Charreada.

The official Mexican sport is the Charreada. It is the original rodeo, though there are some major differences between both.

Some weeks ago, our school was host to an academic event to which more that 80 high schools, that belong to our system, perticipated. As part of the cultural entertainment, a Charreada was organized. Click on the link above for more information on this sport. I do not attend frequently, but when I do I enjoy it pretty much. You see, there is a lot more going on besides the horse thing. There is usually live music and lots of typical food. The Charreada begins with somehing that is similiar to a parade. And sometime in between, there is the women's event called the escaramuza. In this event, the women ride side-saddle in a full skirted costume that includes a few frilly petticoats. They perform a choreography while riding thier horses. It is really pretty.

Some of my male students are charros and participated in this even. Some girl students participated in the parade. This sport is very expensive since the charros have to own a horse (same with the girls, Adelitas). And unlike the American rodeo, the Charrería does not give money prizes to the winners, thus making this an amateur sport. At the end of the competition the winners usually recieve a trophy.

The photos...I love the girl's costumes.

Pretty girls in colorful costumes.

This costume is beautifully embroidered!

One of my favorite ex-students. Straight A's,
kind, thoughtful, and beautiful.
I also love this costume...

Part of the escaramuza.

Many times the escaramuza is performed to music.

Visitors from other states posing for the camera.

This was the "banda" playing at the Charreada.

One of the best bands in the area of the Bajío.

Tried to upload a video of this band playing, but each time I try, it shows some kind of error, and tells me to try again later. Guess I will try again....um, later!

Feels good to be posting a bit more often again!
So I hope I can show you some more things from around here tomorrow.
Adios!!

Estela.

About a month ago artist-friend, Estela, had her exposition at the local "Casa de la Cultura". I like her work very much. Besides painting on canvas, she goes around small towns looking for old, broken, and termite ridden doors. She treats the wood to rid them from the termites, then makes these beautiful paintings on them.

She also does some incredible alebrijes (check out the link, some interiesting things, those alebrijes). Her alebrijes are made from papier mache.

Here are a few photos of her art. Not the greatest pictures, but I'm sure you appreciate her work.

I photographed the door panels in three shots
getting closer to show the detail.
Enjoy!

The photographs that follow are the alebrijes.

I love the doors most.
You should see all the things she has in her house. Lots of linoleum prints. She does acid on metal prints also. Next time I go to her house, I'll take my camera and show you the neat things she has made.
Art always makes me happy. Hope Estela's art made you happy also.
Have a great week!

¡El Mundial de Fútbol!

One month since I last posted!! Exams, public class preparation, and heat made this last month crazy. Yesterday my students answered their last exam, and it finally rained! So today everybody is feeling better (especially me!)

So, what's new? Well, the most important thing that is happening in the country right now is the FIFA World Cup being held in South Africa!

Fútbol is so very important in Mexico. An example: one commercial on T.V. shows some couples in which the guy tells the girl this classic line "It's not you, it's me." Then he goes on to say "Let's take a break, give us some time." And ends with "Just a few weeks, from June 11 to July 11." Which is the time the World cup lasts!

Yesterday was the innauguration at 7:00 a.m. local time, and Mexico got to play the innaugural game with host country, South Africa. Such an important game! And on a school and work day! Prediction: schools and workplaces would be empty, thousands of students and workers absent from their activities. So the president makes a decision, all schools and government agencies were to be allowed to stop acivities from 9:00a.m to 11:00a.m. to watch the game! He was critisized, but I personally believe it was a correct measure. Do you know how many of my students were absent yeaterday? Not one!!!

So here are the images of my students watching the game in our classroom.

One student loaned his T.V. It was put up
in the classroom and everybody got ready to watch the game.
Same thing was happening in the other 21 classrooms
in our school.

Most brought their Tri shirts.
Tri stands for tricolor, green, white,
and red, the flag's colors.

This is the traditional Tri shirt.

In this world cup, the team will also be using a
black shirt. Yesterday they played with this one.

This is also a typical shirt, but I think
it will not be used during this World Cup.

The line-up...
The kids were very excited.

The team minutes before the game....
The kids were going crazy!!
And when the starting whistle blew,
a loud roar emerged from every clasroom!!
And, I would guess, from every school,
office, and home in the Mexican Republic!

My students are very organized. The all brought
something to eat during the game (potato chips,
doritos, peanuts, and soda at 9:00 a.m.!)

Oh, and lots of hot sauces for the "botana".

So for the record, Mexico and South Africa tied 1-1. Not good, but not bad. South Africa scored first, but when Mexico scored, wow, the school went crazy! At 11:00 everything was over, the kids went to recess, and came back to answer their exam. Everybody was happy for the permission to see the game.

And this will go on for 1 month. By the way, a while ago England and U.S.A. tied 1-1.

Hopefully I'll post tomorrow...
Have a nice weekend, everybody!

10 de Mayo, Día de las Madres.

Today is Mother's Day in Mexico. It is always on May 10. So I want to wish all Mothers a beautiful day. Especially my mama.

I love you very much, and thank you for all the love you have given me. God Bless you, Mama!

My beautiful Mama, the yoga teacher.
This was taken yesterday.
Isn't she incredible?!
Te amo, Mama...

Cinco de Mayo

As most people who live in the U.S. know, today is a very famous Mexican celebration going on in many cities that have a high percentage of Hispanic population.

But what happens today in Mexico? Well, the most important thing that happens is that there was no school today. What else? Well, mmmm, nothing. Really, nothing. Except maybe in the city of Puebla, where the Batalla de Puebla was fought. And maybe some Northern states which have been influenced by the celebration of Mexicans in the U.S. This was a battle fought against the French invading forces, in which Mexico won. This celebration has nothing to do with Mexico's Independence. So there is really no 5 de mayo post as such. Sorry, nada!

But I will post some more photos taken in Dolores Hidalgo. And if you live in the U.S. and saw some kind of celebration in your city, I'd love to hear about it!

School children from another school visiting the city.
We saw at least five other groups there.

Local man carrying his milk can.

Typical house seen in many small cities in the state.

Sidewalk "shop": Chamomile and lemongrass
for tea. Guavas and plums.




And after sightseeing in Dolores, we went to Guanajuato.
This tunnel is the official entrance to the city.

Next post, Guanajuato. I'm sure you'll like that place much more.
Have a great evening!

Dolores Hidalgo II

While in Dolores we went and visited Hidalgo's house. He is considered Father of the Nation. He had a pretty large property about two blocks from the church. On the night of the "Grito" he left with the criollos and peasants to fight for Independence. The house was looted. After his death and the Mexicans having gained their Independence (1821), the house was restored. None of the original furniture remain, but many similiar things were brought to the house and made a museum. The furniture there is very old, so no photographs could be taken. But I could take photographs of the kitchen. I would love to have a kitchen like this (really).

The things shown there are the same as te ones used in a kitchen from 200 years ago, and they are still found in many houses today!! In many small towns, the bakery still bakes its bread in brick ovens. I loved this place!

Stone sign marking the house.

The courtyard is very nice, with lots of trees and plants.

The well, it still has water!!

Dish rack, wooden spoons, earthenware jugs.
They are still made the same way as in the past.

Pots, pans....

These are grinding and mixing utensils
made from volcanic rock.
The ones on the right are molcajetes. They are used
mainly for making red and green salsas.
Then on on the right is a metate. This is used for grinding
coarser ingredients like seeds, to make thicker salsas
like mole and pipán (a special mole made with pumpkin seeds).

The brick oven.

Many things were (and still are) cooked
in copper pots.

This is a very nice place to visit. There were many other things, but photographing was a very limited thing. All the things seen in this kitchen can be bought in any "mercado". I love the copper pots, but they are pretty expensive. They are used for making "carnits" (deep fried pork).

School madness is about a quarter done. Three quarters still left. It will all end in June. Gotta go and start making my final exams...

Will make one more post about Dolores, then will continue with Guanajuato.

Que tengan buenas noches!