No comments about Tekkin a Waalk: Along the Miskito Coast.

2 comments about Insight Guides Guatemala, Belize And the Yucatan (Insight Guides Guatemala, Belize, Yucatan).

1. Great photos, excellent culture and history overview, highlights important sites ... the entire series by Insight Guides is the best. Don't leave home without one!



2. This book is filled with beautiful pictures and some semi-informative history and background on the region. However, it is utterly useless as an actual travel guide. Information on where to stay, recommended eateries, and transportation options is limited to 34 pages at the end of a 388 page book, of which 10 pages are devoted to Guatemala, 10 pages to Belize, and 14 to Mexico's Yucatan. The lovely pictures and brief background information might serve to sway a wavering would-be traveler, but add 3 or so pounds of deadweight on to the actual journey. The real title of the book should be "The Insight Oversized Travel Brochure of Photos of Guatemala, Belize, and the Yucatan".
   We started the trip with only this unwieldy paperweight in our packs, and a day later, were standing on the shores of Lago Atitlan dumbfounded; not simply by the spectacular beauty surrounding us, but by the simple fact that we were standing there at all, fed, clothed, and housed, not a single facet of which was due to this bundle of paper useful primarily as fuel for a fire (though, if you in fact did so, the toxic fumes from the chemical-coated pages could probably kill you). We rushed to the local bookstore to pay gringo prices for Lonely Planet's "Central America on a Shoestring"; this guide actually made it possible for the journeys to follow.

5 comments about Cooking With Baja Magic : Mouth-Watering Meals from the Enchanted Kitchens & Campfires of Baja.

1. This book should be purchased in threes; one for your kitchen, one for your coffee table, and one to take apart so that you can frame the illustrations. The recipes are simple to prepare and the results are SENSATIONAL! It is truly a gorgeous celebration of the flavors of Baja California: gastronomic and cultural. Take it along as a guidebook, too, if you want to explore Hazard's inspirations.



2. The receipes are great. The only care to take is that the portions are big. The stories are great.



3. The student and traveler to Mexico often returns home craving the tastes they experienced in Baja California. Ann's cookbook will compliment anyone's kitchen. From the appetizers to the salsas to the carnitas to the margaritas, with a little musica norteña, una fría and this cookbook, you can have a 'virtual' visit to Baja California. Recommended.



4. I was so disappointed in this book, especially after reading the reviews of others. Perhaps the author wrote the book for people who have no access to ingredients typically used in Mexican cookery, which 10 years ago might have been somewhat an excuse, but today, authentic Mexican ingredients are widely available. To those interested in real Mexican cuisine, there are much better choices, with this caveat; it's really too bad the author chose not to give us authentic recipes, as the cooking in this particular region of Mexico has not been covered well, and I have searched extensively.



5. The food in this book is excellent. As an almost-native San Diegan who has moved away, I depend on this book to help me make the Baja-style food that I love. I particularly like the Carnitas and the Chicken Enchiladas Verdes. Whenever I make carnitas, my guests just rave! The portions are somewhat large, so have a party or do what I often do - eat carnitas scrambled into eggs, made into quesadillas, etc. My only issue with this book is that there are a few technical mistakes(i.e. wrong page numbers, etc.). However, this is easy to overlook. Enjoy!

1 comments about "Living in San Miguel".

1. I've read several books about travel to and relocation to Mexico, particularly San Miguel. They all have a different perspective to present and some are definitely better written than others. Jane's is one the best written and offers an interesting and helpful viewpoint. Unlike many of the other authors, she relocated quite recently. So the experience of relocation is fresh in her mind and the information she has gathered is quite current and includes details that someone who been in San Miguel longer might have forgotten. The book was also shipped very quickly. Definitely worthwhile.

1 comments about The Desert States: Smithsonian Guides (Smithsonian Guides to Historic America).

1. I have this book, but it was published in 1990. In other words, I do not have the revised and updated version.

   However, if this one is anything like the copy I have, it is wonderful. The full color pictures are lovely and are used to enhance the text.

   Although this book doesn't tell the history of these states, it visits historic places within each state. Much of the history of these four states (NM, AZ, NV, UT) is told through the landscape and historic buildings of each state.

   I have enjoyed every place that I have visited and my visits have only been enhanced by using this book as a resource in my travels.

3 comments about Rockhounds Guide to New Mexico (Falcon Guide).

1. I enjoyed reading this book the author has put a good amount of time and effort in the collection of collecting sites. I like the format used including the best time of the year to collect. In the southwest it does get really really hot in the summer. The elevation is also important for people with mid winter cabin fever. I used that data to successfully collect petrified wood in Cuba in January. The forward introduction is important to read for people not used to living and hiking in New Mexico. I have given this book a three star rating based mainly on it's age. It's been around since 1995. that means that the site data is eight years old. I found that the sites near big cities like Albuquerque tended to be picked over or even worse closed to collecting. All of the west has had a population boom and New Mexico is no exception. the sites near smaller towns were fairly well intact. If you are going to use this book or any other guide I would check with local rock shops before traveling any distance to a new site. If the author or the published ever reads this review I would like to suggest that in the site location that they include the GPS data for main turn - offs and the initial starting points for collecting. In the case of this book eight years is a long time for forest service roads to stay intact or new ones created. I also use Mapping software on my PC to pull up topo and aerial maps of the area. I would also suggest a notation on every site listing the date when it was visited.



2. I essentially agree with the previous reviewer. We live in Albuquerque, and my son wanted to start rockhounding, so we used this book to get us going in January, 2007. Unfortunately, the first site we tried (one of those near the city and close to I40, of course) did not appear to be accessible any longer. The directions were fairly good, but the place we were to get off the paved road had a sturdy fence across it and signage that indicated it was not open to the general public, which was not what the book said (presumably becuase it was not like this in 1995). We decided to try a different site from the book that was south of the city and much farther from an interstate. In this case, the directions took us right to a good area, and we spent the last hour before sundown finding petrified wood, jasper, and a whole mess of other things that we have not gotten around to identifying, but sure turned out nicely after going through the tumble-polishing process.
   
   In short, take care assuming the access and conditions have not changed substantially in the 12 years since this was published. One always has to take care not to trespass, but don't rely on the book to tell you if you need permission. Other than that, the more general information about areas to find certain things is still good - though you might have to go farther off the beaten path to find them on the surface now.
   
   I also agree that any future editions that include GPS information would be very helpful.



3. A well written book and it's obvious the author is familiar with New Mexico and with her subject. I especially like the simple figure she uses in each area to show what part of New Mexico she's talking about. She uses a small New Mexico outline with a little mine symbol to indicate quickly where in the state the site is located. I recommend this book to rockhounds.

1 comments about Mexico Guatemala El Salvador Belize Nelles Map (Nelles Maps).

1. This map begins in the southwestern USA covering from Phoenix and Dallas southward. It also covers the eastern half of Honduras to Tegucigalpa. The northern half is on one map and the southern on the reverse.
   
   It has good markings for national parks and ruins. The region around Ciudad de Mexico is covered in more detail.
   
   The advertising claim of multiple languages needs clarification. Only the LEGEND is printed in four languages. The place names are generally in Spanish with occasional English comments--clear enough for any English reader.
   
   Distance is given in kilometers (sometimes miles in parentheses).
   
   The map has a nice durable cover as its first 'page', however sticking with that cover limits the overall size of the map; it could have been larger with an additional fold to allow more height.
   
   4 centimeters equals 100 kilometers.
   
   This is a good durable general map, however of very limited usefulness for driving. Only the major roads are identified by number. Secondary roads are extensively noted but not numbered or identified. An exception is Mexico City (which has street names) but not the regional map of the same area.

5 comments about The Rocky Point Gringo Guide to Puerto Penasco, Mexico.

1. I used this book as a guide for a trip in March 2001. It contains a great amount of useful information for Puerto Penasco. This book should be considered essential for a first-time visitor, but even a traveler familiar with the area should find much here that they weren't aware of. An added bonus is the great info on driving into Mexico from the U.S. It was my first time driving across the border and a quick read through the appropriate section in the book made the crossing a lot less stressful. I highly recommend this guide.



2. This is a great reference guide to have when you are planning to visit or actually exploring Puerto Penasco. Though I can't say its chapters are particularly well organized you will still enjoy perusing this book - and with some chapters really studying it. The author has a good sense of humor and covers most subjects at an appropriate introductory level. Mary Weil's book is, as far as I know, the only serious guide to this very fun and friendly resort town. In almost 300 pages she covers the important subjects of getting there, shopping, sports, rentals, eating, lodging, safety, customs, history and getting back to the U.S. Many other topics are covered as well including the infamous Crystal Palace (our entire RV party of 14 got a real kick out of her dead pan description). The bottom line is that this book can add some depth to your trip to Puerto Penasco (english: Rocky Point). That will probably translate to more fun and a more productive stay.



3. i've been to rocky point a bunch of times, but this book enlightened me to a few lesser known places around the town. i would also recommend this book to anyone who hasn't been to rocky point because it contains all of the basics in an easy to read format.



4. The book was probably very helpful back in the day. But just like Puerto Penasco itself changes are happening too fast for much to help you navigate the area. We used the book for the basics but made the rest up as we went along. PP is no longer a sleepy fishing village.



5. Woefully out of date on travel to Mexico in the free zone, lodging AND restaurants. (What more is there?)
   Actually, the free Rocky Point Times was better.
   Maps, as rough approximations, were useful. Info on jellyfish and Bird Island was useful.
   Even the info on the desirability of dollars vs. pesos was out of date! Desperately need a 2007/2008 version.

4 comments about Culture Shock! Mexico: A Guide to Customs & Etiquette.

1. This entry in the Culture Shock! series provides a wealth of information about Mexico, but the author's presentation is rambling and disorganized. Of course, one could take this as a metaphor for Mexico: things appear to be chaotic, but generally they can be made to work. Tips for doing business in Mexico and handling social occasions are generally well-presented. The section on personal safety, in which the author relates his attempts to stay overnight in the worst sections of two Mexican cities to tempt fate, is instructive (he emerges unscathed) but does leave me wishing the jacket carried a photo of this fearless adventurer. (See the review of Culture Shock! Japan for general info on the series.)



2. Not recommended. The biggest shock was the author's pedantry. The first third of the book is an obscure treatment of history which assumes too much knowledge on the part of the reader. The book needs a glossary with the pronunciation of unusual spanish words, names, and places. I found myself constantly stumbling over them.



3. I read this after reading the US State Travel Dept. Info Sheet which tends to be overly conservative and makes places sound like demilitarized zones. This guide put a little reality back into it. The author gives some cultural tips mainly for the gringo (US citizen) to help mostly in social situations. Especially useful, were the tips on how to recognize a good Mexican restaurant, how to address people in social situations, and other Mexicanisms such as various commonly used slang. The author also describes regional differences and urban/rural differences you may come across. I feel this is a good guide to get a feel for the people and the place especially for the casual visitor going to the non-tourist areas of Mexico so you don't act like such a gringo. Not really a book to keep as a long-term reference to Mexico, I'd try to borrow it before buying it. The author does give minor Mexican differences in pronouncing Spanish, but I think he assumes most readers have a basis for Spanish, or will have a phrase book for this.



4. We teach a summer elective in Mexico for health professional students. Our 2 week in-country course focuses on learning the culture and language and health care systems of Mexico. This book is very useful because it gives a quick down and dirty synopsis of Mexican history (much longer and messier than U.S.history)that allows us, as teachers, to move into what we see as the aftermath, in the country today. It then moves onto the author's own experiences navigating the culture, with excellent tips, "to blend in" and understand what is going on around you. The details the author provides, such as going up to a stranger's house in the country, and asking "do you have any extra food today?" were true 20 years ago and are still true today. This provides the cultural context and informational detail we need, dealing with immigrants from these areas, in health care settings. It is not a guidebook. It is a hybrid...and very useful for those travelers who blaze their own paths, not the usual tourist tracks of Mexico.

No comments about The Mountains of New Mexico.