And In The End.....

"and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make" Lennon/McCartney

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!

All Good Things Come to an End

As I enter my last couple of weeks of my Fulbright Exchange, I have tried to spend more time with the people that I've met here. My students, colleagues, and friends. We have had "hasta luego" (see you later...easier than good-bye, which usually results in a big lump in my throat and tears) parties galore. I've never been so aware of the generous hospitality and love that the Mexican people readily give, as this past week. First, a dance recital one of my students asked me to attend....Areli, a beautiful ballerina and great English student too. Next, are photos of a 'cena' (dinner party) given in my honor, by a student and her family. It lasted 6 hours.....just enjoying the conversation, food (carnitas made by her dad) and music with kareoke, as her brother played beautiful guitar and we sang popular Mexican and American songs.






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.

Puebla and Cholula

Puebla is a city that has been known by many names. i.e. City of Los Angeles, City of Zaragoza or just simply Puebla. A city of 2million and about 5k colonial buildings, it is on the historial registry. My colleagues Nancy and Brend and I spent 3 days exploring, eating and shopping our way through this marvelous area.

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.

Exploring East Coast

Cinco de mayo celebration here in Mexico afforded us another long week-end for touring. Hilaria, Alex and I were off to Papantla, Tecolutla, and El Tajin...all in the state of Veracruz. It also enabled me to learn quite a bit about an Indian group called the Totonacs. They have roots from the AD 100 to present day....they are know for their agricultural skills, especially growing vanilla. In fact, in June there is a whole festival dedicated to the vanilla crop and you can take tours of their plantations. Their language of Totonac is still spoken and taught in some of the schools. The town of Papantla is small and quaint with a couple of Catholic churches that lack the opulence I've previously seen in Mexico, more of a simple beauty.









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.

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!

Flash Back to the 60's -Tepoztlán

Tepoztlán - reminded me of a small hippie community from the 60's. This village is to the south of the D.F. about an hour. All the streets are cobblestone and a bit hard on the ankles and feet...but add to the appeal of this charming town.It is known to be an escape for the wealthy city dwellers of Mexico City on week-ends and there are some beautiful homes on the mountains behind gated walls.

On all the streets you will find holistic types of food and miscellaneous products for sale (massage for $5.00/15min) My favorite were the tamales made from plums without any lard...which is usually a common ingredient in tamales. I also tried their diabetic cookies made from all kinds of nuts and grains...delicious!

The main attraction to this village other than its ambiance, is the climb up a steep rocky trail to the pyramid of Tepozteco... a remnant of a pyramid. The top is supposedly an area of healing and spiritual rejuvenation, with an impressive view of the town below and a killer view of the Sierra of Tepozteco. My companions on this trip were two ex-Fulbright teachers from Mexico, Alex and Hilaria. Lovely way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Shop til You Drop - Oaxaca City

Just kidding, but the city is definitely my favorite for artesanias...the rich colors and designs are very unique. I bought several pieces of the black pottery they are know for, 3 Huipiles ( a very comfortable tunic type blouse), a purse, a richly embroidered blouse, Oaxaca cheese and chocolate ... you get the idea.

This area has much more than shopping to offer though. I met my fellow Fulbright colleague Nancy King and we toured relentlessly for 3 days. This included a trip to Monte Alban the 1500 year old Zapotecan ruins right outside the city, also popping in and out of several 15th century churches beautifully decorated for the Easter week that it was, seeing the beautiful Santo Domingo church ( a real jaw dropper) complete with a very historical convent next door, visiting El Tule-a 2,000 year old tree, and ate some unusual food dishes known to this area, such as chapulinas (crickets cooked in oil and onions).

Visiting the churches during this time is a real treat given the Catholic heritage that prevails in Mexico. The scents of Easter lilies on all the alters was wonderful. It was a very festive time indeed. There was non-stop celebration with music, balloons, lots of tourists and just a feeling of joy in the air.

In the convent there were many exhibits of value including a list of the 15 Indian groups out of the 56 known in Mexico that exist in the state of Oaxaca. Pluralism is overwhelming with women walking around wearing their native clothing regularly. One tribe that was mentioned in the museum and lives in a small town named Santiago Zochilo outside Oaxaca City , still practices something called El Tequio. "El Tequio es unidad que se une el pueblo". Translation is they work together to feed the entire village, growing crops, cooking and everything else. Beautiful concept.

I definitely suggest a trip to Oaxaca City! If I were going to redecorate my house this would be my 1st choice for purchases......

Visiting the Tropics

It's Spring break! First trip was to the tropics or Cozumel Mexico. It is a small island in the state of Quintana Roo...furthest point south in Mexico. It is known internationally for it's high quality scuba diving on the Palancar reef and others..which are like a whole other world below the ocean. The Caribbean waters are beautiful colors of turquoise, azure and whatever color of blue you can think of. Another claim to fame it has are the non-stop arrivals of cruise ships. Every day at least four were in port except for Sunday....everyone relaxes on that day. We enjoyed unlimited shore diving in front of our hotel, I went on 2 boat dives while Brian, my husband went on a four.

We toured the island in a car one day..this consists of one main road which encircles the island in about 30 miles. The eastern side of the island is the windy side with big waves which attract surfers. The primary mode of transport on this beautiful island is scooters... I think I could live here.