back from Mexico
14 November 2018 22:53![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vampyresheepI did intend to write up a diary of events each evening, to post on here but having fun and sightseeing got in the way and I have yet to get past two days! So until that happens, here is a quick recollection of my thoughts of the trip. In summary, Mexico exceeded my expectations and more, i am in love with the country!
Despite my having longed to visit Mexico for many, many, many years, I did have some trepidation about going as the media is quick to pick up on all the bad news and portrays the country as a dangerous place to visit. Whenever I mentioned to someone that I was going to Mexico City, the response was usually raised eyes and a sharp intake of breath, as if I was heading to a war zone!
The reality couldn't be further from the truth, at least in the places we visited. Its a big country, some parts have serious issues of drug crime etc but would a newcomer to the UK see a description of say, Bradford, and think the whole country is like that? Of course not! And the same follows for a country considerably larger.
Of the places we visited. We loved Oaxaca and was very sad to leave. The atmosphere of Dia de Los Muertos may have enhanced our experience but its a city which loves to celebrate, is full of charm, so much to visit in the outlying areas, surrounded by beautiful mountains, that I'm sure it would be wonderful any time of year. We were slightly disappointed by Puebla. I'd been told it was such a beautiful city and whilst it had many stunning buildings (more heritage sites than any city in the Americas apparently) but it just felt like a busy modern European city. Neighbouring Cholula however was gorgeous, and we wished we'd stayed there instead, being more Mexican and chilled out (with the worlds biggest pyramid buried under a mountain at its centre, complete with a church plonked on top!).
Coyoacan, on the suburbs of Mexico City, was wonderful. Admittedly very touristy but it was a beautiful place with a relaxed friendly vibe. After 3 days there, our first impression of centra CDMX was "meh", disappointed to be finishing our stay there; however our opinion soon changed. Firstly after visiting El Real Under, probably the friendliest goth club in the world and then heading into the Zocalo (city centre) itself - it may be an ugly, polluted, loud, frenetic city but it has a heart and the Zocalo is where this heart is and from which the entire city eminates. We could only see a small fraction of what the city had to offer and were left wanting more.
(of the 2500 photos I took on Mexico, I have no idea why I picked this one as one of the highlights! ;-) )
Dia de Los Muertos was the most incredible and moving experience. Work colleagues thought it was something morbid, but people have a lot to learn! I love how the Mexican people use this time to think of their loved ones, not in mourning, but in celebration and fond recollections of their lives. The altars decorated with items personal to that person, an opened bottle of beer, a cigarette, really brought home the personal element. Wandering around the cemeteries, day and night, to see families gather, drink and dine in the company of loved ones both alive and passed on, made me long for such a tradition in this country. And then there was the party element, parades and costumes intended to remind us all that rich or poor, death comes to us all and is the great equaliser - we're all the same underneath!
We saw many attractions of course, but the big impact on me was Monte Alban. Set in a stunning location high up above Oaxaca (the Zapotecs literally flattened the summit of a mountain to build their temple in this prime location), sitting at the top of the south pyramid, looking down on the site with turkey vultures flying all around was an otherwordly experience I will never forget.
The food - well, before going a few people bizarrely told me not to build my hopes up as they found it disappointing. I can only assume they didn't dine in the same places as us! We had a mix of cuisine, from posh restaurants, local cafes, bar food, markets, street food and pretty much all of it was delicious, and so different to Mexican food at home. My favourite meal had to be the tuna in green mole sauce, from El Corazon el Maguey in Coyoacan. It was not a cheap place but the restaurant's ambience and decor were second to none and the food absolutely delicious - was so tempted to go back there the next day for the same again! Icecream, or nieves, in Oaxaca was addictive - particularly the tuna (prickly pear) flavour - and we were slightly disappointed to discover it was particular to that area, resorting back to regular icecream when we moved further north.
Snacks however, well they were just disturbing! I don't get the obsession of chamoy, which just tasted like a slightly spicy tomato ketchup and most snacks were salty and strong tasting. The one exception was Esquites - sweetcorn kernels cooked in chili, then served with mayonaise, chili powder and cheese on top - just wow! Why did I wait until the last day to try this!
Everywhere we went was surprisingly clean. the country has serious infrastructure issues but the population generally have pride in where they live and of course care for their own health and I felt the standard of cleanliness was so much higher than I see in the UK; even the most basic public conveniences in the local markets were spotlessly clean and pong-free. We were slightly disconcerted about having to put all our loo paper in an open bin rather than down the pan, particularly in our hotel room, but doing so keeps their drainage clear and surprisingly didn't make the rooms smelly.
Environmental concerns sadly don't factor greatly however. There is some rudimentary attempt to recycle but so much single use plastic is used - when it comes down to it, its more hygenic for them to serve food on disposable plastic than washing dishes in non-potable water.
there is a massive divide between rich and poor - and of course us tourists being considered amongst the rich people, so I am fully aware that we had a sheltered experience during our time there, a high police presence ensuring that tourist areas are kept safe. However our limited experience of the poorer sections of society, when visiting the villages outside of Oaxaca, revealed mostly a simpler pace of life and a strong sense of community. the "favela" style housing crammed up the hillsides of Oaxaca was fascinating and I was intrigued about the grander villas which cropped up amongst the more basic shack-like properties. I was told that when boys reached a certain age, they were given/loaned a plot of land, which they would gradually build on when they had the money to do so, a few walls, maybe a better roof etc as the years went on. The grander properties were of those who earned more but instead of moving to a better area, they stayed within their community and just improved their homes!
We traveled with handluggage only, which was such a freeing experience but we still managed to pack unneccessary clothes! I was told to take layers, it was winter there and would be chilly at night. Not by British standards! We had two weeks of glorious summer, just one rainy day and a couple of evening showers, so we wore our summery clothes to death and barely touched the jackets and warmer layers.
I wasn't sure how to dress for the Dia de Los Muertos events and got a bit of abuse on Trip Advisor for daring to ask whether tourists dress up in the spirit of the event, and as a consequence got very worried we would have issues over how we dress and seriously toned down my attire, taking hardly any skull adorned clothing with me. It turned out I had nothing to worry about. People we spoke to welcomed creativity, Rob had so many compliments over his blingy jacket, as I did over my costume jewellery. The hairdresser next to our hotel offered a face-painting service and us hitting the town dressed the part was welcomed by locals, performers and fellow tourists alike. It was such an ice-breaker and we had so much fun on the night we dressed up and joined in on the parades!
It is with some irony that some twat on facebook (someone I know in real life, who apparently didn't know where I was at the time?) decided to play the "cultural appropriation" card when I posted a photo of us dressed up. However he got so much abuse from friends defending me - why should one middle class white dude (hypocritically with dreadlocks himself!) be offended by our attire, when it was welcomed by all the Mexicans we met with during our time there - that he was well and truly put in his place.
Cost of living. We spent shitloads of money. Restaurants were more expensive than expected, particularly with the expectation in tourist areas to tip like an American (which I have since read is not welcomed by many Mexican residents, as it has become an expectation that many people cannot afford) but as we became braver with the cuisine, we found cheaper places to dine and mostly the food was way better than in the swankier establishents.
Arts and crafts however, were so much cheaper than expected. As a consequence I spent a lot of money on many beautiful things, where possible from the makers themselves. We may have travelled out with hand luggage, but came home with two checked in cases and four items of hand luggage!
After two short but cram-packed weeks, we have come home longing for more, feeling we have only scratched the surface of this vibrant and history filled country. On the way home we were seriously discussing the viability of a return trip in a couple of years time, so we'll see what the future brings.
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Date: 15 Nov 2018 18:20 (UTC)As to the "cultural appropriation," for fucks sake. When white people whine about it, they are insinuating that the culture being appropriated is somehow weaker, or lesser.
Yes, there is a case to be made for how despicably white Americans have mocked First Nation People (and continue to oppress them now, mocking their clothing is just the tip of the iceberg of disenfranchising treatment and marginalisation tactics.)
But when I have bought and worn local dress from local people in Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, India, China, the locals have always been supportive. They don't consider their culture to be weaker or oppressed, thus of course other people should take interest, those who do not are sniffy and snobby and perceived to be looking down on the local dress. People have stopped me in the street to cheer me on for wearing local clothes. No one was ever offended, only pleased. It is one of the best ways to talk and connect to locals too.
You were polite and respectful, and clearly appreciated the local culture. No wonder the locals were friendly.
People need to get out more.
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Date: 15 Nov 2018 20:45 (UTC)Also trying to persuade Rob that Patagonia would be an adventure (a welsh community and penguins!) but he's having none of it. :-)
What annoyed me most about the cultural appropriation thing was the ignorance of the guy. I wouldn't say he's a close friend but someone I know well enough, in real life, and frequently comment on his posts on social media. So for him to claim that he knew nothing about a trip I'd been planning for a year and had posted so many photos over that week, implies he really couldn't give a shit about what I was doing and only jumped on that one photo to express his personal bugbear - which is hypocracy to the extreme given that he wears dreadlocks anyway.
I was already frustrated that I had toned down what I'd planned to bring, due to insulting comments on the travel forum. (basically some redneck American took one look at my profile picture and decided I was some sort of satanist and that my enquiring about how to participate in the festival was disrespectful) So we were cautious to ensure that we did not do anything disrespectful and I felt truly humbled by how the local population welcomed us to join in with their very special occasion.
We'd attended a couple of parades as onlookers during the first couple of nights and whilst they were fun to watch, it was only when we dressed up a bit that we really felt welcome and a part of their celebration. There were people dressed up and in face paint at the cemeteries, which I personally did not feel was appropriate, but I also accepted that we were probably in the minority of "gringos" who had ever spent much time in a cemetery at night and possibly had a greater respect for the place; and even at the cemeteries there were locals offering face-painting at the entrance.
I also have purchased a ton of clothing, jewellery and house ornaments. Appropriation? No, an absolute love of their style, design and traditions; and throughout our trip I endeavoured to ensure we financially contributed to the local community - only booking tours with members of the community instead of some anonymous American tour group, staying in independant hotels, dining in local restaurants, buying directly from the crafts people where ever possible.