The Real Mexico

Learn about the real Mexico--the Mexico beyond the beaches, beyond the resorts, beyond the margaritas. Immerse yourself in her history, her cuisine, her politics and her people. You'll be glad you did.

MIRACULOUS AIR
by C.M. Mayo

Catherine M. Mayo, otherwise known as C.M. Mayo, has fallen head over heals in love with Baja. Drawn numerous times to its mountainous interior, broad beaches and crystal blue waters, in a search to learn its secrets, she presents what she learned in Miraculous Air, a book that’s sometimes travel narrative, sometimes historical account, and sometimes Mayo’s personal memoir. Together her book is a portrait of a mysterious land separated from mainland Mexico by the Sea of Cortez.
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MEXICO CITY CELEBRATES CULTURE WITH FESTIVAL CENTRO HISTÓRICO
by Bob Brooke

Vying with Tokyo as the largest city in the world, Mexico City offers a myriad of cultural opportunities. But none shows it off more than the annual Festival Centro Histórico. In its 22^nd year, the Festival, running from March 25 to April 8, will offer some of the best in international music, art, dance, and theatre to nearly 600,000 enthusiastic fans.

FONATUR--THE FORCE BEHIND MODERN MEXICAN TOURISM
by Bob Brooke

Fonatur, Mexico’s national trust for the promotion of tourism, celebrated its 30^th anniversary in 2004. In that short time, it has managed to mastermind the infrastructure behind modern tourism in Mexico by developing some prime coastal real estate and encouraging foreign investment in its projects.

RELIVE THE ROMANCE OF COLONIAL MEXICO AT A HACIENDA HOTEL
by Bob Brooke

I’ve been riding in a comfortably air-conditioned Mercedes for nearly 75 minutes. My driver, Manuel, is a handsome man in his early thirties, with jet black hair and moustache and skin the color of rich Mexican coffee with cream. We’re headed for the fine old hacienda of Vista Hermosa, now a luxury resort hotel just outside Cuernavaca in the State of Morelos. Not too long ago, it was quite possible to ride over a bumpy road or even to travel by horseback, in the spirit of colonial times. Today, we ride smoothly over one of Mexico's finest highways. The volcano, Popocatepetl, shimmers to the east as we ride past irrigation ditches, along the sides of dry barrancas and across vast dry fields to the mile-long avenue of eucalyptus which forms the entrance to the hotel grounds.

AIRPORT RENOVATIONS CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR PASSENGERS Rebuilding of the Mexico City International Airport is making life difficult for the 63,000 passengers who use the facility on an average day. According
to one newspaper, criminals are taking advantage of the chaos, stealing baggage from the unwary. They seem to be targeting individuals using ATMs or changing currency.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO MEXICO UP
According to the Mexican Tourism Ministry, international travel to Mexico in 2004 increased 14 percent over the previous year. A record 20.6 million visitors arrived in Mexico and 11.6 million spent at least one night in the country. The others either slept on cruise ships or had crossed the border for only a few hours. Tourist spending totaled 10.8 billion dollars and averaged 674 dollars per person, 4.4 percent more than last year.

POSADAS DE MEXICO TO BUILD MORE HOTELS
Posadas de México, owners of Fiesta Americana and Fiesta Inn hotels, plans to build 100 more
hotels, opening one a month in 2005. To finance them, it has sold 320 million dollars worth of bonds on international markets.

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