How to Celebrate Mexican Independence Day in Mexico City

September 15, 2018April 9, 2024 - Amy 2 Comments

Last September, I arrived in Ciudad de Mexico with no real knowledge about Mexican history or culture. However, I just had to look around at the glittering displays of green, white and red to know something was going on and indeed it was – I had stumbled into celebrating Mexico Independence Day in Mexico City!

September is particularly fun time to be in the city, but I wish I’d been (just a little) more prepared on what to expect. So, here’s how to celebrate independence in Mexico during this patriotic month, including a bit on Mexican history, things to see and do and – most importantly – what to eat. Read more

5 Cool Used Bookstores in Los Angeles You Need to Visit

April 6, 2018April 9, 2024 - Amy 4 Comments

Shopping for books may not be the first thing that pops into your head when you think about visiting Los Angeles, but you may be surprised. Local Angeleno Maggie Torsney-Weir shares her guide to the best quirky bookshops and used bookstores in Los Angeles, from children’s books to travel tomes, to independent bookstores that have become LA literary institutions, such as the iconic The Last Bookstore: Read more

The 7 Best Cenotes in Mexico: Cancun, Tulum, Playa & More

April 3, 2018April 9, 2024 - Amy 3 Comments

One essential thing to do when visiting Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Chichen Itza, or pretty much anywhere in the Yucatan region of Mexico, is to go cenote diving. Therefore, I’ve asked the travel bloggersphere for their recommendations on the best cenotes in Mexico, from the Gran Cenote in Tulum to the Ruta de los Cenotes along the Riviera Maya.

And they didn’t disappoint! Here are the 7 best cenotes in Mexico: Read more

Lake Bacalar | Things to do at Bacalar Lagoon, Mexico

February 18, 2018April 9, 2024 - Amy 5 Comments

travel Lake Bacalar, also known as the Lake of Seven Colours, is one of the most beautiful places I visited during my three months in Mexico (and maybe ever). From swimming with fishes in the Cenote Azul and taking part in watersports and activities, to lakeside hotels where you can relax and soak up the weather – this is a guide to the best things to do in Bacalar Lagoon, Quintana Roo:

The Best Mexico City Bookstores for Books in English

October 21, 2017April 2, 2024 - Amy 27 Comments

I have an addiction. I arrive in a new city and plan to see the sights, but when I stumble across a bookshop en route, I can’t help but pop in “for five minutes”. Several hours later, I leave with my purse much lighter and my backpack significantly heavier. Yet, despite my lack of Spanish, this has not stopped me in Mexico – “Tiene novelas en Ingles?” And through my illness, I have discovered the best Mexico City bookstores (for books in English, that is!)… Read more

How to Spend One Week in Vancouver, City of Hipsters

October 7, 2017April 9, 2024 - Amy 23 Comments

This past July, I spent one week in Vancouver, getting a little taste of Canada and visiting fellow ACLE alumna/travel blogger The Global Shuffle. But, the city wasn’t quite what I expected. This is the story of how I learnt to put down my old faithful Lonely Planet, stopped sightseeing and starting experiencing what can only be described as the Vancouver lifestyle:

One Week in Vancouver: City Sightseeing vs the Vancouver Lifestyle

Lonely Planet had never disappointed me until I spent one week in Vancouver this summer.

I’ve clung to the pages of my beloved LPs for years, like a travel comfort blanket. From my five-years-out-of-date copy of Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, to library-stolen Japan guides, to my dear beloved dogeared guide to Italy, guidebooks in general are special to me. Read more

A Tale of Two Earthquakes in Mexico City

September 21, 2017July 5, 2020 - Amy 90 Comments

So, in my short time in Mexico I have managed to survive not one, but two major earthquakes in Mexico City. Of course, there have always been earthquakes in Mexico City and in Mexico in general, but these were some of the biggest that the country has seen. This is the story about what happened to me during and after both of these huge earthquakes in Mexico City.

Before I start, if you are looking for practical advice about what to do during earthquakes in Mexico City, then please read Northern Lauren’s The Anxious Girl’s Guide to Earthquake Etiquette. The first part is tongue-in-cheek (and a hilarious read), but there’s also some important and practical information about what to do during earthquakes at the end. Read more

Easter in New York City | Top 10 Tips by Stephanie Fox

March 16, 2017April 9, 2024 - Amy 1 Comment

It’s been a few years since I enjoyed Easter in New York, but I loved the long weekend in the Big Apple. I’d previously only visited NYC in winter. However, the month of April transformed the city into a bright airy place full of colour – and chocolate!

It’s hard to imagine, with all that concrete everywhere, but in America and especially NYC they manage to be so flamboyant and colourful that the infectious Spring vibe filters along the streets.

Stephanie Fox blogs about Newcastle and Travel at her blog www.stephaniefox.co.uk. She’s kindly contributed this Easter-themed guest post to help me with my #40days40blogs Lent challenge! Here are her top 10 things to do for Easter in New York City: Read more