We took the official National Hurricane Center's recommended survival kit and added some Insider humor. We have a preparedness video from our friends at West Coast Global Insurance too.• Water -...
Whether you are visiting Mexico or plan to stay longer, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the six major peso notes currently in circulation. Knowing the value of the bill you...
In 2019 we have received almost the annual rainfall for the southern portions of the peninsula in the last two weeks of November. These late season rains will augment the rains that greened up...
Mexico revised many of its importation rules in 2014 and some of them can be a shocker when you cross the border. Most personal import items are subject to 16% IVA, but tobaccos and alcohols can...
On January 1, 2021 Mexico raised its minimum wage to $141.70 Mexican pesos per day. At the current exchange rate of roughly 20:1 that's about $7.08 a day. When this article was initially...
Thongs are a major item in Baja beachwear. Don't be caught without yours or in the wrong kind of thongs as this article points out.Thong, what a great word, what a great sound? Thong coming from...
With millions of baby boomers reaching retirement age every day, the market for a lovely place to live with the security and services required is growing exponentially.
Many baby boomers...
Baja California Sur has a great number of outstanding beaches with a variety of reasons to make a list of the best beaches in Mexico or even the world. A recent poll in USA Today had local...
The first weeks of January 2017 saw all of Mexico switch to the 911 system for all emergencies. These services include, police, fire, ambulance and naval services, given the proper information 911...
Calling Internationally Over the Internet
Using Voice over Internet, or Voip, can save you money when calling internationally from your computer or internet cafe. Even when your back home in the...
Have you had the need to change an airplane ticket, call relatives, or report a lost credit card from the U.S. while traveling in Mexico? Dialing to and from Mexico can be a little confusing to folks...
5th of May or "Cinco de Mayo" as it is said in Spanish is a national holiday in Mexico and is celebrated widely in the U.S. as well, but it is not Mexico’s day of Independence which is the 16th of...
What to do if you encounter problems as a consumidor (consumer) in Mexico? Whether you are Mexican or Not, you may take your case to Profeco, (Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor). A government...
For the United StatesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test to ALL air passengers entering the United States. Masks or a...
December 12th celebrates Dia de Guadalupe, a legendary event that bonded the people of Mexico, and much of the native New World peoples and the Catholic Church in the days of the Spanish...
I was first introduced to it while I was involved with a local expat organization where we celebrated King's Day on January 6th when someone brought a Rosca de Reyes into the festivities to...
This year Constitution Day falls on Saturday, February 5, 2021, and like many nations, Mexico adjusts this holiday to the Monday, February 7 or "Puente" or "bridge" day to make a three-day...
January 6th, the Day of the Kings, Twelfth Night and the Twelve Day of Christmas all culminate in a celebration in Mexico known as Dia de Los Reyes. The event in the Catholic Church in Mexico...
Here are some quick economic facts about the Baja California peninsula. made up of two Mexican states, Baja California and Baja California Sur.In Baja California the cities of Mexicali, Tijuana and...
PROFEPA, stands for, Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente and is Mexico’s Federal Agency of Environmental Protection. PROFEPA is an administrative office which has no relationship with the...
Expat living in Baja and Mexico
More and more people are asking about relocating to Mexico these days. To live as an expat in Mexico can be very rewarding and here is an article to help you see...
North Americans are buying homes in Mexico as an economic refuge and to maintain lifestyle. With the debt ceiling crisis, and political chaos, more than ever Americans are looking to buy homes...
Happy Birthday is said in Spanish as Feliz Cumpleanos which means literally “Happy Completed Years”! Which if you think of it is a much more positive way of looking at getting older. In fact Mexicans...
Nobody wants to lose a pet, much less while traveling. We recently lost our dog while hiking near our home in Ensenada. We searched for three heartbreaking weeks before finding her. Our story has a...
The Mexico Flag and its emblem have an old and very interesting story about what it depicts.The holiday; Diá de la Bandera or Mexican Flag Day is February 24.While the Flag of the Estados Unidos de...
By law, any vehicale in Mexico more than 180 days should be imported and registered in the appropriate Mexican state. Importing US vehicales is part of the NAFTA agreement, but Mexico limits the age...
Other than sombreros, few things are more 'Mexican' than tequila. But there are a few things to know about the different grades of tequila before you use it to inspire you to sing karaoke Thursday...
You would like to work in Mexico as a foreigner. Many people think it is really hard to get permission to work here in Mexico as a foreigner but it has become much easier over the years....
Just like most other countries, you don't want to get stuck holding the bag on a bad currency note. Knowing how to quickly identify the security features of the Mexican peso can protect you from...
I was researching for my own personal tax and company financial needs the other day and I came across a very informative site on financial planning for those with "cross-border" needs. Well, as I...
INEGI – Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía / National Institute of Statistics and Geography
INEGI is the Mexican government office in charge of statistics concerning populations,...
Every week, about 750 new people come to the Los Cabos area to settle. These may be workers arriving from the Mainland or Central America, or the increasingly large number of North Americans seeking...
Discovering La Paz as a wonderful place to call home more than 13 years ago this month I wanted to take another look back at the changes and provides the tips on living in Baja California Sur. With...
What you should do if your passport is lost or stolen while abroad:Losing or having a passport stolen can be a very unsettling thing. However, it doesn’t have to ruin your trip! Here are some...
These are just some of the major Mexican Federal government web sites that are available to the public. In most of the official web sites generally they list the respective offices for Baja...
Temporay Resident Cards (Residente Temporal)If you are planning on living or staying in Mexico for extended periods of more than 6 months and less than 4 years the Permananet Resident Card is what...
Mexico Legalizes marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and even LSD!
NOT…Sorry for you who wish this were true; many have told me in the last few days that Mexico has legalized the use of...
Recently I saw a breakdown of the cost for Mexicans to live with the basic needs in Mexico and I wondered how do they do it? How do the majority of people in Mexico live with the cost of living so...
I have always been a people watcher. I love to study human behavior. Understanding and learning about different cultures, what they have in common and most importantly, their differences have always...
A point to point mileage chart for cities and towns along Mexico's Highway 1 down the the Baja California peninsula.
When you are told the Mexican Notario Publico will charge $3,000 dollars to make you the beneficiary of a trust on a Mexican beachfront condo, you certainly know things are different in Mexico. This...
Are there really any nude beach on the Baja California peninsula, and where are they if they exist? First off it is not really legal to be nude in public in Mexico. In fact the Mexican people don’t...
Carnaval La Paz seems to many of the residents and long time visitors to be an eternal event to celebrate spring, an institution in the community. But in 2013 we almost saw the end of the annual...
Planning your Wedding Ceremony in MexicoA wedding ceremony in Mexico is one thing…a legal marriage is something else. What’s the difference and how do you choose what is right for you?The first thing...
Here is a very interesting graphic estimating the relative risk of exposure to COVID-19. Of course there are a lot of variables, like was everyone wearing a mask at the family gathering? The Texas...
Everyday more and more foreigners, including people from the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, are acquiring Mexican property for rentals and enjoyment. The market for rentals is huge, but...
The Mushroom Rock in Bahia Balandra has long been the symbol of La Paz Appearing in postcards and countless photos. Sometime in the winter of 2005 the rock was discovered toppled from...
The green flash is a solar phenomenon that only occurs under very specific conditions. Many people THINK they may have seen the green flash, but have they really? Before you think I’ve spent too much...
This has been a growing cry from residents of Baja California Sur concerning the creation of Concordia, an open pit mine in the Sierra de la Laguna. Is this opposition justified?
There is a...
How FATCA and FBAR is affecting U.S. Expats…yes only Americans (as in U.S. Citizens living abroad) need to read this..There are some newly enforced banking and tax laws that are affecting United...
Whether a property owner or just the occasional visitor on a beautiful beach in Mexico, everyone pays taxes, natives and foreigners. Some of the taxes are hidden and others are not. The purpose of...
If you happened to be just about anywhere on the Baja peninsula on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 you are part of this enormous group photo! This image was taken from space on March 9 by the Aqua satellite...
Almost every evening the wind blows from the SSW during the spring and early summer in the Bay of La Paz Coromuel winds area a welcome and unique phenomenon of the La Paz area. These south-to-south...
I had begun looking for answers back in the mid-eighties, and my travels have taken me far and wide searching for the answer to one of ancient histories greatest archeological mysteries, the...
Here is a translation to English of the Mexican National Anthem or Himno Nacional Mexicano. Acknowledged as one of the most beautiful national anthems, for both its poetry and musical score the...
We have heard lots of plausible origins of the word Gringo, this is the best one we've heard so far.In surfing the net I came across a slightly different explanation for the word “gringo” that I had...
The Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico were inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the Twenty-ninth Session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in...
Tijuana the largest city of Baja and SECOND largest in Mexico borders the U.S. at the cities of San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, suburbs of San Diego, California. A border where more than 50 million people...
Driving in the Baja peninsula of Mexico has changed a lot over the last two decades I've been here. Baja's Highway 1 has improved dramatically, with smoother pavement, nearly every arroyo now bridged...
The Consular Agency in San Jose del Cabo offers routine and emergency services for American Citizens visiting or residing in Baja California Sur. The Consular Agency performs notarial services...
In 2012 both the Cabo San Lucas consular agent office and the US Consulate in Tijuana changed locations. Here is the latest information on both offices and maps on how to find them. Both offices have...
In 2012 both the Cabo San Lucas consular agent office and the US Consulate in Tijuana changed locations. Here is the latest information on both offices and maps on how to find them. Both offices have...
I’ve always wondered what they were talking about when I was told: “That’ll happen ‘once in a Blue moon”. Then I heard that we were going to see one on March 31, 2018!
A blue moon? Are you telling...
A Factura is a legal receipt given for goods and services in Mexico that can be used for business expenses or for deductions in Mexico businesses. The receipts you receive from most vendors are not...
