Our Year In Mexico

Chiapas

2009-06-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Chiapas

We met Will, Naomi’s brother, in Chiapas, on his way back from Nicaragua, where he studied Spanish in a mountain village. Chiapas is a gorgeous state in the south of Mexico. We met in San Cristobal, which is a beautiful colonial city surrounded by green mountain peaks.

Our hotel's courtyard

In the afternoons it stormed, and we joyfully welcomed the rain, because it had been very hot and dry in Querétaro.

Our second day we arose early for a tour of Palenque the Mayan ruins in the jungle. On the way there we stopped at Agua Azul, a stunning series of falls of the most beautiful blue water.

When we arrived we took photos and enjoyed the scenery.

At the last minute it got hot, and we decided to swim in a still pool. It was the perfect temperature, cool and refreshing, but not cold.

We continued on to the next waterfall, which apparently was the one Arnold jumped off in Predator. It was out of season, so the waterfall itself was not so impressive, but we were able to go behind the waterfall into a cave with another waterfall inside, which was also not so impressive.

When we got to Palenque it was HOT.

It is a huge site, and we wandered around trying to find cooler, shady paths from one place to the next. The views from the tops of temples were incredible.

The most exciting part was going inside the center ruin. We went through underground passages and could almost imagine a different time.

There were beautiful plants and trees, including the flamboya tree, which was pretty flamboyant with its bright orange blossoms.

We had been warned not to make the 4 hour journey through the curvy mountain roads twice in one day, however, the tours are set up like that, and if you don’t come back the same day, it’s up to you to find your own way back. Plus, we wanted to enjoy San Cristobal more. Luckily, on the way back we were in more of a bus than a van, and it was dark, so the carsickness was not an issue anymore.
The next day we went to market day in the Mayan village of Chamula. On our way we saw a parade with impressive costumes.

We asked why the clowns were made to look so fat, and were told, “that’s the way it is here.” We have very few photos of Chamula, because it is disrespectful to take photos of the people and their beautiful traditional dress. Most men wore white, including fur vests, and the women had incredible blue and purple woven shawls and black fur skirts. The centerpiece of the village is a large white church with blue and green trim full of symbolism of the four directions, earth, air, etc.

The joining of indigenous culture with Catholic was clearly visible inside and out. We bought tickets to go in the church, (again no pictures because of the belief that the camera takes ones soul), and all the pews were pushed to the side. The floor was covered with aromatic pine needles, and everywhere you looked there were candles lit, on the floor, in front of shrines to saints, on altars. People were sitting in small groups on the floor, chanting, with bottles of soda near them. Traditions have melded, and it is believed that drinking the soda, in conjunction with prayer will get rid of bad spirits. Sometimes eggs are used, and in the most severe cases, a chicken is sacrificed. We didn’t see any chickens.

A lot of things were still closed because of the flu scare, so we missed the jungle zoo with endangered species in Tuxtla.

Will came back to Querétaro with us, and we got back into the swing of our normal life… briefly. Two things happened that shifted things for us significantly:
1. Naomi got a bacteria in her gut (origin unknown, since she and Will ate all the same things) that set her back for a week, and then it took another week to regain her energy.
2. At the same time, we discovered we did not have water at our house. Not such a good combination. Will and Jose were heroic in their care of Naomi, as well as their determination to figure out the water situation. Oddly, the water situation took a full 2.5 weeks to be resolved. In the meantime, we decided to move on. We easily found a small colonial house closer to the center, and packed our possessions. Our dear friend Barry, who was on his way out of town, offered us his home, right in the center. This was the biggest blessing of all; we were able to relax and recuperate, with the comforts of water, a breezy house, and beautiful views. It was healing to wake up to views of church domes.

Mask Mania

2009-05-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Masks Sold Out

On Wednesday night, at our weekly Scrabble game, my friend Renata and I started talking about an idea we’d both had… to decorate the ubiquitous flu masks. We decided that it was now or never. So Thursday morning I got up to go to my 7.30 yoga class and went directly to her place to get started on our adventure. We knew that masks were in short supply, so we contacted Renata’s friend who has a medical supply business. Turned out she was in Mexico City, but she made several recommendations, so we headed to various locations.

At one medical supply place they said they would have more after 5pm. So back to our original idea: sew the masks. We went exploring and found that we were not the only ones who had the idea to make masks… in the fabric store there were tons of people buying the fabric. And the elastic was sold out!

But we eventually found some and set up shop at our friend Rosemary’s place. We created an assembly line for cutting, sewing, threading the elastic through the sides and then ironing on our images.

A little before six we ran out of elastic. I trekked over to the medical supply store and was told, “10 masks per customer.” So we sent friends over to get more. I also went to get more elastic at a little shop where the news was blaring, “wash hands frequently. Wear masks. Avoid crowds…” I asked the shopkeeper what he thought of all the news and he said he hasn’t seen the media go quite so loco since “the Twin Towers.”

When I got back we finished as many as we could with the supplies we had. Exhausted, we decided it was time to close up shop and go to the square to sell our wares. We listened to Cuban music, chatted with friends and sold masks.

Laura with Scream

Renata with Virgen de Guadalupe

Early Thursday morning we made more masks. They are for sale in Renata’s shop the Quinto Real
http://www.quintoreal.com.mx/

And I have some masks here with us in San Miguel, where we are visiting our friends and having a relaxing weekend. The calm after the storm of mask making.

More masks below

Renata's daughter with Speak No Evil Monkey

Renata with Funky Pirate Smiley Face

Renata with Porky Pig

Naomi with pig snout

Naomi with moustache

Holy Week

2009-04-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

My mom’s cousin Dan came to visit for Holy Week.

Dan at the local juice bar.

The beautiful view of the aquaduct arches.

We went to our friends' for a piñata party

On Good Friday, we headed out to watch people walk the Stations of the Cross on various routes throughout the city center.

People had set up stations outside their homes and there were refreshments offered at the end.

The procession up near Iglesia de la Cruz was the most intense: costumes, nuns, effigies of Christ and Mary, representations of the holy shroud...

In the evening we walked to be near the beginning of the route of the Procession of Silence. This was the most incredible experience. Silence. The hour-long procession began with garbage collectors. At first I was confused by this, but later it made a lot of sense.
Garbage Collectors clearing the way for the Procession of Silence

Then came the police and the Masters of Ceremony,

then the angels and the women in costume.

Then came hooded (in every color you can imagine!) men and children carrying crosses and large, heavy, bloody representations of Christ

Women dressed in black

People BAREFOOT carrying extremely heavy crosses (then it was clear WHY a clean up crew was so necessary!), dragging heavy chains attached to their ankles.

Walking with the hooded, barefoot, chained cross carriers, were people whose job it was to help them transfer the unwieldy crosses and effigies from one shoulder to another.

And to pick up stray stones and fragments that could cause serious damage to tender feet with lots of weight on them!

Onlookers, including children, sometimes leapt out to move dangerous objects that had been kicked up by the dragging chains.

It took over an hour for the entire procession to pass by our spot. They continued to parade through the center for at least 4 hours!

And the procession ended with another clean up crew.

The Holy Week Market. The devils have fireworks attached to them and are set off on Glory Saturday.

The next day my cousin Dan and I headed out on a whirlwind tour of the 5 Silver Cities: San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Guanjuato, San Miguel de Allende, and back to Querétaro.

We had lunch in San Luis Potosí, which was built on a much grander scale than Querétaro.

Then we drove to the city of Zacatecas, which lies in a narrow valley and is incredibly stunning. This year the Cultural Festival coincided with Holy Week, so it was a lively weekend with lots of live music, theater, street markets and people from all over Mexico. But hardly any foreign tourists.

We had dinner at an amazing restaurant in a hotel that is a renovated bullring! You can see in this picture that the restaurant is multi-leveled and used to be seating for spectators.

We were fortunate that there was a family party right below us and they had hired musicians… so we were serenaded for the entire meal.

There is a stunning rock formation above the city called La Bufa, which is apparently from a word for wineskin.

On Easter Sunday we climbed up to the Bufa and had amazing views. It was lovely to be outside so much.

Incredible stone work

At the top of the mountain I met an eight year old girl who was on her own selling handmade
beaded bracelets and necklaces. I noticed her sitting alone studying and started to talk with her.
It turns out she is from the state of Querétaro, from an indigenous pueblo called Amealco. Despite my feelings about her climbing the mountain alone and spending the whole day alone in a semi-isolated spot, and child labor in general, I decided to buy a couple bracelets from her. She told me it took a day to bead them.

Check out the HUGE bag of Cheetos the scouts have in this pic!

An homage to my husband JOSE

The churchyard at the top of the mountain, with la Bufa behind.

I decided to take the Swiss-built cable car across the valley for views of the city.

Everyone waiting in line was entertained by clowns.

I had a great time taking pics as I wandered around town.

Easter Sunday soccer in the square where concerts were held

The theater

The cathedral

The amazing hotel next to ours… we walked through as often as possible. And had breakfast there!

Evening view from my hotel room

Morning coffee in a courtyard

We stopped for lunch in Jerez, the hometown of my friend Marcela’s parents! (Thanks Marcela for the great tip!) It is a beautiful town and there was a lot of activity: a mass in honor of migrants, the crowning of beauty queens,

and a music festival.

Next, we arrived in Guanajuato, which like Zacatecas is in a narrow valley… so narrow that burros are used to carry goods up the tiny winding streets.

We stayed in an amazing hotel

And I stayed up late to enjoy the sauna.

Breakfast on the roof

The first time I went to Guanajuato, last fall, I didn’t experience the tunnels. This time Dan and I explored the winding passages that used to be river (it has since been diverted to avoid flooding).

stairs down to the tunnels

Everyone seemed to be on a mission to get Guanajuato looking its best

Aaaaahhhh, the colors!

And then we lunched in San Miguel de Allende on our way back to Querétaro and saw some amazing murals

And the exhibit of my colleague Angelina Perez (actually my Fulbright application was to work with her, and even though we don’t live close enough for me to work with her regularly, I did take a series of workshops with her).

We arrived back in Querétaro exhausted and amazed that in 4 days we toured Central Mexico and hit all 5 Silver Cities!

Xalapa, Chachalacas, Veracruz

2009-04-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

Xalapa, Chachalacas y Veracruz

Missy came to Querétaro to join us on our trip to the State of Veracruz to visit Katie and Martie. Colleen and Becca made the trek from Mexico City for the weekend of fun. We journeyed through the Great Salt Lake of Mexico to the city of Xalapa, and watched the landscape change drastically from dust storms to lush green.

There’s only one road into Xalapa and there was major construction, so we were stuck for at least 45 minutes up in the mountains.

Vendors took advantage of the traffic jam and we were offered cookies in the shape of pigs, pound cakes, lollipops and loose cigarettes.

We finally arrived in Xalapa and went to our friend Martie’s art opening, which was specially designed to attract the general public, who don’t usually make it to galleries. Martie and her assistant created artesanal paper and constructed a map of Xalapa with photos of some of the many, many taxi drivers who crawl through the streets.

Afterwards we went to a restaurant with live performance. We were initially told that they had no room, since we hadn’t made reservations. But then we were seated at the stage!

The dancers were incredible and the guitarist was mind-blowing. We discovered after the show that the dancers had started taking lessons about a year and a half ago. Check out this video of the show:

I don’t know what this means, but it made me think of my dad, the Manchurian expert:

Saturday morning we headed out to Coatepec, a beautiful colonial town that is now a nice suburb of Xalapa, for a papermaking workshop with Martie. It was held in the courtyard of a beautiful building with a signal tower.

We were told that there was a system of signal towers extending to the coast, so that when ships used to arrive in the port, people could head for the city of Veracruz with their coffee beans and other goods.

We each got to make several different kinds of paper using:
Cooked down local fibers
Recycled cotton fibers
And a version of Japanese thin paper using cooked down nopal (cactus)

Then we visited the nearby home of fellow Fulbrighters:

And had delicious paella and risotto at a nearby restaurant. The Spanish mainland influence was strong.

On Sunday we headed to the coast to enjoy seafood and walk along the beach in Chachalacas (which was recommended to us by our taxi driver the day before). The restaurants were built right up to the beach.

We had delicious fish and shrimp, and marveled at the toothless shark.

As we were serenaded by a local musician, who sang of being a pirate from Veracruz (Katie, our music expert, had requested that he sing “Veracruzano”).

The beach was very casual.

We walked for kms.

And sometimes had to avoid ATVs and dune buggies that were headed for the dunes.

As we drove to the port city of Veracruz, we saw lots of sugar cane and smelled the fields burning.

Veracruz the city was rocking. It is a major port that calls itself the oldest city in the Americas.

It has the feel of the Carribbean and was super lively on a Sunday night.

We saw dancers performing, and later musicians playing the complicated beats for the local danzon. The audience carefully stepped to the rhythm that was anything but straightforward. Katie informed us that first you count to 11 and then to 13, or something like that. It was beautiful to watch.

The music was interrupted (the musicians and dancers paused and patiently waited) by a parade that looked like Mardi Gras, yet it was a week before Palm Sunday. Katie and I asked some of the performers what the occasion was, and were informed that it was in honor of the president of the Carnaval committee.

The following morning we saw the Navy Band headed out for their Monday morning parade.

And then we went to breakfast at the landmark Gran Café de la Parroquia, where they clang a spoon against the glass as they bring the coffee to your table.

They have an incredible 1920’s coffee maker from Italy. I had eggs, beans and fried plantains to continue the Carribbean theme.

The First 2 Months of 2009

2009-03-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

JOSE
It’s been awhile since we last blogged, so I’ll give you a brief summary of the past 2 months. Since returning from the holidays we’ve been working with the government and the mental health institutions here in Q-town to set up a domestic violence couples group called JUNTOS. It’s been a lot of work coordinating with all the therapists and locales and I’m excited to say that we have six different sites up and running, servicing approximately 40 couples.

We had our first visitors Eric and Danielle who were great to have. Will arrived shortly after they left and stayed about a month. Naomi, Will and I have also been traveling locally and getting to know a bit of our surroundings.

We got to visit El Geiser a hot spring on the border of Hidalgo.

We also got to climb the second largest monolith in the world (4th tallest) called the peña in Bernal.

This small town attracts people from all over the world and they say the people who reside there live to be 100.

For my birthday we went to visit with our good friends Josh and Missy in Guadalajara.

We celebrated by going to Lucha Libre and pounding back Josh’s amazing pizza. The man can cook!

The last few weeks I’ve been preparing for my mid-term evaluation for the Fulbright and Naomi, Will and myself hauled ourselves down to Mexico City for a the mid term and little fun with friends. My presentation went off with out a hitch. The Fulbright commission put us up in the same fancy hotel we stayed in for our orientation. The “Museo de Arte Popular” was a hit with Will.

We almost lost him to a few devils at the museum.

We were also hosted by Tim who was gracious enough to let us stay in his pad and got to meet his friends Jen and Warren who are amazing and hopefully we’ll get them to come up to Q-town for a visit.

We also got to spend some time with a really sweet friend of ours Yamel and her partner Coy.

After 5 days of fun and mid-terms we’re ready to head back.

NAOMI
Traveling on the bus….
We’re on our way home from Mexico City, where we reunited with the Fulbright crew. It was really incredible to see people again, and see their midterm presentations.

The variety of topics and projects was impressive, including: studies of artists and writers, multiple lenses on migration (for example, how it affects education when kids move back and forth between the US and Mexico, migrants on their way to US from Central America who impact and are impacted by Mexico, Americans living in Mexico, and indigenous families who move to cities to find work), artistic endeavors (the amazing photo journalism of Josh Meltzer, Black Feminist Performance Art, modern dance, a story project, print and papermaking, la musica and poetry combat), language instruction and developing programs to validate and measure fluency in indigenous languages, rainfall in the Sonoran Desert and how weather patterns are shifting, transportation and carbon emissions issues in Mexico, public policy to address drug trafficking, explorations of health insurance in Mexico, studies of lizards and tree fruits, and of course Jose’s fabulous short documentary video of his work here.

I was inspired and provoked by the many different ways of approaching and interacting with Mexico. It is easy to get caught up in our particular situation, our projects and our ways of being. It is always good for me to be reminded of the myriad of possibilities available in life.
We also got to laugh a lot and visit with friends. All of this came at just the right time. Since the holidays things have gotten very, very busy, which meant that it was a relief to go to a hotel and be social for a while!
Right before heading off to Mexico we finished our second draft of an article for a special edition Art Therapy journal, that is being jointly published by Ibero-Americana Universidad of Mexico City and Loyola Marymount University of Los Angeles.
We also had our 4th supervision for the therapists involved in our new project JUNTOS.

You may remember that we attended a training on Group Couples Therapy to address Domestic Violence. We have been involved in adapting this program for the state government where we live. So far, groups have met 2 or 3 of the 18 weeks, in 6 locations around the state. It is pretty amazing how quickly things can happen here!
My brother Will was with us for about a month, and got to join us in D.F. (Mexico City) on his way to study Spanish in Nicaragua. We had a great time hanging out with many friends, and one of the highlights was our journey to the southern part of D.F. where there are canals. Long ago, the Aztecs anchored rafts in a lake and planted fruits and vegetables on top. Now, the rafts are islands topped with nurseries and everything visitors might need on an afternoon boatride.

We hired a driver, who used a long stick much like the Gondolier pushers in Venice, and we took off down the canal at an unheard of pace, crashing into other boats as we moved along! Smaller boats sidled up next to us to offer freshly cooked elote (corn on the cob, or in a cup, slathered with your choice of toppings: lime, chile, mayonnaise…), quesadillas, cervezas, flowers, whatever our hearts desired.

We made pitstops to pick up other friends, use one of the many toilets available for a small fee (but the largest I’ve ever seen in Mexico… about 30 cents!), and to get ice cream! Meanwhile, there are boats of mariachis who perform,

and we saw more performers at Quinceneras and weddings along the shores. There was also an amazing dancer on the shore, who might have been a little off balance, but was great fun to watch.

There was a traffic jam that was caused by a low hanging electrical wire that got caught on the Name Facades on top of two of the boats. One driver jumped up and down to detangle the wire from his boat, while on the shore a man used a broom to try to lift the wire our of harm’s way. It was easy to imagine that that happens many times a day, and difficult to understand why it wasn’t hung higher…

Another highlight was an impromptu jam session with 2 talented musician friends at a small gathering.
Now that we have completed midterms it feels like we have limited time to travel around and visit all the people we know and explore the many places we haven’t yet seen! We also have more projects going on now in Queretaro. Vamos a ver!

Will and I had the pleasure to go to the land of Monarch Butterflies in the state of Michoacan. The butterflies come down in November from as far north as Canada and winter in the mountain reserve until mid-March.

It was a little overcast by the time we got to the top of the mountain, so we didn’t see millions of butterflies flitting about, but we saw them huddled together in the trees

and saw and heard thousands of butterflies. That’s right, heard. Who knew? The sound of the butterflies’ wings flapping was an amazing noise to behold. Will likened it to a gentle rain. We had a great time following our guide up the hill… he was very comfortable with the altitude as we climbed from nearly 9,000 to 12,000 feet! We also supported the locals by buying delicious blackberries and avocadoes.

On our way out of the nearby small town we had the weirdest experience. We came up to a corner and noticed the sign:

At the same moment we heard John Lennon singing on Will’s iPod. He says he doesn’t have much John Lennon music on there. Synchronicity.
We also saw a bus trying to make its way out of a tight situation.

Happy New Year 2009

2009-01-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Una Fiesta, Un Congreso y La Biblioteca

2008-11-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

JOSE:

A few weekends ago, Naomi and I attended the XI Congreso Nacional de Terapia Familiar (National Conference of Family Therapy) in Querétaro. Flocks of family therapists from Mexico City and other cities in Mexico, came to listen to over 150 speakers and attend dozens of workshops ranging from "Pseudoencopresis" to "Art Therapy."

Ana Laura Treviño and Beth Rosenblatt presented at the conference and it was amazing to watch two colleagues as well as friends passionately deliver an amazing perspective on Art Therapy. Naomi and I attended this workshop and a Dance Therapy demonstration.

Ana Laura and Beth

Art Therapy Workshop

That first evening, El Congreso treated us to some yummy canapés (finger foods) and champagne at El Museo de Arte about 5 blocks from where we live. The building was amazing. It demonstrated the fine colonial architecture that is commonly found through out Querétaro. We met Yamel a psychotherapist from Mexico city who is also involved with the LMU art therapy program in San Miguel De Allende coordinated by Beth.
El Museo de Arte

Yamel and Me at the Museum Reception

The Congreso was held en el Centro Cultural y Educativo "Manuel Gómez Morín," a huge complex with coliseum like structures and domed buildings attached by small bridges
This cultural center hosts an array of expositions and openings which included a small exhibit of Dali's 100 years of existence. There was also an exhibit of amazing photographs by Pedro Meyer, who we heard about from a good friend Josh Meltzer who is also an incredible photog. They also have a wonderful science museum for children filled with all types if interactive displays.
Isn't it Ironic

That evening we threw our first impromptu party, which started at 10:30pm. We put together something quickly, which I think was one of the better spreads Naomi and I have put together. Mind you it wasn't my famous rice and beans with roasted chicken and sweet plantains, but the guac, salsa and the variety of Mexican cheeses held together quite nicely. It was very, very chilly, so we ended up on the rooftop huddled close together under warm blankets.
Rooftop Party

NAOMI:

To our good fortune, this year’s conference for the Association of Mexican Family Therapists happened to be in Querétaro recently. We could walk from our place to the really interesting complex where it took place. We had visited the complex a few times before because in addition to being a convention center it houses a Children’s Science Museum,

the public library, a National Geological Information Center, playgrounds, community activities, and art galleries. The current exhibitions are Pedro Meyer, a very impressive photographer and a collection of reproductions of Salvador Dalí paintings that is being sent to Catalan communities around the world by the Catalan government.
Looking at Pedro Meyers Work

The main building has a huge open-air plaza in the middle with a fountain and there are exhibits about art for children. They get to climb inside structures and learn about various art forms.

At the conference we attended workshops and lectures on topics ranging from Pre-Hispanic families and indigenous cultures to Pseudoencopresis treated with Narrative Therapy. We also saw impressive presentations by art therapists and participated in a fantastic art therapy experiential workshop.

We met Family Therapists from the U.S. and Canada and numerous states in Mexico, and we extended our network of therapists working here in Querétaro. The first night there was a reception in the courtyard of the art museum, which is a beautiful Baroque building.

We had our first party with 8 people, which was an adventure because we only have 5 chairs! Our guests braved the unusually chilly and windy weather and huddled under blankets on the roof before retreating downstairs. As we were making food for the party at 10 pm I told José that we have really adjusted to the Mexican schedule… our guests didn’t arrive til 10:30pm!

After the conference we went into the centro historico, which was in a festive mood, as it is most weekends! We went to the Regional Museum and saw black and white photos taken by children in Pozos, which is a ghost town and former mining town. Some were incredibly striking. And of course the building itself, a former Franciscan monastary, was very beautiful.

In the courtyard there was a small festival for “economic solidarity” with “games, art, culture, regional products for sale, and exchange and social action.” The regional products included: wooden bowls and utensils, beaded items, embroidered shirts and towels, potted cacti, baskets, and jars of honey, shampoo and soaps. There was also a model of a sustainable farm designed by the University of Querétaro.

Dias de los Muertos

2008-11-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

NAOMI:
On Halloween we headed to the state of Michoacan to meet our friends Josh and Missy in Pátzcuaro. We were invited by their friend Octavio to camp on a private piece of land that he owns shares in.

Missy, Josh and Naomi at campsite

It was an incredible experience and a really fun place to be for the Día de los Muertos. When we arrived we met two filmmakers from Austin who are working on their second film about ceramics made by the Purhépecha (indigenous people) in the pueblos surrounding Pátzcuaro. They were incredibly knowledgeable and it was a pleasure to explore the huge holiday market with them.

Market

We purchased some incredible art pieces and met some wonderful artisans.

On the first of November we built an altar at our campground to honor those who have passed on.
Building Alter

We included relatives, friends and friends’ relatives and friends. After sunset we took boats across the lake to the island of Janitzio.
Janitzio Island at Night

The journey in the dark across the water felt like a mythical journey into the underworld, across the River Styx. We explored the cemetery that was beautifully decorated with marigolds, cockscomb, white flowers and candles. From up on the hill we could see the small white boats, which were being paddled by men dressed in white. There was lots of delicious food being sold, but most of the souvenirs being sold looked like they were made in China instead of being local crafts. We left by 10 pm, just when the masses were arriving… when we got back across the lake there were huge lines of people loaded down with blankets. Many people stay on the island overnight.
Boat Ride

The next day we went to Tzintzuntzan (seen-soon-san) and saw the incredible cemetery there. Many people had camped next to their relatives’ graves. There was a mass being performed, there was a band playing , and incredible decorations on the graves. It looked like some families added dirt on top of the graves while others had brick graves or large stone monuments.

We met an incredible 94 year-old woman at her husband’s grave. She told us that he died 13 years ago, and that she has four kids. She asked us to take her photo and started dancing.

She gave us kisses, some of her fruit and offered us a toast with her bottle of Coke.
We walked up the hill to the pyramid ruins and saw that entrance was free on Sundays… for Mexicans only.

It wasn’t exactly clear where to pay as we wandered into the museum, and the attendant called me back to the counter. I said, “Soy Mexicana.” She asked for my identification and I pointed out that she wasn’t asking anyone else for their identification, just letting them in. She wasn’t having it. We went outside and then Jose went back in and was able to waltz in without paying. I know Mexicans who have my coloring, and why should they have to show their ID when no one else is? In the end, it is a minor incident and nothing compared to how Mexicans are treated in the US, but still I don’t like to see profiling.
On our last night we ate corundas (tamale-like triangles with yummy sauce) around the campfire and then made s’mores.

JOSE:
QUERCUS CAMPSITE
A lot of people recommended that we head out to Pátzcuaro for Dia de los Muertos which starts on November first through the second. November 1st is mainly known as "Día de los Inocentes" (Day of the Innocents) but also as "Día de los Angelitos" (Day of the Little Angels) and November 2nd as "Día de los Muertos" or "Día de los Difuntos" (Day of the Dead).

Most of the hotels were full so we went camping with our good amigos Josh and Missy (fellow Fulbrighters) along with Annie, her husband Jose “Super”, their ten year old son Panzon and their 3 month old daughter Elena.

The campground, Quercus, was cozy and well manicured by 3 hungry horses who grazed on the grass all day long. There were also these 3 friendly collies who kept us ‘safe’ at night but were howling their heads off by 3am in the morning (I guess they were excited to have us there).

We also met David and Consuelo who have a house near the campsite. They where extremely hospitable and friendly and took the whole gang in their minivan to the cheapest and most delicious breakfast you could have.

COMIDA y ARTE
Like Naomi had mentioned, there was a central plaza that housed hundreds of artisans and their beautiful art. There were different styles that were being put on display such as the Catrinas, the Diablos, Piñas de Barro and so on.

Naomi and I bought a couple masks made of wood that are amazing. We could have bought a lot more art but we had to eat. And as far as eats go in Pátzcuaro, Mmmmmmmmm! I tend not to eat too much street food, but I had some of the best Molé, not too chocolaty or thick, just right. I was introduced to the tamales cousin ‘corunda.’ It’s basically made with the same ingredients as a tamale but the only difference is it’s wrapped in plant leaves (banana probably) rather than corn husks and it’s in the shape of a triangle. Also they smother it in crema and salsa roja caliente. Corunda’s are a typical food of Michoácan.

Serving up some Corundas

JANITZIO ISLAND
As Naomi pointed out earlier, we built an altar for our loved ones who had passed away. We got all of our flowers in town for practically nothing; marigold, elephant’s feet, etc.

Flower Market

Naomi, Missy and Josh put a lot of time and effort and made offerings to our loved ones.

After making the altar, we headed out to Janitzio island, where tons of tourists go to visit the gravesites of long lost souls. We had to take a ‘lancha’ (boat) across the lake. After nightfall, it seemed as if we were being whisked away to Hades by the grim reaper.

The island itself was packed with tourists but somehow you felt alone as you walked up and down the tight corridors. The streets were steep and cobble stoned and hundreds of vendors wanted you to buy a little something to eat along the way.

I can’t quite put my finger on it but Janitzio island had a haunted feel to it. The air was thick and felt like there was a fog rolling through. But the visibility was pretty clear. I think the air was permeated with the souls who hadn’t transitioned yet (spooky).

TZINTZUNTZAN (seen-soon-san)
The next day we headed out to Tzintzuntzan to visit some gravesites or as they’re called here in Mexico, panteons.

The amount of marigold flowers was impressive as they covered practically everything in the panteon. I was impressed by the creative ways family emulated their dead by creating elaborate headpieces they attached to the headstones. Others, without headstones, decorated the mound of dirt their loved one was buried in by planting flowers and plants. And to see families camping out to be with their deceased overnight was very touching. It felt as if the deceased were playfully orchestrating their families to reanimate them from the dead. And they practically did.

Walking around with our mouths wide open we encountered a 94 year old woman on her knees, adorning her husband’s grave with flowers and food offerings. She saw us hovering and got up and offered us some fruit. She began telling us that she wanted her picture taken. She was really taken by Naomi and started peppering her with kisses. Her name was Miriana Sanchez de Ramirez and she was tending to her husbands grave of 13 years. She said that day of the dead made her happier than anytime of the year because it brought her closer to her husband.

After that we headed up the hill looking for something sweet and ended up with warm hotcakes. From where we were standing we could see the ruins and began the trek up the hill. The entrance fee was 39 pesos but what got us a bit riled was the free entrance to ‘solo mexicanos.’ Naomi, Missy, Josh and myself walked in ignoring the woman who was collecting the fees. She called to Naomi telling her that she had to pay as countless people walked past. Naomi confidently remarked that she was ‘Mexicana’ but the woman asked to see i.d. We all regrouped outside, trying to make sense of what just occurred. I decided to test this ‘solo mexicanos’ rule and was let in without so much as a peep form the woman. Josh was also let in without a word. We left soon after feeling that some things in the world need to change and in my heart I wanted November the 4th to come sooner than tomorrow.

To see some really incredible photos of our journey go to Josh’s site at:
Josh Meltzer

Fútbol in Mexico City

2008-11-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

For a while it felt like there wasn’t anything “blogable” happening here… wonderful daily life, but nothing new to report. Then we traveled two weekends in a row and were too busy to keep you up to date!
We had a wonderful trip to D.F. where we visited fellow Fulbrighters and explored the hip and very green (as in parks and trees) Colonia Condesa.

Parque Mexico

There are 16 colonias (boroughs) in Mexico City. We planned to visit the Colonia Coyoacan, but by the time we finished our bus and taxi rides we were ready to walk instead of taking another 30-40 minute cab ride! So we had a great time walking around the neighborhood, exploring the parks and eating yummy salads!

We went to a restaurant that reminded us of Urth Café! On Sunday we attended our first soccer game: Americas (Mexico City team with an eagle mascot) vs. Chivas (Guadalajara team with a goat mascot). The game was in the Estadio Azteca, which was used during the 1968 Olympics and seats 105,000 spectators.

Estadio Azteca

It was really an incredible experience. We were sitting near a caged viewing area with barbed wire atop the fences and riot police guarding the perimeters. We discovered that people self-selected themselves as hardcore fans that needed to be contained—they bought more expensive tickets to be in that area! The game was much more exciting than I expected, but the people-watching was really the highlight. The vendors were climbing over people to sell mini Dominoes pizzas, fruit, Maruchan instant ramen cups with lime, and beverages. In our section there were fans dressed in both teams’ gear and everyone seemed to be getting along. The Fulbright-Comexus organizers kindly warned us not to wear the teams’ colors or to bring anything that could be stolen. Including cameras. During the game I was really disappointed not to have a camera, but as we left I understood why… there was a mad push on the way out and there were times when I felt like I didn’t need to move my feet! It would have been easy for people to grab a camera or purse during that.

Hola a todos. I’ll recap some of what Naomi already blogged about. The visit to Mexico City to see a full on fútbol game was out of this world. El Estadio Azteca held aprox. 120,000 people! The place was buzzing with chants from the rival squads that you could feel in your bones. It was Américas vs. Chivas, which was on par with the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry.

Américas vs. Chivas

Not a seat was empty and almost everyone was wearing their respective team's color. I was secretly rooting for Chivas (I was surrounded by Américas fans) who won by the score of 2 to 1. But before the game, we were briefed by the Fulbright staff (who by the way organized the whole trip) not to wear belts with buckles or any yellow or red clothing. I was expecting some full on belt fights between the fans but there were no outbreaks except for some Chivas fans who were lighting fireworks across the way and shooting them at Américas fans below (ouch).
Taxi Ride

Working, Playing and Living in Q-town!

2008-10-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

"Of an evening" (sorry, still obsessed with that phrase my brother Will learned in South Central… IOWA, while campaigning there) Jose and I often go for walks around Q-town and it is especially gorgeous when the sun is setting and the light is horizontal and warm.

Church "of an evening"

There continue to be many, many performances and festivals in the plazas. Last weekend there was also a Classic Car Show. It was fun to watch people look at the cars and I was impressed by the leather jackets. The carshow made me think of our friend Adam. The Mustangs reminded me of my uncle Hugh.

Ferrari leather jacket

White and Blue Mustang leather jackets

We've also been exploring our local park Cerro de las Campanas, which means Hill of the Bells.

Naomi walking up winding stairs

There are many commemorative statues.

Huge Benito Juarez

Mariano Escobedo on horseback

There is a chapel and rocks that clang like bells

Jose "playing" rocks

It is also a family gathering place and when we went on a Sunday afternoon saw several generations out strolling together.

Although our place came basically furnished, there are a few things that we had to get, including glasses. I went to a market I had seen a few times that seemed to specialize in glassware. When I got there I could see everything through the gate and rang the bell, but no one ever appeared. I decided to snap a photo because of the beautiful arches over the courtyard.

Glassware Market

There is some very beautiful architecture in Querétaro and as we meet more people we get to see how people update buildings. Remember, from the street we mostly see large doors, but once we get inside, or if we get to peek in a doorway, there are gorgeous courtyards, thick walls, beautiful tiled floors….

We watched the last debate with a mix of ex-pats and Querétanas in a gorgeous home that was originally part of an enormous convent (it was actually like a village, with homes, shops and its own streets).

Jose in front of fountain that was part of the convent

JOSE:
Its been awhile since we've last blogged and that's because life is happening here in Querétaro. I've started working at DIF (Desarrollo Integral de la Familia/Department of Child and Family Services) a government run child and family welfare institution. DIF is a large organization with approx. 5 different locations and about 5-10 group homes with different populations. I'm situated at the 'Procuraduria' (Lawyers office for DIF).

Entrance to DIF 'Procuraduria'

I work alongside other mental health professionals who are referred to as 'psicólogos' and also with 'abogados' (lawyers). I have a therapy room with my art supplies, which you see in the picture and where I see clients.

My Art Therapy Room

When Naomi and I first got here, we were surprised by the number of people who seek out mental health. Already some of the misconceptions about Mexican culture and the lack of therapy being utilized by the community is being dispelled. I've met at least a dozen therapist who are practicing privately and thriving, not to mention the countless others who work for the government. I've already got my hands full and have also started a pilot anger management program for men. Its called P.E.P.E. (Parar, Escuchar, Preguntar y Entender) which is a take of S.T.O.P. (Stop, think, observe and plan). This group is geared towards men with anger issues. I met with the governor's wife and she was gung-ho about the groups. I designed a poster and she had them placed all over; in clinics hospitals, etc. We'll see how it goes.

Poster of P.E.P.E.

On the personal home front, things are going well. Naomi and I continue to meet new people and make friends. I made a monster of a friend named Bruno across the street and boy was he a sweet heart. At first glance he looks like he could tear a limb off (and probably could) but he was really well behaved and had these soulful, peaceful eyes. His owner Enrique (who we've blogged about before) said Bruno is a mastif from Brasil. As sweet as he is, I still wouldn't put my arm near his mouth. Enrique said he weighed about 85 kilos which rounds out to 187 pounds. He said Bruno's father topped off at 200 pounds!!!

Bruno the Gentle Giant

Our neighborhood, for the most part, is very quiet. Except for some construction that starts at 9 am on Saturday and Sunday. It wouldn't be so bad with earplugs but they're banging heavy hammers on bare concrete which vibrates through the very foundation and into our bones. I thought it was next door at the Hostel, but when I inquired the clerk told me that it was actually two houses down. Say what!! Anyway I found the construction site and they said they be done by the weekend. Whew!

Naomi and I walk almost everywhere and always see something happening on the streets, like this car show of classic autos from different eras. They all showed off their incredible engines and brilliant polished exteriors. It seems like their celebrating something new every weekend. Naomi and I stop off at some of the food stands and get some delicious taquitos or 'papas a la francesas' covered in hot sauce, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Sounds like a mess but is so delicious, mmmmm!

Quinceañera times TEN!

2008-09-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

NAOMI:
On Saturday night we walked through el Centro Histórico to meet a colleague and on our way we saw three separate venues and performances in the plazas. In the first plaza there was a tent for indigenous dance performances. There was a mariachi concert at the main square’s gazebo. We
saw a demonstration of Capoeira.
Capoeira Dancers

And finally a group of student musicians (like the ones we saw in Guanajuato wearing black with colorful ribbons pinned to their jackets) were performing in Plaza de las Armas (where the main government building is and the Independencia celebrations occurred).
Video of Plaza and Musicians

We also saw a student demonstration and I was reminded that we see demonstrations frequently. When we first got here there was the huge protest of the violence and kidnappings that occur here in Mexico. This was definitely a national protest with multiple locations, but we were also told there were protests the same night in Los Angeles and Chicago. Often when we walk through Plaza de las Armas we see people with signs chanting slogans and even banging on drums, and sometimes we see them marching through the streets. It is comforting to me that people feel comfortable gathering, marching and protesting. Freedom of speech is our friend.

The place we were supposed to meet our colleague was on 5 de Mayo, which was where we almost lived. It is a narrow street with a lane of traffic and a lane of parking, and it is filled with traffic! There are lots of theaters, bars and restaurants on the street and on Saturday night it seems like the main drag. As we were walking, women dressed in black spandex with beauty pageant-esque sashes gave us fliers for an upcoming event. We heard loud engines revving and saw motorcycles crawling down the street and they looked desperate to have the space to show off their extreme tricks, as advertised on the fliers.
Our Street

Also, people tell us all the time that Querétaro is known country-wide as one of (if not THE) cleanest and safest cities in Mexico! It is safe to walk around at night and there are droves of street cleaners. These women are dressed in orange vests (safety first!!), carry brooms and push orange garbage cans down the street. I think there must be a gathering spot for them near our place (maybe where they store their garbage cans at night?) because in the evening, or as they apparently say in South Central… IOWA (my brother Will is doing election work there this fall and just taught me the phrase), “of an evening” we see them parading down our street (which is very short, and not a main thoroughfare). And, of course, bright and early, well it’s still dark out at 5 am, we hear the garbage cans being pushed over the rough road as the women fan out across the city streets.

Sunday we met a colleague at 10 am and drove outside the city to a group home with two campuses (one for boys and one for girls). In total there are approximately 150 kids in this village that has its own school, cafeteria and dorms. The group home is run by a American pastor and his Mexican wife and it has grown exponentially in the past 8 years. We met several Canadian volunteers who come down each year to help with projects. They proudly told us that they poured concrete for the construction of the school, new dorms and the cafeteria. Each year the home holds a Quinceañera for all the girls who are turning 15 that year. This year there were 10!!!
Ten Quinceañeras!!!

We had the most incredible time being part of the huge celebration. The photo ops were unlimited because there were amazing faces, beautiful decorations and dresses, and even horses! It was fun to take pics of kids and let them see the photos on the digital display… the kids loved to get involved and a couple even used our cameras to take pics!
Naomi and boy sharing photos

The ceremony included a full band and sermons and each girl was presented with a Bible, a photo album to commemorate the special event and a ring. Afterwards there was food, dancing, champagne and cake. It was so great to observe kids (as young as 4 and as old as 24) as they watched the girls have their special day.
Many of the kids in the home are sponsored by Canadians.

JOSE:
Naomi and I were invited to a Quinceañera this past Sunday and it was absolutely wonderful. There were 10 girls (that’s right TEN!) celebrating their 15th birthday. I50 years worth of celebrating. As some of you might know, the 15 birthday for a young girl in Latin countries is the equivalent to a sweet 16 or a Bat Mitzvah (12 for girsl, 13 for boys). It’s a rite of passage into womanhood. And here in Mexico it’s a very big deal.
Walking the walk

And what made it even more special was that these girls were in a group home. The group home is called Plan de Vida, and it houses about 150 kids. It’s practically a village with its own school. It was founded by father Dario (an American with a huge heart) about 15 years ago. The place is run by volunteers (who don’t get paid a cent) and also gets help from donations. A few international volunteers from Canada were also on hand. This place was basically built with the help of volunteers from Canada.
Plan de Vida Village

We met Bob and his wife Karen who have been coming for the past 7 years and have sponsored a few of the kids in the group home. The dresses you see the Quinceañeras wearing were bought with donations from Canada.
Bob and Karen

The boys in the group home were bused over for the afternoon festivities and were giddy with excitement at the girls in their flowing gowns walking down the aisles. The girls (or young ladies) did a little spin before going through the last archway and sitting down. There was a pastor who spoke about the rites of passage and each girl was given presents, which were symbolic for their journey into adulthood.
Da Boyz

There was a full on band and the food was spicy and delicious. The girls made a toast with some champagne and then cut the huge 4 tier ‘pastel’ right along their names.
A Toast

Cutting the Pastel

Naomi and I were surrounded most of the time by the small boys who were as curious as cats. One boy took lessons from Naomi on how to operate a digital camera. A group of about 7 boys ranging from 10 to 16 sat down next to me and we talked about Xbox, movies, baseball and get this ‘American football.’ Some of the boys said they preferred it over ‘fútbol.’
La Audiencia

Look Ma, No Cavities

Listening to the Pastor (patiently)

We thought we were going for a couple of hours, but it ended up being a 5 hour event (and it was still hopping when we left). By the time we left the younger boys were being given horseback rides. Oo-oo me next!
Giddy Up!

Our Neighborhood and Dia de la Independencia

2008-09-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

Our rooftop (we'll put a cold one on ice for you)

JOSE
Getting back to Querétaro felt like home (absence does make the heart grow fonder even if it was less than 24 hours). As we wake and go about our days here, we’re getting to know our neighborhood and our neighbors well. Across the street from us lives our landlord’s mother, Conchita. She sits outside on the cement benches that surround a single sapling (imagine a huge potted plant with benches). Other neighbors occasionally join her for a few hours of chit chat. Naomi and I once stopped for a quick hello, which turned into an hour of commiserating on old scars and hip replacements all the while being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Also across the street we met Enrique and his wife Martha, who own a small shop, which sells beautiful original pieces of metal work (think lanterns, metal framed tables, ceramic pots, etc.).

Enrique doing his thing

The shop could use a bit of organizing and is reminiscent of Sanford’s junkyard. We hired him to make us a table for preparing food which came out beautiful.

Our custom made table

We live on a street that’s more like a triangle and at the tip of this triangle is a beautiful fountain with a taco stand that serves some of the most delicious tacos on this side of the street. Also on that very corner is a small stand (well they’re actually on the floor) with 3 women selling fruits and vegetables (I’ve already made a yummy soup out of them).

Fountain, Taco Stand and Naomi

Delicious Tacos for 10 pesos ($1 usd)

Further along our block there are butcher shops (2 of ‘em) one specializing in red meat and the other in chicken, a bakery and a law office (you can sue the butcher for tainted meat and then buy a cake to celebrate your settlement all in one block). A lot of the stores here specialize in specific items or services. You can walk into one store and get tennis racquets (not balls or other accessories, just tennis racquets) and then walk into another and get shoelaces (not shoes or sneakers just laces). Naomi and I wonder how they make their money since we don’t see anyone frequenting the stores, but what we’ve assumed is these are people’s residences and their living rooms have been converted into store fronts. We’re also guessing that the other partner is out making the main bulk of the income at some other job. One more thing, there’s a small market with actual stands that sell tacos and fruits and vegetables. It’s like having a farmer’s market everyday up the block. I think one of the vendors overpriced us on some plums but who’s counting.

A little side note: The other day we were walking down our block and happened to come upon this huge caterpillar. HUGE! Naomi rushed back to our place to get the camera. When she came back, a man, a woman and I were huddled around the beast, contemplating what kind of creature it was. The woman said it was deadly poisonous and that it was a “cienpies” (centipede). A man about my age pulled out a ruler (people in Querétaro walk around with rulers in their pockets). It measured 5” or 11 mm. And it was thicker than a drunk’s swollen finger. After it’s photo shoot, the beast was pocketed by the man, who apparently ignored the venomous fangs (just kidding).

The Beast

NAOMI
We decided to come home to Querétaro for Independence Day. And arriving back in our city felt like coming home again. I’m very grateful that it feels like that. Monday the 15th felt like kind of a regular day… most businesses were open. In the evening we made our way into the main plazas and witnessed the masses celebrating. It was wild to see the costumes: big fake moustaches, sombreros, red white and green painted on faces, white blouses and dresses, cowboy hats, red white and green belts and festive ribbons in hair, and even red white and green fake eyelashes! I saw a man painting on a fake moustache.
Jose and the moustache bandit

We saw military bands perform, soldiers with machine guns chatting on their cell phones
Soldiers tooting their horns

and greeting the crowds; lots of families; and vendors selling food, drinks in terracotta cups, costumes, red white and green eye masks, flags, horns to blow (like New Year’s), and dolls in traditional costumes. We tried Papas francesas with: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, hotsauce and lime! They were very yummy.
At first we were afraid that we had missed the Grito (celebration of the cry of independence) because the Plaza de las Armas (a.k.a. Plaza de la Independencia) was pretty deserted. We explored the streets, alleys and plazas and eventually made our way back to the main government building on Plaza de las Armas, where crowds were gathering. You’ll notice that because the colors of the Mexican Flag include red and green the decorations have a Christmasy feel.
Decorations all around the Plaza

We found a space to stand and were incredibly lucky to be partially under a tree that was trimmed at an angle so that when the rain started we were sheltered most of the time. It was also very warm because of the number of people. We waited for several hours for something to happen, and heard people around us wondering when it would happen. I was very impressed by the huge camera boom,
BOOM

almost crane-sized, that swung around over the crowd and up to the government building. Above the balcony (with the podium that appeared in preparation for the governor) was the bell.
Governor and the ringing of the bell

Red, green and white balloons were distributed to kids in the crowd. A large group of kids was watching from a platform until an official came to clear the platform so that the press could photograph and film the main event. One girl’s mom took the girl’s balloon and tapped the official’s back repeatedly as she laughed. I couldn’t tell if it was just for entertainment’s sake, or if she was protesting that the kids were made to move. Eventually, the governor came out and yelled Viva Querétaro, Viva Mexico and rang the bell to loud cheers from the crowd. Suddenly there was a blast of confetti
A blast

Rockin'

and then fireworks shot across the square on wires that were strung from building to building! It was the closest I have ever been to fireworks and it seemed like the sparks were falling on me!

Guanajuato Weekend

2008-09-18T14:54:00.000-07:00

Naomi:
For the weekend preceding Mexican Independence Day (September 16), we made a trek from Queretáro, which calls itself la cuna de la independencia (the cradle of independence) to Guanajuato, where the first major battle took place in 1810. Guanajuato is also famous for being a mining town, and colorful buildings occupy narrow valleys and climb the mountains. We visited Colleen, a Fulbrighter who is located there this month (she is one of the ones who planned to live in several different locations during her time in Mexico), and met up with several other Fulbrighters (Caley, Nina, Abbi, Katie, and Chelsea), who are living in D.F. It was fun to meet up with people and hear their tales of settling in… the general consensus is that the first few weeks are more about getting settled than about the project proposals. The views in Guanajuato are incredible, colorful, and brilliant. Because of the steep mountains burros and mules are used to transport goods and help people move in and out of apartments!
Milkman delivering milk

There is a great view at the top of a funicular (mini train up the side of the mountain) where there is a statue of the hero of the battle of Guanajuato. Apparently he approached the granary (where the Spanish were holed up and hiding from the revolutionaries) using a rock for protection, and burned the doors of the granary to allow the revolutionaries to fight the bloody battle.
Cathedral and main square from above
.
Colleen’s guacamole was some of the best I’ve ever had, and we enjoyed the beautiful views from our host’s apartment and roof.
View from apartment

Guanajuato is also the birthplace of Diego Rivera, so we visited the museum in the house where he lived until age 5. We got to see such a variety of his art pieces: paintings reminiscent of Picasso, Gauguin, and Cezanne from his student days, sketches for paintings and murals, early portraits, and a series of cartoon-like illustrations of early Mexican history and mythology.
Guanajuato was quite the happening town (population is approximately 150,000) and I’m not sure if that is generally true, or if it was because of the many holiday visitors adding to the festive feel. We hung out in a really cool joint with high ceilings, red walls and art made from tape on the wall. One of our crew suggested that the original plan might have been to paint using tape stencils, but they realized that it looked cool and left the tape to create the art pieces. Part of the excitement was the rain, which we had been warned about. The steep alleys of Guanajuato become rivers when it rains. We also got to experience a blackout… and it was cool to see how people responded to being in a crowded space without electricity. Basically everyone was very calm and the security guards had an excellent system in place to ensure people paid their bills before leaving.
View of Guanajuato

The following day we visited the Museo de Momias, which was not at all what I expected. First of all, it was extremely crowded and we had to wait in a very long line to get in. Secondly, I imagined mummies like I had seen before: remains that had been carefully prepared, wrapped and laid to rest. These were more like freeze-dried bodies that were removed from their graves because their gravesite taxes weren’t paid. Somehow the elements in Guanajuato preserve the bodies, hair, and even sometimes shoes or clothes! Our group had long discussions before (while we waited in line) and after our visit to the museum including the following topics: the modern Bodyworks exhibits, Dia de los Muertos and people’s relationship with death in Mexico, and possible differences between museums in the U.S. and Mexico. It was kind of bizarre to me in the museum that couples and families were posing for photos in front of the mummies. In the past the mummies were not in glass cases and people used to put clothes on the bodies and cigarettes in their mouths. I started feeling nauseous at the final display case, but I’m glad that I experienced it, and we all agreed that we are glad to be alive.

JOSE:
Leaving Querétaro on Saturday morning for Guanajuato (wah-na-wah-toe), I felt the excitement of adventure to explore another historic city. Guanajuato, supposedly claims to be one of the birth places of the revolution for independence in Mexico. And they say the celebration in Guanajuato is off the map, especially with Dia de Independencía right around the corner (16, Sept).
We were invited to Guanajuato by Colleen, another Fulbrighter, who we have become good friends with. We also met up with a few other Fulbrighters; Chelsea, Caley, Katie, Nina and Abi, also becoming good friends.
Parking was a bit of a hassle, especially with the hilly environment (think San Francisco) but we got an overnight place that charged by the hour (ouch). Having Fulbright contacts across Mexico gives us the ability to visit or host others in the spirit of discovery and getting to know other parts of Mexico. Colleen seemed to have gotten the lay of the land so far, but Caley also had good familiarity with the city since he had been several times before.
Teatro Juarez

After parking, Colleen Naomi and I went off to meet the rest of the gang, which had come by bus from el Districto Federal (Mexico City). The center of Guanajuato was bustling with tourists from all over and the buildings and churches seemed steeped in European colonial architecture. Before meeting up, Colleen, Naomi and I braved some street food with a Comida Corrida. Its safe to say that we all survived and enjoyed an inexpensive meal of enchiladas en salsa verde with a consume de pollo.
Meeting up in the center

The city seemed to be preparing itself for dia de independencía, with decorations of wired framed signs fringed with what seemed like Christmas tinsel (Mexican colors). We decided to do some touristic things like take the funicular up the side of a mini-mountain to see a magnificent view of the city.
We were greeted by a beautiful view that did not disappoint. Nestor, a young tour guide (all of 10 years) looking to make some lana, sat with me and explained the sites below. He was very articulate and knew most of the history of Guanajuato, but I would be lying to you if I picked up even half of what he was saying not because of lack of understanding but it seemed rote and my batteries were on low by that time of the day.
Nestor giving me a history lesson

I forgot to mention, the city was in such a festive mood that it was hosting its second annual musical festival which invited different universities from across the country to be part of some huge jam. Most of them were dressed up in medieval costumes (ala jesters).
Musicians

After taking a tour of the city we headed back to Colleen’s great apartment. She was the ultimate host, with tons of food and drink and a great view of the city from her rooftop.
Caley and Colleen on rooftop

Katie and Chelsea

What I’ve been noticing about Mexico is that people eat late and stay up later than in the states (New York City being an exception). We headed out at about 9:30 to a very cool jazz bar. We met the owner and stayed for two pitchers worth of time. There were tons of musicians on the streets and Katie (who is making documentaries on music in Mexico) did an interview with a few of them.
Katie interviewing street musicians

After hitting a few more bars we knew it was time to head home when the lights went out.
The next day we headed out to the birthplace of Diego Rivera, which was converted into a museum. I was pleasantly surprised with his early art. He was totally into making sequential art. He would have made a great cartoonist but he had bigger fish to fry like capitalists. After the Diego Rivera museo, we headed out to Guanajuato’s claim to fame which is the Museo de las Momias (museum of the mummys). I was tentative whether I wanted to see them at all. But when in Rome, and who knew when we would be getting back to Guano. I was impressed by the number of people waiting in line. The story behind how exhibiting the ‘momias’ started was that the families had to pay a tax in order to keep their loved ones buried. If the taxes were not paid, then the dead were unburied and put on display as a sort of humiliation. However, the corpses became mummified by some natural process involving the soil in Guanajauto (no where else in the world does this happen). There was some decorum in the way the momias were presented. They were behind glass (in the past they were out in the open and visitors would light cigarettes and place them in the mouths of the momias, etc.) and most people just took pictures.
Las Momias

Guanajuato all in all was a great city to visit and I would recommend it to travels looking for great night life and for its rich history.

Looking for an Apartment

2008-09-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

Naomi:
1 Septiembre 2008
Today we have had the pleasure of slowly making our way through activities of our choice: wandering streets and neighborhoods, taking photos of for rent signs, finding a Comida Corrida in which to have a full lunch, and discovering Starbucks under the aqueduct here in Querétaro. Starbucks here has valet parking and is super expensive, much like McDonalds and Burger King. It also claims to be one of the top employers in Mexico according to the sticker on the door.

As we wandered people were extremely friendly and offered to point us in the right direction, even though we were “getting lost” on purpose.

We went to a meditation tonight at 5:30 at a beautiful building we saw one of the first days we were here. We didn’t leave until 9:30. Our host led the meditation, which was wonderful, and afterwards proceeded to connect us to numerous housing possibilities and his phone book. It was really a trip. Barry, an ex-lawyer from NY, introduced us over the phone to his network (including a local Spanish teacher and his wife who is a hairstylist). We have quite a few more leads now. J Plus, a former Fulbrighter we spoke with, invited himself and his wife and me and Jose over to Barry’s Wednesday evening. So there’s more to come.
As soon as I saw Barry’s home from the outside I was in love. Then we saw the ad for the meditation session. After the meditation he showed us his home and it did not disappoint. The bottom floor is mostly a parking space and the meditation room. Upstairs is the main living area with large windows overlooking the cityscape (cathedrals mostly). Also on that floor are the kitchen and a beautiful patio. On the third floor is a sleeping area and a gorgeous roof garden. He said re-did the place completely. It is just what I’m looking for here.
Beautiful Querétaro Arquitectura

2 Septiembre
So today we looked at two incredible apartments (without our agent, from our ex-pat connection) and one that is completely awful. The incredible ones, of course, are much more expensive. They do have everything included as far as telephone and internet services already hooked up and in the rental cost, which is a benefit. And they’re furnished, which would be much more convenient. Jose is already dreading de-constructing our life here since it was so much work in LA. And he’s dreading having to move furniture into a place. So we’ll see. Hopefully our agent will show us some more places tomorrow. So far we’ve seen three with her and only one was even a possibility.
When we looked at the beautiful apartments we ventured into a new part of the centro historico and discovered a new church and a beautiful plaza with an incredible covered walk. The “ceiling” had amazing brickwork to create the domed arches.
Domed Ceiling

We also walked way out of the city center this afternoon and discovered an excellent chicken place. They prepare food to go and we brought some back to eat in the courtyard of our hotel. The mother, Lucia, & son, Carlos, working there were incredibly kind and welcoming. They are local, but have also lived in Aguascalientes, which is north of here. Lucia and Carlos said that Queretaro is booming and growing exponentially. A few days ago we spoke with a mattress salesman (in case we don’t get a furnished place), who said that Queretaro is the only state (Queretaro is the name of both the state and the city) in Mexico that is self-sufficient and sustainable because there are such a variety of industries, including aeronautics, Purina, refrigerators… I’ll have to get back to you on what else is produced here. On the other hand, our new friends who are in Guadalajara are working with kids whose families migrated from the state of Queretaro for economic opportunities (they sell small items at intersections)… so like anywhere, not everyone benefits from the industry boom.
The Aqueducts of Querétaro

Anyway, today we made a vision BAG (instead of the usual visionboard) about our perfect apartment. It was really relaxing to look through magazines for pictures that show what we want in a place and trim the pictures carefully and then arrange them… since we had no posterboard or cardboard or bulletin board we taped them on to a paper shopping bag! It turned out really nice and it was cool to do it together with Jose.
4. Septiembre
I believe in visionboards/bags!
We did it! José set the intention at the beginning of the week that we would move into our place on Friday, and tomorrow we sign the papers and move in! It’s been an adventure looking for places and we’ve seen some freaky places. We were told there weren’t too many basement apartments here in Querétaro, but we bumped into a lot of musty, dark apartments that seemed to be underground. We also saw places that were outside of the city center in gated communities (not what we were looking for) and were not in such good condition. Finally today we saw two beautiful apartments that are furnished, which will be much, much easier. When we saw the first one we thought it was the one, yet I was a little reluctant because there was no outdoor space. So, in typical fashion, I insisted that we go to the next appointment. It was slightly further away from the main plaza, but still in the center. Extremely modern and with lots of stairs, which would prohibit many families from living there… but as we climbed the stairs José kept saying, “This is for us too?” By the time we got to the roof we felt dizzy with excitement.
It is pretty incredible and really combines the priorities we each had:
Naomi= in el centro histórico, so that it is walkable; lots of light; an outdoor space or roofgarden; space for guests
José= in more of a neighborhood; with a parking place; lots of light; trees
And the bonuses: beautiful views of the city; everything is new; a Jacuzzi tub on the roof; the bedrooms seem almost like hotel rooms (hint, hint)
Our Vision Bag

It is going to be much easier to have a car there than in the exact center where I first imagined living, because of the parking place, but also because there is street parking, the street is not as narrow or a main street, and it is close to the edge of el centro histórico, which makes it easier to get out to go to other parts of the city. Plus, it is within walking distance of where José will be working! There is a fruit & veggie market just down the block from our new house and it’s in the western part of the center, whereas our hotel is in the eastern part, so there will be lots of new places and streets to explore.
And our landlord left us a fantastic CD of Vicente Fernandez, who is known as the Mexican Elvis. It has been a great soundtrack as we set up our home here.
The Legend Himself: Vicente Fernandez

Jose:
So here we are one week removed from the Fulbright Orientation and we’re back to reality, oops, there goes gravity! No, not really, we’re still floating on air and having some of the best times of our lives. Of course that includes the stresses and anxiety that looking for a place to live can bring. But we flow. And flow we did, right into our new apartment. We are absolutely ecstatic about it. Yeah! We get to go grocery shopping, cook and not have to worry about the hotel cleaning crew waking us up.

I’ll give you an overview of the week’s events leading up to finding our fab departamento*. First we had a great real estate agent, Gabriela, help us in our quest (in Mexico, you don’t pay the real estate agent rather the owner does). Initially in our search, we saw some bleak depoto* that were unfurnished (having to furnish an depoto* would have been very expensive). But we were patient, sometimes making cold calls and venturing off on our own to see depoto* on the otherside of the avenida Zaragosa. Some of these depoto* were basement dwellings with cold marble floors and dated furniture covered in plastic. Most depoto* we saw didn’t even come with a stove or refrig. I was getting a little deflated in our quest until Gabriela called us Wednesday night and said she had two, not one but two fab furnished depoto* to show us. I couldn’t picture what she meant and had my doubts about what fab meant. The next day we saw a depoto* right in the center of town.
Church in the Center

Now let me explain how dwelling places are set up here en el Centro de Queretaro. Most can’t be seen from the streets, instead, you open up these huge locked doors and enter a beautiful courtyard with a huge house with a colonial look (in the past whole families would live in these places). Now they’re set up to be individual depoto* for rent. The one bedroom depoto* we saw on el 5 de Febrero was incredible compared to what we saw earlier in the week. It was completely furnished with red leather sofas, washing machine, appliances, computer desk, tv, etc. I immediately turned to Naomi and said, “This is home…shake?” Naomi wasn’t so quick to shake my hand. We had one more depoto* to see. I smirked thinking that the other place wouldn’t hold a candle to this place.
More Churches en el Centro

We got into Gabriela’s car and drove down Zaragosa to encounter midday traffic. When we got there I told Naomi that it had taken us a bit out of the center of town, and one of Naomi’s requirements were that it need be in walking distance to the center (1 point for the first depoto*, 0 for the second). The representative who was showing us the place didn’t have the keys and we had to wait for someone to bring them (2 points for the first depoto*, 0 for the second). When she did arrive, she had a difficult time opening the gate (3 points to 0). Finally when went inside, we were pleasantly surprised. Huge glass doors opened into a very modern dining room. 3 steps down was a kitchen with all new appliances. There was a half bathroom with smoked glassed doors next to the kitchen. We climbed the stairs to a bedroom with beautiful hard wood floors. (3 points to 1, hmm).
Entrance/Dining Area

Then we walked the next set of stairs to a marble tiled bathroom with a limestone looking sink and a washer and dryer in a small closet. (3 to 2). The next set of stairs led us to a second bedroom identical to the first. “Is this all ours,” I exclaimed to the person who was showing us the place.
Living Space

The Stairs

But, there was more. The next and final set of stairs led to the rooftop terrace with a breathtaking view of Querétaro (oh, by the way it has a jacuzzi on the roof). (3 to 10).
Our View from the Rooftop

We also found out that it was a 15 minute walk to el Centro. And the price was within our range (actually cheaper than the previous place) so the next day we signed un contracto and moved in. The neighborhood is very tranquilo and centrally located so that you can walk practically everywhere. We found a small outdoor market where you can get taquitos and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Naomi's Arrangement of Veggies we Bought en el Mercado

And a few blocks further is the MEGA where you can get everything from freshly baked bread and milk to brand new tires. All very modern (think Target). It was really nice to unpack and buy grocery’s. Oh BTW, the MEGA has a movie theater below for $1.70USD a showing.
La Mega que Pega

Mexico City: The Fulbright Orientation

2008-08-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

Naomi:
We made our way from Querétaro to Mexico City on a “Primera Plus” Autobus… the buses are very fancy tour buses and it was very relaxing to be driven to our destination after a week of driving. When we got a taxi from the bus to our hotel, we knew immediately that we had made the right choice not to drive in Mexico City! First of all, it is the rainy season, and apparently Mexico City, much like Venice and Amsterdam, is built on swampy land and things are sinking, so there was flooding from the downpour.
Church en el Centro Histórico that is sinking.

But more importantly driving in Mexico City is perhaps the most challenging that I have seen… driving in India seemed the most unpredictable because the roads were filled with such a variety of … well I won’t say vehicles, because that would not include the cows! But the users of the road in India included huge semis, buses with people hanging onto the roof and windows to hitch a ride, cars, motorbikes piled high with up to five family members (including babies), people riding or leading animals along the road, pedestrians and the sacred cows. Mexico City’s traffic is more uniform (with the predictable buses, cars, taxis, motorbikes and trucks), but the streets themselves are confusing to say the least. A taxi driver told us that there are circular streets in addition to typical North-South, East-West and diagonal cut through streets. Intersections are awe-inspiring. Once we were driving down the left side of the street, watching the traffic move in the opposite direction on the right side and suddenly we reached mid block and the left lanes moved back over the right side and vice-versa. Certainly pedestrians are challenged by these intersections as well, but it was incredible to see the taxi drivers navigate the city.
City streets of Mexico.

One evening CoMexus (our Fulbright organization here in Mexico) arranged a taxi to take us to a small intercultural exchange dinner in our hosts’ home. Our taxi ride lasted 1.5 hours and what was striking was the tentative nature of our driver. He quickly handed navigation over to us and repeatedly complained that there are not signs marking street names. Using the penlight and map he gave us I was able to generally keep track of our route and make recommendations about where to go. However, the driver’s uncertainty led him to jump out of the car at least 8 times to ask locals for directions. Unfortunately, they didn’t know either! Our hosts were extremely gracious and completely unsurprised by our late arrival. When they drove us back to our hotel we saw that we had not actually traveled very far.
That’s a lot of info about transportation! Our week was very exciting and inspiring and also exhausting because of the non-stop schedule. It was wonderful to meet so many fantastic people in such a short time… and really hard to keep track of names, faces and Fulbright projects/locations because we were also inundated with information about Mexico and Mexico City. Plus, I was sometimes overstimulated (or maybe understimulated) by trying to follow lectures about history, politics, etc. en español! The days were long and packed full of activities. We were lucky to be able to visit pyramids, el centro histórico and view the murals of Diego Rivera.
Overlooking the pyramids at Teotihuacán

Naomi at Teotihuacán

I was awestruck by his murals in the Palacio Nacional and was happy to have a tour guide to pick out details for us to look at and learn about. In fact, I’ve often avoided tours in my life, but they are very informative and I really didn’t know where to start when looking at the murals because they were so full of images and meaning.
Inside the Palacio Nacional

Diego Rivera

Mexico City is really incredible. Before I left LA, my cousin Dan told me my Aunt Mary said Mexico City rivals Paris… and she is right! Beautiful architecture, endless museums and so much happening…
We had amazing food (of course) and heard great stories. One of the highlights for me was from a former Fulbrighter, was giving us tips for living in Mexico/Mexico City. He said he had two words for us: “Nasal irrigation.” Apparently he had sinus issues from the pollution and was sick approximately every 6 weeks until he discovered a Netty pot, which cleans out one’s sinuses. He reported that he has not been sick for 6 months!
One of the best parts of the orientation was making new friends, who are located all around Mexico… we’re planning on both hosting and touring to visit new friends.
We arranged ahead of time to stay an extra day in Mexico City we were so thankful that we did. It was really nice to hang out with our new friends Josh & Missy and meet some locals.
Arriving back in Querétaro it really felt like we were coming home. Our hotel is much more modest than the one in Mexico City (that was paid for by CoMexus) and we’re looking for an apartment, which is also exhausting, but this city is gorgeous and more my speed right now.

Jose:
Hola a todos. It’s been a while since we last blogged, but for good reason. Naomi and I were having the best time of our lives in Mexico City D.F. There is too much to write about and the feeling we had in those 4 days can not be captured in words alone (we have pictures too ;-). So I’m just going to hit the highlights of the trip.
TUESDAY, August 26th
Our first day, we checked into the Hotel Geneve, a beautiful place, celebrating its hundred year anniversary. The rooms were incredible with lush comforters and plush pillows. The Comexus (the Mexican operation of the Fulbright-Garcias Robles) staff were great and had everything running like clockwork. We had a Get Acquainted reception that evening and met the 79 other Fulbrighters.
WEDNESDAY, August 27th
The second day of the orientation was filled with lectures and panels that talked about politics and cultural dos and don’ts. Lunch was served in the same building as the lectures. A tasty seasonal dish of chiles en nogados: green poblano chiles filled with walnuts, raisins, meat, pomegranate and other spices and then smothered in this delicious walnut creamy white sauce, mmmm. That night we were hosted by Fulbrighter alums, two Harvard lawyers practicing corporate law in D.F. We took a taxi from the hotel in the height of rush hour. Now if you’ve never been to Mexico City I have to stop here and explain the traffic. It makes Los Angeles traffic look like a speedy race track. We might as well have strapped onto a turtle). Our taxi driver was sweet and tried really hard to get us to our destination. And some might think he was trying to get more cab fare by ‘getting lost.’ But not the case. The price was set from the beginning. Naomi with her mad map skills was able to help navigate through the amazingly complicated streets (we warned by many not to drive to D.F. and now we knew why). The oddest part of our taxi ride was when the cab driver kept getting out of his taxi to get directions (about 8 times). At one point a police car rolled by and flashed his lights into the cab to make sure we were ok. Naomi smiled letting him know we were safe.
Our 'driverless' taxi

Anyway I was super nervous about being so late and even surprised that we made it all. But we FINALLY got there and our hosts were so gracious and were acting as if we were on time. Actually they were not acting; they told us that we were right on time and that dinner would be ready in a few. They told us that they knew we would be stuck in traffic for a while and that the cab driver might get a little lost. They offered us some stiff drinks before dinner, which we gladly accepted. Horacio and his wife Paula had a beautiful condo with a private elevator and a maid. Dinner was served and we had our second helping of chiles en nogados that day. We didn’t have the heart to tell them ;-).
Our hosts Horacio and Paula

THURSDAY, August 28th
The next day was less lecturing and more fun. We headed out to the temple ruins of the Teotihuacán (Lugar de los que tienen dioses). I’m not even going to pretend that I know the history or archeological facts about this place. Alls I do know is that it was a cultural site that dates backs to about 500 a.d. Oh and they had pyramids too. (We’ll let the pictures do the talking).
Walking to the big Pyramid in Teotihuacán

Naomi and I on top of the Pyramid (another pyramid over my right shoulder)

We had a tour guide that was very knowledgeable, but then again we were in the midst of some brilliant Fulbright archeologists who could’ve done this tour in their sleep. That said, we headed to a delicious lunch at the Villas Arqueológicas. By far the best meal we had on our trip. This was the first time we had salad on our trip. It was buffet style and the tacos were off the hook. I had chicken in a bag that melted off the bone in a spicy red sauce and bell pepper slices.
Back at the hotel we got ready for the US Embassy’s reception for the Fulbrighters. Leslie A. Bassett, Deputy Chief of Mission, was our host. The event was very classy and I didn’t recognize most of the Fulbrighters (they clean up well).
Some of our fellow Fulbrighters at the U.S. Embassy reception

We met Carlos Garcias de Alba, Director General of International Relations and Secretary of Public Education who has in many occasions been to Los Angeles and is aware of the conditions of our public school systems. He had loads of stories and was very hospitable, offering any help we might need in our host states.
Carlos Garcias del Alba, Naomi and me.

After the reception some of us headed back to the hotel to catch the last few minutes of the Obama speech.
FRIDAY, August 29
On the last day of the orientation we got a tour of el Centro Histórico de Mexico City.
Palacio de La Bella Artes

We started in el Zoculo the center square in the middle of the city. Then we headed towards El Palacio Nacional where we were treated to the amazing murals of Diego Rivera depicting the history of Mexico.
Interior of Palacio Nacional

Then we had an afternoon of Q&A with some panelists, group pictures and then a big farewell lunch at Hostería de Santo Domingo. Molé de pollo was the favorite all around and Agua de Jamaica was flowing sweetly.
This is a picture of the "dependientes." Most of us feel a little funny about that title, so we decided to call each other "Independientes." Naomi

That final day of the orientation, I was beginning to get what most of us refer to as the Monday blues (even though it was Friday). I say this because we were making fast and close friends with some of the best people you could possibly know; (smart, energetic, funny and so compassionate it would make Mother Teresa blush) and we would be leaving for our respective host states that day. Melissa and Josh were dear to us and we spent a good amount of time with them.
Melissa aka Missy, Josh and the back of Naomi's head

We also found Colleen to be of like mind and very dear. I would have loved to develop closer relationships with all of the Fulbrighters, but that would have been impossible. But we found those who crossed our paths and made us laugh and cry more than once. Thanks to all for the fun conversations and looking forward to meeting up for more adventures.

Our 2 hour drive to Mexico.

2008-08-31T17:30:00.000-07:00

These are just some "real time" thoughts I had on the bus ride to Mexico City.
As I write this Naomi and I are on route from Queretaro to Mexico D.F. on Primera Plus, one of the premier bus lines with full on recliner chairs with room enough for a built-in ottoman, TV, a men’s and women’s bathroom and an online snack (sandwich and drink, more than most airlines do). I have long legs so it’s a treat to be able to stretch without kicking the person in front of me.
This morning we had a quick breakfast at a local café. The local radio station was crankin’ some great 80s tunes. Naomi got nostalgic when the theme song for “the Never Ending Story’ came on. I asked for butter for my toast and they gave me a small container of melted manteca. Who knew you could eat shrimp without the shrimp. I dipped away, better than spreading.
I just want to mention Naomi’s and my skills as therapists came in handy last night. We helped a woman who was staying at our hotel come down from a panic attack. We were able to normalize it for her and stayed with her until she felt better. She was from France along for a vacation with her partner/friend. Very nice people. BTW Naomi’s Spanish is getting better by the day. She fearlessly gets into conversations with people and is able to hold her own I’m tempted to help but I just stand back. Only when she turns to me and says “Como se dice…” She’s cute and she’s all mine.
Mexico is treating us very well and we’re able to get around very easily (of course it helps to hablar español.
Some have inquired what the bejeezus we’re doing moving to Mexico. Well let me give you the tight concise version. I won a Fulbright Scholarship for the academic year 2008-2009. Naomi and I are going to be working along side Mexican therapists, learning how things are done down here in the mental health field. If you want a more detailed version of the proposal click here to get a pdf version of my proposal.
The Fulbright orientation in Mexico is supposed to introduce us and welcome us to the Mexican Culture. I am so looking forward to it.

Day 7: Our Adopted City, Querétaro

2008-08-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

Naomi:

We awoke at Hotel Castilla y Leon en Guadalajara and breakfasted at their restaurant on the roof. Guadalajara’s rooftops are beautiful too. Our final leg of the journey was pretty quick… about 4 hours from Guadalajara to Queretaro and the landscape reminded me of the foothills near Zurich or maybe Wisconsin’s rolling hills if you ignored the mountains in the background.

Very green, lots of corn and blue agave growing in the fields, and lots of livestock. We saw a truck piled high with pigs stacked one on top of the other--that were still alive! I drove today, so I missed the photo opp… The driving was very exciting today because we had to stray from the Autopista (toll roads) and that was a bumpy ride. I felt like I was playing a video game called el camino peligroso—not really, but it kept me on my toes. We didn’t know what to expect driving into Queretaro and were so excited to see la architectura. We made our way around the periphery of the Centro Histórico looking for street names and finally made our way to La Mansión del Burro Azul.

They gave us a bargain when we said we’re here looking for a place to live. The décor is described as “Frida Kahlo-esque.” I will highly recommend it to visitors ;) Check out our sink:

We walked around el Centro Histórico and marveled at the beautiful façades.

The vibe here is also very energetic. It is Sunday, so we saw musicians performing in the town square’s gazebo and there were many, many people promenading and partaking of the many foods offered by vendors. We found an amazing restaurant, which we will take visitors to for sure!

Jose:
Wow! We’ve finally reached our destination/home/host city Querétaro. Of course we only have one day to rest before we head out to Mexico City D.F. (think Washington D.C.) for our Fulbright Orientation.
But people, I got to tell you, this is one fine city. I mean beautiful, friendly and with an eclectic troupe that makes you think melting pot, at least a small one.
As Naomi mentioned, we stayed at the Burro Azul en el Centro Historíco.
A lot of the cities we’ve visited have a center with loads of history (you see a pattern here). I’m guessing Mexico has a 'few' more years in the history dept. than the USA and you don’t have to go to no steekin’ library to find out, just walk out into the streets.

What struck me more than anything was the large Indian statue that greeted us as we walked into the center of town. He was looking up into the sky over his left shoulder with the hope and future of Querétaro on his shoulders.

Of course food always fills our evenings so we looked around for the local eats and were lured by a round cheery woman with a warm smile and twinkling eyes. We of course couldn’t refuse and by the time you know it, we were stuffing our faces with some of the best authentic food we’ve had since Los Zarapes. We ordered our food a la carte and thinking they would be small portions because of the cheap prices, I ordered too much.

My only criticism is they didn’t have cerveza fria! I had 2 gorditas and 2 sopes with chicken guisao and Naomi had enchiladas Queretanas which were filled with cheese and piled high with chunks of carrots and potatoes, smothered in delicious cheese and jalapeños.

Eating like kings, we paid only 12 bucks including our ‘soft’ drinks. After dinner we walked around the Jardin Square getting acquainted with our home for the next year. I’m loving life. Next stop la capital de Mexico.

Day 6: GUADALAJARA

2008-08-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

Naomi:
Lovely breakfast at La Cebolla Morada (see pic). A little meditation poolside, with the sound of waves. Felix, nuestra tortuga, pointed the way south/southeast and the terrain changed multiple times, from Oceanside to swampy, to lush green, to mountainous and lush, to mountainous and rocky/arid, to mountainous and jungle-esque, to mountainous and Euro style… to Guadalajara—a happening city with a wacky, energetic vibe. The peeps are super varied and styled… lots of emo/vampire looks. The city is gorgeous! Beautiful stone architecture, arcades, large promenades and squares full of people enjoying the ambiance, lots of public art in the form of fountains, statues and large modern sculptures, and incredible clouds overhead. We went to a bizarre restaurant for dinner… and wondered if it was haunted. As soon as we got inside our camera stopped working, which is a crying shame, because the building was so beautiful with classic chandeliers, arches, and frescoes. Jose will fill you in on all the gossip from that locale… but our camera worked again immediately after we left! (cue in Twilight Zone music)
Naomi and her Omelettes

Felix our guide tortuga

Jose:
Leaving Mazatlan, we first had breakfast at the Purple Onion, a local eatery with live music and festive Mexican décor (for the tourists). Omelettes and coffee with the ever present salsa roja and verde. (Los Zarapes didn’t serve breakfast-heartache).
View from our room.

The roads back to the main autopista are usually slow going due to local traffic and businesses. But when we get on that stretch of 'paid' highway, its smooth sailing. If you’re ever thinking about driving down the coast here are two tips I highly recommended: drive on the toll roads and drive during the day, no lights at night. As ‘paid’ as these roads are you still have to be alert and your mind can’t go on autopilot like on most US Highways. You have be defensive. But still, the roads are really good. The was so much beautiful scenery on our way to Guadalajara, one of the major cities of Mexico, think Chicago, New York, LA, etc. Huge rambling metropolitan hub for those who want their urban fix.
Autopista

The landscape again began transforming before our eyes. It became hillier, greener and somewhat junglier. We stopped in Tepic, a small city on the way to Guadalajara. We didn’t explore much just stopped at one of the million Pemex stations along the way. So far Pemex rules the gas market in Mexico, but I think its because the government subsidizes its gas (I think I mentioned before, gas is about $1 cheaper). The stations have gas attendants who check your oil and tires. Very modern and efficient.
Pemex

Leaving Tepic the roads got even better (think Audubon). There are speed limits, but like the Audubon most people sail along at 90 to 100 or even faster. We were modest, going 75, 80. This stretch of highway was incredible because it began to go through the mountains. At points if felt like I was driving through New England/Vermont.
Changing Landscape

When we got to Guad., we were greeted to a very modern metropolitan city with splashes of green everywhere. We drove down avenida Vallarte to El Centro Historico. We found a clean and inexpensive hotel in the very heart. We walked around for a bit before dinner, exploring the bustling streets with the million plus people. There were so many historic buildings that I wouldn’t even know where to start (it really feels like you’ve been transported in time). The people on the streets were an eclectic bunch, lots of Goth but also punk, urban trendy, etc. And all different types coming in from the local areas to have a fun time in this part of town. Lots of businesses and traffic (small narrow streets where people will double park right in front of you to pick up their dry cleaning). But for the most part El Centro was festive and fun.
Jose among the Guadalajarans

More of Guadalajara

...even more!

Dinner was interesting because we entered a restaurant (I’d like to call the ‘ghost restaurant’) with some of the most beautiful décor (think Spanish castle). What we thought were other restauranteurs were actually the staff having cookies and milk and wrapping things.
The ceiling must have been 50 feet if not more with paned glass windows and marble floors. The food was nothing to write home about (so I won’t-sorry foodies) but the hospitality was wonderful. The clincher for me was the 6’4” piano player with the waxed moustache. He asked for requests. He played some Gershwin and Duke but the coup de grace was when he played the 70s hit ‘Gloria.’ Seemed like an oddball piece to throw in there. I walked over and asked him about the odd song seleciton. He said in a hoarse whisper that it was a serenade to the hostess Gloria. Madly in love he said looking longingly over my shoulder then biting his finger. I looked over and saw Gloria (a beauty) standing by the door trying to avoid looking over our way. This was literally Beauty and the Beast playing itself out. The piano player and I talked for about half an hour. Great guy but obsessed with unrequited love. I hope she loves him back.
Anyway, tomorrow we’re off to what we’ll call home for the next 10 months, QUERETARO!

Day 5: Los Mochis to Mazatlán

2008-08-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

Naomi:
We just had the most incredible dinner: Molcajetes (chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, chiles, onions and queso de Chihuahua cooked in a bowl made of volcanic rock—like guacamole is made in, but HOT--the Aztecs used to cook like this) with handmade corn tortillas, and Teacapan (grilled fish, the best chile relleno I’ve ever had, and something like a shrimp quesadilla that was even more spectacular). Plus, we were served by the nicest people, Gladis and Jose, who recommended our yummy food.
Jose y Gladis

Jose made tasty salsa in a (cool) volcanic bowl at our table. Gladis was so kind and authentic to everyone who came in to the restaurant (the young boy selling roses, someone delivering a package, and all the customers). There were very cool dragonflies all around. Eventually we moved inside and were serenaded with Cielito Lindo by a full band.
Now we’re in our room and can hear the sound of the waves outside our window.
We saw an exit called “Piggy Back.” I promise I’m not lying!
These signs were visible all through Sinaloa: DeKalb “an angel in your earth.”

We also saw Monsanto and Asgrow and Pioneer (DuPont)… lots of genetic modification and pesticide action imported from the USA. But, it has been interesting as we drive south to watch the landscape become less arid and the residences become more finished and colorful. I drove all day and according to Jose I started seeing things. I swear there was a Vacero on horseback on the Autopista.
Also, we saw this fascinating sign:

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to meet the horses!

Jose:
With a restful night sleep in Los Mochis it was time to get back on the 15 south to Mazatlan, one of the beach resort capitols of the world. I forgot to mention yesterday that we had crossed states from Sonora to Sinaloa. Los Mochis is the most northern city in Sinaloa. It’s a big deal to mention as there is a lot of pride within Mexican states. Imagine the western US coast starting from Washington state to California, Sonora being Washington, Sinaloa/Oregon and Nayarit-Jalisco/California. The western Mexican states along the coast are for the most part evenly divided (so what happened to sharing the west coast evenly, Cali?).

Naomi did most of the driving and with a couple of snacks in the car, we were good to go the whole way. However right off the bat, we were stuck on a 5 km stretch behind this double bed truck for one hour. Coño!

But there was consolation along the way. We were witness to some of the most beautiful skies you could possibly imagine. Naomi had me pull out the camera repeatedly as we wowed and oohed as the landscape and sky changed before our eyes. The 263 km we traveled became wetter and greener. The weather also cooled to a chilling 85 degrees.
The scenery gets wetter...

and greener.

By the time we got to Mazatlan we were ready for a room and some food. Naomi being the consummate traveler decided to take us to the end of the road into a pier where locals tend to fish, swim and eat.

We drove into the Zona Dorado of Mazatlan where some of the best hotels were supposed to be. We found a hotel on Avenida Camaron called Luna Palace. It was modest and very wet. Supposedly it rains everyday at about the same time. Our room’s decor was out of the 80s, so much so that i saw Crocket and Tubbs checking out. I guess we were two decades too late getting here. But the concierge made it up to us by recommending some of the best Mexican food on the planet. Los Zarapes restaurant served up some of the best tacos and Pacifico mixed with salt, chili and lime. Mmmm. Double mmmm (thanks Carmen). We had two waiters, Gladis and Jose (tocayo). Jose made the salsa in a big earthen bowl right in front of us adding fresh cilantro, roasted peppers and tomatoes and onions and crushing and mixing them lovingly with a stone mallet. We had him make it medium to hot. Jose also recommended his favorite dish Molcajetes which consists of shrimp, chicken and beef in a tomato sauce sizzling in an earthen bowl with local cheese melting into the broth.
Molcajete

Fresh and warm hand made corn tortillas came with the meal. We added an extra dish Teacapan which consisted of a chili relleno, a shrimp taco that’s to die for and a fish that I forgot the name of. Teacapan

By the end of the night the local mariachis talked us into letting them sing Cielito Lindo for Naomi. Nice and loud right in our laps.

Gladis was such a hit with us that we ended up inviting her to Queretaro. Thanks for making us feel welcome in Mazatlan. She definitely had state pride. I know this because she said so. Next stop Guadalajara 500km east.

Day 4: Los Mochis

2008-08-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

Naomi:
We decided to relax at the beautiful hotel playa de cortés this morning. We set off unsure of our final destination for the day, and drove to the end of the road at Topolobampo (near Los Mochis, a major city along the coast), which unfortunately was not the beach we were looking for. Apparently it is a destination for people who want to “touch flipper's flipper.” I like dolphins, and would like to go swimming with them, but riding on a little boat on choppy waters to touch them is not my idea of fun. Instead we ended up returning to Los Mochis and found a sweet hotel here (check out the tiled staircase and tree photo). We walked in to Best Western (don't hate us, we were tired and hungry), but were turned off by many things including: Monsanto (genetic modifiers) trucks parked in the lot and the receptionist quoting us a price higher than on the sign. No thanks. :-) We treated ourselves to DQ and watched a storm come up over a beautiful cathedral.

Jose:
So as we traverse along la costa on day 4, our lives continue to decompress and LA becomes a distant memory. SIKE, we haven’t forgotten you LA. But we sure aren’t hankerin’ to come back just yet. Some of the interesting things I found along the way to Los Mochis (Moh-chees) (our next stop 223 miles south) were the Tecate Beer stands that reminded me of Dominoes. “Yes, I’d like to order a case of beer and some crazy bread.” They were all along the roadside for miles. We stopped at a Wal-Mart for snacks and enjoyed the ride with Bachata playing on our iPod. On our maps we found a little town near the water called Topolobampo (a mouthful). However, it was not the Guaymas of our dreams. Like Naomi said, tourists go there for the dolphins, no real beach and very choppy waters. We made a u-turn and headed back to el centro de Los Mochis looking for a hotel. Best Western was acting like it was Le Mondrian. They were a bit stand-offish but it was all for the best. We found a great place across the street with a jacuzzi and internet called Corintios Hotel (Greek themed). So far everyone has been very friendly. I’ve been able to strike up a few conversations when people asked me where my accent is from. “Dominican,” I say. I equated my Dominican accent to the British version of English. Naomi said Dominican was more like the Aussie or New Zealander in comparison, which I think she might be right. Anyhoo, they love my accent. Who knew! We ended the night with a mouthful of Burger King and a scoop full of DQ. (how u like dem apples benny).
Tomorrow we drive further south 263 miles to Mazatlan.

Leaving the beautiful Hotel Playa de Cortés.

The Tecate aka Dominoes franchises.

Tompolobampo sans dolphins.

Coritinos Hotel courtyard.

Nuff' said.

Ahh! Le Sunset in Los Mochis.

A perfect way to end the day.

Day 3: Crossing the Border

2008-08-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

Jose:
Pues, day 3 and we’ve crossed the border into Mexico, but before we did we filled up on desayuno at the Congress Hotel. Spinach omelette with provolone with red papas baked in olive oil. Mmmm. After that we headed to San Xavier Mission about 45 minutes from the border. It was a Jesuit mission built in 1797. It was beautiful and hopefully the picts will do the talking. We said a prayer and were off to the border. I made a call to my sister before we crossed the border and lost service. (luv ya Joy) Crossing the border was pretty easy. We got our special visas given to us by the Mexican Gov. stamped and then bought some car insurance. Cheap by American standards. Naomi wanted to have lunch at Café la Roca, but I wasn’t too keen on staying in a border town for too long. We got onto the 15 and drove for about 4-5 hours to a small city called Guaymas in the state of Sonora (btw, we drove through the capitol of Sonoroa, Hermosillo, their claim to fame and main economy is that Ford motors builds cars there). Guayma is a coastal town on the Gulf of California. Naomi and I didn’t have any idea where to stay and it was getting late. However, the stars have been aligned for us on this trip. So as we’re driving, getting slightly nervous as we’re following these winding roads and we literally run out of road. But then we drive into this huge creamy white arch with a sign that reads “Hotel Playa de Cortes.” It was pretty amazing looking and relatively cheap. Plus, we were by the ocean and had a pool to cool off after a long drive (btw the drivers are okay so far and the gas is about $1 cheaper). We paid for our room took a dip in the pool, ate dinner in the hotel restaurant (decent food and a delicious local cheese soup with some heat called Sopa de Queso, Stilo Sonora. Tomorrow we’ll continue our trek south to Los Mochis or maybe Culiacan. We’ll see were the trusty stead takes us.

Naomi: At San Xavier de Bac (Bac is a European-ized version of the local native name for “where the water emerges”), we saw beautiful paintings of the spider from the creation myth: “the world was a little wobbly until the spider people sewed the skies and earth together.” Our border crossing was uneventful, but I was struck all day by how green things were. Our hotel seems classic and it makes me wonder if my mom and her family stayed here when they drove down to Mazatlan in the 60’s. We’re on a beautiful cove and the sunset was incredible. Getting in a warm pool is the perfect way to relax muscles after driving all day. And I passed out and slept for 8 hours. The blessings continue.

Naomi walking towards the mission San Xavier, Tuscon.

2 spider symbols on wall of school at San Xavier mission.

Nogales, Mexico.

On our way to Guaymas.

The Scenery, nice.

Checking in at the Hotel Playa de Cortés.

Courtyard in Hotel Playa de Cortés.

Sunset in Guaymas ahhhhhhh!

Day 2 of our road trip to Mexico

2008-08-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

Jose:
Okay, so this might seem a bit ambitious, to try and send a blog out everyday, but we just had to share our Grand Canyon experience (plus we don't have cable). The Grand Canyon did not disappoint. If any of you have been there you know pictures don't do it justice. (Do the Grand Canyon before you die!)
We've traveled about 800 miles so far and are in Tuscon tonight. We're staying at the Congress Hotel reminiscent of the 30s and 40s classic hotels (they still use the old operator cables to answer and transfer calls-see pict of Blair our concierge below). We had our first taste of Mexico at a restaurant Guëro Canelo, recommended to us by Jon and Sarah aka Merch. Good food! All you can eat radishes and cukes! We'll be crossing the border tomorrow at Nogales about 65 miles south of Tuscon.
Naomi:
To recap: yesterday we woke up in Santa Barbara, today it was in Williams, Arizona, on historic Route 66. We got scones (whole wheat with blueberry) and coffee at the Red Garter Bed & Bakery (a beautiful old building that was designed and used as a bordello in its heyday). Our day was full of extremely friendly and helpful people who made sure that we had wonderful experiences at the Grand Canyon and all along our journey. A shout out to our mechanic George at Santa Monica Brake, who helped us figure out a weird noise that only happened in 100 plus degrees. If you ever need a mechanic in LA, he's your man. We also had the good fortune to call our friends (Merch and Jon) in Pennsylvania tonight. Jon's brother Matt and family, who used to live in Tucson, just happened to be visiting. They guided us to a fabulous dinner and this rocking hotel (tonight there is a fundraiser for a congresswoman that involves a lecture on motorcycle art with a special guest speaker from the Guggenheim!!). Plus, apparently breakfast here is amazing. Also, they recommended we stop by a San Xavier de Bac on our way out of town.

Naomi over looking the GC.

Jose overlooking the GC!

Congress Hotel in Tuscon Arizona

Blair and the old style phone system.

Day 1 of our road trip to Mexico

2008-08-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Jose:

Well, here we are in a small motel room in Williams, Arizona. There's a thunder storm brewing outside and we're drying off before we go to dinner. I love the sound of rain and the rumbling of the thunder is making my stomach growl (starving). Naomi and I have decided to make a pit stop at the Grand Canyon tomorrow before heading down to Nogales, where we're going to be crossing the border. Can't wait to show you all pictures of the Grand Canyon. A quick shout out to the Santa Barbara crew for sending us off in style (Leo, Wendy, Elizabeth, Brian, Aprill and Kelly).

Naomi:

This has been an incredible day... we woke up in a fabulous house in Santa Barbara after a very beautiful wedding (Congratulations Aprill and Kelly!) and a relaxing and much needed vacation. We drove (thanks Leo & Wendy for driving!) down PCH and saw dolphins ... had a final trip to Trader Joe's and then headed east through scorching desert, crossed the Colorado River and suddenly we were at 5000 feet watching lightning, storm clouds, lovely horizontal light and double rainbows over green mountains. Now we're on historic Route 66. Tomorrow... sunrise over the Grand Canyon?