Have you ever eaten chicken feet? How about barbequed chicken necks? What? I thought not. So, while you’re in Cuautla you’ll have your chance. Don’t miss it! Now here’s what you need to do:

Hotel Colon
Address: Main Plaza
Phone: 352 – 2186

The premiere place for people-watching smack dab on the Zocalo. Meals are of local fare and modestly priced. The day’s offerings are written on a standing menu posted right out front on the sidewalk complete with prices. The wall-less dining area is just an extension of the Zocalo sidewalk, so you could spend hours here just sippin’ “Jamaica” and winkin’ at the passers-by. And there’ll be plenty. It’s an excellent “first stop” on your Cuautla tour. While you’re at it, pick up a copy of “THE NEWS”, Mexico’s premiere English language newspaper or, in Spanish, “El Sol de Cuautla”, both on sale just a few steps away at the news stand in front of the restaurant.

The Plaza Galeana
Address: at the corner of Los Bravos and Estrada Bollas

At this shopping plaza and gallery, there are a number of little eateries at budget prices featuring everything from pizza to fried chicken and roast turkey. There are juice bars, ice cream shops and a couple of discos for the teeny-boppers (called “coca-colos” in Spanish). If you’re not sure what you want to eat, or it’s late, just drop by here and stroll around until you find something you like. (to EAT, that is!)

On Los Bravos, the street leading north from the Zocalo to the Plaza Galeana, there are likewise several shops and a couple of fairly good restaurants to tempt your palette.

Rosticero de Pollos
Address: Calle 2 de Mayo and Zemano
(half a block up the street from the Hotel España and one block from the Hotel Colon)

If you’ve never eaten chicken feet or roast chicken necks, here’s the place you can correct that fault. Served piping hot right off the rotisserie, bursting with flavor and CHEAP at 10 pesos for a dozen, it’s an experience you’ll never forget. It’ll make a great story to tell your grandchildren! “Did I ever tell you about the time I ate chicken feet in Cuautla? Zapata’s rebel forces were headquartered just down the road you see, and …”

Jugos Y Tortas Alameda
Address: Galeano at the corner of Ferraro

A veggies-only restaurant that serves such delicious specialties as “Omelet Huitlacoche” and platters of Chilaquiles, nopales (cactus) and an assortment of “tortas” for 7 to 26 pesos. Servings are plentiful and tasty even for non-vegetarians like me. A selection of juices in combinations having medicinal properties are also offered. The juice combinations and their specific benefits are written up on plaques hung around the restaurant walls.

EL Oasis
Address: Galeano between Ramirez and Ferrano

This restaurant is open late for party-goers and the late-night crowd and serves tempting meals at reasonable prices. There’s internet service at a bank of six computers in the rear of the restaurant. Rates are 10 pesos per hour or 6 pesos for 30 minutes. Try their fresh-whipped hot chocolate on a cool Cuautla night for a zesty pick-me-up.

Be sure to check out my other articles in the two continuing series: Teaching English in Mexico and Traveling in Mexico. If you would like more information, have questions or comments, the author can be e-mailed; see address below.

Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an ELT Teacher Trainer, English language learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. He has published more than 350 articles and academic papers and presented at numerous EFL teacher training and TEFL conferences throughout North America, South America and Europe. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: mailto:lynchlarrym@gmail.com lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Amsterdam has something to offer everyone, from the shockingly perverted to the über-conservative. This is why it time and again ranks as one of Europe’s most popular city break destinations. Yet, like kebabs and Che Guervera T-shirts, the “crazy” weekend away in Amsterdam, is one of those student clichés that one might feel one is simply too unshakably cool to indulge in – this would be a shame. If ever a place was created for the young, the beautiful and the open minded, it is Amsterdam. This city simply oozes style and soul.

Renowned for its synthesis of vice and high brow culture, Amsterdam is a place of contradictions. It resists classification, combining world-renowned, laissez faire liberalism with a typical European homage to rules and regulations. This is a place where soliciting is legal, provided that one has the right paperwork. Wander down a street in Amsterdam and one will find baby clothing stores happily residing next to Rastafarian coffee shops. Galleries dedicated to sixteenth century art are only a tram ride away from museums plotting the history of porn. And shoe shops display ‘Hush Puppies’ alongside neon, plastic platforms.

It is quite true that Amsterdam might be famous for all things continental and controversial, but it is also too chilled out to care even if one is not. And although the red light district is well worth a visit, if only to point and laugh at the bizarre notion of consumerised copulation, there are plenty of other things to see and do in this historical and deliciously cosmopolitan Venice of the North.

Instead, one could visit Anne Frank’s house, or cruise along the pretty cat’s cradle of canals on a boat tour, or stroll around Dam Square to see the Royal Palace. If art is the thing of interest, then spend the morning with the Dutch masters in the famous Van Gogh gallery or Rijksmuseum, which houses works by Vermeer and Rembrandt, particularly his impressive masterpiece The Night Watch.

If one is feeling decadent, one could always visit one of the city’s numerous diamond factories and try on Elizabeth Taylor-esque jewellery that a person has absolutely no intention of buying. In addition, there are countless museums, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. And although the museums of sex, beer and marijuana tend to stand out in people’s minds for obvious reasons, it is also possible to receive a comprehensive education in Jewish history, anthropology, modern art or film. However, even traditional museums represent an unusual Dutch twist, the Maritime museum features the arm of a Dutch naval hero thoughtfully preserved in alcohol.

While visiting the Venice of North the best way to capture local color is simply on foot, loosing one in the city’s web of narrow streets, whilst picking up kitsch, bohemian bargains that would make Sienna Miller proud. In spite of the fact that Amsterdam could never market itself as a fashion capital, the city does have some lovely shops, even if in a quirky, ‘incense-burning-overkill’ kind of way. A trip to a local market is also a must see, especially a cheese market or the charming ‘bloemenmarkt’, Amsterdam’s famous, floating flower emporium. The Venice of North is joy to visit.

Rahul viz recommends that you visit bookings.nl/city/nl/amsterdam.html?aid=305255 bookings.nl/city/nl/amsterdam.html?aid=305255 for more information on bookings.nl/city/nl/amsterdam.html?aid=305255 Truly Yours in Venice of North.

Ask someone about Alabama Vacations and they may just give you a strange look. After all, what could you expect to do there? Or they may just ask if you are interested in hunting since that is all they can think of to do while visiting. That’s not the case at all.

Well, okay, so you can hunt but that’s not the only thing. Broaden your mind a bit or, better yet, let us do it for you. We will show you that spending your vacations there are not just about hunting (yes, people, there are other things to do).

Alabama Vacations are ideal for more than the gun enthusiast. Any seeker of adventure and activity will find many options here; it is ideal for those who want a vacation of moment to moment excitement. Those looking to simply relax will find much to look at but they may find the trip wasted.

For those who want to indulge in sports and activity, however, Alabama Vacations are certain to be a hit.

Why? Because this is a state of options and possibilities. Its location offers quick access to the gulf coast, allowing for days to be spent at the beach, competing in water sports. That same location also offers a variety of woods, hiking trails, camp sites, rock climbing, canoeing and more.

One state can let you have the full outdoor experience. No matter what your favored hobby (whether scaling cliffs or fishing in pristine streams), Alabama Vacations will offer it. For the more athletic vacationer, this is perfect.

And we use the word “athletic” in its most literal sense. Yes, you could enjoy simply visiting the cities for their shops or the small towns for their quaint stores. Yes, you could do nothing but relax on the beach or perhaps take a stroll down a park trail. The ability to ‘take it easy’ is there.

That being said, you could have that same experience in most states. Few, however, offer the rugged appeal that alabama does. From hunting (yes, we knew we would have to mention it eventually) to rafting, you can find yourself having a real vacation.

Sound interesting? If you want to do more than just lay around all day, then it should. Alabama Vacations mean taking chances and throwing yourself into activities that you otherwise would not be able to do.

It means adventure.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has more articles on vacations at vacation-destinations-guide.com Vacation Destinations Guide such as vacation-destinations-guide.com/vacations-to-myrtle-beach.html Myrtle Beach Vacations.

Swimming holes have a certain nostalgic feel about them. Long before swimming pools were common and in areas where there weren’t many beaches, kids had to go to a wide spot in a stream, or to an old rock quarry to swim. Perhaps you did this as a child. Well, these spots are still out there, and they are not just for the kids.

Searching For A Swimming Hole

When we recently moved from Arizona to Canon City (pronounced canyon) in Colorado, we were looking forward to having water around. One of the real estate agents at the closing on our house told us about a swimming hole he had been to. He even drew us a small map, and it wasn’t more than a week before we went looking for it.

We took highway 50 west out of town, then went north on highway 9. We came to Road # 11, and consulting our hand-drawn map, took a right. Fifteen minutes later we passed the turnoff to Cripple Creek, and a couple miles further we came over a hill. There was a parking area on the left, with a sign that had the various BLM regulations posted for the area.

Across the road and over a hill, a small trail started down a narrow gorge. It was beautiful, with large boulders, cliffs on both sides, and flowers everywhere. The stream was very small, however, so we wondered if it could really produce any decent swimming holes. About a mile down the trail we got our answer.

We saw the kids before we saw the water. There were a dozen young men and women, aged 16 to 22, sitting on rocks and grass and all looking in one direction. Following their gaze we looked in time to see one of them jump off a cliff and into a swimming hole that was about 40 feet across.

Of course I had to try it, so I climbed the hill above the hole and crossed over to the rocks. There was a rope to help me descend the last part, down to a low part of the cliff, just fifteen feet above the water. The deepest, and therefore safe, part of the water was probably only seven or eight feet across, so you have to jump with some accuracy. After leaning over the edge and staring down at the water for a minute or more, a young guy decided that I should go first. I jumped quickly, because hesitation just makes it worse.

I didn’t hit bottom, and the water was deliciously cold. Afterwards Ana and I sat by the water and watched some of the crazier stunts. Two guys actually jumped off a sixty-five foot cliff on the other side of the swimming hole, fortunately landing in just the right part of the hole. It was almost too nerve-wracking to watch, so we walked down the stream, where we watched the trout scattering. It was a wonderful hike.

Finding Secret Swimming Holes

To find these spots, ask the locals. If you buy county map books for the states you’ll be in, you can look for little ponds and lakes that have only trails going to them. You can also watch for anyplace that cars are parked, on the weekends especially. If people in shorts going off into the woods with a large cooler and a towel, you can be sure they aren’t just hiking. In any case, it is a lot of fun just doing the exploring, even if you don’t find any swimming holes.

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. For travel stories, tips and a free e-book, visit: everythingabouttravel.com EverythingAboutTravel.com