When you live in the middle of the United States, a 7-day vacation can be eaten up quickly by the getting there.  We dreamed of Yellowstone, Seattle, the Grand Canyon, Florida . . . but, alas, it’s too far from the middle of the country to the coasts to keep our sanity on such a tight schedule.

Instead, we have planned our family’s summer vacation to Iowa.  While not the vacation destination one may think of first, we’re excited for the trip, and for the fact that we’ll be able to enjoy the destination instead of spending so much time on the journey.  And enjoy it we will.

Danish Windmill, Elk Horn, Iowa

Here are the top 25 things our family plans to see in Iowa, in no particular order.  If you have additional suggestions, please leave them in the comments. Read More »

The small town of Dolores Hidalgo in the central highlands of Mexico may be best known as the cradle of the country’s independence, but music lovers flock to the village for an entirely different reason. Rather than touring the lovely cathedral or walking the Plaza Principal, they head for the Panteon – the town cemetery – to pay homage to Jose Alfredo Jimenez who, along with Agustín Lara and Juan Gabriel, was one of the best singer-songwriters that Mexico ever produced.

Cemetery in Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico, that holds the tomb of Jose Alfredo Jimenez

The works composed and performed by Jimenez, comparable to American folk music in the U.S., are considered an integral part of Mexico’s musical heritage. Jimenez had no formal training in music yet despite the fact that he didn’t even play an instrument he composed more than 1000 songs. Like many of his contemporaries, Jimenez died young, struck-down by hepatitis at age 47. He was buried in Dolores Read More »

The International Cervantes Festival is considered to be the most important annual artistic and cultural event in Mexico and Latin-America. It began in the 1950′s with students from the University of Guanajuato performing farces based on the early 17th century novel Don Quixote de la Mancha,” written by Miguel de Cervantes. Held in Guanajuato, Mexico, the festival became an annual event in 1972 and today draws many thousands of spectators who come to enjoy performances by more than 2,300 artists from 25 nations and five continents. The program is so extensive that 70 different venues are required for its 450 functions, which feature both popular and classical productions of opera, music, dance, theater, visual arts, film and academic activities during the 19 days of the festival.

Crowds at the International Cervantino Festival, held each fall in Guanajuato, Mexico

The festival has became so popular that it spawned an entire museum dedicated to the culture of Cervantes, the Iconographic Museum of Quixote. The two story facility features paintings and sculptures by artists, including Picasso, that celebrate the imagery of Cervantes.

Iconographic Museum of Quixote, which features of Don Quixote inspired works of art

Many of the festival events are free and in order to secure seats attendees arrive at least two hours in advance. Other events require tickets that cost between 15 and 350 pesos each  ($1 to $27 USD), most of which sell out months in advance. Visitors planning to attend the festival are well advised to contact Ticketmaster in Mexico to secure advance tickets, which are released for sale in July of each year, and to make hotel reservations well in advance of the event.

Photo Credits: Top: Paul and Jill; Bottom: Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels

For residents of San Antonio and Austin, Texas, the Texas Hill Country west of the cities is the perfect escape for a day trip.  Whether heading to the cowboy town of Bandera, driving through the famed Luckenbach, Texas, exploring the LBJ historic sites near Johnson City, or just taking a drive to enjoy the scenery, there are many different ways to enjoy Hill Country.

Our favorite stop in this area, however, was the German-heritage town of Fredericksburg.  It’s long main street is lined with shops and restaurants, and church steeples tower over the city.  Our favorite part of Texas, however, was its central square, or Marktplatz.

The Marktplatz is a gathering place, with picnic tables and restrooms, a playground and gardens.  In the winter, it is home to an ice skating rink and large Christmas Pyramid.

Fredericksburg Christmas Pyramid

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