las fiestas patrias

Yesterday was Mexico's Independence day. Instead of celebrating on just one day, las fiestas last the entire week prior to the actual holiday. So needless to say it was a very entertaining week. On Thursday night I attended a noche mexicana at the LDS Institute of Religion building near the UNAM campus. That was fun. I was able to participate in a skit. In addition to our silly act, there were several traditional dance performances, each one from different areas of the country. After the performances we ate tacos al pastor and then started dancing. I was hesitant at first to join in the dancing because my salsa moves are quite poor, and everyone on the dance floor to me looked like professionals. But after an hour or so I built up the courage and caved into others' demands to join in. I felt like I learned a few things--like I got the basic steps down. I felt sorry for the poor girls who had to dance with me though. I stepped on their toes, lost my footing several times, and often reverted to my goofy dance moves which have very little relevance to traditional Mexican baile.

Friday night the fiestas continued. My landlord's wife (Mari) is a principal at a private elementary school in Coyoacán, a nice area of Southern Mexico City. It just so happens that the father of one of her students is the director of Mexico's Naval Orchestra, which has some 200 members or so. He had asked her if she would like tickets to the event so she could attend with some of her family and friends. I was lucky enough to be one of the invitees. This was an exclusive event--not open to the public. From what I understand, you couldn't buy tickets if you wanted to. When we arrived Mari and I went backstage, met the director, and got our tickets. We then enjoyed over two hours of beautiful symphony music by the Naval and Defense orchestras, combined with plenty of confetti, mariachis, a choir, and some video presentations of Mexico's landscape, people, and architecture. Presidente Felipe Calderón was one the 8,000 or so in attendance at the National Auditorium. Most of the others appeared to military or family of the military. I may have been the only American there.

Saturday night I experienced the pinnacle of las fiestas patrias--the shout (or el grito) in the main zócalo in downtown Mexico city. At 11:00 pm President Calderón stands on the balcony of the National Palace, says a few words commemorating those considered national heroes and then shouts, "Viva México!" several times. After each grito over a million people respond shouting "Viva!". Then all sing the national anthem accompanied by a large orchestra and choir.

After this followed an impressive fireworks display around the national cathedral which also surrounds the zócalo. I attended the event with 8 others, one other American, a Haitian, and 6 Mexicans. Below is a picture of us minutes before the grito and fireworks (excluding Abraham who snapped the shot).




During the fireworks show there was a family next to us wearing sombreros (which were for sale along with fake mustaches all around the zócalo--both have obviously become icons of Mexicanism). I couldn't help but snap a few shots of the family with their sombreros in the foreground and the fireworks in the background. Below are a few of the shots I took.








I was forewarned by several people before going downtown for this event that things tend to get pretty crazy around the zócalo--that people throw huevos de harina (flour-filled eggs) at you along with other things. They were right. About 15 blocks outside of the zócalo, on our way to the event, some kid nailed me with squirt foam from a can. As we continued walking I saw this was very common--people squirting strangers passing by. So I bought a few cans of my own, distributed them to my friends, and went at it--¡al ataque! Mostly we squirted each other. It was a ton of fun. Here are some pics. By the end of the night, I had foam residue, flour, and confetti on me, as well as a (real) egg on my jeans. It was a blast. ¡Viva!

gradually getting accustomed

I have been in Mexico City for some 3 weeks now, and feel like I am gradually getting accustomed to my new life here. I have been asked several times by people here and elsewhere what I have liked the most so far about Mexico. Hands down I would have to say the people, and the food. Mexico City, in particular, has a huge variety (national and international dishes) of very tasty foods, and quite affordable. I think I am actually gaining weight, mostly in the tummy. I have been told this isn't suppossed to happen until marriage :)

Several of you requested I post some pics. With this in mind, I made some time last weekend to take a few. Here you go!

The first two are of a park right across the street from my apartment. This park is great. It's clean, very lush, and has a playground, basketball courts, and a small cement soccer field. I think I mentioned in a previous post that my neighborhood attracts a lot of international people. I have seen people from all over the world in this park walking their pure bred pups, shooting hoops, jogging, etc. There are also plenty of Mexicans, too, of course. Every Thursday a portable market sets up shop around the perimeter of the park. These markets are referred to as tianguis, which is derived from the Náhuatl (an Aztec language, and the most common Indigenous language in Mexico) word "tianquiztli" meaning market. Any of you who have spent time in Mexico know that merchandise is ubiquitous. Well, you should see these tianguis. It's like an instant flea market. Practically all of your domestic needs (fresh produce, tons of prepared food, clothes, brooms, furniture, and much much more) are met at these outdoor markets. And it is right across the street from my house! I have told people over and over I couldn't have found a better place to live in Mexico City :) Any of you thinking to visit, try to be here on a Thursday so we can hit the tianguis together. There are plenty of other markets we can visit too. :)

This next shot I took from my rooftop. This (and the park just to the left) is the view I wake up to every morning. The noise around here is non-stop. Always cars (with plenty of honking) and people around. Needless to say I have learned to sleep among noise, especially because I leave the windows open to keep me cool. Lately it has been raining quite a bit. The water has been brought in from all the hurricanes from the Gulf of Mexico. But by the time the storms reach Mexico City the winds are tame. We only get the water.


Last Sunday I decided I would explore the city a bit in my truck. After studying a large map of the city (which I have stuck on my wall in my apartment), I decided to visit a large forest in the middle of the city--el Bosque de Aragón. I selected my route and wrote down the streets I would take to get there. I was pretty proud of myself that I could navigate the roads and arrive without mishap. I walked around the forest a bit, took some pics of the trees, water, and ducks, and decided to head back as the sun was setting. I was confident I could make it back home by simply following the route I took to get there. Well, I was wrong. Most of the city's streets are one-way. I knew this before leaving home but for some reason thought I could get back without a problem. Let's just say it took me over an hour and a half to get home, when it was only a 30 minute drive to arrive to the forest. And no, there was no traffic :)



This last pic I took a week and a half ago or so during the Fulbright orientation. It is taken from a restaurant downtown. The building in the distance to the left (with the two flags) is the Palacio Nacional. This weekend (Sept. 16) Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain. The celebration will start at 11 pm on the 15th when President Calderón gives the famous grito, or shout for independence. The tradition is for the president to give this "shout" from the balcony (just under the highest waving flag you see) and I suppose the crowd (which is supposed to be a million people or so) shouts back, "vive México!" or something like that. I plan to go to this event this weekend so I will write more about it later.

In closing, I had to mention an experience I had last Friday. My host institution (el Instituto Nacional para la Evaluación de la Educación) celebrated its fifth anniversary at a huge restaurant in Southern Mexico City called "El Arroyo". Before eating and being entertained with live music, we were invited to sit around the corral for some entertainment. After inviting those interested to enter the rink for a friendly game of soccer, I was shocked to see a baby bull enter, who immeditately starting chasing those below. I was told later it was but a calf. I am still not sure, though. This thing had horns. It nailed a few people, but no one was hurt (too bad). All the while the rest of us in the audience were busting up. After soccer, they played a game of over-sized dominoes while trying to evade the wrath of the vicious "calf". Needless to say a few co-workers arrived Monday with sore traseros (i.e., rear-ends). Check out pics from our pachanga.