WestWords
By Marvin West
His Bio

Ask an old gringo about Easter, cobblestones, WalMart

Question: A few months ago, you provided insight on Christmas in Mexico. How about Easter?

Answer: Easter in Mexico is not bunnies, bonnets or jelly beans. For the devout, it is the most meaningful holiday of the year. For others, it is two weeks off, a family vacation, or maybe spring break, preferably oceanfront.

I haven't been there lately to see for myself but I keep hearing that Mexico City will be deserted. Well, 10 million or so will be missing. Oh happy day!

Observance of the Easter season varies from town to town but everybody does it. Some reenactments of Holy Week are carefully scripted and staged to depict the final significant events in the life and death of Jesus Christ -- his arrival in Jerusalem, the Last Supper, trial, crucifixion and resurrection.

You might see all the Bible characters, even Roman centurions on horseback. There is considerable realism: Christians carrying their own crosses, some wearing crowns of thorns, some punishing themselves, beating their backs with short whips.

Some scenes are better than others. Easter Sunday in San Miguel de Allende has pilgrims burning images of Judas. Sometimes the locals get carried away and "heat up" politicians who have fallen from grace.

At Lake Chapala, where we live, a highlight is the passion play in Ajijic. I hear that the priest has a formula for picking the person to play Jesus. On his list are faith and morals and availability for a year of rehearsals.

So far, Mexicans have generally resisted the commercialization of Easter but you might see a bit of fundraising. Most anywhere you look, somebody will be selling miniature crosses and plastic Virgin Marys.

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Question: Several times you and other writers have mentioned cobblestone streets. What are you talking about?

Answer: Those of us who paint Mexican word pictures think "cobblestones" sounds romantic. In fact, they are just rocks, cobbled together to make artistic passages. When you bounce over them the first time, you may think they are cobbleboulders. What often follows are tire replacements and suspension and alignment repairs. Some express concern for dental fillings.

Building streets of rounded stones is very labor intensive. Mexicans kneel down on the job and fit the rocks together, one at a time. It would be much faster to build forms and pour concrete streets. The finished product would be much smoother. It would also be more expensive. Labor and rocks are relatively cheap.

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Question: True or false, WalMart is taking over Mexico retailing?

Answer: False but moving gently in the general direction of true. The Mexico arm of the Arkansas company opened 120 new stores in 2006 and 132 in 2007. Another 130 or so are under construction or on the drawing board for this year.

We have a junior version of WalMart, Bodega Aurrera, at the west end (naturally) of Lake Chapala, in the town of Jocotepec, in the state of Jalisco. It has several advantages over local merchants: ample parking, lots and lots of things to sell, everything from appliances to fresh fish to pharmaceuticals.

Prices are comparable or lower. Mexican loyalty to the little guys is being tested. Judging by the crowds of customers, it appears WalMart is winning.

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Question: What do you hear about the population explosion in Mexico? Will more and more Mexicans be moving North?

Answer: Oh my, you are straying far from my field of expertise (which, incidentally, is less than two acres) but I think the times and numbers are a changing.

I recall the old joke about the national attire for Mexican women being a maternity dress. Not so any more. Several are not pregnant.

Over the grumbling protest. . .

Marvin West is a wonderful storyteller. To read all his articles all the time, we invite you to join our family of subscribers... it isn't expensive. A monthly subscription is just $5.00 USD - that's $1.15 per week. An annual subscription costs $30.00 USD - only $2.50 per month or 58 cents per week. If you're interested in living or retiring in Mexico, we think you'll find it's money well spent.

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(Marvin West, mostly retired after just 42 years with Scripps Howard newspapers, is senior partner in an international communications consulting company. This column is from his forthcoming book, "Mexico? What you doing in Mexico?" He invites )

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