By Judy Newell
Mexico News
Sipping in Mexico City: Ahuehuete
This six-seat collection room is a distillate library—a stunning space housed in a centuries-old building in one of Mexico City’s oldest neighborhoods. The Porfirio Díaz-era bar and backbar were found in a Puebla antique store and are over 100 years old (once you book here, you’ll be notified of the exact location).
It’ll cost you US$75 per-person for a six-spirit sampling, light snacks, and water. Inside, there are only six seats and a knowledgeable barkeep/tour guide crafting a rich journey for you and your fellow spirit geeks.
While tequila and mezcal are some of Mexico’s greatest exports, there are dozens of other plant-based spirits like bacanora, sotol, raicilla, and charanda distilled in micro-batch quantities in rural communities that never make it into commercial circulation—nor are they intended to.
The team behind Ahuehuete has been collecting bottles throughout the years, traveling to rural villages to find interesting batches for their private collection.
International News
Experience the Wonders of New Zealand
Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, and Queenstown
12 nights, from US$5,459 per person based on double occupancy. Must be booked by May 31, 2023.
Inclusions:
- Round-trip airfare on Air New Zealand from Los Angeles to Auckland, returning from Queenstown
- One-way airfare from Rotorua to Wellington and Queenstown
- One-way private transfer from Auckland airport to hotel
- Two nights Auckland, Sudima Hotel Auckland City or similar
- A Taste of Auckland tour including lunch
- All Blacks Experience
- One-way Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton
- Three nights Rotorua, Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua
- Full-day Geothermal Wonderland Tour
- Mitai Maori Cultural Experience including hangi dinner
- One-way private transfer from Rotorua hotel to Rotorua airport
- Round-trip private transfers from Wellington airport to hotel
- Three nights Wellington, Travelodge Hotel Wellington
- Introducing Te Papa Museum tour
- Kapiti Island full day tour
- Round-trip shuttle transfers from Queenstown airport to hotel
- Four nights Queenstown, Millennium Queenstown
- Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly
- Queenstown Highlights Tour
- Shotover Jetboat Ride
- US/foreign taxes and fees including September 11 Security Fee
Singapore Fast-Facts
- It’s not one island, but a group of 64
- Its four official languages are English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil
- Over 50% of the city-state’s landmass is green land
- Its emblem is an odd animal—a merlion
- Singapore’s time zone has changed six times
- The city has the fastest pedestrians in the world
- You can be fined for not flushing public toilets
- Private car ownership is discouraged
Cruise News
Princess Cruises Offering a Special Itinerary for the 2024 Solar Eclipse
It won’t be until 2044 that the next total solar eclipse will bless space enthusiasts in North America, so you’d better take advantage of the one happening on April 8, 2024. Forget about dark sites and low light pollution zones though—this time, the ideal spot might be the ocean.
Princess Cruises announced that it is altering an itinerary aboard its Emerald Princess to give passengers the chance to experience the 2024 total solar eclipse while cruising at sea. On April 8, the moon is set to pass before the sun and cast a shadow on the Earth for 4 minutes 28 seconds across parts of North America.
At that moment, the Emerald Princess will be located between Cabo San Lucas and Huatulco, Mexico during its 15-day ocean-to-ocean Panama Canal cruise. At eclipse time, passengers will be invited to gather on the top decks. Thanks to special glasses provided by the staff, they’ll be able to marvel at the cosmic event while the words of Fred Cink, an astronomy and space exploration enthusiast, narrate the experience.
After departing Los Angeles on April 5, the cruise will sail to Fort Lauderdale into the Mexican Riviera by way of the Panama Canal and across the western Caribbean. It will also make stops in San Juan del Sur, Costa Rica, Cartagena, and Grand Cayman.
Tickets for the eclipse cruise are currently on sale, and they start at US$1,699 per person.
Deal of the Week
HAL 150th Anniversary Sale
Enjoy up to 45% off cruise fares, up to US$300 onboard credit per stateroom, plus a reduced deposit. Get ready to experience the incredible wilderness and wildlife that makes us love Alaska or witness the endless natural wonders nestled between European fjords. Join us as we celebrate 150 years of cruising.
Seven-day Alaska Inside Passage. May 17 – September 20, 2023, roundtrip Vancouver, from US409 per person; roundtrip Seattle, from US$399 per person. Volendam
Seven-day Alaska North-South bound. May 21 – September 10, 2023; Whittier to Vancouver, from US$319 per person. Noordam
Seven-day Scandinavia and Fjords. July 26, 2023; Roundtrip Copenhagen, from US$649. Nieuw Statedam
Seven-day Greece and Turkey. June 23 and August 19, 2023; Trieste to Athens-Piraeus, Oosterdam
Seven-day Bahamas, December 2, 2023; Roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, from US$519 per person.
Seven-day Eastern Caribbean, December 10, 2023 and March 10, 2024; Roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, from US$519 per person. Nieuw Statendam
Seven-day Mexico Pacific Coast, Novembrt 11, 2023 and March 23, 2024; Roundtrip San Diego, from US$609 per person. Koningsdam
Twelve-day Panama Canal, October 22, 2023 – Mar 17, 2024; Roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, from US$709 per person. Rotterdam
Judy Newell, an international travel consultant for over 50 years, heads Perfect Journeys and specializes in unique travel experiences to destinations around the world. She custom designs journeys that are tailored to suit client’s interests, physical abilities, and budgets. Please contact Judy for further information on Travel News topics, Mexico, and international travel. Cell phone 415 111 8765; Vonage 949 300 3682; email at judynewell@perfectjourneys.net. Her office is in Rancho Los Labradores on the highway to Dolores Hidalgo.
Sources: Conde Nast Traveler, Down Under Answers, Luxury Escapes, Next Stop, Thrillist, and Holland America Line.
