When the Spaniards arrived in the region in west central Mexico that would become Aguascalientes, Caxcán farmers and nomadic Zacatecos Indians and other early indigenous people were already crafting wine by foraging and fermenting the grapes that grew wild in these high desert plains. But the Spaniards had brought with them cuttings of Vitis vinifera, […]
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Twelve of us, nine humans and three small pups, chugged up the mountainside to Mina El Redentor (Redeemer Mine) in the back of a 4×4 all-terrain vehicle with double traction. The rocky, cumbersome path from the village of La Trinidad up to the mine took about 20 minutes to conquer and put my gimbal camera […]
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We left town early, just before la madrugada. Up and down the deserted streets the soft glow of lamplight turned cobblestones into golden ingots in the dark. This radiance bathed everything in a spectral beauty and I could see ghosts hurrying along in the shadows of the Inquisition: women wrapped in rebozos, priests in […]
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The small lakeside town of Chapala in Jalisco had more buildings designed by notable architects in the first half of the twentieth century than any other location of its size in Mexico, perhaps even in North America. In 1900, Chapala was little more than an overgrown fishing village with one major hotel and 1753 residents. […]
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October 16th 2024 marks the 115th anniversary of the first summit meeting, in 1909, between the presidents of Mexico and the United States. Mexico has had a long tumultuous history from the ancient Maya to modern day events. Like any personal relationships, it hasn’t always been pleasant. From wars and human sacrifice in pre-Columbian days, […]
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For far too long the history of 19th Century Mayan free rule in the Mexican Yucatán has been largely ignored. But local Maya are working to put it on the map. Through museums, ruins, guided tours and more, they are preserving the legacy of this largest post-colonial indigenous revolution in the Americas, commonly known as […]
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Mexico City has some of the best street/urban art murals in the world, but almost all the attention in the press is focused on work done in the center of the city. In reality, much of the best work is being done on the east side of the Mexico City Metro Area (MCMA). The muralism […]
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Our dearly departed Rolly would have celebrated his 93rd birthday today, 20 August 2024. Our tribute to Rolly (1931-2015) Rolly’s co-authored book on moving to Mexico (2009) Rolly Brook’s website (2000-2015) He may now be holding court in a higher world but will long be remembered by his friends and readers in this one.
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Javier Alvarado Saloma carefully cuts a piece of leather on which he’s traced an outline using a template. “I use either cow or pig skin,” he says, as he concentrates. Cutting the leather is the first step of several needed to make a mask. Two weeks after cutting the leather, he’ll have a finished mask, […]
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Amealco, a scenic town in Mexico’s Querétaro state, is one of the country’s designated Pueblos Mágicos or “Magic Towns.” This distinction, awarded by the Mexican government, recognizes places that offer visitors exceptional beauty, cultural richness, and historical significance. Amealco, a reservation of Otomí indigenous culture, is where a treasured craft has been perfected over centuries. […]
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