Make my day in Catemaco

The rainy season is now in full swing, Surprisingly the month of June was the wettest in my personal history, but the strength of rains was the weakest. To make up for that, last night the first major rain hit. "Major" is defined by whether I can drive along parts of the Malecon pretending I am in a mine field of wash downs. Meanwhile though, the rest of the state of Veracruz has been and is being heavily damaged, with the no-haves being the usual victims.

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The apparently color blind mayor of Catemaco is in the process of painting anything he likes in RED. Sort of reminds me of "High Plains Drifter", an old Clint Eastwood movie.

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After 6 years Catemaco tourism is booming. A 2 room B&B recently opened plus a 5 room motel/whore house on the carretera.

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A local hotel owner (Prashanti) is spending more on internet promotion of his dinky hotel on the shores of the laguna than probably the entire tourism secretariat of Veracruz

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My dead mom told me never to say anything negative unless I could pay for it. So I'll skip the next dozen comments.-----------



The Tuxtlas airport pipe dream is still being discussed. Location is downhill from San Andrés, far enough so that going to Veracruz would not make much difference for those coming to Catemaco.

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At last count Catemaco had more street festivals or street closures than people earning more than 20 dollars per day. What a way to keep the ignorants happy!

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A favorite pastime of political expression in Mexico is blockading highways. Veracruz in the last few months is really excelling here. The road to Eyipantla waterfall was closed for most of a day. Xalapa was inaccessible from the port city. Cordoba was isolated. Coatzacoalcos was stranded. The Tehuantepec Ishmus as usual suffered several disruptions. Don´t none of these jerks know who they voted for?

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Mexico to my benefit is still affording me my gas guzzling SUV by subsidizing the cost of the gas that those magnificent Mexican economists import from the US (40% of total consumption).

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Another magnifico ingeniero from the Biosfera (local biosphere reserve) bitched about continuing deforestation of the area at the tune of 8500 acres per year after scrounging more than 10 million dollars over many years from international do gooders. Add a few more bucks and we can buy the whole kaboodle.

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Property taxes in Catemaco were raised to approximately the cost of 6 happy meals at McDonalds. But a new state gimmick went into effect whereby the expected tax returns from vehicle registations were mortgaged for 15 years, with a mickey mouse up front payment that the local mayor will probably spend to paint RED the surrounding hills.

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Local Piratas (pick up truck taxis) joined the political fray by parking their vehicles demanding to be allowed to stuff 12 or more passengers into their pickups without seat belts.

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The newest restaurant in Catemaco closed after 2 weeks. Two months later a new owner opened it again this week. Meanwhile though, a Sushi bar opened in San Andrés.

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A third department store wants to enter San Andrés. More 50 brands of hot dogs and no unscented toilet paper and yawning cashiers.

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The first vehicle inspection office opened in Catemaco. Prices seem to be fixed at around 300 pesos if you don´t pass.

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The federal highway police painted all their cars dark blue. Why? Who the hell knows. (The current political party is medium blue!)

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Possibly the most courageous person in the world was who ate the first oyster. Directly followed by a dweller in Catemaco who ate a tegogolo. (fresh water snail). Meanwhile despite numerous contamination reports, sales of those local slimes are booming possibly because of their alleged aphrodisiacal qualities.

Photo of  Tegogolo: Christian Bernardo Velasco

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The most prime property still undeveloped on the Malecon in Catemaco, possibly valued at several millions of dollars, just added 5 bathrooms to accomodate a parking lot that will probably be used less than 40 days a year. Of course they pay their property taxes in happy meals.

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The local mayor had his brothers arrested apparently because they wanted to complain to the visiting governor.

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A curious aspect of local journalism is describing an influential owner's property as a "conocido" (known). Such as "the accident occured in front of a hotel "conocido", or "politicians had lunch at a restaurant "conocido". That stops none of these toilet papers from publishing the most gruesome photos of local crime, accident or rape victims, including names, ages, and possibly their grandmother's maiden name.

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Most of the current news items were published in Spanish on Catemaco Noticias.