Mexico, I've got questions for you.

Written by Bessie and Kyle about Mexico. Feelin' thoughtful

So Kyle and I are headed north through Mexico from the Guatemalan border. We're spending Semana Santa (literally Holy Week, aka the week of Easter) in Puerto Vallarta with Kyle's aunt and uncle, Susan and Dan, who live and work there 4 months of the year. So that means we're taking the next 3 weeks to explore as we head north through the large, southern neighbor of the US, and we'll take another week or two to explore heading back south into Central America.

That added up, we're in Mexico the next 4-6 weeks, and we're both stoked. I, for one, have a lot I want answered from Mexico. I feel like I "know" it well having lived much of my life in Chicago, where Mexicans make up a chunk of the population, and from my years of studies, but there's so much more I want to know.

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Son Jarocho: What La Bamba Was Before Richie Valens

Written by Kyle about Mexico. Feelin' happy

If you woke up this morning and wanted to learn more about the music of Mexico, then today is your lucky day. By good fortune, Bessie and I ended up in a bar / brewery in San Cristobal and along came 4 women who played and introduced us to the Son Jarocho style of music.

Basically, Son Jarocho is a style of music that is a fusion of indegenous, spanish, and african music. The africans tended to do the drumming, which was usually done with a simple wooden box and is now done by flamenco-esque dancing. The guitars (actually they're called jaranas) are small so that they could easily be hidden underneath the dresses and clothing of the workers in the field, as the plantation owners wanted nothing to do with its employees having fun. They are made to be louder and more percussive than a normal guitar, though, and come in various sizes to get difference tambers.

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A Bug´s Life, VW Beetle that is

Written by Bessie about Mexico. Feelin' amused

I´ve been out and about exploring San Cristobal de Las Casas, and I´ve developed an obsession, well deepened an obession really, with old school VW Beetles. They´re everywhere here, every color, and so much fun to photograph. This town might have the highest ratio of Beatles per capita, and if it doesn´t I´m on the search for the town that does. Until then, I´m captivated.

Here are some of my favories:

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Two Perspectives: San Cristobal De Las Casas

Written by Kyle and Bessie about Mexico. Feelin' happy

I´m sure there is something bad about San Cristobal and if we stayed even longer maybe we would find it. As it is, I can´t really think of anything that I did not like.

San Cristobal, oh how I love you. Let me count the ways:

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Who knew Mexico had mangroves?

Written by Bessie about Mexico. Feelin' amused

Bessie on Playa Ventanilla
We're back! Kyle's foot is better, and we're ready to hit some crocodiles with a boat. (No animals were harmed in the writing of this blog.)