"La Catrina" The Day of the Dead in México

 “La Catrina” was created by Mexican artists to make a metaphorical representation of the upper class of Mexico, which prevailed before the Mexican Revolution.

It later became the official symbol of death, Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead 1 and 2 November all the country.

The Mexican death teases and plays, she is not the evil connotation that we think of in the US and Canada.

 According to Mexican folklore, "La Catrina," is her alter ego.  We know her as death, Mexico does not fear her, she relishes in her, and displays here in many ways.  

   

 Sometimes she is portrayed as cheerful, elaborately dressed, wanting to have fun and even flirtatious and seductive with mortals. We find "in purititos bones," ready to take us when we least expect. However, the relationship Mexicans have with "La Catrina" is defined by a set of circumstances intimately linked with the history and culture of Mexico, the traditions and customs of each region must consider a guest on important occasions, such as the All Saints Day (Día de Todos los Santos) and All Souls day.

According to this tradition, it is believed that the death and memory of the faithful departed, gives us a sense of identity rooted culture.

Experience the traditions of México. The Riviera Maya is waiting...

If you are looking for a piece of paradise. 
We are  your trusted partner for secure Real Estate transactions in the jewel of Mexico´s Caribbean Coast. 
 Contact: chris@american-development.com

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The Mexican economy laughs at the world crisis

The Mexican economic growth

It seems that the last released numbers about the Mexican economy are rather positive and encouraging. In fact, according to Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas (IMEF), after a light recession in March, the manufacturing Index of the country has come back up to 52.3 points, which is rather good. The manufacturing Index testifies the amount of manufacturing activity occurred in one month by a country. The non-manufacturing index tracks the non-manufacturing activity over the same period of time. The non-manufacturing index is up to 53.2 points, as high as the one in January 2012. 

Having these two index superior to 50 points is really positive. This index goes from 0 to 100 points. If the index is below 50 points, it means that the activity of the country is low and that the country probably experiences a recession, especially, if it goes on over several months. A superior-to-50 number indicates a period of growth for the country. Both index are very trusted economic measures.

In the current critic period for the world, whereas the European Union struggles every day to keep the countries tight and united to each other in order to save the economy of the old continent, Mexico cuts a fine figure. Regarding the demand in manufacturing goods, Mexico registered a quite maintained rate up to 52 points over the past 4 months. In other words, the demands have not sunken because people keep steadily asking for manufactured and non-manufactured products.

Mexico possesses strong assets to struggle and face crisis. Mexico can be proud of its economy.

American-development.com in Playa Del Carmen.

President Felipe Calderón Attends Presentation of Mexico, The Royal Tour

By:presidencia.gob.mx

Mexican President Felipe Calderón attended the premier of the Mexico, The Royal Tour program, produced by US public television station PBS.

The program is designed to promote tourism to Mexico abroad.

During the presentation, President Calderón met with company directors, tourist operators, businessmen and cinema and television producers interested in highlighting the importance of tourism and promoting the production of foreign films in Mexico.

In the course of the meeting, the president explained that Mexico is one of the best choices for a travel or investment destination in the tourist sector as well as in the movie industry.

Production of the Mexico, The Royal Tour program forms part of Mexico’s strategy for promoting tourism abroad, contemplated in the National Tourism Agreement signed by President Felipe Calderón in February of this year.

This program was recorded in ten days, during which the production team visited Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Mexico State, Jalisco, Michoacán, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí and Yucatán and the Federal District.

The Royal Tour, conducted by journalist Peter Greenberg, is one of the best known programs in tourist promotion. It has previously been recorded in countries such as Jordon, New Zealand, Peru and Jamaica, where it boosted tourist promotion internationally, attracting a larger number of tourists.

President Calderón was accompanied by his wife, Margarita Zavala, Mexican Ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhán Casamitjana, Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara Manzo and Health Secretary, Salomón Chertorivski Woldenberg.

Real Estate Playa del Carmen and Real Estate Riviera Maya, American Development Co. has the most complete list of properties for sale or rent for Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya. More information

 

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First Mexican Truck Crosses US Border

This is making headlines everywhere-  For the first time under the North American Free Trade Agreement, a Mexican truck crossed into the U.S. on Friday bound for the country’s interior, beginning a program that was stalled for years by concerns it could put highway safety and American jobs at risk.

The tractor-trailer hauling a large steel drilling structure crossed the border at Laredo nearly two decades after passage of NAFTA, which was supposed to improve cargo transportation between the two countries.
At a ceremony before the truck set off for a Dallas suburb, the owner of the Transportes Olympic trucking company said he considered his fleet’s access to the U.S. interior like being invited to a friend’s house.
“We have to be extra orderly and very respectful,” Fernando Paez told dignitaries of both countries and a crowd of 300 people. “We will demonstrate that we can operate safely and efficiently.”

The driver of the Freightliner truck was Josue Cruz, who waved from the cab, flashed a thumbs-up and thundered toward the bridge over the Rio Grande. He was expected to unload in Garland today. Trucks have crossed into the interior before but only as part of a short-lived pilot program that began in 2007 with a limited number of vehicles. President Barack Obama’s administration canceled it in 2009, and Mexico retaliated by placing tariffs on a wide range of American goods.

Hours before Friday’s ceremony in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico announced it was suspending the tariffs. But the Mexican government said they could be reinstated if the U.S. does not honor the accord.
The $2 billion in tariffs was imposed on 99 U.S. products, including Christmas trees, onions, oranges, apples, juice concentrates, toothpaste, deodorant and sunglasses. Mexico reduced the tariffs after signing the trucking agreement with the U.S. in July and then removed them completely Friday.

NAFTA, signed in 1994, had called for Mexican trucks to have unrestricted access to highways in border states by 1995 and full access to all U.S. highways by January 2000. Canadian trucks have no limits on where they can go. But until now, Mexican trucks have seldom been allowed farther than a buffer zone on the U.S. side of the border, where their cargo was typically transferred to American vehicles.

The public debate surrounding the accord had mostly focused on the safety of Mexican trucks. But labor unions and other groups were strongly opposed to the agreement, saying it would cost Americans trucking and other jobs. The U.S. Department of Transportation says the safety concerns have been resolved. Electronic monitoring systems will track how many hours the trucks are in service. Drivers will also have to pass safety reviews, drug tests and assessments of their English skills. Mexico has the authority to demand similar measures from American drivers.

If you would like further information on conditions of doing business in Mexico (NAFTA, etc.) contact www.american-development.com. 

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Featuring Puerto Morelos

Puerto Morelos is a unique community located on the eastern coast of Mexico overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It is considered the gateway to the Riviera Maya, located 15 minutes south of Cancún International Airport and 36 km north of Playa del Carmen.

In contrast to all the expansion that is taking place along the coastline, Puerto Morelos will retain its small village atmosphere, due to several factors. The government has declared the reef area and the mangroves, which exist behind the town, ecological preserves. Also, unlike Playa del Carmen (which has sustained major growth over the past 10 years), the lot sizes in Puerto Morelos are small with strict building codes enforced. It is the intent of the locals to keep development to a minimum.  People come to Puerto Morelos to avoid the high prices of Cancun and Playa del Carmen. (See more about this at www.canada2playa.com) So the lay of the town caters to keeping its development much less sprawling that its northern and southern neighbors.

The recent history of the town began in 1936 by presidential resolution when the Cooperative known as Puerto Morelos was founded .The demarcation and physical boundaries are delineated in 1944.  In the census of 1950 a population of 80 inhabitants was reported. Since then, the city´s formal demographics are estimated as follows. 

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population of Puerto Morelos  
Year         Population
1980           672
1990           740
1995           829
2000           892
2005         1.097
2010         2,500

Due to the environment geography of Puerto Morelos (mangrove swamps and coral reef), the human settlements have remained divided along Federal Highway 307 (east and west.) The settlement located on the coast and to the east of the federal highway is known as the "Puerto" or "Old Puerto Morelos".  The settlement immediately to the east of the Federal Highway is known as "Colonia Pescadores". The settlement to the west of the Federal Highway is known as " Colonia Joaquín Zetina Gazca. "

According to the results of the Census of the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and data processing (INEGI) of 2005; Port Morelos reported 1,097 inhabitants, while the Colonia Zetina Gasca, reported 6,629 inhabitants plus 108 more located in the Zona Suburbana, for a total of 7.726 inhabitants. Thus the Puerto Morelos area can be viewed as a collection of a few townships close together which comprise

The new housing zones to the north and west of the Colonia Zetina Gazca are in full population growth:  The zona urbana "Luis Donaldo Colosio", the division "Villas Morelos I, the division "Villas Morelos  II", and the residential area "Buccaneers".  Due to these developments the population in October of 2007 was estimated to be more than 10.000 inhabitants. 

Investing in Puerto Morelos real estate is an excellent choice. Whether it is primarily for economic gain or you intend to enjoy the small-town feel of what was once a sleepy Mexican village. However, it is necessary to approach the process seriously. With the American Development and Canada 2 Playa team behind you, you can get a good price and avoid any legal hassles.

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Fact from fiction: Traveling in Mexico´s Destinations

When it comes to finding out the ¨real scoop¨ about Mexico, there are few good questions that need to be asked.  Especially as one gets closer to making that decision to come to visit.  Mainly, one has to really find out the facts from fiction. As we´ve put together several key points on this entry to give you the ¨in road view¨, it should stand to give you the practical side of enjoying a sense of adventure in Mexico while keeping you abreast of the clear signals you must know.

The media reports from the US and Canada do lead the average person into what may be called a ¨dangerous slant.¨ Now for whatever reasons that the media does reinforce this image of Mexico, there are also incredible travel destinations to spend completely positive and safe time.  To travel, meet others, engage community and cultural opportunities, and truly experience the Mexican way. As every country has its issues, Mexico does have travel warnings in certain parts that are at unrest right now.  But the key thing to remember is that areas like Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Adventuras, Merida, and the southern Riviera Maya stand as one of the most tranquil and inviting place one could ever wish to experience the easy and freedom of life of Mexico.

The areas that ¨common sense¨would tell you not to hanging around are certain US border towns and a few other Mexican States. You can view this list at the US state Departments site. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5440.html

The key thing to remember is that you won´t find one ¨warning¨ article about Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Merida, and the  Riviera Maya. Why is this? It is because there simply isn´t anything to be on high alert about.  The genuine attraction to these destinations is based on their tourist appeal as a destination. So the community is built on a spirit of service, experience, and mult-culturual immersion- as people from all over the world to land and stay in the Riviera Maya.  Even many Native Mexicans love the Playa Del Carmen experience. It is a town all its own, seperate from that of Cancun, which caters more to the ¨spring breaker type of community.¨

Altogether, there is a ¨stitch of cultural fabric¨ in Mexico´s history that can be further learned about and observed while enganging its beautiful travel destinations.  Learning the language and engaging the culture is ¨part of the beauty.¨ Certianly it is true that one should exercise sound travel planning discretion - or common sense- with the plans of carrying only needed amount of finances, etc. The destination areas have access to ATM´s, credit card usage, and all practical ammenities for ¨setting a home base¨ up to begin your mexican adventure, learn more about what you want to pursue, and enjoy the process safely.

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Thinking about retiring?

As the baby boomers of the USA look to more and more options for comfortable and affordable retirement- more roads lead to Mexico.  Mexico is now one of the top retirement destinations in the world. Why are so many people flocking to live out their golden years in Mexico? Cost of Living, proximity to their home country, warm culture, beauty and cost of Mexico Real Estate. All of these factors have created a booming industry for the next 10- 20 years in tourism and Mexico second homes. American Development is proud to be a front runner of this development.

The cost of living in this developing country is making Mexico Retirement a very attractive option hard to pass up. Costs on basic goods throughout the world are increasing. Food prices, Gas prices, basic daily living expenses have been increasing at a strong trend over the past 3 years. Much of this is credited to the new emerging countries especially the mega communities of India and China. As these regions develop at record levels, their demand for worldwide basic prime materials depletes supplies and therefore have put strong pressure on the prices. Many retiring people now need options to allow their fixed savings last longer. Mexico Real Estate for example is much more affordable than the record costs of Florida or Arizona properties. Half a gallon of Milk in the US may average near $2.00while in Mexico it may average near $1.35. Baking potatoes in the US averages $.99 while in Mexico you will find an average price of $.47.

Retiring to Mexico is appealing to millions of ex pats for more reasons than just day to day cost savings. It is also very appealing for the logistics of travel time. Having a Mexico second home is ideal due to its proximity to the United States and Canada. The ex-pats who have their Mexico Real Estate have discovered that there is always a need to make a quick un-planned trip back to their home country for special family events, for business reasons, or for unexpected occurrences that need resolving. The discovery of this issue is usually not realized until various trips with tardy layovers, or long hours in the air traveling. This factor has made Mexico second homes even more popular over the past 5 years.

As people retire, and as they discover Mexico retirement, many more free hours are available to enjoy hobbies, travel, and learn. Mexico has a long history and a colorful variety of customs and culture. As people set up their Mexico second homes, they find the people full of culture and proud of their traditions. There are many regions within Mexico, and each an entirely new world of history, foods, and manners. Even if your Spanish is poor, the people in a collective sense are impressed with efforts that foreigners exhibit in attempting to speak their language. This warmth of the people, the great curiosity and respect given to outsiders, is a great factor for many foreigners to choose Mexico as their Retirement destination. 

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