Imagine belonging to an organic food club. You are there to pick-up your order of honey and some coconuts. Suddenly four uniformed men enter with guns; each weapon steadied with both hands pointed directly at you. They are there for some milk.
We will be posting some post celebrations photos over the next few days but we had to interrupt that reality for this bizarre tale.
In today’s Los Angeles times it is reported that an organic health food club was raided by four officers who with guns drawn “….fanned out across Rawesome Foods in Venice [California]” looking for unmarked jugs of raw milk. The officers “ordered the hemp-clad workers to put down their buckets of mashed coconut cream and to step away from the nuts.” (L.A. Times article here)
Apparently this private food club was skirting some necessary licensing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration bans interstate sales of raw milk advising that both milk and honey should be pasteurized.
Our first thought was how this law would be accepted here in Mexico where every day we see hombres hauling metal milk vessels, dispensing their product with a liter container into the container of shoppers at their door steps. (Read More about our local milkman HERE.
Not wanting to argue the safety factors regarding raw milk, honey or cheese, I know there are issues. The thing that really fries my veggie bacon is the attached video to the article that was taken by an in store camera – four guys with guns walking through food isles. This just seems over the top for a food licensing issue.
For the last five hundred years or so Mexican people have been drinking raw goats and cow’s milk. I am sure there have been problems – of this there is no doubt. However in today’s market here in Mexico you can go buy a liter of highly pasteurized milk displayed in non-cooled stacks on grocery shelves. Eleven pesos per liter is the going rate (about 82 cents U.S. a quart) or buy from the hombre with the raw milk container and liter serving cup for 6 pesos a liter (about 45 cents U.S. a quart).
In Venice, California the illegal raw milk, a vegetarian’s delight, goes for $8.59 per half-gallon. I am pretty sure if our milk men here in Xico knew they could get that instead of the 90 cents per quarts volume they get here; those hombres would be riding their cows and herding their goats to the frontera.
But really what is up with the guns? Does the FDA truly think those health food people might be protecting their raw milk stores with armed security or what?
The average U.S. citizen is scared to death to cross over their southern border to Mexico in fear of being caught in the cross fire of the drug cartels.
Your author is now afraid to head north to visit a health food store for fear that some officer with a two-fisted gun set to fire in the single action mode (gun cocked) might have an accidental discharge or worse yet just feeling the need to drop me in my tracks because of the danger I exhibit having a half-gallon of raw milk in my shopping cart.
We choose to remain here in dangerous Mexico where we can choose or not to spend 6 pesos on a liter of raw milk from the friendly hombre on horseback at our door.
Stay Tuned if you dare – we are south of the border.
Dateline: Friday, July 16th – today is the Fiestas de la Virgen Carmen. This is a very local celebration happening at the west end of Xico. The local capilla (church) is named for Saint Carmen.
The celebration has been pretty much non-stop since last weekend. Tomorrow is the first day of the next fiestas for our patron saint Maria Magdalena.
Thursday night was no slouch on the celebration front. Early in the day folks were gathered around Capilla Carmen. One of the several firework laden “toritos” was being marched around the hood. Little children and big were teased with the expectation of the cataclysmic celebration to come at nightfall. The torito would be fired up and unleashed to play havoc on our otherwise tranquil streets.
The torito is a Latin America tradition. North of the border no one could afford the insurance that would be required if you could even get clearance to open the shoot for one of these bulls.
There is nothing quite like the excitement of one of these bad boy bulls thrusting and parrying side to side and up and down the street. Pictures simply do not tell the whole story of the energy and thrill. The sparkler and smoke ‘bull’ moves up and down the street when suddenly rockets launch unpredictably in any direction exploding with an impact you will feel in your chest and hear at ear drum shattering level; an intense blast!
In the darkness that becomes blinding daylight for milliseconds people run every which way trying to locate themselves where the detonation is not. As the smoke clears you check to make sure your clothing is not smoldering or the clothes of those around you. I saw smoke rising off the hair of one curly headed hombre. This fun is not for the faint of heart I guarantee you.
Here are some photos from yesterday and last night’s action. The nighttime photographs were shot at 3200 ASA. Some will understand what that means; for the rest of you the photos will be a bit grainy. But, I think you can get a sense of the action:
The ‘Bull’ is loose! Thursday Morning ready to be paraded around the Hood. (ENLARGE)
Closeup: Each tube is a rocket ready to be launched! (ENLARGE)
The crowd returned to the vending stands while waiting for the next Bull to be released.
Tonight two more Bulls will run the street for the finale.
In a day parade last July we counted more than 64 Toritos that were set-off during the celebration that starts tomorrow- whew! We will be here on the scene to report – so Stay Tuned!
I have read Arizona’s SB 1070 Statute – it disgusts me. Someone that supports Arizona’s new law SB 1070 wrote to me in its defense, “…I would like to point out that even the new Mexican Consulate assigned to Arizona says that Mexico respects the law and sovereigns of the USA/Arizona in [its] laws, and added that they don’t have to like it.”
I would expect such diplomacy from the Mexican Consulate. However it is apparent that diplomacy is not Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s strong suit.
If there is any question as to Mexico’s take on SB 1070 I include here a political cartoon found in the Opinion Section of Friday’s Xalapa Diario, our areas daily newspaper.
Political Cartoon – Xalapa Diario – Friday May 14th, 2010
I will translate for those not speaking Spanish:
The Heading: All Against the Witch Jan Brewer
Boicot = Boycott Repudio = Repudiate
Ms. Brewer comments in the balloon, “Bring more fuel — all (those) with ‘Mecsican’ and Latino faces!”
And we see Obama’s hand trying to pull witch Jan back.
The bathroom experience is quite different south of the border. For those uninitiated there are areas of Mexico where the flushing of toilet tissue is not allowed. You need to deposit your tissues in a container next to the tasa (toilet).
You might imagine that in a public setting this can be rather disgusting. Even in public restrooms where everything is flushed away often the environment is left in despicable condition. Inconsideration for one’s fellow men behind closed (stall) doors runs rampant regardless of the country.
Add to this an open container with spent toilet tissues in a public setting and well you get the idea – not pretty.
We have stopped at public restrooms in Mexico where there is a bucket of water to fill the back toilet tank after use; and of course the occasional soil pit outhouse. But, even in some very nice public places you will leave your soiled tissues in a waste container.
The other day we were viewing a partially completed casa for sale. In the bathroom there was a fine dark green toilet. But the base of the toilet was covered more than half way up with smeared cement.
Here in Mexico many times you will find instead of using a wax seal to affix the toilet to the drain pipe the toilet either rocks on the pipe or it has been cemented to the floor.
If the seal between the pipe and the toilet effluent exit is leaky – then merely cement around the bowl so the fluid doesn’t leak out on the floor area – you might imagine what collects beyond the pipe connection within the toilet base.
I have read of Mexico travelers that travel with their own toilet seat. The hinged seats are not common around these parts. Our rental for example which was brand new when we moved in was without toilet seats.
You might consider bringing your own, although don’t plan on bolting one down anywhere – the toilet seat bolt pattern is different in Mexico. You will have to buy one south of the border to get a fit.
While toting your own bowl seat cover might seem extreme – do not travel without your own toilet tissue. It is often not found in public restrooms.
Hot Wheels Plunged into bathroom humor with its “Hot Seat” toilet bowl car.
Like third wire grounded electrical receptacles and drain pipe vents; wax seals, proper drainage systems and toilet seats are not standard building practices in Mexico.
Have you noticed how prevalent bathroom humor is in movies these days? I detest bathroom humor. Compost toilets anyone? Stay Tuned!
We received a one paragraph email from a gringo we know here in Xico; we will call this person one of the Smiths.
Smith wrote that s/he just started receiving collection calls for the first time (yesterday). Smith had read about our bogus collection calls on this Blog. Also we have discussed our frustration with these numerous nuisance calls with both the Smiths socially on several occasions.
Because the language of the one paragraph is in part a bit off color, I will explain rather than print it here verbatim.
First Smith wrote with great ironic literary technique that s/he could appreciate from my Blog entry and the subsequent responses how aggravating unwanted persistent phone calls can be. The Smiths first collection call was early enough in the morning to get one of them out of bed. The second call came from a different person within the same collection agency some four hours later.
The agency was looking for a certain Mexicano we will call Ms. Lopez; a name well known to us relating to our collection call nightmare. Smith explained that they seemed determined to find her. Smith was told that someone gave the collection agency their number; further that it was reported as Ms. Lopez’s new number.
In the paragraph Smith wrote that their number is not new. In fact the number “is as old as the hills”. We knew this having known this couple prior to their moving into their rental casa that included an existing telephone line and number. A rental we had actually hunted down for the Smiths before they arrived in Mexico.
Now totally bothered by the second call, Smith asked the collection agent what Ms. Lopez’s old number was.
S/he went on to suggest that we might imagine how surprised and unbelieving s/he was when the collection agency person gave them our new number; and how Smith just knew we would not do such a thing as give them their number (more irony).
Being a good sleuth Smith went on to state that s/he looked up Ms. Lopez in the phone book. There was Ms. Lopez’s number in the Xico section of the phone book; it was of course our new number “…with the same odor”. Here I was a bit confused as to the point as of course we all knew Ms. Lopez had our telephone number prior to us – no revelation there. But that fact in Smith’s mind seemed to sew up any loose ends about who the perpetrators might be.
Obviously the Smith’s are incensed assuming that we gave the collection agency their phone number.
The truth is different.
Our first take was how totally bizarre! You can count the number of gringo families living in Xico on one hand. How could this terrible situation get transferred to the Smiths? What’s more how could the Smiths assume we had done such a thing? Believe me when I tell you this is so far from our characters – however apparently not to the Smiths.
I left the email and thoughts of the situation until the end of the day. I went back and re-read Smith’s bitter little diatribe. Then it quickly dawned on me.
You read about our trouble getting phone service back in early January. During that tedious process we had given the Smith’s phone number to Telmex as a contact point here in Xico. In fact as I recall, Telmex had actually called the Smith’s regarding our service twice – once for a reference and once when they were trying to contact us about the service.
Obviously some not so bright individual at Telmex had mistakenly given the Smith’s number as a reference relating to Ms. Lopez. Of course this move would be totally libelous in the United States. Can you imagine AT&T mistakenly giving out a referral telephone number to a collection agency? It would be like winning the lottery – the financial liability would be enormous for such an action.
We made some accusations and suggestions about Telmex service last January. Our problems were mostly assuaged by some quick responses from them, in an effort to stop the bad press as much as anything. This error in judgment however goes even beyond that.
It should be noted that we have been told by the collection agents on a number of occasions including during some Sunday calls that the collection person calling was a representative of Santander Bank. Here we might assume that Telmex may very well be in cahoots with a bank to assist in their collection process by providing private information.
I intend to get in contact with Telmex to hear what they have to say about all this.
The reality is there are no other possibilities. Telmex provided the Smith’s telephone number to the bank’s collection representatives.
A reasonably intelligent Telmex person should have figured out that this collection related to the previous owner of the number – Ms. Lopez – not to the Calypso’s or any referral numbers relating to them. Of course there is no way a referral number given by us could be connected to the previous owner of our phone number.
But then the Smiths couldn’t figure it out and they were our friends. They could only assume that for some inane reason we would give their phone number to a collection agency that has been driving us nuts for the last three months. How they reasoned this out is beyond me. It is easier to understand the insipid Telmex personnel doing such a stupid thing.
We are currently still receiving 3-10 collection calls a day. We are trying Carlos’ suggestion of leaving them holding on line.We haven’t heard from the Smiths; and probably won’t. Updates will follow.
Here in Mexico compared to the U.S. people and organizations are more free to do wrong as much as they are more free to do right. More freedom here in Mexico is a two edged sword as you can see from this story. Freedom does not come without costs. You can imagine how far we might get accusing Telmex of supplying that phone number. We shall see. Stay Tuned!
At the completion of the melee with Telmex when we were attempting to acquire telephone and Internet service here in Xico, we were happy to receive an easy to remember phone number.
I may be too old to remember but, I think in the U.S. you can request an easy group of numbers to recall if you are old or mentally challenged. In any case we received a wonderfully easy-to-remember telephone number regardless of our age or mental capacity.
But alas luck often does not come without a price.
Moments after our service was established we started receiving collection calls for three different people. We began politely explaining this was a new number. Those people no longer have this number. They do not live here – honestly.
You can imagine how often these collection vermin hear that story. After a couple weeks we started a new tactic – pleading with them. PAHLEEZE we are NOT that person. This is a new phone number. You are molesting us. Molesting is the word for bothering here in Mexico – and in this it just seems so much more fitting than bothering.
We have caller ID. We can almost always predict that the call is a collector. They call from quite a few numbers and a few that are reported as BLOCKED. But the incessant ringing needs to be stopped by answering; if not they just keep calling. They continue to call regardless of our pleading and tactics to get them to cease and desist.
We had considered calling Telmex to ask to be issued a number that was not tied to a house full of debtors. But, we would lose our “lucky” easy to remember phone number. Anita and I agreed to endure more taunting.
We assume the laws restricting making these calls, or to be placed on a no call list simply does not exist here. So the collection scoundrels persist without the possibility of punishment for torturing us with phone calls from 6:30 AM until 10 PM at night.
Our next strategy was to simply pick the phone up and replace it – but of course this caused them to call right back or at least not remove our number from their handy list of those bankrupt of the value of paying their bills.
Scrooge asked, “Are there no prisons?
“Plenty of prisons.” said the gentlemen.
“And the Union Workhouses – are they still in operation?” Ebenezer further asked?
“They are. I wish they were not.” was the reply.
“Oh from what you said at first I was afraid that something had happened to stop them in their useful course. I am very glad to hear it…. I help support the establishments I have named; those who are badly off must go there.”
I suppose if it were nearer to the Christmas season I might be able to gin up some forgiveness for these three debtors and the host of collectors that bother us day and night. But it is not the Christmas season. It is April Fool’s Day and this is no joke. The situation is starting to really test my newly found south of the border patience.
It has been three months now. I have a pat reply in Spanish written on a note pad placed near the phone. I am not above groveling to get these people to stop their incessant calling – but even that seems to fall on deaf ears.
I haven’t yet asked how much this trio owes – that could start another volley of callers. But, we have considered paying the debt just to get them to stop calling – crazy as that may sound – what price peace?
We are back to thinking about complaining to Telmex for help – but most assuredly they will suggest giving us a different number – grrr.
Maybe you have some ideas? I have to run – the phone is ringing! Stay Tuned!
At the top of one of the busiest tourist streets in Puerto Escondido you will find these two businesses directly across the street from each other. I suppose it suggests do this or you will need that? Curious how these kinds of business gravitate towards each other.
We had just watched many baby turtles being release just before sunset on Zicatela Beach. I was on the scene taking photos of surfers. But the fun was just beginning.
A strong earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico at 6:47 our local time this evening, registering with a 5.7 magnitude, according to the USGS.
Release Turtles Zicatela Beach
There Off!
There Were Large Buckets of Tiny Turtles Set Free to the Sea
We headed over to Trattoria Vasco Escondido – an Italian Restaurant across the boulevard from the turtle release. We had just ordered their home made French fries when there was a BOOM like a huge wave had hit on the beach. After this the floor started rolling and the building was shaking.
Anita and I ran into the street. There were a lot of other people doing the same thing. Everyone looking to everyone else for reassurance and smiles with a bit of trepidation attached.
Zicatela Beach Just After the Earthquake
It was reported that the center of the quake was 35 miles north of Puerto Angel. This is east of us and of course north – but we were in the vicinity.
We are fine and have not heard any damage reports. Our shampoo fell of the shelf and a couple things were tipped over – nothing else – the pool and the ocean still had plenty of water in them.
The Guapa Señora Calypso reaches the age of 50 this week. As a retired expat she ranks quite young. Her ability to speak Spanish and charm the natives has certainly made the adjustment to living in Mexico easier for me.
She has spent more than half her life at my side, nearly all her adult life. I thank her for that. In thinking about our relationship and how I might define it at her mid-century mark, I think it appropriate to write that she has been the difference in my life.
She has been the difference between thinking about it and getting it done.
She has been the difference between getting it done and getting it right.
She has been the difference between faith and knowing.
She has been the difference between a good day and a great day.
She has been the difference that enables me. She is life’s gift to me; the gift that keeps on giving. I am a lucky man indeed. Happy Birthday Anita!
Release Turtles Zicatela Beach
Zicatela Beach Just After the Earthquake
