In a comment on the previous entry Carlos makes this point, “While I want to see the economy of Mexico improved and a ‘better’ life for her people, I would be disappointed if she lost the character that is distinctly Mexican.  Just like the development on the Mayan Riviera brought prosperity, it also ruined it by changing it from what it was.”

We can all agree change is inevitable – and not always for the good. For me personally moving to Mexico was reverting back to days past that I remembered from the fifties in the United States – much of those past times I liked better – here in Mexico we are hanging on to some of the past.

Yes the introduction of computer technology threatens the simple life we lead here – sadly. Of course this is controversial. It is difficult for one to impede progress or even to accuse it of being wrong.

Much of my life has been a battle between the conventions of the day and what I perceive as the betterment for mankind.

We all encounter many crossroads in life. One way back for me was in my hippy days – recalling the 1960’s. At a juncture I had to consider ‘dropping out’ or to follow conventional wisdom (what at that time I thought was an oxymoron). Should I get in the mainstream or drop out – hmmm.

At the ripe old age of twenty I attempted to sort out the better path for my future: get away from it all or become part of the fray. I reasoned that the easier path of dropping out would be selfish in the sense that I knew there was a better way – but how could I get that point across unless I could prove the errors in the more conventional paths for life.

So I chose to make attempts to master the conventional processes reasoning that when I had done that I would have ‘their’ attention whereby I could explain the errors of ‘their’ ways. The arrogance of youth!

What I found as I reflected on yet another crossroad – that of turning thirty and becoming part of those who I vowed to never trust – was that I had become so much a part of that which I rejected ten years before that to yell from the rooftops “See I told you so!” would be ludicrous and laughable – I was indeed part and parcel to that of which I had objected. A common occurrence for people of my generation I think.

At that juncture I elected to go back and take the other path albeit ten years later – but perhaps not too late. That time I dropped out. Well sort of dropped out; the road since has curved and twisted in and out. But, hey we are living the dream – escaping to Mexico.

This could get very long, so I will just say Mexico is going to change with or without my help and who knows five or ten years down the road I may be looking for a better hiding place?

It would be easier to face these changes if most were for the better. But, as Carlos suggests many of these changes are not for the best. I am not looking forward to a McDonalds or even a Subway in the Hood.

We can embrace change for the good – there are some good changes most certainly – and hope for slow progress for the rest.  Progress is a mixed bag. In the mean time Viva Veracruz! Stay Tuned!

Science & humanity joined forces this last week in Teocelo, a town just 5 miles to the south of our colonia Ursulo Galvan in Veracruz, Mexico. We made two visits to see firsthand the Vasconcelos Program mobile learning centers. In conjunction and support of the opening of the new Teocelo Library the Vasconcelos team and buses graced the little community.

The big impressive buses, or mobile classrooms, replete with large automatic satellite finding dishes, each have 15 workstations; comprised of Toshiba laptops. At the front of the ‘classroom’ is a large screen teaching aid connected to a computer – all computers have wifi Internet connectivity capability.

Mobile Classrooms – Main Street Teocelo

It was hot in Teocelo. The mobile classrooms were spacious and comfortably air conditioned; pleasing to the eye. I checked connection speed – a speedy 1.5 mb to the Internet.

Students Learning Keyboard Skills

The Vasconcelos team members were neatly attired and well groomed; some sported team shirts; and all had a team I.D. badge. Their all important mission is to transform lives by introducing the world of computers to the rural populace.

Betzabé Pozos Gálvez explained to Anita and me that the team was made up mostly of graduate students from a variety of disciplines. A crew motivated in outreach community service. We exchanged email addresses with several Team members. We hope to stay in communication.

Betzabé Pozos Gálvez Explains Details of the Program to Anita

You can see from the photos the tools brought to rural Teocelo were quite impressive as is the new beautiful two story Teocelo library.

The Entrance to the New Library

The New Library is Two Floors with Several Comfortable Reading Rooms

A Large Learning Center with Lots of Computers – New Teocelo Library

Several brochures were giving to us as well as access to audit actual classes being held in the buses and the front main room of the new library. The staff was most kind and accommodating.

One brochure was written in English. It included, “The [Vasconcelos] program success relies largely on the enthusiasm of our young staff, which is certain that social change and progress is possible, and who are highly motivated because they see themselves as missioners who bring to people self-esteem based on meaningful and helpful learning that increases their quality of life.” These are very lofty ideals indeed.

It was explained to us that an advance team is sent to a selected rural area with a population of 2000 or greater to analyze the local community in order to bring materials and training tailored to the needs of the community. A week later the mobile classrooms arrive with a well prepared and trained team that will provide fun and relevant instruction to children, young adults, parents, rural workers, local producers, artisans and municipal employees – with special focus on teachers and public school students.

The team and buses stay for two to three weeks after which time they follow up and continue to provide back-up support to local technical personnel and facilitators operating in computer cafes, libraries and schools.

New Teocelo Library Lounge located off a Lovely Courtyard

I was able to sit in on three different classes with three different levels of learners. The students showed genuine interest and looked to be engaged.

The copy of the brochure written in English is essentially extracted from a speech given in August of 2008 in Quebec Canada by Victor A. Arredondo. It concludes with comments about the impact that is evident by many examples of the Internet becoming a tool for communication with family members in other places. Students in rural areas further their instruction through high quality software and online education. Teachers improve their computer skills. Farmers increase their agricultural productivity. Small businesses are experimenting with processes to improve information processing and marketing mechanisms and more.

We are going to try and follow the progress of the Vasconcelos Program in Teocelo. We plan to go back to the library in a couple of weeks and see how the program has impacted the library and community.

Mohandas Gandhi said, “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” I read a Mexico Bloggers entry not long ago where the author registered his contempt for those who come to Mexico and want to change it.  I was surprised that nearly all that commented were in complete agreement, commending the fellow for bringing this platitude to the fore.

I was one of few to disagree suggesting that we live in a global community that needs to care and act globally. Suggesting those of us who live in Mexico or any foreign country abandon nonsense about our being guests and become part of the solution to help our communities progress; improving local lives and the quality of our collective lives in the process. All things have a dynamically transient nature. If nothing else the Internet and computer technology are helping prove the fundamental equality of all human beings.

I am about doing as opposed to the lofty set that spends their time at Al Gore film cocktail parties talking a good talk, but lacking a good walk.

The Vasconcelos Program combines wisdom and compassion by bringing 21st Century technology to rural parts of a developing nation for a brief time. The intentions are good, the goals high and the process is apparently well funded including contributions from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation offering funding to enable free access to computers and internet services to rural Mexico.

We put in a request for a team visit to Colonia Ursulo Galvan – maybe we will soon see those big shiny white buses in the Hood – Stay Tuned!

Design should be more than a plot layout and a floor plan. A home design should be like a portrait of the people who will live there. It should reflect their habits, hopes and styles. Every brick, block or stick; every wire, pipe and light should be choreographed to the lives of the inhabitants and the lay of the land.

While the vast majority have grown use to being shoehorned into their homes and land Anita and I have chose to take more control over the process. In so many ways we have taken control of the grand design of where and how we live. Mexico has provided more freedom to do this and more challenges as well.

As mentioned the current challenge is to get a consistent water source with adequate pressure. Accessibility to water was high on our list of things we desired in a place to live. We have plenty of rain here and lots of water, but sadly to our great surprise much of it gets wasted and polluted from careless processes.

For several years we lived here in the Hood with no water storage, relying on the water source and pressure provided by the community water system. This has evolved over our time here – and not all for the good. The water is cleaner than a year or so ago, but it now comes sporadically and always lacking in the pressure we enjoyed early on.

We purchased a small 65 gallon storage tank and learned to live with water coming to us every other day. But then as mentioned the every other day source has become unreliable. On the days we are supposed to get water we often don’t get any for much of the day. So we bought a 300 gallon tank. This will resolve supply, but not pressure.

We do not use water for toilet(s). We use compost toilets. But we have a clothes washing machine and a shower as well as need for cleaning dishes and pans – the usual household things save the toilets. We are very conservative water consumers, obviously not because it is expensive (less than $15.00 a year unlimited use), but because we believe in conservation of this valuable earth resource.

The other day we completed a stand on which to place the large tank. Then we built a wall facing towards the street to hide the tank for aesthetics and to deter the ninos from using the tank for target practice. Rock throwing skills count for a lot around here.

Setting the forms, leveling and placing rebar within.

Preparing the cement, sand, rock and lime.

Cement is poured up to leveled blue lines.

A couple days later the tank is set in place.

Construction notes:

Because the form boards are usually termite chewed rough boards there often are areas where boards don’t meet squarely thus requiring a “stuffing” material to keep cement from leaking. In this case we really scrounged for form boards coming up with some real junk wood. The many potential leaking areas were filled with wet pieces of cement and lime bags. The soaked bag material actually makes for a fine stuffing. Certainly different from the more refined process NOB.

It is not unusual to see cement “blowouts”. This being a cement structure that looks like the cement escaped the forms. Of course poor forms are usually the cause of the blow outs.

Portland cement the staple to all that is concrete and stucco is currently running at about 95 pesos a bag. A bargain at 14 pesos to 1 US dollar – less than 7.00 U.S. for 50 kilo bags (110 pounds as opposed to the 94 pound bags in the U.S.). Currently Portland cement in the U.S. is about $10.00 a bag or more.

Last weekend there was a truckload of red brick with hombres cruising the Hood looking for buyers. We went in halves with our friend down the street and bought 400 bricks at 1.7 pesos each (12 cents U.S.). We used about 50 of ours in the support and cosmetic walls. Here you will often see walls that are a combination of layers of block and red brick. The red brick adds strength to the walls.

As far as I can tell Mexican construction people rush the drying process and seldom “water” their projects to slow the drying time. I sneak to the project after the hombres have gone home to do the NOB process of wetting down the cement or stucco. Also I insist on longer drying times than the hombres. We will leave the bamboo and wood supports under the table of the structure for about 3 weeks.

On the other side of that I go and pull off some of the forms quicker than they like to do to avoid cement tearing away. In both instances my process learned north of the border works better.

After completing connections to the new tank and filling it with water, we do not have enough pressure from the height of the tank to avoid using the small 12 volt Shur-Flo pump in the Lance camper. This in part is due to the tiny pipes used in the camper. Next project is to introduce a pump and small bladder tank we brought from the U.S. this last trip. Stay Tuned.

I enjoy the act of building starting with design (I am a semi-skilled Autocad user) to seeing things appear from out of nowhere; well sort of out of nowhere but more so in Mexico because you can never quite be sure what you will end up with. In Mexico building is more of an art form than a science.

Each year we do a few building projects. A new roof, float tile in the office, stucco the office, built stairs to get to the office, add and expand windows, close off an entry, open up a wall for a large window. We built a bathroom, built a covered deck, built a landing pad around the Lance camper, tiled the new bathroom and last year we built a bodega. Whew – there’s more but you get the idea.

Our projects are usually predicated on the availability of workers, the weather and the mood I am in – in that order I believe. Occasionally we build out of necessity.

I suppose you might call necessity the motivation for our latest project – at least it began that way. Another point about building is if it thrills you starting a project can lead to more building as you progress.

Water has been an ongoing problem every since we came to Ursulo Galvan back in 2004. I won’t take you through the painful stories about what has transpired – if you have been here a while you already know.

The latest problems with water are that we only get water every other day – of course storage becomes a requirement. Because Veracruz technology standards seem to go back to the first half of the 20th Century most houses have storage tanks ranging from 250 to 2500 liters. Water availability can be so sketchy that without the storage you will go bonkers; at least those of us from north of the border that are used to just twisting the handle and ouila water.

On the days we are supposed to get water, everyone’s low tank is filling for many hours of the day, and often late into the day. So after some encounters with the Hood water guy, and rumors that Anita was getting a reputation from her complaints to the water guy, I decided to take some of those 15.3 to 1 pesos (now closer to 14 to one) and go buy a water storage tank, the necessary interface stuff and build a pad to set the tank on. Let the building begin!

Last week in Coatepec we stopped in one hardware store that had a large 1100 liter tank (about 300 gallons) for a mere peso a liter. That night I checked the brand out on the Internet. Its reputation was that of one of the best – the best actually. Quite the bargain thought I. Off went Vicente, my amigo, and I with the BIG Ford truck. As I circled the block waiting for Vicente to make the deal so I could just stop and load that puppy up. I drove slowly past the hardware store – but a transito cop walked down from the corner to shoo me away or get some mordida. I moved on around many blocks to negotiate the one way streets.

My third pass around I spotted Vicente in the street giving me the high sign. I jumped out to help load the tank in the back – it didn’t fit – oooops! The helpful hardware store guy gave me a piece of rope (I promised I would return it) to tie the tall tank (on its side) to the tailgate.

We stopped several times during the five mile trip home to check on the tank – we both were nervous about that thing hanging for dear life on my tailgate.

Along the way we stopped at Andres’ Ferretería (hardware store). We ordered some block and a bag of Portland; delivery is gratis

We probably could have bought a few eight-foot by one-inch boards for forms – but that is not the Mexican way. We spent too much time scrounging around termite infested wood for forms – the Mexican way.

What is the Mexican way you might be asking? Here are some of my thoughts – feel free to comment your own:

The Mexican Way is adventurous.

The Mexican Way is often hazardous.

The Mexican Way is occasionally ingenious.

The Mexican Way is simplistic.

The Mexican Way is slow yet not methodical.

The Mexican Way is less expensive than the NOB Way.

There is little waste with the Mexican Way (but straightening nails drives me crazy!).

The Mexican Way often lacks good finish work

The Mexican Way is first and foremost about color (and OMG I LOVE it!)

If you obsess about the Mexican Way – obsessing is not infectious like NOB.

Good Design is about light – not always The Mexican Way.

The Mexican Way is NOT about schedules; and it is always about DUST!

The Mexican Way is whimsical – It just has to be!

Our New Tank Waiting for a Launch Pad (Looks like a Space Capsule to Me)

A Wall Appears Out of Nowhere

If you wave plans around – I get building fever. If you are like me about this – take two Architectural Digests to bed and call me in the morning. Stay Tuned – there’s more.

When we first garnered interest in moving to Mexico we began watching Rick Bayless’ PBS series “Mexico: One Plate at a Time”. Apparently President Obama likes Bayless as well. It is reported Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago is one of Obama’s favorite haunts. We read he was in the finals running for White House Chef – but then the First Lady kept on the chef hired by the Bush’s back in 2005.

I would like to point out that we are vegetarians so Rick’s penchant for pork dishes leaves us looking at the slick red VitaMix and the Le Crescent cookware while hoping for a tip or idea that works for us beyond the pork. Maybe the Jamacia ice for desert is worth watching

Rick does a few things that are very much NOT traditional Mexico cooking. Realizing his show is for folks NOB, when we play an episode or two for our Mexican neighbor’s eyes collectively roll when he breaks out the bag of instant corn masa mix; eyes get quizzically wide when he uses canned tomatoes – they are just now showing up on Chedraui’s shelves; and for the eclectic vegetarian health food nutty Calypso’s when he uses Chicago tap water as an ingredient we cringe.

I saw one episode recently where he substituted Swiss chard for chaya or tree spinach. Granted Chaya can be hard to find in ChiTown. There we understand a Bayless substitution, but there is no excuse for that masa mix up or those canned tomatoes – organic or not. No self-respecting Mexican cook here in these parts of Mexico would ever consider such things.

There are those here who only cook with wood fire because propane gas changes the taste of their food. Rick got his first Frontera Grill restaurant in Chicago started with a grand hood and wood fired stove after all.

That brings us to Bayless’ common use of achiote paste from a box. Here in the Hood they grind achiote seeds and add a combination of crushed achiote seed, salt, garlic and vinegar to create the sangre rojo paste – thereby avoiding the packaged paste. However the packaged stuff recently found a place on the shelves of Chedraui.

Here in the Hood they grind some ancho chilis and chili piquine to create a wonderful condiment. They would never consider some store bought adobo concoction. Grinding spices to create condiments is a way of life.

We scooted to Coatepec to find a grinder. We opted for the manual rather than some kind of electric mill – electric is expensive and electric things break – these hand turned grinders last for decades.  We had Doña Maria, Veronica’s mother’s grinder as an example.

Doña Maria’s Well Seasoned Spice and What-Have-You Grinder

We shopped and shopped (always fun in our tienda and mercado Mecca). The prices varied from less than 200 pesos to more than 400 pesos. We settled on a Truper model for 240 pesos.

Our New Truper Spice Grinder (ENLARGE Here)

Truper is the Craftsman Tools of Mexico. They make just about everything in tools and gardening equipment. It is sort of middle-of-the-road quality stuff. We have a lot of their things including a new Truper wheelbarrow and now Truper hand grinder just this week.

Our Truper Shovel at Work – More on this Soon – (ENLARGE)

Now we are ready to try Rick’s recipe for Achiote paste – the real deal – when he isn’t short cutting with the store bought. As he says, “When you want to taste the absolute freshest form, you can go and buy the achiote seeds.” Here it is a matter of course.

He combines the Achiote seeds; coriander seeds; cumin; cloves; black pepper; Mexican cinnamon and Mexican oregano in an electric spice grinder. We will do the same except with our new Truper manual grinder.

Mix some minced fresh garlic with a teaspoon of salt. Then take the finely ground powder and mash it into the garlic and salt working it into a semi-dry paste. Add some apple vinegar to make more of a blended paste. Scoop it up into a jar – it will last for months. Slather some on a piece of fish or meat and off to the barbeque – a great grill rub.

If you want to get serious about your Mexican cooking – you best invest in a spice grinder; a bit more toil than the store bought paste, but well worth the effort. I’m hungry now – gasparito’s and huevos this morning – yum! Stay Tuned!

In Veracruz the cities and small towns have a myriad of architecture styles. You may see a grand hacienda right next to a hovel. Money dictates what will be built where, not building codes.

Ursulo Galvan is a colonia or suburb that lies just north of the highway between Xico and Coatepec. As far as I can gather there are about 2000 inhabitants. It is poorer rather than richer as neighborhoods go. Regardless of that it has a rich history and a vibrant personality.

We live between one of the richest and some of the poorest. You can pick your friends, not your neighbors. The neighbors on the rich side changed a few years back from a gringo couple that built the casa to a gringo couple that didn’t .

We had an agreement with the original couple that they would maintain our collective view of the waterfall across the way. They were fastidious groomers. Their yard was a picture postcard with a sublime view to boot.

Their replacements opted to let their property turn into a jungle – we lost the view of the waterfall as the growth moved far above their 9 foot walls. We fend off their banana trees that loom large over the wall between us.

We still hear the water fall and with some effort can still see it from a spot or two on our property. We have adjusted as we have to the noise in Hood. One might even appreciate a view more when it is seen only with effort rather than flooding your windows.

If you have a desire for independence you must also have a capacity for tolerance. The flexible shall not be broken. We have adjusted. Perhaps one day we will build a tower that looks over their vegetation?

Live and let live is what I say. We enjoy the diverse housing. Case in point:

On our Street (ENLARGE)

Also On Our Street (ENLARGE)

Our hybrid neighborhood is comfortable and safe – the murderers have been removed – people say hello to us – we strive to get along and it works for the most part. Life is good in the Hood. Stay Tuned!

I used to be a disc jockey; a rather frenetic and insecure business. In fact I ended up in the ‘record business’ (what they called the music industry in those days) when I went to work one day to find the station (KBLA Burnin’ from Burbank, CA.) had changed formats over the weekend to Country & Western (circa 1966). I quit.

Please no email about my dissing C&W. I did record with Buck and Merle and even Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys – and had fun doing it I might add – C&W tunes just weren’t in my top 100 playlist at 19 years old.

I have a reader of this Blog who has a reader (in this case me) of her Blog who I draw your attention to in particular because she writes some nice things about me – and how often does that happen?

But seriously, she is an excellent writer and her Blog is a fun read. She has interest in Mexico and who knows she and her fella might end up being another Nancy and Paul (Count Down to Mexico). Paul and Nancy are past the countdown and currently living in Mazatlan. Nancy’s Blog remains one of my favorites.

So thanks for the kind words Radio Girl – I will Stay Tuned – where on my dial?

Road Work! I am pretty sure here in Mexico they don’t have pavement technology down as well as in the United States. I write this because cracked and sinking roadways and humongous holes are a way of street life.

Tire and suspension repairs; and replacements have got to be one of the better business ventures here in Mexico. Do not come down here to our neck of the jungle without both tires and suspension being in top drawer condition.

Even Horses Avoid Broken Roads – One of Many in the Hood (ENLARGE)

Our Colonia, Poor Man’s Shangri-La or the Hood was turned from dirt roads to pavement about ten years ago. Tons and tons of rock infested cement were poured on compacted earth – well sort of compacted.

If you have been here a while you know we get a lot of rain – about 60 inches a year. Apparently the water undermines the roadways washing away earth to where pockets are created beneath the 10 inches or so of cement. Drive many huge people packed buses over the cement with pockets beneath and whamo you have cracked and sinking cement. What we have here in the Hood.

In the five years we have been driving in the Colonia, half of the roadways life, we have seen it go from bad to worse. Additionally some of the breakage has severed sewer and water pipes. On the days we get water (every other) you can see the pavement just beyond our stretch of dirt road weeping. If the Virgin were painted there it would be a miracle. But, in this case, it is little more than seeping, wasted water running down the road.

There have been complaints. The local water guy who lives next-door to our friends (therefore we KNOW where he lives) and I got into it the other day. Well from his perspective anyway. I was merely pointing out that we have very low water pressure probably due in part to the leak in the street which we showed him?

He stormed over to our casa grumbling about how the water pressure to our property’s edge was fine. Our problem was of our own making; having to do with connections I had made from that point. He harshly disconnected our lines from the one entering from the street. The water drooled out of his pipe. Hmmm. He would have to check into to that road leak. He stormed off. Not a happy camper. But I think I made my point?

Blue Line is the City – The Rest Mine (ENLARGE)

In the United States more often than not pressure reducers are required when connected to the main water feeds being as the pressure is too high – here of course we don’t have that problem.

The people living in the Hood who have seen the price of water more than double in the last few years have become unsettled by the conditions and situation of only having water every other day. Even then it is very low pressure or not running at all. The trials of living in paradise. (Note: annual water fee increased from $7.00 U.S. to about $18.00)

The other day a group of residents demonstrated in the city (Xico) about these conditions. And behold some officials showed up here yesterday. The ‘in the Hood’ water guy has been put to work. He was down here at our end of the Colonial yesterday along with an engineer. They chipped a hole in the roadway pavement, and then ran a new hose (pipe I suppose you could call it) across the street.

New Water Line in Street – Mexican Remedy

Our water pressure seems about the same, but perhaps this resolved the leak in the road – We will see.

At the same time this drama is unfolding, they have started to rebuild the other end of our street. This is the main entrance to Ursulo Galvan. For a week now they have been tearing out the old road and preparing to pour some new pavement.

Doing It in the ROAD  (ENLARGE)

The bonus from this project is we scored a couple truckloads of used cement for the small, small price of 120 pesos per load. Of course we are saving them the trouble of hauling it off – but apparently here in the Hood this stuff is coveted – in fact we wanted another load or two but may have reached the maximum allotted to any one family at two loads.

You might be asking, “Why do you want broken concrete?”

We have three uses: We are building. Most stem walls here are rubble trench in design. We purchased 13 loads of black rock to build a wall and a stem wall for our bodega at the cost of 800 pesos a load. I am told now it is 1200 pesos per load; we plan on using some of the rectangles for stepping stones in the yard; finally, we have a low spot on the east side of our lot that needs to be filled – three needs. Additionally we are recycling – that feels good

First Truckload in Front of Our Casa (ENLARGE)

If you have ever been to Merida, you may have eaten at Alberto’s Continental Patio (an excellent restaurant by the way). The restaurant has been there since the sixties. The old colonial building housing the restaurant goes back to the year 1727. It is said it was built with rubble from a Mayan pyramid. They even recycled then – how cool is that!

At 95 pesos a bag of Portland cement, you can figure there are a LOT of bags of cement in a truck load of those broken pieces. We paid two fellows for a couple days to haul the cement pieces from the street in front of our casa down on to our property. Total investment in the two truckloads and labor has been under $45.00 U.S. – I am happy – Anita’s not sure about all this broken cement on our land – trust me it will pay off. Stay Tuned!

A few weeks ago I did a series on the coffee business in our area. The other day I was treated to an organic homegrown process with a message.

A lot of folks have coffee plants; even our gringo next door neighbors harvest coffee at rivers edge on their lot. Around here you will see coffee beans sunning themselves everywhere. A few folks pan roast their beans. But you seldom will find someone that grows the beans and processes them to the cup.

During a visit with 84 year old Dona Juana Camacho Calba I learned that she has been growing, harvesting, depulping, washing, drying, stripping off the husk to get to the bean; and then roasting her coffee for more than fifty years.

We Met Up with Coffee Beans Drying in the Front Yard (ENLARGE Here)

I spotted what looked to be an antique hand crank de-pulper in the backyard. It is an antique, but still very much in use. There were even signs of recent use – dried pulp at the base of the machine.

We talked in the main sala (living room) which doubles as a bedroom with two double beds occupying quite a bit of real estate. One corner was devoted to a religious shrine where I was told a candle burns 24/7.

A Candle Burns 24/7 (ENLARGE Here)

Vicente sat back against a 60 kilo bag of coffee beans. There was another beneath it and a partial one in another corner.

Dona Camacho is in the organic coffee business. Her family doesn’t want her to sell coffee – they want it all – “It is organic” her daughter, Vicente’s Aunt, lets it be known. Later we were told Dona Camacho only sells a few kilos a week – enough to buy food and no more.

She has everything she needs; is in want of nothing; her way of life is simple. She plans to keep it that way.

I asked how she roasts the coffee after the drying and husk removal. She explained she had a roaster, asking if I wanted to see it.

“I would like that very much, thank you,” said I in my best effort Spanish. I’m sure the eager nod was confirmation enough.

The daughter and Dona Camacho led me to a corner of the kitchen where they showed me her hand crank roasting bin.

I had seen these before – this one looked old and it appeared to be sturdier than the current versions.

After showing us the roaster Dona Camacho moved across the kitchen. The tiny woman bent over to pick up a cement block. I attempted to help but she would have none of it – she lifted the block and placed it in front of the raised metal burner that accommodates a small wood fire beneath.

The block had a slot cutout where the small roaster could slip in and the drum turned over the fire. She demonstrated by turning her hand about where the crank handle would be. She smiled with satisfaction knowing I now knew she made her coffee beans from beginning to end.

Dona Camacho Demonstrates (ENLARGE HERE)

I asked her if she drinks coffee – oh yes she replied.

Monday Anita and I scooted into Coatepec to have a few prints of photos I had taken on Sunday. Prints I thought Dona Camacho might enjoy. We will soon go back with pictures in hand. I plan on buying some of that very exclusive coffee. The story will add to the flavor.

A woman making coffee for more than 50 years certainly will yield a fine cup of Joe. I will let you know. Stay Tuned!

Here in Mexico yesterday was “Dia de Mujeres”, an International Day of Women. It is a day, in part, to recognize the issue of violence against women.

It was a lovely sunny day that reached the mid 80’s (30 C). We walked with Vicente to visit his 84 year old grandmother.

Three Room Wooden Casita (Built in 1965)  (ENLARGE HERE)

Dona Juana Camacho Calba lives at the western edge of the colonia where water is piped to Xalapa. The casa can only be reached by Jeep or on foot.

Dona Camacho Standing at Her Backdoor

Dona Camacho cooks with wood burning in a bed of sand encased by wood. She has lived there for 44 years and talks about the fact the old strong wood has been eaten by “bichoes” (termites).

The casa is dark. Even though the home is bathed in the warm sun. I captured this photo of the smoke trailing through the slats of tired wood in the cocina (kitchen).

Dona Camacho’s Cocina  (ENLARGE HERE)

It was an honor to be able to spend some time talking with Dona Camacho. She has much wisdom regarding the history of a life spent living in our area. She was born in Xico. Lots of interesting photos to come – Stay Tuned!