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Costa Rica Part 8: The Hanging Bridges of Mistico Arenal
A hiker pauses on a bridge shrouded with mist and suspended high over the jungle. This hanging bridge, Puente Vista Arenal, is one of several spanning the deep arroyos of Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges...
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Costa Rica Part 9: Crocs and critters along Rio Tarcoles
Say ahhhhhhhh... Â A young American Crocodile lounges on a muddy riverbank along Rio Tarcoles. During this stop on our Caravan Tour we took a boat trip through the estuary formed where the river meets...
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Costa Rica Part 10: The Pacific Coast
A pensive young girl strolls along as the surf breaks behind her on the nearly empty beach . Costa Rica's Pacific Coast contains hundreds of miles of beautiful beaches. Following our stop at the...
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Costa Rica Part 11: Puntarenas Coast & Manuel Antonio National Park
A Central American Squirrel Monkey clambers among the trees in Quepos. As our bus eased through the small resort town's thick traffic, the curious monkey followed along, scampering from tree to tree to...
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Indigenous dancers & their traditional instruments
An Owl Dancer performs in Ajijic. Owls were important symbolic creatures in the pre-hispanic world. They are depicted in various murals and pottery paintings found at the great city of Teotihuacan (100...
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Hiking the Tapalpa Plateau
A trail winds through the pine-forested Tapalpa Plateau. Â The Tapalpa Plateau lies about two-hour's drive southwest of Lake Chapala. On its eastern side is a massive escarpment which rises more than...
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Valle de Bravo: lovely mountain pueblo on a pristine lake
Sunset over the calm waters of Lago deValle de Bravo. In July of this year, Carole and I took off to explore the mountainous countryside to the west and south of Mexico City. Our ultimate destination...
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Calixtlahuaca Part 1: Temple of the Wind God
Statue of Ehecatl, the Wind God, located in Calixtlahuaca's museum.Ehecatlis always portrayed wearing this odd beak-like attachment to his face. After leaving Valle de Bravo, it was less than an hour's...
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Calixtlahuaca Part 2: The Tlaloc Temple and the Palace
One of the rooms in the Palace Complex, with an impressive platform in the background. In front of the large platform, you can see part of the Palace Complex's broad, grassy plaza. This complex is one...
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Calixtlahuaca Part 3: Artifacts of a lost culture
Xiuhtecuhtli, Lord of Fire and Volcanos. He is the Aztec version of Huehueteotl ("Old, Old God"), who had been revered throughout Mesoamerica from to the earliest times. Xiuhtecuhtli sits, with his...
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Taxco Part 1: Silver City in the Mountains
Parroquia Santa Prisca is surrounded by one of Mexico's most charming colonial towns. Santa Prisca was constructed in the 18th century by an eccentric silver baron who nearly went broke building and...
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Taxco Part 2: Plaza Borda
Plaza Borda bustles with activity, particularly the area in front of Parroquia Santa Prisca. At any one time, Santa Prisca may conduct a Mass, wedding, or funeral. Adding to the hubbub, vendors sell...
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Taxco Part 3- Baile Folklorico's colorful dancers
Dancers in traditional costumes whirl and stomp on a stage in Taxco's Plaza Borda. While visiting Plaza Borda, we stumbled across a free public performance of a baile folklorico (folkloric dance)....
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Taxco Part 4: Parroquia Santa Prisca, the jewel in Taxco's crown
Parroquia Santa Prisca perches on a mountain slope in the center of Taxco. The church was built in the 18th century Mexican Baroque style known as Churrigueresque. Santa Prisca is considered one of...
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Mexico's Day of the Dead & its ancient pre-hispanic roots
Participant in Ajijic's Dia de los Muertos parade. For many foreigners, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is one of the most puzzling and misunderstood of all Mexico's innumerable fiestas. The event...
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Taxco Part 5: The stunning interior of Parroquia Santa Prisca
Archangel Michael, surrounded by souls in Purgatory. In Catholic dogma, Purgatory is kind of God's waiting room. Michael's job is to weigh the souls (animas) to see if they should go to Heaven or get...
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Taxco Part 6- Walking the old colonial streets
Parroquia Santa Prisca from the entance of Calle Cuauhtemoc. Above, one of the ubiquitous white VW taxis enters Calle Cuauhtemoc from Plaza Borda. As a pleasant change of pace, I decided to take you on...
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Taxco Part 7: Churches and chapels along Calle Hidalgo
View through the entrance gate of Capilla de la Santisima Trinidad. While strolling down Calle Hidalgo, Carole and I visited several neighborhood chapels, some dating back to the 16th century. Capilla...
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Taxco Part 8: Ex-convento de San Bernardino de Siena and ex-Hacienda del...
View of ex-Convento de San Bernardino de Siena from the Angel Inn restaurant balcony.  In the background, sheer cliffs rising hundreds of feet provide a dramatic backdrop. Attached to the convent's...
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Taxco Part 9: Hotel Monte Taxco's dramatic vistas
The spires of Parroquia Santa Prisca, silhouetted against mountains and sky. I took this long-lens shot from Hotel Monte Taxco's restaurant terrace. Carole and I decided to pay it a visit after touring...
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