, especially when it’s made fresh tableside. Sure, there are some disputed stories in the history of these cultural and culinary touchstones — fish and tortillas have a pretty long history in Mexico, for example. But there’s not much doubt that the modern-style fish taco was invented in Rosarito or Ensenada, the Caesar salad in Tijuana, and the margarita in the environs of one of those three communities, most likely during the 1930s or 1940s.

Where does Baja California Sur, the peninsula’s southern state, figure in all this food and beverage lore? Its residents have made some important contributions, too. Damiana may not be as famous as the margarita, but something special happens when you complement the cocktail with this ancestral regional liqueur. Just as the peninsula seamlessly transitions from north to south somewhere around Guerrero Negro, the margarita seamlessly transforms from good to great with the simple addition of this singular ingredient. Bartenders in Los Cabos have been making margaritas this way for decades, with memorable results.

The Damiana flower grows locally in Baja California, and has been distilled into a powerful spirit. (Wikimedia Commons)

The unusual history of damiana

If you know anything about damiana, you probably know it’s famous as an aphrodisiac. Does it work? The Guaycura the indigenous inhabitants of much of what is now Baja California Sur, certainly thought so. The Pericú, another culturally extinct indigenous group, roamed the equivalent of modern-day Los Cabos, while the Guaycura peoples occupied the area from Todos Santos to Loreto, until waves of Jesuit, Franciscan, and Dominican missionaries showed up, and along with Spanish soldiers, ended their way of life.

The Guaycura are credited with first making damiana liqueur from the plant of the same name, a shrub with pretty yellow wildflowers that still grows pretty freely around these parts. Its scientific name is Turnera diffusa and it does seem to have some notable medicinal qualities. Its efficacy is still being studied by scientists, not only concerning its reputed sexual enhancement but also as a potential inhibitor of obesity and depression. The Guaycura thought it had medicinal uses, too, and as far as we know, they were never depressed. Oppressed, yes, but that’s another story.

Antonio Ruffo Santa Cruz, of the distinguished Ruffo family in La Paz, Baja California Sur’s capital city, was the first to market the liqueur the Guaycura had created back in the 1860s, at his historic La Perla de La Paz department store. Nowadays, it’s sold throughout the state, and is a popularly stocked souvenir item; particularly the brand Guaycura Licor de Damiana, which features a bottle shaped like a female fertility figure. Many traditional-minded residents still make it at home, too, using a tried and true recipe whose ingredients include leaves from the damiana flower, honey, sugar, vodka, and water (easy on the water).

The Baja bonafides of the margarita

Now that the margarita has ascended to ubiquitous status as the world’s most popular cocktail, in case you didn’t know, a lot more people will try to claim it as their own. Plenty have already tried, including a few in Alta California. However, it bears noting that when Danny Herrera died at age 90 in 1992, the Los Angeles Times endorsed him, not any U.S.-born claimants, as the true inventor of the margarita.

Exactly who invented the Margarita is up for debate, but it’s generally assumed that it originated in the bars of the Baja California peninsula. (Kike Salazar/Unsplash)

Herrera owned Rancho La Gloria, between Tijuana and Rosarito, and had to think fast one night in the 1940s when a showgirl named Marjorie King, who was allergic to every liquor save tequila, visited the bar. His solution was a creative piece of mixology called the margarita, or so the story goes.

The Ensenada Historical Society backs another claim, this one on behalf of Don Carlos Orozco, a bartender at the legendary Ensenada institution, Hussong’s Cantina. According to this version, Orozco created the drink in 1941 for Margarita Henkel, whose father was the German ambassador to México.

Of course, there could be a simpler explanation. Did you know, for instance, that the tequila daisy — the forerunner to the modern margarita — was created in Tijuana during the latter days of Prohibition, when booze was against the law on the other side of the border? Or that the Spanish word for daisy just happens to be margarita?

How to take your margarita from good to great, Los Cabos style

Baja’s boozy treasures work best in tandem. Adding the honeyed herbal liqueur of damiana to the margarita, for instance, gives the tequila-based cocktail another layer of complexity and flavor. Nowhere has this fact been more eagerly recognized than in Los Cabos, where damiana margaritas are almost as common as sunburns and souvenir t-shirts.

Naturally, not everyone agrees on the correct recipe. At Cabo Wabo, a long-time day and nightlife mecca in Cabo San Lucas, they make their damiana margaritas with Cabo Wabo tequila, damiana, and Controy (the Mexican version of Cointreau), plus fresh lime juice and a splash of blue Curaçao. Which is tasty, but not quite aphrodisiacal and paradisical (try saying that after you’ve had two).

However, at Los Tres Gallos, a traditional Mexican culinary oasis named for an iconic trio of actors (Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, and Javier Solís), their bar staff at both the Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo locations opts for a different approach. Clase Azul Reposado is paired with Controy and Jarabe Natural, given a fresh squeeze of orange and lime, and topped with a floater of damiana. Which is perfect. At least, that’s what this damiana-loving local thinks.

But you should probably decide for yourself.

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook, and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.

4 top day trips from Puerto Vallarta

By

Meagan Drillinger

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March 2, 2024

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MASCOTA-JALISCO-Practica-de-Kayak-web — Striking out from Puerto Vallarta opens up a world of opportunity for the curious (or energetic) traveler. (Gobierno de México)

Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico’s top vacation destinations for good reason. Visitors come for the spectacular scenery that lends itself to endless outdoor activity, hotels with beautiful views and fabulous beachfront restaurants. Puerto Vallarta also happens to be centrally located between a variety of other smaller, less-visited escapes that make for great day trips.

Within a two-hour drive from Puerto Vallarta in any direction lie a variety of Spanish-style mountain villages, bohemian beach towns and cultural attractions. Visitors may find themselves sipping locally grown coffee in the mountains, snacking on fish tacos on an untouched seven-mile beach or wandering the bones of an unfinished 19th-century cathedral.

Read on to discover the perfect day trip itineraries from Puerto Vallarta.

Sayulita and San Pancho

One of the most popular excursions from Puerto Vallarta is a day trip to Sayulita. This seaside town has seen quite a bit of development in the past decade. What was once a sleepy fishing village blossomed into a surfer’s hideaway and has finally peaked as an energetic community, complete with fabulous restaurants, cocktail bars, boutique hotels and local designer shops. For a quieter, more laid-back scene, consider continuing up the coast for about 10 minutes to visit the neighboring town of San Pancho.

Drive time: 1 Hour

Morning: Stop for a beautiful backyard breakfast at Miscelanea Sayulita. You can’t go wrong with the huevos rancheros or the banana pancakes. Pair either with a strong coffee or a green juice and you’re ready to start the day.

After an energy-boosting breakfast, get back to Sayulita’s roots with a surf session. Sayulita has lots of spots that are great for surfers of all levels, as well as plenty of surf shops that offer lessons for beginners. Sayulita Surf School is a good option for lessons, rentals, or surf trips.

If you’re not a surfer, you can spend the morning browsing the gorgeous boutiques of Sayulita — Manyana is a personal favorite. Another option is to take a yoga class or get a massage. Sayulita is a wellness haven, after all.

Afternoon: For lunch, zip up the coast to nearby San Pancho. Sayulita is extremely popular these days, so you’ll find San Pancho to be a more relaxed version of the town. Personally, I find the beach in San Pancho to be more beautiful than the one in Sayulita, so if you’re a beach-chaser, this might be where you spend your day. Dig your toes in the sand at La Perla for a classic beachfront lunch of fresh seafood and a cold drink. You can stay all day and bounce between the restaurant and the waves and you can even let the afternoon linger on well into sunset.

You might also opt for an afternoon activity like a catamaran tour out to the Islas Marietas. If you’re visiting from December through April, you might even spot a humpback whale or two.

Evening: Head back to Sayulita for a sunset cocktail at Don Pedro’s Restaurant & Bar. This beachfront institution is one of the oldest spots in town and has the best view of the beach. If you’re there on a Monday, you’ll be able to enjoy their live salsa music.

For dinner, you can go old school at Tacos Al Pastor Diaz, a street-side stand serving the best tacos in town, or dress it up at Tukari for swanky Mediterranean-style cuisine in a beautiful outdoor setting.

After dinner, it’s a quick drive back to Puerto Vallarta. However, Sayulita also happens to be one of the best overnight trips from Puerto Vallarta, so feel free to book a hotel and keep the trip going. I recommend Aurinko Bungalows for its location and price.

San Sebastián del Oeste

For something completely different, consider driving up into the mountains surrounding Puerto Vallarta to visit the misty, jungle-shrouded village of San Sebastián del Oeste. This spectacular mountain town was once a major mining town in 17th-century New Spain. Today San Sebastián is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Spanish architecture, alleyways and hauntingly beautiful natural landscape.

Drive time: 1.5 hours

Morning: Arrive early in San Sebastián del Oeste. The first thing you’ll notice in San Sebastián is the temperature. The cool, fresh mountain air sweeps over you like a welcome relief after the heat and humidity of the beach. Fuel up with a hearty breakfast at the family-run Fonda Eva Maria, which serves typical dishes from around the mountain regions of Jalisco.

After breakfast, start walking the charming cobblestone streets of the village. Sites to hit are the 18th-century Parroquia de San Sebastián Mártir or the 19th-century Camposanto Viejo cemetery.

One of the best things to do in San Sebastián is to experience the local coffee. Cafetalera La Quinta is a family-run coffee plantation that sells locally grown and ground coffee, as well as other treats made within the community.

Afternoon: Stop at El Fortín de San Sebastián, a charming cafe that serves nice homemade pizzas. Be sure to have a hot chocolate here, too.

Afterwards, it’s off to La Bufa, a viewpoint that sits more than 2,400 meters above sea level. The best — and most fun — way to get there is by ATV, which you can rent in town. The trail will take you to the panoramic overlook of the surrounding mountains, all the way out to Bahía de Banderas.

Evening: For dinner, snag a reservation at Jardin Nebulosa, a beautiful boho-chic mountain oasis serving local cuisine and great cocktails. They even have vegan options.

Mayto and Tehuamixtle

Puerto Vallarta is a beach town at its core, but the beaches here tend to be overcrowded and not all that photogenic. For one of the best beaches near Puerto Vallarta — and a great excuse for a day trip — head south to the municipality of Cabo Corrientes to discover Mayto beach and the town of and Tehuamixtle.

Drive time: 2.5 hours

Morning: Leaving Puerto Vallarta around 8 a.m. will put you on the beaches of Mayto by 10:30 at the latest. Brace yourself for seven miles of undeveloped, rugged beach beauty. This sweeping bay is ringed by beautiful mountains and carpeted with fluffy golden sand. You won’t find much here except for a couple of unpretentious hotels. Hotel Mayto is perched directly on the beach and has a small restaurant and a swimming pool.

Afternoon: Spend the afternoon exploring the nearby villages of Tehuamixtle or Villa del Mar. These remote fishing communities are pocket-sized and best-known for their long swaths of undeveloped shoreline, laid-back energy and palapa-topped shoreline seafood restaurants. These towns are for the true beach lovers who want to get off the grid and experience a bit of untamed natural beauty.

Talpa and Mascota

Two of Jalisco’s inland Magical Towns are the historic cities of Talpa de Allende and Mascota.

Drive time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Morning: grab a breakfast-to-go at Panaderia Carmen’s Bakery, located beside El Puente El Progreso, about an hour from Puerto Vallarta. Take your pick of the decadent sweet or savory breakfast, like the pastries filled with everything from sweet vanilla custard to rich and flavorful meats and sausages.

You’ll pass through Mascota first on the way to Talpa. Don’t worry — you’ll hit Mascota on the way back to Puerto Vallarta.

Talpa de Allende is most famous for its gorgeous cathedral, home to the image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Talpa. The church was built in the 17th century and is still a major pilgrimage site for visitors from all over the world. A visit to the cathedral is a must for a first visit. You’ll also find a museum behind the church, which has a wealth of information about the history of Talpa, which was founded in the 16th century.

Spend a little bit of time wandering the plaza, which is flanked on all ends by local shops and restaurants. It’s the perfect place to have a bite to eat before continuing the day.

Afternoon: Stop into La Casona de Chonita for lunch or a late brunch. The menu serves local specialties like machaca con cecina and lamb barbacoa. After lunch, wander the alleyways to discover the beautiful street murals splashed across the historic buildings.

From Talpa de Allende, head back towards Puerto Vallarta and pass through Mascota. Mascota is a quiet, peaceful village whose main highlight is the unfinished Templo de la Preciosa Sangre. Standing here are the unfinished ruins of a 19th-century church, draped in beautiful bougainvillea blossoms.

Evening: Make the drive back into Puerto Vallarta. You can combine this with a stop in San Sebastian del Oeste on the way home if you’d like to stop there for dinner.

Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.

Armed ambush kills 4 soldiers in Michoacán

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MND Staff

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March 1, 2024

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Soldiers look at spent explosives on a rural road, with their truck in the background. — The soldiers were ambushed on their way back from investigating a reported criminal encampment. (Via Proceso)

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Friday confirmed reports that four soldiers were killed in Michoacán on Thursday.

Citing military sources, several Mexican newspapers reported Thursday that four soldiers were killed and nine others were injured in the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán after the vehicles in which they traveling set off land mines on a rural road. The soldiers were subsequently attacked with firearms and drones carrying explosives, according to reports.

The El Universal newspaper reported that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — which has allegedly laid mines in various parts of the Tierra Caliente municipalities of Tepalcatepec and Aguililla — perpetrated the attack. The Ministry of National Defense hasn’t publicly commented on the incident.

López Obrador was asked about the events in Michoacán at his Friday morning press conference.

After a reporter noted that four soldiers were killed and nine others were wounded, the president said that his government had that information and “very much regrets” the crime.

López Obrador said that the attack occurred in Aguililla after the army “heard about a camp,” presumably one used by criminals.

“They went to the camp, as far as they could in vehicles, then they walked. But on the way back they didn’t take the same road, but rather another one, and in the weeds there was a trap with explosives … and due to that explosion one soldier died right there, and then the injured were attended to but they weren’t able to save them,” he said without mentioning the nine soldiers who were apparently wounded but didn’t die.

“I send my condolences to the families. … Do you see what the army, the navy, the National Guard, the armed forces have to face up to?”

López Obrador didn’t confirm that the soldiers were involved in a gun battle with armed men, as media outlets reported.

In another tragedy for the armed forces, seven cadet soldiers deployed with the National Guard drowned last week while undertaking a training exercise off the coast of Ensenada, Baja California. They were allegedly forced to go into the water despite rough seas. Only four of the bodies have been recovered.

With reports from López-Dóriga Digital

Investments worth nearly US $26B announced for Mexico so far this year

By

MND Staff

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March 1, 2024

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A man wearing a facemask unloads packages of plastic Coca Cola bottles from a truck — Arca Continental handles Coca Cola bottling operations in 14 of Mexico's 32 states. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro.com)

Mexico can expect to receive almost US $26 billion in new investment in the next two to three years based on investment announcements made by foreign and Mexican companies in the first two months of 2024.

The Economy Ministry (SE) said in a new report that companies made 52 investment announcements totaling $25.84 billion between Jan. 1 and Feb. 29.

“It’s expected that said amount will enter the country in the next two or three years,” the SE said, although at least some of the money will presumably come from Mexico given that almost 40% of the total was announced by FEMSA, a Mexico-based multinational that is a Coca-Cola bottler and convenience store owner.

The SE said that the 52 investment announcements made in January and February are expected to generate 28,702 jobs. On the X social media platform, the ministry said that the announcements reaffirm that there is no better time than now to invest in Mexico “thanks to the economic policy of the Mexican government, which promotes the relocation … of strategic industries.”

The 10 largest investment announcements

FEMSA announced in February that it would invest around 170 billion pesos in Mexico over the next five years. That amount is listed as US $ 9.96 billion in the SE report.

A very typical Oxxo store of today, with its blaring red and yellow facade. — FEMSA is a Coca Cola bottler and the parent company of Oxxo convenience stores. (Wikimedia Commons)

FEMSA, which owns the Oxxo chain of convenience stores and has 17 Coca-Cola bottling plants in Mexico among other assets, said the money would go to “organic growth initiatives in our key businesses.”

The SE listed the company’s “country of origin” as both Mexico and the United States, presumably due to its association with the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company.

Ranking second to fifth for the size of their investment announcements in the first two months of the year are:

Amazon Web Services (United States), which plans to invest some $5 billion in a cluster of data centers in Querétaro. (The SE said the amount announced was $4.96 billion).
DHL Supply Chain (Germany), which plans to invest an additional $4 billion in Mexico.
Ternium (Argentina), which intends to invest $1.94 billion in its steelworks.
Volkswagen (Germany), which will spend around $1 billion to upgrade its plant in Puebla. (The SE listed the investment announcement at $942 million).

Having made investment announcements of between $270 million and $601 million, the other companies in the top 10 are: Solarever (China); ELAM-FAW (China); Nemak (Netherlands); Unison Shanghai (China); and Aspen Aerogels (United States).

Where will the money come from and where will it go?

The SE said that $15.83 billion, or more than 60% of the total announced in January and February, will come from the United States. That amount includes FEMSA’s investment.

A chart showing the percent each of Mexico's top investor countries plans to invest in coming years — The U.S. is the top source of investments, due in part to the Economy Ministry’s decision to count the Mexico-based multinational as a U.S. company (FEMSA operates in the U.S. and Latin America). (Secretaría de Economía/X)

The United States was the top foreign investor in Mexico last year, with $13.64 billion flowing into the country from the U.S., according to SE data.

The next biggest investors by country based on announcements made in the first two months of the year were:

Germany: $5.23 billion or just over 20% of the total.
Argentina: $1.94 billion or 7.5% of the total.
China: $1.58 billion or 6.1% of the total.
Netherlands: $404.6 million or 1.6% of the total.

The biggest recipients of the investment are set to be Querétaro (mainly due to Amazon’s data center project); México state; Nuevo León; Puebla; and Durango.

The SE said that 62% of the money, or just over $16 billion, will go to the manufacturing sector, while just over 19%, or almost $5 billion, is headed for the “mass media” industry, which includes data centers. Just over $4.4 billion, or 17% of the total, will go to the transport sector, the ministry said.

The SE provides semi-regular updates on private companies’ investment announcements for Mexico. It previously reported that there were 363 announcements totaling over $106 billion between January and November 2023. That figure is almost triple the actual foreign direct investment (FDI) received in 2023, which was just over $36 billion.

A chart and map showing how much investment went to different Mexican states — Querétaro took the lion’s share the announced investments, thanks to the Amazon Data Center planned for that state. (Secretaría de Economía/X)

FDI in Mexico is expected to increase in coming years.

That expectation takes into account the investment announcements already made as well as the belief that more and more foreign companies will choose to nearshore to Mexico to take advantage of proximity to the United States as well as things such as the country’s free trade agreement with that country and Canada (the USMCA) and affordable labor costs.

Mexico News Daily

Got 1 min? New tropical fish species discovered in Mexico’s Pacific waters

By

MND Staff

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March 1, 2024

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30819573250_0b64c9d726_b — The new species was discovered near Mexico’s Revillagigedo Archipelago, a group of islands southwest of Baja California Sur. (Presidencia de la Republica Mexicana/Flickr)

A new species of tropical fish was discovered within Mexico’s Revillagigedo Archipelago, located over 400 kilometers southwest of the state of Baja California Sur.

Scientists from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography believe the fish, dubbed a tailspot wrasse, is endemic to the waters around the four islands that comprise the archipelago.

The Halichoeres sanchezi, or tailspot wrasse, is named after the marine scientist who first collected the species, Carlos Armando Sánchez Ortiz. (PeerJ)

The eight specimens collected range in size from one inch to nearly six inches. The females, smaller than the males, appear white with reddish horizontal stripes on top with dispersed black patches. The males are orangey red on top with a yellow belly and a dark band near the tail.

The fish has been named Halichoeres sanchezi in honor of marine scientist Carlos Armando Sánchez Ortiz of the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, who collected the first specimen in an underwater field of volcanic rubble and lava boulders.

According to an abstract published Wednesday in the academic journal Peer J, the discovery was made during the last day of a November 2022 expedition to inventory the archipelago’s ichthyofauna, defined as the fish life in a specific body of water or zoogeographic region.

The researchers relied on underwater photographers to systematically document specimens in situ, before hand-collecting the fish.

During the two-week expedition, the group made 30 research dives that produced 5,500 photographs and collected roughly 900 specimens representing more than 100 fish species.

Ben Frable, a member of the expedition and co-author of the paper, believes two more previously unknown species could be identified from specimens collected on the trip.

Granted in 1861 to the Pacific Coast of Colima to establish a penal colony, the Revillagigedo Archipelago is part of a submerged mountain range, its four islands the peaks of underwater volcanoes.

The waters of the archipelago, popular with scuba divers, have an abundance of large pelagic species, such as manta rays, whales, dolphins and sharks, as well as sea turtles.

In June 2016, the archipelago was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while in 2017 it was declared a national park and a marine reserve, the largest such protected area in North America. The marine reserve covers 150,000 square kilometers (57,000 square miles), and is protected from fishing, mining and tourism development.

With reports from Axios San Diego and UC San Diego Today