Discovering Mexico by Swarupa by Swarupa

DISCOVERING MEXICO By Swarupa N. Ovalekar Self-Published Edition Copyright © Swarupa N. Ovalekar 2010 All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or distributed. If you would like to share this eBook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to https://www.facebook.com/TheEpicBookMEXICO or the author’s blog at https://thegr8wall.wordpress.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Warning/Disclaimer This eBook is designed to provide information about the subject matter covered. It should be used only as a general guide and not as the ultimate source for information on Mexico. Every effort has been made to make the content of this book as complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes, both typographical and in content. No responsibility is assumed for errors or omissions. Please note that much of this publication is based on personal experience and anecdotal evidence. It contains information relevant only to the period of the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stay in Mexico. This eBook is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. You should use this information as you see fit, and at your own risk. The author/publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

Other titles by Swarupa N. Ovalekar: A Guide To Mexican Cuisine Mexico: The Country, Its History & The Maya World The Blue-Eyed Prince of Natlife

For my father

CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

My Mexican Diary

PART ONE: QUINTANA ROO

Day 1 - Arrival in Cancún

Day 2 - Xcaret

Day 3 - The Riviera Maya

104

Day 4 - The Islands

110

Day 5 - Last day in Cancún

114

PART TWO: YUCATAN

Day 5 - Arrival in Mérida

118

Day 6 - Chichén Itzá & Mérida

121

Day 7 - Uxmal & Kabáh

144

PART THREE: CAMPECHE

Day 7 - Arrival in Campeche City

160

Day 8 - City tour & Edzná

162

PART FOUR: TABASCO

Day 9 - Arrival in Villahermosa

187

PART FIVE: CHIAPAS

Stunningly beautiful Chiapas

203

Day 10 - San Cristóbal de las Casas

210

Day 11 - The Waterfalls & Palenque

215

Day 12 - San Cristóbal & the Villages

233

Day 12 - Tuxtla Gutiérrez

251

Day 13 - Tour of Tuxtla Gutiérrez

254

Day 14 - Lagos de Montebello

261

PART SIX: OAXACA

Day 15 - Arrival in Oaxaca City

266

Day 16 - Mitla & Teotitlán Tour

275

Day 17 - The Monte Albán Tour

288

PART SEVEN: VERACRUZ

Day 18 - Arrival in Veracruz City

301

Day 19 - Sightseeing at Boca del Rio

313

Day 20 - Trip to El Tajin

317

END OF MY JOURNEY

Day 21 - End of my journey

326

EPILOGUE

352

GLOSSARY OF SPANISH WORDS

392

GLOSSARY OF MEXICAN SPANISH PRONUNCIATIONS

406

PHOTO SECTION I

PHOTO SECTION II

328

PHOTOSECTION III

387

MAPS

Political Map of Mexico

Geographical Map of Mexico

Map of the Trip

Map of Quintana Roo

Map of Yucatรกn

117

Map of Campeche

159

Map of Tabasco

186

Map of Chiapas

202

Map of Oaxaca

265

Map of Veracruz

300

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Swarupa got into book writing in 2008. This was four months after her return from Mexico where she had spent nearly nine months, some of them travelling solo across the country. She dedicated a year and a half to her labour of love – an epic book on Mexico – which she finally completed in June 2010. Hoping to get her book ‘Mexico’ published in the traditional way, she waited for over two years looking for a publisher who could do justice to her hard work. Her book received warm appreciation from H.E. Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico. While she waited for responses from publishers, she wrote a romance fiction novel ‘The Blue-Eyed Prince Of Natlife’. In January 2012, she created a Facebook page for her book, got her book edited and converted it into a three book series on Mexico titled ‘Discovering Mexico’, ‘Mexico: The Country, Its History & The Maya World’, and ‘A Guide To Mexican Cuisine’. In mid-September, she finally decided to self-publish all her books.

Apart from her books, Swarupa is an intrepid traveller and a polyglot. She speaks English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Indian languages like Marathi and Hindi. She is a passionate foodie, a huge fan of salsa and ballroom dancing and a great lover of history, cosmology and world culture. She lives in Mumbai.

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR Facebook: http://facebook.com/TheEpicBookMEXICO Twitter: http://twitter.com/theepicmexico Blog: http://thegr8wall.wordpress.com

OTHER TITLES BY THE AUTHOR Mexico: The Country, Its History & The Maya World is a comprehensive guide to the diverse aspects of Mexico, including its indigenous people, its long and colourful history and the mysterious Maya civilization. This excellently researched eBook offers a wide glimpse into

the

rich

and

varied

cultural

heritage

contemporary Mexico, detailing the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, from the pre-Colombian period to modern times, and providing deep knowledge of the glorious Maya culture,

including the much-famous end of their calendar. With over 75 coloured photographs, and black and white political and geographical sketch maps of Mexico, this insightful eBook will appeal to every person interested in learning about Mexico – aficionados, travellers and scholars.

A Guide To Mexican Cuisine is a small no-frills guide with a big purpose: to briefly describe everything about Mexican cuisine to the readers. Native Mexican diet, staple ingredients, foreign influences on Mexican cuisine, daily meals and customs, popular meals, regional meals, festive meals, drinks and beverages, desserts and candies, a few popular recipes…this eBook has it all! From native Indian cuisine to the current flavours, this guide tells it all like never before with more than 65 coloured photographs, two extensive glossaries – of Spanish words used in this book and their Mexican Spanish pronunciation – and a few simple and easy recipes of popular Mexican food and drinks.

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A girl from Mexico City comes to Mumbai, discovers the joys of caring and sharing in a large house with seven other international trainees and falls in love with her suave Indian boss. 26-year old Mexican, Sara Velasquez, is the new international trainee at the corporate office of one of India’s top multinational companies, Natlife. Her blonde hair and good looks have always made most men treat her with benign condescension, unwilling to accept her managerial abilities. Experience has taught her not to trust men for this reason, but her tall and handsome Indian boss, the 27-year old blue-eyed Sid Oberoi, is different. He doesn’t question her intelligence only her impulsive nature. She finds herself battling a deep and irresistible attraction between them only to succumb to it wholeheartedly. A past incident has shattered Sid’s trust in women. Whenever his girlfriends get too close or serious, he bolts. He’s not interested in commitment. So why does he harbour strong, unfamiliar feelings for the feisty Mexican? On learning about the bitter experiences of her past, he’s determined to ensure that she doesn’t get hurt again. Why does he feel so protective about her? When misfortune strikes, it brings them both closer than ever. Sid offers her a job in his new business and room in his house. But, is he ready to offer her a place in his heart?

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book is one of my three book series on Mexico, a labour of love and dedication that began in 2008. The long and lonely period of this project saw me working endless hours at the computer and I owe my eternal gratitude to my family for understanding and accepting this without a fuss. To my father who made my ‘Mexican Experience’ possible for me, without which the three books on Mexico would never have been born; to my mother, brother and sisters. My particular thanks to Shri Krishna Singh for his goodwill and belief in my work. I’m greatly indebted to H.E. Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico, and the Honourable Gloria Guevara, Minister of Tourism for Mexico, for their warm appreciation and valuable support to my project. The photographs in this book have been used with the permission of their copyright holders. Credits have been given to all the photographs, except those of my own. My special thanks to the copyright holders for allowing me to reproduce their photographs: The Mexican Tourism Board (CPTM), the State Tourism Board of Jalisco (SETUJAL) and Sahid Cervantes. Last but not the least, thank you to Writer’s Side for editing this book.

INTRODUCTION

I began writing this book in August 2008, almost four months after returning from Mexico where I had lived for nearly nine months. The idea of writing a book came about when I realized how much I missed the lovely country and how little the rest of the world knew about the ‘real’ Mexico. This was my way of thanking Mexico for an incredible period in my life! The warm and friendly people of this beautiful land showered me with exciting and memorable experiences which I will treasure for the rest of my life... Total strangers would smile and wish me ‘Buenos Dias’ or ‘Buenas Noches’ as I wandered around the streets of the cities, towns and villages. One of the things that I really like about Mexican culture is the feeling of warmth and hospitability in their customs like greeting or saying good bye to a friend, acquaintance or coworker with a kiss on the cheek; saying ‘¡Provecho!’ which means ‘Enjoy your meal!’ to the people seated at the neighbouring tables as you leave a restaurant; or saying ‘¡Salud!’ which means health, when somebody nearby sneezes which is a way of wishing health for the person who sneezed. Besides the graciousness of the Mexican people, what is impressing is the vitality of community life there. So much goes on in the plazas and parks, so many activities that bring people out of their homes and into connection with one another. Mexican food is spicy and amazing too, thanks to the large variety of chillies (chiles) in

the country. Although most of their cuisine is based on beef and pork, their spicy seafood cuisine is very similar in taste to that of India. Like in Indian cuisine, their dishes too are accompanied by red and green salsas (sauces), lemon slices and a mix of chopped tomatoes, onions and fresh coriander. Chillies and tamarind are used not only in the preparation of food, but also for making sweets and candies. Although tamarind candies are very popular in India too, the variety as well as the extent of their popularity in Mexico is unmatched. Looking back, I really miss the hot churros, the long stick-shaped sugar and cinnamon coated fritters filled with chocolate sauce, and the delightful paletas de yogur (yoghurt lollies), the frozen white slabs on sticks dipped in chocolate sauce, with a sprinkling of a few of the wide selection of ingredients. For those who are not much aware of the country, here’s a brief introduction... Bordered by the United States in the north, and by Guatemala and Belize in the southeast, Mexico (‘México’, pronounced ‘meh-hee-koh’ in Spanish) has 31 states and a federal district which is the country’s capital, Mexico City. It is the most populous Spanish-speaking country and also the second-largest Roman Catholic nation in the world. Mexico not only has many beautiful beaches, ancient pyramids, natural and ecological wonders, but is also home to one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and about 24 UNESCO-declared World Cultural Heritage sites. A majority of Mexicans are mixed-race mestizos, mainly of Spanish and native Indian ancestry. While there are about 63 legally recognized regional languages in the country, the official language is Spanish. The fine blend of indigenous and Spanish influences has

vii

enriched much of Mexico’s art and culture. Ancient indigenous arts such as ceramics, sculpture, and weaving with intricate designs and bright native colours were blended with Spanish art techniques to create a unique Mexican style. I have shared just a tiny bit of interesting information here, there’s plenty more ahead. Apart from my personal experiences and travels across the country, I have written a travelogue on my three-week journey through the south-eastern states of Mexico, most of which were part of the mysterious Maya World. Besides people and their lifestyle, food and culture, tourist destinations have been covered in detail to let this fascinating country tempt you. For me, writing this book has been an immensely invaluable experience. I shall now let you get acquainted with this fascinating country called ‘México’ and to share my wonderful adventures across this magical land. I have no doubts that when you have finished reading this book, you will want to enjoy some passages again. And I’m also sure that you will want to visit Mexico more than ever, to enjoy your own thrilling adventures. Happy reading!

Mumbai, India Saturday, June 12, 2010

viii

POLITICAL MAP OF MEXICO (Map Not To Scale)

GEOGRAPHICAL MAP OF MEXICO (Map Not To Scale)

CHAPTER ONE

MY MEXICAN DIARY

August 15, 2007. 2:00 am, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. Boarding for British Airways Flight 243 to London was being announced. I prepared myself to leave the country for an internship with a Mexican company based in Guadalajara, the second largest city of Mexico. A year had passed since the day I emailed my Curriculum Vitae to the company. I wanted to experience the life and culture of Mexico, to travel around the beautiful country, and at the same time, to improve upon my spoken Spanish. So I was elated when I received a reply from the company stating their interest in recruiting me. An international youth association coordinated the internship program with the company. Being the darling of my parents and the youngest child, I knew that my family was going to miss me very much. As for me, I was quite enthusiastic about staying in Mexico for at least six months till I felt completely homesick. Anyway, I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t travelling abroad alone for the first

time – three years ago, I had travelled solo to Spain and France on a three-week trip. And within India too, I had travelled alone many times to distant places. So I was quite capable of taking care of myself. The departure day was also worth remembering for another reason – it was India’s 60th Independence Day!

Arrival in Mexico At 7:15 pm, my flight landed at Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport. Some minutes earlier, I had my first glimpse of the enormous, sprawling metropolis from the plane. It was like flying over a vast sea of never-ending lights. The time difference between Mumbai and Mexico City is ten and a half hours when daylight saving time starts on the first Sunday in April while it is eleven and a half hours from the last Sunday in October when daylight saving time ends. So even though I left India in the very early hours of the day, I reached Mexico City in the late hours of the same day. It had been a long, tiring journey. I had spent almost twenty hours in the air and another six and a half hours at London’s Heathrow Airport, window shopping and hanging around the cafés while waiting for the connecting flight. In the Arrivals area, two members of the youth association were waiting to receive me. I was going to stay with them in their three-bedroom apartment for two nights. It was also

occupied by four others. One of them, a nice friendly Serbian made breakfast cereal for me the next morning before leaving for work. While the others left for work, I left to explore the city centre – known as Centro Histórico (Historic Centre) or simply ‘Centro’. Armed with a map, I took the convenient Metro – for a mere two-peso fare, the French-designed trains quickly whisk away passengers to their destinations from any corner of the city on a given route. Mexico City, the country’s capital, commonly called ‘DF’ (dey-efe) or Distrito Federal (Federal District) is a vibrant, charismatic and extraordinary city. It stands at an altitude of 7,350 feet, watched over by two mighty volcanoes. One of the oldest cities in the world, it was built over the ruins of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán (then situated on an island in the middle of a large lake) which was destroyed by the Spanish conquistadores (conquerors) in 1521. Today it is one of the largest and most populous cities on earth. The Centro Histórico was once the heart of Tenochtitlán. Since the Spanish conquest, the city has sprawled in every direction and absorbed surrounding towns, villages and natural areas. The Centro Histórico and the ‘floating gardens’ of Xochimilco in the southern borough, are two of the city areas which have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I reached my destination, Zócalo, and walked up and out through the crowded subway to find myself in the corner of a vast, paved, open square. This was the Plaza de la Constitución also known as the Zócalo or the Main Plaza. Zócalo literally means ‘the plinth or base’. The name came about from part of a monument dedicated to the Independence that was planned in

the 1840s. But only the statue's base (now no more) was ever built. That, too, was destroyed long ago but the name has lived on. Since then, the main square in most of the cities and towns of the country is called the Zócalo. There are over 1400 colonial buildings in this area of over thirteen acres, making it Latin America's largest main square. The huge plaza, with the capacity to hold more than 100,000 people, has been a gathering place for Mexicans since the Aztec period. It has been the site of various social and political ceremonies, including military parades and also major political rallies. It has received foreign Heads of State and is the main venue for both national celebration and national protest. In the centre of the plaza, there is a flagpole with an enormous Mexican flag which is ceremoniously raised and lowered each day and carried into the Palacio Nacional (The National or Government Palace), an immense piece of colonial architecture that takes up the entire eastern side of the plaza. The Palacio Nacional was built in 1563 over the ruins of the royal palace of the Aztec king Montezuma and the first residence of Hernan Cortés, the Spanish conquistador. It was initially the official residence of the President of the Republic but now the Presidential residence is Los Pinos, situated south-west of the city centre. Every year on the 15th of September at 11 pm, the President of the Republic appears on the balcony of the Palacio Nacional to give the famous Grito de la Independencia or the Cry of Independence (the way it was voiced in the town of Dolores Hidalgo in the state of Guanajuato in 1810) and finishes with the golden words ‘Viva México!’ which are echoed by tens of thousands standing in the Zócalo below, in an emotionpacked traditional annual ritual. This event is televised and broadcast on radio to every corner of

the nation and signals the start of the celebrations for the next day, the Dia de la Patria (Independence Day). Mexico is recognized internationally for the contributions of its twentieth-century mural artists, who created murals that reflected not only Mexico’s history and culture, but also its current social issues. These murals grace the walls of public and private buildings throughout the country. The walls inside the Palacio Nacional contain huge murals by Diego Rivera, the most renowned Mexican muralist, illustrating the colourful history of the country. On the north side of the plaza stands the impressive La Catedral Metropolitana, the largest cathedral in Latin America, which was built in 1563 over Aztec ruins. When I visited it, the cathedral was being repaired and reinforced as it had started to sink into the city’s soft foundations (Mexico City is built on the drained Lake Texcoco). Clockwise round the Zócalo from the Palacio Nacional, on the third side is the Ayuntamiento, the City Council and on the fourth, the Nacional Monte de Piedad building which has long arcades lined with rows of shops selling jewellery, hats, etc. Just off the Zócalo, to the north east of the cathedral, lies the excavated site of the Aztec Templo Mayor (The Great Temple), part of the sacred complex of Tenochtitlán, which was demolished by the Spaniards. The site contains the bare ruins of the foundations of the great temple and one or two surrounding buildings. The site came to light in 1978, when electricity workers unearthed an 8tonne stone disc of Coyolxauqui, the Aztec moon goddess. Further exploration revealed that there was an entire archaeological wonder lying beneath Mexico City's streets. After a special

decree was passed by the government, many of the colonial buildings that stood above the ruins were torn down to reveal the ruin of the Templo Mayor – and the place where it is believed, the Aztec saw the sign given to them by their gods: an eagle perched on a nopal cactus, devouring a snake. Even today, it is treasured as the national symbol, and adorns the flag of Mexico. The site museum displays all the excavated artefacts and a detailed model of the old city. The Templo Mayor, one of Mexico's most important archaeological sites, is maintained by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) or the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the government organization responsible for the management of the country’s cultural and historical heritage and its archaeological sites. To celebrate the country’s Independence Day in the following month, the public buildings in Zócalo were dressed in patriotic decorations of greens, whites and reds – Mexico’s official colours! Walking along the nearby streets was a rich, new experience for me. It was amazing to find the place flooded with thousands of people, even on a normal routine day. I shuddered to think what the street scene would be like on Sundays, or on days when there were rallies or other major events taking place in the plaza! Walking further, I reached the La Merced market located east of the Zócalo. The La Merced market is the city’s largest traditional retail market for a wide variety of everyday products like fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, toys, clothes, flowers and candy. Although the market is held in several huge buildings, the unofficial market continues outside on the sidewalks and streets between the market and the Zócalo. It is illegal, but peddlers pay bribes

to local bosses, who in turn pay bribes to local officials. The market place was colourful and bustling with activity. Street stalls and wandering vendors were touting everything from food and curios to hi-fi equipment. Vendors tried to call me over with ‘Pasele’ (come this way) or ‘A sus ordenes’ (at your service), hoping that I would check out their goods and buy something. Mounds of dried chiles (chillies), all kinds of beans, fresh luscious fruits and a wide variety of vegetables greeted me. I walked on and on. Till then, I was not aware that the market area is also known for flagrant prostitution – women can be seen soliciting at all hours of the day and night. I walked further down the street to the Sonora witchcraft market, which offers all kinds of cures and enchantments, from herbs to voodoo dolls, to something for all those seeking wealth, or to keep a loved one from straying. I retraced my steps back to the Plaza. I had seen so many amazing things in the course of the day which had left me completely overwhelmed – even doll shops, selling all sizes of dresses, shoes and fashion accessories for dolls. The Plaza was filled with the pounding of drums and other types of instrumental music. Since the late 1980s, due to efforts to revitalize the downtown area, the Zócalo has become the scene of a number of artistic and cultural events. Street singers, musicians and entertainers take over the place in the evenings. There are daily impromptu shows of Aztec dancers dancing to drums, wearing feathered headdresses and anklets made of shells. The next morning, I took a taxi (a green and white VW Beetle!) for Mexico Norte bus terminal, from where buses left for Guadalajara. The huge bus terminal resembled an airport

terminal. Inside the terminal, ticket desks belonging to different bus companies had long queues before them. Mexico City is a central bus hub for many destinations in Mexico with its four main bus terminals connecting travellers with all the regions of the country. Since passenger transport by train is almost non-existent, travel through Mexico is mostly by bus, car or air. With a number of excellent long-distance bus lines which are comfortable, frequent, reasonably priced and connect the major cities, bus travel is very popular. Large cities have centralized bus stations used by many bus lines, sort of like an airport terminal. On the most frequented routes, there is a choice of three service levels: De Lujo or Ejecutivo (Luxury or Executive class), Primera clase (First class), Segunda clase (Second class). The Luxury and the First class buses transport customers in comfort and safety, on high-specification, quiet, modern, air-conditioned buses for as little as 10% of the equivalent flight cost. These buses run on time and only travel on the toll-roads, making the journey fast and efficient. The Luxury class buses offer the latest in bus technology and comfort. They have 24 wide, comfortable seats on a 2+1 seat arrangement. Like in airplanes, each seat is equipped with blankets, back cushion and earphones for those interested in watching movies or listening to music. There are flat screen TVs after every four rows, which play Hollywood movies dubbed or subtitled in Spanish during the entire course of the journey. While boarding the bus, the passengers are provided with complimentary snacks and a cold drink as well as tea or coffee sachets to enjoy a hot beverage on board. Luxury class buses run nonstop to their destination; First class buses make an intermediary stop at a major town or city en

route; while Second class buses stop almost everywhere. First class buses provide many of the services offered on the executive service including an on-board toilet, but the seat configuration is less comfortable as there is less room for stretching out. I had read a lot about buses in Mexico before my arrival in the country so I already knew by which bus I wanted to travel. I went to the ETN ticket desk, bought my ticket and checked in my suitcase. The baggage check-in service is offered only by ETN to its passengers. It is the most upscale line, charging some 20% more than other lines for identical routes. Soon, I was on my way to the culture-rich state of Jalisco, famous for being the cradle of tequila, mariachi music (the emblem of Mexico’s cultural traditions), sombreros, charreadas (Mexican rodeos) and the jarabe tapatio (Mexican Hat Dance). Jalisco’s biggest pride is its capital, Guadalajara which has bestowed upon the country most of the images which people worldwide associate with Mexico – like the famous wide-brimmed Mexican sombrero and mariachi music. Located at an altitude of 5000 feet, Guadalajara is the ‘most Mexican of all cities’ and embodies the soul of the country because of its rich, traditional culture and the typical Mexican ways of its people (called tapatios). One of the wealthiest urban centres in Latin America, the city was a colonial centre of considerable religious, cultural and architectural importance. It was the centre of the Cristero War (1926 – 1929), a rebellion by Catholic guerrillas against the secularization reforms of President Plutarco Elías Calles. Today, Guadalajara is a major hub for commerce and industry.

Many hi-tech companies have made their presence in this city which is also called ‘the Silicon Valley of Mexico.’ Many Mexico City residents (called chilangos) most of them tired of the traffic, pollution, crime and the high-paced life of the capital have made their homes here. The city’s surrounding areas boasts of well-known places. The famous town of Tequila, from where the world-famous tequila liquor originated is 65 km away from Guadalajara while the country’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Chapala is just 50 km away. The 465 km-long journey from Mexico City to Guadalajara was completed in seven hours by the ETN bus. It was evening when I hopped out of the bus at Guadalajara’s long distance bus terminal, La Nueva Central Camionera, a huge complex with seven terminals, each playing host to the arrival and departure of two or more different bus lines. The terminal was 9 km away from the city centre but there was a bus service just outside. The house meant for foreign interns was fully occupied, so the local member of the youth association had arranged for temporary accommodation which was only available for three days. There was a party at the house of the foreign interns, so I ended up passing my first night partying into the wee hours of the morning. The important things in my to-do list were – to purchase a SIM card for my cell phone, to register my entry permit at the Immigration Office once my accommodation was fixed, and to open a bank account. So at mid-day, I left for the city centre to purchase the SIM card. Stopping by a nearby convenience store, I learnt my first typical Mexican expression, ‘hacer compas’, which means to make friendship. The amiable store owner gave me the directions to the Centro

and explained the bus routes, making it easy for me to find my way around. The green and white minibuses called micros are very convenient modes of public transport. At 4.50 pesos one can travel to any place on its route. There are also other local buses, some air-conditioned, which operate on specific routes. Both, micros and local buses display the route and major stops on the front windshield. At the bus stop, one has to wave at the bus for it to halt. Since the ticket is issued on boarding the bus, it is better to have loose change on hand to move in quickly. There is a stop button at the rear exit, and one can also get off from the front by telling the driver ‘La esquina, por favor’ which means ‘The corner, please’ or ‘Aqui, por favor’ which is ‘Here, please.’ The Centro attracts major tourist activity and is one of the most densely populated areas of the city. Still, most of the attractions lie within close range and it is a pleasure to walk around the area. One of the main landmarks of the area is the city Cathedral, known for its emblematic twin steeples. The surrounding plazas and parks provide plenty of opportunities for food, leisure, shopping and entertainment activities. The city’s main cultural arts venues, the monumental 19th-century building Teatro Degollado and the impressive regional museum, Museo Regional de Guadalajara, are located here. So also, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Instituto Cultural Cabañas and the beautiful 70,000 square metre Plaza Tapatia comprising of a central esplanade, plazas, narrow cobbled paths and beautiful works of art. Guadalajara is the place where the mariachi tradition began, with musicians dressed in silver-studded charro (Mexican horsemen) outfits – usually black – and matching wide-

brimmed hats, playing melodies and singing traditional folk songs. The mariachis are hired to play in plazas, at parties, restaurants and weddings; to sing Las Mañanitas (the Mexican birthday song); and during occasions like a quinceañera (a girl's fifteenth birthday celebration which follows the colonial tradition of a coming-out party for girls). They are often hired to serenade women, as many of the songs are very romantic. The Plaza de Los Mariachis is a small triangular plaza in the Centro where one can be serenaded while relaxing at one of the small cafés or restaurants. The ‘original’ mariachis play only stringed instruments and sing only traditional Jalisco folk music. However, many mariachi songs today are accompanied by at least three violins, two trumpets, a Mexican guitar, a vihuela (a high-pitched, five-string guitar) a guitarrón (a large acoustic bass guitar) and occasionally, a harp. They also play music and folk songs from all across the country. By the end of the second day, I had learnt to move around the city with familiarity. The next morning, I took a micro to another popular zone, the Minerva-Chapultepec area where an important city landmark is located – the Glorieta de La Minerva, a big statue of the Roman goddess Minerva surrounded by a large fountain. The city store of Librerias Gandhi, one of Mexico’s leading bookstore chains was just nearby so I spent some time there. Earlier, somebody had told me about a Hare Krishna temple in the neighbourhood that also had a vegetarian restaurant in its premises. I reached the place after a long search covering the entire residential area. To my surprise, I discovered that the more than 30-year old temple was run by Hare Krishna monks of Mexican origin. The idols were housed in a small room.

Another room housed a souvenir shop selling various Indian arts and crafts including idols of deities and incense sticks. The food served inside the dining area was simple and pure vegetarian, prepared by one of the resident monks. But at the entrance of the main door, there was a kiosk selling non-vegetarian savouries. Like all the ISKCON temples around the world, this temple too hosts a free vegetarian Sunday feast for all, personally cooked and served by the senior resident monk who founded the place. The Sunday programme includes chanting of the holy names of the Lord (Hare Krishna) and a Bhagavad Gita class during which philosophy is discussed. I enjoyed the simple Indian meal of chole (chickpea dish) and rice, followed by gulab jamun (a sweet dish) served by a female monk, who told me a bit about the tight-knit Hare Krishna group and their religious activities. She invited me to join them in the celebrations of their annual fall festival, Ratha Yatra, for which they had lined many programmes including outdoor processions, music, costumes, devotion, dance, theatre, and free vegetarian feasts. Besides the few Indians who live in the city, many Mexicans visit the temple because as the monk put it, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Guadalajara is more open than other parts of Mexico.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Later, in the course of my city exploration, I realized the truth in her words. Despite its predominantly Catholic population, Guadalajara has many yoga and Buddhist centres. After two days of travelling around the city, I had learnt a lot of things which widened my insight. I had also experienced my first rain in Mexico. Fortunately, I had carried a pocket umbrella with me since Mexico, like India, has a rainy season from late June to early September.

The following Monday, I was ready for my first day at the office. I was looking forward to working with the globally well-known nutritional supplement company, part of a huge conglomerate of 30 companies in Guadalajara and ranked as one of the 200 top corporations in Mexico. I had ‘googled’ the company in the internet before leaving India and had discovered quite a lot of interesting information which left me totally impressed. I learnt that the company’s more than hundred natural dietary supplements were distributed in 22 countries worldwide through a person-to-person multi-development system comprising of around 4.5 million people. Besides manufacturing proprietary nutritional food supplements and cosmetic products, the company’s sister companies were dedicated to the field of education, soccer, cinema, music, insurance, multimedia, charitable foundations, art, etc. It boasted of a 750 million-dollar Culture, Convention and Business Centre on the outskirts of Guadalajara and was also the proud owner of one of the city’s soccer teams – a national favourite among all the soccer teams of the Mexican First League Division – and a few international clubs. On arrival, I was given a tour of the sprawling premises and introduced to some of the more than four hundred employees. The sprawling office had a large canteen which served different types of dishes, including a wide array of salads. The food came from the central kitchen located in the premises of the company’s educational institution, an exceptional place providing wide facilities and opportunities for children. The employees enjoyed many benefits and conveniences including in-house yoga classes and haircut services. I was to begin work in September. Till then, I had to attend training and discussion

sessions to acquaint myself with the company’s business, its diverse activities and the group’s responsibilities, in general. The training sessions gave me an opportunity to meet the various Department Heads and their personnel and learn about the work carried out by each department of the company. The induction training also included visits to the different offices of the conglomerate, its factory, centres of distribution and various group institutions in the city. With me, there were other new recruits too, including some from South American countries. Thankfully, my new ‘paying guest’ accommodation was fixed by the end of the three-day period. By the following week, I had registered my entry permit at the Immigration Office and opened a bank account, all by myself. One Saturday, I went to the soccer match at the Estadio Jalisco with a few office colleagues. The match was between the company-owned team and another local team. The atmosphere was incredible. Our seats were quite close to the field. It felt exciting to be among the thousands of soccer fans drinking beer and munching on popcorn and potato chips topped with lime and chile. I got to see how soccer can emotionally divide the country, especially when rivals meet each other. The biggest rivalry in Mexican soccer is the Clásico de Clásicos, the football match between Chivas (‘the goats’) or Club Guadalajara and Las Aguilas (‘the eagles’) or Club América from Mexico City, which attracts the biggest crowd and the most attention. Both teams share the distinction of being the two most successful Mexican soccer clubs. One day, during the week, the head of the HRD introduced me to the founder and chairman of the huge conglomerate. He was hardly around in the office, as his job kept him in

business meetings or travelling to different places around the world. So I was lucky to meet the dynamic leader, an overwhelming and captivating personality, in his simple yet very tastefully done office. Time passed very quickly and by the end of the month, I had attended around four parties, including an office party with sushi dinner. Mexicans are party-lovers for whom music and dance are an important element in their daily life. No party is complete without a pulsing dance floor. Nightclubs are allowed to serve drinks all night and people start arriving only after 11:00 pm, to leave between 5:00 and 7:00 the next morning. Music, like food, is a mainstay of Mexican social life. Besides mariachi music, traditional music styles include banda which uses brass instruments and cumbia, which is heavily influenced by music from the Caribbean islands. Internationally popular Mexican songs like Bésame Mucho, Cielito Lindo, El Rey, La Bamba, and many more are part of the Mexican culture. But when it comes to popularity, Ricky Martin is everyone’s favourite. Top Mexican singers include the iconic Luis Miguel, the flamboyant Alejandro Fernández and bands like Maná, Timbiriche, Belanova, among others. English tunes are immensely popular too with the music band U2 topping the list of favourites. Most of the popular English songs also have Spanish versions which are quite a hit with people of all ages. Still, the youngsters are very passionate about traditional music. Most of my Sundays went by in shopping, especially, at the nearby commercial centre of Plaza Patria through which I passed every day on my way from the office. I often stopped there

for a mouth-watering hot churro, a sugar and cinnamon coated fritter in the shape of long stick filled with chocolate sauce. On few Sundays, I pampered myself at the beauty salons. The first time I visited a beauty salon, I was quite surprised. I expected the Mexican salons to be wellversed with the Indian practice of shaping eyebrows with a twisted thread; but to my surprise, Mexican women used either wax or tweezers, they had never heard about ‘threading’! So I ended up getting my eyebrows waxed – for the first and last time! The streets, too, provided a colourful insight into Mexican life. Peddlers trying to sell their wares to cars waiting for the next green signal, are a common sight, like the windshield cleaners. Likewise, clowns and acrobats enact short performances before the first row of waiting cars before approaching each car for tips. Slow-moving cars blaring advertisements over tiny loudspeakers mounted on their roofs, or through a megaphone from the window, is another common mode of publicity and information dissemination. On the last day of the month, there was an annual company event, attended by more than 3000 distributors from the American continent. I was one of the volunteers who assisted in giving them a tour of the entire office premises. I had the novel experience of being besieged by requests from excited distributors to stand beside them for a photograph, even when the chairman was around. Some requested me to speak a little about India in Hindi for their video shoot. The next day, my ethnic Indian wear – a beautifully embroidered black salwar kameez – and the stylish black ‘bindi’ on my forehead, attracted plenty of attention.

September On the first day of the month, I began work in the Department of Ethics, which dealt with the handling of any unethical practices carried out by distributors. We had to contact those distributors, seek a written clarification from them and if found guilty, warn them against carrying on with the malpractice in the future. If the warning was ignored, they risked the revocation of their contract which entitled them to be independent distributors. The entire process required co-ordination with the distributors (both, the complainant and the person charged), the centres of distribution (of the products) and other departments in the office. We worked in a totally computerized environment where all the data and actions taken had to be entered in the system. During the weekend, I saw long colourful parades and floats passing along the road with men and women on horseback, dressed in colonial-style dresses. They were the participants of the two-week long Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi y La Charreria, an annual celebration of mariachi music and charreria, a traditional custom and sport. There was excitement all around as people stopped to greet and wave at the participants who had arrived from all over the country. I was looking forward to the charrerĂa whose central component is the charreada, a festive event that incorporates equestrian competitions and demonstrations, specific costumes and horse trappings, music, and food. The male participants called charros compete in roping

and riding events while the women execute daring feats and precision maneuvers while riding sidesaddle. By the end of the first week of September, the rains had stopped. It was time for a change in footwear. So one evening, I shopped at Galeria Del Calzado, an upscale footwear mall, not far from my office. Tempted by the beautiful variety of shoes, I ended up buying a pair of high leather boots and two pairs of high-heeled shoes. Guadalajara’s modern shopping malls and specialized malls had begun to impress me so much that I found myself spending a lot of my spare time doing window shopping. A visit to the Centro was always a colourful experience, especially during festive celebrations. During the Independence Day week, the main squares, commercial centres, etc. were covered with green, white and red coloured decorations. I could see the patriotic passion people displayed by flaunting green-white-red Mexican flags on their cars even weeks before the D-Day. On that day, the streets in the Centro were closed to traffic for the Independence Day parades and floats. Thousands of people had gathered around to watch the exciting event. On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrated in India in honour of Lord Ganesha, I distributed my preparation of ‘gajar halwa’ among the people working on my office floor (over 60 of them!). The previous evening, I had shopped for the ingredients at Wal-Mart and a grocery chain store called Mama Coneja. The latter sold various kinds of spices normally found in Indian kitchens including turmeric powder, jaggery, bay leaves, etc. I had to grate almost three kilos of carrots, although the preparation was easy requiring just sugar, milk, cardamom, saffron and

almonds. There were mixed responses to my sweet preparation – some liked it very much while others found the new flavour strange. By the third week of September, I had shifted into a new accommodation in one of the best posh localities of the city (and one of the quietest too!), surrounded by plenty of greenery. The condominium was beautiful and so was my room in the two-storied house. My new address was all thanks to Alejandra (‘Ale’), my wonderful colleague-cum-friend, and her mother. The house was occupied by the landlady and her son. Although the rent covered the use of the kitchen, including gas, I didn’t fancy cooking after a tiring day. I lunched at the office, so for breakfast and dinner I had milk, fruits, cereals or healthy oat biscuits and bars. Besides, the neighbourhood had many nice restaurants and there was a Soriana supermarket just two blocks away for my monthly purchases. Just down the road, there was an Oxxo, the country largest convenience store chain. The state governor’s residence, a huge sports centre, a very good hospital, many clinics and the pharmacies which doubled up as convenience stores were in the neighbourhood. And, the house was near to my office – I couldn’t have asked for a better location! For over a week after moving into my new residence, I started suffering from very severe insomnia. It was a very serious problem for which I had tried various remedies from counting sheep to reading boring books in bed. Finally, I decided to get out of the city for a change of air. On the last Saturday of the month, I took the early morning bus to Chapala, leaving from the old bus station in the Centro. I stayed at the picturesque town of Ajijic in the Nueva Posada Hotel,

one of the fanciest hotels located alongside Lake Chapala. This beautiful town has a thriving community of American expatriates (who are called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;gringosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Mexico), mostly retired. There were many shops and boutiques selling beautiful designer beaded jewellery as well as stylish dresses made from manta cloth. Manta is a traditional hand-woven cotton fabric and is the pride of the Mexicans just like the people of India take pride in their hand-woven cotton khadi cloth. The next day, I took a tourist car to the pristine village of Mazamitla located high in the mountains. The beautiful journey from Ajijic to Mazamitla passed through Jocotopec, a town known for beautiful resorts and spas. Mazamitla is an amazing hill station. I walked for hours through the beautiful wilderness to reach a lovely waterfall. By early afternoon, I was back in Chapala. I did a walking tour of the main area and then boarded the late evening bus back to Guadalajara. Thankfully, the trip helped in curing my insomnia.

October My birthday was at the end of the first week of October. I wanted to celebrate it at one of the best discos in the city. I zeroed upon one which played Cuban salsa music. It was a Friday night and by midnight, there were around fifteen of us enjoying the beautiful atmosphere. There was a superb Cuban salsa show after which the floor was flooded with dance lovers. I had great fun and

the time passed rapidly till it was time to leave, around 2:30 am. Among the birthday gifts that I received was a bottle of Ponche de Granada (Pomegranate Punch), a local aperitif which tasted somewhat like port and sherry. From the first Saturday of October, Guadalajara celebrates its annual Fiestas de Octubre, a month-long period of fun, entertainment and all kinds of cultural and artistic events running till the first Sunday of November. I was told that the cultural events included traditional music and rock concerts, dance performances, special movie shows, art exhibitions, ballet, workshops and traditional cockfights, among many other activities. The popular attractions also included games, food, exhibitions, sale of products and arts and crafts, sports activities, the coronation of the Beauty Queen, an Agriculture Expo, a monumental and impressive parade, extreme games, and a huge ice rink. I visited the funfair with a friend and her little sister. I had never taken a ride on the Russian Mountain, but that day I was game for it. I thought it was going great, till the carriage started rolling up and down. From then on, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop myself from screaming throughout the ride! When the ride came to an end, I realized that my voice had become hoarse! I tried my hand at one of the games and won a stuffed toy, a big white cuddly rabbit which I gifted to my friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little sister. There was plenty of food (some very oily and unhealthy!) and entertainment around. We took in a bit of everything around from music and dance to just window shopping. It was a commercialized event that had all sorts of fun activities for all ages and tastes, including latenight strictly adult entertainment shows as well!

In October, Guadalajara also attracts religious worshippers from all over the country. People crowd to the Zapopan municipality (the largest in Jalisco) which is one of the most important religious centres of the country. Most of Guadalajara’s attractions are actually in Zapopan. Its centre, dominated by the beautiful Basílica de Zapopan and the lovely main plaza, witnesses great festivities. At the beginning of every rainy season, an image of the Virgen de Zapopan, the patron saint of Jalisco, is taken to Guadalajara on a tour of all the 130 parishes in the metropolitan area. This is believed to protect the city against heavy rains and floods. Then, on October 12th, the image of the Virgin is brought back home. On her return, a large crowd (over a million people) gathers to welcome her back to the church with a large festival. One Sunday, I visited the nearby district of Tlaquepaque, a shopper’s paradise designed to look like a Mexican village. This highly fashionable district boasts of trendy shops, sidewalk or patio cafés and restaurants lining colonial-style streets and alleys, plazas and gardens. The main shopping area is closed off to traffic and with good reason – there are over three hundred quaint shops with an incredible variety of quality handmade goods, including traditional arts and crafts, pottery, decorative home furnishings and everything from fine blue blown glassware (for which Jalisco is very renowned) and hand painted tiles, to up-market furniture and bronze sculptures. I satisfied myself with doing window shopping since the place was the ultimate destination for furnishing and decorating homes, restaurants or hotels and I didn’t own any of them in Mexico. I passed by a large plaza called El Parián, flanked by columned arcades and surrounded

by many restaurant-bars. In the centre, there was a traditional kiosk where most of the mariachis gather to play for their patrons. But they are also found in many of the restaurants and plazas. Luckily for me, it was a festive day when I visited the suburb. There were numerous groups, each dressed in traditional colourful feathered costumes and headdresses. The air was filled with the continuous beating of drums and folk music. After performing their dance, each group moved in procession towards the church to pray to the Virgin. The place was throbbing with excitement and enthusiasm. Strangely, on the same day in India, people were celebrating Dussehra, the last day of the nine-day Navratri festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Kali. The coincidence was very touching and I was glad that I visited Tlaquepaque that day. Right after my arrival in the city, I had purchased road maps of Guadalajara, Jalisco and Mexico; a thick book containing the complete city information; and the visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide of Jalisco. Along with all these guides, travelling by bus got me acquainted with the different parts of the city. I was always on the move. When I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t working, I was always out exploring the city or visiting the plazas, attending parties and other social occasions. So, in no time I knew more about the city than my Mexican friends and colleagues! At the office too, very soon, I became very well-versed with the new work. Many times, I felt like I was treated like a Mexican employee rather than an international trainee. However, what irked me was that I was doing plenty of work, but I was getting paid half the salary of the employees since I was an intern. Besides doing the departmental work, I was also doing Spanish-English-Spanish technical translations and interpretations. I used to return home from the never-ending, heavy workload. Since my arrival

in Mexico, I had been communicating with people only in Spanish and, speaking in a foreign language throughout the day can be very tiring! At first, I could not understand Mexican Spanish because some of the words used were new to me and people generally used typical Mexican expressions while communicating. My Castilian Spanish (Spanish spoken in Spain) was sometimes confusing to them too. I misunderstood what people said and they in turn misunderstood me. But I soon got the hang of the Mexican words and expressions and was using Mexican colloquialisms like esta padre or chido to mean ‘it’s fantastic.’ I was well-versed with Spanish cuss words (the ones normally used in Spain), but in Mexico I learnt many more which were much more colourful than the ones from Spain. Then, there were verbs like ‘coger’ and ‘agarrar’ both meaning ‘to take’ in Spanish. But in Mexico, the first word is a bit vulgar and the second is commonly used, whereas in Spain it’s the opposite. So I often had to mind my language. There were many trying times and experiences of being ‘lost in translation.’ Mexican Spanish makes frequent use of diminutive suffixes such as -ito/ita to indicate affection. Ahora (now) is ahorita, poco (little) is poquito... Even names get transformed – Sara becomes Sarita and Carlos becomes Carlitos. I learnt another thing -- when asked how long it will take to get something done, people generally respond with ‘en un ratito’ Literally, it's a diminutive of the word rato which means in a short time. If you are lucky to meet the right kind of people, it will be done in a short time, literally. Otherwise, it is usually implied that the thing will be done when the person feels like doing it – after a long time, or perhaps, never.

Meanwhile, I was beginning to miss my salsa and ballroom dance routine which I used to follow in Mumbai. So I signed up for a two-month belly dancing course, twice a week, after office hours. It was fun and kept me slim and slender for the next two months. But I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like renewing it because the dance studio was far from my residence. From my office a colleague would drop me till the place, but after the class I had to walk for some twenty minutes to reach the bus stop and then I had to change buses twice. Sometimes, I would reach home past 9:30 pm. The high bus speed, the dim-lit empty roads and the dark surroundings would often make it difficult for me to sight my bus stop. Once, I even lost my loose change pouch in the bus in a hurry to reach for the exit door before the bus moved on.

My Diwali Mandap A new Managing Director had been appointed by the company sometime in August. By midOctober, a wave of changes had been implemented in the company to cut down costs and increase operational and process efficiency. Many of the directors were getting sacked and there were major reshuffles in each department. As the days passed, people would wonder who would be the next person to get axed. Then, one day, the Director of Commercial Operations asked me to organize a small do for the Diwali festival which was in November. He wanted me to share with the office staff a bit

of the colourful Indian culture which he had experienced during his two-year stay in India in his younger days. To present Indian culture and traditions to the more than 400 employees seemed like a challenging task so I was very enthusiastic about the whole thing. I thought about putting up a Diwali mandap (altar) in the reception area of the office for the 9th of November, the day of Lakshmi Pooja – the day during Diwali when Hindus worship Goddess Lakshmi. I planned to conduct a pooja (worship) ceremony at 9:30 am on that day. There were many things to be done – the layout and designing of the mandap, sourcing idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi, purchasing decorations, flowers, fruits, candles, lighting, etc. But I was determined to create a very rich and classy looking décor for the mandap, to convey the message that India was not just about poverty and cow-worship. Very few knew about India’s rich cultural heritage. Three weeks before the event, an e-invite was circulated within the office. Information on the importance of the festival was uploaded on the company’s website. I made arrangements with the company’s central kitchen to serve Indian vegetarian food on that day. For that, I had to translate the recipes of the starters, main dish and dessert into Spanish, and explain the requirements of the taste and flavour to the kitchen in-charge. The company had authorized a budget of six thousand pesos to cover all the expenses. Unfortunately, just two weeks before the event, the Director of Commercial Operations was relieved from his job. Many others gradually followed, but I was assured that there would be no change in the plan to hold the event.

Finding Indian goods in the city proved to be a tough proposition! I would spend my weekends visiting the various commercial centres and shopping zones for stores selling Asian items. This helped me discover various hitherto unknown barrios (neighbourhoods) of the city. One day, I remembered the visiting card that a shop owner in Ajijic had given me. She regularly sourced Asian goods from someone in the city. I contacted her and got the details of a shop in the Centro which sold many items from India. I managed to persuade the shop owner to rent me a few of the displayed items for the day. I selected two beautiful bronze idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi, four Pashmina shawls, a batik bed sheet, two decorative traditional hangings and a long metal necklace. With Christmas just two months away, stores selling decorative goods had stocked various types of eye-catching items â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I purchased sandalwood incense sticks (which are very popular in the city), a cascade-style decorative lighting, plain candles, floating candles, feng shui crystal hangings, a small bronze bell and a small beautifully carved bronze ashtray (it was perfect as a pooja thali to place in front of the gods, with a lighted candle and a few flowers around), red chart paper, crepe paper, red & golden decorative sticks, red chenille fabric and red satin fabric. A day before the special day, I visited the wholesale markets at 7:00 am to shop for lovely colourful flowers and luscious fruits. Later in the day, my Departmental Head let me off two hours early so that I could start with the mandap work. The important part was building up the structure as per my design, so that I could start with my work of putting things together. The guys from the office maintenance department worked on it and did a perfect job. Two tables

were tied together while bamboos were placed at the four corners and on the top, to create the roof for the mandap. The tables were covered with red chart paper. Square blocks covered with red chart paper were used to create two levels. All this was then covered with red crepe paper. The roof was covered with the red batik bed sheet and the decorative lighting was then tied around the roof so that it fell in a proper cascade. It was 6:00 pm by the time all this was completed and my efficient helpers had to leave for home. I was left alone, with plenty of work to complete. I had made two-coloured decorations from the different shades of crepe paper, which I hung inside the mandap along with the other decorative hangings. Two red Pashminas were spread on each level and the idols of the two deities were placed on the top level. I had taken coloured print-outs of the Indian map and some beautiful photos of India – snow-capped mountains, sandy desert, white beaches, wildlife, dance and yoga – I stuck these on the beautiful red satin cloth which was the background for the mandap. The Indian flag, two photo frames of the deities and two traditional dupattas formed part of the décor. Friends and colleagues helped me by lending a few items like a broad round glass stand to place the floating candles, a glass fruit bowl and vase for the long-stemmed, beautiful flowers. One colleague (a devotee of Shri Sathya Sai Baba) had a small jar of red ‘kumkum’ powder, which she had purchased on her trip to the famous god man’s ashram in India. She lent me the jar for the day so that I could adorn the foreheads of the two deities with kumkum. Another colleague lent me her incense stick holder for burning the sandalwood incense.

I made garlands of yellow and purple Aster flowers and arranged red Hibiscus flowers and yellow flowers neatly around the idols. Some red and yellow flowers and rose petals were laid out into the water-filled glass stand, along with the floating candles. With white ‘rangoli’ powder, I made the religious symbols of ‘AUM’, ‘swastika’ and some decorative designs on the red layout. It was past midnight when I added the finishing touches to my mandap. I experienced a deep feeling of joy and happiness when I saw the beautiful vision before me. It looked so magical! The illuminations glowed softly on the beautiful red mandap bedecked with flowers; the gods were seated amongst the loveliest flowers surrounded by luscious fruits; while the beautiful floral arrangement, colourful garlands, candles and floating candles added a picturesque touch to the ethereal scene. When I started work on the project, I fervently prayed to Lord Ganesh to help me put up the most beautiful mandap. The task was a bit difficult and I was falling short of time in making all the arrangements. Burdened with plenty of office work during the day, I used to spend the rest of my time thinking about great ideas for the mandap. Only two months had passed since my arrival in the city and organizing something grand required information of the best and the right places to shop and look around, especially items from India. But I had deep faith in the Lord and knew that he would make the perfect altar for me, in spite of the limited time on hand. The final result was all out there for everyone to admire, on the day of the event. On that grand day, I arrived at the office at 8:00 am, dressed in my favourite red and gold

sari which my father had couriered to me from India along with matching coloured bangles, earrings and a necklace (the jewellery never reached me due to pilferage in the passage!). One by one, I lit up all the candles and at the end of it all, the mandap looked so breathtakingly beautiful that I couldn’t take my eyes off it! When I burned the incense sticks, the rich, earthy fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air. It was absolutely lovely! Everyone including the company chairman stopped to admire the glowing mandap on their way into the office. I had made arrangements for background music to be played throughout the day. The soulful music and the powerful mantras of the Gayatri Mantra CD were very well appreciated by all. A colleague had brought a few boxes of Mexican milk sweets (which taste just like the Indian pedas!) which I arranged in a glass dish to be placed in front of the deities as an offering. At 9:30 am, I started the pooja and recited a few aartis (prayers). All those present stood in solemn silence, patiently listening to my ten-minute aarti recital, without understanding a word of it. After the pooja, as is the Hindu custom, I let each of them lightly touch the flame of the candle in the pooja thali. The milk sweets were distributed and then everyone returned to their work. Everything had gone well including the special Indian lunch which was also well appreciated! Besides the usual wide array of salad, there were stacks of corn tortillas. Tortilla is Mexico’s traditional daily bread made from corn or wheat flour. The wheat tortillas are the same as Indian ‘chappatis’, but most Mexicans prefer corn tortillas over wheat tortillas so I settled for

the corn ones. The starter was a delicious lasagne dish of corn and spinach, which was followed by the chickpea dish, ‘chole’ and the cumin-seed flavoured rice ‘jeera rice’, ending with ‘shahi tukra’ (a rich dessert of bread and nuts). Some of the directors in the commercial area had travel plans for the week including the day of the event. But strangely, the trips got postponed and that day, almost all of them were present in the office. And to my pleasant surprise, even the chairman! Since the mandap was in the reception area, everybody stopped to have a look at it and I received plenty of compliments. The next day was Saturday; I had to return the rented items. I felt terribly sad while undoing, one by one, all the hard work which I had done during the last two days. The photos and the video of the ceremony were the only reminders of the beautiful experience. The total cost for putting up the mandap was 3063 pesos (around 300US$ in those days), barely half the amount which the company had sanctioned to me. This was because I had got each item at a very good bargain! I was glad to have spent the company money very carefully, resulting in the refund of almost half the amount allocated to me for the festival.

November One of Mexico’s most important religious holidays, celebrated throughout the country, is the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The roots of this tradition go back to ancient times. The 1st of

November commemorates the deceased children, while the 2nd of November honours deceased adults. On both these days, the graves in the cemetery are cleaned and adorned with offerings while in homes, altars are erected, decorated with offerings and food such as caramelized pumpkin, pan de muerto (‘bread of the Dead’) and small sugar candy skulls called alfeñiques or calaveras de azúcar. The decorations include all kinds of skeletons, intricate tissue paper cutouts called papel picado, elaborate wreaths and crosses decorated with paper or silk flowers. The favourite things of the deceased including trinkets, food, candy, etc. are placed on the altar. The traditional decorations are the orange Marigold flowers called cempaxochitl, or Flor de Muerto (‘flower of the Dead’). Although the day is passionately celebrated throughout Mexico, the traditional fervour is high in small towns. Pátzcuaro, a town in Michoacán, celebrates this religious event in a very traditional manner, attracting visitors even from abroad. Oaxaca City is another place which attracts many visitors on this day. I got an opportunity to witness the festivities during an event held at the company’s educational institution. The students had made very attractive presentations for that day, with skeletons and creepy, scary themes. And I was even gifted a big alfeñique with my name painted on it! I spent two consecutive Sundays watching bullfights at the Plaza de Toros (Bullfighting Ring). This sport attracts thousands of enthusiasts, many of them attired for the occasion cowboy-style, complete with hats and boots. When I watched the show for the first time, seated in the upper stalls, I found it very exciting. The atmosphere surrounding the bullring was amazing and typically Mexican. The charros and the mariachis performed during breaks, and

food (including botanas – savouries such as spiced, salted peanuts and cashew nuts, etc.) and beverages were available in plenty. The funny comments and the jeers of the audience were amusing. But the second time (also the last time!) I watched the show, I was seated in the front row. I shuddered each time I heard the painful cries of the bleeding bulls and felt very uncomfortable watching the scene. By then, I already knew the intricacies of the sport. Each bullfight is divided into three suertes (acts) or tercios (thirds), each signalled by a trumpet blast. During the first tercio, several toreros or bullfighters with large capotes, capes that are a pinkish-mauve colour on one side and yellow on the other, tire out the bull in preparation for the picadores who, from their mounts atop heavily padded and blindfolded horses, attempt to force a lance between the bull's shoulder blades to further weaken him. The toreros then return for the second tercio, in which one of them (and sometimes the matador himself) will try to stab six metal-tipped spikes, called bandilleras into the bull in as clean and elegant a manner as possible. Exhausted and frustrated, but by no means docile, the bull is considered ready for the third and final tercio, the suerte suprema. The matador continues to tire the bull using the muleta, a red cape draped from a stick, while pulling off as many graceful and daring moves as possible. The crowd, sensing the bravery and finesse of the matador and the spirit of the bull he is up against, shout ‘olé’ which reverberates around the stadium with every pass. Eventually the matador entices the bull to challenge him head-on, standing there with its hooves together. As it charges, he thrusts his sword between its shoulder blades and, if it is well executed, the bull crumples to the ground. It may seem gruesome, but successful matadors are awarded with a

bull’s ears or tail, based on their skills and consistency during the bullfighting season. Mexico celebrates 20th November as Dia de la Revolución Mexicana or the Mexican Revolution Day. The day fell on a Tuesday, so we had a puente (literally meaning ‘bridge’); this means that when a holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, the Monday or the Friday is also taken as a holiday which results in a four-day long weekend. I had been under severe stress and was looking forward to a long holiday. Since I wasn’t allowed any leave, I was glad to get the lucky break. I had planned to visit Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo and Leon in the state of Guanajuato. So on Saturday morning, I took the bus for the state capital, Guanajuato, one of the most charming colonial cities in Mexico. On the way, while nearing the city, the girl in my neighbouring seat pointed out a hill, crowned by a large bronze statue of Jesus Christ. ‘It’s the world's second largest statue of Christ, after Rio de Janeiro,’ she said. I had read that the statue was one of Mexico's most important religious monuments and that the area supposedly marked the geographic centre of the country. On reaching Guanajuato, I realized that the entire city had been overrun by tourists. For an hour or more, I looked around for hotels with available rooms. Walking along the narrow, cobbled, pedestrian-only streets was a pleasant experience as each of them opened onto charming, fountain-filled plazas. Due to the long holiday, this charming colonial city was now overflowing with people. At one of the hotels, a manager told me about an old lady who let out a few rooms in her house to tourists. We left for her place immediately after I had booked an organized tour for the following day. The tour covered the surrounding areas including the

nearby cities of Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende. The house was located in a nice, quiet alley. The price was good too, so I took the room and later left for my exploration of the city. Initially, the intricate and complex network of cobbled streets and narrow alleys got me confused but later with the help of a city map obtained from the tourism office I managed to get around quiet well. There were no traffic lights or neon signs and the streets were impeccably clean. At each corner, I sighted a church. The city amazed me with its beautiful atmosphere. No wonder many Mexican as well as foreign couples come to get married here, in this city which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Situated at a height of 6649 feet in the silver-mining highlands of central Mexico, Guanajuato is known for its rich history and cultural heritage. The city as well as the nearby cities of Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende, were centres of the revolutionary independence movement. Today, the high population of students and youth has resulted in a young and vibrant atmosphere in Guanajuato. In October, the city holds the annual international cultural festival, the Festival Cervantino, which attracts thousands of young visitors, mostly artists and musicians, from all over the world. Guanajuato also boasts of several museums, including the Diego Rivera Museum (the city is the birthplace of the internationally renowned muralist). I boarded a bus for a quick look around the city. Beneath the city, the bus passed through a series of amazing underground tunnels connecting one side of the town to the other, creating subterranean thoroughfares. This left the cobbled streets traffic free. Sometime later, I took

another bus to visit a strange and unique museum, Museo de las Momias where more than a hundred mummified human corpses exhumed from the local public cemetery, are lined up against the wall in glass cases. When I reached the place it was late evening and the thought of looking at dead bodies made me hesitate at the entrance door. But I carried on and joined the people waiting for the tour of the place. A guide led us through the dark passage with just enough light to see the exhibits on both sides and creepy music filling the air. We were told that the mummies were formed naturally in the local cemetery due to the area's arid climate. The mummies were residents of Guanajuato who lived roughly from 1850 to 1950. There used to be a law in Guanajuato in those times which required family members of the deceased interred at the cemetery to pay an annual fee. If the fee was not paid for five years in a row, the body was exhumed and the crypt would be re-used. In 1865, cemetery workers exhumed the remains of a body and discovered that it had not decayed, but had mummified. Over time, more bodies were found in this state, and they were placed in the cemetery's ossuary building. As word spread, people began to visit the mummies and the museum was set up. The mummies ranged from children to adult men and women, some of them having their clothing intact others with just their socks on. But the museum’s pride was ‘the smallest mummy in the world,’ a foetus. It was truly a strange sight! I didn’t spend much time around and quickly left the place. The bus ride back to the Centro was hilarious too. I got a free tour of the town in a local

bus, courtesy the driver, before his duty for the day ended at 7:00 pm! This was after I told him that I had missed the last tour bus of the day for the tour of the town. Back in the Centro, I was surprised to see thousands of people on the streets. It was as if the entire town had got down to the streets and not without a reason - there were food fairs, and many more activities happening in every nook and corner of the town. I sampled few of the dishes and basked in the party atmosphere. When I returned back to the house, I met my landlady’s daughter, Laura, who had come over to stay with her mother for the long holiday. The cool and stylish girl in her 30s, offered to show me the attractions of the Centro, including its nightspots and acquaint me with the city’s main tourist draw – the organized callejóneadas or walking tours. I was thrilled! We walked around for almost three hours and I discovered many interesting things about the city and its landmarks. The uniformly colourful-dressed student minstrel groups called estudiantinas led the callejóneadas singing and performing rituals along a traditional route winding through the side streets and back alleys. This is a daily happening started in 1962, by a few local youths who were inspired by the centuries-old estudiantinas of Spain. The city’s nightlife was booming. We entered a popular disco for some drinks and partying. When we left the place past 2:00 am, I was surprised to find people still on the streets, some gathered around the charming small plazas dotting the town. The next morning, I took an organized tour of the surrounding areas including Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende. The parish church of Dolores Hidalgo is of great

significance. On 16th of September, 1810, it was here that Father Miguel Hidalgo raised the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Grito de Doloresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the cry of rebellion against the Spanish, and with 80,000 armed supporters, commenced the independence struggle. Apart from being known as the cradle of the Independence movement, the place is also famed for its Talavera pottery. I also remember the place for its mouth-watering ice creams which are sold around the centre square. Besides the various fruit and nut flavours, I sampled some unimaginable flavours like tequila, cerveza (beer) and jalapeĂąo! A short distance away from Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende is a beautiful colonial city with the highest influx of foreign expatriates (mostly gringos) in Mexico. The charming city has all the trappings of a genuine tourist destination with narrow, cobbled streets, lovely treelined squares, a stunning colonial architecture and elegant colonial-style houses and patios. Like I had seen in the town of Ajijic, in San Miguel too, there are many beautiful spas, art and language schools, chic boutiques, classy restaurants and numerous art & craft outlets, all thanks to the high population of American expatriates. To me, San Miguel seemed to be a truly beautiful place to live. I really felt disappointed at being able to spend just a few hours here. When I returned back to Guanajuato at night, I was fascinated by the party mood of the city. In addition to the activities of the previous night, there were rock concerts, and firework displays. Thousands of people flooded the streets. The restaurants were overflowing with people, the plazas were overcrowded, deafening rock music filled the air and beautiful firework displays covered the skies.

That night, I met up with a local member of the youth association, a young girl called Laura. When I recounted to her my previous day’s experience of not finding a good room in any of the good hotels she told me that I was lucky to get a room in a nice house as most houses which let out rooms to tourists also ran out of rooms during the holidays. I wasn’t surprised because all the rooms at my landlady’s place had got occupied by the first night itself and she even had to turn away a young English family due to lack of space. The previous night, Laura had told me that hundreds of late arrivals in the city sleep in their vehicles or on the streets due to lack of accommodation. Even the luxury hotels face the problem of unavailable rooms during the holidays. Next morning, I witnessed a parade of little children and youngsters in colourful costumes with music bands, dancing and more. The entire town was in a celebratory mood. Laura had offered to take me to the 18th century church, Templo de San Cayetano de Valenciana known for its extraordinary architecture; and the Boca Mina San Ramón, one of the oldest silver mines open to public. Guanajuato was for centuries the wealthiest town in Mexico – silver was discovered here in 1548 – its silver mines pouring out the bulk of silver that was sent to Spain for royalty. I bought a few crystal and other stones from a rock-seller; and a silver pendant in the shape of an eagle at a shop near the Boca Mina San Ramón. The mine had some wonderful displays and pieces of old mining equipment, but the most exciting part was descending the steps into a mine shaft 60 meters deep.

Guanajuato is an extremely enjoyable and peaceful place, yet bursting with plenty of life. Even after a three-day stay, I longed to return back for more! The large city of Leon is located between Guanajuato and Guadalajara. So I took the bus till Leon, deposited my bag in the luggage storage room at the bus terminal, and went to shop for leather goods -- the city being Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one destination for leather goods. Just opposite the terminal, there were special malls and numerous shops selling all kinds of leather accessories. I purchased a mustard leather jacket, black knee-length leather coat and matching gloves for the cold winter. Back in Guadalajara, my social life was going very well. Between attending small gettogethers and visiting discos, I had also become part of the soccer-crazy world. Sometimes, I got to watch the matches at the Estadio Jalisco when the company-owned club was playing. My most memorable day in the country was the 24th of November. At the invitation of the director of one of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charitable associations, I had attended the inaugural function of the Feria Internacional del Libro (or FIL for short), the International Book Fair of Guadalajara at the Guadalajara Expo Centre. Started in 1987, the nine-day FIL is the second largest book fair in the world after the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, attracting more than half a million visitors, nearly two thousand publishers, and hundreds of authors. Held every year from the last Saturday in November, it is the largest and most diverse international offering of publications in Spanish language and the most important annual event of its kind in the Spanish-speaking world. Traditionally, a country or a region is made the FIL guest of honour, giving each an opportunity

to display the best of its cultural and literary heritage. And that year, the guest country of the FIL was Colombia. I was thrilled to get the opportunity of attending the inaugural function which was open only to a selected audience. The previous day, I had heard that the prestigious book fair was to be inaugurated at the hands of the Mexican president – a first in the fair’s history! What I didn’t know then, was that I was going to greet the President with a peck on his proffered cheek! Besides the Mexican president and his wife, the important dignitaries to be present at the function included the state governor, the internationally well-known Columbian writer and Mexico City resident, Gabriel Garcia Márquez (affectionately called ‘Gabo’), leading Mexican writers (including the internationally renowned author Carlos Fuentes) and educationists. I was glad that I was going to sit in the special enclosure close to the podium. However, there were many early arrivals and I ended up getting a seat in the last row in the special enclosure. It was a blessing in disguise because when President Felipe Calderón entered the hall, he chose to walk his way to the podium right through the passage which separated the last row (where I was seated) of the special enclosure from that of the rest which included other invitees and the press. I was naturally thrilled to see the president in such close proximity. And more so, when he caught my eye and gave me a sunny smile. Being a little over enthusiastic about taking photos, I was ready with my camera when President Calderón rose to deliver his speech. I had already taken permission from his security staff who allowed me to go close to where he was standing. I was the only lucky person taking

photos of the president at close quarters while the press photographers clicked from their enclosure. After all the speeches were over, I wanted to take a close-up photo of the president while leaving. So when he walked down the other aisle, I quickly rushed over to that side to stand close enough to do a video recording of him as he approached closer, greeting the organizers standing to the opposite side of me. And then something happened that I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams. A gentleman standing next to me called out to the president as he neared us. President Calderón immediately came over to our side and shook hands with the gentleman. When he came to my side I too extended my hand and greeted him with a sweet ‘Buenas Tardes, Sr Presidente’. Accepting my hand, he greeted ‘Muy Buenas Tardes’ and did something which took me completely by surprise! President Calderón turned his right cheek to me in an open invitation to plant a cheek kiss. Well, it’s a Mexican custom to kiss the right cheek of a woman (or man) in a greeting or goodbye. I was numbed for a second and almost kept the president waiting! Mustering my courage, I lightly brushed my cheek against his proffered cheek. I guess at that moment I must have caught the attention of almost everyone present in the hall. The state governor, Emilio González Márquez, who was walking behind in the President’s entourage, also turned to greet me with a smiling hola while passing by! It was also at this event that I met two lovely people who soon became my wonderful friends – Consuelo

‘Cony’ and Roxana ‘Rox’. After the inaugural function, a banquet lunch had been organized for the special invitees at the Hilton Hotel which was just opposite the venue of the book fair. A sumptuous eight-course Colombian lunch had been specially prepared by some of Colombia’s finest chefs who were going to present their country’s specialties during the festival. At the banquet, I got to meet Gabriel García Márquez (Gabo). Just a year and a half ago, I had been assigned to prepare a presentation on the acclaimed writer when I was pursuing my advanced Spanish language studies in Mumbai. So I was quite well-versed with his life history and literary work. Gabo was Rox’s favourite author so we both were equally thrilled to meet and take photos with him. On leaving the banquet, we were presented with a bag full of Colombian souvenirs which included among other beautiful things – a pack of Colombian fine coffee. We returned to the fair venue to visit the various stalls and take a look at the available book collection and get an overall view of the books displayed in the fair. And of course, we purchased a few books too. Later, we attended the press conferences given by Mexico’s top literary figures including Carlos Fuentes. I felt really lucky that day! Cheek kissing the Mexican president, meeting international writers, literary stalwarts...and all this at a prestigious international book fair! Rox was from the city of Pachuca in the state of Hidalgo and it was her first visit to Guadalajara so she wanted to see a bit of the city. But since it was night time, we could only visit the city’s second largest mall, Plaza del Sol, which was near her hotel. Later however, we had

great fun at a really different sort of night club where people were swinging to a dance set to banda music. Looking at the place and the ambience, for the first time I felt that I was really in Mexico. It was like a scene straight out from the Wild West movies of Clint Eastwood or John Wayne. Although I had watched the songs on TV many times over the past few months, and even knew the lyrics to most of them, the dance was new to me. There was no shortage of partners, all of whom looked like typical hot-blooded latinos. I got the dance movements right pretty soon – very Mexican-ranchero (ranch) style, the ‘swing’ dance is all about twisting, turning, swaying, lifting and spinning. The girls are lifted and spun around like dolls, but it was fun. I was very sure that many of my Mexican friends themselves were not well-versed with the energetic dance. The next day we went sight-seeing around the city. Rox wanted a ride in the horse-drawn carriages called calandrias, so we took a forty-minute colonial-style tour of the city. We visited the Mercado Libertad, the largest enclosed market in Latin America. Popularly known as the San Juan de Dios market, this multi-storeyed market houses all sorts of merchandise and almost everything saleable under the sun including a butchers’ aisle where every part and organ of the animal is displayed for sale – head, intestines, feet, etc. All this under one large roof! The huge food court has numerous stalls offering a variety of Mexican dishes including the city’s favourite tortas ahogadas which are bread rolls stuffed with pork dunked in a savoury chile-tomato salsa (sauce), pork stews like birria, carne en su jugo and pozole; the immensely popular corn tortilla-based antojitos (‘appetizers’) like tacos, smallish tortillas topped with meat

and garnishing, and the deep-fried tostadas with toppings; shrimp cocktail and seafood dishes; and fresh fruit water drinks called aguas frescas and popular drinks including the horchata made of rice, sugar and cinnamon. Outside, there are booths selling all sorts of birds and assorted small animals. There are over 1000 vendors in the vast market. It was my third visit to the place, but still I had the feeling that I had not covered everything.

December By the beginning of December all the commercial centres and the public buildings, especially in the Centro, were flaunting the Christmas look with brilliant decorations and illuminations. Huge, colourfully decorated Christmas trees were common sights in plazas, shopping malls and some of the larger markets. The commercial areas were thumping with activity and the main streets were often blocked by traffic. Finding a parking place had become a very difficult task. The city looked beautiful flooded by night illuminations. During the first week, I caught up with Cony at Sanborns, a popular department store-cum-restaurant chain. We passed a splendid evening sharing entertaining moments over a bottle of fine wine. The restaurant was holding a lucky draw with a rich plum cake as the prize. Much to our joy, I won the draw. By then, I had grown very well versed in the matter of shopping areas both for high-end

shopping and for getting cheap bargains. My favourite department store was Fábricas de Francia. This was where I splurged on Chanel perfumes and cosmetics, mainly because the saleswomen offered me plenty of free goodies. Besides Galerias Liverpool, my other favourite mall for shopping was the Gran Plaza. On Sundays, in any Mexican city or town, it is common to find a tianguis, a street market, with a great variety of things like clothes, pottery, belts, bags, wooden furniture, handicrafts, toys, food, tools, footwear, on sale. Some of these street markets also sell all kinds of used things. The markets are held in various barrios of the city and are open from 7 am to almost 3 pm. The city’s most popular tianguis for garments and footwear is the Tianguis de Santa Tere. The most popular shopping zones in and around the Centro include the Zona del Vestir for fashion wear and the Calle Obregón near Mercado Libertad for imported products. Located close to Guadalajara is the pottery centre of Jalisco – Tonalá. Its famous outdoor market held on Thursdays and Sundays attracts large crowds shopping for a wide variety of handicrafts at great bargains. The shopper’s paradise for clothes at reasonable prices is Zapotlanejo, located at an hour’s drive from Guadalajara. One day, at the office, I received a terrible jolt. I had made the detailed expense statement for the Diwali mandap with all the bills attached to it, including the taxi charges. Unfortunately, I was not aware that in Mexico, receipts without the ‘RFC’ number (an ID number for taxation) of the payee are not valid for accounting and tax purposes. Nobody had mentioned this to me before. I had shopped at eighteen different places all over the city, so it meant that I would have

to visit all those places again and get a new receipt from all of them with the RFC number of the company mentioned on it! I took the company car and spent the whole day travelling from one place to another – I prayed that nobody would have any issues in giving me fresh receipts! But I needn’t have worried because the people still remembered me and were very warm and eager to help me out. I returned to the office at 7:30 pm, totally exhausted, but it didn’t matter when I compared it to the warmth and help offered to me by so many people in a single day. At the store selling illuminations, the young shop owner even gifted me a Christmas tree hanging – a golden angel! On the 12th of December, Mexico celebrates the Fiesta de la Virgen de Guadalupe (Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe). Although it is not a public holiday, it is the country’s biggest religious event of the year. The day is marked by mass and celebrations in honour of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, whose image is found everywhere – in churches, houses, taxis, buses, hotels, restaurants, bull rings, etc. In Guadalajara too, in the Centro, the Santuario de la Virgen de Guadalupe is normally visited by 500,000 worshipers. I accompanied my landlady and her son to church in her BMV SUV. All the surrounding roads were closed to traffic and the area was flooded with people. After a long time spent in searching for a parking space for the expensive BMW and getting an assurance for its safety, we walked a long distance towards the church. We were lucky to quickly squeeze into the church and out without having to wait for a long time in the queue. Outside the church, the place was lined with food stalls selling Mexican sandwiches, savouries and sweets including the popular crunchy, sugar-coated wheat fritters

called buñuelos, caramelized camotes (sweet potatoes) and fruit-flavoured ice popsicles called raspados. Then I saw something that completely took me by surprise – vendors selling colourful dried sago wafers! There were others who were selling them freshly fried. Even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have imagined finding these crispy delights in Mexico! The surrounding restaurants were packed with people and there was hardly any place to move around in the congested area. After watching a traditional firework display, we returned to the car. The Christmas shopping season was in full swing. The red Poinsettia, native to Mexico, and known there as Flor de Nochebuena (Christmas flower), is one of the symbols of Mexican Christmas. It blooms mainly in December and hence the name. Along with Christmas trees, these plants too are rapidly sold out at Christmas markets. In Mexico, the Christmas party scene starts early in the month and continues right till the Dia de los Santos Reyes (Three Kings' Day or Epiphany) which is celebrated on 6th of January. A traditional nine-day celebration of Las Posadas (The Inns) starts from the 16th of the month. On each of these nights, processions go from door to door to re-enact Mary and Joseph's search for an inn, with local communities arranging for one of the local houses to be the inn that accepts – while children travel from door-to-door in traditional costume, holding candles and singing a traditional carol, requesting a place to stay. Eventually they get to the arranged house where a piñata (a papier-mâché figure filled with sweets) is strung up outside. The traditional piñata is a seven pointed clay model which symbolizes the seven deadly sins. A grand party begins inside. Long Christmas sparklers are lit and sometimes there is a display of fireworks. Before sitting

down for dinner, each one is blindfolded and takes a turn hitting the piñata with a stick. When it breaks, they all rush to collect a share of the candies that rain down from above. On the other hand, the modern Posadas are more like a get-together, full of fun, food, music and dance. In the company, each department organized their own get-together starting from the first week of the month. I attended three Posadas – the Posada of the Human Resource Department (HRD) and the Commercial Department and the grandest of them all – the company Posada. These were fun-filled parties complete with music, dance, games and a lavish dinner. The Posada of the HRD incorporated an element of suspense and excitement. Some days before the event, each employee of the HRD had to select a paper chit which contained the name of the person for whom they had to get a gift on the day of the Posada. They also had to send that person small gifts every day, if possible. To my immense joy, every day I found a packet or box full of chocolates and a variety of sweet, sour and spicy Mexican candies on my table. Most Mexican candies are flavoured with chile and tamarind! The identity of my secret gift-giver was revealed at the party. The sweet guy also gifted me the most beautiful things – a lovely necklace with a clover leaf pendant and a crystal-studded watch. The chit I had selected contained the name of the HRD director of the company-owned soccer club. I gifted him a wall photo-frame. The party was organized in the huge premise of a restaurant which had been booked in advance for the day. At the party, I was given the honour of hitting the piñata with a stick. It was great fun! The Posada of the Commercial Department was fun too with music, dance and great

food. It was held in a large private garden of a department staff member. But the grandest event took place on the 15th - the company Posada! Held in the beautiful sprawling lawns of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school, it was attended by over 2500 people, including the chairman. My friend, Rox, had invited me over to her hometown in Pachuca for the holidays. According to the company rule for the holidays, all those taking a day off on the 24th for Christmas had to report for work on the 31st and vice versa. I worked on the 24th as I wanted to celebrate Christmas in Guadalajara and took the New Year holiday to visit Pachuca in the state of Hidalgo. At the office, everyone exchanged gifts and candies. At home, the landlady had put up a nicely decorated Christmas tree and organized a special dinner with red wine, almond soup, French bread, roasted turkey, pork loin and flan. It was just the four of us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the landlady, her two sons and I. After exchanging gifts, we had a quiet dinner. Then, Ale came over to pick me up for the Christmas party at her place where I had a great time partying right till 4 am. Four days later, I was in Pachuca, 90 km north-east of Mexico City, almost 1.5 hours away. Rox and her husband had just shifted into their new house and had kept a guestroom ready for me. Rox showed me all the city sights and took me to the nearby mountain-side town of Real de Monte, a thirty minutes drive away. Pachuca and Real de Monte were culturally influenced by Cornish miners who immigrated there in the 19th century; some stayed back to form well-known Cornish-Mexican families. At 8,800 feet, Real de Monte (also known as Mineral del Monte) is one of the highest inhabited places in the country. This small and charming town was once the richest in the state

where mining for gold, silver and other minerals was carried on for more than 500 years. Today all the mines are closed. The development of silver mining in Pachuca-Real de Monte region was thanks to a Cornish firm which ran the mines. They were also the first to introduce soccer to Mexico. The national game was first played in the country by these miners at Pachuca, making it the birthplace of Mexican soccer. The country’s first soccer club, the Pachuca Athletic Club, was founded in 1901. Paste, a semi-circular turnover filled with a variety of sweet or savoury fillings is the regional specialty which was again introduced by the Cornish miners. The shape and pastry portion of the turnover have remained the same but today, the fillings have changed giving it a Mexican flavour. I was completely charmed by the beauty and the quiet surroundings of Real de Monte. The steep streets, stairways and small squares lined with low buildings, date back to the colonial times. The Cornish influence is visible in the architecture of the village where houses have high sloping roofs and chimneys. It was very cold in the evening but the serene atmosphere was very inviting, with bakeries and quaint little shops selling souvenirs, silver and clothes all across the main street. Rox took me to her beautiful office in the sprawling campus of the University of Fine Arts where she worked as the administrative manager. She took me around the nearby areas where her ‘artist’ friends lived and showed me their works. It was a small place and she knew most of the people around very well. The next day we visited the archaeological zone of Teotihuacán in the state of Mexico, some 48 km north-east of Mexico City. Teotihuacán, which means ‘place where gods were

born,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; was an important place of pilgrimage during the Aztec period. The Aztec believed that gods created the universe here and identified it with the myth of Tollan, the place where the sun was created. Today, it is one of the most important and most visited archaeological sites in Mexico. We reached the site very early in the morning to avoid exploring the place under the harsh sun. When I reached to the top of the immense Pyramid of the Sun (the third-largest pyramid in the world surpassed only by the Great Pyramid of Cholula and the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt) I got an amazing view of the place. It was a tiring climb so Rox preferred to sit and wait downstairs. There were few tourists around me. One of them, a Japanese girl, told me that TeotihuacĂĄn is also a very spiritual place for those who observe the pre-Hispanic traditions. It is believed to be a place of great energy. For this reason, every year on March 21, at the time of the spring equinox, thousands of visitors descend on the site to absorb its strong energy. Like all the other tourists around me, I too spread out my hands to absorb the rays of the early morning sun. Later in the day, we visited Mexico City where I wanted to check out a few Indian restaurants, the directions of which I had downloaded from the Internet. International cuisines like French, Italian, Japanese and Lebanese are very popular in cosmopolitan Mexico City so I wanted to review the Indian cuisine scene. To my disappointment, we discovered that two of the restaurants in my list had shut down their business. One was a bit far off from our location. So we lunched at the fourth one. The owners of the place were from Pakistan. One of them brought

us a rajma dish which he had personally prepared in the kitchen, and wasn’t on the menu. The restaurant had received good reviews, but being an Indian, I found the food to be lacking the typical Indian flavours. But then, one really can’t expect authentic Indian cuisine in restaurants abroad. It’s always a fusion cuisine catered to suit the taste buds of the foreign palate. The semicircular shaped ‘samosas’ were too bland for my taste. I was pleasantly surprised when Rox told me that in some parts of the country a similar preparation of freshly rolled corn tortillas folded over a savoury filling and deep-fried are called quesadillas. Till then, the only kind of quesadillas that I had eaten were corn tortillas folded over a filling of cheese and heated on the griddle till the cheese melted. Mexico City is a gastronomic Mecca with its countless markets, restaurants, and street vendors. The culinary traditions of the entire country can be found here from pre-Hispanic and traditional food to the upscale nueva cocina which combines native Mexican ingredients, recipes and techniques with those of international haute cuisine. The cosmopolitan city has more than 15000 restaurants excluding the innumerable taquerías (taco vending stalls or restaurants), torta (Mexican sandwich) shops and eateries offering comida corrida (‘daily special’ fixed price meals served between 1:00 – 4:00 pm). There are all sorts of restaurants from the barbacoa (barbeque) and pozole eateries to the plush nueva cocina dining spots; as well as traditional bars like pulquerias or pulque bars and cantinas or bars that offer botanas or savouries with each drink. After lunch, we visited the beautiful Castillo de Chapultepec (Castle of Chapultepec),

now a museum, and once home to Emperor Maximilian and his wife, Empress Carlotta. It is situated high above a hill, overlooking the Chapultepec Park and the numerous surrounding monuments and museums, including the National Zoo and the National Museum of Anthropology. At the entrance to the Park, there is a Monumento a los Niños Heroes with six columns representing the six heroic cadets who gave up their lives for their country. According to legend, six young cadets based at the Castillo (then a military academy) refused to surrender to the invading American forces that had surrounded the castle above, choosing instead to wrap themselves in the national flags and jump from the castle walls to their deaths. The monument is Mexico’s bastion of patriotism. The days passed very quickly. I spent the New Year with Rox and her family at their family home. Then, it was time to return to Guadalajara.

January On the 6th of January, Dia de los Santos Reyes, an office colleague brought the Rosca de los Reyes (‘King's Loaf’), an oval loaf of sweet bread which has little plastic figurines of baby Jesus hidden inside. By tradition, all those present have to cut a slice of the Rosca and the ones who get the slice containing the little figurine have to host a party and serve the traditional ‘tamales’ (‘tamal’ in singular, corn husk-covered corn dough packets wrapped around a sweet or savoury

filling and steamed) to the rest on Dia de la Candelaria which takes place on the 2nd of February. This day is celebrated nationwide with dance, food and music as well as other local festivities to mark the passing of winter. I was the first to cut a slice of the Rosca. It had a little white plastic figurine inside! Seven others also found the little figurines in their slices of bread. Sadly, it was not possible to organize a party on the 2nd because of a major annual company event. The following weekend, I decided to visit the colonial town of Zacatecas in the state of the same name. Aware of the low winter temperatures there, I geared myself up with the warmest clothes. Zacatecas is located at a height of 7,500 feet in a valley between two hills. It was founded in 1546 and grew into a rich and elegant colonial city thanks to the region's mining boom. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the architecture here is immensely attractive. The townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral which was completed in 1750, has the best faĂ§ade among all the cathedrals in Mexico. The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s silver mines were among the richest in the country in the colonial period. An old silver mine, called Mina El Eden (it stopped production in 1964) is one of the major attractions of the place. There were originally seven levels in this mine of which the fourth level is open to visitors. A train ride takes visitors wearing yellow safety helmets, some 600 meters deep into the mountain, Cerro del Grillo. The train stops inside and the rest of the tour is undertaken on foot deep into the mines, as a guide points out major points of interest, relates legends and myths, and explains how the miners of the earlier times worked to get gold, silver, iron, copper and zinc out of the rocks. Inside, there is an amazing museum housing a stunning

collection of precious metals and gems from all around the world. The tour was an amazing experience! Another unique feature of this mine is its night club, the only night club in the world to be totally underground, with a capacity to hold 240 people! From the mine, I took the elevator straight up to the entrance of the cable car station. A seven-minute cable car ride across the city brought me to the Cerro de la Bufa, the highest peak in the area. During the ride, I was treated to a magnificent view of the city. After walking further and climbing up some steps, the road opens to a large open area holding a church, a museum and a monument with statues of three of Mexico’s revolutionary heroes, one among them being, the famous Pancho Villa. Like in Guanajauato, a famous Saturday night ritual in Zacatecas is the ‘Callejonada Zacateca’, which begins at around 9 pm with a walk around the city's alleys, passageways and plazas with enthusiastic people singing, playing instruments, dancing, drinking and having a great time! Later, I went to the nightclub at the Mina to enjoy the simply cool experience of partying beneath the earth’s surface. The place opens only late at night and was freezing cold, but I enjoyed each moment to the fullest. The next morning, I had breakfast at the luxurious Hotel Quinta Real which is constructed around the ruins of the old bull ring in such a manner that the centre of the old bullring is now the centre of the hotel’s courtyard. An old aqueduct runs past. It is fun exploring the town, walking on cobbled streets and climbing up the steps leading to narrow paths and alleys, which curve around to a new street at a higher or lower level, which in turn open out into colourful plazas and courtyards. The cuisine is very special too. I remember having tasted Asado

de Boda, a pork dish which is traditionally served at wedding feasts; delicious spicy Enchiladas Zacatecanas (Zacatecas-style rolled tortillas stuffed with chicken filling, covered with red salsa and baked) and Mezcal, a popular drink. There are some nice museums around â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Museo Rafael Coronel is famous for having the largest display (over 2000) of traditional masks in the country. On my return from Zacatecas, due to the change in the weather from freezing cold to pleasantly cold, I developed flu. It was the first time that I had been ill in Mexico. Besides taking antibiotics, I used to have seafood soup at the nearby Japanese restaurants in the evenings. In spite of having high temperature, I reported for work. I had never bunked office even for a single day! In the mornings, on reaching office I used to take some lemon slices from the canteen and add them to lukewarm water along with a spoonful of honey from the bottle which Ale had brought for me. After two weeks of illness, I was back to my normal self. After my belly dancing lessons got over, I got myself enrolled for Argentinean tango lessons at a dance studio in the neighbourhood. It was fun and offered a diversion from the daily routine. Then I learnt that the huge Colomos Park located in a forested area in the neighbourhood offered horse riding activities. The following Sunday, I visited the place and selected one of the finest horses around. After spending two hours in the forested area, I was at bliss with nature. It was a wonderful place with separate areas for jogging or walking around and picnics or family outings. On the last day of January, the three-day annual extravaganza event of the company

witnessed the arrival of more than 5000 distributors from all over the world. It gave me a major thrill to welcome the visitors and give them the tour of the office all by myself speaking in Spanish. They were equally excited at meeting a Spanish-speaking Indian. At the venue of the event, I wore my black salwar kameez again with a bindi on my forehead. Everyone went crazy over my bindi and I soon ran out of the two-three packets I had carried with me. Then, I took to painting my creative designs on their foreheads with eyeliner. By the end of the day, I had painted my creations on more than twenty foreheads! Besides getting bombarded with questions on India, for the first time in my life, I was asked for autographs! I happily obliged them with it and that too on the company’s magazine.

February The following weekend, I travelled to the state of Michoacán and had a great time exploring the beautiful state capital of Morelia and the nearby town of Pátzcuaro. Morelia is just 3.5 hours away from Guadalajara. On reaching the city’s modern bus terminal (with an airport-like look and feel), I deposited my bag in the luggage storage room and took a bus to the famous town of Pátzcuaro, about 45 minutes away. Pátzcuaro was the ceremonial centre of the native Purépecha or Tarasco culture before the arrival of the Spaniards. The distinct blend of colonial and indigenous culture is visible in the

beautiful Centro Histórico with colonial buildings, mansions and courtyards built around the large main square, La Plaza de Quiroga (also called La Plaza Grande). The plaza was originally planned as a tianguis, or Indian market. So it is surrounded by picturesque hotels, restaurants, cafés and shops instead of government buildings and the cathedral, which is the typical layout of the main squares all over Mexico. Combi buses or colectivos, which are minibuses accommodating about 10-12 people at the cost of two pesos each, provide a cheap (if not always direct) mode of getting around the area. These rustic vehicles run throughout Pátzcuaro and to the villages around the Lago de Pátzcuaro (Lake Pátzcuaro). After a quick look around the Centro, I boarded a combi going to the pier, to visit the volcanic island of Janitzio, the main island of the huge lake. The fishing industry in this region is quite significant. On the way, I saw fisherwomen seated on the ground, selling fresh fish as well as dry fish on white boards placed on baskets in front of them. The scene was exactly similar to that commonly seen at fish markets in Indian towns. The way to the dock was lined by food stalls and restaurants and shops and stalls selling footwear, souvenirs and various arts and crafts. A boat was already waiting to carry the excited passengers on a thirty-minute ride to the island. There were many oohs and aahs over the lovely views and bird sightings during the ride. From far, we could see the island’s main attraction - the 40-metre enormous statue of the country’s Independence War hero José María Morelos, located on the island’s highest point. Janitzio is like a mountain in the lake. With fishing becoming less viable and almost

negligible arable land, the 2000 or more indigenous inhabitants of this conical, car-free island have to rely increasingly on tourism. The Dia de los Muertos celebrated on this island is unique and like nowhere else in the country, attracting the maximum number of tourists, both domestic as well as international. The whole island, which has many tombs around, is decked with decorations. Boats that come to and from this place are also decorated with lanterns as part of their remembrance for the dead. The lake's other attraction is butterfly net fishing. Local men demonstrate this old way of fishing with special butterfly shaped nets at the first sight of tourist-laden boats. As our boat neared the island, these men in tiny canoes with nets resembling wings gave us a short presentation of their skills, and at the end of it, paddled towards us to collect their tips. On reaching the island, I could see that there wasn’t much to be seen around. I started walking up the path that led to the island’s highest point, to the enormous statue of Morelos. The long way up was lined by souvenir and handicraft stalls as well as food stalls offering fish delicacies and refreshments. After a long and tiring climb under the afternoon sun, I reached to the top. The views from here were great so I expected a fantastic sight from the top of the towering statue. Inside the statue, its walls are covered with murals painted by some of Mexico’s great muralists depicting the life of Morelos. Climbing the staircase steadily, I reached the top of Morelos’s head from where the views got better. From here, the climb up to the highest point – the giant raised fist of Morelos – is not advisable for the faint-hearted. The steep staircase is bi-

directional and narrow in places, with only a metal banister as a support to prevent a freefall. I carried on and was rewarded with a spectacular view of the lake and its surroundings from the wide peepholes in the giant fist. The steep climb was well worth it! The return boat ride was entertaining with snacks and drinks on board along with a band of folklore singers belting out popular melodies. By the time we reached the dock, I was hungry for lunch. I had been advised to keep away from lake-water fishes as they could be unhygienic and polluted. I had followed the advice when I had stayed in Ajijic, close to Lake Chapala. But after passing by the fish market, I had got the desire to eat some fish. I had read that the local fish delicacies included pescado blanco, a small white fish, about one third of the size of sardines and a minnow-size charal, eaten either deep-fried or in tacos. Throwing caution to the wind, I asked for the two. The boy who was taking the order just smiled and suggested that I try something else which was fresh and delicious. So I ended up having a lunch of soup and vegetables instead! After lunch, there was just a little time left for window shopping. A quick look at some of the arts and crafts made me realize that they were similar to those crafted in India. I recollected something that I had seen in a popular souvenir shop in Mumbai when I had visited it for shopping for gifts to carry to Mexico â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cute-looking tiny wood boxes with a colourful spider inside which wiggled on being shaken. As I passed by one of the stalls, I saw the same cute things on sale! But what left me totally wonderstruck at a footwear shop was the sight of familiar-looking leather slippers neatly displayed for sale â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kolhapuri chappals! I was about to ask the shopkeeper about them when a combi stopped by to collect passengers. I had planned to

take a bus back to Morelia from the Centro not knowing that there was a shared taxi service too. So when the bus driver told me about it and suggested that I board the vehicle which was going to pass by the taxi stand, I readily accepted. During the journey, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Kolhapuri chappals in the shop and wondered how the famous Indian footwear originating from Kolhapur in the western state of Maharashtra could find its way in this small town of Mexico. Moreover, this region has a growing leather and shoe industry second only to Leon, which I had already visited. Furthermore, the woven-leather Mexican sandals called huaraches seen throughout the country are exactly the same kind of sandals seen in India too. One of my co-passengers in the taxi told me that the native Purépecha people prefer to wear light footwear and hence the leather slippers. ‘Cheap slippers from Asian countries are a big import too,’ he said. That explained the presence of the Kolhapuri chappals and also the cute spider things! By taxi, I reached Morelia sooner in the evening. Collecting my bag from the bus terminal, I took a taxi to a hotel close to the Centro Histórico where I had planned to stay. Morelia impressed me with its elegant colonial architecture featuring pink stone and baroque styles. This aristocratic colonial city stands in stark contrast to the rest of the state which is largely indigenous. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s a great place for just walking around. I reached the Centro Histórico just in time to catch a wonderful display of fireworks followed by the illumination of the impressive pink stone cathedral. The cathedral dominates the main plaza, and is surrounded by beautiful colonial buildings including the majestic Palacio de Gobierno.

The following morning, I continued my exploration of the city, wandering around the main road, Calle Valladolid. The cathedral and the areas on either side of it: Plaza de Armas and Plaza Melchor Ocampo, with its tree-lined passageways, and an elegant bandstand in the centre looked equally beautiful in daylight. Within a ten-block zone more than four dozen impressive edifices relate the story of the city’s colourful history. Many of the old historic buildings have been converted into government offices, museum, banks, and up-market retail stores. One of the most prominent architectural wonders is the long, impressive Acueducto (Aqueduct) which was built in 1785 and served as a water source till the early 1900s. The Palacio Clavijero with a beautiful fountain in the centre of the patio was a school, a warehouse and a prison before hosting the offices of the State Government. I visited the Museo del Dulce, an amazing and unique place which was first established in 1840 as a candy store. Besides selling a wide variety of Mexican confectioneries and fruit liquors, the place also hosts a small museum on confectionery and an auditorium where the history of the city and its confectionery is presented to visitors. At its French-style café, waitresses dressed in colonial dresses serve the regional delicacies in the beautiful patio. In a beautifully decorated traditional kitchen, a demonstration is given on the preparation of ates, the traditional sweets made from fruit paste. It looked just like the Indian sweets called ‘halwas’. The entire procedure, right from processing of the fresh fruit to the finished product is shown to the visitors, tempting many to purchase the various kinds of ates displayed beautifully in the next room. After the tour of the place, I went to the small café and tasted two of the local specialties –

chongos (made from milk, honey and cinnamon) and corundas (pyramid-shaped tamales with cheese/meat filling). At the store, I couldn’t decide which of the sweet goodies to purchase as they all looked very tempting. Finally, I purchased a few ates (fruit pastes), rollos de membrillo (rolls of quince), rollos de guayaba (rolls of guava), small jars of honey in different flavours, few cocadas (coconut fudge candies), a large pack of glorias (sweets made of cajeta, the traditional confection of sweetened caramelized milk) and a gordita de nata (half-inch thick pancake made with heavy cream and sweetened with sugar). By the time I reached the payment counter, my two baskets were heavily laden with sweet goodies. Many of the city’s numerous tourist attractions are concentrated in the Centro Histórico. These include Casa Museo de Morelos, the place where Morelos lived as an adult; Museo del Estado (State Museum) which displays the archaeology, history and contemporary life of the city and the state; Museo Regional Michoacano (Regional Museum of the State of Michoacán) which displays pre-Hispanic and colonial artefacts and contemporary art and the 18th century Conservatorio de las Rosa, the oldest music conservatory in the Americas which today houses the internationally renowned Coro de los Niños cantores de Morelia (Boys’ Choir of Morelia) in addition to the Music School. Adjacent to it is the beautiful plaza, Jardin de las Rosas famous for its cultural environment and artistic surroundings, as well as for its many coffee shops and galleries. The Monarch butterfly reserves located about four hours away from Morelia attract numerous tourists between November and February, who come specifically to watch millions of Monarch butterflies before they fly off on their northward migration around March.

The regional cuisine is simply delightful. I will never forget the sensational taste of the spicy and lip-smacking Enchiladas Morelianas made of chicken and potatoes. Besides its gastronomic delights, the state is also one of the country’s main centres for folk art and crafts. But after splurging a lot on sweets and candies, I didn’t fancy the idea of purchasing anything else. I was back in Guadalajara but still harboured a desire to travel again. My stint with the company would soon be over and I would have to return to India. But I couldn’t dream of leaving the country without exploring it to the maximum. For a long time I had yearned to travel to the southern Mexican states. So, my top priority now was to plan and undertake the journey as soon as possible in order to be back before the start of the Easter holidays. Like the Christmas holiday season, the Easter holiday season too, keeps the entire country on the move. It is a time when people travel to be with their families, and it’s also the most popular time of year for family vacations. Many Mexicans living in the United States return to their country for the holidays. All the country’s popular retreats and tourist attractions during this period are deluged with people. Hotels remain fully booked at high season tariffs while airports, bus stations, and the interstate highways around the principal locations are perpetually busy. It’s also the most expensive time of year to vacation in Mexico. Mexico City, on the contrary, wears a deserted look during the Easter week as people go on vacations. The metropolis takes a break from the hustle and bustle of twenty-two million people going about their daily routine. Buses leaving the city at the start of the holiday and returning to the city at the

end of the holiday travel at full seat capacity. With fewer cars on the road, distances that normally take two hours to cover are completed in thirty minutes flat. I spent three whole days working on the computer in the library of the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara A.C. (UAG), Mexico’s oldest private university and also the first of its kind.

The vast campus is an amazing place for students. The UAG soccer team, Los

Estudiantes (previously named Tecos) is one of the three clubs representing the city of Guadalajara. Their home stadium, the Estadio 3 de Marzo is located inside the University campus. The library had a large three-dimensional map of Mexico which gave me an idea of the topography of the states which I planned to visit, that is, Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz. I wanted to visit the state of Puebla too which was conveniently located between Veracruz and Mexico City but this would have extended my three week trip right into the Easter holidays, which I was trying to avoid. So I postponed the trip to Puebla and Acapulco. The University campus was a great place for me and helped me in many ways. I had lunch in the sprawling canteen and took printouts at the campus stationery store for information downloaded from the internet. Along with the downloaded information, I got some tourist pamphlets and brochures which helped me with the planning. Finally, I made the bookings at a travel agency in my neighbourhood. The owners were a warm couple, Maria and her Portuguese husband Paulo, with whom I bonded very well. My itinerary was well planned. I was going to begin the trip by flying to the world-famous beach resort of Cancun and from there I was going to travel through the

seven states and back to Guadalajara by bus. I had selected accommodations at some of the good, centrally located hotels for all the destinations. For my convenience, Maria had provided me with all the information on the buses operating on my travel route along with the bus timings and journey duration. Only six and a half months had passed since my arrival in the country but I already knew more about the country than the average Mexican. I knew that I had plenty in store for me ahead on my three-week journey through territories yet unknown to me and I was eagerly looking forward to discovering each and every detail of the places on my itinerary. The evening before my departure, I booked a taxi from the neighbourhood taxi sitio (official taxi stand) for the following morning. I felt very content and slept soundly. At 5:30 am the next morning, I started out on my trip while half the city slept. The adventures of the lone ranger through southern Mexico were about to begin!

La Plaza de la Constituci贸n or Z贸calo, the Main Square of Mexico City, with a tall flagpole in the centre. The enormous Mexican flag is ceremoniously raised and lowered each day and carried into the nearby Palacio Nacional (National Palace). Taken through my cell phone camera, this was the first photo that I clicked in Mexico on the day following my arrival in the country.

El Palacio Nacional, Mexico City

Way to the Metro station in the Z贸calo of Mexico City

La Catedral Metropolitana of Mexico City, the largest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere

Torre Mayor in Mexico City, the country’s La Torre Latinoamericana in Mexico City tallest building Photo credit: © CPTM: Foto / Ricardo Espinosa-reo

In front of the Monument to Benito Juárez in Alameda Park, Mexico City

El ﾃ］gel de la Independencia, Mexico City

The Mexican Stock Exchange, Mexico City

The Aztec Calendar Stone or the Stone of the Sun (left) in the National Musuem of Anthropology, Mexico City. A scenic view (right) from the Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City

MAP OF THE TRIP (Map Not To Scale)

YUCATAN *Map Not To Scale

CHAPTER EIGHT

DAY 6 – CHICHEN ITZA & MERIDA

My day began early at 5:30 am. There was nobody around when I proceeded to the breakfast area, where a continental breakfast awaited me on a long table. A large basket laden with assorted bizcochos (variants of croissants and cookies) was placed in the centre of the table. I prepared a cup of coffee and skipping the bread basket, chose a few bread slices for the toaster. In a bowl, there were some boiled eggs but I longed for Huevos a la Mexicana, the Mexicanstyle scrambled eggs with tomato, onion and green chile. My very light breakfast consisted of orange juice, toasted bread with jam and butter and, some coffee. I was very eager and well prepared to climb the umpteen steep steps to the top of the tall Maya pyramid at Chichén Itzá. The tour guide arrived at 7:30 am. He was very surprised when he saw me. Either he expected a man or he didn’t expect a single young woman! He escorted me to the tour van. Luckily, I was the first guest onboard so I took the front seat, next to the tour guide who was also the chauffeur.

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The van went from one hotel to another, picking up the other guests booked on the tour. My co-passengers included a middle-aged Mexican woman, five members of an American family, an old couple from Argentina, and a middle-aged Japanese woman. Manuel, the tour guide cum chauffeur, was an amiable guy, well read and with wide knowledge of the historical, geographical and archaeological importance of the Yucatán State, all of which he shared with us during the trip. There is a funny story as to how Yucatán got its name. According to the first letter written by the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortés to the King of Spain, ‘Yucatán’ represents a misnaming of the land by his political antagonist Diego Velazquez. Cortes alleged that when Velazquez initially landed in the Yucatán and asked about the name of the well-populated land, the indigenous people answered, ‘We don't understand your language.’ This was rendered as Yucatán by the Spaniards, who were not used to the phonetics of the Maya. The first expedition authorized by the Spanish crown to conquer and colonize Yucatán landed in 1527, led by Francisco de Montejo. While the chiefs of some states quickly pledged allegiance to the Spanish crown, others waged war. Montejo was forced to retreat from Yucatán in 1528. He came back with a large force in 1531 and briefly established a capital at Chichén Itzá. But he was again driven from the land in 1535. He turned over his rights to his son, also named Francisco, who invaded Yucatán with a large force in 1540. On 6th January, 1542, the younger Montejo set up his capital in the Maya city of T’ho, situated on what is now the Zócalo, which he renamed as Mérida. T’ho had been a centre of Maya culture and activity for centuries.

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Because of this, many historians regard Mérida as the oldest continually-occupied city in the Americas. It was one of the four main Spanish towns, along with Valladolid, Campeche and Bacalar, on the Yucatán Peninsula. After the conquest, priests and monks soon set forth to bring the population into the fold of the Roman Catholic Church. The first Bishop of Yucatán, Diego de Landa, burned alive many of the Maya and destroyed all their ancient scriptures saying ‘they contained nothing but the lies of the devil.’ He suppressed any remnants of pagan beliefs with such vigour that he was for a time recalled to Spain to answer charges of improper harshness. Due to its geographical location, Yucatán has traditionally been isolated from the rest of the country. Until the mid 20th century, most of the contact with the outside world was by sea. Trade with the USA and Cuba, as well as Europe and other Caribbean islands, was more significant than that with the rest of Mexico. In the 1950s, the Yucatán was linked to the rest of Mexico by railway, followed by highway in the 1960s, ending the region's comparative isolation. Being enclosed by the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and with poor land communication with the rest of Mexico, Yucatecan Spanish has preserved many words that are no longer used in many other Spanish speaking areas of the world. The Spanish spoken here is heavily influenced by the Yucatec Maya language, which is still spoken by a third of the population of the State, although mostly in smaller towns and villages. The Maya language is harshly melodic, filled with ‘x’ sounds (‘x’ is pronounced ‘sh’ in the Maya language) and very full throated vowels. Even if fewer younger Yucatecans are fluent in the Maya dialect today, it is still the second language of the State. Also unique among Yucatecan speakers is the heavy use of

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diminutive language that shows affection towards even mundane objects. However, with the improvement in transportation and especially with the overwhelming presence of radio and TV, their isolation has been eroded, and many outside elements are now slowly but consistently permeating the local culture and language. The northern and central area of the Yucatán Peninsula is a porous limestone shelf devoid of surface rivers. Instead there are subterranean rivers, sinkholes, and caverns which were formed over the passage of millions of years when water dissolved the porous limestone. The natural treasures of Yucatán, these water-filled limestone sink holes called ‘cenotes’ were very sacred to the Maya. Their cities were usually located next to the cenotes. Magical, enigmatic and unique in the world the cenotes were the only resources for fresh, sweet water. There are four different types of cenotes – those that are completely underground, those that are semiunderground, those that are at land level like a lake or pond, and those that are open wells. There are over 3000 cenotes, but only about 1400 of them have been actually studied and registered. Some are well-kept secrets while others are promoted for tourism. Besides the crystal-clear turquoise waters, the stunning stalactites and stalagmites inside these million-year old cenotes attract many visitors from all over the world. The Maya considered the caves, caverns, and cenotes as entrances to the underworld. The Xcalah cenote at the Mayan site of Dzibalchatún, the massive Zací cenote at Valladolid and the Ik Kil cenote near the ruins of Chichén Itzá are few of the most beautiful cenotes. Other cenotes are hidden from view within underground caves like the breathtakingly beautiful Dzitnup cenote which is a short drive from Valladolid. Among the

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caves the most famous are the Grutas de Balankanché (Balankanche Caverns) and the Loltún Caves. Lost in the interesting details, we didn’t realize how soon the time had passed. The distance between Mérida and Chichén Itzá is about 120 km and now we were almost nearing our destination. We made a brief stop at a hacienda in the small town of Pisté. Inside its souvenir shop, I had my first taste of the ancient Maya mouth freshener, chicle (rhyming with ‘tickle’ which the Spaniards pronounced as ‘cheek-lay’). It is made from the gum of the ‘chicozapote’ (sapodilla) tree whose delicious fruit is called zapote in Mexico and – ‘chikoo’ or ‘sapota’ in India! This gum ‘chicle’ was used to develop the first modern chewing gum in the US in the 1860s, before chemicals took over. Soon, we were back in the van. The road was excellent. Manuel was driving at breakneck speed which was thrilling for me but not for the others. Finally, we reached Chichén Itzá.

Chichén Itzá Chichén Itzá, declared as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in July 2007, is rated amongst the most important archaeological sites of the Maya Civilization and covers an area of approximately six square miles where hundreds of buildings once stood.

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Chichén Itzá in Maya language means ‘the mouth of the well of the Itzá’. The place was first occupied as early as in the fifth century AD but was apparently abandoned thereafter. During the flourishing phase of the Classic Period (600AD – 800AD), arts and sciences gained prominence here. It was also at this time that Chichén Itzá became a religious centre of increasing importance; this can be seen from the buildings constructed during this time: the Red House, the House of the Deer, the Nunnery and its Annex, the Church, the Akab Dzib (‘Temple of Obscure Writing’), the Temple of the Three Lintels and the House of Phalli. Toward the end of the Classic Period, the foundations of this magnificent civilization weakened, and the Maya abandoned their religion centres and the surrounding rural land. In the 10th century, the city came under the rule of the Itzá, a migrant Maya tribe from the Petén rain-forest around Tikal in Guatemala. Some experts claim that they may have been a mix of highland Toltec and lowland Putún Maya, a tribe thriving on trade between the different regions of the area. Around 1000 AD, the Itzá allied themselves with two powerful tribes, Xiu of Uxmal and Cocom of Mayapan, both claiming to be descendants of the Toltec. This alliance was favourable to the Itzá for about two centuries. As the political base of Chichén Itzá expanded, even more spectacular buildings were added to the city: the Observatory, the Pyramid of Kukulkán, and the Temple of the Warriors, the Ball Court, and the Group of the Thousand Columns. Some time between 1194 and 1204 AD, Mayapan broke the alliance. In 1250 AD, it conquered Chichén Itzá and drove away the Itzá, who fled to Guatemala where they kept their traditions alive in their kingdom on the Lake Peten Itzá (the last independent Maya city) before finally surrendering to

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the Spaniards in 1697. Chichén Itzá was gradually abandoned and remained only partially inhabited until shortly before the Spanish invasion. In the mid-16th century, Francisco de Montejo used the site as his headquarters in his attempt to conquer the Yucatán Peninsula. Again it was dormant until the late 19th century, when few excavations began. The structures of Chichén Itzá were overgrown with jungle and slowly decayed reducing to mounds till major archaeological excavations began in the 1920s. Archaeologists have thoroughly excavated about thirty of the several hundred buildings, which are now open to the public. The remaining structures, resembling mounds are yet to be explored. The ruins are divided into two groups. One group belongs to the 7th and 10th century AD, the Classic Maya era when the city became a prominent ceremonial centre. This ‘old’ southern zone consists of purely Maya buildings with Puuc architecture. The other group corresponds to the Maya-Toltec Period, from the late 10th century to the early 13th century AD. Most of the outstanding and well-known ruins which show distinct Toltec influence fall in this northern zone. The Toltec-Maya architecture combines Puuc construction methods with designs of Toltec or Central Mexican origin. Toltec elements at Chichén Itzá include stepped-pyramid temples, long colonnades, low detached platforms faced with carved panels, doorways formed by twin descending feathered serpent columns, altars with figures, carved skulls and crossbones, marching felines, canines and raptorial birds devouring human hearts, and warriors in typical

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Toltec garb.

Exploring Chichén Itzá Numerous tour buses filled the parking area of the archaeological site at Chichén Itzá and the place was bustling with tourist activity. ‘This is a daily scene,’ laughed Manuel, ‘Tour buses bring hundreds of tourists here every day from Cancún.’ We remained close together in a group, not wanting to get lost in the sea of humanity flooding the place. At the entrance, there was a large visitors’ centre with a museum, restaurant, bookstore and restrooms. There was no time to have a look at the site museum. Manuel checked whether the identity bracelets were on our wrists – these were, after all, our entrance tickets to the archaeological zone. We had the choice of the Spanish guided tour or the English one. I was not quite sure whether I could understand the history and the importance of the site very well in Spanish, so I opted for the guided tour in English along with the American family. Our tour guide began with a brief history of the place. After listening to his heavily-accented English for five minutes, I realized that my Spanish was most definitely better than his English. So, I looked around for Manuel who was leading the tour in Spanish. It was not an easy task to locate him in the vast

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area teeming with hundreds of people. But with the help of some people who knew Manuel, I found him below a tree with his group, explaining the finer aspects of the site. I was totally disappointed when Manuel told us that visitors are no longer allowed to climb the Pyramid of Kukulkán also known as El Castillo meaning ‘The Castle’ in Spanish. This world-famous structure and many other structures on the site are now roped-off. Manuel told us that apart from safety, the major reason for this was to protect the monuments from vandalism as many people used to carve their initials and scribble graffiti all over the heritage structures. The Pyramid stood right across the main entrance in the centre of the vast open court. Dedicated to the Feathered Serpent God Kukulkán, it is composed of two structures superimposed on one another, with the later larger pyramid built over an earlier original structure that is dated before 900 AD. The newer pyramid is about 55 metres (180 feet) on each side and has nine stepped terraces rising up to 24 metres (78 feet) with a small temple on the top. Archaeologists believe that the nine tiers symbolize the ‘Region of the Dead’ to the ancient Maya. The architecture of El Castillo is full of symbolism, particularly with reference to the important Maya calendar. The four stairways leading up to the central platform each have 91 steps, making a total of 364; if the central platform is added to this, it equals the 365 days of the solar year. On either side of each stairway are nine terraces, totalling 18 on each face of the pyramid, which is equal to the number of months in the Maya solar calendar. On the face of the terraces there are 52 panels, representing the 52-year cycle when both the solar and religious

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calendars become realigned. The base of the northern staircase is made up of two colossal carved heads of feathered serpents which are aligned so that a special effect occurs on the Spring and Fall equinox. On those days, 20th / 21st March and 22nd / 23rd September at about 3 pm, the sunlight creates a series of seven isosceles triangles of light and shade on the ramp of the northern staircase â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this creates the impression of the body of a slithering serpent 37 yards long that creeps downwards until it joins the huge serpent's head carved in stone at the bottom of the stairway. This symbolizes the descent to earth of the Feathered Serpent KukulkĂĄn, and also the beginning or end of the agricultural cycle, according to the Equinox (Spring or Autumn). El Castillo testifies to the supremacy of the Maya as builders and mathematicians. Inside this grand structure, there is another temple, a red throne or altar in the shape of a jaguar intact with jade spots and inlaid eyes; it also once housed a sculpture of Chac Mool, a male figure in its typical half-reclining position, with its knees drawn up together and head turned up to one side with a vessel held between his hands over the stomach. This has now been moved to the Museo de la Antropologia, the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. Chac Mools are found in and around temples in Toltec and other Post-Classic central Mexican sites as well as in the PostClassic Maya civilization with heavy Toltec influence. Chac Mool is not to be confused with Chac, the Rain God whose masks are featured on the temple on the top of the Pyramid. The entrance to the inner temple is through a small door on the northern side which is now closed to public.

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Hundreds of cameras flashed at the pyramid, each taking dozens of photos from different angles. The heat was getting more oppressive. It was very tiring to walk around under the punishing midday sun without a sombrero. Fortunately, Manuel would always lead us to the shade of a tree near each structure to give us the historical details. After that he would give us about 15 minutes to explore the place and take photos. We turned towards the Ball Court which is the largest and best-preserved Mesoamerican ballgame court in the Maya world. It measures 545 feet long and 225 feet wide. The walls on both sides are carved with scenes depicting Maya figures dressed as ball players and decked out in heavy protective padding. There are plenty of carvings showing the violent end of the game, which included human sacrifice. One shows a player holding the severed head of a captive. The stump of his neck spouts serpents – symbols of the spiritual life force contained in blood – which transform into water lilies, showing how the sacrifice opens the way to the spirit world. Yet, it is not clear whether it was the losing or the winning team that had to join the gods after the end of the game. The ball game called pok-ta-pok in Maya language, tlachtli in Nahuatl, and juego de pelota in Spanish, played an important ceremonial role in Maya society. There are thirteen ball courts throughout the site. Apparently, only the most skilled players were allowed to play at this important religious centre. I imagined myself throwing a rubber ball weighing 4 kg using my forearms or hips through the hoop which was high above and realized how difficult it was! The Ball Court is another example of the Maya’s highly evolved building skills. The

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acoustics of the ball court are so good that you can hear someone talking in a normal voice from one end of the 168 metre long court to the other. The number seven was very sacred to the Maya. There were seven players in each team, the rings were seven metres high and if you clapped your hands or shouted on the court, the sound would echo exactly seven times! The carvings on the stone walls depict seven serpents emerging from the neck of the beheaded team captain. The true mystery behind the ball court at Chichén Itzá is the Maya prophecy that on 21st December, 2012, the Feathered Serpent Kukulkán will rise from the ground beneath the playing field and end the world for good. There is a temple at each end of the Ball Court. The North Temple has carved pillars, sculptures, as well as some murals which are now in bad condition. Near the south-eastern corner of the Ball Court is the Temple of the Jaguars, a small temple with serpent columns and carved panels depicting warriors and jaguars. We walked towards a low platform called Tzompantli (‘Wall of Skulls’). The word ‘Tzompantli’ comes from central Mexico. Its meaning is related to the rows of skulls carved into the stone platform, which represent the heads of sacrificial victims. When the victim's head was cut off, it was impaled on a pole and displayed on racks erected to display the severed heads and skulls of human beings that had been sacrificed. Here, Manuel explained the finer details of the general administration of the Maya civilization. He described how the age of the Mayas could be determined on the basis of the dental decorations on their front teeth; he talked about the Maya human sacrificial rituals, along

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with photographic evidence of some paintings. The details were horrible, especially the part where the beating heart of the victim is yanked out by a specially appointed priest! According to Manuel, it was not clear whether the priest yanked out the heart or the liver. This savagery reminded me of the cruel Viking custom called ‘the blood red eagle’ meted out to their enemies in which the ribs of the victim were cut out and the lungs pulled out and spread over the body! Next to the Temple of the Skulls, lies a small ‘Platform of the Eagles’ which has relief panels showing eagles and jaguars clutching human hearts in their talons and claws, as well as a human head emerging from the mouth of a serpent. East of El Castillo is one of the most impressive structures at Chichén Itzá: the Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors), named so because of the carvings of warriors in bas-relief. It is famous for the statue of Chac Mool found in front of the entrance at the top of the temple. Rows of columns continue in the adjacent structure of the Thousand Columns which is thought to have served as a market area. Beyond the temple and the market in the jungle, are mounds of rubble, parts of which are being reconstructed. One of the structures on the site dedicated to Venus is the Platform of Venus. In Maya and Toltec mythology, a feathered monster or a feathered serpent with a human head in its mouth, represented Venus. This structure is also called the Tomb of Chac Mool because of a Chac Mool figure discovered ‘buried’ within the structure. From the Platform of Venus, an ancient sacbé, or ceremonial causeway heads north to the Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Cenote). This open well measuring 60 metres in diameter, was used for

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ceremonial purposes. In order to obtain rain, sacrificial victims were hurled into this deep natural well together with copper, gold, and jade offerings. Bones of both children and adults were found in the well, along with a fortune in gold and jade. These were dredged out by Edward Thompson, the American consul in Mérida and a Harvard professor, who purchased a hacienda which included Chichén Itzá, for just US $75 early in the 20th century. A lot of gold and other artefacts were recovered from this cenote when the dredging work began in 1904. This cenote was reserved for rituals involving human sacrifice for invoking Chac, the rain-god. The victims were not only young women, but also children and elderly men and women. Manuel gave us the liberty to decide whether to follow him to El Caracol (the Observatory) or to proceed on our own to the Sacred Cenote. I thought it would be better to have a guided tour of the Observatory and rest of the group too followed suit. The Observatory is part of the buildings in the Southern Section. On the way we passed several buildings, some of them unexcavated. The buildings in this section are mostly Puuc style, with carved facades of animals and flowers. We trudged past the numerous stalls run by Maya families selling souvenirs crafted from stone, obsidian and wood – Chac Mools, Maya calendars, masks, pyramids, jaguars, pots, key chains as well as brightly coloured striped Mexican rugs, shawls, garments, belts and bags. I decided to purchase a small obsidian Chac Mool on the way back. On the way to the Observatory, Manuel confessed that it was not possible to cover all the structures on the site in half a day. We passed by the enormous Edificio de las Monjas (Nunnery)

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constructed in Puuc style. Some archaeologists believe that the Nunnery, with its many rooms, was actually a palace for royalty but for the conquistadors, it resembled a European convent and so it got its name. Also near the Nunnery lies Akab Dzib which is believed to be the oldest building in Chichén Itzá. Above a door in one of the rooms are some Maya glyphs, which gave the temple its name (the writings have yet to be deciphered), while in the other rooms, traces of red handprints are still visible. The Observatory or El Caracol which means ‘conch’ in Spanish, is so named because of its interior winding staircase leading up to the top. The 10th century Observatory is quite unique in Maya architecture and one of the most important buildings on the site. Through slits in the tower's walls, Maya astronomers could observe the cardinal directions and the approach of the all-important Spring and Autumn equinoxes, as well as the Summer solstice. Visitors may climb this structure which gives a fabulous view of the site below. After taking a look around the Observatory, I checked out the crafts at the various stalls and purchased a small Pyramid of Kukulkán, a Chac Mool made of stone and a small painted mask magnet. At another stall, I bargained and got six key chains of obsidian Maya heads for 100 pesos – I was happy because she sold five of them at the same price to an Argentinean man! I was so immersed in window shopping that I completely lost track of the time. When I checked my watch I realized that I was ten minutes late. I hurried towards the entrance and saw Manuel waiting patiently at the gate. The rest of the group was seated in the van. Still, Manuel

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was not angry. He was pretty impressed by me. As he told someone in the van later, ‘She’s very brave and courageous, so I waited for her – otherwise I don’t wait for late-comers.’

Return to Mérida We stopped for lunch at the hacienda where we had briefly halted in the morning. It was a buffet service with a wide variety of traditional Yucatecan dishes like the cochinita pibil – suckling pig dressed with a marinade of mild achiote paste (made with the ground seed of the annatto plant, garlic, peppercorns, oregano and cumin), onions, tomatoes, sour orange juice, and salt, and then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a pib, basically a pit in the ground – and Poc Chuc, a Yucatecan Maya version of barbecued pork with tender slices of pork marinated in sour orange juice, served with a tangy sauce and pickled onions. At the table, there was an enthusiastic discussion on the different places visited or yet to be visited, as each one related his or her experiences. Travellers normally keep Mérida as their base to explore the surrounding tourist areas – villages and colonial towns, Maya archaeological zones, haciendas, beaches, etc. Those who had visited Uxmal were unanimous in recommending this archaeological site for its exquisite Puuc architecture. Some had been to the colonial towns of Valladolid, Mani and Izamal which were built over the ruins of Maya cities. Izamal is also known as ‘The city of three cultures’ referring to the

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presence of Maya, Spanish & Mestiza (Hispanic culture formed from a mixture of Maya and Spanish cultures) cultures in the city. Mani is known throughout Mexico as the site of the infamous auto de fé of 1562 (the public torture and the burning at the stake of people for heresy) of 1562 which witnessed the burning of valuable Maya codices and manuscripts by the monk Diego de Landa. 'In Izamal there is an old Franciscan convent which was built in 1623 over one of the destroyed Maya pyramids. It is famous for the monk Fray Diego de Landa, its founder, who burned all the Indian scripts, and then, feeling remorse for what he had done, tried to rewrite all he could remember of the ways of the Mayas,’ explained one of the gentlemen. ‘After the conquest of the city by the Spaniards, the monks in their eagerness to convert the Maya to Catholicism gave the city its religious distinction,’ someone added. ‘Has anyone been to the Biosphere Reserve of Celestun yet?’ inquired a middle-aged lady seated alongside her husband. This natural habitat of the pink flamingos is the only flamingo settlement known in North America. Apart from this, it is home to over 70 bird species and a variety of reptiles and fishes. Many had taken a Puuc route tour, while others had been to places like the archaeological zones of Ek Balám, Dzibilchaltún, Xcambo and Mayapán; and the beach of Progreso. The conversation gradually receded as all attention was diverted towards the folklórico dance called Suerte de la Vaquerias performed by nimble dancers balancing bottles and later, a fully loaded serving tray, on their heads. The men were dressed in white with red kerchieves and white

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panama hats, while the women were dressed in huipil, a traditional Maya blouse. After lunch, Manuel took us to the nearby Ik Kil Eco-archaeological Park to see a beautiful cenote where one could swim. On the journey back to Mérida, I voiced my disappointment at not being able to visit Uxmal. ‘I have time just for the city tour tomorrow morning because I am leaving for Campeche at noon.’ To my joy, Manuel found the perfect solution for me! ‘You can take the city tour today when we return, and then, tomorrow morning you can leave for Uxmal along with your luggage. The tour guide will place your luggage in the vehicle and drop you off at the bus terminal on the way back,’ he said. There were two city tour buses, I was told, a red double-decker Turibus and a Carnavalito bus. ‘Take the Carnavalito bus. It’s a better option,’ someone said from behind. Manuel dropped me at the travel agency to make the booking for the Uxmal and the Carnavalito city tour. He had a word with the person at the booking desk requesting him to guide me to the Santa Lucia Park from where the Carnavalito bus departed for the tour. I thanked Manuel and had a quick exchange of goodbyes with everyone before the van left. A feeling of contentment overcame me. Everything was working well! After making the booking, I was escorted to the Santa Lucia Park where the bus was parked. To my surprise, there were just three tourists in the bus. The tour guide, a young girl,

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boarded the bus and began with the city introduction.

Discovering Mérida The bus passed through the colonial Centro Histórico which is the largest in the Americas after Mexico City and Havana in Cuba. Till the mid 19th century, Mérida was a walled city intended to protect the gachupines (those born in Spain but living in Mexico) and criollo (creoles, born in Mexico of Spanish blood) residents from periodic revolts by the indigenous Maya. Several of the old Spanish city gates have survived till today. The cathedral, situated on the east side of the Plaza Mayor (Main Plaza), is only one of Mérida's many interesting buildings. It is the oldest cathedral built over the foundations of a Maya temple. Directly across the Plaza is the Palacio Municipal, the city town hall. In the city’s history, there were three Spanish conquistadors – Francisco de Montejo ‘El Adelantado’ (father), Francisco de Montejo y León ‘El Mozo’ (son), and Francisco de Montejo ‘El sobrino’ (nephew). On the southern side lies the Casa de Montejo, the home of Francisco de Montejo y León ‘El Mozo’ (son) which was built in 1542. Today, the building is occupied by Banamex Bank. To the north of the Plaza lies the Palacio de Gobierno (Governor’s Palace) which houses murals by Fernando Castro Pacheco illustrating the somewhat violent history of Yucatán. Although, Mérida is called ‘the white city’, the exact reason is unknown. Perhaps because

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of its white-washed old buildings (though today the buildings are not all white!) or the fact that the residents keep the city particularly clean or that it was named after the Spanish town of the same name. Thanks to its tranquillity and cleanliness, this city of around one million inhabitants has become a popular place for families from the other states. It has the lowest crime rate per capita in the country. My hotel, like most of the other buildings around, did not have any security staff or system. Anybody could just walk in through the doorway. Yet, it was very safe. One of the major influences on Yucatán history is the henequen plant, also known as ‘sisal’ (named after the Yucatecan city of Sisal from where the shipments left the continent). Henequen, a variety of the agave cactus, became known as verde oro (green gold) for the wealth it lavished upon the haciendados or hacienda owners who produced rope from this plant which was exported for the booming shipping industry. In the early 20th century, as a result of the henequen or sisal trade, Mérida became home to numerous millionaires who built their lavish homes along the elegant main avenue, Paseo de Montejo, and constructed impressive haciendas throughout the jungle surrounding Mérida. It is said that at one point of time, Mérida had more millionaires than any other city in the world. The result of the concentration of wealth can still be seen today in Mérida. Many large and elaborate homes and mansions still line the main avenue and the city streets, though few are occupied today by individual families. Many serve as office buildings for banks and insurance companies. Our tour guide pointed out three mansions with different architectural styles located close to each other on a stretch of the Paseo de Montejo – French, Arabic (Lebanese) and Mexican.

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They all looked beautiful! When the bus halted near a park, I took the opportunity to get down and buy a cup of esquites (made of corn, mayonnaise, cheese and chile) from a street vendor. ‘Extra chile, please.’ ‘It is very spicy, señorita,’ said the vendor, looking worried. I grinned. How was she to know that I was accustomed to eating spicy food, being an Indian! After the end of the tour, I spent some time at the Plaza Mayor. Mérida celebrates an intense cultural life 365 days of the year. It is one of the music capitals of Mexico, with performances every night in the squares. The Centro hosts cultural events including performances of the traditional Trova, Jarana, Son, and Bolero. The week’s events include art, music, dance, cultural presentations, etc. which are publicized in advance. On Sundays, the streets are closed off to traffic to provide space for live music, outdoor handicraft markets, street stalls and public dances like the traditional Vaqueria. I did a lot of window shopping at the shops lining the streets and at Casa de Artesanias, the souvenir store. The exquisite huipil and terno Maya embroidery is famous throughout the world. Colourful flowers are the main motif of this native craft practiced by women since the Pre-Hispanic times. Mérida is the best place to buy Yucatecan arts & crafts, particularly, Panama hats and hammocks. The city markets offer some of Mexico’s best panama hats (hand-woven from jipi palm fibres in the underground caverns of the town of Bécal, which lies between Mérida and Campeche) and world-famous hammocks. Most of the hammocks sold in the country are manufactured in Yucatán. The hammock is an essential part of all homes – from the rural

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thatched-roof cottages to the modern city mansions. Weaving hammocks is part of the daily chores of thousands of families throughout the state and the most common traditional craft. Many claim that the hammock came from the Caribbean islands, whereas others state that it came from Asia, and was brought here by the Spaniards. I wandered around for a while before stopping for a quick bite. The popular local food includes papadzule, rolled up tortilla stuffed with chopped hard-boiled egg and covered with green pipian salsa (made using pumpkin seeds) and tomato salsa; panuchos, fried tortillas filled with black beans, and topped with turkey or chicken, lettuce, avocado and pickled onions; and salbutes, soft-cooked tortillas topped by lettuce, tomato, turkey and avocado. After tucking into the local fare, I regained the energy to walk around for some more time. I had read somewhere about the popular local shirt, guayabera. This short or long sleeved shirt has four large pockets, two sets of either pin tucks or embroidery patterns in front, and three sets of pin tucks or embroidery in the back, all running from shoulder yokes to hem. Apparently, at the end of 1800s, the Yucatecan upper class used to wear guayaberas, which they bought on their frequent trips to Cuba. Later, when Fidel Castro assumed control during the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;60s, this was no longer possible. But recognizing the local market demand, a group of Yucatecan entrepreneurs, decided to manufacture guayaberas in MĂŠrida and so the city became the centre of the guayabera industry. Since, YucatĂĄn is much too hot and humid for traditional menswear, the guayabera was the perfect alternative, fitting a certain lifestyle and image while providing a degree of comfort in the oppressive heat.

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Curious to have a look and know more about it, I entered a shop which had a wide variety of guayaberas on display in its window showcase. The salesmen very eagerly showed me the different styles. Thanking them for their efforts, I left the shop. Walking through so many streets and alleys, I often found it difficult to retrace the way back. But, asking for directions whenever I felt lost, I reached my hotel by 10:30 pm, which by all standards, was quite early in MĂŠrida where the music and festivities extend way past midnight.

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GLOSSARY OF SPANISH WORDS A A sus ordenes: At your service Achiote: The seed of annatto tree commonly used for making achiote paste, a seasoning mixture from the Yucatán region Acueducto: Aqueduct Adobo: Spicy marinade Aduana: Customs Agave: A succulent plant from which drinks like tequila and mezcal are produced Aguacate: Avocado Aguamiel: ‘Honey water’ extracted from the bulbs of the agave plant Agua de Jamaica: A popular refreshing drink made from the dried calyces of the hibiscus flower Aguas frescas: ‘Fresh water,’ healthy non-carbonated drinks of fresh fruit water Ahorita: Now Al mojo de ajo: In garlic sauce Alebrijes: Brightly painted wood carvings of animals, plants and mythological creatures Alfeñiques: Small sugar candy skulls Alegrias: ‘Happy,’ traditional sweets made from amaranth grain Amarillo: Yellow Antojitos: Traditional corn dough-based appetizers or snacks Añil: Indigo plant Aqui, por favour: Here, please Arbol de Navidad: Christmas tree Arroz: Rice Asada: Steak strips Ate: A fruit paste sweet Avenida: Avenue Ayuntamiento: City or Municipal Council

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GLOSSARY OF MEXICAN SPANISH PRONUNCIATIONS A A la Veracruzana: ah lah veh-rah-crooh-sah-nah A sus ordenes: ah soohs ohr-deh-nehs Achiote: ah-chee-oh-teh Acueducto: ah-kweh-doohk-toh Adobo: ah-doh-boh Aduana: ah-dwah-nah Agarrar: ah-gah-rrahr Agave: ah-gah-veh Agua de Jamaica: ah-gwah deh ha-mai-kah Aguas frescas: ah-gwahs frehs-kahs Aguacate: ah-gwah-kah-teh Aguamiel: ah-gwah-myel Aguascalientes: ah-gwahs-kah-lyen-tehs Ahorita: ah-oh-reeh-tah Ajijic: ah-hee-heek Al mojo de ajo: ahl moh-hoh deh ah-hoh Alebrije: ah-leh-breeh-heh Alegrias: ah-leh-greeh-yahs Alfajores: ahl-fah-hoh-rehs Alfeñiques: ahl-feh-nyeeh-kehs Amarillo: ah-mah-reeh-yoh Anáhuac: ah-nah-hwahk Angel: ahn-hehl Animalito: ah-neeh-mah-leeh-toh Antojitos: ahn-toh-heeh-tohs Antropología: ahn-troh-poh-loh-hee-ah Añil: ah-nyeel

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