Daylight Saving Time begins in the United States and Canada this weekend but here in Mexico we won't be setting our clocks forward until the first week of April. So make a note if you'll be traveling to Mexico this month - there will be an extra hour difference in time. Known as el horario de verano, Daylight Saving time has been observed in Mexico since 1996, and is observed from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October.
On the fourth Friday of Lent (this year on March 12) a special celebration known as La Samaritana takes place in Oaxaca. Aguas frescas, refreshing fruit drinks, and ice cream are given out free to passersby. Originally this was done in church atriums, but now schools and businesses also join in. This tradition is inspired by the biblical passage that describes Jesus' encounter with a Samaritan woman at a well (John 4).
The Día de la Samaritana is a great time to sample traditional Mexican drinks such as horchata, a drink made with rice and flavored with cinnamon, and agua de jamaica, made with dried hibiscus flowers, as well as many other refreshing drinks made from fruit.
03/08/2010 Tell Us About Your Mexico Blog Do you write a blog about Mexico? We're compiling information about Mexico blogs in order to create a resource for people planning a trip to Mexico, those planning to move to Mexico, as well as people who just love reading about Mexico. Your blog can cover Mexico travel, any city or region of Mexico, Mexican food or culture, or just about anything else related to Mexico. Share your blog with Mexico Travel readers by using this form: Submit your Mexico blog.
A new rule brought into effect by the Mexican government this week will require U.S. and Canadian citizens to present a passport or equivalent travel document to enter Mexico. Until now, whether or not a passport was required for travel to Mexico was determined by the United States' Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which brought in passport requirements in several phases. The rules were phased in gradually depending on whether travelers entered by air, land or sea, with the intention of keeping disruption to travel to a minimum, but did cause a lot of confusion. Many people have been unclear about whether or not they need a passport to travel to Mexico.
There are still exceptions to the rule: people traveling within the border zone and staying in the country for 72 hours or less, will not be required to present a passport.
