We are often asked about how much stuff we are able to caring on our 150 cc scooter; while also carrying the two of us. Generally the answer is an average load of groceries. We thought a photo might help. Today we had a pretty full load; a good time to take a photo of the haul.
So the picture below represents a good size load of groceries. The tequila bottles are 1.75 liters by the way – so no small jugs there. Jarana an average pedestrian tequila, about the same or a little better quality than the ever popular in the U.S. Jose Cuervo, costs 99 pesos for 1.75 liters or 2.33 fifths of Jose Cuervo for $7.75 U.S. or $45.09 U.S. at $18.00 U.S. per fifth including tax (what we paid plus tax in the New Mexico – when on sale).
A few have mentioned prices going up since gas prices continue to creep up here. However today must have been sale day at Chedraui our chain grocery store located in Coatepec. 170 gram canned tuna – while albacore in water for 6.27 pesos or approximately 50 cents U.S. A big box of Kellog Corn Flakes (530 grams) for 20.9 pesos or about $1.65 U.S. An average quality 6 pak of beer for $3.50 U.S. One Large can of La Costena black beans without preservatives (560 grams) for 9.87 pesos or 77 cents U.S. A 75 gram bottle of capers for 11.50 pesos or about 90 cents U.S. – I have no idea what capers cost in the U.S. but this seems reasonable.
Calypso’s groceries hauled on Cruise Azul (our 150 cc Chinese scooter).
Our total bill for all you see in the photo was 695.54 pesos or about $55.00 U.S. Now if we subtract the equivalent U.S. cost for the two bottles of tequila the remaining bill is 55 – 45.09 = $9.91 U.S. Not a bad haul for a small Chinese scooter and a smaller wallet.
We have characterized our grocery savings at 25-30% as compared to the United States – still standing behind that. Your thoughts? Stay Tuned!
If you thought this was going to be about golf’s long shot – it is not. This is about the long drive from Xico, Veracruz to Las Vegas Nevada and back. Round trip is four thousand miles through four states and two countries. We did it in five weeks.
On the return trip the first part within the United States can lull a driver into a confidence that is better not acquired for the second part – the drive through Mexico.
Leaving Las Vegas is like visiting a casino on Saturday night – crowded and exciting with lots of cars and people, and bright lights.
Arizona is a land of many textures. Flagstaff has to have the longest ongoing road work project in history unless it is beat by the new bridge at Boulder dam. We were startled at 12% sales tax rate in Winslow, Arizona. In spite of the bad press Arizona is a lovely state to drive through especially if you have time to stop at the Grand Canyon.
New Mexico is more of the same but includes the humongous Very Large Array satellite dishes. These grande platos listen in on deep space (radio astronomyobservatory). They are a sight to see even from the highway – better still close up with a visit to the visitor’s center. Remember the Jody Foster film “Contact”?
VLA dishes shot taken near our car on the highway. (ENLARGE)
Many of the mountain tops are peppered with giant electric windmills slowly turning in gentle winds. In the little town of Carrizozo, New Nexico just 20 miles from our casita in Capitan we were delayed in traffic while two propellers were trying to make a turn that required some maneuvers.
You had to be there to get a feel for how BIG this is. (ENLARGE)
There is no better place to doze while driving than meandering through Texas (this is not an endorsement of such behavior). I mean Texas is a snooze with little more than miles and miles of flat unappealing land and a few giant grasshoppers that are in fact oil well pumpers.
There is danger from driving 875 miles though Texas. It can dull your senses for driving the next 600 miles through Mexico – yikes! The Mexico drive is 100 miles longer than the Indy 500 and no less daring at a sluggard average speed, slightly more than a quarter of the average speed of this year’s 500 mile race.
Driving the highways of eastern Mexico is a dangerous challenge likened to going to war. Only the stout of heart should attempt this.
Trucks will pass you at 80 mph like you are standing still. There is almost always a road warrior that challenges reasonable survival practice by passing on blind curves or beginning a pass climbing a hill. Apparently solid yellow highway lines are meaningless to many Mexican drivers.
We encountered an older woman driving a small car packed with people – head on. On a main highway with a posted 110 kilometers speed limit we both had to come to complete stops; ending nearly front bumper to bumper as she came to a screeching rest on our side of the highway.
Now when these insane drivers get close enough to see the whites of their eyes you will never achieve eye contact. They seem to assume that by diverting their stare they become invisible – no eye contact no foul, no matter how heinous the traffic violation or how close to death you all may have just come.
We saw huge trucks lying on the side of the road turned over like belly up dinosaurs. Ambulances stalk the roadways rushing the injured for repair – sadly some are totaled. It is dangerous territory. Slow moving tractors and the occasional tiny moto (scooter) or burro can clog a lane – often when there is only one to be had.
Want to get from there to here? Do not count on the signs or most maps. Truly we have seen three steel plated signs pointing in three directions mounted on the same pole, with the exact same name imprinted on all. In Xalapa for example there are signs leading you to Coatepec. You follow wide-eyed looking for confirmation and further instructions.
At an intersection there suddenly is no indication of direction? Assuming nothing must mean continue straight; then out of the corner of your eye you spy a Coatepec this way sign off to the right. It is obvious some road engineer (warrior) forgot to provide instructions for that turn. It is easy to get lost for an hour or more wandering aimlessly around Xalapa. We have done it, and we live in the area!
We are more confident now after nearly six years and having seen just about all of it – but to gain sure confidence is a path to disaster because just when you think you have seen and know it all a new anomaly will erase that notion.
The horn always works – the tail lights probably do not – Mexico has no such thing as equipment violations. If it can move it is ‘legal’. Those seldom if ever used emergency blinkers you have in your car – here they are used often as a license to park anywhere or to do some insane maneuver like doing a 180 in a busy intersection with no more regard for sensible behavior than “You must have seen my warning lights?”
Many of the roads are in disrepair. Carrying a spare set of shock absorbers and perhaps even springs and ball-joints is a good idea. Do not plan on averaging distances covered anywhere near that of which may be covered in America – figure at best half the distance for the same time frame.
On the east side of Mexico you will have no problem obtaining gas. “Pemex filling stations” abound. Buy no less than a compass for your dash and better still a GPS. Get pesos at the border; dollars are rarely accepted below 200 miles down in Mexico. DO NOT come here without Mexican auto insurance. We have written plenty about “mordida” (being stopped for a contrived traffic violation), as well as preparations for meeting immigration and transportation inspection events.
Like the last three or four round trips to the United States from our home in Mexico, we had an easy time of it with officialdom. In fact this time other than showing our passports to enter into the United States and my obtaining a tourists visa re-entering Mexico we had no inspections or delays from any authority. Everything went smoothly.
Even at Hoover dam where we have been harangued in the past, we were greeted cordially in Spanish; assuming from our cars Mexican license plates we hailed from there – no one wanted to bother with why we were in a Mexican plated car. The United States should be credited with the fact virtually all border people and in this case personnel at Boulder dam are bi-lingual. A feature you will not find typically in Mexico.
We have mentioned that our Mexican insurance covers us in Canada and the United States as well as all of Mexico for about a third the cost of just U.S. auto insurance.
Do not drive in Mexico at night – good advice – not always taken by us. However this time we adhered to that and were thankful as we had several risky to downright dangerous encounters.
We are home and ready to get back to writing about living in Mexico – right after I do something about the jungle that has become our yard. So Stay Tuned!
It must be difficult for the Federal Government to sue one of its own. That is just what happened today: The United States is suing the State of Arizona. It is reported that the people of the United States are divided as to whether greater enforcement of illegal entry or greater emphasis should be placed on dealing with the 12 million illegal aliens that are in the U.S.
Political division in the latest polls show that more than two-thirds of Republicans want the focus to be on border security, while 55% of Democrats want the focus to be on those in the country.
Perhaps working on both would be a good thing.
It is safe to say that most Americans would like to see some form of comprehensive immigration reform.
It is also not difficult to understand the frustration Arizonians have with illegal aliens affecting their economy and quality of life.
A couple points that have been discussed here are that we support a reform, but not at the expense of the Constitution of the United States. We believe the Arizona law does compromise Constitutional rights and could heighten problems of racism. We are of the opinion that the enforcement of existing laws as well as more Federal involvement in an effort to resolve some or all of these issues is past due.
Living mostly in Mexico we suggest that President Calderon of Mexico face the facts that his demands for fair treatment of Mexican citizens must be a two way street. Poor treatment of illegal aliens entering Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala is widely reported.
We should add that we have had nothing but fair treatment relating to our being/living in Mexico. We consider Mexico our home regardless of our country of origin.
In this writer’s opinion more open borders at both ends of Mexico would be better.
Mexico allows people to be in the country as long as they bring sufficient money with them. Few come to Mexico to work obviously. So the scales are not equal.
These are very disquieting times for those of us living in Mexico as expatriates. In our area of Xico, Veracruz and the surrounding area including Coatepec and Xalapa we were feeling some slight negative attitudes about our being there just before we left five weeks ago. We hope we will go home to calm waters.
We often state our belief that more than 5 billion people living on this small planet must find ways to live together; to accept one another; and that we all must champion peace. Lofty ideals I know. But there is no reason to believe that these qualities of life can not be obtained.
We are delighted with the U.S. Federal Government taking action to stop Arizona from causing further erosion of the Constitution as a method of trying to solve their immigration woes. At the same time we accept the fact they are frustrated. We hope other ways can be found to lessen or end the problems.
Please stop the hating! We can, we must, find peaceful solutions that will maintain the freedom and individual rights depicted in the United States Constitution.
We hope you all had a great Fourth of July Holiday in the United States.
If you possess an adventurous spirit, have moved to Mexico, or you are just visiting but have seen those colorful rental scooters and they are crying out to you – a scooter may be just the ticket to adventure.
We bought a scooter a year and a half ago. We have quite a few kilometers under our belt now, so we can report with some authority.
Our purchase was a 150 cc Chinese made knock-off of a Honda motor scooter. I have to say that adds to the adventure – the Chinese scooter.
Let us get this out of the way: Early on we had one mishap. It occurred nearly at a standstill pace, but in rocks and gravel; so our little blue and silver plastic covered scooter lost its newness in short order; as did our throw-caution-to-the-wind riding style to some degree. The Calypso’s and Cruise Azul have long since recovered.
The Chinese scooter, the Honda knock-off, sells for about one fourth of the real deal. I ran the numbers and thought if I could own four for the price of one I would take a shot at it. Doing the math indicated that when the scooter reached 10,000 miles or 16,000 kilometers it could be tossed in the garbage and still have been worth every penny. This of course is a male’s rationale when trying to convince his wife that buying a scooter makes good sense – at least economically.
There are some well documented (by way of the Internet) modifications one can perform on the little Chinese knockoffs that bring it still closer to the real Honda. I did these 10 or 12 pre-ride alterations; I know they have helped. Not to get too technical here – just if you are actually considering the lunacy of scooting around Mexico inches off the ground at speeds as high as 55 mile per hour (88 kilometers per hour) you should look into these modification.
For those of you uninitiated with driving in Mexico, you should know that generally the driving here will add to any adventure. Defensive driving is mostly thought to be relative to other drivers and that does fit here however, here defensive driving includes looking out for farm animals, and other creatures ambling on highways – even freeways and toll ways. You also will need to watch the roadway itself for holes and bumps that could be life changing or ending, in car, truck and certainly on a motor scooter.
Never count on what you deem the rules of the road – people pass on the right, they drive through traffic lights and stop signs; they drive the wrong way on one-way roads, and in Mexico people park anywhere. You can encounter rocks and gravel and other building materials. Are you getting the idea about the adventure in all this?
If you haven’t been scared off yet then now I will report some of the good parts:
60 plus miles to the gallon is wonderful. Boldly passing long lines of four and more wheeled traffic on your Hardly Davidson is exhilarating. Almost never having to be concerned about where to park is a major relief factor here in Mexico where it is common to see double and even triple parked cars. It is amazing how bold the Mexican driver can be with the use of those blinking emergency lights – I mean once they have set those blinkers off this seems to entitle them to park anywhere. But, I digress.
For scooters with 150 cc engine size or less, there are no licensing requirements. You buy your toy and are on the road without concern for sales tax, registering or licensing – that plays to my libertarian nature.
We have made a couple long trips (over 100 miles or 160 kilometers). These trips were reasonably comfortable after such distances. It is surprising just how much stuff you can carry on a scooter. We do have a carry case attached that makes a nice back rest for a passenger as well. We manage to get two to three bags of groceries home the six miles from Coatepec – no problem.
Helmets are the law here – however like most Mexican Law few concern themselves with such details. It is common to see a family of four riding an 80 cc scooter – occasionally with the dog too.
Calypso’s on Cruise Azul – March 2010
In conclusion we have fully enjoyed scooting around our area of Mexico. Our Jetta and the Big White Ford 350 truck have become very lonely, seldom used vehicles. Live to Ride and Ride to Live! Stay Tuned!
Dateline – the weekend: Saturday morning the rising sun drives us up early and out of bed – hadn’t seen much sun during the week. We consider our plans for the day and decide Now was our chance to jump on Scoot Azul and head six miles into Coatepec to buy bread and cheese at the Eco Fair.
Then a scoot three blocks up and over to the left a block to the Mercado for some veggies and maybe some fish. We buy fresh shrimp 120 pesos ($10. U.S.) per kilo. Seven pesos a kilo for tomatoes (on the way home we spy tomatoes for 4 pesos a kilo in Xico).
After the Mercado, once around the park. In Mexico you never see just one. It feels like there are people everywhere. No time to find relief from the jouncing ride – need to get the shrimp home.
Sunday we take a ride up to Teocelo. The road to there is wasted. What use to be the best road has managed to become the worst. Nothing goes to waste in Mexico; thing are used until they are waste – especially the roads.
At the entrance of Teocelo are rental cabins and a public pool, this includes a restaurant where we like to dine. Desayuno is Huveos Rancheros and then off to complete our mission.
We ride further to Independcia and Monte Blanco (Bamboo Towns). We order a small table, a decorative ladder and a corner shelf for my office area – will a more organized space make your author a better writer – it is doubtful. But La Senora will feel more at peace with a neater universe.
Now it is Sunday afternoon.
A man needs an escape plan. Mine is barbequing.
I am not allowed in the kitchen. I am too messy. But, the barbeque is my universe. There I am master.
I have a long association with the hibachi, spanning four decades with yet more to come. I claimed ownership after my father died back in 2001. It has traveled from Kingman, Arizona to Pueblo, Colorado to Xico, Veracruz. I am happy to share its cooked offerings with all who come here. But the act of barbequing is mine alone.
As I begin to prepare I realize there is not enough carbón; that is what charcoal is called here in Mexico. I jump on Cruise Azul and head a mile and a half diagonally across town. Remember it is Sunday. The tienda where we purchase carbón is enjoying a day of rest – grrr.
We scoot a hasty path to the little Xico Mercado after being advised it can be found there by yet another small tienda proprietor.
There in one isle is a large bolsa of carbón – but no one there. Asking at the booth next door it is explained that it is Domingo and thus closed – come back mañana.
I pull to the curb at another small tienda. We yell to the proprietress.
“¿Sabes una tienda que vende carbón?
My son would be proud. His old man can now ask a question in Spanish.
She points in the direction ahead.
“Si!”
“En esta calle?”
“Si!”
We ride up several blocks to another tienda that has a look like it might sell carbón. I am told to go to the place next door. There is no sign of life there; just a metal door. I ring the doorbell. In a while an hombre appears. He has carbón for 12.5 pesos per kilo.
“¿Cuánto por toda la bolsa?” I ask.
“160 pesos Señor.”
“Bueno!” say I.
We stuffed the large bag between the seat and the dash of Cruise Azul. This requires a modified seating arrangement – but the return home is just a few blocks.
We start the charcoal with one sheet of newspaper in a clever cylinder. Fifteen minutes later the red hot coals are poured into the pit of my father’s barbeque. The coals are spread wide for skewers of shrimp and veggies. If you read here you know we are vegetarians; not vegans. We eat food from the sea and I already mentioned my favoring cheese.
Yes – We are Veggie Heads!
Was the hunt for carbón worth the effort? We think so – take a look.
A commenter on this Blog recently wrote in part; “Just returned from a trip to Xalapa/Coatepec/Xico and noticed that people who appeared to be North Americans or possibly Europeans, avoided making eye contact with us when we encountered them on the street or in restaurants. I wondered at the time if they were maybe trying to avoid these kinds of situations where something goes wrong between friends in a small community of expats.”
I replied: “I must confess that we are not aggressive about opening conversation with foreigners. In part because we are pretty sure they aren’t down here to deal (meet) more of their own kind – that may be an over simplification – it might also add us to the list of people you saw in Coatepec that did not ‘engage.’
In an area where there are few gringos – it is a good idea to prearrange a meeting….”
After thinking that over I realize visitors here may very well have questions they would like answered by those that have come before them. And that perhaps the Calypso’s have not been as friendly as we should be. As foreign ambassadors of our adopted land we may be mediocre representatives. We do continually encourage folks to visit the Viva Veracruz Forum where they will be treated to myriad opinions and information about our area and Mexico as a whole.
You may have read about the ‘smiths’ we lost as friends recently due to a totally wrong assumption on their part? Not our fault makes it no less disheartening.
We don’t make friends easily. But, we do value the friends we have.
We seem to have some trouble keeping friends as well. Why? That question is too deep for me. I read somewhere that a good friend is cheaper than therapy – so there it is.
We made some new friends last week.
Vivian and Jeff made their second trip to the Xalapa area to scout things out for a possible retirement location. Their retirement is in the long term planning stage – something I am not good at – long term planning.
Seldom do the Calypso’s greet and meet; or is it the other way around? I suppose this is part shyness and part selfishness. We just met Bob Cox after ‘knowing’ him on the Forum for two years. Ignaucio my right hand man and chief moderator on the Forum since 2006, I have yet to meet face to face; even though I think of him as a friend.
We have many Internet friends whom we have never met face to face.
“There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.” Diana Cortes
Vivian is a 50’s something beauty who resembles the actress Annette Bening; only better looking. She is a former dancer for the San Francisco Ballet Company, currently co-owner of a dance studio. Jeff, well I liken him to Shaggy of the animated adventures of Scooby Doo. He exudes gobs of energy and is a smart dude; a think tank, futuristic, mechanical engineering designer for Boeing. They currently live in Seattle.
Vivian and Jeff – New Friends From Another Country
Along with another expat couple from Xico we met up with Vivian and Jeff in Coatepec for drinks in the afternoon one day recently. The conversations were fast and furious with six people bantering about questions and answers in rapid fire. Anita and I invited Jeff and Vivian to meet with us again before they ended their ten day visit to our area.
“Friends are relatives you make yourself.” Eustache Deshamps
Our second meeting happened the next day. A barbeque at our casa; a better venue. The weather was wonderful. The grilled salmon steaks tasty. Cold wine and beer refreshing. And the conversations stimulating. We always feel a bit more secure socially in our own environment.
Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer.
We had some long meaningful dialogue about our lives. At some point the hombres (guys) and the mujeres (gals) separated so conversation took on a one-on-one quality.
“A true friend reaches for your hand and touches your heart.” Attributed to Heather Pryor
Vivian and Jeff are back in Seattle. We are emailing. They are considering joining us in Puerto Escondido next year. We believe we have new friends – a good thing.
“Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make them.” Francesco Guicciardini
We have several friends that are foreigners in Mexico; still more that are natives of Mexico. If you are ever in the neighborhood give us a shout. I promise we will do better. Life is good.
When we were considering Mexico as a place to live Mexconnect, an Internet E’Zine was a source of information. That and “The People’s Guide to Mexico” were pretty much it other than the rather milk toast Frommers and Triple A travel guide books.
In those days you had to pay to be a member of Mexconnect – now with so many other Mexico information Internet options they have stopped the membership fees and taken to advertising – a good idea I think.
I occasionally go back to those roots and see what is up on Mexconnect. Yesterday, to my surprise right there on the front page there were lead-ins to two articles on Veracruz! Believe me when I report that formerly Veracruz was not on Mexconnect’s radar – now two articles.
And what’s more startling is one of those articles actually mentions this site as a good source of information – be still my heart! We have evolved from looking for information to a source of that in a mere five years – cool.
But what I really want to talk about is the article, “Expat living in Mexico: Xalapa vs. Ajijic.” Of course anything written about our area by ‘mainstream’ tourists/expats information includes how ignored the State of Veracruz is, and these days it is said that we are in fact a hidden jewel of sorts. I agree.
Comparing Xalapa to Ajijic or should I write doing battle with which is a good place to beam yourself to mostly bothers me.
On the Vivaveracruz Forum when someone downplays Ajijic and San Miguel as being gringo strongholds, writing how these places are not ‘real’ Mexico etc., I remind those writers that no one place suits everyone; and further that it is not necessarily a bad thing wanting to be with your own kind. But the controversy persists. Here on the Blog I write about The Good Life – with little direct defense against the likes of Ajijic.
While my readership meets or exceeds (thank you Global Post) that of Mexconnect these days (based on their readership statistics where they sell advertising) you will find on this Blog that I take on the deeper and controversial issues without fear or commercial trepidation. Although my own nephew, just the other day, suggested that perhaps my writing had become tamer? Perish the thought!
We twisted in the wind in the early days about exposing the value of being here – we’re here, now close the door.
Over time I have come to realize that throngs of foreigners moving here really isn’t a major worry as truth be known our little slice of paradise is not everyone’s taza of tequila. It seems almost as many people that have come here have left – some running.
Maybe we 200 or 300 expats in the area really do want to be alone? Attempts at expat social gatherings seem to have mostly failed. Makes me recall one of my favorite pieces of poetic justice written by Elinor Wylie:
Avoid the polluted herd,
Shun the reeking flock;
Live like that stoic bird
The eagle on the rock
Great that – somthing I wish I had written first, but then Elinor passed on way too soon and 18 years before I was born. Her words in the poem, “The Eagle and the Mole“ reflect my feelings on the need for seclusion.
We had a punch list of what we wanted in a new location low those many years ago, about ten now. Being away from people of the United States wasn’t on any of our lists – the three of us each had his own. After a career in the entertainment industry you might imagine how one could develop a need for seclusion.
If in the eagle’s track
Your sinews cannot leap,
Avoid the lathered pack,
Turn from the steaming sheep.
The Mexconnect author writes, “A far more magical place is Xico, a few miles south of Coatepec. It has the feel of a pueblo, not a suburb. Its further distance from Xalapa has staved-off development.” This is arguable, but certainly holds true for its quantity of expats – there are but few.
You have but to mill around past entries of this Blog to understand why we are here. Mexico and most certainly its State of Veracruz are not for everyone looking to escape Canada and the United States.
Xalapa (Coatepec & Xico) versus Ajijic (San Miguel de Allende, Cuernavaca, Chapala and Puerto Vallarta). A silly debate really.
There was little in the article’s summation that explained the writer’s decision on the debate. The article goes on to say, “These self-anointed Jalapeños seem more independent than expats who settle elsewhere in Mexico.” Perhaps?
Different strokes for different folks will always be a fact. I find no need to defend or espouse the reasons why we are here. I will defend the rights of others to be someplace else in any debate on ‘what is the best place to live’.
In the mean time stick around to learn more about this side of paradise. It is going to be near 80 today and still warmer tomorrow. We welcome the sun and you with open arms. Stay Tuned!
Beginning our sixth year in Mexico we decided to embark on a new adventure. Getting a new phone line installed in the First World is pretty mundane. Not so in a Developing Nation.
First to answer why have we not had a phone in five years: Over the last ten years or so we found we seldom use a phone. The Internet has been a useful source of communication in 98% of that kind of need. Also, In the two locations we have lived in Mexico up to now, it has been impossible to have a phone line in one place and nearly so in the other.
We have been Hughes satellite Internet users for about 8 years. A worse company to do business with probably does not exist. Here you might be asking, “So why were you with them for so long?” Answer – Hughes Internet service is used when there is absolutely no Internet service available except possibly a dial-up connection.
In other words it is a desperation connection; and they know it and thus assume that having no regard for their customers is a less costly way to do business – and they can get away with it. But, this is about Telmex not Hughes.
When we took a place in the town of Xico the opportunity to have a phone line opened up; and based on the miserable long standing Hughes connection you might imagine the joy. But, even escaping from Hughes came at a price.
Rather than get into a long worded diatribe about the frustrating nuances, and there were some, let me just touch on a couple of the more aggravating issues.
You should know that Telmex phone and DSL Internet service is owned by one of the richest persons in the world – at one point he was the richest and seems to always land in the top five of any such list. My sense is that insanely rich people have no regard for the environment – I mean they control the lion’s share of the financial and otherwise resources so why would such a thing as saving energy or the earth be their concern?
I liken those financial giants to Dicken’s Scrooge who was reminded by his 7 year dead partner Jacob Marley, although he had been a good businessman, he learned in death that he had missed the point of living. He tells Scrooge: “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
Xico is a small town of perhaps 17,000 souls including the outlying population. The next largest town about 5 miles to the north and east is Coatepec. There it is said are about 37,000 people. Still pretty small as towns go. But 7 miles or so more north and east is Xalapa with a blossoming ½ a million plus – so a pretty good sized town.
Xico has no Telmex office; nor does Coatepec. It is a thirty mile round trip from our place in Xico to the Telmex office in Xalapa. It took three mandatory round trips to get phone service or 90 miles or 144 kilometers – pick your yardstick. It makes no sense to me that in this communication age we live in that all the gas and environmental impact of that distance would be necessary to get a simple phone line – but it did.
The first visit took more than three hours. Each subsequent visit took an hour less than the one before – so 6 hours total. There were three work stations to serve a population of more than 600,000 people – and you had to wait in a line just to be given a number to have a turn.
We did visit the wonderful Diego Rivera Museum and walked about the very charming Diamante Alley during those visits (time not factored into those six hours).
The bottom line is I know at least two of those visits did not need to occur; and in actuality we should have been able to call in an order from Xico or dare I suggest the very wealthy Telmex phone company might have a small satellite office or two to serve the smaller communities?
Let the environment be hanged. Drive all those miles spewing your hydrocarbons (or the bus company’s) into our precious air – it matters not to Carlos Slim apparently. It just isn’t in the cards to accommodate one’s customers these days. The simple answer is if you aren’t happy with this situation and sole option for phone and high speed Internet than to heck with you – there are a lot of people on this earth and someone else will fill your void should you defy the process.
We have telephone service now and DSL in our ‘in town’ place. It is a wonderful relief to be disconnected from Hughes. But now I have a new enemy to deal with – Telmex. I hope Carlos Slim might someday get a twinge of consideration for the planet – perhaps when he is bouncing his grandchild on his knee – what quality of life will there be for this little munchkin?
Carlos Slim are you listening – can you hear me now? Stay Tuned!
Christmas morning overlooking Xico, Veracruz is socked in. Not with hanging Christmas stockings, but with dense fog. Christmas Eve day was sunny and spectacular so we can’t complain – much.
Even though we live alongside a terrible surface of the moon road some 2 miles and about 1000 feet up from the cemetery in Xico, yesterday we had visitors including Bonnie and Charles, Rafael, Doctora Veronica and her sobrino (nephew).
We all enjoyed some Christmas cheer (save the young sobrino who enjoyed a couple small gifts and orange juice). Samples of our jamaica (ha-MY-ca) sorbet were distributed. Recipe to follow next week.
Later Bonnie and Charles, Anita and I cruised the rest of the way up the road to see the little village of Micoxtla – about 2 more miles of rough roadway.
We noted in the little village a new church has been constructed. Quite amazing to find in a very poor ejido village at the end of a terrible road; but then not really that amazing – we live amongst the very faithful.
Just a couple blocks up the road from our Rancho del Cielo we discovered one of our neighbors has built a new capilla (religious shrine). We don’t drive beyond our place very often.
I seized the opportunity to capture a photo. Aside from the remarkable showing of one’s personal faith at the top of her property and the tremendous view of Coatepec looming off to the north, there was what we thought to be the perfect Christmas tree.
The Perfect Christmas Tree Overlooking Coatepec, Veracruz (ENLARGE)
Aside from the amazingly perfect symmetry, the tree was in the ground and a natural occurrence rather than having been spawned in a farm like a pellet fed trout.
Christmas trees on sales lots are available here in Mexico, at a pretty peso I might add.
We have a lovely two foot lighted and decorated plastic green tree at the rancho – just right for two without children at home. The tree is actually a last year’s gift from Doctor Veronica having taken pity on us for our not having a tree at all.
I put the lights on and Anita and I decorated it with tiny ornaments.
But that magnificent solitary tree made me realize Mother Nature can’t be beat. The huge White House Christmas tree has nothing on our neighbor’s tree overlooking the little town of Coatepec in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. O Christmas Tree indeed! Merry Christmas to all! Stay Tuned!
Xico, Mexico – On our streets cars and trucks must make way for horses, mules and burros. The fact is anything that can be made mobile may be seen on our streets; bicycles, 3 & 4 wheelers, push carts of all description, cars and trucks, and of course scooters from 50 to 1000+ (cc’s that is). But four legged steeds ride supreme on our calles (streets).
Having owned a few horses in my life time I can relate to their being referred to as “hay burners” or perhaps more accurately as pay burners. We know some folks in Ursulo Galvan that chunk down plenty of pesos to maintain a horse, mule or burro. – A lot relative to their total monthly pot of pesos.
This is horse country. In the nearby city of Coatepec back in the ‘70’s a long time local family of coffee growers and horse breeders sold a white Arabian stallion to then Mexican President José López Portillo y Pacheco. In 1981 just prior to Ronald Reagan’s inauguration Portillo gave the stallion to Reagan.
“Reagan adored his horses and often shared his jellybeans with them right from his hand. His favorite horse – the one with which he is often seen in photographs —- was a white Arabian stallion named El Alamein. The horse was a gift from Mexican President José López Portillo y Pachecho in 1981.”
At a White House state dinner for Portillo Reagan said in his welcoming speech, “… it would be difficult to match the gift that arrived at our ranch shortly before my Inauguration – El Alamein, a magnificent horse, your personal mount. Now, that was more than friendship; you took me into your family.” One for the Gipper I would say.
The Chedraui family (owners of Mexico’s fourth largest retail company) ships their horses around the world for equestrian events. Antonio Chedraui has participated in several Olympics in equestrian events. David Velasco Chedraui is currently El Presidente Municipal of Xalapa (The Mayor).
On the west side of our tri-cities in our town of Xico there is the “Asociacion de Charros de Xico”.
From a 1997 World News story titled Mexico’s charros are a breed apart: “The charros, Mexico’s tough cowboys and rodeo showmen, have long symbolized the ideal of the national character. Brave, self-reliant and proud, they are as Mexicans best like to see themselves.”
The other night arriving at our townhouse we encountered a frenzy of activity at the corner. There the horses not only commanded street privileges but totally usurped them. I grabbed my camera to capture some photos of the horsemen (and women) who were readying for a parade up Calle Miguel Hildalgo with the Virgen of Guadalupe.
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE
If you have horses and wondering about our area – bring ‘em on down pardner. Stay Tuned!
