Canada Vacation Packages » Mexico

Survivor Mexico or why I do what I do

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:16:33 +0000

It’s a mad mad mad world, so be afraid of everything, global warming, job loss, economic collapse, terrorists, pirates, pandemic and oh yeah 2012 is coming. Have a nice day.

MEXICO TRAVEL ALERT – DEADLY FLU OUTBREAK

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 08:45:17 +0000

Mexico flu deaths raise fears of global epidemic , Scientists said the virus combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before We are very, very concerned, World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said. We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human, he said. Its all hands on deck at the moment. Music: Jason Shaw audionautix

Mexico Real Estate Investment; Diversity For Canadian Home Owners

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:31:52 +0000

Owning a piece of Mexico Real Estate is continually becoming a more appealing factor for Canadians interested in investing in a second property. Here is one big reason why. An article on a Canadian website stated that buying a home was not a very good investment. The main error that the writer points out is that this kind of investment includes no diversity. It’s like putting all you money into one stock. If something goes wrong with that one single investment, it may become hard to recover what you lost.

So, how can we fix this problem? Easy. diversify.

Mexico Real Estate, in fact, provides a perfect avenue for Canadians looking for to make a solid investment in real estate to “diversify their portfolio.” When diversifying investments, the point is to make investments with good potential for increase in a variety of markets in order to avoid “putting all your eggs in one basket.” Markets such as the the more established Playa del Carmen Beachfront Condo rental market or the up-and-coming Campeche Real Estate area offer you excellent options for diversifying.

Consider this; just like many other Canadians, you have probably already owned your home for quite some time, and the mortgage is already paid, or almost there. Prices on currently on an upswing, but these prices are susceptible to many variables – some economists are already doubting the sustainability of the current price inflation in Canada.

Now, consider the idea of diversity. Your home in Canada is the place where you live, and it does not generate income. For generating income, you could consider a condo on the beachfront in Playa del Carmen. This thriving tourist town is already a favorite for many foreigners looking for the world’s most beautiful beaches – similar to Cancun, but with a “European feel.” (Condos in Cancun, in fact, provide another possibility.) If the correct property is found, renting to vacationers in Playa del Carmen can be a constant, reliable form of income; what’s more, this income property could double as your own vacation condo at low times. Other possibilities exist in Tulum or Progreso (near Merida) also on the Yucatan Peninsula, or in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Ixtapa or Puerto Escondido on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

Another type of investment (to further explore diversity) is a property which you improve, in a area where market conditions and the value of the improvement have a good probability of surpassing the cost of the improvement by a considerable margin. One such example can be found in the state of Campeche, which is “across” the Yucatan Peninsula from Playa del Carmen. There is a specific development in this state, where lots with 20 meters of beachfront and a depth of 400 meters are available starting at $55,000 US. The area shows a great deal of promise; with beautiful colonial cities and towns, wide beaches in virtually untouched areas and a new multimillion dollar marina-golf development, a home built on one of these lots shows promise of being worth much more a few years down the road. This is only one example of this type of investment, and other solid possibilities exist both in Campeche, and in Mexico as a whole.

A final point is the current strength of the Canadian dollar. With near parity with the US dollar, this means that funds will go much further in making investing in Mexico diverse real estate market, opening a excellent variety of investment possibilities. For details about investing safely, in the way most suitable for your situation, contact a reliable, experienced real estate agent who knows Mexico’s market well.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

Mexico Real Estate NETWORK; “Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!”
Region: Playa del Carmen Real Estate by Thomas Lloyd graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years. A Mexican Certified Realtor he is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate, you can contact him at (512) 879-6546.

Safety, Violence, Drugs, And Other Reasons To Vacation In Oaxaca, Mexico

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:49:27 +0000

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

Five articles on page A3 of a daily newspaper began as follows:

The special investigations unit has been called in after a man was shot and a second man broke his jaw during an arrest…

A woman described as armed and dangerous is wanted by police in a home invasion robbery…

A man barricaded himself inside a house for almost an hour after attacking another man with an axe…

A man tried to lure a 14-year-old into his truck…

A young man is clinging to life after being shot in the head at a west-end community centre during a brazen afternoon shooting…

From June through December, 2006, and in fact well into 2007, foreign governments issued initially travel advisories, then outright advice against traveling to Oaxaca because of purported rampant violence and safety concerns, and again more recently warnings about civil unrest and violence in this southern Mexico city of about 400,000, a mecca for tourists. Yet New York, Chicago, L.A. and Toronto remained immune from such government wrath…oddly so given that while residents in large Canadian and American cities are regularly subjected to street violence, no tourist was targeted or injured during months of Oaxacan unrest.

The excerpts from the City Page referenced above are not from a Oaxaca newspaper, but rather from The Toronto Star, April 8, 2007, in the midst of arguably one of the most tranquil and peaceful family weekends of the year, Easter.

There are many opinions as to why false and misleading information is disseminated about occurrences in Third World countries, and in this case Mexico (more specifically Oaxaca), while fact based reports from First World countries in the Western Hemisphere, take Canada for example, do not result in, for one thing, government advisories.

Western governments have a history of paternalistic attitudes towards their citizens dating to the period of colonization. It continues to date. Perhaps more importantly, during the 20th century civil liability has become a concern, more so in the US than in Canada in terms of claims for monetary damages arising out of allegations of negligence perpetrated by governments against citizens: “You had information about civil unrest and the possibility of injury, so why didn’t you warn me against traveling to Oaxaca?”

What is a Western consul, resident in Oaxaca, to do or recommend to his or her principals in Mexico City, Washington or Ottawa? Especially when local and international media, each with its own agenda, report incidents of unrest and at times violence? Does governmental due diligence include checking the veracity of reports of targeting or injury to tourists, and when there are no such reports, ought they include some such reference to their findings in their warnings? Should this writer have not stated that no tourist was injured, when in fact there was a report of a tourist who elected to walk alongside a march with his video camera, apparently inadvertently receiving a bit of mace or pepper spray in his face, then smiling and laughing it off when questioned by reporters? Should we demand more particulars from our governments upon which we are expected to rely? Should we perhaps request comparative statistical data when advisories are issued, regarding injury to innocents in Canadian and American cities of comparable size to that of Oaxaca?

Mexico, with different legal and political systems both historically and in contemporary times, would appear to have a different attitude towards protecting its citizenry traveling abroad, at least to Canada and the US, and certainly the federal government does not appear to have the same legal liability concerns, not having developed a British common law system which gives residents significant rights regarding claims of negligence.

Perhaps the Mexican government should begin to issue travel advisories based upon reviewing newspapers, wire service and internet reports, and first hand accounts of violence against citizens of Western cities:

“Violence erupted against innocent people, some of whom may have been Mexican tourists, in at least five separate incidents over Easter weekend in Toronto. We urge our citizens to exercise extreme caution should they dare to maintain their existing travel plans to that part of Canada.”

While arguably misleading, at least the facts would be accurately stated. We would then see how much pressure would be brought to bear by Canada, and how fast, upon Mexico to retract its warning. The Mexican government would then have received a good lesson on how to use diplomacy to convince foreign governments to be more detailed, accurate and cautious in issuing advisories.

Before the critics and skeptics jump on the obvious gap in reasoning and fallaciousness of the analogy, they ought to research whether or not the Mexican government issued travel advisories regarding Toronto, Ontario or Canada, in the face of the two incidents bearing the closest similarity in recent memory to the Oaxacan unrest…the Oka reserve uprising and the Dudley George killing with associated conflict.

The foregoing should not be relied upon by anyone considering traveling outside of his or her home country, and the article’s intent is not to influence anyone’s travel plans nor to opine regarding any government laws, rules, regulations, policies or procedures.

*Author’s update: Since the foregoing article contains historical information, I’ve taken the liberty of examining more recent news pages, the front page of the same Toronto Star, online version, for the Greater Toronto Area, from May 28 and May 31, 2009, and for April 17, 2010. Dare to compare with headlines from mainstream Oaxaca media? Consider the following:

May 28, 2009:

“Teen guilty in rugby death”

“Body of missing teen found in Toronto harbour” [he had been in an argument the night he went missing, so accidental drowning is not suspecte]

“New Tori murder charge” ["An 18-year-old woman charged in the disappearance of eight-year-old Tori Stafford saw her charges upgraded to first degree murder Thursday]”

May 31, 2009:

“Suspect in bludgeoning slaying was on probation”

“York U. student’s body pulled from Lake Ontario”

“OPP [Ontario Provincial Police] officer charged with breach of trust”

April 17, 2010:

“Complaints overwhemlm human rights watchdog”

“Yonge St. [main commercial thoroughfare in the city] remains closed after wall collapses”

“Belleville police pull woman’s remains out of Moira River”

“Suspect and child in custody after morning attack”

“OPP [Ontario Provincial Police] union wants to know why cocaine charge dropped [against husband of politician]”

“Suspect sought in elevator fire”

“Pickering man stabbed in chest during domestic dispute”

Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, thereafter embarking upon a career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin now resides in Oaxaca, where he writes, leads small group tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sites, is a consultant to film production companies, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ) .

Calling The Us Or Canada While Traveling In Mexico!

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:09:07 +0000

Vacationing in Mexico can be a great experience but every now and then, travelers may wish to check on their loved ones back home. Emails allow this to be done at a relatively low cost and travelers should take advantage of Internet amenities, as many times they are included in a hotel’s daily resort fee. Persons traveling as a couple and having to leave children behind, business people who are traveling alone, or those needing to keep in touch with business contacts via telephone, calling locations outside of Mexico is possible but can be costly. Thanks to Internet calling, pre-paid calling cards and other lower-cost calling methods, expensive telephone calls are a thing of the past.

When you prepare for your Mexican vacation the single most important protection you should buy if driving in Mexico is Mexican Auto Insurance. For more information on Mexican insurance online or to buy your policy at great rates, visit Mexico Car Insurance resources.

Many Canadian and US visitors to Mexico use their cell phone with great success. Land lines making calls to the US or Canada from Mexico sometimes have a spotty record though. Most say its because of their Mexico provider or complain that the lines are busy or down due to weather conditions.

Just remember if you use your cell phone you will probably need to order the international feature covering the territory of Mexico from your cell phone company. It is also important to note that the same 800 numbers do not work cross- border meaning that an 800 number which works to call Mexico from the US and Canada can NOT be used to call from Mexico into the US and vice versa. This has to do with current international telecommunication agreements which will probably not change anytime soon.

Internet cafes and hotel business centers are great locations for using computer-assisted phone calling. Less expensive on a per-minute basis than a resort’s long-distance phone charge, these can be completed without the assistance of an operator and many times allow callers to see each other via webcams. If unable to use computer calling, purchase a phone card at Mexican mini-marts, pharmacies and grocery stores. Even tourist information centers sell them or can refer you to a location where rates are low. When ready to use, call from a payphone to avoid any in-room connection charge. Calling The US Or Canada While Traveling In Mexico!

Author Linden Gray founder of Mexican Insurance Store.com is an international online

Mexico Homes – The Best Retirement Choice

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:17:19 +0000

Many times, you must have dreamt of living a beach lifestyle in an exotic place with warm and sunny climate and a relaxed lifestyle. All this while, you would have thought of this as just wishful thinking which you won’t be able to realize any time soon. But, if you pause for a moment and think carefully, all this and more can be a dream come true! And this is the best time to achieve it. If you want to buy a retirement home or want a second home, then read this article on what makes buying Mexico Real Estate the best choice both for investment and lifestyle.

For starters, it may be quite surprising for many to know that Mexico was ranked #1 in International Living’s Global Retirement Index for the years 2007-2008. This is very significant as this instantly tells you that, Mexico is better than retiring in U.S. or Canada. So, if you are American and Canadian, what it means that, just south of your border is a retirement heaven which is sp close to you and very well connected through road and air.

Coupled with lower cost of living, affordable health care facilities and a laidback lifestyle, Mexico is the most sensible choice for any retiree.

Mexico has seen tremendous real estate and infrastructure development in last few years, which means that a high number of world class Mexico Beachfront Homes and land are available at very affordable prices. Vacation rental condos with all modern amenities are also available at very economical prices.

Since, this is a “Buyer’s Market” due to world wide recession, property prices in Mexico have dropped quite significantly for now. What this drop represents is a tremendous buying opportunity at historical low levels for investors who plan for long term. Everybody understands that economical conditions are cyclical and the U.S. economy is getting stronger which will boost the realty sector again. Anybody purchasing Mexico real estate at this time will be getting a good bargain and potentially big profits in future.

Living in Mexico offers other advantages also. The cost of living in Mexico is quite low which means that your dollar last longer and you can afford a luxurious lifestyle even if you moderate income or savings. Mexico is relatively safer and friendlier. Even though, U.S. media would like everyone to believe that Mexico is dangerous, the fact is such problem areas are very limited and do not effect much of this beautiful country. A person living in Mexico feels much secure here. Most of the new developments are in private gated communities with full security which makes life in Mexico even safer and peaceful than USA!

All these benefits plus the sheer beauty of this vibrant nation, makes Mexico the place to live a great life.

Author: Donna Nocero

Let Realty Executives Mexico assist you in finding your dream Mexico Real Estate anywhere you want to be south of the border or in setting up your own Realty Executives Mexico Real Estate Franchise in Mexico.

Is Canada Too Expensive? Try Mexico Real Estate

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:28:13 +0000

Have you been thinking that Canada is getting too expensive? For real estate, for day to day living, for taxes? So do many other people – in fact, Canada’s tourist numbers have been dropping for this reason lately. For those who need their savings to stretch a little further, Mexico real estate presents a continuously more attractive option for inexpensive living, and especially with cheap Mexico beachfront real estate available in up-and-coming regions. The possibilities are attractive both for retirement and other reasons.

No one needs to be convinced that the cost of life is high in Canada – real estate prices are at all time high of with an average for homes over $450,000, and prices for everything else just seems to be going up as well. While the high international value of the Canadian dollar brought some hopes of lower prices, experts say that this will take a long time to have any effects, and may not bring the results hoped; a smaller market and higher general importation costs will not allow importers to deliver products in the same vast quantities or low prices as to the U.S.

With the Canadian dollar high, the high prices are even more noticeable for those from other countries. During the period from 2002 and 2008, Canada has declined 15% in tourism, compared to a 30% growth internationally, which represents a drop to 14th place in the world. The drop has occurred mostly in U.S. visitors, who are the vast majority of visitors; in 2009 there were about 12,000,000 U.S. visitors to Canada out of a total of 16,000,000. Studies show that Canada is still well-loved, but people just don’t feel they can afford it – sound familiar?

But there is good news in all of this for many Canadians. The strong Canadian dollar, now at par with the U.S, has made real estate and the cost of living even more accessible abroad; and among the choices Mexico shines out from the rest.

Mexico has very well developed infrastructure, both in terms of transportation (it is currently #1 in the world for the most new highway projects), excellent health care for prices much more accessible than in the U.S. and without the waiting lines in Canada, and activities; tourism activities, such as golf, ecoparks and marinas play an important part of lifestyle for Canadians and Americans living here, and Mexico’s many celebrations and cultural events make life interesting for those who have chosen a Mexico retirement, or simply a new life in a year-round warm climate. Mexico is also close to home, with a 4 hour flight usually getting you from most places in Mexico to most places in Canada.

And how much does it cost to make Mexico your new home? Consider this; a lot with 20 m of beachfront in the state of Campeche (on the Yucatan Pesinsula) goes for $64,900 U.S. – and now you pay the same, since the Canadian dollar is on par – and for about $100,000 more you can have a high quality beachfront home built. Campeche is an up-and-coming tourism area and offers more and more activities and conveniences; it already has a Walmart supercenter (like the American ones that sell everything, including a full range of groceries), several large Mexican stores of a similar style with prices considerably lower than what you’re used to (especially now with the dollar at par with the U.S), up to date health care, and a beautifully restored colonial city, and two world-class golf courses on the way.

This is only one example of a place where you can live in Mexico at a much more affordable price. If Canada is starting to seem expensive, consider Mexico real estate.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

Mexico Real Estate NETWORK; “Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!” Region: Playa del Carmen real estate Thomas Lloyd graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years. A Mexican Certified Realtor he is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate, you can contact him at (512) 879-6546.

Gay Vacations to Mexico

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:09:07 +0000

When planning your vacation, if you have decided on Mexico, but want to stay in a smaller city, try Puerto Vallarta. A port city, yet also one with former agriculture as its biggest means of income, some of the reminders of that long gone era are still there. There are still the cobblestone streets in the main area of town, chickens in the streets as are commonly seen all over Mexico, there are locals who are quite friendly and welcoming, the area is close to the ocean as well as the mountains, and there is a flood of visiting people from all over the world almost year round. Puerto Vallarta is truly a popular gay travel vacation city.

There are a variety of fun filled ways to spend your days and nights in Puerto Vallarta. Some gay travelers rent bicycles and work on keeping their leg muscles strong as they bike along the Cuale River. There is sunbathing, sunsets, walking upon miles of white beaches, whale watching on Banderas Bay, horseback riding, and if you are up for a nightlife, there are dance clubs, which are also gay friendly with drag queen shows and in Mexico, the American dollar is worth almost twice as much as the Peso. This means your dollar goes a lot further, making for a very affordable vacation.

Puerto Vallarta is known as a gay friendly city and also boasts five star hotels for all its vacationers. Add in the artistic and magnificent scenery, cozy, quaint, little houses and you’ll understand why visitors come to Puerto Vallarta from not only the United States, Canada and British Columbia, but other countries as well. Because gay travel has increased with the need for more gay friendly vacation destinations, Mexico has become a favorite among all gays, especially in Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta. In the latter, if you love art and music, vivid sunsets, amazing sunrises, biking along trails or long strips of sandy white beaches, an exciting night life with over eighteen clubs to choose from, then Puerto Vallarta will quickly become one of your favorite vacation spots for years to come.

There also is Acapulco. Acapulco is famous for its beautiful stretches of white beach, warm, aqua colored ocean, to the comfortable and exotic hotels and home like villas. If you would rather stay in a condominium, those are available to rent also. For an exciting night life, there are gay bars and nightclubs where you and your partner can dance the night away.

Acapulco receives gay tourists from all over the United States and other countries because they cater to gays, making Acapulco an attractive destination. Some of the favorite gay clubs you won’t want to miss are Moons, a fantastic dance club; Club Savage, if you wish to saunter on over to the drag queen performances; Demas, another dance club with loud music, and the place to listen to Latina and American music, is at Cabare Tito beach. Fortunately, Acapulco realizes that their tourism relies on gays vacationing in safety and spending money, so Acapulco makes gay travel more attractive, safer, and more popular every year.

There is even a gay beach in Acapulco called Playa Condesa where partiers frequent, and is also known for its jet ski rentals and para sailing. A little further down are restaurants and a bar, all gay friendly. If you simply want to soak up some sun or sit in the shade, a vendor will be along to rent you an umbrella, chair, and sell you cool refreshing drinks. Gay vacations and holidays to this beach are the highest in Mexico.

Casa Condesa situated on a hill from the beach, is a very popular gay guesthouse run by gay managers. Gay travelers who have stayed there haven’t wanted to leave Acapulco because the atmosphere is so friendly and safe. When you feel safe, you can relax and have fun. In fact, some felt such a wonderment in Acapulco, they have come back to live permanently.

Still, even if you are going for a vacation only, and you want a friendly, affordable, gay travel destination where you are sure to have fun, privacy when you desire, and acquire many new friends, relax, and enjoy your stay, because you will never regret traveling to Acapulco.

Howie Holben has traveled throughout the world for more than 30 years. He owns and runs Spirit Journeys, a spiritual gay travel organization. Spirit Journeys has offered unique gay vacations with a difference since 1992. You can learn more at www.spiritjourneys.com.

Gay Vacations In Mexico

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:27:39 +0000

There also is Acapulco. Acapulco is famous for its beautiful stretches of white beach, warm, aqua colored ocean, to the comfortable and exotic hotels and home like villas. If you would rather stay in a condominium, those are available to rent also. For an exciting night life, there are gay bars and nightclubs where you and your partner can dance the night away.

Howie Holben has traveled throughout the world for more than 30 years. He owns and runs Spirit Journeys, a spiritual gay adventure travel organization. You can find more gay tours articles at http://www.SpiritJourneys.com.

Retirement and Vacation Homes in Mexico

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:09:38 +0000

Mexico is a truly amazing country that has a lot to offer to inhabitants and travelers alike. Amazing beaches, which are famous all over the world, archaeological sites and historical cities, national parks and moderns cities – these are just some of the most attractive things about Mexico. These are also some of the most important reasons why so many people from North America and other continents of the world choose to retire in Mexico. With millions of tourists arriving in Mexico every year, investing in Mexico real estate is a very sound business decision.

In case you didn’t know, International Living ranked Mexico as the world’s top retirement haven in 2007. There are many reasons why so many U.S. citizens, as well as people from other countries and continents choose to retire in Mexico. The lower cost of living, combined with high quality healthcare and other services, is very attractive to people who want to retire to Mexico, a beautiful country with warm climate and breathtaking landscapes. Its proximity to the United States makes it very easy to travel back, whenever you feel like visiting relatives or friends. The dream of owning a beachfront house is a lot easier to turn into reality in Mexico. As far as real estate is concerned, Mexico is by far a more affordable location than many other countries of the world. English is widely spoken in this country, and many aspects of American culture and civilization have already been adopted by the Mexicans. These are just some of the reasons why Mexico is the ideal retirement destination.

As far as investments are concerned, many foreigners have already opted for the purchase of Mexico real estate, either land or property, and the phenomenon is on the rise. As has been said before, the millions of tourists that visit Mexico every year provide a steady cash flow. Furthermore, Mexico real estate is considerably less expensive than comparable buildings or land in the United States or Canada. Therefore, investors have already taken advantage of the amazing business opportunities that Mexico real estate provides. The sudden interest that foreign investors have shown in Mexico real estate has led to a steady rise in the price of properties in this country. However, with maintenance costs, utilities and taxes that are significantly lower than in other countries, Mexico real estate can still offer good monetary value.

There are many advantages to retiring to Mexico, just as there are numerous reasons why a real estate investment in Mexico can turn out to be a very profitable business. However, you should not overlook the fact that the country’s laws and regulations are somewhat different from those of your native country. Therefore, should you be interested in investing in Mexico real estate, either for retirement or for a vacation home, it is best that you retain professionals to assist you with all the aspects of the transaction. Legal assistance is a must when you want to retire in Mexico or invest in Mexico real estate.

If you are looking for more information on Mexico real estate or a good plan to Retire in Mexico please visit http://www.mexicorealestatetours.com