One of the things we really like about our area is the diverse quality of city/country living; a 25 mile circle covering many spheres of interest. This situation is very special, close to unique I would imagine.
Saturday night the guapa Senora Calypso and I bused into Xalapa. We took a cab from the main bus drop off to the Palacacio area in the central district. In this central area just a block or so up from the huge and magnificent Palacio is Juarez Park (Parque Juárez). The park is also magnificent being European like, cosmopolitan and old world all rolled up into one.
Mexican parks are lived in. They truly are a reflection the fabric of the society.
First about the bus. We opted to bus into Xalapa and take cabs to avoid driving at night in one of the wildest cities in the world to take on the challenge of driving. It is about $3 U.S. to get from Xico to Xalapa. Then we hired a cab to drive us to the Palacio in the central district. BEFORE you get in the cab ask the price – make your deal prior to entering the cab, period. In this case the fee was $1.60 U.S. (20 pesos). This is typical for running around the city. We walked to a number of entertainment points from the Palacio. We returned home from near the Palacio to our door in Xico for 130 pesos + 20 peso tip – so 150 pesos (about $12. U.S.) to get home by cab. It is about 15 miles one way; we left home about 8:30 PM and returned at 3:30 AM – seven full filled hours.
While walking near the Juarez Park we heard some PA checks blaring out. “Uno, dos, si, si – Uno, dos, si, si.” The sounds were emanating from down below the park near the Cultural Center building. We arrived there just as the setup was completed. Soon a local dance company put on a terrific show that included modern dance, flamenco and some traditional Mexican dance. This in celebration of the 31 year anniversary of the Cultural facility. It was excellent and an unexpected treat.
Continuing the walk in the area of Zona Centro, we found Callejón Gonzalez Aparicio. This is an entertainment and culinary delight filled area that is a bit hard to find. Essentially it is a two block alley that has small tables set up along one side. It is much like a street of small European drink and dinner places; some spots have upstairs balconies where people can people watch at second story level.
The atmosphere is hip, eclectic, and clean. We sat down at a compact establishment called ‘Cubanias’. We had a beer and a glass of wine and watched people, until we got our second wind to hit more dance spots.
We continued walking along stopping to listen to some fusion music at the end of Callejón Gonzalez Aparicio near the “Irish Pub.” This is an interesting area not to be missed.
Our final club of the night was jammed packed with partiers. Apparently there are no body count restrictions for these public places. We stayed near the entrance to get some fresher air and have an early route of escape if a stampede occurred.
Being the usual shoulder and head higher than everyone else, looking the entire room over I saw nothing but head after head covering the entire perimeter. I can honestly report that if your hands were at their sides you would not have enough room to raise them to wave your arm to the blasting sounds of “The Black Eyed Peas.”I Gotta Feeling” This IS worth a look and listen – turn your system to 10 and ROCK! Think a mass of partiers jumping and singing to this.
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night
that tonight’s gonna be a good night
that tonight’s gonna be a good good night.
Tonight’s the night night
Let’s live it up
I got my money
Let’s spend it up
Go out and smash it
like Oh My God
Jump off that sofa
Let’s get get OFF
I know that we’ll have a ball
if we get down
and go out
and just loose it all
I feel stressed out
I wanna let it go
Lets go way out spaced out
and loosing all control
Fill up my cup
Mazal tov
Look at her dancing
just take it off
Lets paint the town
We’ll shut it down
Let’s burn the roof
and then we’ll do it again
Lets Do it, Lets Do it, Lets Do
and live it up
Here we come
here we go
we gotta rock
Easy come
easy go
now we on top
Feel the shot
body rock
Rock it don’t stop
Round and round
up and down
around the clock
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Friday, Saturday, Saturday and Sunday
we keep keep keep keep on going
we know what we say
party everyday
party everyday
got a feeling
that tonight’s gonna be a good night
The fascinating thing is nearly everyone in the joint knew all the lyrics and sang them out – that is a lot of English. I have no idea if they knew what all these words meant – but the pronunciation around our area was amazingly accurate.
Now we are sure there are those of you regular readers out there wondering what an old guy like me is doing dancing the night away – well wriggling in the crowd is more accurate. A little aerobic exercise until three in the morning might be said. I have no answer or excuse.
Round and round, up and down, around the clock we painted the town. What can I say? Saturday night was a good night – a good night! And Sunday was a day of rest for this ol’ hombre. Stay Tuned!
There are at least as many varieties of weather in Mexico as there are in the much larger United States. In the last 10 months we have been doing a lot of belly aching about the weather. But getting real about it all – the weather here in Xalapa-Coatepec-Xico is pretty darn good. It is easy to say today because the weather has been wonderful.
The extremes are anything but. The extreme low would be 42 F (5.5 C). The extreme high might be 92 F (33.3 C), no higher. A little heat system and a fan will provide complete comfort. Really 45F (7 C) to 88F (31C) are the common extremes if that makes sense.
We have had more than our share of rain and our share is quite ample (about 60” average a year). Most of the rain is monsoon type – so it comes in the mid to late afternoon. Monsoon rain is quick. A little disruption. But, we have had some serious rainy days in the last two months.
No weather is perfect. But it is darn close when it NEVER gets below freezing and is seldom reaching 90 F (32.25 C).
We caught these low clouds hanging just to the west of us. Good coffee growing weather. Do not worry about the humidity. It is here. We venture to say your skin will appreciate it. Like the rest of the weather it is moderate and of little consequence.
Looking West from our north facing porch. Cofre de Perote mountain looms in the background.
So if good weather is on your short list of desired conditions for a place to live – mark us down.
Last Saturday night Anita and I headed to Xalapa to catch a movie. We never got there. It was raining when we left around 8 PM. At the bus stop the rain got torrential for a time. We made it on the bus. A bus ahead of us had an accident between here and Coatepec blocking the road for several hours. We hiked back to San Marcos de Leon and took a cab home from there. We will try again tonight.
Life is truly an adventure around here. Stay Tuned.
Are you just plain tired of high pressure sales? Do you find yourself desperately wanting to cut to the chase when getting a sales pitch? If you answered yes to either of these questions you NEED to come to Mexico.
Honestly most sales personnel here in Mexico must be shaken to be sure they are breathing. You have questions – forget about it. You best know what you want. If you want to know if they have something you better just look around the store. Chances are the salesperson has no idea whether the store has the item – no idea.
If you want a sale pitch you will have to wait for a street vendor to come by – there you can definitely get a pitch – but not in a retail outlet here in Mexico.
We have this cloud over our head with vehicles and parts to keep them running here in Mexico. Recall a while back the five month sage (that is months – not a typo) trying to get a part for our Ford Truck – we are not talking a Maserati or Jaguar here – a Ford truck!
We ended up buying a car in order to drive back to the U.S. to finally find the part. Part in hand it took 15 minutes to get the truck running.
Now our Chinese scooter is in need of a starter. Before you roll your eyes – we bought the scooter here in Mexico; and they are seen everywhere here in Mexico.
It is possible the starters are very reliable – but I doubt it. Yet no one seems to have the part. The prices quoted when and if they can get the starter are all over the map by a factor of at least 3. Of course the shop that quoted the best price (about 30% higher than the best price in the U.S.) would have to order the part and it would take about 20 days.
OK if you were wondering or accusing, we are unhappy and frustrated; and most of all missing Cruise Azul riding. We actually drove to Coatepec in the Jetta yesterday looking for the part and shopping.
The last two vehicles we have purchased were purchased in Mexico in order to have a better shot at local maintenance and parts availability.
We started working on cars early in life. Before we were old enough to legally drive we were under hoods and greasy. Early on I commented to my father, rest his soul, “One day I am going to know enough about cars to be able to fix everything about them myself.” My father’s reply and here I thought a good piece of wisdom, “Son, I hope one day you make enough money to pay to have someone else fix your cars.” I never forgot that and even passed the sage wisdom to my son.
A few times in my life I actually have had enough money to have someone else repair my vehicles. Enter the computer age. Cars got so complicated with computer chips and modules and a lot of engineering dedicated to keeping the weekend tinkerer out from under the hood. Do not even get me started about the special tools designed for one task.
Here in Mexico car maintenance is far more affordable than in the U.S. by a factor of 10 or so I would guess. But all good news usually comes with a caveat. In this case it is the aforementioned parts situation.
But there is more. Getting back to little Cruise Azul the Chinese scooter. The little scoot has no computer and I have tools. It is little more than fixing a lawnmower to keep it going when you can get the parts. All still the aforementioned rate of savings on vehicle labor caused us to attach ourselves to a moto mechanic here in Xico – Pepe.
Pepe started out very inexpensive. But as he got to know this gringo his fees seem to escalate. There was one constant charge that was beneficial or so we thought. An oil change for 100 pesos. That is about $8 U.S. including a liter of mixed synthetic oil – quite a bargain; so good that in spite of our having tools and knowledge to perform an oil change in 15 minutes, it still made sense to have the work done by Pepe. When you deduct the cost of oil, we are talking maybe $3.00 U.S. Why would we get our hands greasy or have to deal with a liter of used oil to dispose of?
The other day before the starter died we ran Cruise Azul across town to Pepe’s garage for an oil change. For the first time we decided to wait for the work to be done rather than leave the scooter and return later.
We watched as Pepe went about his work. Without getting too technical and losing most of our female readers the oil was changed incorrectly. It was drained from the wrong orifice thereby eliminating the cleaning of the oil filter. I watched in subdued horror realizing my little jewel was not receiving proper treatment. The 100 peso oil change suddenly was no bargain.
So now I have to tell my son new found wisdom. Be smart enough to work on your vehicles because no one will care about your ride as much as you do; and buy some tools and spare parts – you will need them.
I have a very smart younger Cousin who has aspirations of designing a car that meets two amazing criteria. The vehicle must get 100 miles to the gallon and be able to go 100 mile per hour. I hope this vision includes having 100% available spare parts and that 100 out of 100 people with tools will be able to repair the thing. It is Friday the Thirteenth. We had to get this off our chest. Stay Tuned!
We went to our favorite haunt the Acamalin Restaurant on Sunday afternoon. The town of Xico was/is full of visitors here to join in on the ongoing Fiestas Patronales de en Honor a Santa Maria Magdalena; Xico’s Patron Saint Celebration.
Bull fights were going on up at the southwest corner of town at the Plaza de Toros. Last week there were demonstrations in protest by an animal rights group relating to the event.
Tables were at a premium at the Acamalin. Often an occurrence on Sunday afternoons but amplified by the increase in population. The Calypso couple occupied a table for four as did a couple at a table very near us. We all agreed to join forces and make a table available for others. Our host Senor Gómez was most appreciative.
Jürgen is a fellow tails-man (he sports a guapo pony tail), as well as a fellow talisman (“to initiate into the mysteries”) Jürgen writes a Blog about his life here in Mexico in the German language). His Blog will be linked here with his permission.
Jürgen introduced us to his wife Lourdes. We learned they were transplants from Mexico City, living in Xalapa for the past year. To our surprise Jürgen spoke excellent English as well as Spanish and German his native language. He translates books. A PHD translator and author. Lulú is a Mexicana, an attorney of 11 years, and completing studies in Xalapa to add psychotherapist to her resume. Quite a left brain – right brain combination I remarked.
They turned out to be a fascinating couple as you can well imagine. They will join us on Thursday for the main event; the grand day of the Fiesta that will include the running of the bulls.
Later in the evening we received a call from Zanie and David. They had arrived from Oaxaca the day before on this leg of a vacation tour of Mexico. We had been emailing with them from their home base in San Francisco for some months now regarding this visit. They were in Xico staying at Hotel Coyopolan over on the south side of town (Prolongacion de Venustiano Carranza).
We agreed to meet in front of the big church on Hildalgo at 9:15 PM. David stands at about 6’4” and Zannie sports a lovely head of red hair. They were not hard to spot.
We had some libations at El Mesón Xiqueño restaurant in the middle of Hidalgo (Avenida Hidalgo # 148). We talked much until we heard horns and a big marching band drum blowing and banging in the street. The four of us rushed out to a street full, wall to wall, with people escorting Santa Maria Magdalena up towards her Church. We joined the procession.
Sunday’s Fashion Statement for Maria Magdalena
The crowd climbed the stairs to the large deck in front of the entrance to the church. More musicians and many people gathered near the entrance. Volleys of fireworks were lifting off very near where we were standing. Sitting off to one side were a couple of hombres. One reached in a bag and pulled out some new plastic cups and out came a liter of tequila. Generous doses of the liquid gold were poured for the four of us as we introduced ourselves to our host Jose Efren.
While it was after midnight Senor Efren invited us to join him and his friends at 5 AM for the installation of the alfrombra, a rug of colored sawdust, pine needles, flowers, grain, pine cones, etc. This will be laid out from the start of Hildalgo all the way up to the iglesia (church) at the west end nearly a mile in length.
We all appreciated the invitation, but we explained were pretty sure we would be sleeping at 5 AM. Soon after Zannie and David headed to their hotel and we scooted home.
A few hours later we did hear a lot of fireworks from the comfort of our bed. We will head down to get some photos of the latest alfombra carpeting effort. It is a lovely morning. This display may last more than a few hours if the rain stays away; since we have been back home it has rained at least part of every day.
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.
When visiting the U.S. we often miss the Mexican food that we eat most of the year. We get great tortillas in Mexico. The tortillas that happen in Las Vegas can stay in Las Vegas.
A couple miles east of my sister and brother in-law’s casa is Viva Zapatas Mexican Restaurant. Here Emilio is prominently displayed and of course Mexican food is the attraction. Behind glass a woman flips tortillas on a flat grill. Other than looking more sanitary than most handmade tortilla cookeries in our Mexican neighborhood the preparation and product looks the same.
The proof however is in the eating. No one was shouting Viva Zapata’s tortillas. I am guessing their masa is from an industrial powder of some sort. The restaurant seems to get overwhelming approval for its authentic Mexican food. I suggest those advocates have not actually eaten any authentic Mexican food.
Some years ago my father-in-law and I use to go to a tortilleria somewhere on the east side of Las Vegas, but just where escapes me. My memory is that those tortillas were the real deal. However, I am a lot more versed in the fine art of flat bread than I was in those days. The search continues.
Never let it be said that one cannot get good food in America’s true entertainment capital. You will not starve in Las Vegas.
Last week when our son Julian was here, we dined out with my cousins Steve and Bart and their lovely Tania’s (both their wives are named Tania). We all met at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas.
The company was grand and the food excellent. I hadn’t seen my two cousins for about 30 years. We recalled stories of our impetuous youths and generally caught up on our lives.
Their dad, my Uncle, who has passed away was an Indianapolis 500 race car driver; one of a select group of men and women that have completed an Indy 500 race. Racing is in our blood and these guys continue along those lines manufacturing patented laminated racing helmet ‘tearoffs’. Every driver (33 in all) racing in last month’s Indy race wore their helmet tearoffs.
My nephew Seth continues the racing legacy as a champion USAC sprint car driver. Readers who are surprised that Anita and I tool around Mexican streets on a motor scooter will have a better understanding of our daring now
Last night my cousin Steve and his lovely wife and me and mi guapa esposa met in the Summerlin area again; this time to dine across the street from P.F. Changs at the Kona Grill. Serving Asian Fusion food. Wow!
From their web site I learned they have locations in 16 States. The one and only one in Nevada is not to be missed. We showed up for Happy Hour (“Drinks and Eats from $3”) at five and lingered past its completion at seven. The misters on the outside patio tamed the 100 plus degree temperature.
Recent California Transplants – My Cousin Steve & Wife Tania
I am pretty sure we ate our way through their entire ‘California Roll’ menu save the eel cucumber roll. Totally awesome!
We had more “classic kona margaritas” than I could count at the finish and the entire menu of rolls made from various fresh fish flown in daily – all for quite the bargain price I thought.
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.
