Real del Monte (officially Mineral del Monte) is a small town and municipality in the state of Hidalgo in central Mexico, lying at an altitude of 2,700 meters (8,800 ft). The municipality was once the richest in the state when gold and silver were discovered before the spanish conquest. The spanish began mining in the late 1500s. The mines were later abandoned but reopened in the late 1730s.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Hacienda Vista Real Resort and Spa, is one of Mexico’s best kept secrets, one of those little pieces of paradise we all dream of. Located in the beautiful development of Playacar, inside the golf course, in the heart of the Mayan Riviera, in the small town of Playa del Carmen.

Read the rest of this entry »

A Road Trip Across the Lakes, Volcanoes, and Hot Springs of Argentina

Argentina is a land of astounding beauty and open land. There are wild experiences to be had and amazing views to be seen in the second largest country in South America.

Read the rest of this entry »

Soap operas are often laughed at as vacuous forms of entertainment, but the Argentine soap opera “Robadas” (“Stolen Lives”) is serious business.According to Reuters, this show is based on the real life experience of Susana Trimarco, an Argentine woman from the province of Tucuman.Trimarco lost her 23-year-old daughter Marita in 2002, probably to human trafficking.Marita simply disappeared and ever since then Trimarco has been searching for her—the search and the fight against human trafficking became the premise of the show.When it started in March it was just another nighttime soap, but now it is causing a lot of talk around Argentina’s water coolers about a previously ignored subject.In this way, Trimarco is helping to ensure that her daughter’s story is heard.

Read the rest of this entry »

Campfires, sing-alongs, canoe rides, bunk beds– those are so retro. Today’s summer camp of choice? A totally bug-free Spa Camp.

Read the rest of this entry »

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Tuesday that Germany broke EU rules by allowing German cheese to be labeled “Parmesan”. Germany has been condemned for selling “fake” parmesan which is a violation of EU food origin rules. In the future, only cheese made in Italy can be labeled “Parmesan”. This puts to rest Germany’s argument that Parmesan is a generic term for a specific type of cheese.

As part of the ECJ ruling Germany will not be punished for violating existing regulations protecting the authenticity of quality foods. The EJC said that protecting EU-protected foods is the responsibility of the country of origin.

Read the rest of this entry »