Mariachis and mescal
The first time ever I heard a mariachi sing was at a dinner club in Guadalajara, Mexico. I was seated in the front row surrounding a raised wooden stage and every time the mariachi stomped his cowboy boot, I’d feel vibrations ripple across the stage down into my toes. He sang of love, loss and betrayal and looked straight into my eyes. It didn’t matter to me that he was portly, wore a shiny, sequinned shirt and big sombrero, by the end of the first set I was madly in love. My swooning turned out to be the beginning of a bout of food poisoning and I spent the remainder of...
Read MoreSearching for soul in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Naked yoga, full moon parties and topless joggers — I’m on the beach in Playa del Carmen and happy to see that this beach town on Mexico’s Caribbean coast hasn’t lost its bohemian vibe. My introduction to Playa del Carmen began in the 1980s with my first husband , when we chose it as a budget alternative to Cancun. There were no resorts or condos, just endless stretches of white sand, mangroves and mysterious underground cenotes. Chickens ran freely across dirt streets and rooms with air conditioning were a luxury. While my then husband slept off the effects of a 5-day...
Read MoreEco-tour of Florida’s Treasure Coast
When Nancy Beaver’s marriage ended she didn’t plot revenge or decide her life was over. Instead, she got her captain’s licence and bought a boat. Now, she takes people on ecotours of the Indian River Lagoon near Port Salerno, in Martin County, Florida. Her mission is to promote a healthy, sustainable environment for all coastal and marine wildlife through research, education and preservation. After three days of driving Florida’s I-95 from Palm Beach to Jensen Beach, I was happy to get away from the superhighways and onto the water. My hope was to see a manatee or...
Read MoreGuatemala coffee…for a great cause
If you’re in Toronto and love a great cup of coffee, then it’s worth ordering authentic Guatemalan coffee from my pal, Ken McGuffin who, in addition to his mega media relations job at the Rotman School of Management has also managed to build a school in the highlands of Guatemala. You can read about his school-building activities in his Guatemala School Project blog or follow him on Twitter @schoolproject. Mayan girl near Coban About the coffee. It’s $10 for a 300 g bag and comes in a medium roast or a dark roast and in beans or ground. Café Justicia is Fair...
Read MoreStudy Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala
It was after midnight when the plane touched down in Guatemala City. The streets were clear of traffic and the moon had risen high above the jacaranda trees silhouetting Pacaya volcano, with its molten lava spilling out the cone. A short winding ride later, I neared my hotel in Antigua. The streets were empty, the wrought-iron gates of the colonial homes locked up tight and the air chill as the driver jumped out and rang the buzzer. And rang and rang and rang. The sleepy owner finally woke up and led me past a lantern-lit courtyard to my room. It was the doorman’s first day and he...
Read More5 unforgettable experiences during Day of the Dead in Guatemala
1) Explore a Kite Festival: Guatemalans believe the barrier between the realms of the living and the dead is at its most porous on Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) and the All Saints Day (Día de los Santos), so it’s an auspicious time to communicate with family ancestors by attaching messages to barriletes (kites) and letting the wind carry the messages up to the heavens. The best places to see these ceremonial kites are the barriletes fiestas held on November 1st in the central highlands near Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango. 2) Eat a Special Breakfast: Day of the Dead...
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Wandering Carol
In 2003, I left the corporate world to try my hand at travel writing. Now, I travel the world, writing about people, places and cuisine. My writing has appeared in over 100 publications and anthologies. 
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