5 comments about Frommer's Cancun, Cozumel & the Yucatan 2001.

1. This book is pretty much what you would expect from Frommers. A good book showing what to do, with a certain kind of audience in mind. I would have to say its not for the backpacker type or the budget traveler. But good if you are a don't get your feet wet kind of a person. ....



2. So many guidebooks! If you're going to the area, how do you know which to get? I just spent an hour flipping through all of the Cancun/Cozumel/Yucatan books at a local bookstore, and this looks like the best all-around for our trip to Cozumel. So for all you shoppers out there: I haven't been on the trip yet, but for what its worth, an hour of browsing determined this book the winner.



3. Just back from two weeks in Cancun and I found this book to be indespensible! The Maps were very acurate and I found the resturant rating system to be reliable. I can't say much about hotel ratings as I stayed at the same place the entire time. I think it would be hard to find a better all around guide book. Also check out "A Tourist in the Yucatan" fun thriller



4. I spent the last three weeks in the Yucatan (and I had a wonderful time!), and found this to be a reliable guide. The rating system is dependable, the maps helpful, and for the most part the info is up to date. I will say this, you might concidering more than one guide book as all of them seem to have some defficincies. This would be most important for the independent travler and the travler who is planning to get away from the major resorts. You might also consider buying good maps.



5. I am not sure the person who wrote the chapter on Isla Mujeres is familiar with the metric system. "1 km or 1.6 miles." The back of the book has a conversion chart showing that 1km = .62 miles. They make this conversion mistake all throughout this chapter.

No comments about 2009 New Mexico Wall Calendar.

2 comments about Sonora: An Intimate Geography (University of Arizona Southwest Centre).

1. I read this book that I borrowed from a friend 3 years ago. I am a Sonoran native, and I found most of the author's comments accurate. Although I found it a bit pessimistic and cynical at times, I really enjoyed his observations on the present conditions in the state, since most of them are true.

   Arturo Wagner Navojoa, Sonora




2. This is a delightful read, a vivid description of the land, the people, and the culture of Sonora, written by a person who loves it.

   A research scientist at the University of Arizona, David Yetman creates a nice balance among history/geography; the human stories of people he meets; and his personal relationship to the land and indigenous people .

   The esteem in which Yetman is held, both by Sonoran natives and gringo colleagues, is awesome. He moves easily from intimate conversations with native families willing to share their last tortilla, to sophisticated discussions of politics, agriculture, and drugs with officials in the highest of places. While acknowledging the challenges facing Sonora in light of ecological and social changes, he goes easy when questioning reluctant locals about the drug culture, presumably to avoid putting them, and himself, in harm's way.

   Yetman's academic credentials are revealed in the wealth of information about the varied landscapes within Sonora. That he truly enjoys and respects the people he has encountered over thirty years and hundreds of visits shines through and gives the book its personality.

4 comments about New Mexico's Continental Divide Trail: The Official Guide (The Continental Divide Trail Series).

1. I have used the companion volume on a hike along the Colorado stage of the Divide trail. The format of that guide was excellent and the route description, although brief was accurate and most useful. My main criticism's of the Colorado volume are reserved for the Maps, reproduced from USFS sheets and inadequate in topographical detail, and the weight that for a trail Guide was rather heavy(too many nice photos, interesting but not essential bakground information, and heavy weight glossy paper).

   The New Mexico volume is in an identical format and so it remains on the heavy side. I will have to pare it down into individual segments and post them ahead to post offices along the trail to be collected. However the maps are a great improvement as they are reproductions of Topo Sheets with all the necessary detail of topography and land forms to engender confidence in route finding when bushwacking. As with Colorado, waymarks are included that use latitude and longitude so entered on a GPS set it can be used to keep you on Trail. All the necessary information for re-supply and access to and from the Trail is included although I will have to test its accuracy when I am on Trail this spring. There is some complexity in the route choices along Stages 19 and 20 North of Pie Town that make for difficulty in following the sequence of pages but I guess that this will resolve itself when on trail. There is an inconsistency in continuity between the Guides as the New Mexico volume is written assuming a Hike proceeding Northward while the subsequent Colorado volume assumes a Southward going trek. Incidently the Wyoming guide reverts to a Northward progress again. I expect this guide to be an essential purchase for any thru hiker for it establishes a definitive route for the CDT through the state. I will comment again on opinion of the book when I get back from the Hike when I have had real use of it.




2. I have used the companion volume on a hike along the Colorado stage of the Divide trail. The format of that guide was excellent and the route description, although brief was accurate and most useful. My main criticism's of the Colorado volume are reserved for the Maps, reproduced from USFS sheets and inadequate in topographical detail, and the weight that for a trail Guide was rather heavy(too many nice photos, interesting but not essential bakground information, and heavy weight glossy paper).

   The New Mexico volume is in an identical format and so it remains on the heavy side. I will have to pare it down into individual segments and post them ahead to post offices along the trail to be collected. However the maps are a great improvement as they are reproductions of Topo Sheets with all the necessary detail of topography and land forms to engender confidence in route finding when bushwacking. As with Colorado, waymarks are included that use latitude and longitude so entered on a GPS set it can be used to keep you on Trail. All the necessary information for re-supply and access to and from the Trail is included although I will have to test its accuracy when I am on Trail this spring. There is some complexity in the route choices along Stages 19 and 20 North of Pie Town that make for difficulty in following the sequence of pages but I guess that this will resolve itself when on trail. There is an inconsistency in continuity between the Guides as the New Mexico volume is written assuming a Hike proceeding Northward while the subsequent Colorado volume assumes a Southward going trek. Incidently the Wyoming guide reverts to a Northward progress again. I expect this guide to be an essential purchase for any thru hiker for it establishes a definitive route for the CDT through the state. I will comment again on opinion of the book when I get back from the Hike when I have had real use of it.




3. I completed the southern-most segment of the CDT, along with 4 other backpackers from Middle of Somewhere Expeditions. We (myself and the other trip guide) found the book to be as complete as possible, given the difficult current circumstances of the Bootheel area. The problems we encountered were mostly due to problems with the trail markings, or the complete LACK of a trail at all - not the book. Writing is excellent, and most all the information present was current. The "official" route chosen for that section was only established with the publishing of this book - in fact, our group were among the first people to navigate it. The bootheel section is an adventure - barbed wire fences, scrambling through deep canyons and over ragged peaks with no trail to follow, a wide variety of (sometimes dangerous) desert creatures, and spectacular scenery. Julyan's book (along with a GPS unit and some MapTech maps) got us through - and that's pretty impressive. Don't believe me? Try hiking that section.



4. This is a guide to a dream that is still unrealized -- a trail from Mexico to Canada that follows the Continental Divide. Like the Appalachian Trail which took decades to complete the Continental Divide trail is still in the making. Thus, the many complexities of finding a trail that in some places doesn't exist -- and in others has several alternatives for finding your way.
   
   The maps, the photography, the detailed descriptions, the elevation profiles all combine to make this an outstanding guide. The guide divides the 700 miles of the CDT in New Mexico into 28 segments and describes each in detail for the hiker going south to north. You'll nead the description, especially near the Mexican border where "trail" is an exaggeration. Time to learn to use that GPS that's been gathering dust in my desk drawer.
   
   The guide is a a bit heavy, so if I were carrying it on the trail I would tear out the needed sections. Also, it was published in 2001 and perhaps a new edition is needed. One would hope that there have been improvements in routing and marking the trail since then. As with the Appalachian trail progress toward completion is slow and opposition from landowners along the route is intense. It's a noble endeavor, however, to create what may become the longest and finest wilderness hiking trail on this planet.
   
   Smallchief

3 comments about New Mexico's Sanctuaries, Retreats, and Sacred Places.

1. We all experience those dark nights of the soul. A sure cure is to follow author and photographer Christina Nealson on her pilgrimages to out of the way places in the state Georgia O'Keeffe called "the near faraway." As I accompanied Nealson on her spiritual journeys, I felt the strong, luminous presence of artists and writers like O'Keeffe and D.H. Lawrence. Nealson makes New Mexico seem "near" enough, but she never treats a sacred site in a way that robs it of its "faraway" feeling. She also shows a sure touch in her moving and respectful renderings of Hispanic religious and cultural practices. Well worth the trip!



2. This book made me want to get in my car and drive straight to New Mexico! Every page inspired me to visit yet another awesome, beautiful site. Not just the petroglyphs, but White Sands, and the Miraculous Tortilla Shrine! The descriptions of the sites and the fascinating historical tidbits kindled my desire to go New Mexico and see it all for myself. Not only am I motivated to travel to all these locations, I feel I'll approach them and even my home, with a renewed sense of reverence for the beauty all around me, after reading Nealson's inspired prose.



3. I think New Mexico was the greatest experience from the outside world that I have ever had. It certainly changed me forever...something stood still in my soul, and I started to attend. ~D.H. Lawrence
   
   Of all the places I've visited in America, New Mexico is where I felt closest to the earth. The heat radiating from the earth as you walk free and barefoot contrasts with a sudden hailstorm where you have to find shelter.
   
   Christina Nealson delves into this land of mystery and intrigues with her stories of places with great cultural significance. If you are a fan of D.H. Lawrence's writing, then you may want to visit the D.H. Lawrence Memorial in San Cristobal. Apparently Lawrence's ashes are in the walls of the shrine because his wife Frieda threw them into the concrete mix.
   
   Each listing has detailed information:
   
   Location
   Description
   Spiritual Significance
   Solitude Rating
   How to get there
   Accessibility from highway
   Facilities
   Fee Area
   
   There are 111 full-color photographs, 6 maps of New Mexico regions and color-coded tabs on the pages for easy reference. There is a list of Native American Feast Days and a Historical Time Line of New Mexico.
   
   Picturesque churches, mineral spring resorts, tree shrines, white deserts, petroglyph sites, snowy mountains and Navajo hogans make this land a choice location for spiritual renewal. If you are planning a trip to New Mexico, then this guide will give you ideas for day trips and places to stay. The solitude ratings are helpful if you are looking for quiet locations.
   
   Places I thought looked fascinating and a few quotes from this book:
   
   Monastery of Christ in the Desert: "How long has it been since you've heard live Gregorian Chant?
   
   White Sands National Monument, Alkali Flat Trail: "My brain said snow, snow, until I stepped from my air-conditioned car into the piercing heat and the immensity of a million great dunes."
   
   Casitas de Gila: "A short walk down the bluff puts you next to the stream, where a hammock invites you to dawdle."
   
   Of all the books I've read about traveling, this one makes me wish I was a travel writer, wandering through untamed lands. Christina Nealson's writing style is comforting and her knowledge of this area shows her love of travel and her deep appreciation for the need to find a sacred sanctuary where you can relax and heal.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review

No comments about Mountain Villages.

No comments about Up Against It: Photographs of the Berlin Wall.

No comments about Hiking New Mexico's Aldo Leopold Wilderness.

No comments about New Mexico Wild & Beautiful.

2 comments about Eating Out in Santa Fe: All the Best Restaurants, Cafes, Markets, Bakeries & Street-Eats.

1. First, I really enjoyed reading this book, with all of the history she included about each restaurant, cafe, market or bakery. It was published in 1997 and most of the establishments are still there. We just returned from visting in Sante Fe and used the book everytime we were going out to eat. It was fun to read her explaination before entering the door. She was correct with her rates on every one we frequented.I recommend reading this before your vist and using it while you are there.



2. I do not appreciate you making comments about our food in such a way. So many of the recipes that are such a raving success now are still made from old recipes from the old dirt roads of Santa Fe. The recipes that are new don't taste the same way our native food is made. People that don't know any better go for it because of all the hyp on it. Native Santa Feans and their decendants know the difference of today's foods and the originals. Please don't make such a comment that until these chefs came along that no one knew how to cook...we are the ones that taught the likes of them.