April 2014

There are some pretty colorful professions here in this part of the world. It always makes me smile to see most of these personajes because I come from a country where you don't see these jobs. If you visit Mexico City or stay here for any length of time, you are sure to come across most of these people at some time or other. Here are a selection.

1. Mariachi

Perhaps one of the most well-known types of musicians in the world, mariachi bands can be found hanging around Plaza Garibaldi looking for work, in cantinas, at special events or even at a birthday party. We sometimes go to the Cantina Nº Uno where they serenade diners on Sundays from 4 pm onwards. Or look out for them at Villa Maria in Polanco. And don't expect to see them struggling to keep their enormous hats on as they crowd around tables. They leave them at home.

2. Tortilla makers

Tortillas are one of the staple foods of Mexicans so you can see tortilla makers and fillers around the streets and in eating places. They use a special machine which prepares the dough, cuts out the rounds and then they are cooked on both sides.

3. Shoe shiners

There are thousands of shoe-shiners around the city who make a living from polishing up dusty shoes. And if you happen to be the one getting your shoes spruced up, then it's the perfect moment to catch up on the latest news while flicking through the newspaper. When these professionals aren't shining shoes, they may even be watching TV...

4. Mounted policemen

Before they renovated the Alameda Park, you could always see mounted policemen patrolling the park and giving information to tourists. They can sometimes be spotted riding through Chapultepec Park if you're lucky. The horses are specially trained and thankfully aren't spooked by noises, traffic or gunshots.

4. Taxi drivers

Mexico City taxi drivers can be some of the most dangerous drivers on earth so you have been warned. Their mission seems to be to get you from A to B with as much adrenaline in the ride as possible, even if your priorities were to get to your destination in one piece and preferably on time. However, there are many normal ones who will give you a guided tour on the way or delight you with stories to keep you entertained. Safe taxis can be found at sitios, a kind of taxi rank. VW Beetle bugs are not the safest or the most comfortable taxis to hail down. Check out how many rosaries, saints or rabbit's feet they have hanging up in the front and you'll have a pretty good idea of how safe a driver he is. Obviously, the fewer the better. If you want to get around the centre of the City, you can use one of the pedal taxis... a new "green" method of transport.

6. Street food vendors

Eating is one of Mexico's national hobbies and eating out in the street is definitely a national past-time. If you wander around the streets, you can see people eating at any time of day... and cheaply. So it stands to reason that there is an unbelievably high number of people whose job is to prepare food for the eaters. You can see all kinds of food stands around the city.

7. Organ grinders

One of the very characteristic sounds of Mexico City are the haunting tunes churned out by organ grinders making their living in the streets. It is a Government-recognized profession and they all wear special uniforms. Some of the organs, first brought by German immigrants to Mexico City in the 1930s, are still in good condition but the majority have become so out-of-tune that the only grinding they do now is on your ears. In fact, you are more likely to tip them to stop playing!

8. Charros (Mexican cowboys)

You might think that Mexico City wouldn't be the place to see charros, typical Mexican cowboys. But one of the biggest charrerías is along Constituyentes and you can sometimes see them cantering through the woods nearby. They also perform their typical shows during the year which are advertised in many places.

9. Ice vendors

Because a lot of food and drinks are sold outside on the streets, ice is needed to keep them cold. In Mexico City, if you go out early in the morning, you will see men with tricycles delivering solid blocks of ice to the stalls or leaving them on street corners to be picked up by vendors. They use long metal tongs to drag them off the tricycle.

10. Dog-walkers

For some reason, lots of people keep dogs in Mexico City but don't have time or don't like taking them for walks. No problem, There is a whole band of professionals who will come to your house, pick up your doggie and walk him down the street or in the park with anywhere between 7 and 17 more dogs. It's hilarious to see dogs of all shapes and sizes, in a huge pack together, squeezing along the pavements.

11. Bodyguards/guards

I'm not sure if bodyguards are all to do with security or if they aren't a bit of status symbol too here. I'm not bothered by either. I would find them suffocating. Black or white Chargers with smoked windows annoyingly keep everyone at a distance from the car they're protecting. Flashing lights, bullying tactics, black-suited men with guns and arms outside the car looking as if they are about to jump out and shoot a round of bullets into anyone who gets in the way.... as you can imagine, I do not take photos of them. I wouldn't risk it. And many shops and businesses have armed guards standing at the door. It takes a while to get used to them all when you first come to live here.

12. Aztec dancers and soul purifiers

This is Aztec land and especially in the centre you will find Aztec dancers, decked out in feathers and wearing rattling seed-pods around their ankles, doing sweat-inducing dances to wild drum beating. Some chaman-type Indians will perform ceremonies with smoky incense and sprigs of wilting plants around those wanting to purify their souls. I've seen long queues of people waiting to be purified so I'm not sure if that says something about life in this City.

Tenancingo in the nearby Estado de México is famous for its rebozos, typical Mexican shawls.. and rightly so. Tucked away in crowded back yards or semi-open terrazas on rooftops are an unlikely band of craftsmen clattering away at their looms, creating delicate shawls of great artistic quality.

I had the opportunity to see some of these men and women at work and what truly stunned me were the magnificent works of art created in small, dusty hideaways. Here homemade wooden looms vied for space and attention with naked light bulbs and unruly wires, solemn religious artifacts, fading posters of Mexican boxers or cars, cardboard boxes overflowing in silence, barking dogs straining on chains, chirpy birds in cages and jungly plants. Throw in the odd kid's bike, some old wooden chairs, well-worn metal tools and views of the neighbors' multi-colored washing hanging upside down and you have an idea of the type of place I'm talking about. The unassuming locals, whether or not they were aware of it, were actually master craftsmen whose nimble fingers transform masses of fine colored threads into one of Mexican women's classic accessories... the rebozo. I would never have thought that such homely-looking contraptions and humble families working together would be responsible for such elegant artwork, expressed in exquisite patterns and intricate knotted fringes.

First, a bit about the Mexican shawls. Imagine a cross somewhere between a shawl and a scarf and you have the rebozo, which is basically a long rectangular woven cloth, anywhere between 1.5 and 3 metres long, with a fringe on the ends. It can either be part of a woman's outfit, keeping her warm or covering her head, or adding an elegant touch. Or it can be used for carrying babies or other items, especially by indigenous women. That makes it a highly versatile item, one that most women in Mexico, regardless of their socio-economic class, are sure to own and are proud to wear. Frida Kahlo, Mexico's famous artist, wore them prominently and so does the President's wife on special occasions. With this in mind, it would seem that this town is assured of its collective trade for a long time.

Being such a versatile accessory, there are an indefinite number of colors, designs, and fabrics. Basically rebozos are made of cotton, wool or silk and more recently of synthetic materials. Silk rebozos are the most expensive, and the finest ones can be distinguished by the fact that they can be passed through a wedding ring. I saw this with my own eyes. Incredible but true. Indigenous shawls may have traditional designs and colors, while single-coloured ones are known as chalines. Look out for them everywhere in Mexico, thrown over the shoulders, the head or bulging with a baby on someone's back. They are as ubiquitous as the Beetle Bug. And now I know how they are made and will never look at one again the same way as before.

At the first stop on our visit, we literally walked through the family home up to the terraza on the top floor. Emerging through the door, we immediately bumped into wooden frames, threads, shuttles and spinners... the whole works. This was indeed a family business, including the small dog who was determined not to let anyone near the looms at first. They showed us how the entire process works and then passed round a couple of examples of the finished product. It was an eye-opening start to say the least.

Next we wandered down between some concrete houses into the back yard to meet Adolfo. He had been weaving for many years and was unmistakably a master of all the stages, including dyeing the thread using a traditional tie-and-dye process. The artist's streak in him had whetted his appetite for exploring new colors and combinations and creating innovative designs. On the wall were faded certificates proving his craftsmanship. He had won all sorts of prizes and awards for his creations and yet for all his achievements and high-level distinctions, he looked just like any other grandfather in the neighborhood. He may have had his certificates on one wall, but the opposite wall was covered in all kinds of religious items clearly showing a vibrant faith in the Divine Giver of his artistic talents. This artisan also had his heroes in the world of boxing. A large dusty poster of one of his idols had been framed and hung on one of the brick pillars near where he worked. Adolfo was an affable man, happy to answer questions although he seemed slightly bewildered as to why I should want to take photos of him.

Almost next door were a couple more men who showed us how the weaving is done. They too worked under a simple roofed area behind their houses, in the back yard. The older man worked at an incredible speed, the shuttle flying from one side to the other as he moved the loom parts back and forward. Under a bare light bulb, his face was a picture of intense concentration. Maybe he was hoping to finish his quota of rebozos for that morning. The younger one seemed slightly bemused at all the attention he was getting. I don't expect he often gets a bunch of people coming into his back yard to watch him do his work.

These homemade looms and the skilled weavers create the fabric but skillful fingers are needed to knot the fringes into elegant patterns. This time, we visited a workshop where three women were fringing and tying knots to produce the elegant patterns at the ends of the shawls. I can't understand how they do that intricate job for hours on end. I was seeing double and my eyes were unfocussing after a few minutes.

These women were working in a workshop stuffed with old bandage-making machines ingeniously adapted to make long thin strips with the colors of the Mexican flag. These are popular items especially when celebrating Mexican Independence Day. In fact, I have some of these at home and will now appreciate them more having seen how they are made.

So what do the finished rebozos look like? We went to a small store that sold a wide variety of the shawls made in Tenancingo. Their prices ranged from about MX$ 100 to MX$ 2000, depending on the quality. You may think it's rather expensive to fork out up to 100 euros on some shawls but I can assure you that having seen all the work that goes into making them, you may even be getting a bargain!

About an hour and a half's drive from Mexico City, on the new motorway that cuts out slow windy roads threading their way through the mountains, lies Valle de Bravo. This small town and its surrounding area is a popular place to escape from the big city, the traffic and the murky air which we are so used to. For a while you feel like you are far away in the mountains, inhaling fresh air and taking in deep breaths of scented pine forests and getting your eye's fill of wide horizons. We decided to head out there one day mid-week, when the chilangos (residents of Mexico City) weren't milling around.

Valle de Bravo itself is a typical colonial-style town squatting on the mountainside above the lake. Red tiled-roofs, cobbled streets, a central square with shady trees and a kiosko in the centre, and a large Catholic church are some of its main features. It's one of Mexico's 62 Pueblos Mágicos or Magical Towns, a special status given to towns which are outstanding in one way or another, either because of the surrounding area or because of the historical and cultural treasures they contain. Thank goodness they changed its name. It was originally known as San Francisco del Valle de Temascaltepec, a real mouthful for anyone to say.

We literally whizzed down the motorway which now coughs you out almost into the town itself and arrived to find it totally empty of tourists. It wasn't dead though. The bustling local market was in full swing with some ladies in their local dress and stands piled high with vitamin-filled fruit and vegetables. It was fascinating to wander around watching vendors scraping the spines off the cactus to make them edible, locals buying their jitomates, jjicamas and mamey fruit and young mothers with their brood of kids hovering around them. One pick-up truck was almost invisible underneath a cargo of sweet-smelling pineapples. The streets, overlooked by wooden balconies, were chaotic with pedestrians and vehicles vying for right of way. It wasn't exactly quiet. But there was a rural feel to it which Mexico City lacks.

The best views of the lake can be seen from La Peña, or The Cliff. We asked at the local tourist information booth how long it would take to walk there. "Diez minuntos...!" Just ten minutes! It sounded reasonable so we set off, sweltering in the intense sunshine. Ten minutes later we weren't even out of the town, let alone near La Peña which we could see still in the distance. When we finally made it to the bottom, we asked how long it would take to walk up to the top, "Veinte minutes, más o menos!" Another 20 minutes? "Pues, si quiren ir en taxi, son 10 minutes." Taxi? Well now, that sounded good. We took the taxi as far up as we could, a steep ride along a one-way trail. Then came the walk up. A lady was at the gate. How long will it take to climb to the top? She told us about 15 minutes and asked us to sign a book. "Just in case." In case of what, we wondered? Was it a dangerous walk? "Mmmm, un poquito... Just a little, there are no railings. It's best not to go with small kids or if you're drunk!", she cheerfully informed us.

The views were spectacular, especially on a day like we had chosen. But the walk is definitely for those who don't get dizzy spells when looking down, or whose imaginations don't tend to run amok like mine. I declined to go up the very last part, to the very top, up those rocks.. with no railings, no nothing.. My mind was already seriously producing films of us slipping accidentally and tumbling down the rocky crags, plunging into the green water below, never to be seen again. The road down was steep. We chose to walk down rather than take another of those taxis. You never know.

By the time we got down to the bottom again, our tongues were stuck to the roofs of our mouths. It was time to find some refreshment which turned out to be no problem at all in the main square which was surrounded by eating places and restaurants. A cold Mexican beer, enchiladas suizas, quesadillas and a fresh salad did the job.

Then it was off for a walk down by the lakeside. Lake Avandaro was empty today. There were no sailing boats out at the moment but the weekends are usually a popular time for enjoying boating, sailing and water-skiing. Actually, the water didn't look particularly inviting along the shore and we certainly weren't tempted to go for a dip. Maybe in the middle of the lake it's cleaner. One or two hang-gliders could be seen drifting above us. Valle de Bravo is the venue for the World Hang-glinding Championships.

We returned to the car and chugged our way along the pine-clad mountainside, following the lakeside which appeared from time to time through the trees. Cycle tracks lined the road, as did luxurious mansions, holiday homes, and even a golf course. We were searching for the "Velo de Novia" waterfall. Eventually after asking directions, we came to a sign indicating that we were near. A 15-minute walk through tall pines and along the river took us to this beautiful natural area where the falls splash down high black volcanic rock cliffs. For those who like horse-riding, this is also an option here.

Evening crept up on us before we knew it. The light was fading as we headed back for Mexico City but we felt we had re-charged our batteries even if we'd only spent one day in the outdoors. The smell of pine trees lingered in the car for some time. That's the effect Valle de Bravo has on you.

About an hour and a half's drive from Mexico City, on the new motorway that cuts out slow windy roads threading their way through the mountains, lies Valle de Bravo. This small town and its surrounding area is a popular place to escape from the big city, the traffic and the murky air which we are so used to. For a while you feel like you are far away in the mountains, inhaling fresh air and taking in deep breaths of scented pine forests and getting your eye's fill of wide horizons. We decided to head out there one day mid-week, when the chilangos (residents of Mexico City) weren't milling around.

Valle de Bravo itself is a typical colonial-style town squatting on the mountainside above the lake. Red tiled-roofs, cobbled streets, a central square with shady trees and a kiosko in the centre, and a large Catholic church are some of its main features. It's one of Mexico's 62 Pueblos Mágicos or Magical Towns, a special status given to towns which are outstanding in one way or another, either because of the surrounding area or because of the historical and cultural treasures they contain. Thank goodness they changed its name. It was originally known as San Francisco del Valle de Temascaltepec, a real mouthful for anyone to say.

We literally whizzed down the motorway which now coughs you out almost into the town itself and arrived to find it totally empty of tourists. It wasn't dead though. The bustling local market was in full swing with some ladies in their local dress and stands piled high with vitamin-filled fruit and vegetables. It was fascinating to wander around watching vendors scraping the spines off the cactus to make them edible, locals buying their jitomates, jjicamas and mamey fruit and young mothers with their brood of kids hovering around them. One pick-up truck was almost invisible underneath a cargo of sweet-smelling pineapples. The streets, overlooked by wooden balconies, were chaotic with pedestrians and vehicles vying for right of way. It wasn't exactly quiet. But there was a rural feel to it which Mexico City lacks.

The best views of the lake can be seen from La Peña, or The Cliff. We asked at the local tourist information booth how long it would take to walk there. "Diez minuntos...!" Just ten minutes! It sounded reasonable so we set off, sweltering in the intense sunshine. Ten minutes later we weren't even out of the town, let alone near La Peña which we could see still in the distance. When we finally made it to the bottom, we asked how long it would take to walk up to the top, "Veinte minutes, más o menos!" Another 20 minutes? "Pues, si quiren ir en taxi, son 10 minutes." Taxi? Well now, that sounded good. We took the taxi as far up as we could, a steep ride along a one-way trail. Then came the walk up. A lady was at the gate. How long will it take to climb to the top? She told us about 15 minutes and asked us to sign a book. "Just in case." In case of what, we wondered? Was it a dangerous walk? "Mmmm, un poquito... Just a little, there are no railings. It's best not to go with small kids or if you're drunk!", she cheerfully informed us.

The views were spectacular, especially on a day like we had chosen. But the walk is definitely for those who don't get dizzy spells when looking down, or whose imaginations don't tend to run amok like mine. I declined to go up the very last part, to the very top, up those rocks.. with no railings, no nothing.. My mind was already seriously producing films of us slipping accidentally and tumbling down the rocky crags, plunging into the green water below, never to be seen again. The road down was steep. We chose to walk down rather than take another of those taxis. You never know.

By the time we got down to the bottom again, our tongues were stuck to the roofs of our mouths. It was time to find some refreshment which turned out to be no problem at all in the main square which was surrounded by eating places and restaurants. A cold Mexican beer, enchiladas suizas, quesadillas and a fresh salad did the job.

Then it was off for a walk down by the lakeside. Lake Avandaro was empty today. There were no sailing boats out at the moment but the weekends are usually a popular time for enjoying boating, sailing and water-skiing. Actually, the water didn't look particularly inviting along the shore and we certainly weren't tempted to go for a dip. Maybe in the middle of the lake it's cleaner. One or two hang-gliders could be seen drifting above us. Valle de Bravo is the venue for the World Hang-glinding Championships.

We returned to the car and chugged our way along the pine-clad mountainside, following the lakeside which appeared from time to time through the trees. Cycle tracks lined the road, as did luxurious mansions, holiday homes, and even a golf course. We were searching for the "Velo de Novia" waterfall. Eventually after asking directions, we came to a sign indicating that we were near. A 15-minute walk through tall pines and along the river took us to this beautiful natural area where the falls splash down high black volcanic rock cliffs. For those who like horse-riding, this is also an option here.

Evening crept up on us before we knew it. The light was fading as we headed back for Mexico City but we felt we had re-charged our batteries even if we'd only spent one day in the outdoors. The smell of pine trees lingered in the car for some time. That's the effect Valle de Bravo has on you.