Mundo Maya 2012 Celebrations

The ancient Maya viewed time as cyclical, and on December 21, 2012, the Maya Long Count calendar will reset itself to zero like a cosmic odometer, thus completing a cycle of 5,125 years. This portentous date may or may not herald a new age of enlightenment for mankind or signal the end of the world as various self-proclaimed prophets and doomsayers predict. But one thing is certain: there are going to be celebrations of all things Maya held throughout 2012 in the region known as the Mundo Maya.

To help travelers plan for these diverse events, Avalon Travel has just released MOON MAYA 2012: A Guide to Celebrations in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize & Honduras. The guide's author Joshua Berman manages to pack an impressive amount of information into this slim volume's 115 pages. There are chapters devoted to all four countries comprising the Mundo Maya. Included are descriptions of Maya archaeological sites, maps and directions, plus sections on 2012 tours, community tourism, and hotel packages. Each of these chapters begins with a first-person narrative -- something seldom found in today's guidebooks -- based on Joshua Berman's extensive travels in the region.

Sprinkled throughout the guide are interviews with archaeologists, authors, and other experts on the Maya. A concluding chapter supplies background on history and the Maya Long Count, as well as lists of relevant books, websites and films. There are even glossaries of words and common expressions in Yucatec and Tzotzil, two of the most widely spoken Maya languages. In short, this innovative and useful guide belongs in the backpack of anyone heading off to experience the Mundo Maya in 2012.

Also check out my post on Ten Places to visit in the Mundo Maya Before December 2012

An Uncommon Guide to San Miguel de Allende

I've been a fan of of American photographer and author Robert de Gast's work since the mid-1990's when I came across his book The Doors of San Miguel de Allende in which he published his wonderful photographs of San Miguel de Allende's Spanish colonial doorways. Robert de Gast went on to create two more alluring photography books about San Miguel entitled Behind the Doors of San Miguel de Allende,and The Churches and Chapels of San Miguel de Allende

Robert de Gast's latest book The World of San Miguel de Allende: An Uncommon Guide is something of a departure from his earlier work in that it is a guidebook. Unlike regular travel guides, this one does not center around supplying practical information (although general topics such as climate and transportation are covered). Rather this well-researched book lives up to its name as an "uncommon guide" by exploring San Miguel mainly through its history and architecture. In addition, the book is printed on high-quality paper and is lavishly illustrated with the author's own photos, so it doesn't look like a typical destination guide..

The book opens with a general introduction to San Miguel de Allende and a chapter that traces the origins of the town back to pre-Hispanic times. These are followed by sections on historical neighborhoods, street names and the town's eccentric house-numbering system, fountains (San Miguel has over four dozen), church bells, and even door knockers. Also included are biographies of notable citizens from San Miguel's past, an events calendar,  plus descriptions of nearby places worth visiting. In short, this is a guide for travelers who want to explore San Miguel de Allende in depth and also for those who simply want a beautiful keepsake about a town that they love.

Mexican Pleasures

When people ask me what my favorite Mexico guidebook is, I don’t come back with the latest edition of Lonely Planet or Frommer’s (although both have their merits), but rather a book that has been out of print for almost two decades, Mexico Places and Pleasures by Kate Simon.

The first edition of Mexico Places and Pleasures was published in 1962, and the last one appeared in 1988, two years before its author died of cancer at the age of 77. Kate Simon, whose real name was Kaila Grobsmith, was a Polish immigrant who grew up in New York City. Cosmopolitan and well traveled, she penned a number of literate and popular guidebooks, including ones on Italy, Paris, London and Rome.

What make Mexico Places and Pleasures so special are its unrepentant subjectivity plus the fact that it is as much a travel memoir as it is a guidebook. Unlike most of today’s travel guides, which tend be long on practicalities and short on fun, Kate Simon’s book is full of vivid descriptions of places that she clearly loves, colorful vignettes of daily life, humorous insights into the Mexican character, and judgments that are usually -- but not always -- kind. Information about hotels, restaurants, transportation and the like is given, but it always takes the back seat (best to consult Lonely Planet for this).

Finding a copy of Mexican Places and Pleasures could be difficult these days, and I’m not about to sell mine. However, if you can track down a salsa-stained used copy, scoop it up. It just might prove to be worth its weight in Aztec gold.

Moon's Nicaragua Handbook

A constant companion during my latest trip to Nicaragua was the Moon Handbook Nicaragua (Avalon Travel Publishing, second edition) by Randy Wood and Joshua Berman. This highly recommendable guidebook is thorough and well-researched. Its authors show an impressive knowledge of Nicaragua's history, politics, and culture. They also supply a lot of good information on ecotourism and volunteering opportunities in Nicaragua. The maps are not indexed and consequently somewhat difficult to decipher (a shortcoming of all Moon Handbooks). Otherwise, it's by far the best Nicaragua guide currently available.

Moon on the Rise

I've always used Lonely Planet travel guides religiously, but the third edition of Moon's Oaxaca Handbook might have turned me into a convert. I took the new Moon Handbook along on my recent trip to Oaxaca and was really impressed by the thorough job done by its author, Bruce Whipperman. Service listings are extensive, and there is oodles of well-researched information on history, geography, culture, archaeology, and little-visited destinations. Whipperman's writing is clear, concise, and peppered with interesting facts and asides. The book is also liberally illustrated with his funky black-and-white photos. My only real complaint is that the maps are not indexed, a shortcoming shared with other Moon Handbooks. Lonely Planet still produces many worthwhile guides. However, if LP continues to rest on its corporate laurels and offer us increasingly bland fare, Moon will definitely be on the rise.