As I have mentioned many times, my apartment is just a short walk from the Mexico City World Trade Center.  A part of the complex is a concert venue known as the Pepsi Center.  The frequent concerts... sometimes even on weeknights... draw large crowds and snarled traffic. Outside the center there are posters advertising upcoming events.  I have to admit that I have never heard of any of these singers and musical groups. Even as a youth I was never really a follower of the latest music, but Alejandro has never heard of any of them either.  I guess we are just ..read more

  One of my favorite fruits is the mango.  It is hard to get really good mangos in the United States.  The very best variety is the one known as the "mango de Manila" (as the name implies, it was originally brought to Mexico from the Philippines).  However, due to the delicate nature of the fruit, the "mango de Manila" is rarely exported to the United States. The season for the "mango de Manila" is from April through October.  This week when I went to the market to buy produce, I asked the vendor if she had any.  She did, and I bought several to take back to the ..read more

The elections in Mexico are a little over a month away.  I wrote in an earlier blog entry about the political signs posted everywhere, but, since my return from Ohio, the number of signs, banners and posters has proliferated to the point of ridiculousness.  This is especially evident in Alejandro's part of town.  It is not as if his borough is a hotly contested district; the area is overwhelmingly in favor of the ruling, populist party Morena.  But Morena obviously has money to burn with advertising overkill.  On every utility pole there are multiple posters, one on ..read more

It's been quite a while since I have written an entry about street art in Mexico City. I was walking around Alejandro's neighborhood yesterday, and I photgraphed several examples which I had not posted previously. Geometric designs decorating a wall behind a local playground A mural on a government sponsored athletic and cultural center Public schools frequently have outdoor art.  The following are on the walls of a junior high school and an elementary school.  I don't know exactly what this beast is supposed to be. Perhaps it's an "alebrije", a fantastical creature whic ..read more

On Saturday, Alejandro and I were walking through the "tianguis" (outdoor market) in his neighborhood.  He was trying to decide what he should fix for dinner for the family that day, and he asked me if I would like "pambazos".  Several years ago I wrote about those tasty sandwiches, and Alejandro didn't have to twist my arm for me to say "¡Sí!". So, instead of buying something in the market to fix for dinner, we went to a nearby, hole-in-the-wall restaurant. There are a few tables inside, but most of their business is carry-out.  You can see that Alejandro was second in line ..read more

Mexico's dry season usually runs from November until the middle of May.  However, this year the dry season is more than just dry.  Much of the country is suffering from a severe drought compounded by higher-than-normal temperatures.  Many lakes throughout the nation are drying up.  Lake Pátzcuaro in the state of Michoacán is a popular tourist destination, and the island of Janitzio in the middle of the lake is famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations. This is what Lake Pátzcuaro currently looks like, and you can walk to Janitzio... (image taken from the internet ..read more

 It still seems a bit strange to say that I am "flying home" when I return to Mexico City. Last Thursday, after a wonderful two week stay in Ohio, visiting friends, and seeing the spectacular eclipse, I flew back to my adopted country.  I got up early, checked out of the hotel, and returned my rental car.  The shuttle bus took me the short distance to Cleveland airport.  My flight to Houston was scheduled to leave around 11:00 AM, and I checked in at 8:00.  On previous trips, I usually left Cleveland earlier in the morning, and I would be at the airport before 6:00.&nb ..read more

I wrote in yesterday's post that I had received a summons for jury duty in Ohio.  When I called the courthouse, the lady said that as long as I am a registered voter in Cuyahoga County, I am obliged to serve, even though I am living 2,500 miles away and it would cost me at least a couple thousand dollars in airfare, hotel room, car rental and restaurants.  But it would cost me a LOT more if I were selected for the jury of lengthy trial.   Previously, I had only been summoned twice in my life for jury duty.  The second time, the defendant pled guilty, and I was dismisse ..read more

Of course, I had to buy some Cleveland souvenirs to take back to my Mexican family.  I wanted to buy some tee shirts commemorating the total eclipse.  A shop in the suburb of Lakewood that specializes in Cleveland-themed clothing was recommended as a place where I might find some shirts.  I went there on Monday, hoping that they would still have some. The store, GV Art + Design, is a cool place with a wide variety of apparel.  They still had a few eclipse tee shirts, and I bought several of this design as gifts and for myself... The image in the center is of one of the mo ..read more

On Sunday, Katie and Olivier took me to the Cleveland Museum of Art where we saw a special exhibition called "Africa and Byzantium". The exhibit shows the artistic connection between the Byzantine Empire and northern and eastern Africa, including the black, Christian kingdoms of Nubia and Ethiopia. Here are a few of the items on display... Diptych of the 12 Apostles and St. Paul Empire of Ethiopia, late 1600's Mosaic portrait known as "Lady of Carthage" Tunisia, 4th or 5th century Gold coin necklace Egypt, 6th century Terra cotta pottery Tunisia, 4th century Funera ..read more