by Glen Strachan
I am often asked by
fellow-Europeans - "Why do you choose to live in southern Mexico?"
The answer is simple.
Flora and I visited the mountain city of Oaxaca, planning a three week holiday
which formed part of a longer visit to the USA. After four days of that
holiday, we moved into our present home in this beautiful city and here we
still live, four years later. Holidays of course are quite a different
proposition. The twelve hour flight from Europe makes for a very taxing vacation
start and finish. Much of Mexico is high above sea level and the thin air can
also be a fatigue factor for the first week of your stay. In simple terms,
Mexico is a great destination for Europeans with a few weeks to spare but it
makes little sense to travel all that distance for a few days.
Mexican road hazard |
Mexico is a good
jumping-off point for a Central American or South American trip but, if you do
wish to include Mexico on a round-the-world ticket, you must fly up to Los
Angeles before continuing to New Zealand or Australia. Cancun is a popular
destination for US tourists - mostly because a visit there carries exotic kudos
that, say, Florida resorts do not offer.
Otherwise Cancun and
the popular US coastal destinations offer like accommodation and services at a
similar cost. One advantage for Cancun is the prospect of visiting some Mayan
ruins which lie within a four hour road journey from the coastal resort. Rural
areas are generally more fun than Mexico City which, like many other large
cities, can be dangerous for the unwary. The city has many interesting
galleries and a wonderful natural history museum but do avoid hailing taxis in
the streets - you could be heading for trouble.
Usually the further
south you travel in Mexico, the less that area will be influenced by our large
northern neighbour. If you want to add a Mexican trip to a visit to the USA, I
strongly recommend that you try to arrange your flight to Mexico City from San
Antonio, Texas. It is a short flight, quite inexpensive and will also give you
a little taste of the Tex-Mex flavour of the wonderfully cosmopolitan city of
San Antonio. David Gourley wrote about ethical tourism and in the case of
Mexico; there are reasons not to visit, but I believe there are many more
reasons to come here.
So why my title ? Why
adventures? One way to describe the mood of Mexico is to compare daily life in
this country with its most durable musical form, Mariachi. Just as the notes of
the Mariachi are tantalisingly off-key and yet fit the songs perfectly, so it
is with almost everything else 'South of the Border'. Life in Mexico is always
far from predictable.
Much of the flavour
of Mexican cities is best gathered in the Zocalo or main square and in Oaxaca,
every week brings a fascinating range of parades, processions, religious
events, trade union or politically-sponsored marches etc etc.
Many of our festivals
are of Pagan origin but have been co-opted by the Catholic church over the
centuries. A fine instance of this is The Days of the Dead. This celebration of
the contribution of ones' ancestors invokes inviting their spirits to return
(temporarily) to our earthly world where they will be treated with reverence.
In pre-Hispanic times, Mexican cultures believed that the cold north winds
brought the spirits of the dead back to visit. Festivals were then arranged to
honour these spirits.
The conquering
Catholic church realised that erasing such local customs would be impossible
and, selecting the Days of the Dead as an important pan-Mexican festival, the
Spaniards fused it with All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Such synthesis has
for generations defined Mexican Culture.
'Days of the Dead
Altars' are built in homes, decoration varying according to the traditions of
each region. In Oaxaca the altar is usually installed on a table with a white
cloth and tissue paper cut-outs. Stalks of sugar cane or bamboo are used to
fashion a triumphal arch. This is where the spirit will enter and be welcomed.
The altar is decorated with marigolds (the flower of the dead), oil lamps,
scented candles, photographs or portraits of the deceased, incense, special
sweet bread (pan de Muerto), black mole (a local delicacy), sugared figures,
candied pumpkin, hot chocolate and seasonal fruits like the little Tejocote
apples together with 'individual items' such as a favourite beer or a
particular food.
When the altar is
completed on the morning of October 31st, nothing is touched. The departed soul
then returns to our world, takes in the aromas of the altar and seeks out the
bereaved. The day ends with a lively family dinner and the deceased depart for
another year.
But what of my
reference to Paradise? Paradise would require the perfect climate of almost
constant sunshine and low humidity and clean mountain air, beautiful scenery
and smiling, friendly people who deserve such surroundings. Mexico presents
this and, for somebody who has had the good fortune to have lived on every
continent, I am prepared to label Oaxaca as my Paradise.
First published in VISA issue 39 (winter 2000).
First published in VISA issue 39 (winter 2000).
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