Peces Martillo - Hammer Time

This past March, I went on a roadtrip with my brother Danny. While in Oaxaca, we were able to see an art exhibit by the artist Arthur Miller, no, not the playwright. I particularly liked this red piece with over a dozen hammerheads swimming to the surface.  

Ode to the Turq

The Turq. I would not have been able to experience Mexico to the same degree had it not been for this trusty and scrappy 1995 Honda Accord LX. This turquoise coupe, best known as the Turq, was the vessel that made all of my adventures and journeys possible. Sometimes cars take you from point A to point B, and their task is complete, but it is rare for an automobile to become an integral part of a person�s pilgrimage. In my case, the Turq lived up to the highest expectations. !Viva el Turq!  

Been There, Done That

My Fulbright is finally complete. I lived in Mexico City for a total of 10 months. While there I was able to intern for a multinational company, take MBA classes at the ITAM Business School, and travel to many of Mexico�s famed beaches and colonial cities. I am finally back in Southern California, enjoying the great weather and sun. But this summer will also serve as an opportunity to reflect on my Fulbright experiences south of the border, one picture at a time. This is Zihuatanejo, the beach where Morgan Freeman eventually meets up with Tim Robbins in the film, The Shawshank Redemption.  

El Sol Michoacano

The sun is slowly descending on the Michoacan mountains, as the Lago de Patzcuaro enjoys the final rays on its silky skin. This part of Mexico is known for its rich soil, succulent avocados and amazing craftsmanship. Michoacan is about 3 hours from Mexico City.  

Fish Begets Vida

This fountain sculpture is located on the main plaza in Janitzio. The residents of Janitzio understand very well their dependence on the lake�s fish for their longtime survival and existence.  

All Abordo

Many of Janitzio�s island residents commute to the mainland town of Patzcuaro where they can find a more ample tourist market for their arts and crafts. My friend Josh and I were fortunate enough to ride back to the island with them on their commute back from Patzcuaro. Janitzio is an island in the middle of a lake, where many ancient tribes survived by fishing its unique white fish, found nowhere else in the world. This lake is only about 40 minutes from the colonial city of Morelia, the capital of the state of Michoacan.  

For Whom The Bell Tolls

This picture was taken in Janitzio, Michoacan. This place is known for its Day of the Dead celebrations. In fact, this bell marks the entrance to the island�s centuries-old cemetary. People on this island embrace death as an extension of life, seeing it as a process in life that should not be feared, but respected and celebrated.  

Closing Time

I just got back from a very demanding and ambitious road trip through many parts of Mexico. One of the regions I visited was the land of the Maya. To attempt to fit my feelings about this place in one blog entry would be a severe injustice. I look forward to sorting my thoughts about my trip, and sharing them in the near future. Now, I am planning adding closure to my Fulbright experience in Mexico City. I am happy to be leaving. I am excited about returning to Los Angeles, to see my family and to be in California again. I will surely miss Mexico City, its people and all the small things that make this place extremely unique. Gracias Mexico for a great 10 months.

We Say Goodbye, You Say Hello

Dear Chaps & Flapper Gals,

¨You say goodbye and we say hello, hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, we say hello, hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, we say hello...¨ (The Beatles, Hello Goodbye).

All ¨good¨ things must come to an end, (or do they?).

The time has come for us (Dario, Jeff, & Edu) to say gracias & goodbye to this beautiful and friendly country.

But beyond the Aztec pyramids, the Mayan ruins, and the colonial zocalos, we want to especially bid farewell to all of U who made our experience in this country and city that much richer with your amistad, laughter & company. We will miss each and every one of you.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to the individual people that made our
experience in Mexico so memorable.

In light of our departure, we want to cordially invite you to raise a glass,
chalice, or bottle this Friday night in Lomas, and join us in a toast to a very good Fulbright-IIE year!

We are all on our way out, and would greatly appreciate your company for one last night in Mexico City. ¨One more time...¨

We are especially grateful to our host, Homero F (our friend & classmate from ITAM Business School) for his hospitality for this going away fiesta!

What: Roaring 20s Fiesta, sorta
(flapper girls are extremely welcome!)(no worries, costumes are encouraged but will not be enforced) (we mainly want to see you and have a drink on our last night in La Gran Tenochtitlan!)

When: THIS Friday, June 24th 9:30pm-?, BYOB

Where: Cerrada de Bezares, Lomas de Bezares

Why: Hello Goodbye
¨It's a pretty good crowd for a Friday,
And the Ambassador gives us a smile
'Cause he knows that it´s us they've been coming to see
To forget about life for a while.
And the piano sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say "Man, what are you guys doin' here?"
Da da da de de da
da da de de da da da
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight.
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright.¨
(Billy Joel, The Piano Man).

Who: U and your Crew
How: mellow kickback (B.Y.O.B.)

With that said, Dario, Jeff & I hope to see you on Friday night...to toast the
night...the weekend...the month...the year... away...

ps. Fulbrighters, Halfbrighters, P&Gers, FIMEDERers, SOLCARGOers, ITAMers, AT&Ters....and GIRLS especially welcome!

!!Jumping jiving!!

!!Viva Mexico!!

Cheers,

Jeff B
Edu R
Homero F
Dario O

Puebla de los Angeles

A couple weeks ago, I took a roadtrip with Mary, a fellow Fulbrighter from Oregon. Mary is cool for many reasons, but our initial connection was that her grandmother is from East LA, my neck of the woods. So we decide to embark on a short weekend trip to Puebla de los Angeles, better known as Puebla, in the state of, yes, Puebla. We arrived with very reserved expectations, mainly concerned with exiting Mexico City. I had driven by Puebla on two occasions, but both visits were very abrupt and did not do this lovely colonial jewel of a city any justice. I would pump some gas, or buy some pan dulce from El Globo, and get back on the highway. But this would change on my 3rd opportunity. And Puebla would really deliver the third time around.

For starters, the weather in Puebla was a nice change from the very smoggy Distrito Federal. As Mary and I drove into the historic center, we were suddenly surrounded by incredible colonial architecture, stunningly lit church towers, and an emerald urban garden in the Zocalo. Our first drive around the Zocalo inspired us to park the Turq, my Honda Accord coupe, as soon as possible to give us the opportunity to walk around and enjoy a Friday evening stroll around the city. It seemed as if everyone and their mom was out walking through the Zocalo, shopping, and eating on the street. Mary and I quickly realized that some ice cream was in order. As we ordered ice cream from the female version of the Seinfeld sitcom inspired soup nazi, we realized we had made the right decision in coming to Puebla, and that the remaining attractions were going to be a treat.

People in Puebla were extremely nice and super helpful. Puebla is a very safe city by all standards, despite its 1 million plus population. We stayed at the Hotel La Fuente, a yellow three story colonial structure on Eje 3 Poniente. The manager really lived up to any 4 star hotel standard by way of his modesty, and plain old niceness.

The following day we enjoyed a Spanish play, whose main audience included local high school students. The play was enjoyable and for a matinee performance, the cast gave it 110%. Despite the often rowdy high school crowd, Mary and I each enjoyed a bag of peanut M&Ms accompanied by a cold bottle of the local water provider.

We visited various museums, including the Museo Amparo. This museum had an amazing combination of contemporary artwork, archeological jewels, and a worthy collection of colonial era artifacts. (http://www.museoamparo.com/indexi.html) Do yourself a favor and visit this museum, and don´t forget to bring a copy of The Economist as you enjoy one of the many interior colonial courtyards, flanked by amazing sculptures and performance art pieces.

I would be worthy of some form of cruel and unusual punishment if I failed to mention that we also ate the Fonda de Santa Clara, arguably the best site for those seeking the best of mole, Puebla´s unique contribution to the culinary world. And boy, did this restaurant deliver amazing mole! Check out this website for a history of mole and a recap of Puebla history. http://www.fondadesantaclara.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4

In short, the Puebla weekend escapade was one of the best I have taken in Mexico. What is most amazing is that Puebla is only about 1.5 hours from Mexico City. Despite its close proximity, the city of Puebla is a world away from the megalopolis that is Mexico City. Puebla´s live music scene and very alive night life, make this colonial city a must visit for any traveler looking for a colonial escape to the past.