Turning 21... Mexican Style!

This year my birthday fell on a Monday meaning that I had the whole weekend for pre-birthday celebrations. On Friday night, Ale came down and we went out for Karaoke with a few friends and his cousins. 

Although only one person gets the mike, everyone sang along with them in solidarity!

Which meant I felt very foreign when didn’t know the words to a single Mexican ballad.

The first thing that hits you on entering the cantabar is the stench of tequila.Which might explain why no one seemed self-conscious about their singing (except me!) 

But I knew that I’d have to sing something eventually. After an agonizing hour and a half waiting, furtively sipping my tequila and tonic water and hoping they would forget about me, they processed my song request (in English). With the help of a friend, Nadya, I just about made it to the end of Bruno Mars’ Lazy Song without dying of shame.

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Saturday brought us to a Playa Tamarindo which is beach themed and had yardas instead of glasses.

There were beach bums coming out of the ceiling (papier mache bums not real ones ofc), as well as sharks, parrots, pirates and the like.

Not quite believing how sweet/large my cocktail was

Ale and Edu

Everyone is frisked at the entrance and bags are checked. At first  found this a bit strange but after hearing some horror stories about fights between rival universities, it seems like a reasonable precaution to take.

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Sunday night and my boyfriend took me out to dinner.

It makes me feel a little nauseous to look at the pictures now (I’ve got an upset stomach) but my chiles en nogada were a delicious combination of nutty, sweet flavours complimented by spicy meat.

Ale ordered mole which is a typical poblano dish.

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On Monday, my birthday, the chiles en nogada bit back. I forfeited my birthday lunch for a stomach injection to ease the pain.

Given the course of events, I postponed cutting the cake until later.

After everyone sang happy birthday, Carro shoved my head into the cake.

Because that’s traditional in Mexico, so they say. 

What a Lot of Puppies

Ale claims his hometown is an eyesore but looking out onto the city at night was a different story. This photo doesn't do justice to the view so you'll just have to imagine the rest.

Alex’s house in itself seems exotic to me. As I walk in, I am greeted by a chorus of birds and parrots that have the uncanny ability to talk like his Mother (so confusing!!)

His family give me a warm welcome and I am introduced to Mafalda, a St Bernard who Ale affectionately calls ‘mi gorda’!

Mafalada, posing for the camera

His house is full of animals and the puppies are adorbs.

Puppy!!

Lunch was a feast of frijoles charros with tortillas, salsas and carne asada.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, halfway through the meal, a band of mariachis came in and started belting out the traditional Mexican love songs and various members of the extended family battled to name the next song to be played.

For those of you who are unacquainted with mariachi music, here’s a link from youtube which shows the kind of songs they perform. The quality isn't great, but you get the gist.

Another noteworthy (geddit) Mexican musical experience is seeing marimberos.  I saw quite a few marimberos busking in Chiapas. As far as I can see, the marimba just a glorified xylophone but whatever, it still sounds cool!

(Yes I know the video is from Guetemala. But just imagine it’s Mexican.)

Here’s a picture of some musicians I saw in San Critstobal aka San Cris. (Sorry for no video but let's face it, the youtube version in better)

San Cristobal is a beautiful marketplace which is busy enough to be lively but tranquil enough to want to linger there. Ale’s Mum helped me choose then payed for an indigenous-style top, which comes with a belt to make it look smarter. Putting the belt on is not as simple as it looks because you have to cross over the strings several times before you can tie the knot. Here’s me getting a lesson on how to get dressed from the kind lady who sold it to me.

Hmm, I don't think that's right...

And voila! Me, the indigenous top and my correctly adjusted belt.

The rest of the pictures from San Cristobal speak for themselves.

Church and Bougainvillea

Balloons

Piggy-back ride using a rebozo!

Church, Ale, moi

Contrasting colours: yellow Church against a blue sky

Balancing act: delivering a delicious fruit fix to customers at San Cristobal market

Finally, a bird that doesn't wake me up in the morning!

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The next day, me and Ale went on a 9hr road trip back to Puebla.

I kept awake the whole time...

Not.

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A Walk on the Wild Side

Mexico has the greatest biodiversity in the world for reptiles, the second greatest for amphibians and fourth greatest for mammals. However, environmental problems like hunting, pollution, waste disposal and logging pose a constant threat to Mexico’s ecosystems.

Above: waste collects in el Cañón del Sumidero, Chiapas where the current is low.

Below: el Cañón del Sumidero in all its beauty. This is one of the most iconic sights of Chipas and the U-shaped cavern is what the chapaneco flag is based on.

Below: the flag of Chiapas was inspired by the above view.
Source: http://vector-images.com/image.php?epsid=14040

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Having been introduced to the natural wonders of Chiapas by river, I decided to head inland and take a look at the natural reserve/zoo that Ale had recommended to me.

Above: my guide/boyfriend, Ale.

Last weekend, I had been to the zoo in Puebla so I couldn't help but compare the two.
Puebla’s zoo is a commercial safari. Impressive but more of a tourist trap than a whole-hearted attempt at conservation. 

Above: giraffes and an antelope in Africam Safari, Puebla

Whereas, the zoo in Chipas was founded to protect endangered species in the region and educate people about endemic Mexican wildlife. The latter used to be free so indigenous people would be able to appreciate local animals without being out of pocket. Even now, the entrance fee is very reasonable. They charge just 10 pesos (<1p) for either chiapanecos (like Ale) or students (like myself.)

Where the animals in Africam Safari suffer in the burning heat of midday Mexico, the animals in Zoologico Miguel Alvarez del Toro in Chipas thrive in their natural habitat: the shady forest. Where in Africam Safari, animals are covered in flies and sometimes, their own shit, in the Zoologico, enclosures seem cleaner and somehow more humane. Where Africam Safari is a drive through, the Zoologico is filled with families walking unhurriedly and you'll hear a mixture of Spanish and indigenous languages such as Nahautl, Yucatec, Tzeltal and Tzotzil.

I got chatting to one of Ale's Uncle's about the possibility of learning one of these languages but as much as I love the idea, it seems beyond me at the moment. I still can't even pronounce the name of the most common Amerindian language, Nahautl, let alone form a coherent sentence!! (The 'tl' bit is the hardest, you have to say it with your tongue right at the back of your throat). Maybe I'll stick to Spanish then...!
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Anyway, back to the zoo...

Above: Miguel Alvarez del Toro, whom the zoo in Tutxla Gutierrez is named after

The zoo is named after the conservationist Miguel Alvarez del Toro, whose life work was to research and preserve Chiapas’ natural resources. His statue and name is not the only legacy he leaves. His philosophy is  etched on placards around the zoo, advocating universal need for conservation.

Quote from Thomas E. Lovejoy: "The jungle is the greatest expression of life on earth"

Above quote: there is always music in the trees of the countryside but our hearts must be quiet to hear it.

Definition of the urban countryside: Place where they cut down trees to make name plaques out of wood under the trees in the streets.

Ah the irony.

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Ok. Enough about conservation.

You want to see the cute animals, don't you?

I bring you:

The Anteater (El Oso Hormiguero)

The Igauanas (Las Iguanas)

Some playful, but naughty otters (Nutrias Traviesas)

(Please excuse the blurry photo but the otters were a bit hyper and moved a bit too fast for me to capture them fully on camera!!)

A smelly boar (jabalí)

We also met a Toucan called:

Which made Ale laugh because it reminded him of:

However, as another placard read, the most dangerous species is not the jaguar, the crocodile or the boa constrictor.

Close up of a wild crocodile in Cañón del Sumidero, Chiapas

"You are looking," said the placard "at the most idiotic, destructive species on earth, so dangerous that it even harms itself."

As I gazed into the box with the most dangerous species on earth,  I found myself looking at my own reflection.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the:

Homo sapiens.

The most dangerous animal of all.

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Life in Mexico

 Here in Mexico, Google blocks all your accounts because it thinks you are an impostor. 

It asks you security questions like "What is your mobile number?" When I set up my google account, I thought I'd invent a mobile number so google has less of my details. Which was an error, a time consuming ERROR.

2. Here in Mexico, people don´t see anything wrong with calling a sports brand 'Athlete's Foot'...

3. Here in Mexico, as well as having safety briefings about fire alarms, we are also taught how to react in an earthquake or volcanic eruption

4. Here in Mexico, (or at least in Puebla) only the brave wear skirts and shorts. 

The insects will smell your fresh guera blood and suck it. That is why everyone wears jeans. Also there are loads of random statues. As if we needed more bugs...

5. Here in Mexico, the football stadium is called:
THE TEMPLE OF PAIN

6. Here in Mexico, people pump up the reggaet/on and get their groove on when driving. Repeat when stationary.

See below:

7. El Moco de King Kong

Here in Mexico, marketing strategies are a little more 'out there'.
This hair gel, for example, is called 'el moco de King Kong' (King Kong's snot).
It comes in bright green/bright yellow.
Gross.

8. El mal del puerco

Here in Mexico, they put lots of lard/butter/oil, chile, meat and cheese in every meal
from breakfast through til dinner. Foreigners without an "est/omago del burro" (donkey's stomach) will find themselves with "el mal del puerco" (illness from being a pig) and the bathroom will become their new best friend.

Above: a vivid interpretation of el mal del puerco, courtesy of: http://i.mobypicture.com/user/chanoscox/view/15155576