We are blessed in this city with a wealth of incredible artists and other professionals. Last night was just one example of the wonderful events they share with us.
Recrea got together with architects and architectural students to present a multimedia spectacular just down the street from the Plazuela, on the corner of Constitución and Belisario Dominguez. It was called Soy Monumento. Take a look:
Or you can view it at:
http://gallery.me.com/diannesaphiere/100000
Today, May 22 2010, President Felipe Calderón announced a new Sectur tourism program, called “Las Rutas de Mexico.” How many of these routes have you travelled?
1. Route one is the route of the Culture of Wine and the Aquarium of the World, based in the states of Baja California and Baja California del Sur. My cousins and I are planning a trip there this next October, in celebration of our 50th birthdays.
2. Route 2 is the Millenary Route of the Tarahumaras, which passes through the states of Chihuahua and Sinaloa. This is the route we took during Holy Week and Easter Week last year, and includes El Chepe train through the Copper Canyon. It was incredible, and the culture of the Tarahumara (indigenous people) is fascinating (they are the famous distance runners).
3. Route 3 is the Magic of Tradition and Nature, and runs through the states of Mexico, Michoacan, Morelos and Guerrero. There is a LOT of diversity to see here. We’ve seen some of it, but look forward to seeing a lot more, including the wintering grounds of the monarch butterflies.
4. Route 4 is the Cradle of History and Romanticism. Just the title makes you want to visit, doesn’t it? This route passes through the states of Querétaro, Guanajuato and Jalisco. I’ve seen some of this, including a most memorable trip to Guanajuato when I was 12 (cobblestone streets, mummies in underground passageways…)
5. Route 5 is called the Art of Tequila and Music Under the Sun, and traverses the three states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Colima. We visited the towns surrounding Tequila over Christmas break a year ago, and it is definitely worth the trip!
6. The sixth route is called Huastecan Beauties, through the states of Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas and Veracruz. We have not traveled this area yet, and very much look forward to it.
7. Route 7 is the Thousand Flavors of Mole. Again, who could resist that? This route includes the states of Tlaxcala, Puebla and Oaxaca. We spent this past Christmas in the city of Oaxaca and, believe me, it is gorgeous and we ate terrific mole!
8. Route 8 is the Mystery and Origins of the Mayans<, and traverses the southeast of Mexico. The amazing architectural feats of the Mayans are definitely one of the world’s treasures.
9. Route 9 is the Experience of the Viceroys, through the states of Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Jalisco.
10. The tenth route is called the Fascinating Meeting of History and Modernity. It is located through the states of Durango, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Sonora, where the juxtaposition of ancient and modern is as remarkable though very different than similar juxtapositions in Asia or Europe.
First, there is a typical day on our terrace: paradise, Mazatlán style. (Click here to listen while you read.)
Add to that two men (and sometimes a woman) who love burgers. But, the beef here is VERY lean, not that marbled fat-filled juicy stuff my boys are used to. No worries!
Chef Greg, charter member of “Cooking Club of America,” to the rescue! He has learned to add some extra fat to the ground beef, to make it juicier once it comes off the grill. Turkey chorizo along with his secret spices in a frequent combination. But the best-ever cheeseburger in paradise was made from our local ground beef with some summer sausage, portobella mushrooms, and pineapple.
We put the sriracha mayo on the bun, but we still need the Heinz 57 for the fries! Since we live in the land of tomatoes (they appear on the Sinaloa car license plates), you’d think our local ketchup would rock. Not! The ketchup served here in the land of bountiful tomatoes is thin, watery and lacking flavor. Like Jimmy Buffett, we prefer Heinz 57. It’s hard to find here in Maz, but, with planning, doable.
¡Buen provecho!
Mazatlán is gorgeous, and I am very proud to say that we now have a state-of-the-art convention facility, the Mazatlan International Center. Please think about booking your next association or organizational event here in our gorgeous hometown!
The Mazatlán International Center is designed around an aquatic theme, and is the largest facility of its kind on the west coast of Mexico. It is located just north of town near the marina, and the facility’s largest hall accommodates up to 4500 people. Here is a video of the facility.
You see the marine theme from your first approach to the convention center. The fence street-side undulates like the waves of the ocean. If you come by bus or park your car, you are greeted by shaded areas that evoke seagulls.
The top floor holds the Gran Salón Mazatlán, which divides into six smaller rooms or, in its large format, holds up to 4500 people. The Carnaval meeting room also divides into three smaller rooms, and in its larger format holds 630. This floor is also where the kitchen is located.
If you say “Semana Santa” and “Mazatlán” in the same sentence, most people think of masses of national tourists crowding the beaches, partying in the clubs, and enjoying banda music.
We took a couple of videos of the banda Las Brisas on the beach at Inn at Mazatlán, if you’d like to see.
But this, the first Holy Week that we’ve actually stayed in Mazatlán, turned out to be quite a sacred event as well, thanks in large part to the young people of Pajuma, the Catholic youth group. This group of young people assembled behind us, in the stadium, from Thursday through Saturday to celebrate Holy Week and to pray for peace.
Most of the photos in this blog post are from the local newspaper, as I didn’t take any photos in church, and didn’t have my camera ready for many of the events.
PALM SUNDAY/DOMINGO DE RAMOS
Palm Sunday surprised me, as we showed up at church to find an entire marketplace of palm frond braiders selling their wares in the little plaza in front of the church. There was quite a variety of these beautiful folk art pieces, many of them very detailed, and very reasonably priced.
Most parishes in Mazatlán seem to conduct a reenactment of Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem. Actors dress up as Jesus on a donkey, as well as as the Apostles. Observers carry their palm fronds and cheer as Jesus comes into Jerusalem. These are some photos from the procession downtown, conducted by the Pajuma kids. They left the Templo de San José to proceed to the Catedral, and then after mass to go on to the statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe down at La Puntilla.
MAUNDY THURSDAY/JUEVES SANTO
Masses on Thursday usually include the traditional washing of the feet. This is of course the night of Passover, Jesus’ last supper with his Apostles. At that Passover celebration, the Bible tells us Jesus washed the feet of his friends. The humility inherent in washing someone else’s feet makes Maundy Thursday one of my favorite religious celebrations. Here, however, they wash feet a bit differently than what I’m used to in the States (I’m used to us parishioners either getting our feet washed or being able to wash the feet of others). Here the priest washes the feet of 12 men from the parish, representing the 12 Apostles, who are seated in front of the altar.
At the end of mass the altar is stripped and communion is stored away until we can celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Parishioners exit Mass in silence, or stay in the church for the Easter Vigil (Adoración al Santísimo), accompanying Jesus during his night of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemene.
This mass, for me, was quite awkward. We were all inside, meditating on the impending sacrifice of Our Lord. Outside, pulmonías (open-air taxis) were going by, music blaring on giant speakers, filled with drunken revelers hooting and hollering. While I felt happy for Mazatlán that people were filled with joy, and that much-needed money was flowing into the local economy, it poignantly captured the “life separate and apart” from larger society that Christians are exhorted to follow.
GOOD FRIDAY/VIERNES SANTO
One of the holiest days in the Christian calendar, today commemorates the day on which Christ died on the cross. Many parishes in Mazatlán conduct a Vía Crucis, or the way of the cross, reenacting Christ’s carrying of his cross to Calvary and, sometimes, his hanging and death. These reenactments can get painfully graphic.
The Vía Crucis usually culminates with a mass, during which parishioners kiss the feet of Jesus on the cross. Again, this is one of my favorite religious ceremonies of the year. Here in Mazatlán they stand and kiss the cross. In the US I was used to kneeling to kiss the feet of Jesus, on a larger cross than what is the custom here.
HOLY SATURDAY/SABADO DE GLORIA
Culminating Holy Week for many Catholics, Saturday evening is the lighting of the pascal fire, or the “fuego nuevo.” I always love this night, because the church is completely dark. Every parishioner brings a candle, which are, in Mexico, conveniently sold in front of the church on Holy Saturday. Fire is brought in from a bonfire outside, and used to light parishioners’ candles. The fire is passed from parishioner to parishioner, and the church is gradually filled with light and hope. It’s a gorgeous sight. A few Easter hymns are sung, during which the lights of the church are gradually turned on as well, and we can again sing “Aleluya,” because Christ is risen.
It is at this mass that we renew our baptismal covenant, renouncing evil and professing our faith. Holy water and sacred images are blessed. We can all go home and eat what we want, because the penance you’ve observed for the 40 days of Lent is complete. Unless, of course, you wait till Easter Sunday to attend mass 🙂
¡VidaMaz! 