Guanajuato has a colonial pueblaesque feel.  It has strong traditional ties and is an important cultural center of Mexico.  The Centro is built upon antique tunnels and adorned with traditional houses every color of the rainbow. Walking through the downtown is likely to make you feel as if you are in an elaborate movie set or some sort of Disney facade.  Mountains surround you and everywhere you look there is an alley accompanied by crooked stairs leading to a web of balconies.

Since 1972 this cultural gem has hosted the Cervantino International Festival which is touted to be Mexico’s number one cultural affair.  Named for the famous Spanish writer, Cervantes (Don Quiote) this festival is a vivid artistic experience. Approximately 2000 artists from 25 countries converge from around the world to present dance, music, theatre, visual art, and more in the Teatro Juárez, the Cervantes Theatre and other venues.

Feast on art of every genre from music to modern sculpture, jewelry, traditional ceramics and blown glass.  All countries are represented and there are abundant museums and exhibits. Musicians line the streets and fill the restaurants. You will hear folklore, traditional mariachi, and acoustic within minutes of one another.  Dance cumbia in the street or throb to the electronic beat in any of the abundant discos.  Street performers abound, and the city hosts several theatrical and musical performances for the public.

The festival is a unique living art variety show of sorts.  Art ceases to be something for spectacle and is opened to streets inviting you in.  Writers recite poems, the local university gives musical guided tours of the winding alleys, rock bands play at different outdoor theatres, dancers spin in traditional dresses, dulcerias abound with candies that easily rival Willy Wanka, and the centre is filled with people from the entire world.

Typically the festival is starts the second week of October and continues to the end of the month. However, check the official website for a complete list of opening dates and a full program of events. (http://www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx/Public/Index/)

Getting to the festival is quite easy.  It is located in the middle of Mexico approximately and easily reachable from multiple destinations. The international airport at Leon is approximately 17 miles away.  You can fly in from major US cities as well as from cities around Mexico and Europe.  Driving from Mexico City will take you approximately 4 ½- 5 hours non-stop.  The bus system of Mexico City is extensive with buses of all classes frequently going between cities.

Although activities need not be planned ahead, do book a hotel accordingly.  This is a very popular festival and most hotels will be reserved in advance. There are many local places to stay and a simple Google search will provide abundant accommodations.

There are few events in the world that hold the cultural charm of the Guanajuato Cervantino International Festival. Stroll through fairy tale alleys eating traditional candies, kiss your loved from across a balcony, and be serenaded by a medieval lute all while enjoying one of the most culturally significant events of the world.

LatinWorld contributor Jada D'Angelo

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Panoramic Puebla.

The highway from Mexico City to Puebla is beautiful.  Almost immediately you escape the smog and cement of D.F. and are greeted by tall trees on grass filled hills.  The air is clean and as you wind up and down the highway you will see incredible vistas.  You climb down from Mexico City to a valley of sorts, and then ascend once more to Puebla.  Farms and agricultural communities line the way.  Sheep graze freely along the road and donkeys are tethered to strategically “mow the grass.” Approximately three-quarters of the way there, if you pay attention, you will spot a tiny blue shrine to La Virgen Guadalupe that looks like a doll’s castle nestled in a rock on the roadside.

Puebla is just 125 km (78 miles) southeast of Mexico City and is easily accessible by bus.  You have several options but most prices are in the MEX$104 range.  Tickets and information can be purchased via Ticket bus (www.ticketbus.com.mx) downtown D.F. It is a two-hour trip, but if you leave during rush hour or on a Friday afternoon expect major traffic delays in both Mexico City and Puebla.  If you choose to drive, be advised that there are several tollbooths.  At the final toll entering Puebla you may be enticed to buy traditional candy from the region, either compote (sweet potato) mixed with sugar and different fruit flavors, or the sickeningly sweet borrachos (drunk man) gummy type candies.

Don’t be dismayed when you first approach Puebla.  At first glance it appears to simply be another large city.  The real charm lies in the downtown district.  Make your way to the zócolo and spend your time there.  The square is quite impressive.  The cathedral itself hosts the highest towers in Mexico and is nothing less than grand.  It takes up the entire block south of the zócalo and appears on Mexico’s 500 pesos bill.  The interior awesome.  A huge gold gilded organ dominates the center and elaborately decorated side chapels and frescoes add to the impressiveness.  A local told me it is believed that the plans for this chapel were accidently switched with the cathedral in Mexico City;  thus, Puebla ended up with the cathedral originally intended for D.F.

The inside of the Puebla cathedral.

Directly oposite the cathedral lies the municipal governmental building and several restaurants and coffee shops.  Statues and a modern art piece complete the square.  Puebla’s industry was originally pottery, glass, and textile.  The influx of Chinese imports has changed this and now tourism (and the Volkswagen plant which is said to employee 60% of the city) is the main industry. The government keeps the downtown area quite clean and it is extremely tourist friendly.  Many of the signs are bilingual and there are directions on every corner to local museums and sights.

There are many museums and I visited a few by simply following signs.  The best is said to be Museo Amparo (www.museoamparao.com), which is housed in a colonial building of the 16-17the century and stocked with pre-Hispanic artifacts.  Puebla also hosts an orchestra. If you happen to be there on a Sunday after noon ask any local where you can find the “orquesta local.” They usually play around 6pm for the public and are often in a converted hospital right off the zócalo.

Lodging is very easy to find.  You can simply walk around the square and ask to see rooms and price lists.  Ask about breakfast or “desayuno” as several hotels offer a wonderful complimentary morning meal.

You cannot mention that you will be going to Puebla without being told about the food.  It is known for specialty regional dishes and deserts.  Be sure to try the mole and Chilies en Nogada. A wonderful restaurant featuring traditional Puebla cuisine is Fonda de Santa Clara (fondadesantaclara.com).  I had the Chiles en Nogada which is ground beef stuffed in Chile and topped with a walnut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. It is a delicious mixture of sweet and spice and the crunch of pomegranate adds refreshing burst of flavor.  My companion went for the mole, sampling the green, red, and chocolate varies.  Be warned that there is a rule that mole is often too heavy to be eaten as an evening meal and often upsets the consumers stomach.  It can be extremely rich and as my companion can attest, you may want to opt for it at lunch.  Another common Puebla food is crickets, or “chapulines” with chile, salt, and lime.  You may see these critters a top a salad or sauce, and they can be readily purchased from street side vendors.  They are said to be very high in protein and a perfect snack.  I found them to be crunchy and slightly earthy tasting, but in my opinion just about anything is edible with chile and lime.

Puebla dishes.

Once a city of it’s own, but now practically Puebla itself, Cholula is the home to the widest pyramid ever built, the Pirámide Tepanapa.  It is completely covered by grass and if you did not know it was a pyramid you would think it just a large hill.  Actually, legend has it that the Spanish did not realize what it was and built their church right on top.  According to a local I met it is debatable whether the Spanish knew what they were doing or not, according to him building a church on the site of a such a ceremonial ground was the Spanish way to stop indigenous practice and enforce Catholicism.  Whatever the case may be, it is definitely worth a trip.  The church is constructed of beautiful bright orange domes and white accents like icing dripping down the sides.  Masses are still routinely held and you can look out onto the entire city of Cholula while listening to the sermon being sung in Latin.

You can purchase handmade chocolate, crickets, nuts, and trinkets on the ascent and descent and a small market has been established at the hill’s base.  Directly across from the textile and jewelry vendors is a food market.  If you happen to find the bright orange tent with several like colored barrels underneath labeled “helado” stop in and try some of this delicious ice cream.  My personal favorite is from the fruit of guanábana.  A family of four women also has their business under this tent, making quesadillas, huaraches, and sopes.  They are delicious and the women are quite friendly.  I recommend the “flor de casaba” which is the flower of pumpkin and  chicharrón.  If you’re feeling especially brave you can sample the corn fungus, or huitlachoce quesadillas.

Although it is still a large city, the tile and colonial architecture of downtown Puebla takes you back and makes you feel like you’ve found a historical village.  It’s well worth a visit and remember you really must try the postries.

Guest writer Jade D'Angelo.

Jade D’Angelo is a native Texan with a life long love of travel, exploring different cultures, writing and the people of the world.  After graduating with a liberal arts and biology degree as well as her diploma as an English teacher, she has pursued her life-long dream to live abroad and learn Spanish.  Currently, she can be found living in Mexico City hunting down tacos and absorbing vibrant culture. You can read about Jade’s travels and observations at her personal blog.

Why did you decide to move to Bocas? The lodge was a dream that had been gestating since we met in college in 1991. We both wanted to pursue a largely self-sufficient lifestyle and escape the trappings of the work and consumer driven ‘global north’. After reading a newspaper piece entitled “Panama, The Oddest Country in Central America,” we decided we needed to visit. We fell in love with Bocas’ incredible natural environment and its diverse population.

2.) What were some of the challenges you faced when you first moved to Bocas, both personally and professionally? Having worked as an archaeologist (Henry) and a museum specialist (Margaret), there wasn’t a great deal of roll-over into this project. We both had to learn hands-on how to build structures, plan for water and solar systems and navigate the bureaucracies for building permits, licenses etc. It was particularly hard for Margaret as a women to have any authority in such a male- dominated culture. We were also appalled by the attitude of many ex-pats to the local communities; one of disregard at best and blatant racism at worst.

3.) How do you reconcile guest comfort and environmental friendliness? Many people seem to think they can’t simultaneously exist. What are some of the drawbacks or challenges you face running a “green” hotel? We’re very clear up front what the lodge can offer guests. We make it apparent in all of our publicity that our emphasis is on bringing guests closer to the natural environment and local communities and not on amenities such as air conditioning and swimming pools. As a result, our guests share the same ethos about responsible travel. They seek us out specifically because we’re the antithesis of generic chain hotels. This said, we do everything we can to provide comfort as long as it is compatible with maintaining our small ecological footprint. We have comfortable beds, enormous mosquito nets, flushing toilets and hot water. I can think of no challenges we’ve faced in running a ‘green’ operation verses a high impact hotel.

4.) What makes your lodge green, and why did you choose to build annenvironmentally friendly hotel? We wouldn’t dream of building it any other way! Although large portions of the land we purchased had been farmed in the past, the jungle was well on its way to reclaiming its territory and this is the way it should be. The flora and fauna are remarkable. From the outset, we did everything we could to limit our negative impact on the environment and local communities. Our power is solar, our water comes from a spring on the land, all black  water is safely treated and gray water reused, we farm much of the food we consume and source the rest locally. We strictly minimize non-compostable waste. We employee only local people, offer training and career development opportunities and run a community development program (Hooda Chi). We’ve also planted hundreds of trees and worked to reduce invasive plant species.

Our interest and intentions were always in the area of sustainable and responsible lifestyles, although we have no formal training. Margaret specialized in social inclusion in the cultural sector, so although it may not have been immediately obvious, many of her skills were useful in running the community development program.

Is it a challenge to be green in Bocas and Panama? Yes and no. Awareness of environmental issues is leagues behind the UK and US. A little example? The looks of confusion we would receive when we asked not to have groceries put into a plastic bag! However, levels of consumption are less (largely due to limited income). In the past couple of years, there’s been a recycling scheme in Bocas which is great.

How do your guests respond to the lodge? The vast majority appreciate what we are doing at La Loma and relish the new experiences on offer to them. They’re often surprise at just how comfortable it can be living simply in the jungle. We made many wonderful friends and have many repeat customers.

The Casablanca wine-growing region.

Chilean wines are gaining recognition in North America and it’s no wonder; Chile’s been growing wine for centuries and its mild climate and many wine-growing regions offer ideal wine-growing conditions. I recently spoke with Courtney Kingston Pflaum of Kingston Family Vineyards about her experience as a wine-maker in Chile’s western Casablanca region.

Your winery is situated in western Casablanca. Why does that region of Chile lend itself to wine-growing? Which wines grow best? Casablanca is one of the cooler valleys in Chile, and western Casablanca—closest to the coast—is the coolest.  Our vineyard is situated only 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean.  The cool ocean breezes and mediterranean climate create an ideal place for wine grapes like Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc.

How long have you been making wine? What got you started in wine? Our first vintage was in 2003.  My great-grandfather, CJ Kingston, went to Chile in the early 1900′s looking for gold.  Five generations later, our family is still living on our ranch in Casablanca.  For years and years, we had cattle and dairy cows grazing on the land, but they never liked the steep hills.  In the mid-1990′s, we planted our first grapevines on the hillside overlooking the rest of our farm.  Our vineyard is now one of the best in Chile, particularly for cool climate grapes.  We sell most of our grapes to other respected Chilean wineries like Montes, Concha y Toro and Santa Carolina.  We hold back a small amount—the best of the best to showcase our vineyard—to crush for our own Kingston Family wines.

How many barrels/bottles do you produce every year? Do you export your wines or are they used mostly for domestic consumption? How many acres of grapes do you have? We are a boutique operation by Chilean standards.  We make about 120 barrels a year to bottle 3,000 cases a year, or about 36,000 bottles of Kingston Family wine.  Believe it or not, that’s the same amount of wine that many wineries spill on the winery floor on a typical day!  Our vineyard is about 250 acres, nestled into the hillside of our ranch of about 8,000 acres.  As I mentioned earlier, we have more grapes planted than we harvest for our own Kingston wines, with every row managed for a different Chilean winemaker’s style and special requests.

Most of our family’s wines are exported to the USA, with a small amount also sent to Canada, the United Kingdom and Brazil.  In Chile, our wines can be found at a handful of top wine shops and restaurants in the Santiago area.

Do you offer winery/vineyard tours? If so, hours/fees? We do.  We welcome visitors, but all tours are by appointment only, given our small size.   You will be shown around by a winemaker or family member from our small team at Kingston Vineyards.  The tasting fees per visit vary, based on what wines the visitors to Kingston would like to taste.  The best way to set up a visit is to email Evelyn Vidal and her winemaking team at tours@kingstonvineyards.com.

In the last few years, I’ve seen a lot more Chilean wines on grocery store sheves. What makes Chilean wine attractive to American/Canadian consumers? Two things.  First, Chilean wine is often an excellent value for the price.  The quality of Chilean wines has far outpaced the increase in wine-making costs in Chile, making our wines a lot more affordable relative to other wines from our European or North American peers.  Second, I think Chilean wines are a welcome blend of the Old World and the New…combining the structure of old world wines with the brightness and intensity of new world fruit.

What’s your signature wine? Our top pinot noir is our Kingston Family Vineyards “Alazan”, and we have a barrel selection called “CJ’s Barrel” ($32).  All our wines are inspired by favorite family horses from years past, and Alazan was my Uncle Peter’s horse in the 1950′s.  CJ was my great-grandfather who was the first Kingston to settle in Chile back in the early 1900′s.  The CJ’s Barrel typically comes from a one or two barrel blend of the best pinot noir grapes from our vineyard that particular year.  We make such a small amount that it is only available direct from the winery and sells out almost immediately when it is released each September.  If you’d like to try a bottle, you can visit us in western Casablanca or join our Old Corral wine club on our website (www.kingstonvineyards.com).  Old Corral members are given top priority on all new releases of Kingston wines like CJ’s.

Your favorite wine? This is a tough question, as it’s similar to asking me which of my three daughters are my favorite!   I do have a special spot in my heart for our “Lucero” Syrah.  It is such a versatile, tasty wine for the price ($18, 90 pts Wine Spectator).  Our Lucero is unique in that it’s a cool climate syrah, made in a style similar to the Northern Rhone in France.  Most syrahs from Chile have more in common with the syrahs that come from our Southern Hemisphere neighbors in Australia.  Our Lucero has lots of bright fruit and is complemented by white pepper spice and bacon undertones.  It’s my first choice on Sunday afternoons at the casa patronal when we grill meat on our parilla in our backyard.

Courtney Kingston Pflaum, Byron Kosuge and Evelyn Vidal.