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Unity in diversity: hundreds gather for multicultural peace confab
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- Published on Friday, 07 September 2012 11:52
- Written by John Pint
Representatives of many major religions joined hands in Guadalajara last week in an event that allowed them to learn about one another and even participate in the rites and rituals of different faiths.
A one-man revolution in Barranca de Otates
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- Published on Friday, 31 August 2012 12:09
- Written by John Pint
“A funny thing happened to us on our way to the cave.”
This is one of my favorite expressions, as not only funny things have happened, but also beautiful and inspiring things, mainly because of the extraordinary people we inevitably come upon in those lonely, out-of-the-way places where a cave may or may not exist, but where we often find adventure and friendship … and in the case of Barranca de Otates, signs of a most interesting “idea revolution” operating in rural Mexico.
Memoirs of life at El Amparo Mine, Etzatlán, Jalisco; tranquility, tragedy and always plenty of music
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- Published on Friday, 03 August 2012 12:33
- Written by Salvador Landeros Uribe
El Amparo is located 65 kilometers due west of Guadalajara and for many years its silver mines were the richest in Jalisco. Engineer Salvador Landeros grew up at the mines and eventually became General Manager of all the operations.)
Electronic books keep expats in far flung spots reading
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- Published on Friday, 24 August 2012 13:05
- Written by John Pint
I must confess that only a year ago, the very thought of reading a book on a computer screen turned my stomach. If you feel the same way, read on, because I eventually made some discoveries you might like.
The rope makers of San Miguel Cuyutlán; hidden, humble and highly talented
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- Published on Friday, 27 July 2012 12:00
- Written by John Pint
The small towns around Lake Cajititlán are famed for their skilled artisans and you may have seen leaflets and brochures depicting, among other things, the beautiful basalt sculptures, colorful ceramics and rodeo-quality lariats produced in this area, which is only a 40-kilometer drive from Lake Chapala.
Getting to know the jungle; A visit to Vallarta Botanical Gardens
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- Published on Friday, 17 August 2012 11:24
- Written by John Pint
Every outing we have ever gone on with botanist Miguel Cházaro has been an adventure. One day our friend took us to visit a cloud forest of maple trees and giant ferns, not far from Talpa, Jalisco. The next morning we had planned to return to Guadalajara, but Cházaro said, “There’s a botanical garden near here you really must see. It was started by an American and it’s unique.”
Exploring Huasteca’s wonderful waterfalls
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- Published on Friday, 20 July 2012 11:54
- Written by John Pint
Guadalajara has several very well organized clubs specializing in outdoor activities like hiking, camping and mountain-climbing. These clubs offer excursions every single weekend of the year and their members get to see natural marvels that most tourist guidebooks never mention (except my book, Outdoors in Western Mexico, of course!). Some of these groups have been around for a long time, so today’s members benefit from discoveries of little-known sites made by other members decades ago. This year, three of the biggest clubs are celebrating their anniversaries. CEO (Cuerpo de Exploradores de Occidente) is 75 years old, Grupo Montañista Colli is 50 and Club Excursionista Huicholes Jalisco is celebrating its 41st anniversary.
Environmentalists question moves to rehabilitate/protect Primavera Forest
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- Published on Friday, 10 August 2012 11:55
- Written by John Pint
Official plans to rehabilitate the Primavera Forest after the devastating fire in April of this year are far from adequate, says researcher Miguel Angel Magaña of the University of Guadalajara’s Center for Biological and Agricultural Studies (CUCBA).
Volcanic vapors and ‘Little Yellowstone’: Searching for fumaroles in the Primavera Forest
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- Published on Friday, 13 July 2012 12:32
- Written by John Pint
A mere 23,000 years ago, the Primavera Caldera housed a big lake and was the site of frequent volcanic eruptions and pyrotechnical explosions. Today the lake has been replaced by woods, but the Primavera’s hot rivers remind us that there is plenty of thermal activity just below the surface.