A lot of expatriates in Mexico make use of online banking; some for the convenience, some because it is the only way to transact business with a bank in another country, and some because their bank is pushing them to do so.  There was a story in the news last summer that probably did not attract the attention of many of these users of online banking but should have.

Jalisco Governor Emilio Gonzalez this week defended the 3.5-million-dollar decision to dismantle and then reassemble an historic footbridge crossing the Santiago River at the bottom of the Huentitan Canyon on the northeastern fringe of Guadalajara.

The annual registration refrendo (renewal)  for owners of Mexican-plated cars can be paid at any of 125 state tax collection offices or recaudadoras in Jalisco, on the Internet or in banks and some convenience stores.  The only requirement to make payment is the vehicle’s license plate number and serial number.

Mention that you’re going to Mercado Corona — that riot of honey, clothing, flowers, uncommon fruit such as black capulines and light green arrayanes, steaming food stands and what-not, all peeking out in glorious disarray from a concrete structure two blocks from Guadalajara’s cathedral — and your friends’ reactions may range from, “It’s a nice place to go ... once” to “Horrible!”