Cancun sits on white beaches between green jungles in Yucatan and blue seas on the Gulf side. The region is caught between two eras, with Mayan ruins and modern, internationally renowned tourist resorts. In 1967 the Mexican government selected Cancun for development, at which time it was a sleepy little fishing village. Now Cancun gets 20% of Mexicos tourism.

Cancun has around twenty all-inclusive resorts. Most all-inclusive resorts provide transport from the airport or other transportation used to arrive, all meals and snacks, alcoholic beverages, taxes and tips, water sports, resort entertainment and offer packages intended for families, honeymoons, adult only, adult oriented, couples and even scuba diving. Cancun tourism is more interested in adult clientele, though it is still family friendly and isnt adult oriented as in rated for adult themes, but instead is simply adult oriented in terms of being more interested in catering to people of the age of majority. Parents may need to deal with less extensive facilities for small children or facilities to entertain teenagers across the street from the hotel.

The Club Med Cancun Yucatan is an all-inclusive resort from a worldwide chain. This organization stresses social interaction between guests and workers, and there are special efforts to entertain children with activities, rather than video games. There are classes for windsurfing, diving and sailing, basic and advanced lessons on water skiing, wakeboarding, tennis and the trapeze, with other subjects and activities available, some for an extra charge such as scuba diving or horseback riding. Group lessons for families can be arranged. There are childrens programs to aid parents dealing with infants on up to teens and tweens. These range from baby-sitting or high chairs on up to little theaters and jewelry making lessons. This is a discovery resort and encourages residents to explore the area. The resorts Discovery Center offers excursions to many attractions in the area. This resort is open in Fall and Winter, and the rooms are designed for two adults, a child and an infant. Larger families may need to book more than one room.

The Grand Oasis Cancun is an all-inclusive resort. This is a large, pyramid tower with 288 rooms and 32 acres of gardens, a kilometer of beach and a quarter mile of interlocking pools. There are nine restaurants. There are daily activities, weekly shows, a golf course, watersports, miniature golf and other childrens activities and a childrens program for those aged 4-12.

The Riu Cancun is an all-inclusive resort belonging to a company with three properties in Cancun, and allows guests to visit the other facilities. The Riu Cancun has 569 rooms and includes a variety of daily events, excursions about the area, three swimming pools and a childrens pool, non-motorized sports, a kids program for 4-12, and classes ranging from Spanish to air rifle marksmanship.

The Avalon Grand Cancun is an all-inclusive resort with 116 guestrooms. There are swimming pools, a spa, fitness center and three restaurants. There are volleyball, aerobics, bingo, Spanish lessons, dance lessons, beach parties and excursions about the area. The Childrens club has activities aimed at the 4-10 age group. There are area excursions and residents can use facilities in other Avalon properties in the area.

The Blue Bay Resort and Spa is an all-inclusive resort with 160 rooms. These are divided into senior rooms and junior rooms, the latter being single rooms with divided areas. There is an 800ft beachfront, excursions about the area and a large swimming pool. There are non-motorized sports, daily activities, nightly entertainment and weekly live shows, sports fields, buffet meals and two specialty restaurants. Guests can upgrade to include room service, a premier menu at the restaurants, discounts for the spa and tours. The Kids club provides supervised activities for ages 5-12, and the first two children under six are free. Any others must pay the normal childrens fee. There have been complaints that the cribs available are not suitable for infants small enough to require them, but old enough to begin efforts to escape.

The Crown Paradise Club is an all-inclusive resort with 364 rooms. There is a water-park, 4 pools, miniature golf, sports, and up to three children under 12 can share their parents room. The Childrens programs are intended to provide for children 18 months of age up to 12, and the resort does not allow spring break style guests.

For lots of information on All Inclusive Resorts in Cancun and other related topics, visit Mexico Explored at www.mexicoexplored.com

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Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places in North America to visit. Located in between California and Nevada, the lake has been dubbed the jewel in the sky and for good reason. When visiting Lake Tahoe you will realize that it is nested up in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, sitting at an elevation of 6,225 feet and having a maximum depth of over 1,645 feet at some points, the shore lines are incredible and very diverse. After reading this, you will be a little more familiar with the characteristics of Lake Tahoe.

The north shore of Lake Tahoe is probably the most neglected. Kings Beach is a little town that brings the most character to the North Shore. If you look hard enough or just ask a few locals, you will discover the best Mexican restaurants in the area tucked away in the side streets. Tahoe City is by far the most popular city in the North Shore, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, especially during the fourth of July and the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Here you will find your common tourist shops selling anything and everything with the name Lake Tahoe on it. A popular place for tourists to gather is the Fanny Bridge, which leads to the west shore of Lake Tahoe. Here you can look over and see hundreds of trout eagerly waiting to be fed.

Once you cross over the Fanny Bridge, you will be on your way to the west shore of Lake Tahoe. The west shore is where you will find some of the biggest houses around, many owned by popular celebrities. If you have seen The Godfather Part Two you would have seen bits and pieces of west shore Lake Tahoe, a lot of the filming was done over there. As you make your way south you will eventually run into a part of the shoreline properly named The Gold Coast. This piece of shoreline is a number one contender for the most beautiful beach on earth. The coast is decorated with a flowing display of gold sand that would make any king envious. Unfortunately, most of the gold coast sands are private property and not shared by some of the richest of the area. Don't worry though because a quick drive south will take you to one of Lake Tahoe's most popular features, Emerald Bay, home of the only island in the lake, Fannette Island. Located on Fannette Island is the "Tea House" which is of the best examples of Scandinavian architecture built in the western hemisphere. The west shore of Lake Tahoe is very beautiful in the spring, summer and fall but beware of the tremendous amounts of snow during the winter. This shore is typically hit the hardest and due to the fact that there is only one road out you may just happen to find yourself stuck and snowed in. Which may not be so bad if you have a pair of skies with you or a snowboard? So if and when you plan a visit to Lake Tahoe, don't forget to visit the north and west shores.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Lake Tahoe

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