10 things I like about being car-free

1. None of my typical day is spent strapped down in a small metal container alternating between abject boredom and fear for my life. 2. At least some of my day is spent zooming on my bike with the wind in my hair noticing the sights, sounds and scents of the world around me. Or [...]

The Pacific Trash Vortex

I recently read up on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (or Pacific Trash Vortex), the giant swirling island made entirely of plastic trash which floats in the northern Pacific ocean – with an estimated size of at least the area of Texas (and some say much larger). I had been aware of it before, but [...]

Earth Hour

So today and tonight people all over the world are turning out their lights for an hour, starting at 8:30 PM local time, to show support for protecting the enviroment. I remember so well when it seemed that the only people interested in “ecology”, as we called it in 1970, were children and hippies. I [...]

Finding a beautiful beach in Playa del Carmen

I’ve been wanting to blog and post photos of my new town, Playa del Carmen, but have just been so busy with work that I haven’t had much chance. I want to show what the town is like, including its crazy glitzy Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue), massive, fairy-tale-luxury gringo hotels, and crowded city beaches. I’ll [...]

The beach at Sian Ka’an

The beach at Sian Ka’an Yesterday I took a long bike ride out to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, just south of Tulum, and spent some time on the beach. Sian Ka’an has been a Mexican national park since 1986 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, and has an area of 5,280 square [...]

Jalcomulco on the Rio Antigua

Jalcomulco is a little town right on the Rio Antigua in Veracruz, surrounded by mountains. On November 15, I was blessed to have a whole-day adventure in Jalcomulco, Veracruz with my two friends, my “Mexican nephews”, Noe and Salvador. They were my guides on a long hike up a tributary of the river to where [...]

In the mountains west of Xico

On November 14, I spent a long amazing day in the mountains west of Xico, Veracruz, just hiking, enjoying a rare full day of bright sunshine, and feasting my eyes on the beauty of the views. I went by myself this time, and it was wonderful to be alone in such tranquil and visually gorgeous [...]