My Very Own Mariachi Suit

Man what a dream come true for me, this find, this gem of a buy. Thanks to Terri Krantz, I was now the proud owner of my very own Mariachi suit. But, not just any 'ol polyester one but a genuine 1960s vintage. With wool pants and jacket and pewter horses up and down the legs and on the breast of the jacket it is traditionally considered the gala type. This was quite the surprise find. Terri bought two and later sold one to me while we toured Mexico City in June of 2012. She was out shopping and it was fun to watch her buying skills. Here at La Lagunilla Market in Mexico City, one can find estate sales, rock 'n' roll memorabilia, clothes, kitchen utensils, silverware, art of all kinds and much, much more. Oh, and of course vintage jewelry which is Terri's specialty. Check out her website Terra Vintage Antique Jewelry.

Terri Krantz carefully observing the goods.

Mariachi attire was taken from the traditional Mexican charro, horsemen with wide brimmed hats, chaps, spurs and almost always riding a fine breed of horse.

A group of charros, in Durango, Durango, Mexico. My father Joaquin is at the far right.

Today in the United States, the mariachi has become a proud part of Mexican-American culture during Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence Day and other fiestas. Many restaurants will provide mariachis for entertainment as well for its patrons.

Girls, part of the Mariachi Juvenil group based in Everrett, Washington.

A friend of mine had gone to see the Rolling Stones in concert in Mexico City around 1995 while I lived in Xalapa, Veracruz. He returned with a story of how the audience went wild over Keith Richards performing with mariachi pants. Since then I always thought it would be cool to have my own suit if possible.

If you've ever watched Robert Rodriguez movies: El Mariachi, Desperado or Once Upon a Time in Mexico, you must have noticed a common theme, Mexican mariachi outfits and style. He also formed a band, called Chingón to produce music especially for his films and includes lead singer Alex Ruiz.

Robert Rodriguez on guitar with hat on the cover of one of his albums. Alex Ruiz far right. 

Antonio Banderas.

Now, where do I wear this? 

Me in my suit. Woohoo!

Food and Saving Money

When it comes to money, you don't spend what you don't have, right? So, on my last trip I put this into practice with some flexibility. I allowed myself a smaller amount of funds to eat which meant I had to buy food at the market, prepare food at the hostel kitchen and such. In the past I've eaten two meals out, breakfast always part of the hostel package. I discovered I could live on about $25.00 a day which includes room, food, some beer perhaps. For those of you who have visited the country's capital would understand that Mexico City is a little more expensive than other locations in Mexico. For example, Oaxaca was considerably cheaper.

I wanted to post something about my gastronomical experiences in Mexico City and a little bit about Oaxaca food and prices. Since I have so much to say, and tasted so many varieties of food on my recent trips, I'll go ahead and do the posts piecemeal.

One of my favorites only two blocks from where I stay in Coyoacan serves a comida corrida, a "plate of the day" with entrada (entree) at $90.00 pesos which is about $7.23 American. For that you get what you see below plus a pitcher of Limeade and a dessert.

Fish fillet toped with platanos fritos (fried plantain bananas), salad and enchilada at Meson de Los Leones.

Want to save money? Eat where the locals eat. At the Coyoacan market for $49.00 pesos / $3.94 American, I ordered delicious meals that I couldn't even finish because of the large portions. For instance, look at the large quantity on the the plate on the left, an order of Milanesa, breaded steak. This came with fries and guacamole. It reminds me of chicken fried steak. If you eat at one of these places, be prepared for tight seating and some elbow rubbing. It's fun!

Coyoacan market.

And Oaxaca has its own kind of food entirely. Not unique to just Oaxaca but very popular here are the grasshoppers.

Chapulines (grasshoppers) at the Oaxaca market.

¡Buen provecho!

El Petén

Below is a picture of a bank that is a couple of blocks away from my hostel. It was Thursday the 10th of January, 2013 and I had about another three nights left to stay in Mexico before my flight, scheduled to leave early Sunday morning the 13th of January. I went to the "cajero" to make a withdrawal but it wouldn't cough up my cash. I hate it when that happens, don't you?

Bank in Coyoacan

Thursday morning the internet was down at the hostel so I decided to go to a cafe nearby and use their wi-fi to check my account online. I apparently kept typing the wrong password because the bank "froze" my account for twenty-four hours which (I believe) is why I couldn't withdraw funds. I was successful the following morning though.

Hours later, on Thursday afternoon I told my new Italian friend Eola Benedetta what had happened. "I am definitely going to have to watch my spending now", I told her. I needed to either change to a more inexpensive place to stay or buy no more beer and that is not fun in warm Mexican weather. She said "just come stay with us". So, in the interest of saving money and hanging out with these guys that were very nice, I accepted her offer. Eola Benedetta and American Bryant Bell, whom I had met in Oaxaca a week earlier, came to see me in Coyoacán so that the three of us could hang out and go see the Leon Trotsky museum together. After seeing the museum I returned with Eola to her home on Petén street, Colonia Letrán Valle, Mexico City. Here she shared a house with about nine others, sort of a frat house.

Leon Trotsky Museum.

 For Petén definition, click here: Petén

Mention should be made that these two, Eola and Bryant, both foreigners, had become a part of Mexican living with such great Spanish and people skills. I tip my sombrero to these guys who were so kind to me as well.

Eola Benedetta and Bryant Bell in Oaxaca.



Here are some images of my last three days at Calle Petén. 

Getting ready to eat Maya's delicious Chicken Tikka Masala.

Eola and Oscar.

Daniela and Julio.

A walk in the park with Paola and her dog Tulio.

Shopping with Maya.

One more of Tulio because he was such a good boy.

Eola is now back in Italy. She and the rest were very hospitable and fun to hang out with. Traveling without veering off the beaten path is in my view boring and can also be expensive. More on that in a later post.

In this household there were people from at least four differing countries aside from various regions of Mexico. 

Below is a list of countries represented by other interesting and fun people I have met over the past year on my three trips to Mexico. 

Canada

Dominican Republic

Brazil

Argentina

Peru

Venezuela

Korea

Austria

Spain

Italy

Australia

Taiwan

France

Algeria

Bulgaria

Germany

Denmark

Israel

U.S.A.

Holland

Switzerland

Cuba                                                               Hasta pronto amigos.

                                                                        

                                                                       Eric

[edit]

How Embarrassing / Que Vergüenza

My first visit to Coyoacan in December of 2011 started with my going to the wrong address where I had reservations. I arrived around midnight at Colonia del Carmen in the historic center of this delegacion / borough. I had taken a taxi from the airport, a big Suburban, I was the driver's only passenger. Streets at that hour are fairly empty and the drive only took twenty minutes. I rang the door bell convinced it was the address I had seen on the internet for Hostal Cuija. The five minute silence had me a little concerned. I kept ringing and finally a voice; "¿quien?" (who?). I identified myself and a man came to the door. It was the hostel owner, sleepy eyed he said it was actually across the street and that this was the main office and his family residence. He was polite, considering, and walked me to the actual location where I would stay. The tough looking taxi driver even hung around until I knew where I'd be staying the night. I thanked him and he left.

Hostal Cuija

The following day I walked the three blocks to the Frida Kahlo museum (La Casa Azul). There, I introduced myself to a man in a suit, one of the staff members. I told him I believed my father was born in the house directly next door and he introduced me to the museum director. My father would tell me "eramos vecinos de Frida Kahlo" (we were Frida Kahlo's neighbors). The gentleman showed me the way to "El Cristo" which according to my father was the home he was born in. Nicer homes in those days were given names. They had torn down the wall separating the two houses and made it part of the museum. It even has a cafe now. The staff was very kind and interested in my story. Even a Mexican tourist who overheard me asked me questions and seemed impressed. 

Inside I walked through each room tearfully pondering the history of this house. Wondering to myself, could this be the room where my father was born? "There were parts of a famous Mexican silent film made here in this very house as well", I told those around me listening. The name of this movie is "El Automovil Griz". I had drawn some attention with my obvious passion and for the things I was saying. I even felt like I could have been one of the guides. The staff member showed me around a little more and left.

Months later I finally rechecked my father's "Registro Civil", the official document showing the birthplace, signed by witnesses etc. To my embarrassment it said he was born in a house on Avenida Miguel Hidalgo, "numero 14". My father said they were neighbors which was true, however, not directly next door.

Que vergüenza .

Frida's birhtplace. Photo by: Arlette Jalil.

View of museum and neighboring house. Photo: Arlette Jalil.

View from Frida's patio towards neighboring house.

                                                                   

Tejas

A couple of days ago, February 2nd, was the 165th anniversary of when Mexico sold a very large part of its country to the United States. It was called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. If the two countries had not made this agreement in which Mexico only made $15 million, as a resident of the great state of Washington I'd only have to drive a few hours to be in Mexico. That's the 42nd parallel where California and Nevada are. I would have lived on the Texas/Mexico border when I was a resident of Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas as the Nueces River was the border in 1848, when the treaty was signed. Then it became the Río Bravo (Rio Grande in the U.S.A.) as it's known in Mexico. This was mainly president Polk's doing.

By the way, did you know that the original spelling of Texas was Tejas? Tejas comes from the Caddo Indian language and means "friends" or "allies". Hmmm.

Though I lived several years in south Texas and even on the border, it has been a number of years since I have returned to visit. Nowadays I fly to Mexico City to develop a new tour business, Coyoacán Walking Tours. I am very patient when it comes to starting this new venture as 1. I intend it to be a slow growth to ensure quality service 2. I am working on a second addition to a little book I wrote 3. I'm having fun so why get in a hurry?

So, in the past year I have visited Mexico City and other locations three times. Coyoacan, a borough of Mexico City has become my "headquarters" and home away from home. It's also where my father was born and where we begin our tour itinerary.

On my visits what has impressed me so much is the friendliness of most of the people, even with Mexico City as huge as it is. That said, I'd like to dedicate this post to my "tejas", friends new and old. To those I may never see again and to those I hope of course to get to know better. Hasta la próxima.

Eric Durán

December 2011

June and July 2012

December 2012 to January 2013

A Postcard From My Grandmother

On September 16, 1910 president Porfirio Diaz hosted foreign dignitaries and Mexican citizens at a spectacular parade and military procession that included historical reenactments and dedications to monuments.  It was the centennial celebration of Mexico's independence from Spain in 1810 known commonly as El Grito.  Mexican citizens walked the streets of this beautiful city known as La Ciudad de los Palacios ("the City of Palaces").  My grandmother probably in her teens at the time was one such person to witness this ostentatious fiesta.  About a month later the Mexican revolution would begin started by Francisco I. Madero.

My grandmother was the daughter of general Joaquin Jimenez Castro who became brigadier general of the state of Chihuahua during the revolution.  He fought against Pancho Villa being a federal government officer. He must have known the famous Enrique C. Creel of Chihuahua who was governor at one point as well as a consideration for replacing president Diaz at some time.  

Could a young woman like my grandmother have even appreciated the plight of so many of Mexico's poor and that as many as 2 million people would loose their lives by the end of the war?  A product of her time, she simply lived day to day as a wealthy military officer's daughter and was surely protected from as much of the violence as possible I would suppose.  

     

Postales de mi Lita Esther Jiménez Castro / Postcards from my grandma Esther Jiménez Castro

I have three of her postcards that I have numbered one, two and three. This is what she wrote on number three:

México á 17 de Sep del 1910

Querida madrina

-Por la carta de mi tío Ysidro supimos tío enfermó tanto lo siento mucho tanto yo, como mis hermanitas y mamá.

-Aquí  todos estamos bien y con salud gozando de las fiestas del Centenario, que han estado muy lucidas principalmente la formación y el desfile histórico que lo fuimos á ver á la calle de San Francisco.

Dile á Eva Guzmán que cuando poderle contar todo lo que hubo

Nosotros hemos estado deseando hubieras estado aquí para que hubieras visto lo que es bueno, y que te alivies para te pasees.

Reciba muchos besos y abrazos de tío ahijada y sobrina y saludos á todos mis primos principalmente á Elvirita

Esther Jiménez Castro

Éste postal fue mandado a:

Señora

Sara M. de Canales

Monterrey

N.L.

Calle Yeral Capia  #142

Translation:

Mexico Sep 17, 1910

-Dear godmother:

-In the letter from my uncle Ysidro we found out uncle is ill.  I'm very sorry so are my sisters and mom.

-Here we are all in good health and enjoying the Centennial celebrations, which have been very splendid most of all the military procession and historical parade that we went to see on San Francisco Street.

Tell Eva Guzman that when the festivities are over I will write her to tell her everything that went on.

We've been wishing you had been here to have seen all the good things and get well and walk around.  Sending plenty of hugs and kisses from uncle, goddaughter, niece and greetings to all my cousins’ chiefly Elvirita

Esther Jimenez Castro

This postcard was sent to:
Mrs.

Sara M. Canales

Monterrey
N.L.

Capia Yeral Street # 142

Front: Monumento á la Independencia.

Note by grandmother reads: Se inauguró el 16 de septiembre de 1910

Back of postcard

I Never Stole From Frida

I went for a coffee one morning at one of Coyoacán’s tiny cafes called El Mundo del Café.  Similar to Café Jarocho it tightly fits on a street corner with a couple long benches and petite tables in the heart of Coyoacán’s historic center.  Located six miles south of Mexico City´s presidential palace and now a borough of Distrito Federal, it historically served as Hernán Cortés´ center of operations in the 1500s.  Coyoacán is Náhuatl for “place of coyotes”.  Náhuatl is the language of the Aztecs.

 Normally there are lots of patrons chatting away, reading the daily or just sipping on coffee and people-watching.  Today a couple of people and their dog sat enjoying their day.  I asked them how to get to the Leon Trotsky museum.  They later said:  “We thought you were going to ask us how to get to La Casa Azul”. 

The conversation ensued and we exchanged names.  Gabriela Turner said she grew up in Coyoacán and that since I was interested in finding someone who might have known my father she suggested I look up Don Gil that shines shoes at Café Jarocho.  In his mid seventies “he knew Frida when he was a child and you might want to go meet him”, Gabriela said.  Being my last day in México I had to postpone that for my next trip.

However Gabriela had her own story about Frida and her abode.  She said “as a kid I’d visit Frida’s house, lie on her bed and look up into the mirror she had on her ceiling”.  Today this would not happen as the museum has a security person in each room and firm rules are upheld when opening its doors to all tourists that visit from around the world and México.  “Nunca robé nada porque la amaba”  “I never stole anything because I loved her” Gabriela told me.

After saying our goodbyes it occurred to me I had forgotten to take a photograph of Gabriela and her husband.  But I caught up with them soon after and got that picture of them and their dog.  You get the sense of being in a small town even though the population in this delegación is over six hundred thousand.

Leaving pendientes, pending visits and business that time did not allow me to accomplish gives me even more reason to return to Coyoacán, its beautiful streets and its gracious people like Gabriela and her spouse who love their town and its previous inhabitants like Frida.

Frida's house La Casa Azul