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Horrifying moment plane crashes in gender reveal stunt

<p>A gender reveal party in Mexico has ended in tragedy after the stunt plane crashed killing the pilot. </p> <p>The video, filmed by a party guest, showed an expecting couple smiling as they waited for the plane to ascend and perform the reveal. </p> <p>The pair stood in front of a sign that read: "Oh baby!" as the small plane approached them releasing pink smoke, signalling to the couple that they are having a girl. </p> <p>Tragedy struck when the pilot pulled the Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee aircraft upwards and the left wing suddenly gave way, sending aircraft into a tailspin, ultimately leading to the fatal crash. </p> <p><em>The Sun</em> reported that the attendees seemed oblivious to the crash as they continued to celebrate the gender reveal. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pilot killed after his Piper PA-25 left wing failed at a gender reveal party in the town of San Pedro, Mexico. <a href="https://t.co/6JILK7fsGm">pic.twitter.com/6JILK7fsGm</a></p> <p>— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/aviationbrk/status/1698255432630796349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Later on, graphic photos of the horrendous aftermath emerged showing the 32-year-old pilot,  Luis Angel N., lying in the wreckage of the plane before he was rushed to hospital where he unfortunately passed away, according to local media reports. </p> <p>A few other photos of the wreckage has also been posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a few people rushing to get the pilot out. </p> <p>Footage of the gender reveal party has since gone viral, with viewers sharing their condolences to the pilot, while others slammed the "extreme gender reveals". </p> <p>"The way the camera panned back to the couple with not the slightest care in the world for the pilot is sad," one commented. </p> <p>“Why do they have to do such extreme gender reveals lately? Why can’t they just settle for something simple?” added another. </p> <p>“It looks like he over stressed the aircraft. I wonder if he was above safe manoeuvring speed? I hate to see it," wrote a third. </p> <p>A fourth person commented: “Whats the point of this at the first place? I see so many accidents and incidents doing gender reveals.”</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Rescued sailor speaks after being adrift for months with his dog

<p dir="ltr">Australian sailor Timothy Shaddock has spoken up about the three months he spent lost at sea with nothing but his dog Bella.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 54-year-old was rescued by a Mexican tuna boat in the Pacific Ocean after a helicopter spotted his incapacitated catamaran 1900 km from land.</p> <p dir="ltr">When he was found by the Maria Delia crew, which is part of the Grupomar fleet, Shaddock and his dog were in a “precarious” state after surviving three months without provisions and shelter.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shaddock, who was sailing from Mexico to French Polynesia lost contact because his boat’s electronic system was damaged during rough seas.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the helicopter first discovered him, they threw him a drink and flew away before returning with the tuna trawler to rescue him. This was his first contact with humans since early May.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the horrifying ordeal and the fear of not being able to survive an impending hurricane, the sailor remained positive and said that he enjoyed being out at sea.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I did enjoy being at sea. I enjoyed being out there," he told reporters during a news conference in Manzanillo, Mexico on Tuesday, after he safely made it back to land.</p> <p dir="ltr">"But when things get tough out there, you know, you have to survive. And then when you get saved, you feel like you want to live. So, I'm very grateful."</p> <p dir="ltr">Shaddock said that he passed the time by fixing things and tried to stay positive by going into the water to “just enjoy” it.</p> <p dir="ltr">The sailor survived on a diet of raw fish after the storm knocked out his electronics and ability to cook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I did a lot of fishing,” Shaddock said. “There was a lot of tuna sushi.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The emaciated sailor who survived was immediately given food, water and medication upon being rescued.</p> <p dir="ltr">In one of the photos shared by the Grupomar, a thin and bearded Shaddock was pictured in the boat's cabin with a blood pressure cuff around his arm and a huge smile on his face despite the entire ordeal.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a few others, Bella was pictured lying on the deck and receiving pats for being the bravest pup. Shaddock expressed his gratitude for his loyal companion.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Bella found me in Mexico, she’s Mexican. She is the spirit of the middle of the country, and she wouldn’t let me go,” he said. “She’s amazing, that dog is something else.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m just grateful she’s alive. She’s a lot more brave than me.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He revealed that the hardest part of surviving was the fatigue, but this incident will not stop him from going into the ocean in the future.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll always be in the water, I don’t know how far out in the ocean I’ll be,” he said.</p> <p><em>Images: ABC News/ 9news/ Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"We love each other": Mayor marries reptile in stunning ceremony

<p dir="ltr">Love comes when you least expect it and for one mayor in the small town of San Pedro Huamelula, Mexico, his match caiman he never looked back.</p> <p dir="ltr">Victor Hugo Sosa, the mayor of the town has said “I do” to his “princess girl”, a caiman named Alicia Adriana, and his wedding speech is one for the books.</p> <p dir="ltr">'I accept responsibility because we love each other. That is what is important. You can't have a marriage without love... I yield to marriage with the princess girl,' he vowed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Onlookers clapped and danced in celebration as the mayor kissed and embraced his new bride who was dressed in a white gown and veil.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ceremony is part of a 230-year tradition which symbolises the joining of humans with the divine, as she is thought to be a deity representing mother earth.</p> <p dir="ltr">It also commemorates the day when two Indigenous groups came to peace- with the marriage between a Chontal king, now represented by the mayor, and a princess girl of the Huave Indigenous group, now represented by the female alligator.</p> <p dir="ltr">The age-old ritual involves the reptile being taken house to house before the wedding so that residents can take their turn dancing with it.</p> <p dir="ltr">She is later on changed into her wedding dress, which Olivia Perez was in charge of during this ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">"For us, the crocodile is important because she is the princess who comes to bring us water, a good harvest, rains, so that God the Almighty Father sends us food, fish, corn, the harvest," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the wedding, the mayor dances with his bride to traditional music.</p> <p dir="ltr">Local fishermen would also take part in the ritual and toss their nets on the ground in hopes that their marriage would bring “'good fishing, so that there is prosperity, equilibrium and ways to live in peace.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty, Oaxaca Informa10 Twitter</em></p>

Relationships

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Couple die in hot air balloon tragedy

<p>A hot air balloon disaster above Mexico City has claimed the lives of one couple, and put their seriously injured daughter in hospital, after the basket they were travelling in caught fire.</p> <p>According to <em>The Daily Mail</em>, 50-year-old Jose Nolasco and his 38-year-old wife Viridiana Becerril - who called the nearby city of Cuajimalpa de Morelos home - were confirmed by Mexican authorities as the fatalities of the accident. </p> <p>The tragic incident was caught on camera by people who had been nearby, and clips have since surfaced online of the moments the basket burst into flame, and the plunge of desperate passengers falling - or trying to escape - from the balloon. </p> <p>It is believed that the couple’s daughter - Regina Itzani - was one of such occupants, and she is expected to survive despite suffering a broken arm and second-degree burns. </p> <p>Authorities have been unable to confirm whether or not a pilot was also onboard at the time of the tragedy - though some believe them to have been a second figure plummeting from the balloon - which occurred while the craft was flying over the pre-Hispanic site of Teotihuacan, north of the city. The location is considered to be a popular one for tourists and hot air balloon rides.</p> <p>The footage also shows the balloon deflating as the flames threaten to overtake everything, with one onlooker declaring in Spanish that people are falling, while the craft itself appears to still be tethered to the ground. Authorities have not yet confirmed that it was - and if so, why.</p> <p>As for why the family were taking the trip, social media posts have suggested that Regina and Jose had actually organised the whole experience for Viridiana’s birthday. </p> <p>“It was the birthday of my daughter Viridiana, Regina’s mum,” Regina’s mother, Reyna Gloria Sarmiento, explained to local reporters, “and they had prepared this ride as a surprise for her.”</p> <p>She also noted that her granddaughter was in a stable condition in hospital, and that she was conscious, before sharing that Regina had been able to share one final hug with her parents before making her escape from the balloon’s basket. </p> <p>Authorities are investigating the fatal incident, and although initial reports suggest the fire could be connected to a fault with the fuel storage system on the balloon, nothing has been confirmed. </p> <p>Meanwhile, officials in the family’s hometown, have shared their condolences for the loss, releasing a statement that reads “we send our condolences to the family, friends and acquaintances of Jose Nolasco and Viridiana Becerril who died in the hot air balloon tragedy in Teotihuacan,' they shared Sunday.</p> <p>“Our solidarity and prayers are with Regina and we wish her a speedy recovery.”</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Missing cruise passenger rescued after over 15 hours in ocean

<p dir="ltr">A passenger on a Carnival Valor cruise ship has been rescued by the US Coast Guard after spending more than 15 hours in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 28-year-old was with his sister at the ship’s bar on the night of Wednesday, November 23, but didn’t return after he left to use the toilet.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to a statement from Carnival, the sister reported her brother missing the following day.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another passenger on the cruise, Mike Anderson, told <em>CNN </em>that announcements were made on the ship and people “noticed security starting to search the boat with a photo of the missing (passenger) in their phones”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Anderson said passengers were later told their arrival to their port of call in Cozumel, Mexico, was delayed, while his wife said one of the pools was drained.</p> <p dir="ltr">After a lengthy search, the man was finally spotted about 30 kilometres off the coast of Louisiana on Thursday night by rescue crews that had been scouring a 320-kilometre area along the gulf.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lieutenant Seth Gross of the US Coast Guard said the man may have been in the water for over 15 hours, the “absolute longest that I’ve heard about”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said that “all available resources” were launched to locate the man, including a small boat from Florida, a New Orleans-based helicopter, and planes from Florida and Alabama.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man was hoisted onto the helicopter and was responsive.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was able to identify his name, confirmed that he was the individual that fell overboard," Lieutenant Gross told <em>CNN </em>on Friday, adding that the man had signs of “hypothermia, shock and dehydration” but could walk and talk.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The fact that he was able to keep himself afloat and above the surface of the water for such an extended period of time, it's just something you can't take for granted and certainly something that'll stick with me forever," Lieutenant Gross added, describing it as “just one of those Thanksgiving miracles”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said that the case was unlike anything he had seen in his 17-year career with the Coast Guard and “could have had a much more difficult ending”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It took a total team effort from Coast Guard watchstanders, response crews, and our professional maritime partners operating in the Gulf of Mexico to locate the missing individual and get him to safety,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the man has been reported to be in a stable condition, it is still unclear how or when he fell into the water.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8ec41e9a-7fff-4d90-5291-7ba679087764"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Cruising

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As countries ranging from Indonesia to Mexico aim to attract digital nomads, locals say ‘not so fast’

<p>Should your community welcome <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/digital%20nomad">digital nomads</a> – individuals who work remotely, allowing them freedom to bounce from country to country?</p> <p><a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/digital-nomads-9780190931780?cc=us&amp;lang=en&amp;">Our research</a> has found that workers are eager to embrace the flexibility of not being tied to an office. And after experiencing economic losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cities and countries are concocting ways to entice visitors.</p> <p>One idea involves stretching the meaning of tourism to include remote workers.</p> <p>Today, a growing number of countries offer so-called “<a href="https://nomadgirl.co/countries-with-digital-nomad-visas/">digital nomad visas</a>.” These visas allow longer stays for remote workers and provide clarity about allowable work activities. For example, officials in Bali, Indonesia, are looking to formalize a process for remote workers to procure visas – “<a href="https://coconuts.co/bali/features/the-faster-the-better-bali-tourism-agency-head-tjokorda-bagus-pemayun-talks-digital-nomad-visa-plans-and-what-it-means-for-the-island/">the faster, the better</a>,” as the head of the island’s tourism agency put it.</p> <p>Yet pushback from locals in cities ranging <a href="https://time.com/6072062/barcelona-tourism-residents-covid/">from Barcelona</a> to <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/28/mexico-city-residents-angered-by-influx-of-americans-speaking-english-gentrifying-area-report/">Mexico City</a> has made it clear that there are costs and benefits to an influx of remote workers. </p> <p>As we explain in our new book, “Digital Nomads: In Search of Freedom, Community, and Meaningful Work in the New Economy,” the trend of “work tourism” <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/digital-nomads-9780190931780?cc=us&amp;lang=en&amp;">comes with a host of drawbacks</a>.</p> <h2>Wearing out their welcome</h2> <p>For as long as there’s been tourism, locals have griped about the outsiders who come and go. These travelers are usually a welcome boost to the economy – <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/overtourism">up to a point</a>. They can also wear out their welcome. </p> <p>Perhaps the classic example is <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-25/venice-reinventing-itself-as-sustainable-tourism-capital">Venice</a>, where high numbers of tourists stress the canal-filled city’s fragile infrastructure.</p> <p>In the U.S., New Jersey shore residents have long used the term “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoobie">shoobies</a>” to denigrate the annual throng of short-term summer tourists. In our research on digital nomads in Bali, locals referred to digital nomads and other tourists as “bules” – a word that roughly translates as “foreigners.”</p> <p>Generally the terms are used to express minor annoyance over crowds and increased traffic. But conventional tourists come and go – their stays usually range from a couple of nights to a couple of weeks. Remote workers stay anywhere from weeks to months – or longer. They spend more time using places and resources traditionally dedicated to the local residents. This raises the chances that outsiders become a grating presence. </p> <p>Excessive numbers of visitors can also raise sustainability concerns, as waves of tourists tax the environment and infrastructure of many destinations. Many of Bali’s beautiful rice fields and surrounding lush forests, for example, are being converted into hotels and villas to serve tourism.</p> <h2>Digital nomads look to stretch their dollars</h2> <p>Whether they’re lazing around or plugging away on their laptops, privileged tourists ultimately change the economics and demographics of an area. </p> <p>Their buying power increases costs and displaces residents, while traditional businesses make way for ones that cater to their tastes. <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-food-became-the-perfect-beachhead-for-gentrification-167761">Where once there was a neighborhood food stand</a>, now there’s an upscale cafe. </p> <p>This dynamic is only exacerbated by long-term tourists. Services like VRBO and Airbnb make it easy for digital nomads to rent apartments for weeks or months at a time, and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45083954">people around the world are increasingly alarmed</a> at how quickly such rentals can change the affordability and character of a place.</p> <p>Living a vacation lifestyle on a long-term basis implies a need to choose lower-cost destinations. This means that remote workers may particularly contribute to gentrification as they seek out places where their dollars go furthest.</p> <p>In <a href="https://travelnoire.com/digital-nomads-see-why-mexicans-are-fed-up-with-them">Mexico City</a>, residents fear displacement by remote workers able to pay higher rents. In response to calls to choose Mexico City as a remote working destination, one local succinctly expressed opposition: “<a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22999722/mexico-city-pandemic-remote-work-gentrification">Please don’t</a>.”</p> <p>And in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/13/new-orleans-airbnb-treme-short-term-rentals">New Orleans</a>, almost half of all properties in the historic <a href="https://nola.curbed.com/2018/5/16/17356630/treme-new-orleans-neighborhood-history-pictures">Tremé district</a> – one of the oldest Black neighborhoods in the U.S. – have been converted to short-term rentals, displacing longtime residents.</p> <h2>Culture becomes commodified</h2> <p><a href="https://suitcasemag.com/articles/neocolonial-tourism">Neocolonialism</a> in tourism refers to the way processes such as overtourism and gentrification create a power imbalance that favors newcomers and erodes local ways of life. </p> <p>“There’s a distinction between people who want to learn about the place they are in and those who just like it because it’s cheap,” one digital nomad living in Mexico City <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-07-27/americans-are-flooding-mexico-city-some-mexicans-want-them-to-go-home">recently told the Los Angeles Times</a>. “I’ve met a number of people who don’t really care that they’re in Mexico, they just care that it’s cheap.”</p> <p>Bali, where <a href="https://www.aseantoday.com/2020/10/balis-economy-struggles-to-survive-without-tourists/">as much as 80%</a> of the island’s economy is estimated to be affected by tourism, offers a stark example. </p> <p>People come to Bali to be immersed in the culture’s spiritual rituals, art, nature and dance. But there’s also resentment over yoga lovers, resortgoers and digital nomads “taking over” the island. And some locals come to see the tourism in and around temples and rituals as the transformation of something cherished – the nuanced and spiritual aspects of their culture – into experiences to be bought and sold. </p> <p>For instance, Balinese dance performances are huge tourist draws and are even featured in global promotions for tourism on the island. Yet these performances also have cultural and spiritual meaning, and the impact of tourism on these aspects of dance is <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/37628994_Authenticity_and_commodification_of_Balinese_dance_performances">debated even among performers</a>.</p> <p>So there is inevitably friction, which can be seen in the high levels of <a href="https://coconuts.co/bali/features/living-in-a-petty-crimes-paradise-balis-unreported-thefts-and-muggings/">petty crime</a>against foreigners. Neocolonialism can also pit people from the same country or culture against one another. For example, <a href="https://www.travelmole.com/news/bali-taxi-wars-flare-again/">conflicts arise</a> between local Balinese taxi cooperatives and taxi services that employ drivers from other parts of Indonesia. </p> <p>Although remote employees still make up a small portion of the overall tourist population, their work-related needs and longer stays mean they’re more likely to use services and places frequented by locals.</p> <p>Whether this leads digital nomads to be welcomed or scorned likely depends on both government policies and tourists’ behavior. </p> <p>Will governments take measures such as protecting locals from mass evictions, or will landlords’ desire for higher rents prevail? Will guests live lightly and blend in, trying to learn the local language and culture? Or will they simply focus on working hard and playing harder? </p> <p>As remote work reaches an unprecedented scale, the answers to such questions may determine whether “<a href="https://coconuts.co/bali/features/the-faster-the-better-bali-tourism-agency-head-tjokorda-bagus-pemayun-talks-digital-nomad-visa-plans-and-what-it-means-for-the-island/">the faster, the better</a>” attitude toward digital nomad visas and other incentives continues.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-countries-ranging-from-indonesia-to-mexico-aim-to-attract-digital-nomads-locals-say-not-so-fast-189283" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Mayan city collapse over 500 years ago linked to drought and social instability

<p>The Mayan civilisation was among the most advanced on Earth, based in Central America. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing even before the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century.</p> <p>Mayapán, 40km to the south-east of the modern city of Merida, in Mexico, was the political and cultural capital of the Maya in the Yucatán peninsula with thousands of buildings and a population of 15,000-17,000 during the city’s peak. Emerging in 1200CE, the city was eventually abandoned in 1450CE after its despotic rulers from the house of Cocom were overthrown.</p> <p>New research published in Nature Communications suggests that the civil unrest which led to the collapse of Mayapán emerged as a result of climatic changes.</p> <p>The interdisciplinary team included researchers from Australia’s University of New South Wales, the University of California in the US and the University of Cambridge in the UK. Their findings shed light on the impact of changes in the climate on societies, making use of records from the city from before the Colonial Period.</p> <p>A prolonged drought, the authors suggest, lasting between 1400 and 1450CE escalated existing social tensions in the city. The effects of the drought on food availability in particular provided the impetus for the civil conflict which eventually led to the city’s abandonment.</p> <p>“Our data indicate that institutional collapse occurred in the environmental context of drought and conflict within the city,” the authors explain. “Vulnerabilities of this coupled natural-social system existed because of the strong reliance on rain-fed maize agriculture, lack of centralised long-term grain storage, minimal opportunities for irrigation, and a sociopolitical system led by elite families with competing political interests, from different parts of the Yucatán Peninsula. We argue that long-term, climate-caused hardships provoked restive tensions that were fanned by political actors whose actions ultimately culminated in political violence more than once at Mayapán.”</p> <p>In addition to looking at the climate (political and environmental) during the collapse of Mayapán, the researchers also looked directly at human remains found in the ancient city.</p> <p>“Direct radiocarbon dates and mitochrondrial DNA sequences from the remains of individuals in the city’s final mass grave suggest they were family members of the heads of state (the Cocoms), ironically and meaningfully laid to rest at the base of the Temple of K’uk’ulkan, the iconic principal temple and ritual centtr of Mayapán.”</p> <p>The winds of revolution, the authors argue, were fanned by political actors while conditions were worsening for the city’s inhabitants. Chief leaders of the change in political power were the members of the Xiu family house.</p> <p>“Our results suggest that rivalry among governing elites at Mayapán materialised into action in the context of more frequent and/or severe droughts. Comparatively, such climate challenges present a range of opportunities for human actors, from the development of innovative adaptations to the stoking of revolution. These climate hardships and ensuing food shortages would have undermined the city’s economic base and enabled the Xiu-led usurpation. The unifying and resilient institutions that held the Mayapán state together until approximately 1450CE were ultimately eroded, the confederation dissolved, and the city largely abandoned,” they explain.</p> <p>But the researchers also note the ability of the Maya to persist despite their difficulties. Those that abandoned Mayapan went to other cities, towns and villages. “Yet economic, social, and religious traditions persevered until the onset of Spanish rule, despite the reduced scale of political units, attesting to a resilient system of human-environmental adaptations.”</p> <p>Such stories from human history provide food for thought as we face our own self-inflicted climate crisis which is exacerbating hardship for many millions around the world.</p> <p>The authors conclude: “Our transdisciplinary work highlights the importance of understanding the complex relationships between natural and social systems, especially when evaluating the role of climate change in exacerbating internal political tensions and factionalism in areas where drought leads to food insecurity.”</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/mayan-city-collapse-drought/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Evrim Yazgin.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Inside the world’s most expensive Airbnb

<p dir="ltr">If you are in the market for the most luxurious holiday experience you could possibly imagine, then look no further than Casa Tau. </p> <p dir="ltr">The resort is located on the white sandy beaches of Mexico, and will set you back $20,750AUD per night, or $234,800 per week. </p> <p dir="ltr">The luxe villa has recently been revealed as the world’s most expensive Airbnb, with an extraordinary list of amenities to justify the hefty price tag. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/luxury/listing/30417501?source_impression_id=p3_1646011614_0Fvm46BCI%2BOjEwCp&amp;guests=11&amp;adults=11&amp;check_in=2022-06-26&amp;check_out=2022-07-03">online listing</a>, the resort boasts 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms across the main villa and two adjoining guest houses. </p> <p dir="ltr">On top of all the regular hotel luxuries such as coffee machines, full kitchen, smart TVs and many more, Casa Tau comes with a heated infinity pool, spa, a full serviced bar, a stone pizza oven and beach volleyball area. </p> <p dir="ltr">The extraordinary price of Casa Tau also includes 8 housekeeping staff, 2 chefs, 8 butlers and 2 concierges to make sure your every need is met during your stay. </p> <p dir="ltr">The villa has private beach access to the picturesque Mexican ocean and all the adjoining beach clubs and golf courses. </p> <p dir="ltr">Built in December 2018, the villa is on the exclusive Punta Mita 600-hectare peninsula on the southwest coast of Mexico, which is a popular holiday destination for many celebrities. </p> <p dir="ltr">With all these high-end finishes and opulent amenities, it’s no wonder this slice of paradise comes at such a steep cost. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Airbnb</em></p>

International Travel

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Rowdy passengers stranded in Mexico by airlines

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A group of rowdy travellers have been stranded in the Mexican city of Cancun after their in-flight conduct saw several airlines refuse to take them home. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The group flew from Montreal, Canada, on December 30th onboard a charter flight organised by “exclusive private group” 111 Private Club. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Videos have since emerged from the party that took place in the sky, showing travellers drinking, smoking and dancing in the aisles, which has caused outrage in Canada. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The incident is being investigated by Transport Canada, with the passengers each facing hefty fines. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "extremely frustrated" with the incident.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's a slap in the face to see people putting themselves, putting their fellow citizens, putting airline workers at risk by being completely irresponsible," Trudeau said at a recent briefing.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Passengers flying from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cancun?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cancun</a> take to partying during flight 🃏 <a href="https://t.co/BhxPax28QH">pic.twitter.com/BhxPax28QH</a></p> — Public Outsider (@publicoutsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/publicoutsider/status/1479232708479967233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Event organiser and TripleOne president James William Awad took to his blog after the videos from the plane went viral, saying, "I understand why many fellow citizens are upset about the current situation."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The airline has cancelled the group’s return flight, which was scheduled for January 5th, because the travellers did not adhere to the terms outlined by the airline. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both Air Canada and Air Transat have refused to fly the group back to Canada, citing the safety of their crew and other passengers had to be taken into account. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Transport Canada said that each of the travellers could face fines of up to $5,000 Canadian dollars for their behaviour on the aircraft, while also facing the risk of jail time if any traveller is caught providing false information on their return to Canada. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Instagram</span></em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Farmer rescues “five little baby girls” found crying, abandoned

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Texan farmer made a shocking discovery on his ranch near the southern border with Mexico.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Five abandoned girls from Honduras and Guatemala were reportedly found on Sunday, May 9 (local time) by farmer Jimmy Hobbs while he was “doing the rounds of his property”, according to local congressman Tony Gonzales.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While we thank God they were found alive, these tragic scenes are happening more and more,” he tweeted.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Take a good hard look at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BidenBorderCrisis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BidenBorderCrisis</a> These young girls were found outside a ranch near Quemado, Texas in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TX23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TX23</a>. The Del Rio Sector border patrol tell me they are uninjured, healthy, and in good spirits. 🙏 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> enough is enough let’s work together solve this crisis. <a href="https://t.co/mt5P7ysN9g">pic.twitter.com/mt5P7ysN9g</a></p> — Tony Gonzales (@TonyGonzales4TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyGonzales4TX/status/1391529589256695810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a video posted on social media, Mr Hobbs described the moment he found the girls.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“About 8.30 in the morning, just driving along and then all of a sudden I see them, laying there, right beside the bank of the river,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Five little baby girls, all by themselves - hungry, crying, one didn’t have any clothes on. One wasn’t even old enough to walk.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Three of the girls are reportedly from Honduras, aged seven, three, and two, while the other two, aged five and 11-months-old, are from Guatemala.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Hobbs said he called Border Patrol and gave the girls something to eat and drink.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t think they would have made it if I hadn’t found them,” he told congressman Gonzales.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unaccompanied children are often sent across the border with the hope they can stay in the US following Biden’s winding back of some of the harsher border policies of the Trump administration.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unaccompanied children have been exempted from expulsion under President Biden, allowing them to stay in America while pursuing asylum claims.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US-Mexico border has also been reduced from an all-time high in March, according to authorities, with more adults found coming without families.</span></p> <p><strong>Image credit: Tony Gonzales / Twitter</strong></p>

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Should Mexico run a tourist train through its Mayan heartland?

<p>President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has a dream for the Yucatan Peninsula. He wants to build a <a href="https://www.eldiario.es/economia/Tren-Maya-convierte-ambicioso-Mexico_0_834666836.html">train</a> that will leverage the tourism economy of Cancun by bringing more visitors inland to the colonial cities, Mayan villages and archaeological sites that dot the region.</p> <p>The Yucatan is a unique Mexican cultural crossroads. Many Maya here continue to <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1890/120344">farm</a>, live and dress according to indigenous traditions developed millennia before the Spanish colonized the Americas. Travelers also come from across the globe to sunbathe along the modern, highly developed Riviera Maya. Over <a href="http://caribemexicano.travel/ARCHIVOS/REPORTE%20TURISMO%202017.pdf">16 million foreigners visited the area</a> in 2017; three-quarters of them were American.</p> <p>The Mexican government thinks that a tourist train could turn Maya villages into destinations, too, bringing an infusion of cash and jobs into one of its <a href="https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/enigh/nc/2016/doc/presentacion_resultados_enigh2016.pdf">poorest</a> and <a href="https://www.gob.mx/conapo/documentos/indice-de-marginacion-por-entidad-federativa-y-municipio-2015">most marginalized regions</a>. Commuters would also benefit from rail travel.</p> <p>But there are <a href="https://www.cicy.mx/Documentos/CICY/Desde_Herbario/2019/2019-06-20-Reyes-et-al.-El-Tren-maya.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2mtOFkmq6t5oO4GMO2XyNfwQn9L1Uc_GvFt6d8jMAFdUBWXnnWH9lsCyk">social and environmental consequences</a> to laying 932 miles of railway tracks across a region of dense jungle, pristine beaches and Maya villages. And in his <a href="https://www.milenio.com/politica/amlo-garantiza-construccion-tren-maya-ano">haste to start construction this year</a>, López Obrador – whose energy policy is focused on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/world/americas/mexico-refinery-pemex.html?searchResultPosition=22">increasing fossil fuel production in Mexico</a> and rebuilding <a href="https://www.forbes.com.mx/amlo-apuesta-por-el-carbon-para-producir-mas-electricidad/">the coal industry</a> – has demonstrated little concern for conservation.</p> <p><strong>Pristine forests and Mayan ruins at risk</strong></p> <p>As a <a href="https://gabrieldiazmontemayor.academia.edu/">landscape architecture scholar</a> who has <a href="http://www.gabrieldiazmontemayor.com/The-Yucatan-Mayan-Town-UTSOA-Spring-2017">studied</a> Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, I agree that the Maya Train could bring substantial benefits to this region. But the train must be designed in a way that respects the delicate ecology, indigenous history and social fabric of the region.</p> <p>The Yucatan, a <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/124_2016_8">biodiverse</a> peninsula that’s geographically isolated from the rest of Mexico and Central America, has already suffered <a href="https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2019/03/deforestation-has-destroyed-40-of-the-yucatan-jungles/">mass deforestation</a> due to careless urban development, massive tourism and, in particular, <a href="https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/TNC_JurisdictionalApproaches_CaseStudies_Mexico.pdf">unsustainable cattle ranching</a>.</p> <p>For stretches, the Maya Train will run on existing tracks. But other parts of its planned route will cut through some of the only unspoiled ancient forests on the Yucatan Peninsula that are not <a href="https://www.gob.mx/conanp/documentos/region-peninsula-de-yucatan-y-caribe-mexicano?state=published">federally protected as nature reserves</a>. That bodes badly for endangered native species like the <a href="http://www.dof.gob.mx/normasOficiales/4254/semarnat/semarnat.htm">kanzacam cactus and black howler monkey</a>.</p> <p>Running a train through virgin forest also puts potentially hundreds of undiscovered ruins at risk. New technology has lead archaeologists to believe that the ancient Maya had many more <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/eaau0137">cities, shrines and settlements</a> than have been uncovered and excavated.</p> <p>There is concern, too, that the construction of a new train line may exacerbate a demographic shift <a href="http://www.ipublishing.co.in/ijesarticles/fourteen/articles/volsix/EIJES6032.pdf">already underway in the Yucatan</a>.</p> <p>As young Mexicans have left the small towns of the Yucatan to seek tourism jobs, many traditional Maya villages face abandonment. <a href="https://www.gob.mx/conapo/documentos/indice-de-marginacion-por-entidad-federativa-y-municipio-2015">In 2015</a>, 36% of Yucatec residents lived in traditional towns of fewer than 5,000 people – about 10% fewer than in <a href="https://www.inegi.org.mx/programas/ccpv/1990/default.html#Tabulados">1990</a>.</p> <p>A Maya Train with limited stations may spur development of a select few traditional towns. But many more – all those not located within the new rural tourism corridor – will likely see their population dwindle.</p> <p><strong>Building a better Maya Train</strong></p> <p>I don’t believe López Obrador’s ambitious signature infrastructure project should be killed. But the rushed construction schedule could be slowed down, giving the government time to study how the environmental and social costs of the Maya Train <a href="https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8S488ZF">can be mitigated</a>.</p> <p>Analysts have almost universally pointed out that the government’s <a href="https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-45254080">six-year timeline</a> necessarily precludes a deliberate, comprehensive and careful planning and construction process.</p> <p><a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/principles-of-landscape-ecology-13260702">Landscape ecology</a>, the study of natural systems, teaches us that simply maintaining green corridors connecting patches of unbroken wilderness can go a long way to protect wildlife, their habitat and the natural drainage patterns of the area.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/politica/tren-maya-tendra-que-comprar-34-de-su-ruta">railway’s path</a> could probably be redesigned to avoid severing these ecological arteries, but a sound environmental impact assessment must first be conducted to determine the impact and feasibility of alternative routes. That has not yet been done.</p> <p>The possible negative social consequences of the Maya Train could also be avoided, or at least compensated for, if the communities impacted by the railway could participate fully in the planning process.</p> <p>López Obrador says that Mother Earth granted <a href="https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/politica/AMLO-participo-en-el-ritual-a-la-Madre-Tierra-para-iniciar-construccion-de-Tren-Maya-20181216-0007.html">permission</a> to build the train, but Mexico’s Maya Train was approved at a hastily called popular referendum last year with only <a href="https://lopezobrador.org.mx/2018/11/26/programas-y-proyectos-de-amlo-obtienen-aprobacion-ciudadana-superior-al-90-en-la-consulta-nacional-programas-prioritarios/">1% voter participation</a>. Some indigenous activists have <a href="https://www.animalpolitico.com/2018/11/comunidades-indigenas-rechazan-tren-maya/">rejected</a> the outcome of the vote, which polled Mexicans nationwide about a project that affects mainly Maya villagers.</p> <p>“We don’t accept it,” a representative of the Zapatistas, a southern Mexican indigenous insurgency, <a href="https://www.contrareplica.mx/nota-Ejercito-Zapatista-manifiesta-rechazo-al-Tren-Maya20192372">said of the train</a> on July 23. “We won’t allow [the government] to come in and destroy” the land.</p> <p>Other Yucatan residents appear to <a href="https://www.efe.com/efe/america/mexico/mayoria-de-indigenas-apoya-el-tren-maya-en-sureste-mexico-dice-activista/50000545-3908754">support the idea of a tourist train</a> but want to be consulted closely about its route, stops and offerings, asked about their concerns and given the chance to make design proposals.</p> <p>This kind of <a href="https://participatoryplanning.ca/participatory-planning">participatory planning</a> process would ensure that Yucatec residents are the beneficiaries, not the victims, of the anticipated economic boom.</p> <p>Done right, the Maya Train could actually trigger an economic conversion with sweeping environmental benefits for the Yucatan. If new ecotourism and <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2011/09/agrotourism-farm-fork">agrotourism</a> businesses grow up around the train, some rural residents will naturally move toward those trades and away from the high-impact, low-efficiency ranching that has so damaged the local ecology.</p> <p><strong>Slow down</strong></p> <p>Big public works like the Maya Train take patience, careful planning, thinking and rethinking.</p> <p>These are <a href="https://theconversation.com/lopez-obrador-takes-power-in-mexico-after-an-unstable-transition-and-broken-campaign-promises-105343">not the hallmarks of López Obrador’s leadership style</a>. The Mexican president insists the $6 billion train will be completed <a href="https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-45254080">before the end of his term in 2024</a> and has mocked journalists who <a href="https://www.contralinea.com.mx/archivo-revista/2019/05/01/amlo-defiende-tren-maya-es-un-procedimiento-legal/">question the train’s environmental impact</a>.</p> <p>But the public backlash appears to have forced his government to do some quick course correction.</p> <p>United Nations-Habitat, the U.N.‘s urban development agency, began <a href="http://www.onuhabitat.org.mx/index.php/noticias/noticias-de-onu-habitat-en-mexico/tren-maya">consulting with the Mexico government</a> in May. U.N.-Habitat’s interim director, Eduardo López Moreno, has called for a more holistic vision of the Maya Train.</p> <p>“This is not 1,525 kilometers of track,” he said after joining the project. “It’s 1,525 kilometers of opportunities that will improve the quality of life for all inhabitants of southeast Mexico.”</p> <p><em>Written by <span>Gabriel Diaz Montemayor, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Arkansas</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/mexico-wants-to-run-a-tourist-train-through-its-mayan-heartland-should-it-118090" target="_blank"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>. </em></p>

International Travel

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Rafael Nadal completely blindsided after Kyrgios loss: "He lacks respect"

<p>Tennis champion Rafael Nadal has delivered a harsh reality check to Nick Kyrgios, saying he “lacks respect” after the Australian 23-year-old beat the world number two at the Mexico Open.</p> <p>Putting on his best performance in two years, Kyrgios saved three match points to register a 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (8/6) win.</p> <p>But controversy seems to follow the young Aussie athlete wherever he goes, and this time was no exception, as what was considered a monumental moment in his career was soon drowned out by Nadal’s comments in the media conference that took place after the match.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BucKxQsgz9j/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BucKxQsgz9j/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Somos Tênis (@somostenisbr)</a> on Feb 28, 2019 at 1:13pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“He’s a player who has enormous talent, could be winning grand slams or fighting for the number one ranking,” Nadal said in Spanish.</p> <p>“He lacks respect for the crowd, his opponent and towards himself.”</p> <p>He then continued saying: “I don’t think he’s a bad guy, but he lacks a little respect for the public and the rival.”</p> <p>The Spaniard’s frustration came after several flashpoints which occurred during the match.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Just. Wow. 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NickKyrgios</a> produces a moment of magic in Acapulco 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/AbiertoTelcel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AbiertoTelcel</a> <a href="https://t.co/oOnIa5Y1mg">pic.twitter.com/oOnIa5Y1mg</a></p> — Tennis TV (@TennisTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisTV/status/1100956334655242240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">28 February 2019</a></blockquote> <p>During the first set, Kyrgios seemed to not be taking the game seriously, and even toyed with the idea of pulling out of the match.</p> <p>“I feel sick … if I forfeit, the media will blow it up … I’ll be booed off the court,” said Kyrgios during the set.</p> <p>“I’m going to try to play a couple of more games.”</p> <p>The Aussie star then received a warning after he told the crowd to “shut up” and was caught swearing.</p> <p>Nadal seemed to be growing increasingly frustrated at his opponent, as Kyrgios lodged a complaint to the umpire, saying the 32-year-old was taking too long in between points when Kyrgios was serving.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BubonmbgbLK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BubonmbgbLK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Tennis News (@thetennisreport)</a> on Feb 28, 2019 at 8:14am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>But despite the bitter feud, Kyrgios put on a show and saved nine break points throughout the match, including a comeback from 0-40 in the final two sets.</p> <p>This was considered Kyrgios’ best win since the Cincinnati Masters in 2017, when he beat Nadal for the first time in a quarter-final.</p> <p>Do you agree with Nadal’s comments? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

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The tragic story behind this photo

<p>At a first glance, Cancun beach in Mexico looks like one of the most pristine places on earth. It has spectacular white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters that attracts many tourists each year.</p> <p>However, there is a record of crime in this popular destination that is being hidden from the rest of the world.</p> <p>Located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, Cancun’s murder rate has doubled this past year – with 169 killings in the first half of 2017. Drugs, extortion and murders occur without consequence in Cancun</p> <p>Recently, British journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy visited Cancun for SBS’s <em>Dateline</em> to investigate why these many murders are taking place.</p> <p>“This is one of the most beautiful views in the world and we are the only people here,” Guru-Murthy said from Cancun’s main beach.</p> <p>Later on in the day, Guru-Murthy saw the busy beach transform into a crime scene as four men came through a luxury hotel and shot a man. He later died in hospital.</p> <p>To Guru-Murthy’s surprise, most tourists were unaware of the shocking event that was unfolding around them just metres away. He was surprised by the lack of police presence in this notorious spot.</p> <p>“It’s as if the police don’t want anyone to notice. There’s minimum fuss and hardly any officers here,” he said.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816270/2_499x375.jpg" alt="2 (65)"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Image credit: SBS</em></p> <p>This attack is already the third shooting that has occurred on the beach in Cancun this year, yet there is no media coverage of what is going on.</p> <p>“We’ve been told that local politicians here have put the press under pressure not to report violence in this area, because if the tourists are scared away from here, it will be an economic disaster not only for Cancun, but for Mexico.”</p> <p>Sadly a well-known police commander, his wife and baby nephew were shot dead, in a separate attack during Dateline’s visit and nobody was arrested.</p> <p>Many are worried the paradise of Cancun will become lost in the depravity of crime and face a similar demise to Acapulco, which was once a glamorous location that has been turned into Mexico’s murder capital. </p> <p><em>Mexico Beach Wars airs on SBS Dateline, Tuesday 13 March at 9.30pm.</em></p>

Travel Tips

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It’s time to see all that Mexico City has to offer

<p>Inside the magical courtyard garden of famed artist Frida Kahlo, the striking cobalt blue walls are rimmed with green and red accents around windows and doorways.</p> <p>Long, pointed leaves of potted plants and towering trees breathe life and green into the space. Indigenous statues dot the grounds; they were hand-picked by Kahlo and her husband, muralist Diego Rivera, and provide a glimpse into their artistic muses and styling.</p> <p>Wandering through the garden, I couldn't help but feel inspired. So did other visitors, I noted, who were not shy about taking a selfie or two – or 20. Given the breathtaking backdrop, it shouldn't have surprised me that La Casa Azul, or the Blue House, has become a prime spot for that more modern art form. I laughed out loud as I saw the dramatic, moody expressions of other visitors' faces as they snapped away on their smartphones in the courtyard.</p> <p>Before too much eye-rolling ensued, it occurred to me that there was perhaps no more appropriate place for selfies than in the house of Frida. After all, she was, of course, most well known for her self-portraits. So in a way, we were all just paying homage to the original queen of selfies, right?</p> <p>Kahlo's image is experiencing a rebound at the moment, her distinctive face showing up on T-shirts, cooking aprons and pillows in Mexico and beyond. Interest in Mexico City, where she lived much of her life, is rebounding, too.</p> <p>Still, the sprawling, bustling city had not yet made it on to my own list of the top places in the world I wanted to visit. So when one of my frequent travel buddies suggested we meet up there, I needed some persuading.</p> <p>"What would we do there?" I texted her.</p> <p>Her response was immediate and definitive: "Art. Fashion. Food. Architecture."</p> <p>It was hard to argue with that.</p> <p>A month or so later, I found out for myself why Mexico City, whose reputation was once marred by stories of kidnappings and high crime, has increasingly been considered one of the up-and-coming hot travel destinations.</p> <p>As my plane descended into Ciudad de Mexico, I stared in wonder at the dense city below me, with its many clusters of tall buildings that seemed to go on as far as the eye could see. I shouldn't have been surprised: it is, after all, one of the world's most populous cities.</p> <p>Statues are artfully placed throughout Frida Kahlo's courtyard garden, which has become a popular tourist destination in ...</p> <p><strong>A hipster enclave</strong></p> <p>A quick – and relatively cheap – Uber ride took us from the airport to an apartment we rented through Airbnb in the bohemian neighbourhood of Roma Norte, known for its bars, restaurants, art galleries and boutiques.</p> <p>With adrenaline pumping at being in a new city, we dropped off our things and hit the streets in search of a late-night snack and some mezcal.</p> <p>We ended up at a hip, darkly lit mezcaleria a couple of blocks away that could have easily been transposed from the Lower East Side of New York. Skilled mixologists – who laughed kind-heartedly at our terrible Spanish and helped fill in our gaps with their limited English – prepared some tasty libations for us. We toasted to our first night in Mexico City. It was an auspicious start.</p> <p>The next morning, the first item on the agenda was caffeine. Luckily, a cute coffee shop, Buna, was close by. Drip coffee was nowhere to be found here. Rather, stylish baristas hand-poured each drink, another sign we were staying smack dab in the middle of a hipster mecca.</p> <p>For several days, we strolled many of the city's picturesque neighbourhoods, often stopping to chill out at the serene parks and plazas that make the city feel very European. They were perfect spots for people-watching – and dog-watching, as hired walkers often entertained and hustled to keep track of all of the pets on their leashes.</p> <p>Condesa, a neighbourhood near our rental with some of the city's best restaurants and bars, has two particularly lovely parks with canopies of trees and a duck-filled pond.</p> <p>Then there's the granddaddy of them all, Chapultepec Park, a massive urban oasis that reminded me of New York's Central Park. At a large lake there, locals rent orange and blue pedal boats. Throughout the park, numerous stands offer an eclectic mix of tchotchkes and salty snacks.</p> <p>The park is also home to a castle, once the stamping ground of Mexico's rulers atop a hill. The hike up is well worth the effort. We ambled up the sloping walkway and arrived at the top just a half-hour before it closed. So we found ourselves speed-walking through its beautifully manicured courtyard, black-and-white checked floors, and rooms with stained glass windows. The castle is a feast for the eyes – and so is the view of the city spread out below. We wished we had more time to explore it – that feeling became a recurring theme during the trip.</p> <p><strong>Art abounds</strong></p> <p>When it comes to art, Mexico City's bountiful offerings go well beyond Kahlo and Rivera, though they are a major draw for tourists. And for good reason. I could have spent hours studying and admiring Rivera's revolutionary murals at the National Palace.</p> <p>But I quickly found that there is a whole lot more to see beyond that. Of the abundance of art museums, a highlight was the Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporaneo, which seemed to be popular with young Mexicans, not surprising since it's located on a college campus. We were lucky enough to catch an exhibit by British sculptor Anish Kapoor (the artist behind Cloud Gate, the "bean" in Chicago's Millennium Park), replete with many of his funhouse-type mirrors and fantastical art installations. Mexico City's selfie game was alive and well at this spot, too.</p> <p>On the weekends, the neighbourhood of San Angel hosts a bustling art market where local artists display their wares.</p> <p>We didn't have to go out of our way to find art – we found it everywhere. Colourful, edgy and sometimes political street artworks dot the city's concrete walls, often in surprising places and around unsuspecting corners.</p> <p>Food, we discovered, was just another art form, and we ate our way across Mexico City.</p> <p>A number of highly acclaimed chefs have put the city on the map as a growing foodie hot spot. Because of the generous currency conversion that favours the US dollar, we didn't feel too guilty about splurging on more extravagant multi-course meals at some of the city's finer restaurants. But we didn't have to go fancy to eat well.</p> <p>We were a bit wary of trying out the vibrant and tempting street food scene of taco stands that reminded me of the food truck scene in the US. But we got our fill of tacos through other means.</p> <p>Our Airbnb host pointed us to one of our most memorable meals. She recommended El Parnitas, a popular place among locals, right when it opened at 1pm to avoid having to wait for a table. We got there a good 15 minutes early, but still weren't the first ones in line.</p> <p>The restaurant itself, with its simple decor, didn't look that impressive. But we knew we were in for a treat when our server brought us a refreshing (and free) appetiser of jicama sticks splashed with a spicy sauce.</p> <p>Then we went a little taco crazy (when in Mexico... ), ordering several tacos from the menu's extensive list. Wrapped in house-made tortillas, they were oh so tasty, especially when topped off with the array of colourful salsas brought to our table.</p> <p><strong>The city's Beverly Hills</strong></p> <p>When it came time to shop, the city's many maze-like markets offered an endless supply of bright- and pastel-coloured Mexican peasant shirts and frocks of various quality. For the nicer stuff, we found ourselves returning again and again to the boutiques of Carla Fernandez, which can be found across the city. An acclaimed fashion designer, Fernandez works with indigenous communities to make traditional textiles that she styles into loose-fitting, contemporary designs. My friend and I both found some pieces to add to our wardrobes.</p> <p>To be sure, we mostly kept to the city's more affluent neighbourhoods, where the wealth could be jaw-dropping. It was not unusual at some restaurants for servers to bring out stands on which to place your handbags, and I would sheepishly hang up my banged-up purse.</p> <p>While wandering around Polanco, which is like the city's Beverly Hills, I felt like I could bump into Carlos Slim at any moment and not know him among the sea of men in well-tailored business suits.</p> <p>It was a much different scene in the city's crowded and bustling Centro Historico, where we shared the streets with an eclectic mix of people from all walks of life. The area is jam-packed with tourist sites – the stunning Palacio de Bellas Artes and the massive square, the Zocalo, flanked by ornate buildings such as the gilded Metropolitan Cathedral.</p> <p>Getting to and from this part of the city in the afternoon also introduced us to another fact of life in Mexico City: mind-numbing traffic.</p> <p><strong>An art market</strong></p> <p>On our last full day, we headed out to the neighbourhood of San Angel to visit its famous art market. On weekends, artists sell their paintings in the square and other artisans sell weaving and handmade pottery. The market has grown so big that it now spills out into nearby streets.</p> <p>A contemporary open-air mall across the street also offers some higher-end Mexican designer fashions and wares.</p> <p>After shopping, we had a memorable last meal at one of the restaurants around the square. I chowed down on an unforgettable chile relleno that looked like it was floating in tomato broth. I washed it down with a Pacifico beer. And, of course, there was an endless supply of fresh-made tortillas that kept coming to our table. It was the perfect last day that hit on all of the main themes of the trip.</p> <p>Since I returned home, many friends and co-workers have quizzed me about what I did in Mexico City and why I would go there on holiday. I recognise the same curiosity – and scepticism – in their voices that I had when my friend first suggested it to me.</p> <p>Just like she did, I begin my response with four words:</p> <p>"Art. Fashion. Food. Architecture."</p> <p><em>Witten by Kavita Kumar. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

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Mexican volcano erupts in breathtaking display

<p>Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano erupted early Monday morning this week, with a dazzling, starry night sky lit up in a spectacular display of smoke, ash and lava.</p> <p>As you can see in the video above, it was something to behold.</p> <p>The volcano has been monitored by cameras since it first rumbled back to life and on Sunday morning it did, sending a column of gas and ash 2,000 metres into the sky.</p> <p>A 12km security ring around the volcano has been mandated.</p> <p>Popocatepetl has been dormant for a little while, with the volcano’s last major eruption recorded back in 2000, where more than 40,000 people had to be evacuated. </p> <p>Have you ever been to Mexico?</p> <p>Let us know in the comments!</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / webcamsdemexico</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/03/lesser-known-national-parks/"><strong>8 national parks many people haven’t heard of</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/domestic-travel/2015/08/australias-best-mountains-to-climb/"><strong>6 of the best Australian mountains to climb</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/06/10-lesser-known-new-zealand-holiday-spots/"><strong>10 lesser-known New Zealand holiday spots</strong></a></em></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

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The real etiquette on tipping in 5 different countries

<p>When you’re in another country for the first time, remembering the exchange rate can be tricky enough, without having to try and figure out how much you should be tipping people – or if you should even be tipping them at all. So we’ve done a bit of research and have the lowdown on tipping in five different countries around the world.</p> <p><strong>Mexico</strong></p> <p><strong>At restaurants</strong>, around 10 to 15 per cent of the bill is a polite tip. When <strong>at hotels</strong>, around 10 to 20 pesos per bag for the porter, 20 to 50 pesos per night for your housekeeper, and at least 100 pesos for the concierge. For your <strong>guide or driver</strong>, around 100 to 200 pesos per full day, or around 300 pesos if they do both jobs.</p> <p><strong>Indonesia</strong></p> <p><strong>At restaurants</strong>, a 10 per cent tip is usually included, and locals will usually throw in some loose change to make the total tip around 15 per cent. Likewise <strong>at hotels</strong>, a 10 per cent service charge will be included in your bill, but employees don’t always see this, so a dollar here and there to the porters and cleaning staff would mean a lot. <strong>Guides</strong> would appreciate between $25 and $40 per couple, while a taxi driver should be tipped about 10 per cent.</p> <p><strong>Japan</strong></p> <p>Another country where tipping isn’t customary, thoug some services will appreciate the gesture. <strong>A guide or driver</strong> should be offered 2,500 to 5,000 yen in an envelope. If you stay at a ryokan (a traditional Japanese inn), you should offer the private attendant 5,000 yen in an envelope for a two-night stay.</p> <p><strong>France</strong></p> <p><strong>At restaurants</strong>, you might see the words “service compris” on your bill, indicating that a tip is not necessary, but locals will leave up to 10 per cent. This is not expected at bars. <strong>At your hotel</strong>, two euros per bag for a porter, one or two euros for your housekeeper, and 10 to 15 euros for favours from the concierge (restaurant bookings, etc). If you have <strong>a guide</strong>, about 25 euros per day, or up to 50 for one who is nationally certified. Any private airport transfers should be given 10to 20 euros, while taxi drivers should get 10 to 15 per cent of the fare.</p> <p><strong>Greece</strong></p> <p>After a meal <strong>at a restaurant</strong>, it’s customary to tip a maximum of 5 to 10 per cent (10 for a smaller bill, 5 for larger). <strong>At hotels</strong>, one euro per bag for porters, and a maximum of one euro per day for housekeepers. For <strong>group tour guides</strong>, 4 to 6 euros per person is fine, while a <strong>personal tour guide</strong> should be given 40 to 60 euros for a full day.</p> <p> </p>

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