Understanding Mexican Laws While Vacationing in MEXICO

Coat of arms of Mexico
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Each year, millions of individuals travel to Mexico.  Many travels to Mexico for a vacation or a business trip. Whatever your reason for traveling to Mexico, there are a number of important things that you must consider.  Perhaps, the most important is the laws in Mexico.

Whether you are driving to Mexico or flying there, you will need to have the proper forms of identification.  Picture identification and proof of citizenship will be required.  To prove citizenship, a birth certificate or passport can be used.  Without the appropriate documents, you may be denied entry. 

Before leaving for Mexico, it is advised that you make multiple copies of your identification documents.  You are encouraged to leave a copy at home and carry another copy with you, in addition to the original documents.  If you should have a problem with the Mexican authorities, these documents will come in handy.  

Out of all of the people that to travel to Mexico, most will not encounter a problem with authorities.  To prevent a problem from occurring, you are encouraged to know and understand some of the laws that are currently in place in Mexico.  Knowing and abiding by these laws will not only keep you safe, but it will make your vacation enjoyable.  

As with any country, Mexico has a large number of laws that are currently enforced. While it may be impossible for you to examine each and every one of these laws, you are encouraged to familiarize yourself with the most important ones.  For instance, many individuals believe that checking in at the border is all they have to when they arrive in Mexico.

If you are like most of the other individuals who visit Mexico, you are there on a vacation.  Arriving in Mexico by car is different than arriving there on an airplane. If you plan on driving yourself around Mexico, you will need to register your vehicle.  This can be done by obtaining a vehicle import permit.  Car owners that do not have the proper approval can be fined or lose their vehicle.  

If you are traveling to Mexico for a business trip, you will be required to fill out a business form.  In Mexico, you are not allowed to conduct business in the area, without first making your intentions known.  Business travelers are required to fill out a conduct of business form.  If you are self-employed or work for a small company, you will often be responsible for this paperwork.  If you work for a larger, international company, the paperwork may already be taken care of.

Once in Mexico, you are encouraged to use alcohol with caution.  Mexican authorities often arrest individuals that illegal purchase alcohol, cause a public disruption, or drink in areas where alcohol is not permitted.  In the United States, illegal drinking activities are taken seriously, but it is nothing compared to Mexico.  All punishments will vary, but you easily spend a number of months or years in jail.  That is why all tourists are encouraged to use their best judgment when alcohol is involved.

While in Mexico, it is likely that you will take risks. For that is what Mexico is all about. There is a difference between taking risks and breaking the laws. It is always important to keep in mind that the laws in Mexico vary from the laws in the United States and other countries.  In addition the laws, the way they are enforced and the punishment for breaking them vary.  

If you are vacationing in Mexico and you find yourself in a predicament with the Mexican authorities, you are urged to contact your nearest embassy.  If you are from the United States, you will need to be in contact with the United States Embassy. By contacting your nearest embassy office, you can seek assistance on what to do next.  

As previously mentioned, the best way to stay out of trouble in Mexico is not to cause it. When partying or participating in other activities, be sure you know what you are doing. When in doubt, it is best to avoid any activities that may land you jail.  If you are interested in learning more about Mexican laws, you can easily do the research online.

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HO Toy Trains - An Antique of Today

HO Toy Train - Photo: Flickr

Collecting toy trains is referred to as the world's greatest hobby; and for some, it isn't just a hobby. It's a passion and a way of life, perhaps beginning in childhood. Several toy train collectors started their hobby as children when they were given a toy train as a gift. Toy trains, at one time, were a very popular and much-desired toy among children. Over time, that concept faded and was replaced by razor scooters, iPods, and Webkinz. Most children of today aren't familiar with the classic toy trains from back in the day, so the legacy is left to be carried on by adults who choose to start a collection of their own. One such popular toy train that is desired by many collectors is the HO toy train, developed by Marklin in 1935. So what makes these miniature locomotives so much different than the others?

The construction of the HO toy trains is one aspect that makes them stand apart from other toy trains. HO toy trains are jagged and are scaled at 1:87, making them the perfect starter electric train. Appearance is also a major factor in collecting HO toy trains. The flawless detailing gives them a realistic appeal, making them an attractive addition to any toy train system. The Marklin HO toy trains resemble the Z gauge in that they are built from diecast metal. Most of the frames and wheels are constructed from 100% metal. The engineering of HO toy trains is also quite brilliant. The wheels of the freight and passenger cars have a low center of gravity to avoid derailment, making them a reliable addition to electric systems. 

The third-rail track systems of HO toy trains make them a hassle-free operation. The electrical current is carried by miniature stud contacts found in the middle of the ties. If you don't look closely, chances are you'll miss these clever additions. This helps prevent wiring problems and electrical pickup issues. Given the careful engineering and construction of HO toy trains, most collectors consider HO toy trains part of a scale hobby. At the debut of HO toy trains, they were sold as a toy train rather than a scale model as they are often sold today. 

Scale model railroading didn't become a popular hobby among collectors until after the 1950's. Until that time, HO toy trains were thought of as just another size of the train. Therefore, the Lionel Corporation began to make HO toy trains as smaller versions of the classic freight and passenger cars. It wasn't long before the Louis Marx Company began constructing their own version of HO toy trains, and they even started to sell them with complete scenery and in slot car sets.

Although finding HO toy trains on the shelf at your local toy store may be a challenge, they aren't all that difficult to come by. A simple search of the internet will provide you with a detailed listing of available HO toy trains for sale as well as places to locate these classic toy trains. 

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Prairie Style Architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D. Martin House, in Buffalo, NY. - Photo: Wikimedia

If you are looking for an interesting, and beautiful style of architecture for a house or smaller sized commercial building, then you may want to look towards the prairie style architecture.

The prairie style architecture was drafted originally in the loft room of the Steinway Piano Company building in Chicago, Illinois in the 1890’s. The Prairie Style was popular from the 1900’s through about 1912.

Probably the most famous follower of the Louis Sullivan teachings on Prairie Style architecture was Frank Lloyd Wright.

Also termed Prairie School Architecture, the Prairie style was and is most commonly found in the Midwestern United States.

Prairie style homes are distinct in their design. Created with horizontal lines, flat roofs with overhanging eaves and windows grouped in horizontal bands.

Some of the most famous Prairie Style homes are the Darwin D. Martin House in Buffalo, NY, along with the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and Fallingwater in Pennsylvania.

There is one thought that stands out above the rest, the Robie House. Located on the campus on the University of Chicago, it is the quintessential example of the Prairie Style Architecture.

Illinois still holds the greatest number of Prairie Style Architecture. Frank Lloyd Wright lived for a time in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Here you will find street after street of Prairie Style Architecture.

Prairie homes were made to function efficiently in the prairie climate. The horizontal lines were thought to match those of the native prairie landscape. The interior was designed to be multifunctional and utilizing the suns natural light and natural air flow throughout the house. The Prairie Style architecture is by far some of the most beautiful you will find in the Midwest.

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THOMAS JEFFERSON

Thomas Jefferson, painted by Charles Willson Peale.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thomas Jefferson is one of those almost mythic figures from early American history that stand tall as one of the great heroes of the revolution and the early definition of what this country was going to become.  Sometimes it’s easy to look at a figure that stands so tall in history and thinks, perhaps some of that is a myth.

 But when you look at the history of the times, he was every bit as great as our adoration of him suggests he was.

Thomas Jefferson’s service to the new American union lasted over fifty years.

 He not only contributed to the core philosophical underpinnings upon which our democracy I based, he served in a variety of offices and made some phenomenal contributions to the developing country including…

* 1775 - Served in the Continental Congress 

* 1776 – Wrote the Declaration of Independence

* 1779-1781 - Governor of Virginia

* 1783 – Elected to Congress

* 1784-1789 – Commissioner and minister to France

* 1790-1793 – America’s first Secretary of State under George Washington

* 1797-1801 – Served as Vice President of the United States

* 1801-1809 – Third President of the United States

* 1803 – Approved of and helped launch the Lewis and Clark Expedition

* 1803 – Purchased the Louisiana Territory for the United States

* 1815 – Launched the Library of Congress

* 1825 – founded the University of Virginia

This phenomenal record of achievement is virtually unmatched in any public service record of comparable public servants.  But Jefferson’s contribution was more than just offices served, he was one or two or three key philosophical thinkers of his time that laid the ideological foundations of America. 

It is impossible to overemphasize the accomplishment he writing the Declaration of Independence.

 This document has taken on such a central position in American history that it is viewed with the reverence usually reserved for religious documents.  It so eloquently communicates the beliefs and the values of the American system of government that Jefferson can be seen as a true minister and prophet of those ideals.

Thomas Jefferson also believed strongly in Manifest Destiny and the westward expansion of the country as far as the Pacific Ocean.  He provided the inspiration, the funding and the political muscle to launch the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition that was responsible for discovering vast new lands and treasures in the heartland of America and providing inspiration to a country to “go west young man” and to achieve that dream of becoming a nation that stretched “for sea to shining sea”.

Jefferson had a thirst for knowledge that was virtually unquenchable.  He passed that passion for learning on in the building of the University of Virginia.  But his contribution to education that has made such a huge mark on American society was the building of the American library system by which citizens of any community can have access to large volumes of information at no cost.  It was an amazing experiment in public education.  But today few of us can imagine a world where we cannot at any time just “go check it out at the library”.  Libraries have become that central to the American way of life.

It seems that Thomas Jefferson made an impact on every aspect of society from the educational systems of the growing country to government and even making his viewpoints on religious freedom an important part of how America approached this crucial topic.  The entire concept of “separation of church and state” was one that Jefferson championed.  

It should be noted that in his writings it was clear that the separation of church and state works because it is there to restrict government from illegally restricting the religious rights of citizens.

 Sometimes we misinterpret Jefferson’s concepts that this governmental restriction is there to limit religious freedom when in fact, it is there to encourage all the religious freedom that the citizens of America need to honor and worship with complete openness and to never fear that the government will hinder who, what, when, where or how they go about expressing their religious ideas.

It’s important to look back at the genius of this man, Thomas Jefferson and be grateful that he was the man of the hour for such an important time in the development of the great nation of the United States of America.

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Easy GENEALOGY Search with the Right Tools

Ahnentafel von Herzog Ludwig (1568-1593) Holzschnitt Württembergisches Landesmuseum, Stuttgart
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Your ancestors play a significant role in why you exist today. There are some individuals who give high regards to their ancestors which led to the birth of genealogy. Aside from paying respects to your ancestors because of who you are today, there are more advantages genealogy can bring into your life.  

Interest and fun are the two most important key considerations why people are into genealogy search. With genealogy, you will be able to identify which part of the country or even in the world you have relatives with. Moreover, you will also be able to know the specific meaning of the names of your relatives.  Most importantly, it is with studying genealogy that will help you be familiar with the possible health conditions that may run in your family which you ancestors had before. 

To be successful with your genealogy search, there are helpful tools which can aid you to find your ancestors.  

By Word of Mouth

Story-telling from immediate family members and relatives is the most common step one undertakes when doing a genealogy search. Oral history is the appropriate term for this in genealogy studies. 

The memories of an individual are evidence you can gather to track your lineage. Face-to-face interaction is not the only means of communication you can assume when doing oral history. You can also opt to send a letter by post indicating your motive. Phone interviews can also be done. 

It is best to prepare a set of questions when doing an interview, may it be formal or informal, to avoid repetitions.  

Through the Internet

With the advent of technology, you can now enjoy a hassle-free genealogy search through the internet. The internet offers different genealogy search website. You can choose a paid or free service to help you with your search. 

There are several information you can gather on the internet such as your ancestor's surname. Different documents can also be obtained via the internet such as papers concerning your ancestor's birth, marriage, and death. In some sites, the location and type of employment can also be viewed.  

Through DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) 

DNA testing is a medical technology utilized to determine and establish proof of the existing relationship of one person to the other. There are two types of DNA testing which can be done to help you with your genealogy search:  

1. Y-line Test – this type of DNA test is extremely helpful to genealogists due to its distinctive features. Y-chromosome is only present with male individuals which are passed on from father to son.  Additionally, the said chromosome is the only chromosome that breaks out in the repeated rearrangement of the parental genes. 

2. mtDNA Test – mtDNA Test is the short term for mitochondrial DNA test. This type of DNA test is also known as the "maternal lineage test."  The test determines if the individuals have the same maternal lineage.  

DNA Testing is the common last resort option of those who study genealogists. You need to exhaust all the possibilities of knowing who's who in your family line through oral history and via the internet. 

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The Jade City

Monte Alban, Oaxaca

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Getting there was a difficult and frustrating day, mainly because I caught the wrong plane from Merida and ended up flying halfway around Mexico, via Mexico City, but when I arrived in Oaxaca, the jade city in the heart of the Southern Sierra mountains, it was all well worth the effort.

My hotel was the unique Cameo Real, originally a sixteenth-century convent. Today it is the ultimate in old Spanish colonial splendor, a cool maze of flag-stoned passageways and cloistered patios that are lush with tumbling cascades of jasmine and bougainvillea. Situated in the center of the city in the heart of its mountain-ringed valley, the hotel was only a two-minute walk from the Zocalo, the main plaza with its massive cathedral, and even less from the magnificent baroque church of Santo Domingo, which was visible across the low rooftops from my bedroom window.

Oaxaca is a small but beautiful city of shaded plazas, splendid block solid churches with double bell towers, and long streets that run straight with uninterrupted views to the far mountains. Santo Domingo had the most lavish and awe-inspiring interior of any church that I have ever seen, a palatial splendor of gold and gold leaf against cream, decorating huge columns and Moorish arches, with hosts of angels, saints, and cherubs, smiling down from every possible niche. The altar was a golden wonder under a vast dome.

Equally impressive in its own way was the Church of La Soledad, situated on a high square on a hill that seemed to look straight out over the rooftops to the mountains beyond. It was Sunday morning when I toured the churches. The services were packed and seemed continuous, one congregation still filing out as the next made their way in. Mexicans are a devout people, and it seems that everyone goes to mass.

The lush Oaxaca valley has been settled since before 600 BC and has seen the influence of several of the ancient Indian cultures, the Zapotecs and later the Miztec civilizations. There was even an Aztec military outpost here when the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in the sixteenth century.

Today it is enjoying something of a tourist renaissance, being an excellent short-stay add-on in contrast to the ever popular beach resorts of Cozumel and Cancun on the Caribbean coast. From Oaxaca, you can still visit vibrant, traditional Indian markets, rich with colored textiles and handicrafts, in addition to the colorful profusion of local fruits, flowers, and vegetables.

In the little shops between the cafes flanking its streets and plazas, you can buy heavy silver jewelry in exotic Zatopec or Aztec designs, inset with precious and semi-precious stones, including the brilliant green jade that gives the city its name.

Monte Alban (Oaxaca Mexico), temple, August 2006 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For the best views of the city climb the Escaleras del Fortin, the long series of shaded, upward sloping terraces that ascend the 300-foot climb to the Auditorio Guelaguetza. Every July in this vast auditorium overlooking the city the world famous Guelaguetza festival of folk-dancing is held, an annual competition featuring dancing groups from every region of the state of Oaxaca. It is a musical spectacle not to be missed if you are here at the right time.

From above the auditorium, there are bird's eye views of the entire valley, basking in the hot sunshine and framed in wreaths of bougainvillea and palm fronds. You can pick out the splendid domes and bell towers of all the major churches, and from the heights, the huge black monument to Benito Juarez, the reforming President of the 1870s looks out over what was his native city.

Oaxaca is also within easy reach of the ancient ruins of the once great cities of Mitla and Monte Alban. The latter is only six miles outside the city, a short drive up into the mountains, but once there you are back in the remote mists of another time. Monte Alban is a stupendous construction, a complex of vast stone pyramids and temple platforms built on top of a twelve thousand foot high plateau where a hill-top has been sliced off a mountain.

Monte Alban is believed to have been founded sometime in the sixth or seventh centuries before Christ and went through at least five different phases of occupation and development before it was finally abandoned. The site comprises a huge plaza with temple platforms running down the center and along both the eastern and western sides. There is a great northern complex of ascending temple platforms and an even larger pyramid platform to the south. It is all hot-baked brown and dusty under a scorching blue sky, with tremendous hazy valley views on all sides.

Monte Alban is a truly exhilarating experience, but it would also be a mistake not to see Mitla, some fifty miles further south along the Oaxaca valley. Lacking the sheer size and brute power of Monte Alban, Mitla, at first sight, seems a much poorer set of remains. But there is much elaborate and delicate frieze stonework here that is worth seeing. If Monte Alban was the work of gigantic visionary architects, then Mitla was carved by artists of much greater sensitivity.

However, you spend your days, the evenings in Oaxaca are for strolling or sitting by the Zocalo. Here you can watch the evening flag lowering ceremony, listening to the music from the pavement cafes, or from the bandstand under the great eucalyptus trees. Enjoying a beer, a tequila or a coffee or just browsing in those little jewelry treasure shops are more pleasurable experiences.

Half of Oaxaca will be here, doing what Mexicans do best, just enjoying the warm summer evening. Join them and relax, soak up the atmosphere. After all, you are on holiday.

By Robert Leader Robert Leader is the author of more than sixty published novels. His website at http://www.robertleaderauthor.com is a showcase for a lifetime of traveling and writing. There you will find a full autobiography and details of all his books, which include crime novels, thrillers, horror and fantasy fiction. It also highlights the six books of EXTINCTION'S EDGE, which tell the story of Vietnam from the fall of Dienbienphu and the end of the French occupation of Indo-China to the Great Tet Offensive which led to the end of the American War. These six books form the ultimate novel of Vietnam. There are free read extracts and the stories behind the stories which explain how the books were inspired and came to be written. Pictures are available to illustrate all of Robert's ezine articles. Please contact and request through the website. Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Ever Anticipated Feat Of WALKING

Baby learning to walk (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We make such a big deal out of when a baby takes his first steps. In fact, the age at which your child took his first steps will be ingrained in your Mommy memory forever, just like your child’s birth weight and time. Personally, I think walking is a bit overrated since you can’t manage to keep them out of trouble ever again once they start, but here are some things you might want to know, anyway.

For some reason, everyone seems to think that a baby should be walking by his first birthday, but the fact is that most babies don’t walk until after this time. There are a few who walk as early as nine months of age, but a great many who don’t take their first steps until fifteen months. And, if your child is a late walker, it has absolutely no bearing on his intelligence.

The age at which a baby walks is often genetic. Walking very early or very late often runs in the family. My husband walked at nine months, and I walked at ten months, so we were unlucky enough to have a daughter who also walked at ten months. She was very petite, so she looked like the world’s tiniest walking human. She also scaled the kitchen counters before she was a year old so you can see what I mean by “unlucky”.

When your baby walks is also often related to his size. Babies with short legs usually walk sooner than those with long legs (a balance issue) and thinner babies usually walk sooner than their more plump counterparts.

Pushing your baby to walk is not a good idea, but providing him the opportunity to learn is critical. If you force your child to endure daily practice sessions, he may just rebel and refuse to walk for quite a while. On the other hand, if you keep him in swing or playpen all day, he’ll never have the opportunity to try out his skills. Give him some supervised time on the floor, and he’ll figure the rest out with or without your help.

If by chance, your child is not walking by the age of eighteen months, it is best to have him checked out by a doctor. There is not necessarily anything wrong, but most babies are walking by this age, so have him examined as a precaution. But, don’t be too eager, because once he starts walking, all the rules change. Someone, though I don’t remember who, once said, - “We spend the first two years of our children’s lives teaching them to walk and talk, and then the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.” It’s so true.

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