San Sebastian... and The Curse of the Sunken Mine

Nestled within the lush, mountain region of the Sierra Madres exists one of Mexico's most tranquil, magical hideaways. A mere 70-minute drive from Puerto Vallarta, but it takes the traveller four centuries back in time, deep into Mexico's colourful colonial past. Nestled in the folds of mist-wreathed mountains, the former gold and silver mining town is a living museum of the 16th-century invasion of Mexico by the Spanish conquistadors who uprooted an ancient Indian civilization. It's a simple enough matter to hire a guide and a mule in this town and go riding off in search of buried treasure in the caves of the Sierra Madre mountains - but you had better beware of The Curse of the Sunken Mine. http://vallarta-info.com/sansebasti.html

Riviera Nayarit locals saving Olive Ridley sea turtle

You may not know it, but buried beneath a many Nayarit beaches are many turtles' nests that will hatch into thousands of tortugitas headed for the sea. Marine turtle specialists say there has been a 50% reduction in their population world-wide, due to egg poaching and the killing of nesting adults. The nests are robbed by "heuveros", people who steal turtle eggs and sell them for a couple of pesos each. They are marketed as hangover cures and aphrodisiacs. Many locals don't even realize Olive Ridley sea turtles are indigenous to the area. Now groups of local residents are trying to stop and reverse the local turtle population decline to almost elimination. Last year in Sayulita, the 130 nests were saved, with 12,000 turtles released. The incubation period is about 55 days, and the hatching occurs in September/October. In nature, only 1% of those live to adulthood. But when the eggs are protected, that rate can jump to more than 90%. Locals comb the beach for nests at this time of year, carefully dig them up and re-locate them to safety. At hatching time, volunteers help the turtles at the bottom of the nests (there can be 100-plus eggs per nest) to get out. The release, which takes place at sunset is always popular and draws both locals and visitors.http://grupoecologicolitibu.blogspot.com/