I Love Mexican Vacations

What was their journey like? what was their means of transportation, and which states did they go to?

Believe it or not they actually swam across to the USA, that is how they were known as wet backs. Texas and California were their destinations, Ithink the name of the river was the Rio Grande. here is a link to read, with a map.*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande

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Is it too risky for bad weather ?

Anything I should know (good or bad)??

Fall is hurricane season there but it doesn’t mean there will be one. November is a perfect time to go because it is not so hot. I will be staying at Mayan Riviera in Sept. and I am not concerned about the weather. I have been to Cancun many times and almost every month of the year and never had a bad experience weather wise. It could happen but the chances are slim.

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There are many fantastic destination wedding locations to choose from - you really can let your imagination go wild & go virtually anywhere to get married.

There are many fantastic locations around the world where you can have your wedding on the beach. It is not feasible to get married on the beach in all countries with a coastline. In many countries it is not feasible due to marriage rules requiring marriage only in precise places for instance municipal town halls, in Churches or in other religious buildings. But there are still many locations where a beach wedding - generally a civil marriage - is feasible.

The most well-liked destinations for a beach wedding are in the USA - these are Florida, Hawaii and California. These US locations offer many amazing beaches and huge facilities and effortless admittance along with hundreds of wedding planners with wedding packages to suit all tastes and budgets.

Mexico - also in North America - is becoming a ‘must-go’ location because of the fantastic resorts weddings that are on offer.

Most European countries have fairly strict rules where a ceremony can take place - thus in Europe there are no actual beach wedding locations. In Italy - specially the Amalfi Coast - you can have a amazing reception on or overlooking the beach, while in Cyprus you can marry in hotel gardens right next to the Mediterranean. Malta offers stunning sights for your ceremony but the most amazing are at Santorini in Greece. In Spain the marriage rules are austere but you can have a blessing on the beach.

The Far East, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean offer the facility to escape to a tropical paradise island for really amazing beach weddings. Numerous resort islands that offer weddings in Fiji and the Cook Islands are so remote you must arrive by flying boat! Though in the Seychelles and Mauritius you can sail on a vessel to a deserted uninhabited tropical island and exchange vows on the shore!

Australia is one of the world’s best beach weddings locations. With thousands of miles of beaches to select from, you can get married anywhere from Bondi Beach to the Great Barrier Reef nboard a vessel.

A few good tips for getting married on the beach.

Mobility!

Though the image of a couple and their guests barefoot on the beach is fairly romantic, it’s not that practical unless your guest list is on the small side. Walking on sand can be gauche and older guests may not feel comfortable doing so. Some beach locations don’t allow for seating so your guests may have to stand throughout the service. As an alternative, consider a ceremony set up on a boardwalk or grassy knoll that overlooks the beach. After the vows, the bride, groom, and photographer can go down to the beach for those special shots.

What to wear!

If your ceremony is held directly on the beach, you’ll want to choose for a dress that is no longer than tea length. As your guests will be barefoot too, it makes sense to notify them that the event is quite informal.

It gets hot!

Most beaches are wide open without any tree cover to provide shade. Depending on the season and location of the beach, guests at midday events run the risk of getting scorched by the sun. Keep in mind that besides the air temperature, the sand gets really hot too. Actually, in some locations, it may be downright uncomfortable or painful to walk on the sand. You may want to schedule a morning wedding or one at dusk to avoid any heat-related problems.

Excellence of the sand!

Some beaches are powdery soft whereas others and scattered with beautiful seashells. At some beaches, you and your guests may need to wear sandals to prevent being cut on shells or coral.

Sun scowl!

If your wedding is at midday, you run the risk of sun scowl. (That’s right. A million photos of the bride and groom squinting at each other as they recite their vows.) Before the wedding, go to the beach at the time your wedding is slated for and determine which way to face in order to lessen scowl and discomfort for the bride and groom and guests.

Noise!

You want your guests to hear every word of the ceremony and the vows that took hours to write. However, a beach can be a quite noisy place. Ensure that your ceremony is not set up too close to the crest of the waves hitting the seashore. (Outgoing tides are quieter than those coming in so you may want to check a tidal graph before selecting your ceremony time.)

Bugs and Insects!

Depending on the season and ceremony time, mosquitoes or other uninvited vermin may become a trouble. Light citronella candles or make sure everyone applies bug repellant before arriving to the beach.

Getting permission!

Many beaches are civic or on the grounds of a state park. You’ll need to get check local ordinances and get the approval of the county clerk’s office or the management of the park. In many cases, you’ll also have to pay a fee for a sanction. These governing agencies will also let you know if chairs, arches, open flames (candles), and musicians are allowed on the beach..

Rafi Michael
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/wedding-destination-137295.html

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You would agree that the best and the most special part of the wedding is the honeymoon. And there is no better way to make it extra special than by booking for a romantic honeymoon cruise.

However, taking a romantic honeymoon cruise might be out of your plan since you have the impression that it is expensive. Here’s the truth: you can find the cheapest romantic honeymoon cruise if you will work for it.

Here’s how:

Shop around like any wise and thrifty shoppers do. Treat the internet as a department store where you can find both the high-end products and the bargain ones. Take time searching from different sites that offer romantic honeymoon cruise package. If you find long enough, you will surely get the best deal that is worth every penny. Avoid booking directly with the cruise lines. There are lots of sites wherein you can compare prices of different cruise lines with the same destinations. Many internter travel sites can give you the best offer not only because they provide all the information you need but also because they offer discounted packages.

Off-season cruise. Different cruise destinations have different off-peak season. For example, the Caribbean cruise is off around the month of June while the Alaska honeymoon cruise is off during September and May. Consider this factor when deciding what cruise you should take and get the most out of the offered discount.

Take the interior rooms. There are usually 4 different rooms in a cruise liner: the interior, balcony, oceanview, and suite. Suites are always the most expensive. Balcony rooms are offered 40% to 60% cheaper than suites but some ships do not have this kind of rooms. Oceanview is cheaper by as much as 50% compared with balcony rooms. But the best deal of all is the interior room which is 10% to 20% cheaper than oceanview, 40% to 60% cheaper than the balcony room, and 60% to 75% cheaper than the suites.

Repositioning cruises. Usually, cruise ships are repositioned depending on the season. But, these ships still do business along the way. For example, an Alaska - Vancouver cruise ship is repositioned to the Caribbean, it still does a trip from Los Angeles to Mexico. Here, you can get a significantly cheap honeymoon cruise ship. The Royal Caribbean, Holland America, and the Carnival are some of the cruise liners that offer this type of discount.

Offline travel agents - If you are still unsatisfied with the price you see on the internet, you can check out offline travel agents and inquire on the possibility of cheap honeymoon cruise. Evaluate the offer and decide which is the best.

Celia Namart
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/romantic-honeymoon-cruise-deal-85172.html

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As the number of championship caliber courses in the Cancun area continues to grow, golf will undoubtedly become one of Cancun’s most popular activities. With a number of courses already conveniently located in The Hotel Zone - adjacent to all of Cancun’s other activities - a great round of golf is easy to add to your Cancun itinerary. Most of the courses you will encounter were designed with the environment and natural landscape in mind by some of the world’s finest golf course architects. For the more committed golfing traveler, several excellent courses are located throughout the Riviera Maya, just south of Cancun. Regardless of where you decide to play, you will be treated to some excellent scenery and an unforgettable round of golf.

Located in the heart of the Hotel Zone, the Cancun Golf Club at Pok ta Pok is one of the oldest and most renowned courses in the area. Constructed in 1976 by Robert Trent Jones Jr., this Cancun golf treasure makes excellent use of the picturesque shoreline and scattered Mayan ruins. Though the course has hosted numerous prestigious tournaments, this par 72 offers an enjoyable experience to golfers of all skill levels. The site also features top-notch practice facilities and a restaurant with panoramic views of Cancun and the Caribbean Sea. Also in the Hotel Zone, the Hilton Cancun Beach and Golf Resort, an 18-hole championship course amongst abundant wildlife and Mayan ruins, is highlighted by the “island tee” on the majestic 7th hole.

Jack Nicklaus’ signature Cancun golf course is located at The Moon Spa and Golf Club. Composed of three distinct 9-hole courses - Jungle, Lakes and Dunes - The Moon Spa and Golf Club is a shining example of the ecological conservation employed in Cancun golf course construction. In addition to the exotic vegetation and animal life surrounding the course, players will be treated to incredible views of the Riviera Maya. Like a few other courses in the area, The Moon Spa and Golf Club features all-inclusive service with complimentary food and drinks, as well as transportation from your Cancun resort.

Located 45 minutes south of Cancun is Greg Norman’s excellent contribution to Cancun golf, El Camaleon Mayakoba. True to its name, the course features an incredibly distinctive layout amongst a fluctuating landscape of jungles, mangrove, subterranean caves, pristine lagoons and stretches of Caribbean sand. Many players have also been impressed by El Camaleon’s GPS-equipped golf carts that not only measure your shots, but also allow you to record your scores electronically and order refreshments.

Also south of Cancun is a pair of courses perfect for adventurous golfers, Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club and Playacar Golf Club. Designed by P.B. Dye, Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club features narrow fairways and deep sand traps cut from the vibrant Mayan jungle. The Playacar Golf Club, designed by Robert von Hagge, is surrounded by a number of lakes, while several holes hug the Caribbean shoreline.

The first golf course on the island of Cozumel, just southeast of Cancun - the Cozumel Country Club - is also one of the most challenging courses ever designed by Jack Nicklaus. Carved from the Mayan jungles and limestone bluffs at the northwestern tip of the island, the course took five years to be constructed. However, the course was designed with the environment in mind, receiving a certification in Environmental Planning from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System.

Given this growing popularity of golf in Cancun, it is no surprise that several more tournament quality courses are scheduled to open in the near future. The Puerto Cancun Golf Course, designed by Tom Weiskopf, is currently being constructed between The Hotel Zone and downtown Cancun. Though Puerto Cancun won’t be completed until late 2008, the course will add another championship caliber challenge within close reach of Cancun’s premier resorts. Scheduled to open in late 2007, The Tournament Players Course (TPC) of Cancun has potential to be one of the finest courses in all of Mexico. Designed by Tom Fazio, one of today’s most celebrated golf course architects, The TPC of Cancun will feature 36 sprawling holes and plenty of unique challenges. Also under construction is much anticipated La Roca Country Club, designed by PGA Tour legend Nick Price.

Mike Goldstein
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/swinging-the-clubs-in-cancun-88260.html

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Excited about your upcoming road trip, but nervous about the idea of navigating in unknown territory? Don’t worry, with this TomTom XL340-S GPS Navigation System, you’ll never get lost! Go ahead and visit Mt. Rushmore, Niagara Falls, or Guadalajara. With maps of the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico, you can finally make that cross-country drive! Take a look at these key features: Text-to-Speech for Spoken Street Names - Street names and traffic info is announced by the XL340-S allowing you to safely focus on the road ahead in 36 languages! Easy-to-Use Interface - Featuring an intuitive design layout, mapping routes, searching points of interest and looking up addresses is simple. The interface even supports 22 languages! EasyPort Mount - This unique mount folds neatly onto the back of the XL 340-S allowing for easy transportation between automobiles and home. 24/7 IQ Routes Technology - The IQ Routes technology gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel on your route to calculate your trip. Advanced Lane Guidance - From rain, traffic, to busy intersections, driving can sometimes be a stressful experience. TomTom’s Advanced Lane Guidance will give you extra clarity at difficult junctions, so you won’t have to worry about missing the correct exit or on-ramp. XL 4.3″ Widescreen LCD - Extra-wide touchscreen ensures a clearer view of the road ahead and the surrounding areas. The XL340-S features a crystal-clear 4.3-inch widescreen touchscreen display, 3D graphics, and turn-by-turn spoken directions to help you find your way. All it takes is a few taps of the screen and you’ve got complete guidance to your destination. Announcements are heard loud and clear on the built-in speaker. TomTom Map Share Technology - Technology from TomTom enables you to add to, update and personalize your maps instantly. It also allows you to benefit from fellow users’ changes daily, automatically and easily via TomTom Home. TomTom Map Share

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Excited about your upcoming road trip, but nervous about the idea of navigating in unknown territory? Don’t worry, with this TomTom XL340-S GPS Navigation System, you’ll never get lost! Go ahead and visit Mt. Rushmore, Niagara Falls, or Guadalajara. With maps of the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico, you can finally make that cross-country drive! Take a look at these key features: Text-to-Speech for Spoken Street Names - Street names and traffic info is announced by the XL340-S allowing you to safely focus on the road ahead in 36 languages! Easy-to-Use Interface - Featuring an intuitive design layout, mapping routes, searching points of interest and looking up addresses is simple. The interface even supports 22 languages! EasyPort Mount - This unique mount folds neatly onto the back of the XL 340-S allowing for easy transportation between automobiles and home. 24/7 IQ Routes Technology - The IQ Routes technology gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel on your route to calculate your trip. Advanced Lane Guidance - From rain, traffic, to busy intersections, driving can sometimes be a stressful experience. TomTom’s Advanced Lane Guidance will give you extra clarity at difficult junctions, so you won’t have to worry about missing the correct exit or on-ramp. XL 4.3″ Widescreen LCD - Extra-wide touchscreen ensures a clearer view of the road ahead and the surrounding areas. The XL340-S features a crystal-clear 4.3-inch widescreen touchscreen display, 3D graphics, and turn-by-turn spoken directions to help you find your way. All it takes is a few taps of the screen and you’ve got complete guidance to your destination. Announcements are heard loud and clear on the built-in speaker. TomTom Map Share Technology - Technology from TomTom enables you to add to, update and personalize your maps instantly. It also allows you to benefit from fellow users’ changes daily, automatically and easily via TomTom Home. TomTom Map Share

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Mexican drug cartels are now advertising for young men to step up and to come and join their ranks to fight the Mexican army. The ads and banners premise those who join will make good money have food and a place to stay even while in training. The Journal has learned that this same type of advertising is planned for Juarez, TJ and other Mexican border cities.

Mexican drug cartels according to recent press reports have military style training camps on and near the border with the United States. These Training camps are for military-style killers. Federal authorities say these camps have Afghanistan and other middle eastern instructors who teach the latest military fighting tactics that are utilized in Iraq and Afghanistan by the Islamic radicals that are fighting and killing American and allied troops in those countries. Mexican officials admit they know of special training camps in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas and Michoacan, where newly recruited Zetas take intensive six-week training courses in weapons, tactics and intelligence gathering.

Iran is believed providing at least some of the money for this recruiting and training program. The training camps are teaching hit and run gorilla technique’s. Cells of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) have sent their seasoned veterans to oversee the training of the new troops and to direct the war against the Mexican government on behalf of the Mexican Cartels. Trained fighters from al-Qaida, Hizballah (Party of God) Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have been seen in Mexico and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported cells from these terrorist organizations are believed here in the U.S. as well. According to a well placed CIA operative.

The El Paso Journal has been told by an anonymous caller who claims to be an Lt. of a Mexican cartel said in advance, “that the Mexican drug cartels would be advertising for recruits to train as cartel soldiers to fight the Mexican army which has been sent to the border with the U.S. to extinguish the Mexican drug cartels”. Just today a week or so since he made the predictions banners where string across a main artery in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico advertising for recruits. He also said they would be advertising on the internet which has also happened. His predictions have been accurate so far. He told of the Mexican army coming to each border town before they did. The Journal has not reported any of his predictions to date without confirmation from other independent unrelated and reliable sources.

The Mexican government first realized that Islamic radical militants were already starting to infiltrate the country in statements by high-ranking Mexican officials prior to and following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks indicated “that Islamic extremist organizations has sought to establish a presence in Mexico”.

Former Mexican national security adviser and ambassador to the United Nations, Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, stated, that “Spanish and Islamic terrorist groups are using Mexico as a refuge… In light of this situation, there are continuing investigations aimed at dismantling these groups so that they may not cause problems”. He also mentioned that the terrorist groups in question are located in the northern part of the country. “Islamic people” in Mexico sparked speculation among observers that the Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist organization Hizbollah have established cells in Mexico.

Remarks made by Mexican public officials indicate the real possibility that al Qaeda cells are present in Mexico and could potentially attempt to cross the U.S. southwest border to conduct additional attacks.

The former director of Mexico’s Center for Intelligence and National Security (Centro de Inteligencia y Seguridad Nacional—Cisen), Eduardo Medina Mora, remarked that the possibility of an al Qaeda attack against the United States launched from Mexico “could not be ruled out.”

National Migration Institute (Instituto Nacional de Migracion—INM) official Felipe Urbiola Ledezma made more alarming statements during remarks to the press, Urbiola said, “We have in Mexico people linked to terrorism and we are constantly observing unusual immigration flows…[people connected to] ETA, Hizbollah and even some with links to Usama Bin Laden.”

Other terrorist and criminal groups are in Mexico including the Russian mafia groups such as the Poldolskaya, Mazukinskaya, Tambovskaya, and Izamailovskaya have been detected in Mexico. The Moscow-based Solntsevskaya gang is also reported to be present in the country, as are other mafia gangs from Chechnya, Georgia, Armenia, Lithuania, Poland Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Albania, and Rumania. Their major activities include drug and arms trafficking, money laundering, prostitution, trafficking in women from Eastern and Central Europe and Russia, alien smuggling, kidnapping, and credit card fraud.

Reforma a leading Mexican newspaper reported that U.S. intelligence agencies had detected a partnership between the Tijuana-based Arellano-Felix Organization (AFO) and Russian mafia groups based in southern California. In a separate story, Reforma reported that members of the former KGB-affiliated Kurganskaya group in San Diego had met with AFO operative Humberto Rodríguez Banuelos.

Reforma reported that for at least the last ten years the Russian mafia was supplying Mexican drug traffickers with radars, automatic weapons, grenade launchers, and small submersibles in exchange for cocaine, amphetamines, and heroin. It cited a 1996 sting operation in which undercover DEA agents posing as Russian mafia members sold Carillo Fuentes operatives 300 AK-47s and ammunition in Costa Rica.

Even ten years ago, ten Russians, including four known members of the Russian mafia, were arrested at Mexico City’s international airport when they arrived on a KLM flight from Amsterdam. The mafia members included Aleksandr Zakharov, one of the leaders of the Moscow mafia and founder of the Uralinvest, known to have a principal role in organized crime in Russia. Another detainee was Nicolay Novikov, a Uralinvest director who had been imprisoned on three previous occasions for arms trafficking. A third was Yevgeniy Sazhayev, who had been arrested on two previous occasions for drug trafficking. The fourth was Vladimir Titov, wanted for various assassinations and who had escaped from several Russian prisons with the help of the mafia. The four men, who were traveling with six women, were apparently en route to Acapulco and Cancún. The group was reportedly deported. The Interpol head in Mexico, Juan Manuel Ponce, corroborated accounts that the group had been carrying arms and a substantial amount of cash.

According to Mexican analyst Jorge Fernández Méndez, the Russian mafia bosses had come to Mexico in order to mediate in the gang war being fought between the CFO and various other groups for control of drug trafficking routes through Mexico in the wake of the death of Alejandro Paez.

It is well known that the Russian mafia is deeply entrenched in the criminal fabric of the Mexican drug cartels and still today plays an important roll in providing guns and other weapons to the cartels and are purveyors of, drug smuggling, money laundering, prostitution, trafficking in women from Eastern and Central Europe and Russia, alien and terrorist smuggling, kidnappings for ransom.

The self proclaimed Mexican drug cartel Lt. says,” that we will be offering Mexican soldiers very attractive pay packages and other benefits to cross over and go to work for us”. He told the journal we can look for that new development to be happening soon. He also predicts that “active current duty Mexican soldiers and Mexican Federal Police officers will be killed by well armed and trained cartel soldiers”.

Sources:

Hundreds being rounded- up and many Arrested in Juarez Mexico

The U.S. placed Mexico under a travel alert As Thousands of Armed Mexican Troops Patrol the Streets of Juarez

Linking of drug cartels on the Texas border with Middle East terrorist

President Bush’s top intelligence aide has confirmed that Iraqi terrorists have been captured coming into the United States from Mexico

Americans Being Kidnapped, Held and killed in Mexico

They’re known as “Los Zetas

Reforma Reforma Mexico City Newspaper.

Library of Congress Federal Research Division: Terrorism and Crime …

www.cnn.com

www.lagunajournal.com

www.limeshine.com

http://bajasur.craigslist.com.mx/lab/604707210.html

michael Webster
http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/mexican-drug-cartels-and-terrorist-are-recruiting-for-more-fighters-to-train-as-soldiers-388760.html

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Honeymoons are as much a part of any weddings as the wedding preparation and the wedding day itself. It is usually included in the budgeting and planning of a wedding that, for most, weddings are never complete without a honeymoon.

Origins of Honeymoon

Honeymoon is said to have originated from the Norse people where the husband-to-be abducts the bride from a nearby village. He then takes her into hiding for some time without her family knowing where she is. Only his friends know where they are and give the bride’s family the assurance they need that she is fine. Once her family stops searching for her, the new husband and wife then return to their people with a child growing in her belly.

Others claim that during the time of Babylon, a honey-based drink called mead is given to the groom by the bride’s father. The groom then drinks it for the duration of the first month (first moon cycle) of his marriage to the bride. This is said to boost the fertility and virility of the newly-wedded couple.

Modern Honeymoon

Generally, the newlyweds have their honeymoon right after their wedding as their own and private celebration of their union and their life together. The honeymoon is typically a trip spent together in a place away from their home for the purpose of seclusion and intimacy. This also serves as a rest period after all the hassles and headaches that come with the wedding preparation and the anxiety and excitement of the wedding day itself. It is the perfect opportunity for the newlyweds to spend time with each other away from their usual lives, and it will be a start for them in getting to know each other better.

Favorite Honeymoon Spots

As this is a considered a part of the wedding process, the couple either saved up for the honeymoon or received a honeymoon trip as a gift from their parents or close friends. The most common and favorite destinations of newlyweds are the beaches and resorts in famous spots like Hawaii and the Mediterranean. Some couples take cruises and enjoy quality time spent lazing around and enjoying each other’s company. Going to Mexico and enjoying its rich cultural heritage is also a favorite among newlyweds.

But for those who want to save some money, a simple out-of-town travel and staying at their favorite hotel is enough. Honeymoon does not mean visiting exotic places. It means quality time for the newlyweds.

Life After the Wedding and Honeymoon

It does not matter if the newlyweds went on a honeymoon or not. It does not make or break a marriage. In fact, honeymoon does not mean that you have to be in exotic places to enjoy each other’s company. Take the intimacy honeymoon connotes into your busy daily lives and treat your every day life like it is still the honeymoon phase of your marriage.

Marriage should never be taken lightly. As they enter married life, they are sharing the beauty of living life with someone they love and cherish. Not only will they be sharing their lives together but their dreams, aspirations, hard works, joys, triumphs, losses, and hard times as well.

Eric Hartwell
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/why-have-honeymoons-124783.html

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United States - General Travel & Travel Guides - Other Format - T os/C rson N tion l Forest, New Mexico M p (Books)

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