4 comments about The Rough Guide to Central America.

1. I just returned from a month long trip through Central America, during which I visited the following countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, in that order. For the trip I brought two guide books along with me, this one and Lonely Planet's Central America on a Shoestring. I found myself using this guide almsot constantly and Lonely Planet's not at all. So if you are going to Central America, take this book with you.
   
   The best thing about this book is that it is well-organized and easy to read. This is especially true of the maps, which are in color and a delight to read. Anything you might be seeking can be found with ease. There are ample listings of sleeping accommodations and places to eat. The title might lead you to think that this book is just for backpackers and those seeking accommodation and restaurants just on the lower end of the scale. Not so! In every country, the book lists a wide range of hotels and restaurants, ranging from the luxury to the most basic. So, there is something in here to accommodate every budget. The book is especially useful in providing keys to providers of side activities, such as specialized tours like the Panama Canal. Through information in this book, I was able to contact a tour provider and make a reservation for a boat ride on the Panama Canal. I also found the best place to stay at the ruins in Tikal and in most of the major Central American capitals.
   
   In summary, I can't praise this book enough. Don't even think about going to Central America without it.



2. I bought this book to help me decide whether or not I want to go to Costa Rica. IT seems very comprehensive and very interesting.



3. I just traveled through Central America (Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala) for 2.5 months using the Rough Guide. I found the info in the Rough Guide of very limited utility. Their maps are not very clear. Overall, the guidebook could use more detailed maps. Sections of the book do not follow common sense organization (Costa Rica for instance is a mess without a north to south organization you think would make sense) making it difficult at times to find the destinations you're traveling to.
   
   They generally did a decent job with recommendations for accommodations, however they often neglected noting the popular backpacker hostel of the area (there's usually one) (maybe to distinguish themselves from the Lonely Planet whose recommendations seem to become the popular destination).
   
   Their health recommendations are shameful. They only mention the presence of malaria on the Bay Islands of Honduras, and that info is hard to find. Other important info, about weather or need for rain gear is simply lacking.



4. I am just at the beginning, but am enjoying the sections that I am reading..the material is giving me thought of how to enjoy my vacation

1 comments about Lonely Planet LA Ruta Maya, Yucatan, Guatemala and Belize (Lonely Planet Travel Guides).

1. Good book,(*****) Save me hundred of dollars in tour guides, hotels and places that even a regular tourist never knew that existed.Is a shame that they don't print a new edition, I'm triying to buy another as spare, for my futures trips to that wonderful area, lot of history and culture. you can trust Tom Brosnahan with your eyes closed, belived, you never be lost if you carry this book. Jose J. Valle. Cosmopolis,Washington,U.S.A

4 comments about A Guide to Ethnic Food in Los Angeles: Restaurants, Markets, Bakeries, Specialty Shops for the Food of Cambodia, China, Ethiopia, Greece, Guatemala,.

1. When this book first came out about 10 yrs. ago or more it was a revelation. In one collection it guided you through EVERY major ethnic community in the greater L.A. region and told you which were the best restaurants, bakeries, markets, etc. I don't know of any other book that comes to close to being this comprehensive & incisive.

   If you ever spend any time in L.A. & you are interested in ethnic food, you must have this book.




2. This is the greatest book on the best ethnic restaurants in LA. Hopefully, the author will put out a new edition. I have it. It's about 10 years old, and I'm not going to sell it. It's better than any new guide out there. Even if you don't go to these places, it's an interesting read.



3. This is a fantastic compendium of ethnic food in LA. It gives you everything you'd ever want to know: best bakeries, best markets, best restaurants. It divides categories by geography (important in LA) & by ethnic cuisines.

   While the 1992 printing will make some info out of date (restaurants for example), this book is one of a kind & the best in its genre.




4. Although 13 years old, much of the info in this book is still relevant. Despite the youthfulness of Los Angeles, there are restaurants and markets that have managed to survive for decades. These places are invariably great and almost institutions in their community. Hence, many of the listings in Burum's book still survive in this megapolis. You'll have fun tracking down that obscure German sausage maker who has had his shop for some 30 years...as well as the occassional let down upon discovering that the old Japanese immigrant, who made fresh tofu daily at the back of his grocery store, decided to call it quits a few years ago.
   
   This book is not only a guide to the ethnic markets in LA, but also serves as an introduction to the cuisine of LA's ethnic groups. Interspersed within the listings, you'll find glimpses into the history of LA's immigrant communities, and what they really eat that you don't get at the mainstream ethnic restaurants. If you're the type that prefers to eat where you're the only one not of the ethnic group the restaurant caters to, get this book. It lets you in on not just the basics of a people's cuisine, but makes you feel comfortable with the unfamiliar (and much more authentic] dishes.
   
   The book is organized into the following chapters, which fairly represents the demographics of Los Angeles:
   China; Japan; Korea; Thailand; Vietnam; Southeast Asian [Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines]; India; Mexico; Central/South America and Caribbean; Europe; Greece, the Middle East and Africa.
   
   Overall, an indispensable introduction to LA's greatest asset: It's diversity of people and cuisine.

3 comments about Mexico (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. I have trusted Eye Witness Travel Guides for many years and they never let me down. My one complaint about this particular guide is its heavy Protestant bias. Mexico is a country of predominately Catholic influence and practice, but the authors chose to down-play that aspect of the deeply beautiful Mexican culture. However, this book gets 4 stars because it shows you the big places and can lead you into the lesser-known treasures of the country. Great for the traveller and the tourist (there is a difference).



2. This guide is a great book for daydreaming about going to all these amazing places or reminding yourself of them. It's not the most practical "on the road" traveller's companion though. There's too few hotel and restaurant recommendations and information on transportation options. Yet the illuminating pictures of historical sites and maps make it an adorably nice looking guide. If these are the things you mainly want from a guidebook, add one star to the rating.



3. As a US-based correspondent for a Mexican magazine who travels to Mexico often and has written for other publications there, I keep my bookcase well stocked with tour books that serve as reference guides. When I want accurate information, I open my trusty Rough Guide. I open the "Eyewitness" guide when I want to see some photos or pictures to illustrate the information in more reliable but text-heavy volumes. But under no circumstances would I ever rely on the information in this one. I've caught too many flaming mistakes that go beyond any possible realm of simple human error and into that of stuff that's just plain made up. My favorite is perhaps the translation of the name of the archaeological site Cacaxtla, which INAH (the Mexican government's National Institute of Anthropology and History) says means "the merchant's pack"...and yet somehow this, shall we say, *imaginative* guide tells us the word means "the place where the rain comes to die." And that's hardly an isolated occurrence in this book. Give it full marks for being a very good looking book with lots of pretty pictures and nicely executed street maps, both of which can be useful to have on hand. Just don't actually *read* it, except to cause much mirth and eye-rolling among your Mexican friends. Even if you know nothing about Mexico, you'll come away from this text more ignorant of the country and its culture than you were before you cracked it open.

No comments about Gardens of Mexico.

2 comments about Adventure Kayaking: Baja (Adventure Kayaking).

1. Last winter, a friend and I paddled a good length of the Baja peninsula, from Bahia de Los Angeles to La Paz (~500 miles). We used a collection of books and maps (large scale fishing maps - good for big picture planning, the Ed Gillet Baja paddling maps, Jack Williams' Baja Boater's guide, Lonely Planet, and this book).

   Adventure Kayaking describes a number of short routes (generally 3-5 days) all over the Peninsula. While providing a decent idea of what kinds of routes are broadly available, I found the descriptions were not very accurate, and a number of details caused me to seriously question whether the author had made the trips herself. I am inclined to forgive many types of mistakes in guidebooks (estimates of time, and descriptions of changing landforms), but incorrect factual descriptions of landforms and campsites are fairly serious. On two occasions, we relied on her descriptions and were left hanging (arriving at a 'sandy spit that was a good campsite' we discovered an uncampable small island of very large rocks.)

   There is some decent general info on kayaking in Baja in the beginning, but most of that can be gleaned from websites. We found this book to be of very limited practical use.

   By far, the Ed Gillet maps were the most useful resource for kayaking in the peninsula. They can be difficult to find (as Ed has sold his shop in San Diego to a very friendly couple, now called Aqua Adventures). We were able to pick up a few copies from the new owners. The maps are concise and easy-to-use, and contain very accurate and pertinent information. Combined with the Jack Williams' guides, those are about all you need.

   Some other useful Baja resources:
   www.caske2000.org - interseting website of guys who did an epic kayak trip in Baja & Central America
   Into a Desert Place - English guy walked 3,000 miles around the perimeter of Baja. Great story! He well captures the character of the desert.

   In general, sea kayaking in Baja is absolutely incredible! It is a stark, beautiful, and unforgiving landscape; and to the well-prepared visitor, it provides a very real and unforgettable adventure. We would go for days without seeing anyone but local fisherman, dolphins, and whales.




2. This book may be Romano-Lax's attempt to update her earlier Baja Kayaking book. Unfortunately, it sports several inaccuracies (see review below, for example) and is now (2006) dated. Any information about Baja and Gulf more than 3 years old (other than strickly geographical data, obviously) should be viewed with caution as things are changing fast throughout the pennisula.

2 comments about Footprint Central America and Mexico 15th Edition.

1. Footprint have produced a cracking guide to the region, i used this book day in and day out over 6 months and found it absolutely invaluable. It was especially good in taking me away from the crowds into some of the more remote and untouched areas of Mexico and Central America. This is a great value buy, incredibly well written and extremely informative - it won`t let you down!



2. (Planeta Journal) The Handbook looks better than ever. This 15th edition of this guide provides reliable information about general tourism as well profiles of national parks and reserves in Mexico and Central America. This is a terrific guide and the format is easy to follow. Colorful pictures and maps complement the text.

1 comments about Pueblos of the Rio Grande: A Visitor's Guide.

1. If you plan to travel in the Santa Fe/Taos/ Albuquerque area and want to see the Pueblos, this is a must. It is concise but complete.

   Each Pueblo is described and history given. You'll even know how to pronounce the names properly. such as Cochiti or Acoma.

   You'll know where to buy pottery, jewelry or art work.

   See the beautiful Southwest.

No comments about The Mexican Earth (American Indian Literature and Critical Studies Series).

2 comments about American Route 66: Home on the Road.

1. Jane Bernard and Polly Brown are accomplished, widely-published Santa Fe photographers who spent three years on American's most legendary trail. American Route 66: Home on the Road (172 p., Museum of New Mexico Press, 2003, $45) "winds from Chicago to L.A." These superb color and black-and-white photographs merge with their subjects mini-oral histories and the photographers' journal entries.

   We discover that an elongated Lake Woebegone populated by people such as Charles and Gazelle Stewart, who have surrounded their petrified wood store with towering folk-artsy dinosaurs designed to make kids demand to stop the car. Gazelle recalls how Jerry Seinfeld came in one day with his bodyguard, "a little bitty man...with such a huge gun he could hardly keep his pants up." Seinfeld wanted a $3,000 meteorite, but the power was down, so they couldn't run his credit card. They trusted him anyway.

   "We'd make more money," Charles says, "if I'd stop making so many dinosaurs."




2. Polly Brown and Jane Bernard are the Thelma and Louise of Documentary photography, shooting their way down the Mother Road with eyes and hearts wide open. Steinbeck, Kerouac, Mick Jagger, and Elvis would all love this book, and so do I.