Tuesday, June 3, 2008
And In The End.....
It is with a very heavy heart that I make my last entry to the Mexico City Adventure Blog. It has been so easy to love all the people I've met here and I know they have felt it....because another difference between the Mexican and American people is that they express their feelings very openly and often (as I spoke of in my last entry).
The experiences throughout the year have been overwhelming....evidenced by the 4000 photos I accumulated. I will enjoy using these in my classroom next year to show my US students all the beautiful people and places that are so much the real Mexico. The year also gave me an opportunity to appreciate my own Mexican heritage in many different ways.
This is adios to this blog, but not to my new friends in Mexico...para siempre, with a world of thanks for sharing their incredible country with me for the last 10 months!
As life does go on .... I will be heading to South American soon... exploring both Machu Picchu Peru, its surrounding areas and Iguazu Falls Argentina!
I close now with photos from a parade I happened upon during my last bike ride through the centro historico of Mexico City...did I mention there's never a dull moment!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
All Good Things Come to an End
Also, was a breakfast gathering with my yoga group. We celebrated Dia de los Maestros (teacher day) with my yoga teacher at a restaurant and many of our group...just 3 hours. I thought we might be there long enough to order lunch too!
Next, are some photos of a gathering with all our colleagues from the Politecnico Nacional at a wonderful restaurant called 'Fondo del Recuerdo' (a restaurant called Memories! How appropriate). This one went on for about 4 hours. You get the picture that 'eat and run' just doesn't exist in this culture. People here love to get together and be together for as long as possible. It has been a wonderful treat to be able to talk and eat and just get to know each other so well. Hopefully this is a part of the culture I will bring back to the U.S. with me.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Puebla and Cholula
This area is known for the the delicacies of mole, created in a convent here by a nun....dulces, using all kinds of fruits in incredibly creative ways. We also were impressed with a special kind of sandwiches called cemitas...very reasonably priced and quite a substantial meal. On the artist end, this is the home of Talavera, a beautiful style of tile and pottery initially brought from Iran and Iraq to Spain and then over to Mexico. It is displayed on almost every building in some way, inside and out. Even the Burger King bathroom had an impressive display! We all bought registered pieces of Talavera .... my favorite being the blue, white and yellow patterns. The majority of buildings in Puebla also have a baroque, iron and Talvera exterior which lends it to a European feel mixed with the Indigeous mood. With 5k colonial buildings, the turibus was a good way to get around and see the majority of sites at a distance.
We also toured Cholula, about 20 minutes from Puebla. It is known for its churches and pyramid called Tipanica or Chiconahui Quiahuitl...depending on who you're talking to....It holds the distinction of largest foundation in the world 500 meters wide, covering 25 acres and 181 ft. high. We entered it through the underground cave system....wow! Quite impressive but beware if you are claustrophobic. It is now as impressive above ground, given that the Spanish conquistadores made it a habit of covering pre-hispanic sites and building their own Catholic churches. Above the pyramid is the Church of the Virgen of Eternal Redemption.
We were able to see a couple of more churches in Cholula, one being 'baroque-indigenous' style...where there is a unique facade of Indigenous faces and the holy cross and saints, in one of the most opulent displays I've seen here in Mexico. Needless to say I could go on endlessly about these two areas of Mexico. It's one worth spending some time exploring.
Finally, the twin volcanoes of Popcatepetl and Iztaccihuatl are also visible from both Puebla and Cholula on a clear day...which we unfortunately didn't have this visit.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Exploring East Coast
I found the Papanteco people to be a warm, traditional and festive group. In the short time we were there they had a Danzon dance gathering Saturday night and native Totonac dancing and musicians on Sunday all in their Zocolo or park area.
Their claim to fame are the Volador preformers who launch themselves off a pole to the sound of flute music and suspend and descend upside down. Like the American version of bungee jumping but much more beautiful.
The trip to El Tajin was also an educational event. This type of archaeological area is unique in Mexico due to its design and it is quite impressive in size and condition of the structures....which total 15 different buildings. The largest is called Pyramid of the Niches...365 to be exact! One for each day of the year. In it's original state is was painted red and black and some of the color is still visible. It has undergone extensive restoration and was quite a site. Also, different from other areas is that you are not able to climb any of the large structures due to their delicate condition. Just touring around the area was inspirational.
Finally, we took the bus trip to Tecolutla for some fun in the sun....along with a few thousand of the local native people! It was like Waikiki beach, everyone was having fun and the beach vendors provided us with fruit flavored nieves (ice cream), shrimp cocktails, and several other types of fish snacks. Great way to relax and people watch.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
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!
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.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Los Prismas Basalticos
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.