Now, if the photo had been of an ordinary matador I might have blown it off. Gold-embroidered jacket, red cape, ballet slippers, sharp sword, ho hum. But a man on horseback, head-to-head with an angry bull?

Next time you're planning a vacation south of the border, chances are the bargain rates you'll see in the travel ads -- one might say: "7 nites in Los Cabos for $750 PPDO incl. air" -- came from a deal cut at Tianguis.

Mazatlan is the place where I've wiggled my toes in the sand, swum in the waves, sampled the restaurants, admired the city lights at night from a friend's house high on a hill and, along the way, made a dozen new friends. And now there's a new way to get there.

An army is invading Mazatlan. Its troopers are architects, painters, carpenters, plumbers and electricians. Their mission: to create a major new tourism attraction by restoring the colonial splendor of dozens of blocks of crumbling, long-neglected buildings running inland from the town's cruise docks.

These stands were decorated with real or paper marigolds, photos, favorite foods and belongings. Each had at least one sugar skull, with the name of the dead written on its forehead.

What I wanted to know was this: How dangerous is Mexico, and how can visitors avoid trouble?

You may have to squint to find these spots on the map -- if they show up at all -- but look for them about half-way down the west coast of Mexico. What's happening there? Playa Espiritu is going to be the country's next tropical Eden.

Ships packed with 49ers often stopped at Mazatlan to let the lads enjoy a little R