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Is Mexico Right for You?
The Quiz
August 11, 2008
Want to know if you would be a good traveler in Mexico? Maybe
thinking of moving here? Take our personality quiz to see if Mexico is for you! It's brutal. It pulls
no punches. But it is honest and will give you an idea if you will be comfortable in Mexico.

Batman, the Joker, and Journey to the Center of the Earth August 10, 2008
I know everybody is saying it, but boy is Heath Ledger good
in the new Batman movie.
Omar and I went a couple of weeks ago, and both agree that Heath as the Joker gives an amazing
performance. He is at once repulsive and beguiling, creepy beyond words and funny as all get-out.
The scene where he is dressed in nurse drag, mumbling and lip-smacking and fiddling with a malfunctioning control to
blow up a hospital is both nightmarish and hilarious. Rarely has surrealism worked so well for a character.

Bruno the Cat Update
August
10, 2008
A black and white bolt of lightning streaks through the house, knocks the speaker off the wall,
unplugging computer cables as it goes.
Bruno is better.
Thank
goodness. Bruno is a great kitten. Cuddly and loving and a lot of fun. I
think she used up at least five of her lives with her tummy tumor and the incision that wouldn’t close, but she sure
is full of energy now.
As you read in our last post, Bruno had a large tumor pop out of her tummy. The
patch of dead skin was so large it was hard to sew her back up, and the stitches kept popping open. Bruno
says she had nothing to do with it, but we saw her tugging on them a few times.
The last we left off, Bruno’s
belly was open from her sternum almost to her knees. Of course it was Sunday and the vet’s was closed.
She slept wide open on my pillow, looking like a rabbit ready for the pot. I didn’t move all
night, afraid to disturb her. And she would look into my concerned eyes and say “What?”
She never once complained. She didn’t even bleed.
The hardest
part for Bruno is that she had to stay at the vet’s for two weeks. They put a diaper on her so she
couldn’t pull out the stitches, and any that popped where quickly resewn. With all the stitching
and antibiotics and two weeks of care, the bill came to $35.
We visited Bruno frequently, and she
always told us long stories about how she wanted to come home.
Finally the day
came. She still has an open area about ¾ inch long in her groin, but we put on an antiseptic spray
that looks like yellow blown-in insulation and she is thriving. She eats like a horse, and plays endlessly
with Coco. Coco drags her around by her tail, and then they charge each other on their hind legs like sumo
wrestlers, wrap their paws around each other, and try to bite an ear.
We should
charge admission.
Just wanted to let you know the good news. Bruno thanks everyone for the
kind thoughts and get well cards, and says to send sardines.
Dan and Omar
The Crisis in Mexico II
August 11, 2008
With the rise in food prices and the dollar slump, we are spending about 25% more than
we were a year ago.
The
Crisis in Mexico
July 18, 2008 What effects the United States, effects us here in Mexico. So of course
we are in an economic crisis. Not with gas. The government is subsidizing gas prices, which are around $2.50
a gallon. The cost has gone up a little recently, but only by a couple of pennies. Gringos
are still crossing the border to fill up. Lots of good that does my folks, who live a couple of hours from
the border—with Canada. The real problem is with food. Corn is a staple here. We eat
tortillas like we ate potatoes in my New York childhood—they appear on the menu almost every day. Tortillas
provide nutrition, round out the menu, and fill you up. Combined with beans, they provide all the amino
acids we require—a complete protein for a population that eats little meat. Tortillas have always
been the food to fall back on when the money runs out in the middle of the week. Tortillas and beans.
And when things are really tight, folks eat tortillas and hot chile peppers. And then just tortillas. Along
comes ethanol.
Bruno the Kitten--Vets in Mexico
Bruno the Kitten has needed the visit the
vet's several times recently, and we wanted to take this opportunity to talk about veternarians and animal care here in
Mexico.
Read Bruno's story and please send us kind thoughts for her speedy recovery--she's a very brave
little girl.
Flying With Coco-To Mexico and Back With Our Dog
It isn't
particularly hard to travel by air with a small pet. We've found the airlines to be very helpful and considerate
of our pet's needs. You will have to find the rules and regulations for your country and the airline you are flying,
but with a little planning and a little more money, little Tulip can fly with you. Here are our experiences.
 Sites to Watch: Mexico Cooks!
July
17, 2008
Boy do I have a site for you.
365Mexico readers know that food is pretty much central to
our lives, and that Mexican food is at the top of our list. We often post on restaurants we like and dishes
we recommend.
A while back we got a note from Cristina at Mexico Cooks!, inviting us to take a gander
at her website, which she describes as “Mexico: A Culinary Travelogue, An Adventure for the Palate, Mind and Spirit.”
Well.
We would be green with envy if Cristina wasn’t so friendly and knowledgeable. Mexico Cooks!
has fast become one of our favorite sites. If you are deeply interested in Mexican food and travel, it
is a wonderful resource.
Cristina has lived in Mexico for going on 30 years, so she knows her way around.
Along with cooking she is interested in Mexican history and folklore and festivals, and she gives private tours that
go far off the tourist route.
Her stories are interesting and her photos are really wonderful.
We think
Mexico Cooks! is a great companion site to 365Mexico—check it out, and tell them Dan and Omar sent you!
Hairpieces
in Mexico
July 9, 2008
Everybody in my family is bald. Dad was bald, Ma has thin hair, all
the grandparents and aunts and uncles, all bald. Talk about dominant genes--we have bald dogs and cats.
You should see our family portraits.
Nowadays being hairless as a Chihuahua is in. Cool guys like Becks shave their
heads, and as long as you embrace your baldness and don’t do the comb over or the Bozo look, being without hair isn’t
really a liability.
But we are talking me in the 80’s, when everyone walked around under hair bigger than
Dolly Parton’s. Bald was definitely out.
So I finally bought a hairpiece. A
toupee. A rug.
Tornados in Mexico?
July 9, 2008
We are in rainy season,
and loving it. After last year’s measly attempt at rain, this year we are really getting our share.
Chapala is full, for the first time in ages. There are floods, of course, but they put in new drainage
along our long road to civilization, and now rarely is it below water, and then only for short stretches.
But there’s
always something, isn’t there.
Omar mentioned a while back that he had seen what looked
to be a tornado forming in the clouds. He was driving. It was far away.
I was, well—skeptical.
We don’t have tornados in Mexico. This
isn’t Kansas. We don’t have the right conditions, they say.
Well,
evidently we do, since global warming kicked in. About an hour ago Omar said “There’s another
one.” And sure enough, in the valley below our house was a small funnel sticking down from the clouds.
It came and went for a half hour and was gone. It didn’t touch ground.
I’ve
mentioned our dust devils, which were particularly strong this year. They appear in clear weather on hot
days. This was not a dust devil.

So tell
us, experts out there—is this what a really small tornado looks like?
Dan and Omar
We’re
On-Line Again
July 7, 2008
Ah, life in Mexico.
As you know, we had a storm. It was nothing
unusual for this time of year. And we had a blackout for half a day—no big deal.
But the
storm or the blackout did something to our cable service, and that was earth-shattering.
Two weeks with no phone,
and no Internet.
We called, we cajoled, we complained. At the end of two weeks we were ready
to threaten. Not only did I have to travel outside the effected area to post to 365—I also was unable
to do the Internet auctions which help keep us afloat, and I couldn’t keep in touch with Ma in New York.
What
was the problem? A genera failure, they told me—until I found out that Ceci and Pablo had service
in their house 50 feet away. They are recabling Tlajomulco, they told me—although the “old”
cables have only been in place a year. Our connection at the road was bad, the repairman told me—but
the system still didn’t work long after he “fixed” it and left.
I would have been more satisfied
with a shrug of the shoulders and a frank “It’s going to take a while to find the problem.”
The frustrating part is not knowing if they are really working on something, or just hoping you will go away.
Friday
evening, almost two weeks after the blackout, the phone rang, and we’ve been connected ever since. I’m
catching up on mail, and will start movie magazine auctions on eBay today (search seller mexicanmemorabilia@yahoo.com).
The cable company gave us a voucher for a partial refund
for the weeks we didn’t have service. That’s nice. But they never once said
“We’re sorry you had this problem. Thank you for staying with us, we appreciate it.”
And we do stay, because when the service works, it’s the best around.
Being connected is an important
part of living here. I am in the Mexican countryside, but can still read the New York Times and news
magazines and blogs and stay in touch with family and friends. Otherwise I don’t think I would have
stayed in Mexico, wonderful as it is. It is important to maintain your roots.
Dan and Omar
Can
You Be Vegetarian in Mexico? July 3, 2008
Can you be vegetarian in Mexico?
The answer is a resounding “YES!”—if
you cook for yourself.
If you are traveling and eating in restaurants, the answer is a resounding “SORT OF.”
We recently
had a wonderful family come to visit us. Educated, interested, with two bright boys ready to experience
Mexico. The only thing is, they are rather strict vegetarians.
Now,
our faithful readers know that our world revolves around breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks, and that we eat a varied diet—a
little of everything. We have certainly eaten vegetarian in Guadalajara, and enjoyed it, but this is the
first time we were required to search out a true, 24 hour a day Vegetarian Diet—and it’s hard.

Sites to Watch: Puerto Vallarta Tours
July 1, 2008
Puerto
Vallarta is probably the most popular tourist destination in our part of Mexico, and with good reason. There
are tons of things to do, great food and hotels, an extensive night life, and lots of day tours you can take to make your
visit memorable.
When we go to the beach we generally head a little north of Vallarta, where things are sleepier.
While we can give general advice on the town, we’ve been looking for Puerto Vallarta experts who are knowledgeable
and eco-friendly, so when you leave us in Guadalajara and head for the coast you are in good hands.

We found them.
Puerto Vallarta Tours at www.vallartadiscovery.com offers jungle walks, dolphin and whale watching, birding
expeditions, tree canopy zip line tours—and even air trips to places like Talpa and to Guadalajara (come visit us!).
There are so many exciting offerings on this site, the trouble is to fit them into the time you have.
We are
very happy to be working in cooperation with VallartaDiscovery.com to make your visit here the time of your life—tell
them Dan and Omar sent you!
The Guadalajara Boys
How to Learn Spanish
June 30, 2008 So many people write.
They know that their trip to Latin America will be richer and more meaningful if they can speak Spanish with their
hosts, but they are finding the learning an uphill battle. Or they are moving to Mexico,
and even though they might be living in Ajijic or San Miguel Allende where most people speak English, they realize they are
missing a big part of the experience if you can only talk to other ex-pats and fluent Mexicans. What do you
do? What is the best (which usually means “easiest”) way to learn Spanish if you’re not
a native? Here it is. Start early, preferably at two years old, before the language-learning center of your brain has fossilized,
and practice, practice, practice. Already petrified? Join the club.
It’s going to take work.
Swearing in Mexico—One More Time
June 30, 2008 One more item
you need to know about swearing in Mexico. It isn’t swearing, exactly, it’s more a tune or
a ditty. When you knock on your neighbor’s door, do you tap out the old, familiar “Shave and a
haircut, two bits?” Don’t try it here. Now, this is a family site so I’m not going to reveal what
the words to the tune are in Spanish. Just let me tell you that it suggests what you might do one day with,
say, your mother. Better not go there. You know, we need a video camera. Then Omar
and I could do a course in Mexican gestures. It is a rich vocabulary, and some of them can even be used
in polite company. Dan and Omar
Blackout!
June 28, 2008 I am writing
from the murky world of pre-Internet. Sunday night we had a blackout. We lit candles and talked, and finally blew them
out and went to bed. The ‘fridge started back up sometime in the early morning, and I rolled over
and went back to sleep. All’s well. By daylight Monday the lights
were out again—and the water. It hardly seems fair to be denied two services at once, but there you
are. I spent the day doing quaint non-electricity things, like cleaning house. It was
educational and primitive and kind of fun. By evening, both water and electric were back—but no phone
or Internet. What’s the use of electricity if you can’t have Internet? I waited, and
checked, and re-hooked up all the Internet wires. Maybe I loosened one of them with the broom.
The last time I’ll be sweeping… Two days later I was frantic enough to walk an hour and a half (ok, that’s round trip, but
still) to the Megacable office, where they told me my phone and Internet are off, and what I can do about it is keep checking
to see when they come back on. I thanked them warmly. It is now Saturday.
Houses a block away have service. I have Internet envy. We went to another Megacable
office, and they said they would report my complaint on Monday. Ah, patience. I’ve
learned a lot of it living in Mexico. But this really hits home. I have auctions running
I can’t check, people writing I can’t answer, and the Times is getting stale. Omar can’t
call home from work, and I’m out of touch with Ma. As a foreigner living outside
my country, I depend on the phone and Internet perhaps more than most to keep me informed and in contact with the world. It will get
fixed. I will be connected again. I went to an Internet café and wrote 20 letters
explaining we’re down for a bit, and feel a little better now that folks know I’m not ignoring them or something,
like dead. I’ve been trying to get Ma by cell phone the past few days, and no answer. I
know things are fine at home, but when a week goes by and no one can get in touch with me, I’m concerned. It was Ma’s
note I read first at the Cyber—“All’s fine. Kyle has a hockey game in Rochester.
Will be back maybe Monday.” Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. How did we do it in the distant past? When I first started traveling, I
called home once a month. Sometimes. I had to go to a phone office and stand in line
to give a woman the number I wanted dialed. When Mom picked up, maybe ten minutes later, there would be
general shouting and motioning and pointing, and I would run into a numbered booth and listen to clicks and whirs until the
familiar voice came across the line—“Alright, where are you? Just the continent is fine…” And
the prices. For a while we were paying $4 a minute. That’s $40 for ten minutes,
which passes in like 40 seconds. I could fly round trip for the price of a 90 minute phone call.
We were reduced to talking in telegramese—“Is everyone ok? I’m ok.
San Jose. No not California—Costa Rica. Mail? Not important.
Not important. Pay it, please. It’s hot. Still snowing?
Love you bye. $40. So today I’m disconnected and frustrated. Re frustrated (re is the cool
way to say ‘very’—pronounced ‘ray’). But you know what?
In a few days I will have phone and 3 mega Internet again, and can call the states for 20 cents a minute (!). And I’ll
be able to post to 365 again. Note: It is now Monday and I am posting from Ceci and Pablo’s.
Megacable promises they will come to the house sometime between Monday and Wednesday and I have to wait at home.
I'm practicing swearing in Spanish... Dan and Omar
Swearing in Spanish
June 24, 2008
We’re
teaching how to swear in Spanish? This is a family-oriented site, isn’t it?
Of course it
is—but there are many different types of families!
Why is it that the first words
many people want to learn are the colorful ones? I did a fun stint this past winter subbing a High School
Spanish class in New York. Some of the kids couldn’t even say “My name is…”, but
they all wanted to know what “Cab..put..dejo” means. Perfect pronunciation, too.
Swearing
in Mexico is more fun than in the states—it’s much more common, and (almost) everybody does it. It
is often used more in a joking sense, and it doesn’t seem to make you sound quite as illiterate as swearing in English
does.

Birria—Glorious Goat Stew June
19, 2008
It’s hard to believe anything with a goat in it can be glorious, but that’s the only word
for birria. If you haven’t eaten our bearded barnyard buddy, you haven’t lived.
It’s
not too surprising that in some parts we don’t eat goat. When I lived in Upstate New York all I knew
was that they like to head butt, they have funny looking pupils, and—if the cartoons are to be believed—they like
to dine on clothes lines and tin cans. Oh—and they live on the sides of cliffs.
My Dad grew up
in rural Ohio before electricity and indoor toilets came through, and if he ever went too long without a shower he would make
a face and say “I smell like an old goat.”
No wonder I wanted nothing to do with the animal, much
less eat it.
Well, times change.
In northern Mexico they make chivo tatemado. The entire, cleaned goat
is splayed on a board and leaned over a bonfire until it is golden brown. The resulting meat is crusty
on the outside and juicy on the inside. There are no big cuts on an animal the size of a goat, so your
order will either feature shredded meat picked from the nooks and crannies of the skeleton, or will be still attached to rib
bones and joints. It is good, greasy, finger-licking food for the adventuresome carnivore.

Mexican Hotels at DifferentWorld.com
June 18, 2008
Good news!
When you visit us in Guadalajara or Mexico City
or the coast, we can often recommend a hotel you’ll enjoy. This is our stomping ground, after all.
But it’s tough to keep as current as we’d like with the hostelry all around Mexico—in Oaxaca, say,
or Chihuahua, two places you shouldn’t miss.
It
would take all our time to do hotel reviews, and that’s not the goal of 365Mexico. Our goal is to
eat and have adventures and meet interesting people in Mexilicious places and then make you jealous with photos and fine literature
describing our fun.
We still feel bad, though, if someone writes and asks where to stay in Tlalnepantla or
Parangaricutiramicuaro and we can only give general advice.
Enter Different
World . The friendly folks there run a gorgeous website (www.differentworld.com) that not only describes hotels all around Mexico, but takes
you right into the rooms and restaurants, lobbies and pool areas, so you can get a good idea if the place is for you.
They quote prices, try out the food, and let you know which hotels are the best deals for the money.

Actually, Different World contacted us first—they are fans of 365Mexico!—and proposed
that we would be a good match to work together to make your Mexican experience more complete and enjoyable. We
are exchanging links (they said wonderful things about us at http://www.differentworld.com/mexico/useful-links.htm) and are going to give us a mention in their
newsletter at the end of the month. So you better go to their site right now and sign up for the newsletter,
so you don’t miss anything good.
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