MARVELOUS MEXICO
As we have previously mentioned, most things here at our winter home have become routine to us even though we are living outside the United States. But they still hold a lot of charm, especially for those who have not ventured far from home. Nothing wrong with home; not everyone has the same wanderlust. We find it important to try to be attuned to the local culture and not impose – particularly patronizingly – our ways and values from north of the border. And we think we have done a decent job of fitting in thus far. Although we are proud to be U.S. citizens, we do not have a monopoly on what is right or good. Every culture and peoples have something valuable to offer. In this vein Mrs. T has a few vignettes of our life here.
Mexicans love their holidays and find almost every opportunity to have a parade and celebrate. Often we have just stumbled upon an event; we are not as plugged into the news as we would like. Many times special activities happen on Sundays as happened with two of these stories. As we do not normally take cameras to church, we do not have pictures for those episodes.
REVOLUTION DAY
As I watch Luche Libre, I think it might be a good metaphor for Mexico. Full of color, passion, and movement, the spectators excited, involved – and yet no one really takes most of it seriously. One of the things I really love about Mexico and Mexicans is the sense of humor. Somehow I cannot imagine a wrestler in the U.S. wearing bright pink tights with a big purple heart across the rear. (On the other hand, Mrs.T is not a devotee of professional wrestling. –dt)
Which brings me to the parade. After mass we encountered a parade down the lateral that parallels the highway. It had already gone down several streets. The parade celebrated the revolution of the campesinos which put Francesco I. Madero in power. (There are several Maderos in Mexico's history. –dt) There were bands and a queen throwing candy. There were several children's groups of various kinds. Our favorite part of the parade was near the end. A troop of little boys about 7 – 8 years old were decked out neatly in identical army uniforms. Most of them had magnificent mustaches drawn on by eyebrow pencil and military hats made of construction paper. They carried homemade mortars made of coffee cans fastened together and painted black. How cute we thought. The next group was a squad of campasinos of about the same age. They had big sombreros and had bandoleers crossed on their chests. Of course they too had mustaches and mortars. There were some girls with them wearing big colorful skirts. The girls had bandoleers and mortars too – but no mustaches; you might think it odd I mention that but you will understand if you have ever seen many pictures, especially self-portraits, of Frida Kahlo. (http://www.reproduction-gallery.com/oil_painting/details/copy_artist/1022580036/masterpiece/Frida_Kahlo/museum_quality/Self_Portrait_with_Deigo_on_the_Breast_1953.xhtml -dt) Just as they got to where we were standing the kids started letting off firecrackers in their mortars making an impressive noise. At first I did not understand but both some soldiers and campesinos began to fall down. "They are fighting a battle," Dan said. That explained why kids held their stomachs and made horrible faces as they fell. They may have been crying and groaning too but I if so I could not hear it for the noise of the 'mortars'. The battle went on for a few minutes with heavy bombardment and serious losses on both sides. Finally we saw a small hand among the soldiers waving a white handkerchief. The battle was over and the campisenos were victorious!!
VOTING
We knew elections were coming up. There were the usual ads on television. And the day after Thanksgiving we had seen quite a parade extolling the virtues of voting 'Green'. But it was not a national election and we did not pay much attention. When we arrived at church for Sunday mass – the week after the 'revolution' – we knew something special was happening. There was more than the usual number of food vendor carts all around the square and other folks selling knick knacks. People were milling about and a few musicians were playing. We did not understand what was happening but there was a long line snaking around the plaza in the hot sun. "What are all these people doing?" I asked a nun who was at her table selling rosaries and such. "They are voting," she replied. (The nuns are there every Sunday; they are Sisters for the Perpetual Evangelization of the Holy Eucharist – or something like that. They perform valuable community service. –dt)
BIRDS
One morning I awoke to a cacophony of shrieks, hoots, screams, and whistles. It sounded as if every bird in Mexico had taken up residence outside our window. Not only that, but they all were complaining about it. It did not seem possible to me that all those different birds could be in the same place. When I peeked out the window I discovered I was right.
There was a good sized flock of Mexican black birds perched on the two palm trees near our window. These birds are clever mimics. They were going through their entire repertoire of other bird calls. Whether this was some kind of bird version of our talent 'reality' contests or what exactly the point was I never did figure out. Mexican birds do not seem to be as musical as the birds I am familiar with up north but they certainly are enthusiastic.
COOLING DOWN
The weather here has varied from hot to balmy. If I get hot, I sometimes jump into the pool to cool off. (Mrs.T frequently is hot due to hormonal issues common to women of a certain age. -dt) One day I was pretty hot so I stayed in the pool a long time just peacefully floating on my back thinking of nothing in particular. When I looked up I saw two vultures circling high above me. As I seemed to detect them considering me thoughtfully, I decided it was time for me to get out and dry off. I hope we get solar heating installed soon because as winter comes – even in tropical Mexico – the pool becomes more and more refreshing, so to speak.
CONSTRUCTION
There is new building construction happening on both sides of our condo complex. One building is another set of five new condominiums, one to a floor. I am not sure what the other building is going to be. The buildings are six and four floors and tower over our two story building. The lot where the burro occasionally grazed will be gone. The new buildings will take part of the sky and we will no longer see as much of the sun or stars. I suppose whenever you live in a town the sky is not yours to own. Sigh…. Mexican building construction methods are not what we are familiar with. There is one particularly nice thing however – the workers sing as they build.
We also have a major street repair project going on in Bucerias now. They are relaying the cobblestones. The official title of this project is 'Fewer Bumps.' Note that is fewer bumps, not no bumps – truth in advertising I suppose. Actually the cobblestones are fairly smooth in the sections they have completed. Dan and I hope they do not run out of either rocks or enthusiasm before they get to our street because we have quite a few fairly significant bumps and potholes on Francesco I Madero.
Some construction pictures; self-explanatory: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9151458@N07/sets/72157628337193587/
Hope you are enjoying the beginning of winter.
Dan and Rebecca
www.casa-de-terrible.blogspot.com
