Shake, Rattle and Roll

My first earthquake! It was Sunday evening and I was talking to my husband on the computer when it hit. The room started to move and it made me feel dizzy, I went outside just to be safe. Nobody seemed concerned , so I stood out for a minute until it was still. Never a dull moment around here! I was told that little earthquakes are good because the ground is letting off steam a little at a time and doesn't do much damage. Below is the report from CNN forwarded to me by my daughter Juliet, who read about it shortly after it happened!

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- A moderate earthquake of 5.8 magnitude struck southwestern Mexico on Sunday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Rafael Abreau of the USGS said there were no reports of damage from the earthquake, which was centered about 54.5 miles (87.7 kilometers) below ground, and about 100 miles (161 kilometers) south-southwest of Mexico City.

Abreau said the USGS had received reports that the earthquake had been felt in the country's capital.

Because of the depth of the earthquake, Abreau said, "we may see some minor damage."

"Yes, it scared us," Julio Lara, 38, a parking attendant in downtown Mexico City told The Associated Press. "It was strong."

The earthquake struck at 7:06 p.m. local time (8:06 p.m. ET).

Mexican Hospitality and Cooking Lesson!

A colleague of ours from the Polytecnico invited us to her family's 'casa de campo' in Tepoztlán this Saturday. It has been in her family since 1936. Belen and her mother and father hosted several of the teachers and our coordination Edith offered us a cooking lesson, which I was able to video tape.












First the house, it has been totally decorated by Belen's mother with a unique collection of Mexican art work. The pottery collections were incredible as well as a variety of other genres.

On the menu were two types of chicken enchiladas with mole...poblano and negro. Edith is quite skillful in the kitchen and I think the video will be a wonderful experience for my students in the states to see when I return! She also showed us how to make agua de jamaica - aguas are made from flowers and plant leaves very much like a tea.

We also took a walk around the town of and enjoyed one of the most beautiful ice cream parlors in Mexico which serves Tepoznieves....every fruit flavor imaginable with a variety of other ingredients.












The day was a wonderful experience spent with such a beautiful Mexican family in an authentic Mexican environment.

Los Prismas Basalticos

Hidden beauty...is certainly abundant in this country. Los Prismas Basalticos is a rare find located outside the town of Pachuca about 1.5 hours northeast of the D.F. The nearest town is actually Huasca de Ocampo in the state of Hidalgo. My Mexican colleague, Hilaria suggested we visit this rare natural exhibit one Sunday afternoon. I would suggest a car if you have one at your disposal. Usually we are able to conveniently maneuver our way around the country, but this area being out of the way is easier by auto. It took us 3 connections from bus to bus to taxi to reach the Prismas. The last combi bus being a real white knuckle ride over a mountain pass with lots of curves to add a little excitement until we arrived at Huasca.

The Prismas are a unique area with cascading water flowing from rock formations that look man made. The rock is cylinder shaped like long, round pieces of pipe. You can climb down into a small canyon and view the falls from all different angles. There is also a rope bridge crossing the canyon and river that is like something out of Raiders of the Lost Arc. We sat and just enjoyed the nature of this area, overwhelmed by the energy of the sound of the falls and the clean fresh air surrounding us. Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Cardinal Sin - Forgetting Camera

Another beautiful week-end in the D.F. Perfect for bicycle touring. My $60.00 bicycle has been a wonderful investment to get me around. It is a 1/2 hour ride to the Centro Historico from my apartment. Good way to stay in shape mentally and physically.

Saturday was a ride to the Franz Meyer Museum. For this one I had my camera....so I'll include a few of those. The museum is situated in a building with quite a history dating to the 1582 when it was a hospital, then given to an order of nuns. After a few modifications it now houses the eclectic collection of art donated by Franz Meyer, a expat German who amassed a fortune in Mexico and decided to give back by leaving his collection to the Mexican people. It includes:
1. ceramics 2. silver 3. furniture 4. textiles 5. sculpture 6. paintings
My favorite being the ceramic collection of talavera.

Never forget your camera when venturing out into the D.F. This is the rule I've lived by for the past 10 months ... guess it was time for a slip. On the Reforma Avenue where they close the streets to auto traffic for the people on Sunday's, you are able to tour leisurely, by bike in my case. There was a wonderful collection of sidewalk ceramic chile pepper artwork ... celebrating the chile pepper of course. A staple in food here, but leave it to the Mexican artisans to create with it as well. There were about a dozen huge chiles decorated with different themes and each quite unique. I will try to get back by there with camera..asap.

Next, was a visit to the Museo de Arte Moderno, one of the many museums in Chapultepec Park. It is one of the few that has eluded my visit, for different reasons. It now stands as one of my favorites! Another eclectic collection of Mexican artwork...with everything from Cubisism to wood sculptures. It has a courtyard full of metal sculptures where you can relax and enjoy the scenery. Very impressive was: Vendedora de Frutas - a huge oil drawing on cloth depicting a woman selling every type of fruit imaginable. It needs a key for identification though!