Just because summer comes to an end does not mean the fun has to stop, especially when so many destinations aim to please their guests well into the fall. The following 10 destinations are constantly buzzing with activities during the summer, but as travelers head back to their regular schedules their landscapes are not quite finished playing host.

This makes them ideal travel destinations during autumn as well, because not only have most of the crowds returned home, but enjoying their fall attractions also means better prices and dodging the sweltering heat. So before you think about booking that summer getaway, you might want to wait until autumn comes around to see world-class events amid cool breezes while escaping the swarms of tourists.

London, U.K: Lord Mayor’s Show
On Nov. 8, the drums of marching bands and horses galloping throughout the streets as well of sights of gigantic colorful floats mean the Lord Mayor’s Show has officially begun. During this historic ceremony the newly appointed Lord Mayor of the city receives an extravagant welcoming in his new role as he and other British officials are carried through London’s financial hub via exquisite coaches.
The Lord Mayor, who is traditionally dressed in a bright robe, can be typically seen waving his feathered hat to the crowd as he travels from the Mansion House to the Royals Courts of Justice before pledging his loyalty to the crown. In good old British tradition, the procession takes spectators through London’s eccentric past while exuding elements from pageantry and festival celebrations to become one of the most colorful annual fall events to decorate the city’s streets.

Over 200 people enjoyed the last 3 performances of the play, and the superb food that was served at this dinner theatre, which is probably the best in town. True, it is a buffet, but the fantastic variety that you get makes it well worth going up and selecting what you wish to dine on. The friendly staff is right there to assist you with your choices, in a most delightful manner. I can’t wait until the next play to begin.

The U.S. State Department offers travel warnings for rural areas and secondary highways in the states of Nayarit and Jalisco, Mexico (where the Puerto Vallarta airport is located). Visit travel.state.gov for more information.

Beach life abounds in Sayulita, Mexico, including gentle surf breaks, tasty street food, a healthy ex-pat community and ocean-side vacation rentals. Located 40 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, this tiny fishing-turned-surfing village also boasts blossoming ties to Colorado, as many residents of the state flock to the area for a quieter south-of-the-border experience.

“The town was a much more authentic experience than any other place in Mexico we had been,” said Sarah Shrader, of Grand Junction, who visited Sayulita last October. “There are no resorts in Sayulita, just rental homes and small hotels, so it was less commercialized. We didn’t do any touristy things while we were there; we only surfed, ate, swam and relaxed. We snorkeled at the Marieta Islands one day, and that was fantastic.”

The Marieta Islands are a popular destination for snorkeling thanks to clear water and a variety of marine life, and they are located a few miles off the coast.

According to Shrader, Sayulita was “a perfect fit” for her family, including three boys, age 7, 10 and 12, who wanted to learn how to surf.

‘A QUIET, NON-TOURISTY PLACE’

“We wanted a quiet, non-touristy place on the Pacific Ocean with nice waves and warm water,” Shrader said. “We looked at Todos Santos as well, but the waves there were a bit bigger and we were assuming would be more challenging for beginner surfers.”

Danny McGuckin, a veteran bartender currently pouring drinks at Beaver Creek’s Toscanini, also traveled to Sayulita during Vail’s offseason to soak up the sun.

“I chose Sayulita because I heard many good things from a lot of friends,” McGuckin, of Avon said, describing it as “a ski bum’s offseason getaway for sure.”

McGuckin, along with Chance Humphrey (also of Avon), spent two weeks exploring the village. The friends he made, as well as a cruise with Sayulita Sailing Explorations (www.sayulitasailing.com), were vacation highlights.

“I will definitely go back someday,” he said. “I met at least a dozen people from Colorado.”

ABOUT THE VILLAGE

As long as you stay within the village and not on the outskirts, Sayulita bustles with activity day and night; imagine barking dogs, vrooming engines and children playfully hollering.

It also offers a welcoming, casual attitude that lends itself to relaxation (and sometimes humorous disbelief): humidity (a welcome change from dry Colorado); weirdly large insects; warm, very blue ocean water; wide-open beaches; and never-ending camaraderie among locals and travelers. Visitors will see an overabundance of street dogs begging for scraps, unfortunately. Adopt one by visiting Sayulita Animals (www.sayulitanimals.org).

Don’t miss Playa de Los Muertos (literal translation is Beach of the Dead), which can be accessed through a small graveyard built into a hillside above the main beach.

According to Sayulita Life (www.sayulitalife.com): “Walk to the south (left when facing the sea) around the curve of Sayulita Bay past Villa Amor and follow the dirt road left up the hill, under an arch and through the cemetery. On the far side of the cemetery, turn right to Playa de Los Muertos, which is very popular with Mexican families and a safe swimming beach. Huge rocks protect it on both sides.”

It’s important to note the Shraders “felt totally comfortable” sending their boys into town for ice cream without adult supervision.

“It was super safe and everyone was friendly,” Shrader noted.

Kristin Holt, of Los Angeles, has visited Sayulita twice a year since discovering the village a few years ago.

“The town and people are what keep me coming back,” she said. “I love the beaches and the culture. I love going to pick up dinner to cook and everything is fresh.”

Fun fact: Holt always travels with her dog, Chico.

“As long as you get all their shots and paperwork 20 days prior to entering Mexico, it’s easy,” she said.

ABOUT THE FOOD

Don’t miss Burrito Revolucion, a tiny taco and burrito shop with street seating and tasty dipping sauces. A sister shop may open in Denver soon. Stay tuned.

In this writer’s opinion, street food was way better than the much-touted high-end restaurants catering to blander palates. Duck into alleyways or walk down the street to see what’s cooking. The best food is made by locals from carts, and it’s surprisingly inexpensive. One woman even made and sold tacos from the trunk of her car.

Eric Koehler, of Grand Junction, who visited Sayulita in October, suggests eating adventurously and without fear.

“If you don’t get sick once off street food in Mexico, you didn’t do it right,” he said, laughing. “Eating local foods is a great way to get to know the place you’re visiting.”

Koehler even sampled street oysters with McGuckin, which came with a bottle of hot sauce and a plate of ice.

Don’t forget: Folks from the states should not drink tap water in Mexico, as it will cause gastrointestinal issues. Drink bottled water only.

 Sayulita

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

[readon1 url="http://www.vaildaily.com/news/14650824-113/vail-daily-travel-feature-a-low-key-mexican-escape"]Source:www.vaildaily.com[/readon1]

Rising eerily from the frozen landscape, these strange shapes look like something from a science-fiction film.

But they are here on Earth, frost-covered trees located close to the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can drop as low as -40C.

In the dramatic sub-zero conditions, the snow and frost become so thick that everything is covered in a thick blanket.

The stunning shots were captured by Niccolo Bonfadini, who spent nine days camping alone in the frozen world, which is around 77 square kilometres.

The 21-year-old's images appear to show bizarre tendrils emerging from the ground, which is blindingly white.

He said: 'I was blown away by the otherworldly landscape, everything was white as far as the eye could see. Everything was frozen.

It was incredible to see how ice would form on top of every free surface.

Even my snow shoes and fuel bottles would be covered in ice if I left them outside my tent during the night.'

Mr Bonfadini, an environmental engineering student from Monza, Italy, sustained himself on powdered freeze-dried food during his trek and slept in his tent.

He said: 'I loved what I was doing. I love to go deep into nature alone, to feel the majesty and beauty of Nature. It is absolutely what makes me happiest.

'What made the trip harder than average was the fact that I was completely alone, I only met three people during my nine days. But I prefer it like that, I don't like crowds.'

Mr Bonfadini said he has had varied reactions to the pictures, many had found it difficult to understand the bizarre shapes were trees.

He said: 'Some thought they were volcanic eruptions and clouds. To me they seemed to be alive like frozen people.

'Every tree was different from the others, they had weird forms, some had snow covered branches that looked like arms.

'With such a surreal landscape, it is easy to see how many tales and legends about trolls and other creatures could have been born.'

He added: 'Both the landscape and the sky were white, there were no shades during the day. It was like being in a completely white room and it was even difficult for the eyes to focus.

'Sometimes I couldn't even notice when the path was starting to go downhill because everything looked flat.'

Despite his young age, Mr Bonfadini has photographed wildlife all over the world.

He said: 'My favourite subjects are the northern countries. I feel a sense of wonder while surrounded by desolate frozen landscapes.

'I feel small and vulnerable among the power of Nature. During those moments I really feel alive.'

He added: 'What I like about photography is that it is an excuse for going out into Nature.

'Photography motivates me to get out into Nature more often, experiencing conditions and places that I wouldn't probably have witnessed otherwise.'

Amazing Icy Landscapes

[readon1 url="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175857/The-Ice-worms-cometh-Amazing-photos-Arctic-Circle-trees-look-like-alien-world.html"]Source:www.dailymail.co.uk[/readon1]

  Eileen O’Leary really knows how to pick comedy that appeals to everyone, and especially those of you who are on Holiday, (Or vacation). Eileen herself steps into the action as Brenda, the wife of Stanley, who is very energetically played by Jayce Damon. They are a British couple on Holiday in France, and Claude, the adulterous male, played by yours truly, certainly causes Stanley a lot of trouble; with both his wife and his girlfriend each having to be hidden in the bathroom at various times.
Besides four well known performers who are appearing in this comedy farce, I would like to introduce to you today our three new very talented actors.
First we have Temo Ramirez, born in Mexico City, and has lived in Puerto Vallarta for the past 8 years. Temo is an experienced Diving Instructor, and previous to coming to Puerto Vallarta, he had his own Dive Shop. He has been the stage manager for Eileen’s last two productions, "Two and Two Make Sex" and "The Mouse Trap", but this is his first performance as an actor.
Next let me introduce Arita Gutierrez. She also was born in Mexico City, and she lived in Cancun, where she was involved in the Real Estate business. She has only been here for three months, but is very enthusiastic about playing the sexy Cabaret Dancer, Simone. Eileen was very fortunate to find this talented young lady. This will be her first time on stage as an actress.
Last, but certainly not least, here comes Travis Dietz, who hails from Ashland, Oregon. Ashland is famous for their Shakespeare Festival which they present each summer. Travis had a little acting experience in High School, where he was in “The Odd Couple.” He has been living here in Puerto Vallarta for the past 2 ½ years, teaching English. Before coming here, he taught English for some time in Japan. He has traveled extensively in Europe, but now he is making Puerto Vallarta his home. He is Heinz, the hotel manager, and to me, it is perfect casting.
Needless to say, we all welcome them to our theatre group, and it is a pleasure working with them. May they keep performing with us for many years to come. If you want to see them for your self, please come to the Theatre On The Bay, to enjoy the NH Krystal’s fabulous buffet dinner, and to see “A Bed Full Of Foreigners”, Eileen O’ Leary’s latest triumph. Opening Night is December 15th, and the show will run to the 23rd, and then from January 4th to the 27th. Performances every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, dinner at 6:30, show following.
For Reservations: 044/322/429-7231 or 01-329-295-5249

On the occasion of the National Disaster Protection Day, this Thursday the macro simulation in La Aurora was successfully implemented, where 3 thousand 823 people of 64 apartment buildings were evacuated, schools and businesses that are part of this residential development, in a time of eleven minutes.

This year's results were announced by the head of the Municipal Coordination of Disaster Protection and Firefighters Department, Sergio Ramírez López and the Second Regional Commander of the State Disaster Protection Unit, Oswaldo Hernandez Arvizu, who reported that in the simulation, which hypothesized an earthquake of 7.5 degrees on the Richter scale with its epicenter in Cihuatlán, Jalisco. The possible scenarios that a natural event like this could generate were considered, for which rescue operations were conducted from the top of the buildings, were 13 victims were treated for various injuries, a fire was quenched and a person was arrested under the assumption of foray in the affected area.

Hernandez Arvizu further noted that these activities involved 163 officers of the Municipal Coordination of Disaster Protection and Firefighters Department, Disaster Protection Department, the Navy, Federal Police, Red Cross, Traffic Police and Public Safety, as well as 43 volunteers who showed that working in coordination things go well. He also stressed that it is the first time that this type of exercises are performed with the neighbors of a colony, in which he added that the involvement of the educational institutions was valuable.

Present at the scene, the General Secretary Antonio Pinto Rodríguez, referred to the efforts that the City, in coordination with the various levels of government, maintains to promote a culture of prevention among Vallartans, "these exercises without a doubt add to it and we will keep fighting, we will be generating exercises of this type much more forcefully and continuously, and each day we will be ensuring that the citizen participation is greater".

It should be noted, that the councilor Susana Mendoza Carreño, president of the Disaster Protection Committee, was aware of these tasks at all times, as well as the various local government officials, who also collaborated in the drill.

[readon1 url="http://notivallarta.com/2013/09/19/se-realizo-con-exito-el-macro-simulacro-en-la-aurora/"]Source: NotiVallarta Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

Life is short but apparently it can become a lot shorter if you spend your days dealing with a bad boss. In a recent study performed by Keas.com they found that 77% of employees experienced physical symptoms of stress from bad bosses and workers who had inconsiderate or uncommunicative managers were 60% more likely to suffer heart trauma. An Inc. study cited that workers who have poor relationships with their bosses are 30% more likely to suffer coronary heart disease. That’s right people, your bad boss could quite literally be making you sick!

It is estimated that three out of every four employees reports that their boss is the worst and most stressful part of their job and 65% of employees said they would take a new boss over a pay raise (Inc.). Could the statistics scream any louder that we have far too many bad bosses out there?

And one has to ask the question, “Do these bosses set out to be bad, and are they even aware that they are bad?” I would guess that most bosses don’t set out to be bad. I would also guess that most of them may be completely unaware of just how bad they are. You see the difficulty is that most of us judge ourselves by our intentions, while others judge us based on our behavior. So the fact is that most bosses may feel they have perfectly good intentions and therefore they justify or disregard their own bad behavior and as a result employees are left to suffer the effects of dealing with a bad boss.

We Judge Ourselves by our Intentions. Others Judge us based on our Behavior.

So what makes a boss a bad boss? Here are a few thoughts on how to tell if your manager falls into the “bad” category of bosses:

If reading that list caused you to feel heart pain, you may very well be risking your health! So what can you do about it? The obvious answer is to quit and go work for a good boss, but not everyone is in a position where they can afford to walk out on their job until they find a new one. So what do you do in the meantime? Here are four ideas that might help:

“It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life story will develop.” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Remember that you can’t control other people, you can only control your reaction to them, so always do your best to react in a way that you can look back on and feel proud. Your heart will thank you later.

~Amy Rees Anderson (follow my daily blogs at www.amyreesanderson.com/blog )

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — I was recently invited to visit Puerto Vallarta with some other writers to see an important sailing regatta and visit a wine show, two subjects of great interest to me.

I owned too many sailboats, including one I lived on in Antigua before moving to Napa Valley. I also was once a contributing editor to Sail magazine.

Of course, I also write about wine all the time.

But let’s be honest: The big draw was Puerto Vallarta itself. I hadn’t been there in almost 30 years, but I remember it as a slightly sleepy fishing town, smaller than Napa and made famous when Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton hung out there when he was making John Huston’s “Night of the Iguana.”

They didn’t have to ask me twice.

An ideal location

The airport in Puerto Vallarta is close to town. We stayed in the Westin, a luxury resort on the beach across from Marina Vallarta, a 500-slip marina surrounded by hotels, condos and a boardwalk with a variety of shops, galleries and restaurants.

It’s close to Puerto Vallarta’s busy cruise port — we saw giant cruise ships arrive and depart daily, always blowing their horns to make sure we noticed.

The Westin has two large pools, a beach bar and a beach restaurant amid palm trees and other symbols of the tropics.

My room was on the ninth floor, with great views and a covered balcony. The first thing I did when I arrived was to turn off the air conditioning, which wasn’t needed.

Joining the group

There we met the other writers, four guys from New York, another from San Francisco and an American woman who lived in Oaxaca; she was married to a Mexican man. We also met our tour guide, also from New York though his family was from Colombia.

That night, we enjoyed a luxury meal at the Westin’s outdoor restaurant, though, like most of our other meals, it didn’t reflect much of the local cuisine.

We had numerous margaritas during the week, each one more exotic than the last. Coming from Napa, I also noted little emphasis on wine, although the Chilean wine was good and reasonable.

The next morning, we had breakfast at the sumptuous buffet at the Westin, where I had to shoo a small bird off my table. The buffet had plenty of local foods, but also pancakes and bagels for those who’d like home transported to the exotic lands they visit.

Most of the writers departed for a swim with dolphins and sea lions, but I have mixed feelings about that, so I opted to explore the neighborhood. The others loved the dolphin experience.

We didn’t have time to try other adventure sports, but the area is famous for scuba diving, parasailing, mountain climbing, zip lines, sailing and horseback riding.

We had lunch in the attractive Velas Vallarta nearby, though the buffet in Andrea was what you’d find in any resort anywhere.

I asked our host about this, and he explained that this was a luxury tour — many of the guests wrote for upscale publications — and we were getting luxury food.

It turns out there are also street food tours; I broke away from the schedule to try some later.

The Vallarta Wine Fest

We attended the Vallarta Wine Fest, which was three long tables, each with a dozen wines from Spain, Italy or Chile, with a few excellent wines from Baja California’s Guadalupe Valley. These were accompanied by Costco serving appetizers, talks about wine and food demonstrations.

A school fundraiser in Napa would blow it away, but admittedly, Mexico hasn’t developed much of a wine culture.

That evening was a delight as we traveled to a hillside restaurant, Vista Grill, for cocktails overlooking the bay, and I realized how the area had changed in 30 years.

The city now has a population of almost a quarter of a million, and high-rise hotels ring the bay north of Puerto Vallarta in Nayarit state (Puerto Vallarta is in Jalisco).

A real Puerto Vallarta experience

Dinner was a highlight of the trip. It was at La Palapa (a palapa is an open-sided building with a thatched roof). It was right on the water near the newly renovated Los Muertos Pier, which boasts a large sculpture like a sail.

La Palapa has been there so long that Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, who were married to other people then, hung out in the restaurant. It displays old photographs of the area that show the dramatic change — but the restaurant remains.

The food was excellent,and plenty was authentically Puerto Vallartan, mostly seafood like the tortilla soup and grilled dorado (mahi-mahi) I enjoyed.

Watching a sailboat race

The next day was the race day. The regatta was part of the important Mexican Ocean Racing Circuit, also called MEXORC Copa Corum, and it coincided with Mexico’s Fleet Week and the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Yacht Race with 25 highly competitive boats.

The local races involved many other boats competing during the week in many classes.

We boarded a large spectator boat to head out to watch the races, traveling up to large Bandera Bay in front of the large resorts along the Riviera Nayarit.

Most of the guests were Mexican journalists and their families, all very friendly.

We enjoyed traditional margaritas (tequila comes from Jalisco) and local Pacifico beer (Corona is for tourists!) and little food, so everyone was happy.

We did have a mountain of excellent guacamole and the local ceviche, which is made of ground fish, not the chunks we are used to.

They also served pico de gallo (rooster’s beak), which isn’t what we call pico de gallo here, which they call salsa Mexicana. It’s pieces of jicama, cucumber and other fruits and vegetables sprinkled with lime juice and ground chili.

While waiting for the races to begin — there’s always a lot of waiting in sailboat races — our boat cut the anchor line of one of the marker buoys. The captain wasn’t very popular with the race committee that had to reset the mark.

Finally, the race began. These were traditional sailboats, not super-fast multihulls like those in the recent America’s Cup, but in spite of jokes about how boring a sailboat race is, it was exciting to see the crews jostle for space around the markers and pop their chutes (spinnakers), a glorious sight with the bright colors, some Mexican flags.

As we were returning, we got a distress call, and headed back to rescue a small inflatable boat that had run out of gas. The cute girls in bikinis seemed to enjoy being rescued as much as crewmembers did.

That night we had drinks with the racers, then dinner at Porto Bello, an Italian-Mexican restaurant with a menu that would be familiar in Omaha.

Seeing more of town

Rising on the steep cliff is what will be Mantamar resort. The developers are gutting and renovating an old apartment building and adding parking and other amenities. It will offer shared ownership, ideal for people who like to spend some time in Puerto Vallarta each year.

Friday night we had dinner at Café des Artistes, a renowned multilevel French-Mexican-ish restaurant with trees and plants growing in the upper stories open to the sky (it rains mostly during the summer!). Much of the food was innovative, combining French techniques with local ingredients as is popular here.

Saturday was another day to watch the races, but most of us elected to tour the town. It’s very inviting, clean and filled with shops and restaurants ranging from tacky T-shirts and tacos to fine jewelry and gourmet food.

We watched local children practicing their dancing, the impressive cathedral and of course walked along the Malecon, the walkway along the sea. It was shaded by palm trees, with sculpture, especially of seahorses, the town symbol, and dolphins.

There’s a pleasant walkway on Cuale Island in the river in the center of the city, and I grabbed lunch there — a local beer, aquachile of scallop (spicy ceviche), a seafood taco and a Pacifico.

The older parts of the city are lovely and perfect for exploring. Cars are discouraged; the city has an excellent and cheap bus service, but taxis are cheap, too.

That night, we had cocktails and appetizers at La Leche, a restaurant decorated in white inside with milk jugs lining the walls. We met the interesting owner and I must admit I would have loved to dine there, but we joined the racing crowd for a festive banquet.

Along with the speeches and awards, we saw demonstrations by local folk dancers, an amazing site. We sometimes get dancers here from that region; they’re worth watching.

A friendly place to visit

Would-be tourists to Mexico sometimes worry about safety, but from all I can tell, Puerto Vallarta hasn’t been infected with the problems that have affected some parts of Mexico. It gets lively at night, but not dangerous.

In fact, I’ve rarely been to a place where the people seemed so friendly and welcoming. Instead of resenting tourists, they seem to appreciate that we’re visiting them and helping them make a living.

If I were planning a visit on my own, I’d find a nice small hotel downtown where I could walk to everything, and eat seafood for my whole visit. It would be an enchanting and affordable vacation, but I know that many people do like the luxury and convenience of resorts, and Puerto Vallarta has plenty of those, too.

[readon1 url="http://www.napalife.com/"]Source:www.napalife.com[/readon1][readon1 url="http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/a-delightful-visit-to-puerto-vallarta/article_124200a5-2810-5e85-bf54-0feb293bdf0f.html"]Source:napavalleyregister.com[/readon1]

Puerto Vallarta

When I first met Eileen O’Leary we were both involved in what was the first adult English speaking theatre to be presented in Puerto Vallarta.  The play was “Everybody Loves Opal”, and it was being presented in the IFC clubhouse.  I was a member of the cast, and she was the assistant stage manager.  At that time I had no idea what a talented lady she really was.  I found out very quickly after working with her for three weeks in that first play.<br>
 
The actors who were in that first play and Eileen decided that they wanted to do more plays, so we formed Theatre Vallarta, and with Eileen as our director, we soon began working on another play. This play, a comedy farce was “Opening night”; and after much hard work both in finding a venue to perform in as well as on the play itself, they did open “Opening Night” at a art gallery downtown. Unfortunately, I had to bow out of that one because of illness.<br>
  After a brief time away in Canada, Eileen returned to Puerto Vallarta to produce and direct many other plays, this time as Dinner Theatre.  To name just a few, “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “Play On”, “The Melville Boys”, “Two and Two Make Sex”, “The Mouse Trap”, and more. <br>
    Before finding this new venue, Eileen O’Leary tried several different restaurants here, some of which were very good, but not quite as well suited for dinner theatre as is the NHKrystal Hotel. The room is large, as is the stage, and the food is excellent.  She opened here with a new name for this new location.  Theatre Vallarta has become Theatre On the Bay.  Her first play “BedFull Of Foreigners”, which she not only produced and directed, but acted in as well, got off to a slow start during the two weeks before Christmas, but came back with a “Big Bang” in January, with over 400 people attending the performances.<br>
   
Eileen is now hard at work, putting together both “Love Letters”, which opens next Wednesday with that special preview performance for Pasitos de Luz, as well as “Deathtrap”, scheduled to open the first of March.  This week, she is having both plays rehearsing one after the other.  Since she is directing both, as well as gathering the necessary props, I don’t think she has much time left for sleep.  But after next week, when “Love Letters” opens, she only will need to concentrate on “Deathtrap.”  As I stated at the beginning of this article, Eileen O’Leary is not only one magnificent Director, but she is also an excellent actress as well.

They may be a little too heavy at times, but they’re in no way cheating. That's what the people of Mexcaltitan say regarding the festivity for the island’s patron saint, which could be the mythical starting point for the pilgrimage of the Nahuatl tribes in search of Tenochtitlan. As every year on June 29, San Pedro and San Pablo will engage in a battle, and the winner will be that who is known as the cornerstone of the Catholic Church.

In Jalisco, more than 40 thousand children from 588 schools, located in the south and north coast, the most affected entity due to the passage of the Tropical Storm "Manuel", don't have classes as most of them register floodings, loss of furniture or became inaccessible because the access roads are torn, underscores the State Education Secretary, Francisco Lopez Ayon:

"... In some situations they are damaged, in other situations they are flooded, and in others the access in order to enter them, comes from the side of the road that is in pieces..."

After the meeting of the State Technical Council of Civil Protection of this Wednesday at Casa Jalisco, where heads of the State Civil Protection and Firefighter Unit, the Ministries of Rural Development, Infrastructure and Public Works, Health, Social Development and Integration, and the state DIF, conducted the assessment of the damages caused by the natural phenomenon, the governor, presented a preliminary balance to ratify two deaths, one missing person, one thousand 500 people evicted and 37 municipalities almost devastated.

Meanwhile the health secretary, Jaime Agustin Gonzalez Alvarez, warns of a possible outbreak of dengue due to the flooding conditions or water concentrations in many communities damaged by "Manuel", for which they will direct their attention to them to avoid this and other diseases.

It should be noted that according to the National Civil Protection System-SINAPROC-"Manuel" regained strength to leave its status as tropical storm and become, in the afternoon of Wednesday, a Category 1 Hurricane in the Saffir Simpson scale, on the shores of Sinaloa, for which precautions are taken up to Cabo San Lucas in Baja California Sur.

[readon1 url="http://www.prensaglobal.com/notas/56225.html"]Source: Prensaglobal Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

As guns from the U.S. pour across the border and fuel violence in Mexico, artist Pedro Reyes uses his work as a peaceful, cathartic form of protest

There's only one gun store in Mexico, so Mexican drug dealers stocking up on AK-47s tend to look north of the border: Every year, more than 250,000 guns are smuggled in from the U.S. As violence has increased over the last decade--in part thanks to the expiration of the U.S.'s assault weapons ban--artist Pedro Reyes decided to help bring new attention to the problem by making sculptures from melted guns.

"I wanted to make a kind of protest," Reyes says. "A large number of weapons have entered Mexican territory, 90% from the United States. I wanted to turn that around and call attention to the need to stop the flow of weapons to Mexico."

In one project, Reyes collected guns in the city of Culiacán, which had the highest rate of gun deaths in the country, and then smashed them with a steamroller, melted them down, and turned them into 1,527 shovels for planting trees.

After six years, that project is almost complete--Reyes plans to plant 1,527 trees, one for every gun that was destroyed. The plantings are happening all over the world; one week, in Costa Rica, and the next week, in Germany.

"When a planting happens it's an opportunity for people to speak out," Reyes says. "Weapons are something that are praised in media as sexy and cool. If you play video games, or turn on the TV, or see any action film, it's like a big advertisement all the time. People who have been victims of gun violence need opportunities to speak out and say that in real life, the effect that weapons have are disastrous."

In two other projects, Reyes transformed guns into musical instruments to show a literal example of how people might express anger in a different way. "Rock and roll gives a certain degree of catharsis," he says. "Turning a machine gun into an electric guitar is a kind of transformation where you can still have a totemic object of power--an electric guitar has that kind of magical power and aura."

Here's one set of instruments in action, in a video from Vice:

While the artist doesn't expect violence to ever disappear, he hopes the art helps remind people of alternatives. "I think there's a reason why guns produce such a thrill," he says. "We're not much different from apes in that we have inherited a brain structure that gets excited by violence...I think violence is part of our nature, but the evolution is that we can express it towards objects instead of people."

He also hopes to slowly begin to shift cultural acceptance of guns. "It's almost a kind of impossible idea that you could turn around that perception," Reyes says. "But it's a kind of a cultural battle, and I hope art can be one little contribution to that cultural change. There were things that were normal 50 years ago, like overt racism or discrimination against gay people, that we have seen start to change in our lifetime. I believe we should also change our perception of guns."

[readon1 url="http://www.fastcoexist.com/3035161/a-mexican-artist-turns-assault-weapons-into-musical-instruments-and-art"]Source:www.fastcoexist.com[/readon1]