Thursday, September 21, 2006
Viva Mexico
Hola,
This year we decided to go to Mexico for the holidays.
It was rather spontaneous so we arrived to Mexico city quite ´tabula rasa´, straight onto the Independence day celebration. They say timing is everything...
About million people (out of the ~22M habitants) gathered in the Zucalo, the city square with flags, lights, colorful fireworks and loads of voices shouting ´Viva mexico´. Following was a Military parade with soldiers marching (and singing) along the streets, presenting their weapons and armed vehicles to the proud patriotic mexican people standing aside the route and cheering.
Aside to the national celebration, the Mexican nation is much into the recent election claimed fraud, where Felipe Calderon (right wing) got 50 more votes than Lopez Obrador (national socialist). A vast amount doesn't seem to accept the results so they constantly protest (even during the independence day).
Mexican people are nice and friendly (and rather short, which make you feel a bit like Guliver in Liliput..). Food seems to be the essence of the Mexican life. Markets are all over, rich and diverse with lots of food offered on streets stands: tamales (corn leaf filled with mashed corn, vegetables and meat), fricholes (black beans), tacos, tortillas, pan dulce, sabres leafs, elotes (corn with cheese, mayo and chili), Chapulines (fried grasshoppers) which we tried (well, not Anat...), and of course Tequila and even better, Mezcal, a tasty liquor made out of cactus like maguey plants.
Needles to mention that the food is tasty and spicy like hell...
Next we went to Taxco, a beautiful little town, spread across steep streets with stairs, with greek like houses all painted white, and streets full with white VW Beatle taxies, all together forming a great tranquil atmosphere to relax with.
Then headed to Oaxaca, where there is ongoing confrontation between the Maestros (teachers) and the governor. For the last 4 month they are striking, literally living in streets with their families, closing parts of the city with barbed wires and burned trucks. While it might sound dangerous, its not violent and rather safe for us as they yearn for tourists.
Oaxaca is a charming colonial town, with colorful house facades, a great market and nice surrending attractions: Tule, Claimed to be the widest tree (60M perimeter, 2000-3000 years old), Monte Alban, An ancient zapatic town and Hierva del Agua, mineral pools on a mountain peak, overlooking the entire green Oaxacanien valley.
Shana Tova,
Anat y Hanan
This year we decided to go to Mexico for the holidays.
It was rather spontaneous so we arrived to Mexico city quite ´tabula rasa´, straight onto the Independence day celebration. They say timing is everything...
About million people (out of the ~22M habitants) gathered in the Zucalo, the city square with flags, lights, colorful fireworks and loads of voices shouting ´Viva mexico´. Following was a Military parade with soldiers marching (and singing) along the streets, presenting their weapons and armed vehicles to the proud patriotic mexican people standing aside the route and cheering.
Aside to the national celebration, the Mexican nation is much into the recent election claimed fraud, where Felipe Calderon (right wing) got 50 more votes than Lopez Obrador (national socialist). A vast amount doesn't seem to accept the results so they constantly protest (even during the independence day).
Mexican people are nice and friendly (and rather short, which make you feel a bit like Guliver in Liliput..). Food seems to be the essence of the Mexican life. Markets are all over, rich and diverse with lots of food offered on streets stands: tamales (corn leaf filled with mashed corn, vegetables and meat), fricholes (black beans), tacos, tortillas, pan dulce, sabres leafs, elotes (corn with cheese, mayo and chili), Chapulines (fried grasshoppers) which we tried (well, not Anat...), and of course Tequila and even better, Mezcal, a tasty liquor made out of cactus like maguey plants.
Needles to mention that the food is tasty and spicy like hell...
Next we went to Taxco, a beautiful little town, spread across steep streets with stairs, with greek like houses all painted white, and streets full with white VW Beatle taxies, all together forming a great tranquil atmosphere to relax with.
Then headed to Oaxaca, where there is ongoing confrontation between the Maestros (teachers) and the governor. For the last 4 month they are striking, literally living in streets with their families, closing parts of the city with barbed wires and burned trucks. While it might sound dangerous, its not violent and rather safe for us as they yearn for tourists.
Oaxaca is a charming colonial town, with colorful house facades, a great market and nice surrending attractions: Tule, Claimed to be the widest tree (60M perimeter, 2000-3000 years old), Monte Alban, An ancient zapatic town and Hierva del Agua, mineral pools on a mountain peak, overlooking the entire green Oaxacanien valley.
Shana Tova,
Anat y Hanan
