Although the almond trees that bloom naturally around Puerto Vallarta are not the same species that produce the delicious seed used by cooks all over the world, this local species could be used to better advantage. Although the flavor of the fruit of the almond trees growing around Vallarta is very similar to its famous cousin, this tree is not of the same family. The wild almond, Terminalia catappa, is a tree that adapts easily to coastal soil and... 

The Meson del Refugio was the first hostel in Mascota. It was established in 1847, but has recently been restored maintaining its original architecture. It operates as a boutique hotel with all the amenities. “Good evening, Don Juan” is typically heard every night from the inhabitants of Mascota coming across the Meson del Refugio’s night watchman. They hear the answer “Good evening”, but it isn’t the old man’s voice, it was that of... 

The pathway is so narrow that walking through hand-in-hand is difficult. You really do want to stop mid-way and come together for one of those passionate kisses you only see in the movies; you’d lean in together and stand on one foot while the other slowly rises with the thrill of it all. The Paseo del Beso, which translates roughly into “The Kissing Alley” has been a must-see for many years now in Bucerias; one of the most typical towns on... 

The Mexican Constitution Article 27 of the Mexican Constitution states that foreigners may have ownership rights to lands in Mexico provided that foreigners agree before the Secretary of Foreign Relations (SRE) to consider themselves as Mexican nationals with respect to such property, and not to invoke the protection of their own government in matters relating to the property under penalty of forfeiting the property if they fail to comply with this... 

Building? Initial Paperwork and Procedures Once you’ve purchased the land on which you’ll be building, and you have an architectural project and initial quote, then you need to obtain the following: First you need a Building Permit. To obtain it, you need to show the design blueprints for the ground floor and other levels, transverse views and façade, structural blueprints containing all pertinent calculations, signed by the responsible authorized... 

Palm trees have been more than just part of the coastal landscape in Mexico. They’re a source of food, work, shade and even housing. It’s a huge ship, almost as big as the ones that came in near Ixtapa to pick up the Montgomery plant’s bananas. However, this one is nearing a point way south, near Cabo Corrientes. To the people of the town of Pisota, its arrival meant a time of celebration, fiesta time, with dances, fairs and even a circus also... 

From a practical point of view, distorted mirrors in your interior is absolutely useless. However, not every designer or decorator would agree with this statement. 
Some professionals believe, that by incorporating in a design decorative convex mirrors, or “special effects” mirrors that are made by using deformed sheets of polished metal, you can create a quite unique interiors. After all, the reflection in such mirrors is as unusual... 

The Hacienda Jalisco, now a boutique hotel, is a great example of restoration and conservation of architectural wealth found in the mining region of Jalisco. By Rafael Torres Meyer Beautiful dresses with crinolines made of the finest materials that could be imported from Europe and other luxuries that are now unfathomable in San Sebastian, were seen daily at the Hacienda Jalisco in its heyday. Its central patio dressed up for parties designed to... 

Although they are one of the largest families in the plant kingdom, orchids are being rapidly depleted. However, there is now a paradise dedicated to their conservation. By Rafael Torres Meyer Just three years ago, these lands were dedicated to pasture, with grasses in the rainy season and just dirt in the dry. Erosion had almost done them in, in spite of being located in one of the areas of greatest biodiversity near Puerto Vallarta. Today however,... 

It’s very difficult to decide if one should or shouldn’t build a pool in the house. It’s difficult because it’s easy to let oneself go with this ideal little toy without understanding the realities, complexities and cost of such. If you decide to build a pool, the procedure would be more or less as follows. First, you need an architectural design to look at size, shape, depth, etc. It can be as convoluted or straight-forward as one desires....