In May of 2013, the Mexican Chamber of Deputies (the lower house), approved legislation which would have amended the Mexican Constitution to permit  foreigners to purchase property outright in Mexico’s Restricted Zone which is 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the borders of the United States, Belize and Guatemala, and 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the coastlines of Mexico.

Effectively this would have meant doing away with the Mexican bank trust,  known as the fideicomiso.
This initiative has been rejected, according to a report from the Secretary of Government. (SEGOB)

Rejection of the proposed amendment is the result of not continuing with the amendment procedure within the time frame permitted under Article 89, number 2, Section III of the Rules of the Chamber of Deputies.

The result is that foreigners purchasing property in the Restricted Zone must continue to obtain titles using the bank trust system, the fideicomiso, initiated in 1972.

[readon1 url="http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2014/02/the-fideicomiso-will-continue-amendment-to-article-27-of-the-mexican-constitution-has-been-rejected/"]Source:www.theyucatantimes.com[/readon1]

Puerto Vallarta was named as La Ciudad Mas Amigable en el Mundo (The Friendliest City in the World) by Condé Nast magazine.

Condé Nast quotes, “ Friendliest of all, however, is Puerto Vallarta (92.5 out of 100 points). The Mexican resort city marked its debut on the list in 2001, in part because of the remarkable amiability of the local folk.”

Puerto Vallarta also scores high on ambiance (over 90.0) and is rated number eight out of ten top foreign cities in the world to visit (Conde Nast Traveler, 2001).

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) picked Puerto Vallarta as the top destination to retire overseas in its September, 2010 issue of AARP – The Magazine.

Financial experts traveled the globe to name their top five overseas retirement destinations.  Decision factors included weather, expatriate community, cost of living, available housing, health care alternatives, access to the U.S,  local culture and leisure activities.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is the undisputed #1 destination for American retirees.  With its rich local and colonial culture, lavish beaches and affordable real-estate, Puerto Vallarta offers the low-cost, laid back lifestyle retirees seek to find in a community.

Today, the presence of numerous sidewalk touts selling time-shares and tequila render the city’s atmosphere more akin to tourist-heavy resorts like Cancun and Acapulco, but overall the city’s friendly reputation remains relatively undiminished.

Puerto Vallarta is a charming seaside resort area with alluring beaches, colonial ambiance and architecture, and first-rate restaurants and hotels.

The town is located on gorgeous Banderas Bay, which is on Mexico’s western coast and is regarded as one of the most pure and unblemished destinations in Mexico.

Puerto Vallarta became a popular tourist destination in the late 1960s as the city became more accessible to visitors. It is located on the same latitude as Hawaii’s latitude and visitors are treated to a similar climate.

With 330 days of sunshine a year, Puerto Vallarta vacationers bask in annual average temperatures of 83 degrees.

Puerto Vallarta

[readon1 url="http://www.oldvallarta.com/?p=10081"]Source:www.oldvallarta.com [/readon1]

Special Mexico Itinerary Aboard Pacific Princess Departs on the Anniversary of the Line's First Cruise in 1965

SANTA CLARITA, Calif., April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- To cap a year of 50th anniversary activities, Princess Cruises, which celebrates the five decade mark in 2015, has created a special Mexico itinerary departing on December 3, 2015 – exactly 50 years to the day that the line's original ship, Princess Patricia, set sail on the company's very first cruise in 1965.

Offered on the intimate Pacific Princess, next year's unique sailing is the same length as the company's first cruise – 14 days – and will include a blend of ports from the maiden itinerary such as Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Manzanillo, with some newer destinations such as La Paz and Loreto.

Guests on the cruise will be treated to an array of activities and entertainment commemorating half a century of cruising by the famous line, and will also be joined by some surprise guests.

This anniversary sailing on Pacific Princess, which carries 670 guests, is available for sale on May 13 and fares start at $1,699 per person, double occupancy.

"This nostalgic cruise to Mexico will be the perfect finale to what's sure to be a special 50th anniversary year for Princess," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. "For this significant milestone we couldn't resist recreating, with some new touches, the very first cruise our company operated. And because the name Pacific Princess is so integral to our company's history, we wanted to offer the cruise aboard the current ship with this iconic name."

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises first set sail in 1965 with a single ship cruising to Mexico. Nearly 50 years later, the line has grown to become the third largest cruise line in the world and a recognized leader in taking travelers to some of the most fascinating places around the globe.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at princess.com.

About Princess Cruises:
Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern ships renowned for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess carries 1.7 million guests each year to destinations around the globe ranging in length from three to 111 days.

The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE: CUK).

Princess Cruise Lines Ships

[readon1 url="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/princess-cruises-celebrates-50th-anniversary-with-nostalgic-sailing-to-mexico-256235781.html"]Source:www.prnewswire.com [/readon1]

Mexico is often considered to be either a beach resort destination or a wonderland for drug lords. However, the majority of people don’t know the truth about Mexico, its culture and people. Their opinion is based on stereotypes and therefore they’re scared to go to Mexico. Below I present the answers to 11 misconceptions about Mexico – a country that I definitely recommend to both: visit and live in.

1 – Mexico’s real name is: United Mexican States
Mexico is divided into 31 states, plus the Federal District. Each state has its own law regulations and police, similar to how it works in the United States of America. When staying in a different state your phone is practically in roaming.

2 – Problems with the name of the capital
Right, the majority of people think that the capital of Mexico is Mexico City. However, that’s only partially true. The actual capital is Distrito Federal (DF) – Federal District. Mexico City metropolitan area, on the other hand, lies withing the whole DF and parts of the State of Mexico. Therefore, only inhabitants of DF, not the whole Mexico City can say they live in the capital.

3 – Mexican food abroad is not actually Mexican (CHANGED)
Everyone seems to love Mexican food, that recently has been classified an irreplaceable cultural heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Although… outside of Mexico people tend not to consume the real Mexican food, but Tex-Mex. In Mexico noone actually eats burritos aca Chipotle style (I know that in northern Mexico burritos are popular, however I meant burritos from the US fast food chains), moreover filled with rice. Moreover, most Mexican food is not spicy hot – it’s actually sour due to the amount of limes on everything (in Mexican simply called lemons). Spicy salsas and served on the side.

4 – Mexicans don’t always have darker skin (CHANGED)
When my friends look through my photos taken during my stay in Mexico very often I heard ‘he/she doesn’t look Mexican’. Assuming that all Mexicans have dark skin and black hair is a huge mistake, because not ALL Mexicans are darker. There are plenty of Mexicans that are as white as Eastern Europeans. Moreover, especially in big cities such as Mexico City exists a huge Jewish community or there are others with European heritage and therefore those people have white skin tone too. [It's not racist, it's nothing bad! It's simply a statement reffering to a fact that plenty of times foreigners were surprised seeing my Mexican friends that looked like Europeans - they simply couldn't believe that anyone from Mexico can look like this]

5 – Mexican Spanish is way different
As mentioned in my previous note on Mexican slang, Mexican Spanish is way different. Opposite to the majority of Latin American places in Mexico torta doesn’t mean a cake, it’s a sandwich. Also, sope is not a soup, but so-called ‘Mexican pizza’ (by ‘pizza’ I mean that of course it’s not a pizza, but it reminds them of the concept of pizza – dough, salsa, topping).

6 – Mexico is actually safer than most people think it is (CHANGED)
According to US travel advisory: ‘Mexico City (also known as the Federal District): No advisory is in effect. See also the discussion in the section on Estado de Mexico for areas within the greater Mexico City metropolitan area.’

I agree completely. The place is actually safer than some of the big cities in America or even Europe. Of course bad things happens, like anywhere else in the world, but in Mexico most of the homicides happen between the drug mafias, not regular citizens.

7 – Mexico is not a third world country
The term ‘third world’ was invented during the cold war as a geo-political division of countries aligned with the US (1st World), the Soviet Union (2nd World), or neither (3rd world / non-aligned). Given that the Soviet Union doesn’t exist anymore, Cuba considered themselves “non-aligned,” and China was revealed to have split from the Soviets long ago, the term didn’t even make sense then, so why would it make sense now. Moreover Mexico offers plenty of modern buildings, or exclusive restaurants. On the other hand the gap between poor and rich is quite huge – a lot of houses have a maid and driver, while other have not much money to live on.

8 – Mexico isn’t always hot
Mexico is a big country, therefore the weather varies. Some zones are indeed always hot, but in some areas it’s even snowing sometimes. Central Mexico has a high altitude therefore temperatures vary during the year.

9 – Women are privileged (CHANGED)
Despite plenty of stereotypes that Mexican women have to be housewives and are constantly abused, women are actually quite privileged. In Mexico City there are women-only pink buses or special section for women in the subway. Maybe for some people it doesn’t seem like a privilege, but let me give an example of Turkey where women in publish transport are constantly being abused and nobody is trying to protect them  in any way – Turkish government didn’t even consider creating a special women-only section. Also, Mexicans are very caballerosos that means they always open the door for women, pick them up before the date/meeting or always pay for everything. Funnily enough according to the research conducted in Mexico City in 2013 it turned out that various women actually prefer to use a general section of the subway instead of women-one, because men would kindly give them a seat while other women wouldn’t.

10 – Cancun or Baja California don’t represent Mexico as a whole country
Tourists usually know about only two Mexican destinations: Cancun, or if they’re Americans Baja California. However, those places don’t represent the country at all if you visit them as a tourist in so-called ‘zone Hotelera’. Both places are very ‘Americanized’ – everyone speaks English and things are expensive. However, outside of the big resorts there the place is a slump. Mexicans usually go to different beach spots, such as Acapulco, Playa del Carmen, Huatulco or many others.

11 – Mexicans don’t celebrate 5 de Mayo. Independence Day is 15 of September (CHANGED)
Mexico declared independence on September 27th 1821, but the beginning of the independence war was Sept 16th 1810 – the day that’s celebrated now. 5 de Mayo only commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862 when Mexico won against the French army and it’s celebrated mostly in Puebla. Foreigners often mention 5 de Mayo to Mexican expats, while they never heard of the September celebration.

[readon1 url="http://annaeverywhere.com/11-misconceptions-about-mexico/"]Source:www.annaeverywhere.com [/readon1]

The quake shook Mexico City for at least 30 seconds, with buildings swaying as people fled high rises and took to the streets. Because of the Easter holiday, that city was less crowded than usual.

ACAPULCO, Mexico — A powerful magnitude-7.2 earthquake shook central and southern Mexico on Friday, sending panicked people into the streets. Some walls cracked and fell, but there were no reports of major damage or casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake at about 9:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT; 1430 GMT) was centered on a long-dormant faultline northwest of the Pacific resort of Acapulco, where many Mexicans are vacationing for the Easter holiday.

It was felt across at least a half-dozen states and Mexico's capital, where it collapsed several walls and left larges cracks in some facades. Debris covered sidewalks around the city.

Around the region, there were reports of isolated and minor damage, such as fallen fences, trees and broken windows. Chilpancingo, capital of the southern state of Guerrero, where the quake was centered, reported a power outage, but service was restored after 15 minutes.

In Acapulco, 59-year-old Enedina Ramirez Perez was having breakfast, enjoying the holiday with about 20 family members, when her hotel started to shake.

"People were turning over chairs in their desperation to get out, grabbing children, trampling people," the Mexico City woman said. "The hotel security was excellent and starting calming people down. They got everyone to leave quietly."

The quake struck 170 miles (273 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City, where people fled high-rises and took to the streets, many in still in their bathrobes and pajamas on their day off.

"I started to hear the walls creak and I said, 'Let's go,'" said Rodolfo Duarte, 32, who fled his third-floor apartment.

"This is really strong," said Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez Chavez, 45, an apartment building guard in Mexico City. "And I'm accustomed to earthquakes."

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said there small power outages from fallen transformers but officials were working to restore the service.

The USGS initially calculated the quake's magnitude at 7.5, but later downgraded it to 7.2. It said the quake was centered 22 miles (36 kilometers) northwest of the town of Tecpan de Galeana, and was 15 miles (24 kilometers) deep.

In many cases of earthquakes in Mexico, it can take time to receive word from remote areas near the epicenter, where damage could be more extensive. There were no early reports of serious damage or injuries near the epicenter in Tecpan de Galeana.

Friday's quake occurred along a section of the Pacific Coast known as the Guerrero Seismic Gap, a 125-mile (200-kilometer) section where tectonic plates meet and have been locked, meaning huge amounts of energy are being stored up with potentially devastating effects, said USGS seismologist Gavin Hayes.

The last large quake that occurred along the section was a magnitude-7.6 temblor in 1911, Hayes said.

He said scientists will be watching the area more intensely because moderate quakes such as Friday's can destabilize the surrounding sections of seismic plate and increase the chance of a more powerful temblor.

The USGS says the Guerrero Gap has the potential to produce a quake as strong as magnitude 8.4, potentially much more powerful than the magnitude-8.1 quake that killed 9,500 people and devastated large sections of Mexico City in 1985.

Mexico City itself is vulnerable even to distant earthquakes because much of it sits atop the muddy sediments of drained lake beds that quiver as quake waves hit.

The 1985 quake was centered 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the capital on the Pacific Coast.

[readon1 url="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/magnitude-7-5-earthquake-strikes-rattles-mexican-capital-shakes-nearby-resort-city-article-1.1760953"]Source:www.nydailynews.com[/readon1]

Saturday, April 19 is Holy Saturday, the final day of Lent and Holy Week, which is a solemn day preceding the joyous Easter holiday.
Holy Saturday is a quiet day when Christians commemorate the death of Christ and anticipate his resurrection.
Holy Saturday, also known as the Easter Vigil, used to be a day for fasting. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "In the early Church, this was the only Saturday on which fasting was permitted."

asting is a sign of penance, but Christians believe that on Good Friday, the day before Holy Saturday, Christ paid with his life for the sins of humanity. Therefore, for many centuries, Christians actually regarded both Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday as days on which fasting was forbidden. There is still fasting in the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, but their fasting is lessened on Saturdays and Sundays.
But in the second century, Christians began to observe a complete fast for 40 hours before Easter, which meant Holy Saturday was a day of fasting.

Fasting and abstinence was still practiced on Holy Saturday to remind Christians of the sorrowful nature of the day until rules were revised in 1969. Fasting is no longer required, but some devout Christians still practice the Holy Saturday fast to observe the solemn day.
There is no Mass on Holy Saturday. Easter Vigil Mass takes place after sundown on Holy Saturday, which is considered to take place on Easter because each day begins at sundown on the previous day in the liturgical calendar.
On Holy Saturday, the Eucharist is given to those who are in danger of death to "prepare their souls."
In the early Church, Christians gathered on the afternoon of Holy Saturday to pray and confer Baptism to "catcheumens," or converts to Christianity who had spend Lent preparing to be received into the Church. At dawn on Easter Sunday, the Alleluia was sung, and the newly baptized broke their 40-hour fast by receiving communion.
Beginning around the 8th century, Easter Vigil began to be performed on Holy Saturday morning. Holy Saturday, which was originally a day of mourning for the crucified Christ, then became an anticipation of Easter Vigil.

Holy Week was then reformed in 1956, and the ceremonies were returned to the Easter Vigil itself, meaning Mass is celebrated after sundown on Holy Saturday.

[readon1 url="http://www.latinopost.com/articles/5673/20140418/holy-saturday-2014-date-history-and-traditions.htm"]Source:www.latinopost.com[/readon1]

A strong magnitude 7.4 earthquake has been felt in Mexico's capital, shaking buildings and sending people running into the street.

The quake was centered in the western state of Guerrero, north of the beach resort of Acapulco, the US Geological Survey said.

There is no immediate word of damage or casualties.

Mexico City is vulnerable earthquakes because much of it sits atop the muddy sediments of drained lake beds that quiver as quake waves hit.

The magnitude 8.1 quake in 1985 that killed at least 6,000 people and destroyed many buildings in Mexico City was centred 250 miles (400 kilometers) away on the Pacific Coast.

Permanent patrols will be conducted on road sections

Civil Protection will carry out the security operation from April 12 to 27

Puerto Vallarta presented today the Preventive Operating Easter 2014 holidays. Civil and Fire Protection of Jalisco implemented in the sights from Saturday April 12 to Sunday 27 the same month.

The State Unit of Civil Protection Fire of Jalisco (UEPCBJ).  In coordination with federal and municipal agencies as well as social care agencies like the Red Cross established a security operation in the state during the period of Easter Week, for the purpose of safeguard the integrity and life of vacationers during their stay in the state.

The presence of car accidents mainly due to traffic on roads that have not taken precautionary safety measures, driving in poor health and under the influence of alcohol or drugs, so they asked the public to meet the preventive recommendations of the authorities.

Permanent patrols will take place on the roads, to reduce the number of accidents on the road sections, plus the installation of aid stations distributed in the Federal State road 200 and 80, as well as on highways.

The presence of lifeguards and specialist personnel includes operating in water rescues in the most visited beaches of the municipalities of Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes, Tomatlan, La Huerta and Cihuatlán.

Civil Protection proof should be provide  for this operation all the staff as well as all the necessary material resources to support the population of Jalisco in case of any contingency.

Telephones in the Central Database and the Regional Bases of the coastal zone for any emergency are:

* BASE CENTRAL GUADALAJARA (33) 3675 3060

* REGIONAL BASIS CIHUATLÁN (315) 35 563 75 and (315) 35 556 45

* REGIONAL BASIS PTO. VALLARTA (322) 22 447 06 and (322) 22 507 64

Rest of the bases in the interior of the state telephone numbers
Central Database and regional bases

Regional basis Ciudad Guzmán (341) 41 278 68 AND (341) 41 252 91

* Regional basis El Grullo (321) 38 753 51 AND (321) 38 753 50

* Regional basis Poncitlan (391) 92 100 20 AND (391) 92 132 68

[readon1 url="http://www.informador.com.mx/jalisco/2014/521361/6/listo-operativo-de-semana-santa-2014-en-jalisco.htm"]Source:www.informador.com.mx [/readon1]

Towns all along the Mexican Pacific Coast are 'battening down the hatches' in preparation for this year's hurricane season, which is predicted to be rather stormy.

Since 2014 will be unique in terms of maritime phenomena, with five high intensity hurricanes expected to affect the Mexican Pacific Coast this year, Mexico's Secretary General Arturo Zamora Jimenez recently met with Jalisco State security and emergency representatives to discuss preventive alerts and operations to be undertaken by all municipalities along the coast.

"...above all, we must prepare for the heavy rains that will result from the five Mexican Pacific cyclones that the State Water Commission has predicted will impact our coastal towns," Zamora Jimenez said.

He specified that this extreme weather is a result of El Niño, which will also produce pronounced droughts and extreme cold in mountainous regions and outlying areas during this year's Summer season.

For his part, Jalisco State Civil Protection Unit Director, Trinidad Lopez Rivas, assured the Secretary General that security measures are being strengthened to ensure the safety of residents and visitors during the upcoming Semana Santa and Pascua celebrations. He went on to say that more than 7,000 members of the Jalisco Civil Protection and Fire, Police and Transportation Departments, as well as medical personnel from the Ministry of Health, are already preparing for the Easter holiday period to ascertain that everyone has a safe and enjoyable vacation.

March 31st - Last Saturday, March 29th, many people, businesses and government agencies in Puerto Vallarta dedicated one hour the environment during Earth Hour 2014, amongst those people was the staff of Sheraton Buganvilias, who not only turned off non essential lights between 8:30 and 9:30 in the evening, but also spent the entire day doing activities to help the immediate environment.

Morelia, San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes, León and Tepatitlán were among the cities visited during the tour, which resulted in the training of a total of 460 travel agents to sell the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta.

The Bajío Tour undertaken by the Riviera Nayarit and the Puerto Vallarta convention and visitors bureaus during the month of March generated some great results.

Morelia, San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes, Leon and Tepatitlán were among the cities on the itinerary, during which 460 travel agents attended dynamic workshops where they were updated on the latest attractions in both destinations.

Thirty hotels from both destinations were present during the tour, as well as eight tour operators and Aeroméxico, strengthening the promotion of the destinations with their services and contributing to the overall efforts of obtaining more hard sales and connections.

Among the new activities used for these workshops were simple games that involved promotional material and exclusive packages with information about the destinations; the agents enjoyed themselves quite a bit and it gave the traditional training sessions an interesting twist.

There were also giveaways including free stays at the hotels and other fun rewards for those who won the different games.

The Bajío Tour was a very successful promotional event and the CVBs expect excellent results. According to the 2013 Annual Poll conducted by the Riviera Nayarit CVB, the states where these cities are located send the highest number of visitors to the Riviera Nayarit.

Holding strong in first place is Jalisco with 40%, followed by Guanajuato in second place at 17%, then Aguascalientes at 5%, Michoacán at 4% and San Luis Potosí at 3%.

Another detail to take into consideration is the new flight recently begun by TAR airlines from Guadalajara to the Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta, as the Mexican area of the bajío is connected via highway with the capital of Jalisco.

Promotional events such as this serve to strengthen the captive domestic markets, which are a natural source of increased visitors to the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta and thus benefit regional tourism.

With lush tropical jungles cascading down the mountains to endless perfect beaches, there is no place more beautiful in Mexico to spend your Spring Break. USA Today voted P.V. one of the top ten safest vacation cities in the world, and you’ll immediately feel very comfortable here. The nightlife in Puerto Vallarta is the best in the Mexican Riviera. With super clubs like Strana, P.V. is the perfect place to go from lounging on the beach all day, to absolutely out of control every night of your vacation. The Wild Side Party Pass includes free bottle service and open bar at a different club every night.

This Spring Break hot spot has the best daytime activities and tours in all of Mexico. ATV and canopy tours through the wild jungles, cruising on a private 53 foot yacht or horseback riding through the mountains, there is something for everyone to love. Its rich Mexican heritage and history as a small fishing village give Puerto Vallarta a small town feel, while simultaneously delivering the action of a modern city. Puerto Vallarta was voted "the friendliest city in the world" by Conde Nast Magazine and In Puerto Vallarta, hospitality is a way of life. During the months of February, March and April this amazing destination has arguably the best weather in the world which makes this affectionate, safe and exciting city Wild Side Travel's # 1 pick for Spring Break 2014!
 
Since Wild Side sends hundreds of spring breakers on the best tours and excursions in Puerto Vallarta, we get special rates and discounts on everything, and we pass the saving on to you! Here are some of the tours that we recommend. If you go to Vallarta and do not venture out into the jungle, or get out on the water at least once, then you are definitely missing out!

Puerto Vallarta is one of the safest places to spend Spring Break 2014

We know that safety is a BIG concern for people travelling to Mexico, especially for Spring Break 2014. We can go on and on about how safe it is in Puerto Vallarta but let’s let YOU, the people, do the talking.

Puerto Vallarta is one of the safest places to spend Spring Break 2014. Not only is there attentive staff everywhere you go, but the locals look out for tourists as well. That’s not to say that you should trust everyone or be reckless. You should exercise the same caution and common sense as you would anywhere else in the world, even at home.