No image
Mexico has long been a playground for Americans on vacation, but lately it's been in the news due to an unfortunate epidemic of drug-fueled violence. Is it still a safe place to visit? Despite the grisly headlines, the answer is "yes"-as long as you use common sense and stay away from the most lawless, unsafe regions of the country. With that in mind, here's a summary of the areas in Mexico that the US Department of State has warned US…
No image
Were you planning to visit the Monarch butterfly breeding grounds in Michoacan, Mexico? According to the US State Department, you'd be better off waiting until next year. Mexico is continuing to experience problems with drug cartel violence in that region, according the AP. US travelers should also stay away from the state of Chihuahua, especially Ciudad Juarez, which has the dubious distinction of being Mexico's most violent city. It would also be a good idea to avoid Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana…
No image
US passport holders should be aware that if they are planning on traveling to China any time in the near future, they'd better be healthy when they leave home! The Chinese government has introduced some pretty strict quarantine measures to try to stem the spread of the H1N1 "swine flu" virus, and international travelers are receiving extra scrutiny. For example, this article in the New York Times tells the story of a mother whose daughter went to China for a…
No image
The Berlin Wall has been down for almost 20 years. However, Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous border crossing between East and West Berlin, is still a major tourist attraction. And, for a fee, you can still get your passport stamped just as you would have if you crossed from East Berlin to West Berlin when the wall was still up. "Souvenir" passport stamps are also available from popular tourist destinations like Machu Picchu. Plus, tiny countries like Liechtenstein and San…
No image
International travel is a lot of fun, but it can also be dangerous. To help keep Americans safe, the Department of State issues travel warnings whenever travel to a particular country becomes dangerous. Here are the top 10 places not to take your US passport. You can find more travel warnings at the Department of State website. Yemen-On the list for terrorist attacks that specifically target Americans. In September of last year, the American Embassy was attacked, and the US…
No image
Recently, the US Department of Stateissued a travel warning for American citizens regarding travel to Mexico. Our neighbor to the south has long been a popular vacation spot for Americans, but some areas of the country have erupted into violence as drug cartels struggle for power over Mexican police forces and each other. The violence has prompted the Department of State to warn US citizens to use caution while traveling in Mexico. Here's an excerpt from the travel warning (for…
