Ruminations of an Expatriate

I've Moved

2006-11-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

Given Googles indiferent customer support in dealing with the problems I have with it's new and supposedly improved beta blogger I've moved the blog to Word Press. You can find it here.

http://expatriateruminations.wordpress.com/

Test

2006-11-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

Having read that the length of the post may be related to the problem I've been having connecting to beta blogger I am testing a shorter post to see if it makes a difference.

And to try uploading a picture I have selected the photo of this cutie who was watching the November 20 parade with her parents from the spot next to mine.

Sunday Excursion

2006-11-23T06:06:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday Tere, her two sons Eduardo and Francisco, and I piled into the pickup, the youngster in the back, and drove to La Antigua, an enchanting small town a bit North of Veracruz.

The town is near the Bay of Antigua, the location of the landing of Hernando Cortes’ invasion force where he had his eleven ships burned so the planned conquest could not be reversed.

The town’s primary tourist attraction is the Cortes home, or I should say the ruins of his home with a small sign identifying the ruins as such. The town also has real cobble stone streets and is nestled into a tropical forest amongst really large trees. I imagine one could fly over the air and be hard pressed notice there is a town amongst the trees.

The Cortez house is lacking a roof, the walls are either crumbing or consist of a piles of rocks, and there are very large trees growing through holes in the wall that were once windows. None-the-less, the tourist buses were lined up on the adjoining street.

It was raining for about the entire trip there and back, and torrentially when we arrived, so we didn’t tour the ruins of the Cortex home. Rather we sought refuge at a table on the covered patio of a really nice restaurant, for a lunch of fried shrimp, shrimp cocktail, rice, tortillas, and chips, and to watch the pouring rain and the resultant stream flowing down the street.

Earlier Francisco had been asking to go to the beach so I pointed to the muddy stream in the street and told him “there’s the beach.” I was of course kidding; but, none-the-less, after they had finished their lunches Eduardo and Francisco went out to play in the stream, mud, and pouring rain. They spent the hour drive home shivering in their wet clothes in the back of the truck.

They are both bright, polite, nice young fellows. At one point during the drive to Antigua when I pulled over behind a parked semi truck for a bathroom break, both the boys walked over to the truck and pissed on a front tire. Thereafter I took to calling them dogs which they thought was pretty funny.

Next Sunday we’ll visit La Hoya a small community not far from Xalapa on the road to Perote.

Discount Natural Health Products - DNHP

2006-11-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

I interrupt the usual program of photos and iconoflatulece (with thanks to Verde for coning the word) to engage in badmouthing of Discount Natural Health Products - DNHP, an internet vendor with whom I have done business a few times, in hopes that those searching the internet for Discount Natural Health Products - DNHP will happen upon my badmouthing.

I have purchased Livatone Plus from Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP for about the last year and a half. Livatone Plus contains Milk Thistle and other antioxidants that do good things good for the particularly the liver. As far as I’ve been able to determine it is available only from vendors in Australia, where I think it was developed, and Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP sells it at a favorable price.

I ordered from Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP last February and, owing to the Mexican customs and postal services, I finally received my package in May.

Last month I again ordered from Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP, and, thus, my grievance with Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP was conceived.

The web site of Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP indicates a “courier” shipping option that is quite expensive but promises a 4 days delivery. I placed an extra large order from Discount Natural Health Products - DNHP and opted for the “courier” service, which turned out to be phony.

When I placed the order with Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP, on October 18, I was informed that I would receive a package tracking number as soon as it shipped. Having not received the package, on October 30 I emailed Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP asking for a tracking number. Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP sent me a tracking number and informed me that the phony “courier” service they use could not track the package past the Sydney airport as the Mexican postal service did not provide tracking services. Mexican postal service?

<>I responded to Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP asking what the Mexican postal service had to do with delivery through their “courier” service. A question which Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP never answered.

Subsequently I emailed Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP and referred to their courier service as “phony”. Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP responded by saying that I had hurt the feelings of their staff. I promise, other than calling the courier service phony I was not the least bit abusive to anyone at Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP.

This past week Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP blocked my email address so I had to create another Yahoo address to send them a message indicating that since Discount Natural Health Products - DNHP mailed my package through the Mexican postal service, just what I had paid $100. AUS to avoid, rather than sending it by courier that they should credit my VISA account the difference between the cost of their phony courier service and the cost of mailing my package, which is what they did. Of course, given their indifferent customer service, Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP has not responded.

So a month after placing the order I had to go to the local post office to pick up my package from Discount Natural Health Products – DNHP which uses a courier service which promises on it web site door-to-door service anywhere in the world in four days.

Meet My Spanish Teachers/English Students

2006-11-19T14:34:00.000-08:00

From left to right, Naomi, Eduardo, and Rosio who are coming to my apartment Saturday afternoons for help in learning English and to help me learn Spanish.

Eduardo is Tere's son and Naomi and Rosio her sisters who are living here while attending school.

All three are delightful young folks.

Google Competes With Microsoft

2006-11-19T04:30:00.000-08:00

Google, which owns Blogger, the software I use to post here, recently required users to "upgrade" to Beta.Blogger. The problem is that Beta.Blogger wasn't ready for release, as there have been almost nothing but problems since the upgrade.

I guess I shouldn't complain, since the software and hosting are free, but it has been a bit irritating.

Due to the problems my posting may be a bit sporatic until the problems are resolved.

USA Taxpayer Funded Terror In Columbia

2006-11-18T20:50:00.001-08:00

This is the Latin American government that receives more USA government aid than any other, and which hosts Latin America's largest USA military force to assist in its efforts to suppress popular uprisings. USA government officials tell us our troops are in Columbia as a part of "war on drugs" and that the insurgents there a communists.

Columbia is but the latest chapter of the USA government's nefarious deeds in Latin America since President Monroe essentially declared that Latin America belongs to the USA.

Those interested in earlier chapters of USA complicity in death squads, coups, and suppressions of popular movements should visit the National Security Archive website hosted at George Washington University in D. C.

Colombian Government Shaken By Lawmakers' Paramilitary Ties

Investigation Leads to Arrest of Current, Former Officials

By Juan Forero

Washington Post Foreign Service

Saturday, November 18, 2006; Page A17

BOGOTA, Colombia, Nov. 17 -- The government of President Álvaro Uribe is being shaken by its most serious political crisis yet, as details emerge about members of Congress who collaborated with right-wing death squads to spread terror and exert political control across Colombia's Caribbean coast.

Two senators, Álvaro García and Jairo Merlano, are in custody, as is a congressman, Eric Morris, and a former congresswoman, Muriel Benito. Four local officials have been arrested, and a warrant has been issued for a former governor, Salvador Arana. All are from the state of Sucre, where the attorney general's office has been exhuming bodies from mass graves -- victims of a paramilitary campaign to erode civilian support for Marxist rebels in Colombia's long conflict.

The investigation, which has revealed how lawmakers and paramilitary commanders rigged elections and planned assassinations, has shaken Colombia's Congress to its core. One powerful senator from Cesar state, Álvaro Araujo, has warned that if he is targeted in the investigation, it would taint relatives of his in the government and, ultimately, the president, whom he has strongly supported.

The arrests and disclosures about the investigation, which is focusing on at least five more members of Congress, come weeks after prosecutors leaked a report revealing how paramilitary fighters have killed hundreds of people, trafficked cocaine to the United States and sacked government institutions while negotiating a disarmament with Uribe's government.

Fox News Weds O. J.

2006-11-17T06:34:00.000-08:00

I wonder what the troglodytes who rely on the Faux News Network for their news think of Murdoch publishing and promoting O. J.'s book.

Finally I Have Home Internet Service

2006-11-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

I reported in mid-October that I had arranged for internet service trough the local cable company, MegaCable. I was told when I subscribed that the service would be installed within ten to fifteen days. I’m still waiting, almost a month later, and most recently was told the service would be installed on the 21st of this month. Given that I have three times previously been given specific dates and times when service would be installed and wasn’t, I’m not now holding my breath. The installers have not once called me to tell me that they wouldn’t show up when promised.

Most recently the service was to have been installed last Saturday, during which I waited all day in the apartment. The installers showed up Sunday, when I was in Puebla. Since I wasn’t home when they showed up on Sunday I now must wait until the 21st. The fellow with whom I spoke on Monday told me the installers didn’t make it on Saturday because of the weather.

Today (Tues. 11/14) I sent an email to MegaCable management politely telling them what lousy installation service they have. Today I also viewed my bill on-line and discovered a charge for my non existent internet service. So for the second time in two days I walked to the office to straighten out the mistake. I must say that everyone I’ve dealt with in the office has been very nice, efficient, and very patient with my often inadequate Spanish. In fact, when the fellow in the office who told me the installer would be here last Saturday overheard my discussion with a clerk, who is quite familiar with the tardy installation situation, about the internet charge he went to the phone and called the installation department.

The positive aspect to all of this is that I am getting lots of exercise walking back and forth to the cable office, which involves climbing and descending hills in both directions.

UPDATE: Five minutes after I wrote the above I received a call from a fellow at MegaCable who informed me an installer will be here tomorrow (Wed. 11/15) morning at 9:00.

FURTHER UPDATE: It’s a good thing I didn’t hold my breath as I received a call Wed. morning informing me the installation will be Thursday morning between 9:00 and 10:00. At least they called me this time. Tomorrow will be one month and a day since I contracted for service.

FURTHER UPDATE: Of course no installer showed up at the indicated time. So at 11:00 I called the installation department number and explained that six times now I have been given a specific day and time when the installation was to occur and six times no one has shown. The fellow I spoke to initially told me installation was scheduled for Nov. 21. I politely but firmly corrected him and after I explained all of the above to him he indicated that someone would be here in an hour.

When no installer showed up in an hour and a half I called again and was firmer. Within a half hour an installer showed up and within 30 minutes the installation was completed.

I finally have internet service.

Fig Sphinx

2006-11-17T05:34:00.000-08:00

One of the nice folks at the internet café I patronize and I were discussing the caterpillar in the photo I posted a few days ago so we did decided to try to identify it.

We came upon this website which identifies the caterpillar as a Fig Sphinx.

http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/pficus.htm

Here is a bit of information and a couple of photos I pirated from the website.

DISTRIBUTION:
The Fig sphinx, Pachylia ficus (Wing span: 4 3/4 - 5 1/2 inches (12 - 14 cm)) flies from Uruguay north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to Florida, southern Texas, and southern Arizona. It occasionally strays as far north as Indiana and Pennsylvania.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:
Females feed and lay eggs on fig leaves, especially Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea). Ficus carica, Ficus microcarpa, Ficus religiosa, Ficus pumila, Ficus gamelleira, Ficus prinoides, Ficus pumila and Artocarpus integrifolia are also listed as hosts.
Larvae pupate in cocoons spun amongst leaf litter.
There are several color morphs.

Trip To Puebla

2006-11-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

Sunday I drove with Tere, the woman from whose store I buy produce, for about two and a half hours to a huge market near the city of Puebla. Tere wanted to check the prices at the market to see if it would make economic sense for here to buy a pickup truck to drive to the market to buy produce for here store. She discovered prices about 40% less than she pays at the market in Xalapa.

I was amazed at how rapidly the terrain and climate changed as we climbed the mountains to Perote, which is the first town one comes to when entering a broad, semi-arid plateau. When we left Xalapa it was raining fairly forcibly; at around Las Vigas, not far from Xalap, we entered dense clouds; climbing further the sun began to shine through the clouds; and when we emerged onto the plateau the sky was blue. Between Las Vigas and Perote the mountains are covered with Pine, Cedar, and other trees of which I am unfamiliar. At Perote the trees thinned and cactus began appearing. A bit further along the trees were completely gone from the mountains and vast irrigated corn fields of sandy volcanic soils spread across the plateau, and the roadside vegetation was withered, quite unlike the green that predominates the Xalapa side of the mountains.

Tere bought two large bags of onions, 4 boxes of tomatoes, a large bag of chile peppers, and some hibiscus flowers, from which a sweet drink, popular hereabouts and in Merida, is concocted and I went for the truck.

I backed out of the parking space, facing the wrong way at the end of a one way street and turned to head for the bounty. A private security guard thought I had driven the wrong way all along the one way street and waved me over. I realized he was not a real policeman and politely explained to him that I had not driven the wrong way down the street but was merely backing out of a parking space. He certainly overplayed his hand when he told me that the infraction carried a $300 pesos fine. I politely told him I wasn’t paying him anything, asked him todo bien, shook his hand, wished him a nice day, and went on my way to load vegetables.

During the return trip we stopped at a roadside chicken restaurant where they roasted probably 50 chickens at a time on long wooden spits over wood fires. The chicken was very good and bill was even better. We paid $100 pesos for two Negra Modelos, two soda pops, half a chicken, rice, shredded cabbage, salsa and tortillas.

More Museo Photos

2006-11-13T14:29:00.000-08:00

Part of an alter

This toy is carved completely from stone.

As are the children and the swing in this piece.

As I indicated the grounds are meticulously groomed.

I think this is a pretty wild piece.

Museo Antropologia

2006-11-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve been settled in Xalapa going on three and a half months but it was today I visited one of the city’s foremost attractions, it’s Museo Antropologia and its outstanding collection of artifacts from the pre-Hispanic, Mesoamerican civilizations of, primarily, what are now the states of Veracruz and Tabasco.

The term Mesoamerican refers not only to a geographic region which includes parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador; but refers also to Precolumbian peoples who lived in discrete regional communities, but who shared cultural and religious beliefs and practices, a common 260 day calendar, cultivation of maize, a ball game, architecture that included pyramids and plazas, and cultural and commercial interactions.

The museum’s collection is organized based upon regional communities and epochs referred to as Preclassic, Early Classic, Middle Classic, and Late Classic. The Preclassic period is further subdivided into the Early, Middle, and Late Preclassic periods. The admittance fee is $40. pesos and hand held recorders describing the exhibits, in English and Spanish, may be rented for an additional $20. pesos. I opted to practice my Spanish by reading the descriptions.

The collection opens at the entrance with a carved stone Cabeza Colosal (Colossal Head), which evokes thoughts of the stone carvings of Easter Island, and closes with intricate ceramic sculptures of entire human forms. The collection documents the development of artistic techniques from stone carving to the use of ceramics, creation of jewelry, tools, and weapons and development of pigments used in detailed wall murals and in ceramics.

The museum building cascades, level-to-level, as it descends the slope upon which it is constructed. Flanking the museum building is a cascading patio which, as you can see in the photo lends a perspective to the nature of the building. Each display room opens into a atrium room, containing displays, which in turn opens to the cascading patio. The museum building, adjoining patio, and sprawling, meticulously landscaped grounds provide a stunningly beautiful setting for the magnificent display of well preserved artifacts. If you visit Xalapa you must spend a few hours touring the museum.

I will post more pictures in the next day or two. MegaCable staff has informed me that me internet service will be installed tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath. I was told it would be 10 - 15 days and it has now been almost a month. Last Friday I was told it would be installed last Monday. I am patiently waiting.

A Very Sweet Movie

2006-11-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

If you’re in the mood for a really sweet (with its traditional meaning) movie and you haven’t already seen it, check out Fly Away with Anna Paquin, Jeff Daniels, and Dana Delaney.

George Allen Departs

2006-11-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

George Allen, who shares a contrived, phony grits political persona with George Bush, despite their patrician upbringings, will no longer be a Senator come January. Though I say good riddance, as the guy is a real prick, I must say that Allen did the right thing in conceding rather than calling for a recount.

I know that over blown rhetoric is the norm of the election season but Allen, in his concession speech, really over blew the over blown in pronouncing Senator John Warner as the “greatest” Virginian “ever”. Greater than Jefferson, Madison, Washington, or even Lee? Allen apparently paid as close attention in his history classes as did Bush. And the guy was once governor of Virginia. Sheesh.

Though I think that in recent years the republicans and democrats have really been just different wings of the same party, as they are beholden to the same benefactors, I am thrilled that the democrats have gained both houses of congress. I am thrilled, as a stake has been driven through the heart of the Tom Delay, Karl Rove, republican party orchestrated ‘K’ street/Grover Norquist/radical Chrisitian/neo-fascist combine.

Can we please also drive a stake through the hearts of the clichés “seismic shift”, “tectonic shift”, and “sea change”, propagated by TV’s vacuous talking hairdos? And not just in relation to the election results but in all other applications except as applied to the physical phenomena to which they actually refer.

Meanwhile, James Webb, in explaining why he “came to the democratic party” during his victory speech, talked about his desire to promote “economic fairness” and “social justice”. Both of which once were, and once again should be, fundamental principles of the democratic party. Such principles were abandoned by weak kneed democrats, which at the time constituted the majority of federal democrats (call them DLC democrats), in the face of the so called Reagan Revolution” when most federal democrats did their best to position themselves as being republican lite. Hurray for James Webb.

Another Great Encounter

2006-11-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

I’ve been settled in Xalapa going on three and a half months but it was only today that I visited one of the city’s foremost attractions, it’s Museo Antropologia and its outstanding collection of artifacts from the pre-Hispanic, Mesoamerican civilizations of, primarily, what are now the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. I will be posting photos and commentary as soon as I upload the pictures and organize the commentary.

As I was walking to the museum a woman stopped me on the sidewalk and asked that I be careful not to step on this beautiful monster caterpillar, which was more than a couple inches long. Though the photo doesn’t indicate such, the caterpillar’s sides are actually light blue.

The woman and I ended up talking for about 20 minutes. I told here I would post a photo of the creature on my internet diary, so she asked for the address, which, of course, I gave her.

It was another of those great completely unexpected experiences.

Incurious George, Rumsfeld, and Gates

2006-11-08T15:51:00.000-08:00

Bush, in his press conference today, declared the so called “war on terror” as “amongst the most consequential” wars “in our history”. I suspect that any non-ideological historian would judge the revolutionary, civil, and WWII wars as far more consequential. Of course we all know that Incurious George didn’t pay attention in his history classes, so really has no idea of the subject.

The day after the election Rumsfeld is at long last going, only a week after Bush insisted that Rumsfeld would stay for the remaining two years of his administration. When asked during his press conference today why he lied to reporters last week in insisting that Rumsfeld would stay Bush explained that he didn’t want to “inject” the issue into the election. He then went on to say that he thinks it sends the wrong signal to our troops to inject major military decisions into politics.

Isn’t that exactly what he did? Last week he could have just declined to answer, but by insisting that Rumsfeld would stay he was throwing some red meat to the whako caucus of the republican party. Bush may now be having second thoughts about believing everything Rove tells him.

As a Reagan administration intelligence official, Rumsfeld’s replacement, Bob Gates, worked in driving the Soviets from Afghanistan by arming, funding, and otherwise supporting the Islamic Jihad and al Queda. I guess we now get to see if he an now deal with the blowback from his earlier work.

Introducing Gates today, Bush once again propagated the big lie that radical Islamists wish to “destroy our way of life.”

Meanwhile, in his swan song Rumsfeld once again told us dumb ass masses that we just don’t understand, saying that the “first war of the twenty first century” is “little understood.” Thus again demonstrating the hubris of the administration neofascists, as well as their civilian cheerleaders, that took the nation to the pointless war in Iraq.

OK. I admit it. I’ve been watching CNN.

I Wish I Lived In Texas, Temporarily Anyway

2006-11-06T12:24:00.000-08:00

Until a couple of days ago I have never had the slightest thought that I would like to live in Texas. After listening to and interview with Kinky Friedman, though, I wish I lived in Texas so I could vote for him.

Friedman was on the Dave Letterman show the other evening. He indicated that the word politician derives from poly, meaning more than one, and tic, a blood sucking parasite. He also indicated that if elected he will work to decriminalize the use of marijuana so that non-violent offenders could be released from prison to make room for politicians and pedophiles.

VFW - Hijacked? It Sure Seems So

2006-11-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is apparently more interested in promoting a right wing ideology than in advocating for veterans. The organization has endorsed Peter Roskam in an Illinois congressional election against Tammy Duckworth. Roskam has never served in the military while Duckworth, a major in the reserves, lost both legs in Iaq.

The VFW apparently has been hijacked by ideologues, just has been the Grange, Farm Bureau and other national organizations. Such national organizations, conceived to advocate for specific constituencies, have expanded their membership though provision of cheap insurance and other incentives (the VFW uses bars with cheap booze) and many have subsequently been hijacked in efforts engineered by professional political operatives.

The VFW membership should be ashamed.

Dia del Muertos Alters

2006-11-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more photos of Dia del Muertos alters that were erected by various communities in El Parque Juarez.

The alter at let is representative o the pre-Hispanic alters composed by the indigenous people o the region.

The alters are often tiered and this tiered alter you can see all of the elements usually included in the alters, food, candles, produce, water or other liquid, incense (in the small container on the floor in front of the alter), and tissue paper.

Growers and purveyors of Marigolds must do really well this time of year.

Dia del Muertos

2006-11-03T13:43:00.000-08:00

This is pan de Dia del Muertos (Day of the Dead), or bread for the Day of the Dead, which is observed on November 2 this year. My friends at the best internet café I’ve eve patronized presented me with the bread Tuesday as I was leaving from my daily visit.

Dia del Muertos, I am told, is one of the, if not the, most important days in Mexico. The day is observed through the erection of alters in homes, churches, and elsewhere upon which are placed bread, food, flowers, drinks and other offerings to the dead. A path of flowers is often laid leading to the alter and incense burned to guide the spirits of the dead to the alter placed in their honor. The day is also observed with celebrations in cemeteries which include music and food.

The modern observance of the Dia del Muertos combines the pre-Hispanic tradition of honoring the dead through erection of alters and the provision of offerings with Christian symbols, most notably the cross. Alters typically contain elements intended to represent earth, wind, fire, and water, so contain crops, containers of water and other beverages, candles, and colorful tissue paper that moves in the breeze.

The alters and the offering placed therein are often tailored to a particular person. Alters dedicated to deceased children, for instance, may be festooned with offerings of toys, or tequila and cigarettes may be placed on alters dedicated to a person who during his life enjoyed such.

The alter you see in the photo was erected at the Tendedero de Illusiones (literally Clothesline of Illusions) Patio Munoz which is hosting four days of events to observe the Dia del Muertos.

My friends at the internet café also provided me with a schedule of the events of the four days. Wednesday evening featured a display of paper mache art with a Dis del Muertos theme, as you can see in the pictures. There was also tango music; and, after I left there reportedly was dancing.

Saturday evening, as I understand there is each Saturday, there will be Fandango dancing, with which I am unfamiliar but understand is a synthesis of Spanish, African, and traditional dance that is unique to Veracruz.

Election Comments

2006-11-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

John Kerry once again shows what an educated moron he is by trying to make a joke at Bush's expsense and coming off sounding as though he suggested that if young folks don't take their education seriously they will end up in Iraq. Almost everyone in the USA realizes that John Kerry does not have a sense of humor, except John Kerry that is. A fact that further illustrates who clueless Kerry really is.

Meanwhile, in case you missed the video, a couple of Virgina Senator George (phony grits) Allen campaign staffer assaulted a guy who approach Allen to ask why he had spit on his first wife, as has been reported divorce documents indicate. What's worse than the assault is CNN's Hiedi Collins
remarking "Wow. The really scary thing about it is that you don’t know what you’re dealing with. He had a backpack on." The fellow was wearing a daypack, such as most school children wear and which I wear whenever I leave my apartment. Collins' remark further illustrates the fact that the most important qualification to serving as a TV newstainment anchor is to have good hair.

The good news is that Webb has pulled ahead of Allen, Senator Crazy Rich Santorum is in the dust in PA, Katherine Harris doesn't have a prayer in FL, Dewine will surely lose in Ohio, and a whole host of other whacko incumbents are trailing badly (for the record I don't consider Dewine to be whacko, just a rubber stamp).

Naolinco

2006-10-31T14:11:00.000-08:00

The Diario Xalapa reports that the lowest temperature of an October day in Xalapa in thirty years was recorded on Sunday. The low temperature was 5.8 degree Celsius, which equates to 42.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

I can report that Sunday was a beautiful, sunny day, of which I took advantage by motoring to Naolinco with Tere, from whom I buy produce, as my guide. The clear day afforded some spectacular views of Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in Mexico and third highest in North America, and of Cofre de Perote, also one of the highest peaks in Mexico, both from the town and along the drive there. Both mountains are also visible from various places around Xalapa, most notably from El Parque Juarez and from the glass enclosed lounge on the roof of my apartment building.

Naolinco is a small town about 15 miles North of Xalapa know for its shoemaking and other leatherwork. The entrance to town is adorned by a large statue of a shoemaker sitting over a work in process and there must be at least a hundred shoe and leathergood stores in the small town. There are also a number of homes and shops vending wine produced from local grapes. I haven’t yet tried the vintage, which I am guessing is of last week. The town’s central park is amongst the prettiest I’ve seen in Mexico and is directly connected to a small plaza in front of the cathedral, which you see in the photo.

The hillsides surrounding the town reminded me of the Appalachian mountains, with small farms stretching up the hillsides sporting cattle, mostly Holstein, grazing on the lush, vivid green hillside pastures that fade away into the forest. There were also the omnipresent horses and burros, often tethered aside the road to take advantage of the fodder that otherwise would go to waste, with the remnants of their manure present in the town’s streets.

The area is amongst the most picturesque of the areas I’ve visited in Mexico and its locale a bit higher in elevation makes for a climate a bit more temperate than here in Xalapa. All-in-all a good place to have an acre or so upon which to garden, keep chickens, and perhaps even a sheep or two.

If you look carefuly you can see Pico de Orizaba in the lower picture between the two street lights to the left of the church dome.

Apartment Pictures

2006-10-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

I think the problem I was having uploading pictures was that they were in the .bmp format rather than the .jpeg format I usually use. .bmps must be larger files.

Here's a shot of the living room from the dining area.

This is a shot down the hall. The door on the right is to the bathroom and the door on the left is to the really small interior patio/laundry area that resembles the exercise space for a maximum security prison inmate, though smaller.

At the end of the hall there is a door to a bedroom on each side. The bedrooms are modest size and each have a very nice, roomy closet with heavy wooden sliding doors.

I Was Going To Post A Couple More Pictures

2006-10-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

of the new apartment, but I am not able to upload the photos. I will take some more and try again. The disk in my digital camera has about 150 photos on it and that may be just about enough. I'll change disks and try again.

First, thank you all for the congratulations on my dog pound escape.

Nathalie thanks for checking in and leaving your comments, all the way from Australia, no less. Hey, and don't forget to go pay the shopkeeper for that salad.

Neil and Jodie, the rent for the new apartment is almost three times the rent for the dump; and worth every cent. The place even comes with art work on the walls, which includes a large painting of a road running through a forest of large trees, of a sort I imagine the Headless Horseman rode through.

The Men Of My Only Internet Cafe

2006-10-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to get a photo of the father and brother of the family which operates the great internet cafe I patronize. The brother isn't really sleeping on the job.

Though I met the mother of the family the day the cafe opened I haven't been able to get a photo. I'm still on the hunt though.

My New Apartment

2006-10-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I moved into my new apartment and, after a few months of living in the dog pound, I am indeed luxuriating. The picture at left is of the passageway from the street to the very far end where my apartment is.

I have a couple of other pictures to post but Blogger won't post pictures at the moment.

It took three trips to bring my stuff from my dog pound apartment, which was also furthest from the street, to my new digs. I didn’t enjoy the use of a hand truck or cart so the process involved lots of trips from the apartment to the truck and from the truck to the new apartment. So by the end of the day I was spent and didn’t make it to the internet café. During the moving process the manager here informed me that there is a locked parking lot next to the apartment building where I may park my truck at no additional charge.

Additionally, I found that the cable TV service had not been disconnected so yesterday after completing the move, buying a six pack of Modelo, and plopping on the couch I was able to watch the Seattle Seahawks seemingly lose to ST. Louis in the last couple minutes on a Hail Mary pass, only to win with 4 seconds left on a 54 yard field goal.

Today I arranged for internet and TV service through Cable Mas, opting for the 1 mbs service and returned the keys to the dog pound apartment to Rosie.

Just as I expected Rosie informed me that she would not return my deposit as I had not lived there for six months, as provided in the contract I signed. I told her that was fine; but also told her that I had signed the contract before I knew the roof over the bathroom leaked, above which reside a number of dogs, and before she had told me she had twenty some dogs. She said she was very sorry, though I think her insincerity was manifest.

I’m am so relieved to be done with living there that I couldn’t care less about the $1,600 peso deposit. Here, the welcome mat is out, which I just bought today.

Free At Last

2006-10-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

Today I rented another apartment. A nice two bedroom, ground floor, fully furnished (including an overstuffed living room ensemble) apartment that is the furthest unit from the street and has it's own very small interior patio with the typical laundry sink one finds here. It also has an intercom to the front gate with which one may buzz in visitors. It is in a complex of 20 units where no pets of any kind are permitted and the place is clean.

The apartment includes roof access, three stories up, which I am hoping the signal from a wireless modem will reach. The manager and her daughters who did the rental paper work we're all very nice and even laughed at my jokes, tendered in my clumsey Spanish.

Tomorrow I will move my belongings and bid a very relieved farewell to the dog pound, its whiney, yapping chihuahua; the barking of the various other canine inhabitants; that omnipresent odor of dog chow processed by those four legged inhabitants; the need to watch where I walk down the passageway, which isn't easy at night; and my dark and dank dog pound apartment where when it rain the roof in the bathroom leaks and the bathroom is right below where dogs live.

Salsa Dancing

2006-10-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

Last night I went with Roberto, the proprietor of a "clon" DVD store, and his brother Juan Luis to a nightclub where a Cuban band played salsa music and where we were joined by a few of Roberto's friends.

The band didn't being to perform until midnight, which is a bit late for a guy who is usually in bed by ten, but was preceded by a fellow singing while accompanying himself on guitar. I left the shenanigans at 2:00 to the protests of Roberto and Juan Luis who were still going strong.

Roberto and Tere, an employee at his shop.

Juan Luis and a friend of Tere's

Roberto and Juan Luis ripping it up. They are both very energetic and creative dancers.
Often Roberto would have his dance partner in stitches at his antics.

Garbage Collection And Itinerant Vendors

2006-10-11T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here folks place their garbage each evening, except Sunday, in bags on a nearby corner and it is picked up by fellows plying the streets in a partially covered truck. One of the collection crew proceeds the truck jogging tough the streets ringing a cow bell to announce the approach of the collection crew. Crew members appear to take turns at the jogging and ringing duty.

As I was leaving Merida, as a aside, the city was beginning to enforce the separation of refuse into “organico” and “inorganico” bags which were picked up on different days of the week from the sidewalk in from of one’s home.

Similarly, both here and in Merida, itinerant vendors have various methods of announcing their approach. The LPG gas delivery fellows, for example, ply the streets in their trucks loudly playing music while the fellow in the back of the truck issues a ringing sound by banging one of the many gas tanks in the back of the truck. Other vendors utilize other means of announcing their approach, some simply hollering the name of their product.

In Merida the knife sharpeners announced their presence with pan flutes which they moved from side to side while blowing into them. The soil delivery fellows ply the in their horse drawn wagons loudly hollering “tierra, tierra.”

Speaking Of Lousy Editing

2006-10-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Speaking of lousy editing, I am reminded of an incident when I was working as the City of McCleary public works director during the early 1990s. The City operates a municipal electric utility and employs lineworkers and other professional personnel to operate, construct and maintain it electrical distribution system. At the time the employees were non-union, and woefully underpaid I might add.

I had made application, on behalf of the city, to the State of Washington apprenticeship training board seeking its authorization for the City to enroll its apprentice in the lineworker apprenticeship training program operated through a nearby community college.

Because the city's workforce was non-union, and the state apprenticeship program was essentially a union subsidiary, there was resistance to the city's application from the state agency as well as from the electrical workers union. The law establishing the apprenticeship program was explicit that the program was not to discriminate against non-union trainees, a fact of which I had to repeatedly inform folks involved with the process. I never have figured out why there must be a board of political appointees to approve apprenticeship training plans, when professional staff could determine if the submitted plans conformed to the law more effectively than a bunch of back-slapping hacks.

The state apprenticeship board met once each quarter and half of the meetings were wasted with award presentations, but that's another story. During the meeting when the board considered the city's plan, a business agent from the electrical workers union addressed the board and indicated that he had significant concerns with the city's safety practices. Consequently the board postponed consideration of the city's plan until its next meeting, three months hence.

Immediately upon returning to my office I submitted a public records request to the state workplace safety agency for all of its records of safety inspections conducted of City of McCleary facilities and operations. As it turned out the business agent who expressed his concerns with the city's safety practices had previously been a state workplace safety inspector, inspecting electric utility operations; and had inspected the city's operations a number of times. I guess the dumb ass had forgotten that fact, or, more likely, he was simply a despicable liar. The records indicated that the only violations for which he or any other inspector had ever cited the city were a crack in a windshield and the lack of an operator's manual aboard a truck.

Those who know me well know that there is nothing that brought mepleasurepleassure during my local government career than togovernmentalernemtanl agencies exceeding or abusing their legal authority. So you can well imagine what fun I had composing the letter, for the mayorÂs signature, to the apprenticeship board excoriating not only the lying business agent but also the apprenticeship board and its program. The letter was one of my prouder pieces of work, which the mayor loved and readily signed. Which brings me to the whole point of this missive.

Toward the end of the letter I had made reference to the city's public works director. It wasn't until the mayor and I were sitting before the board at its next meeting, suffering through the endless award presentations, when the mayor noticed that I had left the ''l'' out of ''public''. So as far as the board was informed I was the city's "pubic works director".

So you can see lousy editing is nothing new for me.

More Public Art

2006-10-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning as I was buying juice oranges from Tere, she asked what I had planned for the day. I told here I would take a walk, perhaps shoot some photos, make a couple of calls about houses, and otherwise loaf. She asked why I didn't ask her to accompany me on my walk.

So Sunday afternoon we went for a three hour walk during which she showed me some sights I hadn't yet seen. Including this sculpture of runners.

The sculpture is outside this stadium, constructed in 1925 and renovated in the '80s, which I consider to also be public art.

I wasn't able to get a shot of the sculptures atop the columns that support the gate and a portion of fence.

Meet Amir Abbas Fakhravar

2006-10-09T15:54:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Amir Abbas Fakhravar? If you haven't yet, you surely will. He's the Iranian "student dissident" being promoted by such notable pimps as Richard Perle, Michael Ledeen, and the American Enterprise Institute as a part of their effort to forment action against Iran.

Laura Rozen, one of the few remaining real journalists, reports that Fakhrvar credentials are questionable. According to a number of bon fide Iranian dissidents she interviewed Fakhjrvar was jailed for "unchaste" rather than political acts, was a jailhouse snitch, was able to make phone calls from the Iranian jail where he was housed to a Los Angles based dissident Iranian radio program, and that he "escaped" the country on a commercial flight to Dubai.

An Apology

2006-10-07T16:25:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure all three of my readers have noticed, I am a lousy editor. Lousier than usual these days when I am relying on an internet cafe as I enter the posts and most often don't read them again.

Last evening I happened to read through a couple and was appalled.

Meet Tere

2006-10-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

From whose shop around the corner I buy fruits and vegetable. Like Mari at the lavanderia, the first time I went into Tere’s shop she quizzed me about where I live, where I’m from, and etc. She has also has been on the lookout for another place for me to live. Tere has been very nice to me, even when I mispronounced her name.

Tere has two children and also has a brother and sister living with her. Her shop is in the front room of her house and is a very busy place in the morning when her regular customers who operate cocina economicas are buying for the day's fare.

Dealing With Samll Businesses

2006-10-06T15:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I stopped by the panaderia to buy some bread. The nice folks there didn’t have change for the $50 peso bill I had so told me to pay tomorrow. Try that at Safeway or Chedraui.

Conversely, when I took a roll of film to DaVinci Photo for development the other day they were short $5 pesos of change so I told them they could make it up to me next time.

Another advantage of dealing with familiar small businesspersons.

Xalapa Churches

2006-10-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

Here are a few churches I've run across here that I think are pretty neat.

Mexico is considered a Catholic nation but there are churches here of all stripes.

The church at left is the Light of the World church, which I think as a name is a bit presumpuous.

The church at right is actually in Xico.

This church is actually very near to where I live but to get a good shot I had to walk about 2 miles and use a telephoto to get most of it in a photo.

Here's another one not far from the dog pound.

This is the church of an obscure sect believing in the cosmic power of pyramids and where pyramid head gear is worn during services.

Actually, as I'm sure you realize, I have no idea of what denomination the church is.

The World's Fastest Indian Motorcycle

2006-10-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

I happened to run across a copy of a movie I’d never heard of but which stars Anthony Hopkins so I thought I’d I check it out.

The movie, The World’s Fastest Indian, is the story of Burt Munro, a New Zealander, who in 1963 fulfills his twenty five year dream of taking is modified 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle to Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Munro had for years worked at modifying his motorcycle with the goal of driving it faster than 200 mph to set the motorcycle land speed record. He returned to Speed Week eight more times and his 1967 speed record for motorcycles of less than 1000 cc still stands.

Munro was assisted financially in his quest by folks from his hometown, the southern most city in the British Commonwealth, including a group of young bikers who fancied him to be an crazy old coot. He hired on as the cook on an ocean freighter headed to Long Beach, CA and won the at first skeptical crew members to his cause. After disembarking he made his way to a hotel in Hollywood staffed by a transvestite who take a shine to Munro and helps him retrieve his motorcycle from USA customs officials and recommends a used car dealer. Munro buys a 1953 Chevy and talks the dealer into allowing him to use his shop and junk to construct a trailer with which to haul his Indian to Bonneville.

More Public Art

2006-10-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

I really like this mosaic wall mural.

I have taken photos of a number of churches which I will start posting tomorrow.

By the way, the dream house fell through, so I'm back to looking for a way out of the dog pound.

Independence Day Decorations

2006-10-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

OK, so I got a roll of film developed that's been in my camera for a month or so. Some of the photos are a bit dated.

These photos show a small sample of the decorations placed all around town leading up to independence day last month. I think the outline of the fellow releasing the dove is pretty cool. Sorry I didn't get a night time picture.

The red, green, and white streamers you see on the building are the colors of the nation's flag.

I'm afraid the decorations don't show up so well in this photo of the state government building, located on the East edge of the Parque Juarez.

Pico de Orizaba

2006-10-05T15:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot of the snow covered peak of Pico de Orizaba peaking through the clouds that I shot from the Parque Juarez. This is the highest peak in Mexico and the third highest in North America, or so I read.

It is a dormant volcano, not extinct, that last erupted in 1687 and erupted fairly often during the 15 and 1600s, or so I read.

If you want to read more about the mountain this web site has a well documented summary of info.

Augmented Public Art

2006-10-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

Someone has placed a red flag into the hand of this statue of Al Benemer, I think his name is. I don't know what Al did to merit a statue, but I'll try to find out.

A couple weeks ago, the day after the independence day bash downtown, I noticed someone had place a Sprite bottle in the out stretched hand of a statue of a former Veracruz governor nearby. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera.

My Only Internet Cafe

2006-10-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here are three members of the family that operates the only internet café whose services I use, and who have been so extremely nice to me as I reported earlier.

These three, along with their mother, are the good looking members of the family. Their father also regularly works at the café as does a brother. All of the younger members of the family have, or are now, studying computers and a few speak English well.

Meet Mari

2006-10-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

Mari is the wonderful person to whose lavanderia I take my laundry. When a few weeks ago I told Mari I was looking for a house or apartment to rent she said she would check with a friend who has a rental. It turned out to be occupied by I really appreciated her inquiry. Last week when I told that it looks like I may be able to rent the house around the corner she said she was happy that it was close so that I would continue to bring my laundry to her. Today she asked if the house has a garden, as I had told her I like to garden. When I told her it did and that I would also plant in containers that I brought from Merida she told me she knows a woman who sells soil and to be sure to let her know when I need soil.

Mari has been wonderful to me from my first visit, during which she quizzed me as to where I lived, where I am from, and etc. She really is very sweet.

There is a lavanderia every couple of blocks here, as there is in Merida. Also in every couple of blocks you will find a panaderia where the panadero/a supplies the shelves daily with fresh bread and other baked goods. For stationery needs one goes to the papeleria, for dry cleaning to the tintoreria, for tailoring to the sastreria, for cakes and pastries to the pasteleria, for meat to the carniceria and etc. The shops are generally small and family operated so one may feel very good about trading with them.

Dredging The Dog Pound

2006-10-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

Yipee. I have anew neighbor, who moved into the apartment right next to mine yesterday and he doesn’t have a dog. See, I can look at the positive side of things.

However, my new neighbor’s snoring reverberates through the passageway that separates the two apartment buildings with a sound akin to a harbor dredge sucking the sediment from the bottom of a shipping channel. The sucking sound is interposed with an equally load whimpering, as thought the dredge were sucking air.

I was awakened by the dredging at 4:00 this morning and, ultimately, had to get up and play my Tchaikovsky CD at a level necessary to overcome the snoring. He’s still dredging as I write this at about 10:00 AM.

And I thought that the whining and yapping of Bobbie, the Chihuahua in the apartment across from mine, was irritating.

The apartment occupied by the dredge was previously occupied by a woman with two children whose squealing and laughing, as they played in their apartment, I found quite enjoyable. Rosie, not liking children as she explained to me, required that the children to remain indoors unless they were coming or going.

El Gringo Loco Visits Jalcomulco

2006-09-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

So you know just how loco this gringo is, I went there on the back of a motor scooter. My ass, which doesn't carry much padding, will never be the same.

I was in Roberto's shop earlier in the week, looking over his selection of "clone" DVDs; and Roberto, who is the gregarious sort, struck up a conversation. Before long he asked if I wanted to go to Jalcomulco Saturday and offered to drive us on his "moto". Being in the midst of the adventure of my life and Roberto seeming like a nice fellow, I said "claro."

Later, in one of my more lucid moments, I thought I donÂt want to travel to Jalcomulco, some thirty miles from Xalapa, on the back of a motor scooter; and decided that on Saturday IÂd tell Roberto we will take my truck.

This morning I arrived at Roberto's shop at the appointed time and told him we I would rather take my truck. Two hours of rigmarole later, during which I had figured that since it was a nice sunny day a motor scooter ride would be fun, we were ready to leave. I asked Roberto how long it would take to get to Jalcomulco and when he responded it would take only a half hour I suggested we take his scooter. The trip was more like an ass torturing hour and a half

Which reminds of when I went with Long Life Harborite to look at some land he had purchased. The land he told me was about a half mile away and about five miles later we arrived there. Not that under estimating the mileage caused any problems, since we were driving; but I still remind him of the incident.

I was greatly relieved to arrive in town and to be able to dismount the motor scooter. So relieved, in fact, I started to give Roberto a bit of static about his half hour estimate, along the lines of the static I give my buddy Life Long Harborite.

Jalcomulco is a very picturesque riverside puebla, surrounded by mountains, that is home to quite a few river rafting guide services and camps. The town, it appeared to me, is largely supported by tourism. When we were there two groups of rafters passed, and as we were leaving two tourism buses were pulling in.

We spent a bit of time looking around town and walked across the suspension bridge,
you see in the photo with Roberto mid-span, had a great lunch of Camarones a la Diablo, which I think the dish is called because of the very hot tomato sauce in which the shrimp were bathed. Roberto told me that I would experience the spiciness of the lunch again in the bathroom tomorrow.

The ride back to Xalapa was pretty much excruciating for the first fifteen minutes, or so, until my ass went numb. After that it wasn't so bad except when Roberto failed to notice a peton (speed bumps which are installed in populated areas to slow traffic) and I rose off the seat eight or ten inches. Rising from the seat wasn't bad, but the landing was damned painful.

Roberto was a great traveling companion and a very safe driver. We enjoyed lots of laughs together, especially on the ride back after a couple of dark Victorias with lunch. I'm afraid I'm too old, or have too boney of an ass, for extended trips on a motor scooter, though, and told Roberto that next trip I'm driving.

If you're in Xalapa you will probably enjoy a half day trip to Jalcomulco which is a bit warmer than it is here owing to its lower elevation.

Guest Posting By Donald Brown

2006-09-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

I think my brother has it exactly right in his letter to Sen. John Warner of Virginia. I haven't seen my brother's original letter to the senator nor the senator's response, but anyone who has ever written an elected official and received a response can well imagine the pablum that constituted the Senator's response. You will notice that my brother is much politer than I am.

The Honorable John Warner
225 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510-4601

Dear Senator Warner,

Thank you for your prompt reply and I feel that with minds like yours on this intractable issue a fair and equitable solution will be found to end the chaos in the Middle East.

I agree with you totally when you describe the situation in the region as tense and would like to ask you this; to what do you attribute these tensions? I believe that there are four main reasons for the tensions you characterize and a fundamental reassessment of our direction in the region should be a goal of United States Foreign Policy.

The four main reasons that I believe perpetuate the tension in the Middle East are as follows:

Reason 1: The question of natural resources, namely oil, is fundamental to any debate regarding the region. They have it and we need it. They have it due to a roll of the dice and we need it because our government has been very short sighted in my view. Petro-chemicals are endemic to every aspect of our economic system. From wasteful packaging that is thrown into the garbage the instant a product is brought home. To the massive homes being built that require huge amounts of energy to cool and heat. To energy inefficient vehicles which only use is to display the economic status of its user. The Petro-Chemical basket is where we have deposited all of our eggs which makes us very exposed, both militarily and economically, as a nation. In short part of that tension we are experiencing in The Middle East is caused directly by our own greed.

Reason 2: The United States conscious effort to destabilize specific governments of the Middle East. This effort has taken many forms and is mostly a post WWII phenomenon. The most aggressive form is being exercised as we speak in Iraq. Whether we like to admit it or not, prior to our unwarranted invasion, Iraq was in a state of equilibrium where all factions lived side by side in relative harmony. Granted Saddam Hussein wasn’t a nice guy but sometimes the status quo can be a better option than an unsure future of violence and disharmony. And I think we should all admit that we knew Iraq was no danger to The United States prior to our efforts at de stabilization and Iraq had no connection to Al Qaeda . During the decade of the eighties we armed and manipulated the Hussein regime and fueled the Iraq war with Iran by sending massive amounts of weaponry to Iraq so we could attempt to de stabilize Iran. And later, when we realized Iraq might lose the confrontation, our executive branch, ala Ollie North, decided to arm Iran. And I hate to think that our government loved this scenario because what can be better than the financing of Arabs killing Arabs.

In 1952 our CIA orchestrated a coupe in Iran and deposed a democratically elected government. We then inserted a puppet government of the USA headed by The Shah who was most decidedly a brutal and barbarous dictator. I realize that this happened during the cold war and the fear of Communism was very strong. But I feel that our country should be more reflective when contemplating the future and think of the immense cost in lives and treasure to our country.

The countries of the region are no strangers to attempted conquest and occupation and as we can all see in Iraq and southern Lebanon that they are getting better at defending themselves. And we keep taking a bite out of the same rotten apple.

Reason 3: Our irrational support for undemocratic regimes and the hypocrisy we display to the world which in turn breeds mistrust and extremism. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan Egypt and Jordan are all either dictatorial or authoritarian in nature and most definitely un democratic. And the facts show that the 9-11 highjackers came from Saudi Arabia and Jordan and Osamma Bin laden is now comfortably tucked away in Pakistan. But we tend to focus all of our energy on Iran and Syria neither of which is now or have ever been a threat to the US.

Reason 4: Our support for Israel, which I have a hard time calling a democracy ( how can a democracy exist when it is also called an exclusively Jewish State), is weakening our country because we spend massive amounts of support to prop it up and we get absolutely no pay back except a continual state of war. The only reasons, that we give all these billions of dollars to Israel, that I can think of is that most of the money they get from us goes directly into the pockets of the purveyors of our military industrial complex and the fact that the Israel Lobby gives so much support to the politicians in Washington DC. I ask you Senator Warner; is it wise to let a foreign government have so much control in the halls of Congress?

Israel was created with the overwhelming military support of a few western countries and it continues to ignore many UN resolutions and expand its colonial outposts in the West Bank. It pulled out of Gaza because it has created a de-facto prison there and routinely sends Palestinians from the West Bank that “misbehave” to do time behind the concrete walls and razor wire that encircles The Gaza Strip. Hamas has stated that it is prepared to recognize Israel if it is defined dy the pre 1967 borders which are also delineated by a UN resolution. Is Israel prepared to also recognize Palestine when its leaders have proclaimed that” Palestinians don’t exist and are akin to cock roaches”.When the Palestinians elected Hamas to lead its aspirations at statehood it represented a referendum and proves that they feel ,at the very least repressed at, and want strong leadership to guide them forward.

I hope that instead of constantly waving our finger at the Arabs and Persians and chastising them that we can learn about them and experience their rich culture and history. We live in an anything goes Liberal Democracy where wealth generation and share holder accountability have supplanted morals, decency, and respect of our fellow man at the top of the list of our daily personal goals. And as a Country and as individuals we need to reassess and reflect to create a more positive and peaceful future for the people of planet Earth. Because we have that power and if we look around the world we see the negative environmental effects of all this share holder accountability and wealth generation. Don’t get me wrong because I am not against the generation of wealth but at this point in time the wealth is being concentrated in the upper classes while the middle and lower classes are being left behind to work more and more hours for less and less pay.

I hope that America and the west in general is able to chart a course into the future which will lead us to a point where we can actually “ win the hearts and minds of the people in the Middle East. Our present policy, I fear, is a dead end because the aggression we exhibit is creating polarization and extremism. I wonder how many Hezbollah recruits signed up for active duty when they found out about the rush shipment of bunker busting depleted uranium bombs that where sent air-mail to Israel 2 weeks into the most recent conflict in Lebanon?

Sincerely and With Ultimate Respect,

Donald MacRae Brown

My Social Life

2006-09-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

One thing very nice about having shops close by where I buy my produce, bread, meat and etc. is that I can shop for what I need for just a day or two. So I get to often see Tere from who I buy produce, ands who is very talkative and inquisitive as to matters of my life. I also stop daily at the bakery where the folks are very nice.

Today I learned that Tere has two children and a brother and sister that live with her in the same building in which her shop occupies the front room. When I told Tere that it looks like I may be able to rent the house a block down from her shop she insisted that I invite her over to look at the house, so I told her I would invite her and her family over for dinner.

To give you and idea as to the cost of produce, today I bought a large cantaloupe, a green pepper, and a couple pounds of carrots for $23 pesos, or about $2 US. Also today the itinerant juice orange vendor, who pushes a large basket on a cart around the neighborhood, stopped at the front gate of the dog pound and I bought thirty oranges for $17.50 pesos, about $1.60. Thirty oranges will provide me a large glass of juice each morning for a week.

So, as you can see, shopping comprises my social life.

I May Have Found A Home

2006-09-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

The prospect that I may soon be leaving the dog pound is looking favorable. Today Rosie left the gate open and I took the opportunity to escape to go buy a telephone card, which one slides into the ubiquitous public telephones, and called the number on the banner advertising a house around the corner for rent. Here when one is selling or renting a property a large banner advertising such is usually posted on the property.

I spoke to Leonora, who as it turns out is a realtor, who informed me the rent is $2500 pesos per month, or about $230. US dollars at todayÂs exchange rate, and that the house has six bedrooms. Leonora told me she would meet me at the house in 30 minutes.

When she opened the front door I was stunned. Entering the house, which from the exterior looks plain and relatively small, one climbs six or eights steps and emerges into a front room that is perhaps 15Â x 20Â. The front room opens into a court yard surrounded by about six doors into various rooms, with a walkway around the perimeter and walkways in the shape of an X from corner to corner. Within the blank spaces of the X are triangular garden beds. Through one room off the courtyard is a large workshop in which the owner has woodworking shop and off the shop is a laundry room, off of which is another patio. The kitchen is large enough for a good sized table. In short it is the house of my dreams, though there is no garage; and itÂs in the same neighborhood so I can continue to trade with the folks I have found with whom I like to trade, including the bar I went to for the first time a couple days ago where the beers are only $12 pesos.

The owner is a choir director moving to Mexico City, and at present there are a piano, a small harp, congas, and bongos in the house.

Leonora indicated that she thinks there will be no problem but she must check with the owner who returns from Mexico City Tuesday. IÂm holding my breath until next Thursday when I will call Leonora again. If it works out, and after I get a few furnishings, the welcome mat will be out.

Expo Flor Xalapa 2006

2006-09-29T14:31:00.000-07:00

Today in el Parque Juarez the Expo Flor Xalapa 2006 opened. As you can see in the picture at right, today there was an orchestra playing.

There are a number of vendor booths set up and selling flowers and plants of all types. You can see in the photo at left a display of Plantas Carnivores, amongst which the only one I recognized is the Venus Flytrap.

There were lots of Orchids, cacti, African Violets, ferns, and al sorts of other plants of which I don't know the names.

Somewhere I seem t remember reading that of all the plant species found in Mexico, sixty percent are found in Veracruz state. I haven't been able to find the fact in a quick internet search and it's time for me to head to Dancing in the Rain so I'll leave you with my always dubious recollection.

At any rate the park was busy today.

Waterboarding

2006-09-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

With all the talk in the media and on Capitol Hill about torture lately you’ve probably heard of “waterboarding”. I have but had no idea waht it really involved. David Corn, one of the few courageous journalists left, has photos from the museum at the “Tuol Sleng Prison in Phnom Penh, Cambodia”.

An American In Paris

2006-09-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

The Wednesday offering in the musical comedy series was An American in Paris, starring Gene Kelly and "introducing" Leslie Carson.

It, I think, was very well done, with lots of what you'd expect in a musical - singing, dancing and the obligatory romance, in this case involving Kelly and Caron. The music was composed by the Gershwin brothers. Leslie Caron was quite the ballerina and Gene Kelly was quite the crooner. There was a very long dance segment toward the end of the movie to the song An American in Paris, involving a number different sets and of outfit changes for Caron and Kelly, and which was a product of KellyÂs imagination, after learning that Caron was to marry another man the next day. At the end, predictably, Caron returns to Kelly, her true love.

There was also a very cute segment with Kelly and a bunch of supposedly French children, who all spoke English without an accent. Kelly played a serviceman who stayed in Paris following the Big One to paint and theneighborhoodd kids all liked him as he gave them American bubblegum. The kids swarmed him one afternoon as he returned to his room and asked for gum. He responded ÂtomorrowÂ, so the kids asked him top speak English and he began pointing at things and pronouncing their English names. Soon he broke into I Got Rhythm and had the kids pronouncing the ÂI gotÂ part of the line.

Most of the movies in the series IÂve attended in this series were produced by Lowes to supply their theaters, back in the days when theater chains produced movies and/or owned studios.

I learned to night that the Cine Club de la UV presents movies on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays all year around, though don't know what's in store after tomorrow evening.

Another Reason To Not Shop At 7-Eleven

2006-09-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

7-Eleven is not renewing its twenty year contract with Venezuelan owned Citgo because Chavez has been mean to Incurious George.

Lieberman - Clueless or Lying?

2006-09-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

Is Sen. Joseph Lieberman clueless or just a big liar like Dick Cheney? This is a really astounding assertion that everyone except Dick Cheney long ago gave up on.

"Are there terrorists in Iraq? Of course there are. That's a reason we went in,"

Just for the record the only terrorist groups in Iraq prior to the USA invasion was a group on the Iranian border the USA government funded to harass Iran and in the Kurish area within the "no fly" zone controlled by the USA and Great Britian.

Nothing would please me more in the coming election season than to see both George Allen, who's flaming out spectacularly, and Lieberman, who descended to having to run as an independent, sent packing from the US Senate.

I hope everyone is enjoying George Allen's attempts to defend himself against very credible charges that he is a racist and to explain his lying about his Jewish heritage. His opponent, Ret. Admiral James Webb is running a great campaign and has great credentials.

Rooster Crowing and Zoning

2006-09-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

As one who spent a twenty five year career enforcing zoning regulations, and during whose career had occasion to order chickens and a pig removed from residentially zoned areas, I think there is something really nice about being awakened by a crowing rooster while living in the middle of a city. In fact I even found charming the pig, the really cute piglets and the chickens in the back yard of the home where I once stayed in Cuba.

Zoning is most often used in the USA as a means of exclusion, much as regulations requiring the licensing of professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, and massage “therapists”, for instance, are used to restrain the trade in such practices. USA zoning regulations exist, I hasten to add, at the behest of the populace, just as professional licensing regulations exist at the behest of the practitioners of such professions.

Zoning regulations in the USA, separating land use districts, are only practicable as it is a nation of drivers. Here most people don’t own vehicles, consequently there are shops in just about every block. Within the block where I live, for instance, there is an internet café; a shop that sells wrestling masks and videos (by the way, there is a “professional” wrestling rink here, the matches in which, for the record, I have not attended); a panaderia where I buy bread (since I don’t have an oven) the aromas of which can be detected a half block away; a meat market where they cut meat and grind hamburger to order; a produce market Tere, a wonderfully gregarious person, operates out of the front room of her home; an office that does typing; and a gym. And this is a fairly typical block. Around the corner there a couple of tiendas that sell miscellaneous goods, two pastelerias, that also emit pleasant aromas, another internet café, and etc. There is even a Chedraui’s in Centro within easy walking distance of the dog pound, as well as smaller stores selling just about everything imaginable.

Summer Stock

2006-09-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

Summer Stock, last night’s Cine Club de la UV offering in its musical comedy series, was actually quite enjoyable. Judy Garland could really belt out a tune, and could match Gene Kelly tap for tap. Phil Sivers (whom to me will always be Sgt. Bilko) was cast to type.

The show actually had a plot, and, of course, the obligatory romance, in this case between Garland and Kelly. There was also a great solo tap dance routine by Kelly during which he shuffle danced upon and repeatedly tore in half with his feet a full sheet of newspaper laying on the stage.

Tomorrow night it’s An American in Paris.

Casablanca

2006-09-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

Is there a movie from which there has come more enduringly oft quoted lines than Casablanca? I bought a “clone” copy of the movie yesterday for $15 pesos and, though the video is herky-jerky, I’ve watched it twice since.

Amongst the famous line that one still hears I found:

“Round up the usual suspects.”

“Here’s looking at you kid.”

“Play it again Sam.”

“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

“I’m shocked to find that gambling is going on in here.”

Perhaps I missed a few.

Multiple Sclerosis

2006-09-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

I wish to note that within the panoply of human diseases I think that there are few as cruel as is multiple sclerosis, as it usually strikes the young and often leads to a progressive wasting away ending in a too early demise.

Ziegfeld Follies

2006-09-24T13:51:00.001-07:00

Friday night’s offering in the Cine Club de la UV was Zeigfeld Flollies, a lush 1945 production directed by Vincente Minelli. The film, which I woudn’t go out of my way to watch again but stayed through the end, consists of vignettes by each of its stars, and there are many whose names I recognize. Alphabetically, the film stars Fred Astair, Lucille Ball, Lucille Bremer, Fanny Brice, Judy Garland, Kathyrn Grason, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, James Melton, Victor Moore, Red Skelton, Ester Williams, and William Powell as Ziegfeld in heaven, with appearances also by William Frawley (whom you might remember from the Lucy show) and a Keenan Wynn.

Most of the vignettes were staged on elaborate sets including a really spectacular underwater set in which Ester Williams performed a ballet. Melton and Bremer sang Traviata, a young Judy Garland belted out a song in a pretty silly situation, Astair and Kelly did a really nice tap dance duet, Lena Horne sang in a roadhouse I imagine one might find in rural Louisiana. Lucille Ball did nothing except sashay around the set wielding a whip on a chorus line dressed as cats, the Red Skelton vignette was a waste, and the Fanny Brice skit was pathetic as was that of Keenan Wynn. There was also a bizzare Astair/Bremer segment set in China Town in which they were made up to appear Asian, Bremer somewhat convincingly and Astair not in the least, as you can imagine with that chin and nose of his. Their dance routine, it seems to me, could have been performed in any setting which makes the Asian make up all the more inexplicable.

The theater in which the films are shown is small, with about 150 seats and a low, shallow wooden floored stage. The building in which the theater is located, however, is a spectacular three story colonial edifice, with a central atrium, which houses university administrative offices and is only a ten minute walk from the dog shelter.

Monday’s offering is the 1950 film, Summer Stock starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, and Gloria Dehaven.

The Daily Howl

2006-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Just about everyday, when an ambulance passes with its siren wailing, the dogs here in the dog shelter begin howling, in a wave that begins with a solo and ends in a chorus. It’s actually quite entertaining.

The Iraq War Breeds Terrorism - Duh

2006-09-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

Let’s hear a great big Duuuuuh. The 16 intelligence agencies of the USA government report, in an April “National Intelligence Estimate” that the invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped to increase the numbers of radical Islamic terrorists.

Let’s once again give a great big atta boy/girl to Incurious George, Darth Cheney, Unknowable Rumsfeld, all of the other administration neofascists, and all those dumb asses who voted to reelect the pack of hubris infected running dogs.

Why may one obtain a tourist visa to visit Mexico, or Cuba for that matter, on the airplane in route, while Mexicans are generally unable to obtain a tourist visa to visit the USA? Duh.

And why in the world do we call them "intelligence agencies"?

Rotting Fruit and "Immigration Reform"

2006-09-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

I have read a number of reports similar to this one. Fruit is rotting on the trees as there are not enough pickers and the USA is building walls and making it more difficult for law abiding, willing workers to enter the country. It makes no sense, other than it’s an election year and as with every election for the last 20 or so years the republicans are throwing “immigration reform” to their bigot base to “energize” them.

It really is sickening but that’s how, with a largely uniformed, disinterested electorate, the USA political system works.

Complaining About The Heat

2006-09-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Lots of folks I’ve spoken with the last few days have commented as to how hot it is. Right now it is 75 F, clear, and 53% humidity. The forecasted high was 81. On the other hand, it is 99 F in Merida right now and feels like 110. The low forecasted for tonight in Merida is 73.

So after living in Merida for eleven months I assure folks here that I am not hot when they ask.

Gold Diggers of 1935

2006-09-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post this yesterday.

The Wednesday evening offering in the U of V film school musical comedy series was a low budget production of an even sillier story than was told in Gold Diggers of 1933. Other than Dick Powel, I recognized none of the names of the stars.

Providentially I was spared the indignity of suffering through the entire rendering as two thirds of the way through the power went out in the theater. Though the outage was brief I took the opportunity to make an exit, headed up Calle Revolucion, and bought a chocolate chip ice cream cone for the walk home.

Friday evening’s offer of Ziegfeld Follies, with a truly all-star cast, looks more promising.

That Whacky Pope Benedict

2006-09-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

I see the Pope is at it again, quoting the bigoted remarks of a fourteenth century emperor who is reported to have said "it's only just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman. Such his commands are spread by the sword, the faith, he preached." No better source than the Dark Ages for material for a speech.

Aside from the fact that it takes a lot of nerve for the Pope, or any other Christian for that matter, to criticize Muslims for spreading their faith "by the sword." I trust I needn't cite examples of Christian butchery aimed at cleansing the world, or one's town, of those of other faiths. Often those cleansed were simply of a differing Christian faith than that at the time which prevailed.

Last May that whacky Pope, in delivering some very inexplicable remarks at Auschwitz in which he attributed the Holocaust to a few bad apples, beseeched God as to why the Lord had not sent the Catholic church some sort of message that the extermination of the Jews was wrong. The Church may have not received any word from God of the atrocities but they certainly received lots of words from good Catholics as to what was occurring in Germany and its occupied territories. The fact is that, to the Pope at the time, as long as Hitler was fighting the Godless Communists in Russia, extermination of European Jews was just fine. In fact the Catholic Church didn't simply overlook the Holocaust, it abetted the butchery.

Pope Benedict isn't all bad though, he provides lots of material for likes Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

More Public Art

2006-09-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

Shoe Shine $15 Pesos

2006-09-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

There are in Parque Enriquez fifteen or twenty shoeshine stations staffed by shiners of all ages, who provide a first rate shine for $15 pesos.

The shiners first scrub the shoes with soap, thoroughly dry them, paint them with dye which they brush when dried, add three or four applications of polish, buff with the clasic snapping cloth action, and finally they paint the edges of the soles.

A couple of weeks ago I sat down in the chair of the older gentleman at the right wearing my favorite pair of walking boots, which I have had for over ten years and which were resoled once by Dave the Cobbler in Seattle. I retrieved the boots during my recent trip North.

Before leaving the Satsop Valley I had been using the boots for working around the place and had not cleaned and greased them before I left. So when I sat down in the older fellow’s chair the leather was in pretty rough shape, very dry and faded. He handed me a copy of the Diario Xalapa and worked for about a half hour revitalizing my boots. I walked away with a nice shine. He asked for $15. pesos; but, since he worked so long on them and did such a nice job I gave him thirty.

While the gentleman was working my shoes over the younger fellow at the station next door looked on. Since that day each time I have passed both the older fellow and his younger neighbor have greeted me warmly.

I had decided during the last shine that I would have the younger fellow provide the next. Today I went for another shine and found the younger fellow’s station staffed by an even younger fellow, who was lounging in the chair awaiting a customer as I approached. He did a first rate job. Just look at that shine.

As you can see the chairs are covered with canopies provided by advertisers. With the passing of the elections the canopies advertising various political candidates have recently been replaced by a variety of others.

D. C. Corruption

2006-09-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

Corruption in Washington D. C. has reached such an unprecedented level that the FBI has increased from one to three the number of squads assigned to investigate members of congress and their benefactors.

My Favorite Internet Cafe

2006-09-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago and internet café opened a couple of blocks from the dump. That in itself is completely unremarkable as there are internet cafes in almost every block.

This one, though, is now my regular. It, I assume, is run by members of a family as they are each endowed with the same nose. It must definitely be a dominate gene.

At any rate, upon my first visit, the day the opened, they dug a cable out of a bag and squeezed me in between a couple of desk tops. A couple of visits later I found they had installed another desk with no computer on it and they indicated that it was my place to sit. The cable was a bit short so I kind of squeezed whomever happened to be at the next desk. When I visited yesterday I found they had installed a longer cable to my little desk.

The folks here have been very kind to me from my first visit, always offering coffee or soda and asking if everything is OK. So I keep returning.

Rosie informed me today that a representative from TelMex called to inform her the company is running a special on internet service for $249. pesos per month for the first six months and asked me if I wanted to arrange for service. I didn’t tell her that I don’t plan on hanging around the dog shelter long enough to bother with securing internet service but thought it was nice she thought of me.

Until I get a different place to liveI’m sticking with the good folks here.

Expatriate Interviews

2006-09-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted by a person associated with the website Expatriate Interviews who had happened upon the blog. She asked if I would answer their interview questions. I asked that she send me the questions and I would take a look to see if I was interested.

She did, I did, and the interview is now available on line at http://expatinterviews.com/Chris-Brown.html.

Gold Diggers of 1933

2006-09-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

Last evening I attended a University of Veracruz Film School showing of Gold Diggers of1933, a grand production of a rather silly story played out by an all-star cast. Amongst the actors’ names you may recognize are Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, Joan Blondell , and Ruby Keeler. The musical is a part of the U of V’s month long presentation of classical musical movies produced from 1933 to 1952.

The story, set in New York City during the depression era in which it was produced, centers around a group of down and out show girls, a Broadway producer finding it difficult to secure financing for the production of his grand production idea, and an aspiring song writer. It just so happens that the showgirls’ apartment window looks into the window of an apartment occupied by Dick Powell, the aspiring song writer who sings his romantic compositions through his window to one of the showgirls (Ruby Keeler) to whom he’s taken a shine.

Powell’s character happens to be playing while the producer is explaining his grand production idea to the showgirls in their apartment. The producer likes what he hears, sends for Powell, and eventually enlists Powell to compose the music for his production. Powell also offers to finance the production. Only later, when Powell’s impending marriage to Ruby Keeler is publicized, do we learn that Powell is a trust fund scion of a prominent Boston family.

Upon learning of Powell’s planned nuptials his older brother, and trust fund administrator, travels to New York along with his, old, fat, pompous attorney to inform Powell and his intended that if they marry he will cut off Powell’s income. Upon entering the showgirls’ apartment, along with his attorney, Powell’s brother assumes another of the showgirls is his brother’s betrothed and explains that she will not be permitted to marry Dick Powell. After her repeated attempts to explain she was not whom he thought were interrupted, she and the other showgirl present decide to take the two pompous gentlemen for a ride, so to speak. The showgirls take gents out on the town and convince them to buy them expensive gifts.

By the time Powell’s brother is informed of his mistaken identity he has fallen for the showgirl he assumed was the betrothed, and his attorney has fallen for the other showgirl.

In the end the Broadway production is a great hit and Powell, his brother, and the attorney all marry their favored showgirls.

The show contains a great scene of a chorus line, of perhaps thirty or forty arrayed on a spiraling series of stairs and landing, playing fake violins and singing. At one point the scene goes dark except for the violins and bows that are outlined in neon light tubes. It was quite stunning.

In a bit of disunction at the end, the movie contains a production of the song “The Forgotten Man”, which asks what has become of the men that were sent off to fight WWI only to later suffer the depravities of the Great Depression. The production of the song including legions of soldiers marching in the rain, both fresh troops toward the front and a line of injured returning.

Xico

2006-09-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Having walked around Xalapa enough to gain a pretty good understanding of the interconnections of the arterial streets and where they head out of town, I decided it was time to venture a bit further afield. Additionally I had not driven my pickup since I arrived here August 20th and thought it should have a bit of exercise. I had been wanting to visit Xico, a small town not far from here, and yesterday being Sunday, providing the prospect that I would be able to find a parking space near the dump upon my return, I decided to take a drive.

I knew where to access the road to Coatapec, a city of a size between that of Xalapa and the town of Xico, and headed on my way. I hadn’t yet left Xalapa, however, before I strayed from the proper route, so spent a bit of time driving around a part of Xalapa I had not visited. I backtracked and returned to the old route which I had opted to take rather than the considerably faster highway. You know me.

The two lane road wended it way through the hills, passing quintas and ranchos growing coffee, bananas, citrus, and sugar cane. The road passed through a number of small communities and was often enveloped in a canopy of overhanging trees. It was a very tranquil 20 minute drive to Coatapec, pronounced Qwatapeck, by the way.

I entered Coatapec, following the sign to Xico, but soon strayed from the route and spent a bit of time driving the backs streets until I happened upon what looked like the proper route. Sure enough, in short order I came upon a sign ensuring me that I was heading to Xico, pronounced Heecoe. About ten minutes later, after passing mile upon mile of more coffee, banana, and orange plants and through a couple of small communities complete with the usual multiple speed bumps intended to slow traffic in populated areas, I arrived in Xico.

Traffic entering Xico was backed up quite a ways to a crawl as it was El Dia de Maria Magdalene and there were celebrations and parades impeding traffic. Being extremely devote I didn’t want to miss the celebrations. OK, you're right, I’m about as devout as a heathen can be. Speaking of such things, I didn't know until I watched The DiVinic Files the other night that Mary Magdalene wrote on of about sixty gospels that some politician decided should not be included in the New Testament, even though Mary was apparently referred to by many of her contemporaries as the apostle of the apostles and apparently had a sexual relationship with Jesus. But, then again, being a heathen I'm ignorant of such things.

At any rate I parked in Centro, watched a bunch of folks dressed in clown suits carrying a litter upon which road St. Mary Magdelen followed by a traditional Mexican band and lots of children parade up the main street, and then asked a fellow for a restaurant recommendation. He directed me three blocks down the main drag.

Walking to the restaurant I noticed quite a few horses either carrying their riders or parked riderless. I also noticed the remnants of considerable amounts of horse manure littering the cobblestone streets, which I found considerably more charming than I find the dog crap which litters Xalapa sidewalks.

I soon arrived at the Casa Xiqena, the recommended restaurant, which has been established in a beautiful colonial building. I opted for a table on the veranda where I could enjoy the flowers, that surrounded what I supposed used to be the back yard of the home, and the music provided by a fellow singing to his guitar accompaniment.

I felt obligated to order the mole chicken specialty of the house and a traditional Xico dish, which I accompanied with a Sol oscuro (dark) beer. Mole is a very rich, spicy sauce of unsweetened chocolate, chiles, and spices for which Xico is famed. Soon arrived a chicken breast and leg smoothered in thick dark brown, almost black, mole sauce, along with a large serving of rice and, of course, warm corn tortillos.

As I enjoyed my meal, and music, I noticed the management had posted its “mission statement” on the column adjacent to my table. The owner appeared to be an older very Caucasian looking fellow with a large white beard, who warmly greeted me with a "buenas tardes" and a pat on the shoulder as he passed by.

The pictures you see here are of the restaurant, taken from my chair. Check out the brickwork that fills in the guardrail along the edge of the veranda. I took more picture of Xico with my 35 mm which I will posted when developed. I have been using my 35 mm more and more as the resolution of large prints far exceeds that of photos from the digital and I am thinking that I may take to printing and framing my favorite photos.

Well, as it turns out I'll have to post the pictures another time as the Blogger upload feature is not working.

2006-09-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shot of some public art in my neighborhood.

At left is a monument to mothers, in which is bronze woman is holding a child aloft.

So here's a bronze guy with his arm raise. I didn't read the plaque but it must be a monument to the workers of the world.

And how about that rock wall in the background? That baby's like 30 feet high of rock laid without mortar, though I'm pretty sure there's a concrete wall behind the rocks.

This is one of two identical fountains in the bicentennial Park which is a convenient short cut from the made drag trough Centro to near Los Lagos

Speaking of public art, I read in one of the local papers today that the film school at the University of Veracruz his hosting a film festival featuring musical comedies and will show six over the next two weeks ranging in vintage from 1933 to 1950. Admission is free.

Richard Armitage and Robert Novak

2006-09-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

Why did Richard Armitage, who we have learned was the first to “out” Valerie Plame, go to Robert Novak with the information?

I suspect because Robert Novak has been a chief republican media whore for almost his entire “journalism” career.

Grupos Religiosos Radicals

2006-09-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

According to Diario Xalapa there are some folks here, characterized by the Diario of representing “grupos religiosos radicals”, who are objecting to the fact that the biology text book for junior high school aged students includes a discussion of the human reproductive system, as well as pregnancy and STD avoidance.

I am at a complete loss to understand why the radical religious folks object to including “sex education” in the school curriculum, particularly at a time when the students’ hormones are on the move. Is it because if kids aren’t taught how to avoid becoming pregnant then there will be that many more sheep in the flock to support the shepherd? Additionally, if one limits the breadth of a child’s education, maintaining ignorance as it were, then that child is probably going to be less likely to question that which the shepherd preaches.

As far as I understand the radical religious whacko argument, it is that learning about reproduction etc. will encourage them to have sex. Duh, when do the whackos think that adults telling children not to do something no longer encouraged those children to go try it?

Mes de Patria

2006-09-11T15:55:00.000-07:00

September in Mexico is the Mes de Patria, September 16th being independence day. The streets and buildings of Xalapa, and other Mexican cities and towns I assume, are festooned with the red, green, and white colors of the flag, actual flags of all sizes are posted everywhere, and many folks are wearing Mexican flag T-shirts.

Rosie has even posted little Mexican flags along each side of the passageway separating the two buildings that comprise the apartment complex/dog shelter.

The Wobblies Rise Again

2006-09-10T15:21:00.001-07:00

I read yesterday that Starbucks’ employees in New York City are represented by the IWW and that Starbucks’ employees in Chicago have notified the company of their intent to seek IWW representation. You know me, I think that is really cool. “Solidarity Forever” in “One Big Union.”

Purposeful Walking

2006-09-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

You may remember that last March I reported that a Diario de Yucatan photographer, in the paper’s continuing campaign to shame city authorities into repairing pedestrian hazards, had caught me in mid-stride stepping over such a hazard and that the picture subsequently appeared in the newspaper.

I had commented that one of the things I like about Merida, and Mexico in general, is that one is responsible to watch where one walks. Folks who fall while walking don’t get paid by their local government, such as occurs in the USA, thanks to big hearted, small minded jurors. “Purposeful walking” is how I think Kat of KaTravels blog put it.

Here in Xalapa purposeful walking takes on a new meaning. While the sidewalks here are generally in good shape they are littered with dog crap hazards that require one’s attention. Often an earlier passerby wasn’t paying attention and thereafter has left skid marks a ways along the sidewalk in an effort to dislodge the offending material.

There are lots of dogs here, which again leads me to ask what is it with folks who live in cities keeping dogs?

My Chairs

2006-09-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

I’ve been meaning for some time to post a picture of these really cool chairs. The chair on the left I bought at a tourist shop at Parque Santa Ana in Merida for $500 pesos and the one on the left from a roadside vendor just outside of Campeche for $300. peosos.

The wood supporting the hammock, I think, is a type of Cedar. The chairs are quite comfortable, either with one’s feet on the floor or as a recliner with the feet up on a support.

The Birds of Parque Juarez

2006-09-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

There is lots of public art in Xalapa so I have begun to make a point of photographing it as I happen upon it during my explorations.

Here are a number of birds that regularly inhabit El Parque Juarez, which I have mention a few times and which is the main downtown city park, flanked by the state and municipal government buildings.

The pink building you can see at left is El Palacio Municipal. City Hall, if you like.

The photo doesn't show it well but the blue bird further in the background at right has what I think are eggs in its mid-section cavity and one protruding from its hind end.

El Parque Juarez, particularly on weekend days is full of folks and vendors of every sort.

Today while I was sitting in the park resting from my daily explorations I was even approached by a woman who asked if I wanted to have my blood pressure checked. I responded "sure" and after she told me that my pressure is fine she asked for $10 pesos.

Also today there was a group of about eight or ten young folks with an assortment of drums hammering out some foot tapping rhythms.

Also today I notice that for the children one of the more entertaining features of the park is its flock of pigeons. The children delight in gathering the pigeons around by throwing feed and then rushing at the flock to send it aloft. The flock lifting off as a unit, I notice, is a bit frightening for the younger children.

The park is beautifully landscaped, affords great views of the mountains to the South and West, and is wonderful place to watch the people of Xalapa.

Vanity Fair Counts Soup on The Weekly Standard

2006-09-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is a very creative, funny, and well deserved piece of mischief aimed at that neocon propaganda rag The Weekly Standard cooked up by the folks at Vanity Fair magazine.

I urge all of those with access to the magazines to participate.

I'm A Member of Betty's Video Club

2006-09-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

OK. I have successfully fulfilled all of Betty’s Video Club requirements to become a renter in good standing.

My first selection was “Good Night and Good Luck”, a George Clooney project which recounts Edward R. Morrow and his staff at CBS taking on Joseph McCarthey. Being essentially ignorant of popular culture I had never heard of the film, even though it was nominated for multiple Oscars.

The movie begin and ends with Morrow telling one of those self-congratulatory assemblages of television industry folks that the TV medium was increasingly being transformed into a tool to entertain and placate the population rather than being used to inform the public of important issues and, thus, strengthen the republic. And that was in, like, 1958.

It’s a good movie which accurately tells the story of one of the many important parts of Morrow’s storied career. The film is shot in black and white, I suppose because the film includes lots of black and white news footage from the ‘50s.

More Government Paid "Journalists"

2006-09-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here’s an example of why one should be very careful about believing what one is told about Cuba by the USA media, or anything else for that matter.

The Miami Herald reported last Friday that the USA government has been paying “journalists” to write negative “news” stories about Cuba. The Miami Herald has fired two employees and a free lance contributor.

Mas Los Lagos

2006-09-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot of one of the many bridges spanning Los Lagos

This shot shows hot each stone in the curb and retaining wall flanking the walking paths has been carved to fitr its neighbors.

On of Los Lagos includes ducks which live in this colonial duck condo.

And here's one of the boys who had been riding the pedicycle down the hill when they spotted me later.

Trying To Rent A Video

2006-09-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Unlike my deluxe accommodations in Merida, the dump came essentially unfurnished, so I do not have a TV. I am, however, able to watch videos on my old Dell laptop with a 15 inch screen, which I plug into the mini sound system I bought in Merida.

Having watched each of my seven DVDs so many times that they hold no surprise, I went a couple of days ago to the video rental store on the corner and thought I’d rent a video. After confirming with the person staffing the place that the videos produced in the USA are in English with Spanish subtitles I began my perusal. I selected The DeVinci Code and laid it on the counter and pulled out my drivers license which is all that the video store in Merida required. After it was confirmed that I had never rented from the store previously I was informed that I would need a picture ID and “comprobante” of my residence, which is proof in the form of a utility bill. I thanked the attendant and left thinking that perhaps she could of explained the requirements before I began my perusal; but, hey, it’s not like I don’t have plenty of time.

Today I walked a few blocks down to another video store, this time equipped with a copy of an electric bill, thinking I’d be watching an unfamiliar video this evening. This time I was educated enough to ask what was required for me to rent a video. The three very pleasant young folks staffing the place informed me that, in addition to the ID and comprobante, I would need to provide the phone numbers of two references.

So here I am again watching An Evening With the Dixie Chicks, in which the Chicks perform the songs from their, at the time, recently released Home album. Some time ago I gushed here about the show. It truly is a beautiful piece of work and the Kodak Theater is stunningly beautiful. And, as I’ve also previously remarked here, I truly the admire the Chicks for speaking the truth about Bush.

As an aside, I notice in the two Dixie Chicks video I have that the audience is composed overwhelmingly of women, particularly young women, who know the words to all the songs and who grow particularly enthusiastic with the performance of “Good Bye Earl”, during which there is a shot of a guy in the audience who looks really uncomfortable.

I’m sitting here thinking about before I moved to Mexico and was trying, through email and the internet, to find a place to live in Merida. I was put in touch with Sr. Lopez, who ultimately became my landlord, by a very helpful office manager of a Merida realtor, which caters to gringos. I was able to rent my apartment simply by wiring Sr. Lopez the first month’s rent and a security deposit equal to a month’s rent.

Sr. Lopez required no references or anything else to rent his apartment to me sight unseen but here one needs references to rent a video. I’m sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the stores’ requirements but damned I’d like to watch an unfamiliar video.

By the way, the day before I left Merida Sr. Lopez came to the apartment and very meticulously explained how he had arrived at the amount of rent refund he gave me. Additionally, I wanted to show him the lamp that broke when brushed off the nightstand by the wind blown curtain and the two pop rivets “securing” the hinge of the plastic bedroom door that had pulled out. He insisted that he needn’t look at anything, gave me back the entire security deposit, told me that he was sad to see me go, gave me a farewell hug, and told me that if I needed his help for anything to not hesitate to call or send an email message. .

Rarely in my life have I met persons so completely honorable and admirable as I consider Sr. Lopez. I consider myself to have been extremely fortunate in my life and my encounter with Sr. Lopez has reinforced such consideration.

Los Lagos

2006-09-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I walked down the hill from the dump; through the Parque Juarez, the magnificent park that is flanked by the beautiful colonial state and municipal government buildings; down hill a few more blocks to the Los Lagos; and circumperambulated the entire complex. I suppose all told it amounted to perhaps a six kilometer walk, with the last kilometer or so of the return trip up the steep hill back to the apartment.

Los Lagos are three lakes, each successively a bit lower, which accept storm water runoff from a good portion of the city and which are circled by a paving stone walk of about fifteen feet wide, landscaped gardens between the path and the water, and more landscaped gardens which include large trees abutting the upland side of the path.

Amongst the large trees are a type of Cedar and a very strange tree I think is Pine, which resembles a cross between a Pine and a Monkey tree. The needles and bark look like Pine and the needles are in clusters that circle the ends of the branches, which are otherwise bare. They remind me of what are referred to as “poodle trees” in the area of the Olympic Peninsula where I lived for 30 years. The poodle trees are actually Cedar trees that have been denuded of their foliage except for the very top, thus resembling the tail of well groomed Poodle.

The lakes themselves are lined by black stone laid at a perhaps 45 degree slant landward, with thick mortar joints. The stone is no doubt some sort of volcanic rock as the Xalapa area was historically inundated with magma flows from the El Cobre de Perote, a slumbering volcano not far away whose square shape caused one of the Spanish Conquistadors to remark that it looked like Perote’s trunk. Perote being one of his fellow pillagers.

The paving stone walking path is flanked on the lakeside by a curb of perhaps a foot high and on the landward side by a retaining wall of perhaps two feet, both constructed of same stone which lines the lakes, with each stone carved to fit its neighboring stones and laid without mortar. Periodically the retaining wall is interrupted by a shallow alcove in which is a stone bench, complete with a back, constructed in the same manner as the curb and wall. It is all quite stunning.

Occasionally Los Lagos are crossed by traffic and pedestrian bridges constructed as a series of mortared stone arches with red brick lining the archways. Upon the hill flanking the east side of Los Lagos, which stretch for perhaps two kilometers on a NW to SE bearing, is a hospital, an athletic school, and a public gymnasium. The shallower hill on West side is lined with houses and apartments, many with stairs descending to the pathway, some of which are quite creatively constructed of stone slabs cantilevered out of the building foundation or native stone. One of the buildings is supported on and built right to the very edge of native stone which cantilevers above the walking path.

There are pedicycles parked along the pathway available for those who wish to peddle their way along. The group of five or six young fellows you see in the photo repeatedly pushed their conveyance up an inclined access to the pathway, all jumped aboard, and giggled their way on the ride back down the hill. One pedicycle was populated by eight or ten laughing girls peddling their way along shouting warnings to those ahead on the path. It was quite cute. A bit later in my walk the boys riding the pedicycle down the hill passed me in a car and hung out the windows shouting and waving, as they remembered me snapping photos of their ride.

If you’re ever in Xalapa make a point of spending a couple hours walking the Los Lagos trail.

2006-08-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

This is the cathedral across the street from the Veracruz state government building and adjacent to the main city park. The photo at the right shows the portion of the building to the right of that shown at left.

There are a great many magnificent colonial building here, and they appear to be well maintained. I have run cross, in my limited wanderings, four other cathedrals that rival the one shown above in their grandeur.

This building is a school for senoritas. I think it may be a part of the University of Veracruz since it is located across the street from a U of V building.

I've also run across quite a few colleges and universities, and my wanderings haven't yet taken me out of the Centro aarea.

Rosie

2006-08-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

During my visit to Xalapa on my trip North I had been walking the streets of Centro for a few hours looking for apartments for rent, and hoping to not become lost in the process, when I spotted an “apartment for rent” sign hanging above the gate. I rang the bell and someone answered but I’ll be damned if I was able to understand what he had said. Soon Jorge arrived to open the gate which provides access to the passageway, perhaps 12 feet wide, that separates the two buildings of the apartment complex. Directly Jorge introduced me to my new landlady, Rosie. Jorge I learned is Rosie’s uncle and the complex handyman, though he doesn’t appear to me to be real handy.

As I entered the complex I noted an odor reminiscent of my days working at the McLean Animal Hospital during my high school days. It is an odor that will not cause one to wretch but which can’t be missed. Though we animal hospital “kennel helpers” conscientiously cleaned the kennel and the outdoor runs with disinfectant, as instructed, an odor would linger. I think it emanated from the floor drains.

Despite the odor and less than desirable apartment, needing a place to deposit the stuff I was driving North to Elma to retrieve I struck the deal. The rent is certainly cheap enough and the apartment is located conveniently in Centro.

Rosie is quite a case. Sunday she bought me a liter of Sol beer, so Monday I returned the favor. When I delivered her beer she insisted I come in and drink it with her.

Rosie’s home smells like dogs and I soon learned why. Rosie informed me that she has 26 dogs she has collected from the streets, though I’ve actually seen only about five. She didn’t tell me how many cats she has but I’ve seen at least two.

Rosie, I learned, was an airline stewardess for Aero Mexico many years ago and more recently has been teaching English at a local secondary school, though cataracts have forced her to give up teaching.

During our conversation I noted that my preferred libation is vino tinto. She jumped right up, retrieved a liter box of California red table wine from the refrigerator, poured me a glass, and explained that she drinks a liter each evening. She she said used to drink a 750 ml bottle of hard liquor each evening but has switched to red wine for the antioxidants it contains. I told her that’s why I drink it.

Rosie had quite a bit to say about the anti-immigrant bigots in the USA, understanding clearly that racism is a major factor, as do most Mexicans with whom I’ve discussed the issue. I explained that it being an election year the republicans are cynically trotting out their usual wedge issues to energize their ignorant bigot base.

Although Rosie can’t hold a candle to Sr. Lopez as far as landlords go, nor can her apartment building compare to that of Sr. Lopez, she is certainly a more colorful character.

"Ending the Neoconservative Nightmare"

2006-08-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

Daniel Levy has written a very interest opinion piece entitled "Ending the Neoconservative Nightmare". Levy is no mere pundit, the guy has serious credentials.

Aside from noting that the "neoconservative approach has not been good for Isreal, Levy notes the strangness of Isreal's alliance with the USA Christian right.

"Beyond that, Israel and its friends in the United States should seriously reconsider their
alliances not only with the neocons, but also with the Christian Right. The largest "pro-Israel"
lobby day during this crisis was mobilized by Pastor John Hagee and his Christians United For
Israel, a believer in Armageddon with all its implications for a rather particular end to the
Jewish story.'

No Inernet Connection

2006-08-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

I do not have an internet connection in m apartment and do not plan to have one installed as I hope to not be there long. Consequently I am relying upon internet cafes, though there is an unsecured wireless network in the Centro area which I can use if I hang out in a particular concina economica.

I am finding that I ma unable to send email from many of the internet cafes. I can receive with no problem but cannot send. I have no problem sending when using the wireless network in Centro.

Parque Tacajetes

2006-08-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Xalapa Saturday afternoon at about 1:00 . The parking space nearest to my
apartment that I could find was about 5 blocks away, next to the Hotel Xalapa and across the street from the Parque Tacajetes, a fairly large forested park in El Zona Centro.

I walked the few blocks to my dump of an apartment, which smells a bit musty, has a refrigerator that growls, and a bathroom which permits me to sit on the toilet while showering.

Oh well, as someone who lived in a shack in the Satsop Valley for a number of years, not to mention the roach infested apartment I lived in D.C. in the early '70s, I can put up with it until I find something better. The apartment at least is well located in Centro and I now have kitchen tools from storage so, I an get more creative in the kitchen.

I could get even more creative I had a stove with an oven, rather than a two burner electric counter top unit I bought after the landlady tried to pawn off an encrusted one burner electric unit with a broken knob and bare wires and an equally encrusted two burner gas unit, even though there is no gas line to the kitchen.

I have yet to determine why it is that the apartment rules limits visits to 4 hours and prohibit visitors after 11 PM, rules even my late '60s dormitory didn't even have.

After hanging out in the apartment for a couple of hours, and growing a bit tired of the refrigerator's growl, I walked down the hill for a tour of the park, and a magnificent park it is.

The park is described by the entry signs as an urban ecological preserve and discuss the interactions of urban human activities and the natural environment. The park is laced with stone and paving stone walkways and water ways which feed a number of ponds.
One, particularly creative, waterway consists of a narrow aqueduct constructed atop a stepped retaining wall from which the water cascades into the channel atop each succeeding step in the wall; crosses the path atop an arch; and discharges into a pond which in turns discharges into a lower pond.

The walkways are flanked by native vegetation, including some very large trees and flower blossoms of all hues. With the forest canopy, vines climbing the trees in search of light, and the abundance of water the place has the feel of a rain forest. It really is an enchanting place.

The park includes a couple of playgrounds; a skateboard area; a empty swimming pool that young folks were using as a soccer field; a picnic area with three really nice elevated, stone BBQs; and a small circular stage and concrete bleachers.

I plan to return for further explorations during the week when the park is not so busy. Today the park was very busy with families and lovers young and old holding hands and strolling. There were also a number of young lovers in out of the way places holding more than hands and definitely not strolling. It was all very cute.

There is, reportedly, an exceptional botanical garden nearby Xalapa on the road to Coatepec which I plan to visit soon and supposedly another large forested park in Xalapa I will also visit.

Final Merida Garden Report

2006-08-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I leave for Xalapa and new adventures, so I thought I should post a garden report.

Upon my return form my trip North, which covered about 8,000 miles, five Mexican states, and seven USA states, my garden was engulfed in a sea of weeds. Once I had removed the weeds this is what I found. One expansive watermelon plant with seven developing melons. Yes, the picture at left is of one plant.

The plants in little patch of corn I planted in early July have done really well and are now developing ears.

One cherry tomato plant survived my absence and the consequent lack of water.

Papayas are developing on the volunteer plant you can see at the right and the four plants that I grew from seeds.

So in my gardening pursuits here in Merida I have had success growing watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, onions and papaya. Pretty much everything else I've tried to grow has been a bust.

I expect greater success in Xalapa with its cooler temperatures and more rain. Once I find a place with a garden space I'll see what I can do.

Ria Lagartos

2006-08-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

Late last week I visited Ria Lagartos, a long, narrow estuary along the North Yucatan coast, nearer to Cancun than to Merida. Like Ria Celestun, which I visited in February, Ria Lagartos is located within a "Biosphere Reserve" that supports a number of fishing villages and is home to flocks of flamingos, cormorants, pelicans, many other species of water fowl, crocodiles and other terrestrial fauna. Also like Celestun, local entrepreneurs offer boat trips during the day to view flamingos and trips after dark to view crocodiles. Unlike Ria Celestun, which has one outlet to the Gulf of Mexico at its Southern end, the peninsula that separates the Ria Lagartos from the Gulf is transected by a number of channels.

To travel there I opted to drive federal highway 176 rather than 180, the direct route to Cancun, and then North on federal highway 295 from Tizimin. Just before reaching the town of Rio Lagatos I headed West to the town of San Felipe where I arranged a room at the Hotel San Felipe. As you may see in the photo to the left, heavy rain was falling upon my arrival.

After checking into my room the proprietor asked if I’d ever eaten Manta Ray, which, of course, I never had. Soon I was served a delicious meal of a shredded Manta Ray/vegetable stew, mixed cooked vegetables, onions marinated in vinegar, refried beans, corn tortillas and a cold Superior.

After lunch I walked along the San Felipe malecon photographing birds perched on pilings and the fishing boats that lined the malecon. Later I drove to the towns of Rio Lagartos, from where boats trips up the Ria leave; and Las Coloradas, a tiny puebla on the Ria at the end of the road where salt is extracted from sea water and placed by a conveyor onto a huge purewhite pile. The salt is transported by conveyor across the road to a dock in the Ria.

As dusk approached the sky cleared and I headed for the roof of the hotel to await sunset in hopes of getting a good picture. The roof afforded a nice view of the small town; the Ria; the heavy, open hulled, fiberglass fishing boats along the malecon; and the Gulf beyond the peninsula.

Soon a woman and her two daughters from Merida joined me and immediately engaged me in conversation. They suggested that for my return to Merida that I take the road along the Gulf coast from where one may see flocks of flamingos and the many coastal fishing villages. Soon we were joined by a fellow from Mexico City who was also anxious to talk.

As it turned out there was pretty nice sunset. The moonset the next morning wasn’t bad either.

Thanks to the woman from Merida and her daughters, though, the best part of the trip for me was the return. From San Felipe I drove South to the small town of Panaba; from there took a very narrow, sparsely traveled road through completely undeveloped back country to the even smaller town of Yalsihon; and on to Dzilam de Bravo where I rejoined the Gulf coast. The drive afforded views of lots of vultures, Crested Caracara, Ibis, and some sort of small mammal with a bushy tail that looked like a cross between a fox and a cat.

At one point I noticed a small animal slowly walking across the road which seemed to me to be a small crab, which I thought a bit strange given the distance to the water. A bit later I spotted another of the same crawling creature, stopped to get out for a better look, and discovered it was a very large black and orange tarantula.

The drive from San Felipe to Chelem, with a stop for a lunch of fried fish, marinated vegetables,
and refried beans, took about three and a half hours.

So it seems to me that a great trip from Merida would be a drive to Progreso, East along the coast to Dzilam de Bravo, along the back road to Panaba, and South for a night in Valladolid.

El Cumbanchero

2006-08-10T05:25:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday evening I had dinner at the El Cumbanchero restaurant with a number of friends, whom I will miss upon my move to Xalapa. From left to right, Ariel, Maria, Ana Belem, Federico, and Armando.

Ariel, Maria and Ana Belem operate the cocina economica from where Armando gets his lunch each day. Ana, Ariel and I had weekly language classes together and I have accompanied them on a number of excursions. Ariel Marie and Ana lived in Miami for a number of years until Ariel lost an arm in an auto accident which ended his truck driving career.

Federico operates the Cafico coffee shop, on Calle 58 just South of the Parque Santa Ana, where he roasts organically grown beans grown in Chiapas and Veracruz states and where Armando and I have coffee several times each week. Federico, whose sincerity is manifest in his ready smile, likes to talk politics and is a big AMLO supporter. When he’s roasting a batch of beans the aroma can be detected a half block from his shop.

Armando is my 89 year old Cuban American neighbor who has lived in Merida for 28 years and who increasingly requires assistance.

El Cumbanchero is owned by Ruben Gonzalez Jr., son of the famed Cuban pianist Ruben Gonzalez who performed with the Buena Vista Social Club, whose CD of the same name gained a Grammy Award. Ruben Gonzalez Sr. died a couple years back and now his Grammy and lots of other Buena Vista Social Club and other memorabilia is now on display in the El Cumbanchero restaurant.

Ruben Gonzalez Jr., also an accomplished pianist, and his group perform regularly in the restaurant. The food was nothing to write home about but the music and atmosphere definitely merit a visit. The place and its dance floor became filled to capacity, with folks waiting on the patio, by about 10 PM. The restaurant, located at Calle 39 and the Paseo Montejo is open from 7 PM to 2 AM Tuesday through Saturday.

Florida Senator Mel Martinez Excuses Terrorism

2006-08-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

Florida Senator Mel Martinez excuses the 1976 bombing of a Cubana airlines plane by Luis Posada Carriles, saying “without condoning any specific act of violence, there was a hostile state of affairs at the time.” He also says that “Cuba began the practice of hijacking airliners…” as if no one will read the New Yorker article in which the quote appears and realize that it’s a complete fabrication.

The folks of Florida have many reasons to be proud, but their election of the dumb ass Martinez has to rank amongst their proudest.

Joe Lieberman Takes It In The Shorts

2006-07-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the iconoflatulence (a term coined by my high school buddy Verde, who I think should retire to a life as a Northern Neck writer. Anyone who can come up with such a term should be writing.) But as you no doubt by now know, I can't help myself.

I must admit I am taking great pleasure in the demise of Joe (2%) Lieberman to, the heretofore unknown, Ned Lamont in his bid for a fourth Senate term. (2% is about the most Lieberman received in votes in any of the 2004 democratic presidential election primaries.) That well publicized Bush kiss and his gushing praise for Bush's Iraq policies are coming back to bite the arrogant bastard in the butt. Realizing that he will lose the democratic primary in early August, Lieberman has filed the necessary signatures to enable him to run as a repubdependent.

Lamont is leading the three term senator in all demographic groups except those over 65 and even the NYT has turned against him.

The establishment media and pundits are blaming the "netroots" for Lieberman's political problems. I think his problems have more to do with his hubris, and his sense that he is entitled to his senate seat.

I Think Hugo Chavez It Exactly Right

2006-07-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

"After almost 200 years, we can say that the United States was designed to fill the entire world with poverty as if in the name of freedom," he said according to Interfax.

"The United States' empire is the greatest threat which exists in the world today. This is a senseless, blind and dumb giant, which does not know the world, does not know human rights, and does not know anything about humanity, culture, conscience, or consciousness."

He said the "winds of war" were blowing in the Middle East and were a "product of hegemony and imperialistic aspirations, which reveal Washington's bid for power over the whole planet".

Read the entire Guardian report here.

Villahermosa

2006-07-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am in Villahermosa, with one days drive left to Merida. I’m pretty sure I will never return to this city. This afternoon I paid my first ever bride in the time I’ve been in Mexico.

Driving around the city looking for a place to stay for the night I pulled into a traffic lane reserved for buses and cooperatives. A police officer pulled up behind me and motioned for me to do a U turn and pull over. He explained the lane was reserved, I apologized and he asked for my driver’s license and registration. After telling me he would have to write me a ticket and that I would have to go tomorrow to pay it he began to walk toward his car. He turned around, came back and began explaining that if I put something in his mano he wouldn’t write me a ticket. I asked how much and he answered whatever I thought. I gave him $100. pesos and we both went on our ways. A violation of my principles, to be sure, but in this case expediency prevailed.

The best thing I can say about Villahermosa, of the limited area I saw, is that it has a highway that runs right through the middle of it which permits one to transit the city without stopping.

July 20th

2006-07-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am staying in the El Castillo (which looks like a castle) another drive in hotel with private garages, though this one just has a curtain for a door. The room is quite plush and very dark. There is not enough light in the room for me to type on my laptop, so here I am in an internet café.

I have come to the conclusion that the hotel with the garages are places for discrete rendezvous. The room I’m in has a huge mirror at the head of the bed, colored lights above the bed, piped in music, and a price list on the wall that includes drink, toiletries and condoms. There is also a wooden rotating shelf in the wall between the room and the garage through which the staff can deliver items without opening the door or seeing in the room.

Generally having my head in the clouds, it usually takes me a while to figure these things out.

I expect to arrive in Xalapa during the early afternoon tomorrow. I will unload my household goods there and return to Merida.

Back in Mexico

2006-07-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

I am back in Mexico, having tracked down a customs broker and successfully entered the country with a truck load of household goods.

I am feeling quite relieved to back in Mexico and to have crossed the border with my household goods with no problems. I now have no property or possessions, other than bank accounts, in the USA.

As it happened I was able to track down one of the customs broker with whom I had been communicating through email, though it took a bit to find his new location. I arrived at his office at about 9:00, provided him with copies of the “menaje de casa” visa issued me by the Mexican consulate in Seattle. He called his contact in Matamoras and informed me of the fee.

While I went to the nearest bank to get some cash, he made copies and arrangements with the broker with whom he works in Matamoras. When I returned to his office he instructed me to follow him to his warehouse where I would leave my truck while we crossed to Matamoras and went to the Mexican broker’s office to deliver the paperwork.

The USA broker took me on a driving tour of Matamoras for about an hour while the Mexican broker was preparing the “pedimento”. After a bit he suggested we stop at his favorite bar for a Clamato and vodka, which has to be about the most wretched drink I’ve ever tasted. I drank about half and pawned the rest off on him, explaining that I was getting a bit light headed and wanted to be completely sober for my border crossing.

We returned to the Mexican broker’s office, picked up the pedimento, and returned to his warehouse in Brownsville to await a call from the Mexican broker’s office with instructions on when to leave for the border. The call came and the Brownsville broker led me to the proper border crossing and left me with instructions of which line to get in and that a person from the Mexican broker’s office would meet me at the border with the necessary paperwork.

Sure enough the fellow was there with the papers and stood by as I made my way across the border to be sure everything went smoothly.

After crossing I parked my truck, went to the immigration office to have my visa stamped, and then moved my truck into an inspection bay where I waited for about a half an hour for my pedimento to make its way from the border crossing gate to the inspection area. Soon a fellow approached and asked me to open the back of the truck and to begin removing the stuff for his inspection, but after I had removed only a few items he indicated that he’d seen enough and a couple of fellows helped me reload. Everyone was quite jovial.

So off I was with one more gate to pass and perhaps another inspection. The fellow at that gate took a quick look at the pedimento and waved me through. About 10 kilometers down the road I had to pass through another inspection point but the fellow there also waved me through after a quick look at the pedimento.

So here I am in Ciudad de Victoria spending the night in a luxurious motel, with my own garage with an electric door, for $360 pesos. After getting settled into my room I notice there are 4 and 12 hours rates posted on the back of the door. I think I’ll call for room service, so to speak.