Mexican Economic Woes Highlighted

As I posited in my post from last week Mexico is taking a heavy third blow from the swine flu hysteria - with the US media, particularly the US cable TV networks, fanning the flames. Two articles in the more reasoned reportage of the print media have touched on these aspects. One headlined locally "Some see media flu coverage as overblown" and it does seem a bit unfair as I read recently the US recorded something like 13,000 flu deaths (another website cites 20K annually) last year from "normal" seasonal flu outbreaks. It is interesting to note that absolutely no swine flu cases have been reported in any of Mexico's most popular resort destinations, such as Los Cabos, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Acapulco (a popular spot for weekend vacations from Mexican City). The other article highlighted the continuing impacts to Mexico's economy recent events have had (along with the damaging media coverage).

That article, by San Francisco Chronicle reporter Carolyn Lochhead, while focusing on the current hits that Mexico's economy is/has been taking (and how that impact will magnify an already reeling lower class) also emphasized the tremendous strides that Mexico has taken in the last 20 years. It noted the percentage of citizens deemed to live in extreme poverty has declined from 18.6% in 1990 to 9% in 2006 (I suspect though a reversal in that trend this year).

Another aspect that was cited as having a decided economic impact on Mexicans was the decline in remittances sent home by immigrants (legal and illegal) to relatives in Mexico - however, not mentioned, but somewhat mitigating is the change in in currency values - the exchange rate a year ago was around 10.5 to 1, as of today, it stood at 13.8 pesos to the dollar.

Perhaps a little more sanity (and sensitivity) would go a long way in aiding one of our most important trading partners in this time of great stress for both countries.

Is Swine Flu Killing Mexican Tourism ?

- or is it a Great Time to Go?

Mexican tourism, already in a funk because of the the depressed world economy and spiraling narco killings, has been dealt a devastating third blow with the outbreak of the swine flu.

A Yahoo! News article today reports virtually empty planes from Miami and beaches in Cancun. The Mexican central bank had predicted a 4.8% contraction in the Mexican economy this before the outbreak. No telling how much it will shrivel now and how severe the impacts will be to the tourist industry.

The peso, already at a bargain exchange rate of 13 to one earlier in the month (I was a beneficiary of that to a degree in a recent trip to La Paz and San Jose del Cabo, was at 14 to one on 4/27.

So some would argue it's a great time to travel there, me among them - it's just a question of managing risk. What are good destinations? Los Cabo, for one, the standard of living there is already high, they have a proactive state government (Baja California Sur) that has already made impressive shows of force to counteract any perception the the narco-mafiosos have made any inroads there or can operate with impunity. Airfares are dropping, and even lodgings that priced in dollars are willing to negotiate (worked for me - I managed to get a suite with kitchen for the price of a small double).

Other areas to consider would be Nayarit and Western Jalisco, both accessible from Puerto Vallarta. Similar to the stock market, when everyone's selling it's often a good time to buy.

Good Gringos and Bad Gringos

Most Americans believe that being referred to as a "gringo" is meant strictly as a derogatory term. This isn't necessarily true. There can be "good" gringos and "bad" gringos to a Mexican (or other Latin American - be aware that Mexicans think of themselves as Norte Americanos). The term gringo dates back nearly two hundred years, to the Mexican-American war - there a number of theories for the origin of gringo, from the color of the jackets worn by US troops, to Irish-Catholic deserters who joined forces with the Mexicans and sang a song called "Green Grow the Lillacs" and to one about a US railroad builder urging the Mexican engine drivers to "Green-Go" at signals. All are discussed in depth in Wikipedia.

Whatever the origin, there is also much debate as to how pejorative or derogatory the word is - with context obviously making the strongest case for how its meaning should be interpreted. A recent article (Spring 2009) in a local Los Cabos magazine called Destinos (www.destinomagazines.com) discussed just that concept posited above - the "good" gringo. Here I've paraphrased some of the 23 aspects of being a "good" gringo that author J. Michael Sullivan made in the article entitled "Good Gringo? Si or No".

• Learn some Spanish - then use it.
• Don’t insist America is the best and/or the center of the universe.
• Know that Mexicans are also North Americans.
• Don't lose your cool when dealing when things don't go like you'd expect them to in the states (government, customer service).
• Be friendly, warm, sincere - always.
• Know that it's an honor to be introduced and meet the members of a Mexican family and be invited into their homes.
• Give your tips to your workers with the phrases “por cerveza” or “por sus ninos,” or for beer or for your children.
• Acknowledge that you tell Mexicans to arrive at 6 PM but be cool when they arrive at 7 PM.
• Realize that, for Mexicans, it’s considered rude to say no to an invitation even if they have no intention of showing up. Later you say that they were missed.
• Go with the flow when driving, knowing that, somehow, it all works.
• Understand how helpful Mexicans are, even if it takes a half dozen eight guys a half hour before the action plan hatches.
• Figure out that Mexicans see their history going back several thousand years.
• Be entertained, not annoyed, that all documents have to have three official stamps. Wap, wap, wap.
• Be alert to, and respectful of, the status and power issues among Mexican social classes, even if you don’t agree with them.
• And one my favorites: adopt a Zen-like attitude when you hear “manana".

All that said, one hopes that there many more good gingos (or gringas) out there than bad ones.

Lunch in San Jose del Cabo

At last time to spend blogging - it's been 7 months of serious work and Mexico Musing neglect - not that I haven't been thniking about being in Mexsico. Spending another week at the Esperanza resort on Los Cabo's corridor - one of the premier resorts in Mexico. We are fortunate enough to have friends that never seem to tire of our company - this is our 6th visit. Most trips to Esperanza we've managed to get in a few days in real world Mexico in the Cabo area and this trip is no exception. A return trip to La Paz is on tap.
Today saw us take a lunch visit to San Jose del Cabo, the older, quainter and frankly more appealing of the dos cabos. We tried to find a Taco place called Guacamayas but were unsuccessful - instead we went to "el centro" and checked out the newly remodeled and expanded zocalo - they did a nice job - it includes a large civic monument with bronze busts of past Mexican heroes. Two streets, one on the west side of the plaza and other in front of the municipal building has created a larger and more expansive space.

We poked around looking for a place to eat, remembering a sweet cafe from a previous stay in San Jose called Tulipan but finding it closed. We then moseyed over to Calle Obregon to a restaurant that had received good reviews on Trip Advisor called Salsitas. As we had a rental car to return, we were unfashionably early even by Gringo standards and were the first customers. Decorated in clean and classic Mexcian rustic , we were warmly greeted and sat in pleasant window location open to the street. My wife Eva has a knack for picking out the unusual (and uncannily delicious) menus items and today was no exception - Fish Tacos on Jicama tortillas. I hedged my bets and made one of my three tacos a carne asada. Chips and four salsas, including a rojo served warm, arrived in moments and already we were salivating, as I slurped one of the best horchatas (rice milk flavored with cinnamon) I've ever put to mis bocas (lips).

What arrived next was truly stunning visually. We'd assumed that jicama tortillas meant flour version made with jicama - instead each "tortilla" was a paper thin slice of jicama six inches in diameter, artfully arranged - the moist and tender grilled white fish was smothered with thinly chopped white cabbage and drizzled with a slightly sweet red sauce of unknown origin. These tacos were divine - the rather ordinary carne asada "back-up" I had ordered was a pale (and stupid) substitute. It was a truly satisfying almuerzo.

Salsitas, Calle Obregon, San Jose del Cabo

Learning Spanish in Guanajuato

For quite some time Guanajuato has been high on on my list of places to visit next in Mexico and a recent article in our local paper help reinforce my desire. What makes it so attractive? I guess it's the many diverse cultural aspects, a long and colorful history, the fact it has a very old (1732)university (with 20K students in town of 80K), and at one time the extensive network of mines produced 70% of the world's silver. Guanajuato is also the birthplace of artist Diego Rivera, and commemorates that with a museum dedicated to the artist.

According to Wikipedia the Spanish name "Guanajuato" derives from P'urhépecha Quanaxhuato , meaning "Hill of Frogs".

The city has an intimate feel provided by the many passageways, called callejones, that wind up the hillsides. Much of the auto traffic runs under the town in former mining tunnels.

What captivated me about the article, entitled Mexico's Hidden City, was the reason for the author, Molly Baker, to take the trip - enrolling in a Spanish immersion school for a four week stint - exactly what I envision for my own trip to Guanajuato. Now to find those four weeks...

Mexico Travel Maps

When planning your next trip to Mexico, if you're doing any driving, you should do as much research as possible about road conditions, political unrest, drug wars etc.

I've discovered a website that has some very good information on travel routes in Mexico www.milebymile.com utilizing Google Earth - not a lot of routes are mapped yet - basically two sets: Northern Mexico with 14 and Southern Mexico (15) routes. Lot's of good photos, and many of the routes are mapped with Google Earth, so you can get a good idea of the landscape and character of the towns and villages you're interested in by clicking on photos that GE users have uploaded. Definitely a resource to to be used for your next driving trip.

El Dia de Los Muetos

In many cultures around the world, people feel the very human need to honor and remember their ancestors and important events from the past. El Dia de los Muertos (aka Day of the Dead) and the Roman Catholic All Saints or All Souls Day are two of the most popular celebrations that honor the dead in Mexico. The focus of these holidays is on prayer and remembrance of friends and family who have died. Entire families participate in the typical traditions that include building private altars honoring the departed and visiting the graves of the deceased.

For Mexicans expressing these connections with those that have departed are humorous rather than morbid. Throughout Mexico, and especially in Michoacán cemeteries are fearful places but an occasion for a family gathering. Often spending the night by candlelight, extended family groups pray, reminisce, sing, and feast on delicious homemade delights, frequently enjoying many of the departed's favorite meals.

I recently spent a Halloween weekend on the Northern California coast and was privileged to attend a Dia de los Muertos celebration that took place at the Gualala Arts Center. Many beautiful and fascinating shrines were present and I spent some magical moments examining these complex and touching homages to loved ones across the great divide.