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The Mexicans say: 'When Mexico's dusts settle on your heart you can't have peace in any other country'. And after my vacation I'm really agree with it. No, I didn't pack all my personal property and I will not plan to migrate to this remarkable place:), but I'm impressed, surprised and amazed with this trip. To tell the truth after a whole year without vacation I should be pleased with every kind of rest, but I wanted something new and specific about it. After a long hesitation we (I and my husband) decided on the place of our vacation and didn't make a mistake! On vacation I like to mix relaxation and time for new knowledge and emotion and opportunity to see beautiful visual images. We got that all! There was a weekly informative tour from Mexico City to Cancun and some nice days on the snow-white beach of Riviera Maya. We are fortunate in having such a guide with us as we had. Our guide in that trip is very pleasant and competent person with an excellent sense of humor. Any question from us waren't answered no matter how many we asked him. I can't figure out whether he answered your questions or not! We cought from him some sense of love to his country, to the culture, tradition and history of Mexico. It is maybe the native element of Mexican people? We met many frieandly people in Mexico. And I like everyone in Mexico love their native land, maintain their tradition, originality and it seems that all of them love their work. And I like in Mexican people that they highlight the role of family in their life.

Now I'm working again but this trip is in my mind. All events in our life affect us to a greater or lesser extent and this was a very good event for me. At first I didn't think about my work. After returning home I found I found some documentary about Mexico and now I knew that I want to see many other interesting places in this country. I read a guide-book before the vacation of course but it wasn't the same.I revise and refresh the movie 'Frida' in the memory (on this time with English audio track of course:)). I found somebody else's beautiful photos with the same views of Mexican sights and decided to buy a new more professional video camera and learning course for it .

Maybe my next trip will not be to Mexico while there are many interesting place is on the world But some time I will be back...

And what is your best place for rest and pleasure?

Where do you want to return?

What place do you recommend to everybody?

I wish a fruitful learning and a very good rest for all students of this school
1 misused article

This post has been edited by Autevielle: 16 September 2011 - 05:58 PM

[Emerald]

I've heard and read a lot of splendid reviews about Mexico. So your review here is once again proving the fact that this country is worth going to.
The only drawback I've heard of is the criminal situation and the level of safety (high and low respectively) and the recommendation for the tourist to stay on the beaten tracks is everywhere. Were you told about this when in Mexico, did they warn you about it or it's not true?

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And I like that all people love his native land, maintain their tradition, originality and seems that all of them love their work. And I like in Mexicans people than they highlight the role of family in their life.

This one is arguable cause I've been to Texas many times. Believe me it seems that all Mexicans are there. They flooded Texas, they are all over the place. and Texas in its early 2000 and now is a totally different state. Now they have all signs in English and in Spanish, 50% of the schools (if not even more) have became totally Hispanic. So they like it better in the States where they have __ work and where they want to stay as __ citizens.

Well, the city of my dreams is San Francisco. I was lucky to visit it this summer. I was in many places around the world but there are only few of them so far where I constantly come back or wish to be back. These are Suzdal, Dallas and San Francisco.
I wish I could upload some pictures taken in SF, but there is some technical problem in my profile that doesn't allow me to do it. So I'll tell you a bit.
This is a town of joy, friendly people, the town that celebrates life. The average temperature there is 22-25 degrees all year around which certainly contributes to all said in the previous sentence in the first place. Although it can be a bit foggy through May to June. The best time to visit the city is September and October. That is what I was told by locals. The town is a mixture of nationalities and different cultures. Historically there were two main conclaves there: China town (SF presents one of the biggest Chinese communities in the States) and Italian Area where all the italian mobsters came from. Nowadays the city attracts a lot of foreigners and artists from all over the world offering loads of facilities to express artistic people's dreams. Artists in different areas are very welcomed there.
I was feeling very safe there and like I was almost at home. People were very friendly and welcoming, ready to help in everything. I immediately made friends there. Believe me this is not common for every city in the US. In NY people will pass you by not noticing that you are lost in the streets or something. NY is a bit like Moscow.
The town is extremely hilly and you can't go completely vertically on some of the streets as you have to shift your gravity center a bit forward. But it's fun and it's a really good work out for your legs. ))
The thing that really hooked me is that this is a big town with all the advantages a big city can give but at the same time the ocean, parks and forests are only 15 minutes away. Nature and views around the city are stunning. The city is extremely green. There is a saying that you can put a stick into the ground there and it will blossom. I guess this is true.
In SF there are a lot of carnivals and holidays celebrating on the streets, so you can easily run accross some while you are in town. Also the main streets are filled with different musicians, gymnasts, circus artists, street artists and you can enjoy their performances endlessly. Locals are fond of live music concerts that are held outside in the parks and on the ocean embankments. I've been to __ one of those and it was fabulous.
The "must see" places:
Golden Gate Bridge
Embarcadero
China Town
Telegraph Hill
Ferry Building (especially on the weekends because they have Farmers’ market going on there)
Sausalito (the island near SF) very green secluded place
Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park
Ocean Beach or Baker Beach
The "must do" things:
Take a ride on the cable car
Visit Ghirardelli chocolate shop located right at the chocolate factory. They sell the best chocolate in the States.
Take a boat or a ferry to go closer to the Golden Gate Bridge and under the Bridge
Rent a bike and cross the bridge on it (fantastic! the bridge has separate bike's and pedestrian's zones) and ride around Sausalito on it.
Watch the ocean

The only drawback of the city is that you don't want to leave. I left my heart in San Francisco

[Irina]

Indeed the summer is the splendid time for discoveries! This time it was the ten-day travel to Spain with my family. It is interesting that many acquaintances of mine had been in Blanes (Kosta Brava) before once, so I heard a lot of positive comments about this nice small town near Barcelona. And our choice was actually right. Blanes turned out a very hospitable and comfortable place. Honestly, planning our voyage, I hoped to spend half of all time swimming and relaxing at the beach and another part of time seeing the sights of Spain. And Blanes turned out assuredly an ideal place to combine my plans. Of course we went to Barcelona and visited The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família building by outstanding Antonio Gaudi and being continuied building now. After it we went by Rambla to the seaport, turned to the left and enjoed the Gothic quarter. In fifteen minutes we came to the sea and our point of destination was the Aquarium. All the places we saw were interesting and beautiful, but it was a pity that we had not enough time to touch and delight everything we wanted. But there were the place that amazed me more than Barcelona, it was Montserrat. “Montserrat” literally means "jagged mountain" in Catalan, it is the most beautiful place I`ve ever saw. The Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat now is a well known center of pilgrimage, the place when people of the whole world can pray, find peace and support. We had only four hours to see the most interesting details of the Monastery. Having a choice we preferred first walking by the way of the pilgrims and descending into a cave when the statue of Moreneta was found. Now Her place is in the center of Basilica and thousands people come to Her to ask something and She helps them.
I heard that day the Choir of boys of Esolania school begins to sing after their summer vacation and I hoped so much to hear them. When we came into the church we saw thousand people sitting and standing there and listening to the monk. After he finished his speach the miracle has happened. The Choir came to the center of Basilica and forty clear voices filled the space by the incredible wonderful light. It was truly heaven singing and it touched me very very much. After they finished their performance I stood several minutes stupefied and then suddenly cryed.
I sincerely can say that my voyage was unforgettable and I hope to go to friendly Spain again in the future.