A shopping tour in Puebla, a Mexican town two hours southeast of Mexico City known for it’s colonial architecture and history, is being offered by Travel With Us Inc., a two-year old travel agency in Atlanta, during Feb. 3-7.

“Puebla is like being in Spain, with all of the European influence and colonial architecture,” said Soshana Jarrett-Cockrell, owner of the travel agency who spent much of her childhood in Puebla.

      Travel With Us brings groups of 15 people or less to the city, home of the Cinco de Mayo victory over the French in 1862, for shopping, culinary, and walking tours that are decidedly different from a trip to Cancun or Acapulco, said Ms. Jarrett-Cockrell. The company will eventually offer adventure tours featuring whitewater rafting and biking in the region

      “People who come on the tours are most impressed with the colonialism and the way people in Puebla strive to preserve their culture,” she said. “Things are done there in much the same way they were done hundreds of years ago.”

      Other tours to the area include visiting ancient pyramids, ruins, museums and folkloric dance shows. For the shopping tour, Mexico’s low prices are a big attraction, Ms. Jarrett-Cockrell said.

      The upcoming tour is open to interior decorators and importers as well as collectors and tourists who are interested in the region’s art, décor or crafts.

Guests will stay in an eight-room family-run hotel, a former convent. The cost is $1,860 for single occupancy or $3,050 for double occupancy, including airfare and lodging. 

Travel With Us may be reached at (770) 822-9596, or by e-mail at travel_w_us@hotmail.com

A special session on consumer trends affecting global food markets will be held at the International Poultry Exposition on Friday, Jan. 21, from 10-11:45 a.m. at the Georgia World Congress Center.

The session is to be led by Daryl Natz, formerly a communications officer with the Continental Grain Co. for 20 years, and John Freivalds of JFA Inc., an international marketing firm.

      The exposition, the world’s largest showcase of products and services for the poultry industry, will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center Jan. 19-21.

      Sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, the exposition is to draw some 26,000 attendees from more than 100 countries to view the latest products, services and technology for the industry.

      For more information go to www.poultryegg.org or call Sylvia Small at (770) 493-9401 or send a fax to (770) 493-9257.