QUIRKY MEXICO

ACCORDING TO THIS ZAPOTEC HUEY ACATL MAKER AND PLAYER THIS INSTRUMENT AS SHOWN IN A TEMPLE MURAL HAS BEEN ALWAYS IN THEIR CULTURE.
I PRESUME THEREFORE IF WE WIND BACK THE CLOCK MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS TO SOMEWHERE IN CENTRAL ASIA WE WILL FIND A COMMON ANCESTOR/CULTURE WITH AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES.NOT I HOPE TO A 1960'S OZZIE DIDGIRIDOO PLAYING SURFIE WHO FOUND NIRVANA IN PUERTO ESCONDIDIO!!

RARE PRE-HISPANIC HAIRLESS DOG CALLED XOLOITZCUINTLS (MUTT FOR SHORT).

IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY ONLY A FEW HOUSES IN THIS SUBURB ARE PAINTED.WHY??WHEN YOU PAINT YOUR HOUSE IT MEANS IT IS FINISHED AND YOU HAVE TO PAY LOCAL TAXES.THE FAVOURITE COLOUR IN MEXICO IS UNPAINTED!!

BESIDES THE PLETHORA OF RELIGOUS ICONS HEROES OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE AND MEXICAN REVOLUTION ADORN EVERY UNOCCUPIED PLAZA,STREET SUBURB ENTRANCE.THIS IS MORELOS FATHEROF INDEPENDENCE

PANCHO VILLA A HERO OF THE MEXICAN CIVIL WAR.

MAGIC MAGUEY

BESIDES BEEN CHOPPED UP BOILED AND FERMENTED TO MAKE PULQUE THEN DISTILLED INTO MEZCAL AND TEQUILLA MAGUEY HAS A LOT OF OTHER USES.

STRONG FIBRES CAN BE DYED WITH FLOWER PETALS (NO MORDANT NEEDED) WIPE WITH OBSIDIAN DUST AND YOU GET A RANGE OF COLOURS-ACID-BASE INDICATORS!!

TIP OF LEAF IS A SHARP NEEDLE.NOW YOU CAN WEAVE OR SEW!!

INTERTWINING OF BELIEFS

THE THREE WISEMEN CAMPING IT UP FOR THE POST XMAS BUYING SPREE.THE MEXICAN ATTENTION TO DETAIL EVEN HAD THE RIGHT RACE BALANCE!!

IN THE FIERCE COMPETITION FOR SOULS AMONG THE HUGE ARRAY OF CATHOLIC ORDERS FRANCISCANS,DOMINICANS,AUGUSTINIANS,CAPUCHINS,CARMELITES,JESUITS ET AL THE RANGE OF ACCEPTANCE OF TRADITIONAL BELIEFS BECAME VERY BLURRED.DIFFERENT INDIGENOUS GROUPS(OVER 380 IN MEXICO)HAVE THEIR OWN VERSION OF WHO THEY PAY HOMAGE TO E.G SAINTS THAT SUPERIMPOSE ON THEIR ANCIENT GODS.

OUTSIDE THE MAIN CATHEDRAL IN MEXICO CITY DEVOTEES LINE UP TO BE "CLEANSED" BY TRADITIONAL HOLY MEN ,WHILE INSIDE THE PRIESTS ARE FLINGING AROUND THE INCENSE FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A LOT OF CATHOLIC RITUAL BECAME ACCEPTED BY THE INDIGENES.

AZTEC DANCERS PERFORMING IN THE ZOCALO MEXICO CITY.

THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE CHURCH BUSINESS....

PILGRIMS FLOCK TO BASILICA VIRGEN DE GUADELUPE IN NORTH MEXICO CITY AT THE RATE OF ABOUT EVERY HALF HOUR.IT IS THE CATHOLIC VERSION OF THE HAJ.MASSES ARE NON-STOP AND MOVING PATHS ENSURE THE STREAMS OF FAITHFUL FILE PAST THE IMAGE WITHOUT MAYHEM.

SWINE FLU NECESSITATED A RE-THINK ON HOLY WATER!!

WHAT THE FUSS IS ALL ABOUT.THIS IMAGE APPEARED ON A INDIGENOUS INDIAN'S ROBE AT GUADELOPE BACK IN 1531.PROBABLY THE GREATEST CONVERSION PROMOTION EVER!!

I STILL RECALL SEEING ROWS OF NUNS AT THE VATICAN MANNING THE RELIGIOUS ICON CHECKOUTS.MEXICO LEAVES IT FOR DEAD THERE ARE ENTIRE SUBURBS CATERING TO THE DEVOTEES.THIS IS UNDERGROUND A RELIGIOUS ICON MALL UNDER THE BASILICA.THANK GOD I'M A CATHOLIC BOY.(TO UNDERSTAND THE MUMBO JUMBO)

PS MANY BANKS OFFER SPECIAL DEALS ON BUYING BULK MASSES.GOING RATE 2000 PESOS FOR SIX.HAVE IT DIRECT CREDITED FROM YOUR ACCOUNT!!

BEACH BUMS

EVEN THOUGH ACAPULCO IS A TOURIST RESORT ONLY A 20 MIN HIKE FROM LA QUERDABA WE FOUND THIS SMALL LOCAL BEACH.

LA QUERDABA

LA QUERDABA ACAPULCO WHERE THE CLIFF DIVERS DO THEIR THING.THEY DIVE FROM NEAR THE LITTLE SHRINES. AMAZING FEAT.

MAIN TOURIST BEACH ACAPULCO.

JUST SPENT FIVE MAGIC DAYS AT THE BEACHES OF ACAPULCO AND PUERTO ESCONDIDO.(THE NZ HARNESS HORSE OF THE SAME NAME HAS JUST RUN 2ND AND 3RD.SHE IS OUT OF OAXACA LASS WHERE WE ARE NOW).

WHAT A CONTRAST.PE IS A FISHING VILLAGE WHERE THE TOURISTS FIT IN. ACAPULCO IS A TOURIST RESORT ON WHAT WAS A FISHING VILLAGE,

SURREAL SWIMMING WITH PELICANS DIVING FOR FISH ALL AROUND YOU.

SPOT THE ODD ONE OUT. (THE ONE ON THE LEFT. IT IS A YOUNG MALE)

PE

EACH MORNING THE FISHING BOATS OFF LOAD THEN FULL THROTTLE ONTO BEACH.SMALL ROUND STICKS ARE LAID DOWN TO LUBRICATE THE PASSAGE.

"RUNNING OF THE BOATS"

RUNNING OF THE COWS

WE MET THEO A LONDONER OF GRENADEN EXTRACTION WHO IS TRAINING TO BECOME A MATADOR.AS WOULD BE AFFICIANADO OF SORTS WE HIT IT OFF.AFTER A FEW ROUNDS OF TEQUILLAS THINGS TURNED INTERESTING. THANKS MATE!!

WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL WE PURSUED OUR INTEREST AT THE PLAZA DE TOROS IN ACAPULCO. GOOD STYLES BY THE FOUR YOUNG MATADORS BUTTHE FINAL DESPATCHES DISAPPOINTING. SCORED A BANDOLIER THAT HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM IT'S HOST!

THEO DIDN'T SEEM WORRIED -I WAS TERRIFIED!!

FOOD

SPORTING HER NEW $8 HAIRCUT GLADYS TOOK HER HUSBAND'S ADVICE AND INDULGED (TO HIS REGRET) IN THIS MOST SCRUMPTIOUS OAXACA DELICACY.CHAPULINES-GRASSHOPPERS FRIED WITH CHILLI,ONION ,GARLIC AND GENEROUS SQUEECHES OF LIME!!

THE MANA ITSELF.

THEN WE DISCOVERED QUESILLO A MOZARELLA TYPE CHEESE BUT STRINGY LIKE ROPE.YOUNG LADIES SHRED IT IN THERE DELICATE LITTLE FINGERS BEFORE LACING ON TO HOT HEATING TORTILLAS WITH A SPRINKLE OF CILANTRO,SALSA AND OH MY!!SOUNDS BETTER THAN CHEESE ON TOAST!!

THE REGIONAL SPECIALITIES ARE VERY MARKED.WASP INFESTED DRIED PRUNES MAZATLAN MADE FAMOUS BY JACK KEROUAC IN ON THE ROAD.

MAGIC TWIST ON THE OLD COCONUT TRICK. DRINK JUICE HAND BACK TO VENDOR WHO SCOOPS UP FLESH THEN ADDS CHILLI,SALSA,LIME JUICE--TO DIE FOR!!

ORDERLINESS OF THE AMECEMECA MARKETS.

MEXICO CITY HOT DOG VENDOR-GAS BBQ IN BOOT READY TO DO A QUICK GETAWAY WHEN THE PERMIT POLICE ARRIVE. HILARIOUS TO WATCH ALL THE IILEGAL VENDORS TAKE TO THEIR SCRPAERS TO RETURN A FEW MINUTES LATER WHEN THE ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN!!

MEXICO CITY VERSION OF A GORDITA WHICH MANIFESTS IT SELF IN VARIOUS FORMS ALL OVER. MY PENCHANT FOR HOT AND SPICY HAS ALWAYS TAKEN ITS TOLL THE NEXT DAY(AS BILLY CONNELLY USED TO SAY HOTTER COMING OUT THAN GOING IN!)PERSISTANCE SEEMS TO PAYING OFF -MAYBE MY GUT IS MUTATING!!
PS THE THREE BASICS OF MEXICAN FOOD ARE THE COLOURS OF THE FLAG:RED-TOMATO,WHITE-ONION,GREEN-CHILLI-BRILLIANT!!