June 2012
Category Archives: June 2012
Editor’s Letter
By Jane Bauer
It has been a sizzling hot month on the Oaxacan Riviera and I don’t mean just the weather! Huatulco hosted the Triathlon World Cup, th celebrated the 20 year of the International Sailfish tournament (sadly still not catch and release) and the Vela Xunashi was held at the newly opened Secrets- the biggest hotel on the coast. The organizers of the Sailfish Tournament reported 134 boats in the competition- more than any previous year! And the new International Terminal at HUX is well under way. Continue reading Editor’s Letter
Sweeper Ants of the Selva Seca
By Julie Etra
I got introduced, so to speak, to hormigas barrenderas through my friends and neighbors Doreen and Larry. They had described a somewhat terrifying episode of a home invasion of these carnivorous ‘sweeper’ ants native to the Selva Seca or Selva Baja (dry tropical forest) found along the Oaxacan Riviera. They are a type of army ant and although there are over 400 species and sub species of ants found in the soils of Mexico this species is unique in its social make up and behavior. They are carnivorous predators and consume only live prey. Other common names are legionarias (soldiers) and marabunta (crowd). Continue reading Sweeper Ants of the Selva Seca
Communities Working Together
By Liz Healey
In 2000, land clearing began in what is now the community of Bahia de Salchi, part of the neighboring Cuatunalco. Today there are 39 homes; 2 American and 2 Mexican owned, and the rest are Canadian, giving it the nickname, The Canadian Village. Continue reading Communities Working Together
Huatulco’s National Marine Park
By Brooke Gazer
A major attraction in this region is El Parque Nacional de Huatulco which encompasses 11,890 hectares (or for those of us who have forgotten our table of measures, 26,750 football fields). About half of the reserve is forest; the other half is under water. This is one of only 10 Marine Parks within Mexico and the only one located on the Pacific coast. Two marine parks are in the Sea of Cortez and the other seven are in the Gulf and Caribbean. The park was founded in 1998 in order to protect both marine and wild life and we hope that this means that most of this coastline, which includes five Bays and 17 beaches, will remain virgin in years to come. Continue reading Huatulco’s National Marine Park
Lagos de Montebello: A Beautiful Place to Chill
By Jan and Marcia Chaiken
The Oaxaca Coast can be steaming hot in June. When you’re pricing out the cost of towing an iceberg into your favorite bay, we have a simpler solution, head to the hills – literally – up to the national park Lagos de Montebello.
Located in eastern Chiapas almost on the Guatemala border, the park is one of the most beautiful places in Mexico. Established by the federal government in 1959, the 6,425 hectares of pine and rain forest located at an altitude of 5,000 feet provide refuge for a wide variety of flora and fauna, including 117 species of insects and 35 species of reptiles. Continue reading Lagos de Montebello: A Beautiful Place to Chill
¡VIVA! The Fairs and Festivals of Mexico
By Carole Reedy
From sculptures made of radishes and a mole fiesta to religious and civil ceremonies, your travels in the republic of Mexico will be rich with the joy and excitement felt by all at the annual fairs and festivals. Every year, all the towns in Mexico, no matter how small, celebrate their saint’s day with a feria or festival, centered on days and sometimes weeks of celebration. Here we’ll look at a few of the more popular fairs to whet your appetite. Join in the fun. The people of México love to share their traditions and gastronomic treasures with foreigners. You will be welcomed warmly. Continue reading ¡VIVA! The Fairs and Festivals of Mexico
Señorita Manners
Manners are a way of softening the blow as our ideals and personal space come into proximity with others, are also useful when coming into contact with smaller creatures and creepy crawlies.
The most common interaction is of the buzzing and sucking variety- mosquitoes! First step is prevention and keeping them outside; close doors and screens. If sitting al fresco, light an anti-mosquito coil and place it on the floor. Repellent is always a good option, although please step away from the table if spritzing in a restaurant and don’t forget to offer the bottle around. If a nasty mozzy makes it onto your skin…..slap away, it’s a dog eat dog world! Continue reading Señorita Manners
Edible Bugs
By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.
Prepared chapulines, or grasshoppers, are one of the most popular snack foods in the state of Oaxaca. Although they are available year round they are best eaten, during the summer and autumn months when crops and grasses are tall as a result of the rains, thus providing ample nourishment for the insect. Continue reading Edible Bugs
A Taste of Honey
By Kathy Taylor
If you were inclined to subscribe to a “100 mile” diet, Huatulco is a pretty good place to live: all the fish and shrimp you can eat, shade grown coffee, mescal, fresh cheeses, sun-ripened fruits and vegetables, stone ground corn for tender tortillas, and of course, honey. Bees are what make the agricultural world go round. The relationship between bees and flowers is much like the conundrum of the chicken and the egg. Which came first? Continue reading A Taste of Honey
Beach, Village & Urban Living in Oaxaca 
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