MEX
Hundreds of miles south of the tip of Baja lies a small island. Just outside the boundaries of Mexican waters, the shallow ring of land has been disputed through history. Originally it was discovered by Magellan in 1521 but the name comes from an English pirate who, rumor has it, hid treasure on the atoll after he led a mutiny against William Dampier in 1704.
Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day (that's in September) but it is an important celebration of Mexican heritage, one which is particularly popular in the United States. Most Cinco de Mayo celebrations involve margaritas and tequila, and that's great! But maybe you want some food in your stomach first.
Hidden in a tender valley only 20 minutes from the crowds flocking to Baja’s ‘Ruta del vino’ wineries, is the Guest Ranch of La Bellota. The sight is a wonder after a 20-minute, bouncy ride along a dirt road. There are three gates that have to be manually opened. They deter unwanted visitors and keep the horses, cattle and sheep on the 2,800 acres that are tended by Raul Aguiar and Caroline Kane.
The network of caverns beneath the surface of the Earth is a world unto itself. Entrances to this underground world are all over the planet, though some of them are definitely more notable than others. While a lot of these caverns are only accessible with ropes and other climbing gear, there are several that have become popular enough that they make a point of accommodating tourists who want to visit them. It still may be quite the hike sometimes, but at least there’s less danger involved. For the less-than-expert cave explorer, I have put together a quick list of six world-famous caves
Spies have long been a part of the international scene. So have they in popular culture, ranging from the Hollywoodized version of Ian Fleming's James Bond (and the grittier Bond of the original novels) to more subdued spy fare by the likes of Len Deighton, Tom Clancy, and John le Carre. Truth, however, is usually more engrossing than even The Hunt For Red October or The IPCRESS File. Former CIA clandestine operative E.B.
March may come in like a lion and leave like a lamb in regards to weather, but if you are a sports fan, this isn't true at all. The last days of March, and the first days of April, are some of the most exciting days in sports thanks to the NCAA March Madness tournament. Each year for one month, college hoops takes the center stage. With the playoff system being one giant, hectic, beautiful, single-elimination spectacle, sports fans are on the edge of their seats until the final shot on the second Monday in April.
Books are a chief love of many people on this planet. Before there were movies and television to entertain the masses, often reading was the only thing to do. This was, of course, assuming you were privileged enough to even know how to read. For this reason, books, our one true line of history and knowledge, were treated with reverence and awe. And the structures that people built to house them reflected this reverence and continue to do so to this very day.
Breaking Bad fans, watch out for potential big spoilers way before the final season of the show's return to AMC this summer. Why? Because some idiot decided to smash BB lead actor Bryan Cranston's car window in Albuquerque, New Mexico, (where Breaking Bad is filming). He made off with an iPad and Cranston's copy of a Breaking Bad script back in December. The alleged thief, Xavier McAfee, is now in custody charged with burglary, but the script is still missing.
Human space exploration has spawned fantasies and careers. Visionary silent film maker, George Melies created a stop motion spaceship to launch his hero to the moon. Cartoon character, George Jetson, used his jetpack to escape Earth’s gravity and space exploration fantasies have fueled decades of Star Trek television series, movies and fan conventions. Still for all our technological prowess, true manned space exploration has advanced in fits and starts – from military technology to the U.S.
“The most memorable things you experience when traveling are the those you can’t plan for. You can check off all the places in your guidebook, but the things you will remember most are the ones which are the result of serendipity.” Gary Arndt of Everything Everywhere
