Santiago de Tequila or simply, Tequila, is a typical Mexican town except for one major distinction; it is the home of tequila production including both larger factories as well as artisan producers and distilleries. It is the namesake city of this famous adult beverage. One realizes they are getting close to Tequila when passing by fields and fields of cultivated blue agave plants used to make the tequila. Historically the sugars from the … [Read more...]
Hopland, CA – Sho-Kah Wah Casino
NOTE: all good times must come to an end. This casino is now permanently closed. If it reopens we will update this review. We keep our notes below for nostalgia purposed only. Sho-ka-wah Casino is located a short drive east of Hopland. As you drive northbound on the 101 take a right at Highway 175. The sign at the junction here may say its only 3 minutes to the casino - but in reality its at least 10 minutes (more or less). You will … [Read more...]
Oaxaca, Mexico
We first visited the city of Oaxaca in December, during the dry season so some of our mentions in this article may be seasonally related. For example, some of the fruits we saw in the markets are only ripe during that time of year, and some of the festivals we experienced certainly only occur during December. Oaxaca (elevation 5,084 feet, population 265,000) is located in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. The Oaxaca airport offers … [Read more...]
Oaxaca, Mexico – Important Info
Here are some useful notes for travelers visiting the city of Oaxaca. Transportation There used to be no nonstop USA flights to the city of Oaxaca. Normal stops included Guadalajara or Mexico City or both and still do on some routes. However, Aeromexico, Delta and United Airlines now have daily nonstop flights from Houston (IAH) and Dallas (DFW) to Oaxaca. Mexicana airlines offers nonstop flights to Oaxaca from Mexico City. A toll road … [Read more...]
Oaxaca, Mexico – Markets
Oaxaca is known for both its artisan crafts and local foods. Brilliantly colored wood carvings are much sought after by visitors. These carvings often differ dramatically in both quality and price. A general rule is to spend time shopping around - do not purchase the first item you see just because you like it. With so many similar items available, competition is high for your peso. Perhaps you will return to that original item but chances are … [Read more...]
Oaxaca, Mexico – Attractions
A Short Walk One day I decided to walk due west and see where I ended up. I left the phone at the hotel, I didn't research anything. I just began walking. I passed by Mercado de Abastos (a market) and then drifted by an extremely polluted river, an ecological disaster so to speak. I spent some time watching people wade back and forth through the water. I witnessed several people use the soil behind small bushes as a bathroom. I watched the wind … [Read more...]
San Francisco, CA – Driving
San Francisco is NOT a car friendly city for many reasons; it is a very difficult city to drive in. In general, drivers in San Francisco tend to be aggressive and quick to honk. There are numerous hills and many are extremely steep. Space is at a premium in San Francisco - especially on the streets. Some streets do not allow parallel curb parking. They are so steep that you must park your car perpendicular to the curb. There are quite a few … [Read more...]
San Francisco, CA – Museums
Aquarium of the Bay is one of San Francisco's newer museums. This aquatic museum is located next to Pier 39. The primary feature housed inside is the long cylindrical glass tunnel. Visitors can walk through this tunnel and watch fish swim all around you. There are also other aquatic tanks. Allow at least one hour to absorb everything. They are open daily from 10am until 8:30pm. General admission is $19.95 with discounts given for those over the … [Read more...]
Vancouver, Canada – Western Canada Trip
The total trip described on this page took 17 days including transportation from one's home airport. Suggested visit times and attractions are only listed as options for someone roughly following this itinerary. Any names of hotels or motels I stayed at have been included along with contact information. Day 1 : Stay at a motel near your home airport. This saves the hassle of driving to the airport on that same day that you are flying, unless … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Wineries
Sonoma County, while not the first destination in the state for growing commercial grapes (that being in Los Angeles County), is certainly one of the state's most historical viticultural regions and posseses a heritage that the county does not necessarily promote as much as they should. While not the first wineries founded in the state, two of the oldest ones still in existence are both in Sonoma Valley - Buena Vista (dating from 1857) and the … [Read more...]