Roberto Osuna

Ask an old gringo about baseball, Canadians, ukuleles and orange juice

Readers of MexConnect magazine are sharper than the average turkey. They monitor the news, spot little headlines and hear tidbits and rumors related to Mexico and immediately check to see what the old gringo knows. Depending on the subject and how much really good Mexican coffee he had with breakfast, ability to inform fluctuates. His level […]

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Chinas or "Chinese Girls" from Oaxaca's central valleys whirl to the music of a local folkloric orchestra.This is part of Oaxaca's annual Guelaguetza festivities held the last two Mondays of July.   © Oscar Encines, 2008

Travelers ignore warnings, Mexico wins

It works! Advertising actually works. Mexico’s tourism board kept pouring millions of pesos into splashy ad campaigns featuring white sandy beaches, turquoise blue waters, Maya ruins, fresh fruit and genuine hospitality. Americans, Canadians, Europeans and several from the Orient ignored dire warnings, bought the sales talk and came to see for themselves. OK, there are […]

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afilador de cuchillo

Ask an old gringo about knife sharpening, a new college, Trump and things to like about Mexico

MexConnect magazine readers ask good questions. They deserve at least interesting answers. Question: What is an afilador de cuchillo? Answer: I saw one not long ago. There was a new whistle in the neighborhood. Curiosity caused me to go to the gate and see what was causing the sound. It was anafilador, a knife sharpener, working the […]

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Race Horse Spain tsquirrel.com

One more win

One more win can make a wonderful world of difference. Victor Espinoza, 43, calls himself the luckiest Mexican alive. He was the jockey aboard American Pharoah, winner of the U.S. triple crown of horse racing – the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. His name will be forever etched in sporting history. Fame and fortune […]

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The alebrije is a uniquely Oaxacan variety of Mexican folk art. This one depicts a rabbit. © Alan Goodin 2007

Ask an old gringo about tax cuts, wind farms, Alebrijes and egg sandwiches

Mexico is a very interesting country. Many things are happening. Nowhere else in the world are people protesting because taxes are going down. The old gringo gets an assortment of questions and requests. This is No. 1 for now. Challenge: Please explain the complaints about the REDUCTION in the tax on soft drinks. Response: Mexicans […]

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Jocotepec

Mexico exploration: Jocotepec discovered

This news bulletin just in: Mexico considers revising history books. Another holiday proposed. Famous explorer discovers Jocotepec! Okay, maybe not in the way Christopher Columbus did his thing. It appears several somebodies previously found Jocotepec — or maybe it was never lost. But it has been mostly ignored or taken for granted far beyond politeness. […]

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