Mexico, Always Extraordinary

Mexico,a country rich in history, tradition and culture located between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, is made up of 32 states and one Federal District. It is the third largest country in Latin America and has the largest population—more than 100 million—making it the home of more Spanish speakers than any other nation in the world.

Fruits and vegetables in Mexico are abundant in the rural areas and include guavas, papayas, mangoes, melons, pineapples, bananas, oranges, and limes, as well as less-known local fruits such as nances, mamey, and tunas (prickly pears from cacti)
Some forty miles east of Merida, the capital of Yucatan, is the quiet, old fashioned, colonial town of Izamal. In the center of town lies the great Monastery of Izamal, which houses one of the most venerated Marian statues in all of Mexico.
Children embark on the Day of the Dead parade route in Oaxaca, Mexico. The most popular costumes were the devils, skeletons, vampires, and witches, most of them store-bought.
The jarana is the typical dance and musical form of the Yucatan Peninsula, performed by a winds band. The jarana dance is done in pairs that consists of footwork without distinguished steps nor differentiation between women and men.
The large windows and balconies of Oaxaca filter the energetic noise of the street, creating a cozy atmosphere as tenants go about their daily routine.
The late-Classic Maya site of Uxmal ("oosh-mahl", meaning "thrice-built") in the Yucatan dates from before the 10th century AD. It is considered one of the most complex and beautiful expressions of Puuc architecture and, for many, is a major highlight of a Yucatán vacation.
Zempazuchitl is a yellow marigold that since pre-Columbian times symbolizes death, and it is used in the "ofrendas" or "altares" during the Day of the Dead festivities. It is also spelled Cempasuchil or cempasuchitl.
During the Day of the Dead festivities, ofrendas are set up in the houses for the dead relatives. Generally ofrendas are set up on a table covered with a tablecloth and papel picado. They are decorated with sugar skulls, candles, zempasuchitl flowers, and papier mache skeletons. Plates with the favorite foods of the dead relatives are also set on the ofrenda. Some have also liquor and cigarettes. On the ofrendas for the deceased children they place toys in addition to the food.
Papier-mâché (papel pegado) is a very popular art form in Mexico. Animals, skeletons, dolls and other toys are made from papier-mâché to be used for decorations during the Day of the Dead celebrations.

In a world dominated by factory processed clothing, the view of hands painstakingly working the intricate designs of a Yucatecan "hipil" is unbelievably beautiful and inspiring.
There are a lot of seagulls in Progreso, in the Gulf of Mexico near Mérida. Actually seagulls are not the only birds that fly along the coast - besides them there are pelicans and other northern birds looking for warm weather.
The norm on the streets of large cities in Mexico is for street children to be selling something, either goods or services. Some shine shoes; others sell chewing gum and cigarettes; many flog handicrafts; and some work in tandem with adults who play musical instruments.
The Yucatán Peninsula’s capital city of Mérida is one of the many cities that celebrate Carnival. Since 1980, the people of the Yucatán celebrate the marching of “El Jacarandoso,” a popular character who was once king of the Carnival and annually displays the most colorful and amusing costume.
Even if you are not religious, if you visit one church in Oaxaca make sure it is Santo Domingo. It is a piece of art in and of itself. It contains flowers, art work, statues, and golden walls and ceilings.
The Yucatán Peninsula’s capital city of Mérida is one of the many cities that celebrate Carnival. Since 1980, the people of the Yucatán celebrate the marching of “El Jacarandoso,” a popular character who was once king of the Carnival and annually displays the most colorful and amusing costume
During the Day of the Dead festivities, ofrendas are set up in the houses for the dead relatives. Generally ofrendas are set up on a table covered with a tablecloth and papel picado. They are decorated with sugar skulls, candles, zempasuchitl flowers, and papier mache skeletons. Plates with the favorite foods of the dead relatives are also set on the ofrenda. Some have also liquor and cigarettes. On the ofrendas for the deceased children they place toys in addition to the food.
The village of Ocotlán, in the state of Oaxaca, hosts a sprawling Friday market in and around the central plaza since pre-Hispanic times, and is one of the biggest in the Valles Centrales (Central Valleys)
A "tortillería", or tortilla bakery is a shop that produces and sells freshly made tortillas. While tortillerias are a long-time fixture in Mexico and Central America, they are also becoming more common in some areas of the USA

The Historic Fortified Town of Campeche retains many of the old colonial Spanish atmosphere as well as the city walls and fortifications which protected the city (not always successfully) from pirates and buccaneers.
All along the Yucatecan coast of the Gulf of Mexico, you will find beaches, lazy beach towns, delicious restaurants and many different kinds of eco-tourism adventures. San Crisanto, a beautiful coastal village 18 miles east of Progreso, in the Yucatan peninsula, is a place where there are very few tourists, no lines, no buses and only the noise of the ocean, the wind and the sea gulls.
There are Aztec dancers every weekend on the Zocalo, the heart of Mexico City, a massive Plaza on which are located the National Palace, the National Cathedral and the ruins of the Templo Mayor, the center of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, over which Mexico City was built.
Talavera is a tin-enameled earthenware (Majolica) made in Puebla. This world-renowned hand-painted pottery comes in various forms, including both functional and decorative items such as plates, serving dishes, vases and tiles. Puebla is sometimes called "The City of Tiles" because of the Talavera tiles used on the buildings.
A "zaguán" is the entryway into a house. In typical Spanish and Latin American houses, the zaguán is a smallish passage inside the doorway that leads in turn to the larger, light-filled interior patio.
The marquetry and carved wooden furniture of which Puebla is proud can be viewed today in many public plazas and buildings, as well as in restaurants and cafes throughout in the city and in the smaller surrounding towns.
The "pan de muertos" (Spanish for Bread of the Dead) is a type of bread traditionally baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to the Día de los Muertos, which is officially celebrated on November 2. It is a soft bread shaped like a bun with bone-like pieces, although some like to experiment with other shapes and forms.
Ayoyote or Coyolli are a rattle of seeds of the ayoyote tree. They make water-like sound (or like a rattlesnake) during the movement of the legs during the dances.
In Mexican markets there are lots of food stalls selling different foods depending on the season and the time of day. Not gourmet, but really fresh, good food in a friendly atmosphere.

Located in the historic part of Campeche, the church of San Francisco was constructed a mile from the ancestral site of the village, over the ground of the original Lords of KimPech. It dates back to 1546, presumably at the site where the conquistadors delivered their first mass in 1517.
Among the edible goodies offered during Day of the Dead are skulls, coffins and the like made from sugar, chocolate or amaranth seeds. These goods are destined for the ofrenda de muertos (offering to the dead) to the deceased friend or family member.
The small towns in rural Mexico take pride on their churches, sites of pilgrimage, meditation, and center for social events.
When you enter a Mexican market like this one in Coyoacan, in Mexico City, you will go wild with the colors, the aromas, the freshness of the produce, the friendliness of the people, and all the items for sale...
Many of the 17th century haciendas in the state of Yucatán were originally cattle ranches and later converted to henequen. Henequén is a type of agave cactus (family Agavaceae) which is processed for its fibers, primarily to produce rope.
A vibrant dye-job on a bunch of calla lilies...
The traditional flower of Dia de los Muertos is an orange marigold called zempazuchitl. The flower can be seen walking down the street in doorways, covering ofrendas, at churches, and even floating in fountains such as this one in Oaxaca's City Hall.
We do know that Mexican men check into their local peluquería (or barbershop) at least weekly, both for grooming and to catch up on the latest town gossip.
Mezcal, a name taken from the Náhuatl word mexcalmetl, is a combination of the indigenous pulque and the distillation process introduced by the Spanish. It was Hernan Cortez who brought the technology of distillation to Mexico when he landed in 1519. The Moors had taught the Spaniards this art some 700 years earlier. It was just a short time before the indigenous peoples began to use their native maguey for producing mezcal with these new methods.

Located in the historic part of Campeche, the church of San Francisco was constructed a mile from the ancestral site of the village, over the ground of the original Lords of KimPech. It dates back to 1546, presumably at the site where the conquistadors delivered their first mass in 1517.
On the Day of the Dead, the families go to the cemetery to party and visit with the spirits who have returned. One tradition is a huge parade made up of hundreds of ordinary people who dress in their best attires.
Located 60 miles southwest of Merida, Yucatan, Celestún is a quaint fishing village where the infrastructure is very basic.
The Virgin of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas, is the symbolic mother of Mexicans everywhere, the symbol of Mexican identity, history, and culture. The image of the Virgin, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, is more than an image. The portrait is a history lesson since the design on the Virgin's dress point to the geography of Mexico and to Nahuatl (Aztec/Mexica) deities. The symbols hold a special meaning and also reveal part of the message of the Virgin to Juan Diego, the Nahuatl artisan who saw the Virgin.
Henequen is the Mexican name for a cactus like plant which is a type of agave (family Agavaceae or Liliaceae). After processing, the fibers hang out to dry.
The Mexico City Methropolitan Cathedral is the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico.
In many Mexican houses, the focal point of the main entry or patio is a large, cantera stone fountain surrounded by plants, which provides an intimate oasis away from the busy city streets.
The Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City hosts an amazing collection of Mexican silver, ceramics, and textile masterpieces.
The village of Ocotlán, in the state of Oaxaca, hosts a sprawling Friday market in and around the central plaza since pre-Hispanic times, and is one of the biggest in the Valles Centrales (Central Valleys)