There are several agencies responsible for the maintenance of Catemaco roads. And they all do a wonderful job. But apparently they have saboteurs among themselves.
On a daily basis, unknown saboteurs create so called baches (pot holes) in most roads surrounding Catemaco. Most taxi drivers maintain maps to navigate among the larger ones.
“Mel Gibson”, it has been said, assured his filming crews’ comfortable travel by contributing to the local maintenance effort and had some of the road surface leading to his studios converted into something resembling a road. Meanwhile, some of the stretches of the road to Sontecomapan are possibly large enough to bury the local mayor´s mother in law.
As usual in Catemaco politics, users of roads are banding together to protest the conditions of their roads and plan to possibly burn down the local government or kidnap the local toilet paper distributor to be treated equitably.
Jan 23, 2006
Jan 22, 2006
Catemaco Pargo
Some know-it-all tried to tell me pargo is a fish. A pargo is not a fish - it is a whole fried huachinango (snapper)! OK- maybe Cuba has rubbed off on me - because that´s how the word is used there.Nevertheless when I and my compatriots hit the beach at Costa de Oro, on the Los Tuxtlas coast, about, 30 miles from Catemaco, the lone proprietor of ” Antojitos La Carmelita” gleamed from one side of his Zapato mustache to the other when I ordered “pargos” for everyone, mouthing “huachinango”. Actually it was the only fish he had on hand.
So what else would anyone want after a 30 mile trek from Catemaco passing from verdant jungle to cow pastures to breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico.
I would want fresh fried whole red snapper, served over rice, with black beans, hand made tortillas, salad, three sauces, fresh lime and sea salt. AND a beer or soda, and a cup of coffee to get me going afterwards.
AND I would NOT expect to pay more than 50 pesos per person for 5 hungry people on possibly one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico.
I´m crazy? Yeah?
Jan 19, 2006
Catemaco dogs
3 years ago I stumbled on a starving, chain entangled mutt late at night on a Catemaco side road. She turned out to be a sick, tick and worm infested 95% Siberian Husky (1 blue and 1 brown eye) and I tried for several weeks to find her owner. Noone ever came forward! So she now lives with me and allows me to feed her.
Two months ago, my partner stumbled across a hurt puppy and it was love at first sight and a close relationship with an out of town veterinarian. The SOB chewed up my sofa, my shoes , my Pinche Perra ears (that´s the name of the first dog) and my computer cables. And he was simply adorable, cuddly, loveable, responsive and feisty.
Early mornings, before sunrise, I walked the two of them on Catemaco´s malecon and marveled at the puppy´s love of taking a swim in the laguna. My truck needed repair today and Pinche Perra and I decided to take the puppy for a swim in the afternoon. And the two gamboled along the little bit of beach in front of where I live, chased each other and shorebirds, nibbled on peoples’ leftovers and pissed on every upturned lancha (fishing boat).
And then the puppy chased Pinche Perra onto the Malecon´s street traffic and the puppy left us. So we buried him on my property in a small fenced area overlooking Laguna Catemaco and planted two beautiful flowering plants on his feisty little body. One for him and one for my partner who really loved that mutt.
Jan 7, 2006
Catemaco Women
I love the women of Catemaco, Veracruz. There are short ones, tall ones, brown ones, pink ones, skinny and fat ones, etc. The category that I miss is "political women".
Women in Mexico gained the right to vote in federal elections in 1947. In 2007 civil rights for women in Mexico, although included in various federal & state legislations, are still lacking in full legislative application.
Customary women´s rights in the rural areas of Mexico are similar to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Athough laws exist to prohibit the applications, traditionally, women cannot inherit property, and in essence become chattel of their first born sons.
Only a few years ago, Mexican law acknowledged marital rape as a crime. Physical wife abuse is still one of the primary reasons for deployment of police forces. Child sale or trade is still prevalent, especially for female babies. But, fortunately, Mexico´s extreme effort to end the spiraling population curve has produced satisfying results in the decrease of that curve.
Pre-natal and child care is barely above minimal international levels.
Many women in the Catemaco area are heavily impacted by their men´s migration to greener pastures, both within Mexico and the USA, and depend on their husband´s transmission of monies to stay alive.
It is no fun being a woman in beautiful downtown Catemaco, unless you are a saftig Popoluca and catch a rich gringo.
Women in Mexico gained the right to vote in federal elections in 1947. In 2007 civil rights for women in Mexico, although included in various federal & state legislations, are still lacking in full legislative application.
Customary women´s rights in the rural areas of Mexico are similar to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Athough laws exist to prohibit the applications, traditionally, women cannot inherit property, and in essence become chattel of their first born sons.
Only a few years ago, Mexican law acknowledged marital rape as a crime. Physical wife abuse is still one of the primary reasons for deployment of police forces. Child sale or trade is still prevalent, especially for female babies. But, fortunately, Mexico´s extreme effort to end the spiraling population curve has produced satisfying results in the decrease of that curve.
Pre-natal and child care is barely above minimal international levels.
Many women in the Catemaco area are heavily impacted by their men´s migration to greener pastures, both within Mexico and the USA, and depend on their husband´s transmission of monies to stay alive.
It is no fun being a woman in beautiful downtown Catemaco, unless you are a saftig Popoluca and catch a rich gringo.
Dec 31, 2005
Fat Mexico
It´s projected that Mexico will surpass the USA´s body mass by next year. At present 66% of Americans are fat. That is one hell of a triumph for Mexico, especially on the average daily salary of US 17.40 per day (for officially employed people).
Naturally NAFTA and yankee imperialists like McDonald´s get the blame.
Mexico is the world´s largest consumer of soft drinks and Coca Cola is happy to sell its products at prices that would produce shoppers protest riots in the US. Unlucky for big bad Coke - a little old lady took them to court, and (a first in Mexico) won a multimillion peso judgement against the juggernaut for infringing on competition.
Here in Catemaco the populace lives on junk food, or maybe it just seems that way. Half the merchandise displayed in the hundreds of tienditas (tiny stores) consists of junk food and candy. Even the larger grocery stores seem to stock more junk than food. And boy-o-boy- some of that stuff is delicious.
Naturally NAFTA and yankee imperialists like McDonald´s get the blame.
Mexico is the world´s largest consumer of soft drinks and Coca Cola is happy to sell its products at prices that would produce shoppers protest riots in the US. Unlucky for big bad Coke - a little old lady took them to court, and (a first in Mexico) won a multimillion peso judgement against the juggernaut for infringing on competition.
Here in Catemaco the populace lives on junk food, or maybe it just seems that way. Half the merchandise displayed in the hundreds of tienditas (tiny stores) consists of junk food and candy. Even the larger grocery stores seem to stock more junk than food. And boy-o-boy- some of that stuff is delicious.
Dec 5, 2005
Catemaco cheese
I like blue cheese and I would die for some real french roquefort cheese. Soriana recently opened in San Andres Tuxtla and stocked queso azul (blue cheese) around 65 pesos a kilo until a few weeks ago.
They now stock a Soriana private brand cheese labeled "Qso Ro Papil" and the price is marked at 599.00 Mexican pesos per kilo. I requested the clerk to check her computer. She says the price is correct. I ask to speak to the department manager - she also says the price is correct.
Obnoxious gringo that I am, I then search for a store manager and drag him to the refrigerator. The price is correct!, he says. I explain to him that obnoxious gringos do not pay 600 pesos a kilo for cheese wrapped in French francs and flown in directly from the caves of Roquefort, France. He graciously responds "Mexicans do".
I can live with poor service and inept management BUT today I return to Soriana, and for the third time in 6 weeks check the cheese again. It is still the same price, except it has been relabeled, indicating it was packaged 28 November 2005.
It´s still the same old Soriana cheese that´s now turning brown around the edges. I am sure Mexico has laws protecting consumers from that sort of cheating. It is item number 286615 071882 in case someone knows someone at the local department of health.
Los Tuxtlas deserves better than that store, and it is getting it. An Aurrera, Walmart subsidiary will open soon in San Andres and hopefully they will eat that Soriana store for lunch.
They now stock a Soriana private brand cheese labeled "Qso Ro Papil" and the price is marked at 599.00 Mexican pesos per kilo. I requested the clerk to check her computer. She says the price is correct. I ask to speak to the department manager - she also says the price is correct.
Obnoxious gringo that I am, I then search for a store manager and drag him to the refrigerator. The price is correct!, he says. I explain to him that obnoxious gringos do not pay 600 pesos a kilo for cheese wrapped in French francs and flown in directly from the caves of Roquefort, France. He graciously responds "Mexicans do".
I can live with poor service and inept management BUT today I return to Soriana, and for the third time in 6 weeks check the cheese again. It is still the same price, except it has been relabeled, indicating it was packaged 28 November 2005.
It´s still the same old Soriana cheese that´s now turning brown around the edges. I am sure Mexico has laws protecting consumers from that sort of cheating. It is item number 286615 071882 in case someone knows someone at the local department of health.
Los Tuxtlas deserves better than that store, and it is getting it. An Aurrera, Walmart subsidiary will open soon in San Andres and hopefully they will eat that Soriana store for lunch.
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