A couple of months ago we went to the Zocalo for the Independence Day celebrations, but unfortunately couldn’t see the awesome sound and light show they put on, because some inconsiderate swine had put a bloody great cathedral in between us and the National Palace, where the lights were shone.
Fortunately, they city government put the show on again the following weekend, so we went to see the Saturday event. Unfortunately, so did hundreds of thousands of other people, and the ensuing chaos meant we missed it again. But lo and behold, we happened to be in the Centro Historico yesterday evening, and discovered they were giving the show another run. We found a decent spot, sat down, and chatted for an hour or so till a boom from the gigantic loudspeakers announced the start.
The video highlights below don’t come close to doing the show justice. Not by any stretch of the imagination. It was a fabulous display of images and music, all within the theme of independence. And possibly revolution – next weekend is the 100th anniversary of that little scuffle. But the video I took is all I have to offer. Enjoy.
I got an email recently from someone at the Travel Channel asking whether I knew of any place to go in Mexico City to find some ‘bizarre food’. I have to say, when I first arrived here, most of it seemed pretty bizarre. I mean, what sort of people eat cactus?! Now it all, mostly, seems pretty normal to me. Tasty too!
I could think of only one place that serves up dishes that I’d consider bizarre, and it probably is perfect for the show they’re doing. Bar Chon, near the Centro Historico, specializes in pre-Hispanic cuisine. Which means bugs, armadillo and mole. There’s a witchcraft market a few minutes away that also sells intriguing potions to put in food. Oh, and of course Mercado San Juan.
Anyone got any further suggestions? Please feel free to add your favourite weird food stuffs in the comments! The video below is a (legitimately obtained!) trailer for a show they did in Nicaragua, to give you an idea of what bizarre means to them.
Generally speaking, one would expect student awards to be based on achievement, progress, dedication or results. However, as I live in Mexico and try to fit in with how things are done here, I award my Student of the Year prize based on bribery, and bribery alone. Last year Carlos managed to walk off with the award based on the fact he brought me a nice chunk of real, sharp, mature cheddar cheese.
This year Cintia is the lucky recipient of this fairly worthless and arbitrary gong. She brought me no cheese, but she did return from a trip to the UK with a Twirl and Milk Chocolate Bounty bar, two of my favourite choccy treats that simply can’t be found in Mexico. She’s also been most generous with her cigarettes when I have had none. That’s usually because I’m trying to give up, but although some would think her naughty for helping me continue such a bad and unhealthy habit, I find those smokes to be amongst the most pleasurable moments of the day. Blessed relief from those dratted withdrawal symptoms! 
This will be, I promise, the last post on the subject of my 365 photo project. The final run off poll has closed and I have a clear and undisputed winner. Although it was close. My photo of Ringwood Forest in the UK led 8 votes to 1 at one stage, but lost in the final few hours 11-10 to the snap of traffic on Mexico City’s dreaded Periferico orbital. An almost suspicious late rush indeed. So suspicious I checked the IP log to see if any Afghans or Floridians were fixing things here too….
But still, the project is complete, the final vote is complete, and the book is complete. I use Blurb to make my books, simply because their software is easy to use and the results pretty good. Although it has to be said I haven’t tried out the competition for comparison. I first created a book to publish all my weddings photos last year and it came out so well, and seemed such a better way of storing hard copies of photos than a bulky album. So I planned from day one of the 365 project to turn that into a book as well. I dare say it will sell only one copy, the one I’m buying. But if you really fancy splashing out about $25 on it, you can get it from here.
A few years ago we were in Puebla over the New Year. It’s a big tradition there to buy and release flame powered little balloons. They looked pretty iffy constructions, standing a foot or more in height, but they worked. Last weekend, at a nearby Arts Centre, we watched a bunch of people trying to get a much bigger balloon airborne. It looked a pretty desperate sort of creation, made from paper or plastic – I’m not 100% sure which. Whatever, a good proportion of the material was sellotape, which they were adding minute by minute to plug leaks. A little bit of air from a fan to get it inflated, and then the ignition of the fuel burner to get the hot air inside. Two words kept going through my head as I watched the whole process – ‘Mexican’ and ‘Hinderberg’. Success or failure? The three minute video below will reveal all. If you have a decent broadband connection, pressing the HD button on the bottom of the player massively improves the quality.
This video is from New York, about the mystery of the ‘hanging sneakers’. We get this is Mexico City too. Everywhere. I’ve always wondered why, and never got two answers the same from the people I’ve asked. This video may explain why I can’t get any real consensus. There just is no good reason for it.
Earlier this year, February to be precise, I returned to the UK for a couple of weeks because the old chap wasn’t in the best of health. Far from it. Paola always liked my dad, although she’d only known him a couple of weeks when she stayed with us in the UK. He was the first of my relatives she met, and liked the way he called her ‘young lady’. She insisted we have an ofrenda this year. Well, she does most years. But this year she wanted a photo of my dad, and grandfather, to go on the table. They will apparently make their way to the table and sample the food and drink. No, I’m not convinced….but it makes for a cheery corner and a nice photo! 
The poll to decide the best photo of my 365 project has closed. And without a winner. Two photos tied with 9 votes each. I really want a winner, so I’ve opened what is definitely, guaranteed, almost certainly, the final poll of the project! A straight 48 hour shoot out between the two photos concerned. Click here to go cast your vote…
It’s one of my favorite Mexican celebrations of the year, if you can call it a celebration. A few Mexicans have looked at me curiously over the last few days when I have used the word in relation to Day of the Dead, or wished them a Happy Day of the Dead. Maybe it’s more than simply a celebration, but a celebration it is too. For non religious me, it is wholly a celebration!
It’s also the one time of the year when it’s perfectly acceptable to stalk kids, offering them candy in exchange for a photo! The effort Mexican families go to, to get their kid dressed up as Katrina, Dracula, a mummy or some other monster is incredible. This years monster outfit of choice seemed to be Michael Jackson costumes.
Another great plus point of Day of the Dead is that there’s more than just one of them, and the net result is a long weekend with Monday being a public holiday. I’m all for public holidays. And this is the biggy as far as public holidays go, except, perhaps, for Christmas. The Zocalo is always fully decked out in skulls, skeletons and other morbid stuff, and full of the aforementioned dressed up kids wandering around with their bright orange pumpkin buckets, known locally as calaveritas, ready to accept gifts from strangers.
Except this year, the Zocalo ofrenda was cancelled. Economic situation, see. Not enough cash. Although we are promised that the magical melting ice rink will be back again for Christmas along with the worlds biggest ever Christmas tree. They say they are making the biggest tree ever with an eye on getting into the Guinness Book of Records. This may be so, I suppose, but perhaps they also need its shade to keep the sun’s rays off the ice rink.
But I digress. This year we were forced to go to a smaller, but more local event, at Coyoacan. And jolly nice it was too. There is a more serious side to Day of the Dead though. We didn’t, however, go to the cemetery this year to remember those who’ve departed. Maybe next year. I took a few photos, of both ofrendas and wandering monsters, such as the very enthusiastic mummy below. Click here to go see them.
A fair number of European countries, excluding the one I originate from, have exited recession. The US is still struggling, and poor old Mexico is faring even worse, what with the triple whammy of recession, swine flu and bad press regards the drug gangs. But I can’t say I’m noticing. In fact I’m busier than ever, having taken on an extra couple of classes. I scarcely had room in my schedule for any more classes, but I’m greedy and what with my desire for a new camera and Christmas fast approaching, I managed to fit them in.
So how does it work, being a Business English teacher in Mexico City? I currently work 27 hours a week. Which isn’t an extraordinary amount, for someone working in a school. But I travel from class to class, giving lessons in my students offices – all my ’students’ are working professionals, most of whom are 35 years old or older. Often older! My travelling time is currently running at 27 hours a week as well, which means I’m effectively doing a 54 hour working week.
Recompense for my efforts is good by Mexican standards. Not so good by my previous earning standards in the UK. But a Business English teacher can charge anything from 180 to 300 pesos an hour, depending on who they are teaching and what sort of experience they have. All these figures I’m quoting, it’s worth noting, are for independent classes. Some schools sell Business English classes, but few pay more than 180 pesos an hour. Most of them pay less. Some of them considerably so.
If I managed to get through a whole month without a cancellation, I could, in theory, take home something approaching 25,000 pesos. That’s enough to live happily with. Not enough to be worth bragging about or being kidnapped for! But I never collect that much anyway. I often lose 20 to 25% of my classes through cancellations, holidays and such and so forth. But really, anything over $10,000 allows a reasonable standard of living, if you’re a little careful. Forget saving cash or foreign holidays though!
The real motivation behind this post though, is the fact that my latest student wants a TOEFL study course. TOEFL is the English course for most Mexicans. And yet in 4 and a half years, he’s the first person I’ve taught who is actually studying for TOEFL. All my other students are simply looking to improve their English for professional use.
