MexConnect
All results for region “Southern Mexico”
Showing 51—75 of 378 results

Four Days in the Oaxaca State Prison John McClelland

At 9:15 a.m. on February 3, 2010, I steeled myself to enter the Central Penitentiary in Oaxaca, Mexico. Having heard stories of overcrowding, rampant drug use, filthy conditions, torture, inadequate fo... read more
social-issues Oaxaca, Oaxaca

Mexico's Mezcal Monkey: collectible ceramic folk art from Oaxaca Alvin Starkman

A hot collector's item, the ceramic mezcal monkey is designed to hold mescal, the spirit distilled from the baked, then fermented agave plant. © Alvin Starkman, 2010
Designed to hold mescal, the Chango Mezcalero has become a very collectible folk art item whose history has been recounted infrequently, if at all. While by all accounts it originated in the State of Oaxaca, home of mezcal — the spirit distilled from the baked, then fermented agave plant — it's now highly sought after by collectors residing much further abroad.

The traditional Mezcal Monkey was used to hold, display and/or gift mezcal. The clay bottle is just that, usually with a stopper made of cork, or a small piece of corn cob. read more
crafts Oaxaca

The Isthmus: Stories from Mexico's Past, 1495-1995 Reviewed by James Tipton

The Isthmus: Stories from Mexico's Past, 1495-1995 by Bruce Stores
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is "without a doubt strategically significant as it provides a narrow land bridge between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. But it is nowhere near Mexico's major cities or the beaten tourist track." Bruce Stores presents the historical material through a series of stories in The Isthmus, Stories from Mexico's Past, 1495-1995. It is a work, the author acknowledges, of "historical fiction." For me, because I love stories, the history then became fascinating. read more
book-reviews Oaxaca

Enrique Flores: Philanthropic Oaxaca artist has the golden touch Alvin Starkman

Magical nude by Oaxaca artisa Enrique Flores © Alvin Starkman, 2009
Enrique Flores is one of the most prolific Mexican artists of his generation. Of course having been mentored by the late great master of contemporary Mexican art, Rodolfo Morales, hasn't hurt; nor has the fact that two of Oaxaca's most prominent art galleries, Indigo and Arte de Oaxaca, were his patrons for many years. But there's no substitute for hard work, talent, and vision. read more
artists Oaxaca

Seat belt, cell phone and speed limit laws are enforced in Oaxaca Alvin Starkman

Driving in Oaxaca, Mexico, became a little more difficult in September / October, 2009. That's when federal, state and municipal governments actually began enforcing the law, at least in the City of O... read more
driving-routes legal perspectives Oaxaca

Fiona Dunnett: images of self and death in Oaxaca Alvin Starkman

Comic strips, a young Canadian's self portraits, and photographs of violent deaths in a Mexican daily newspaper, make strange bedfellows. But they constitute a major part of the driving force for the c... read more
art artists Oaxaca

Corn, beans and squash: the life cycle of the milpa Karen Hursh Graber

The milpa, or cornfield, is probably the most important element in the life of the rural Mexican farmer, apart from his family, or maybe alongside his family, because the milpa represents generations of his people working the soil. Even in places where agricultural production has been industrialized to the point of overshadowing any importance a milpa might have had before, the campesino continues to work his plot of land, however small, following the cycle of tilling, sowing and harvesting that his forefathers did. read more
cuisines culture-customs Oaxaca

Squash vine soup with corn dumplings: Sopa de guias con chochoyones Karen Hursh Graber

In Oaxaca, it is a rainy season staple and has been since before the Conquest. The only addition after the Spaniards arrived was the lard in the corn dough for the dumplings. read more
vegetables masa vegetarian soups Oaxaca

Case study from Oaxaca, Mexico: Am I paying my staff too much? Alvin Starkman

Day of The Dead is upon us in Oaxaca, and Juanita's hotel still has rooms available for one of the busiest times of the year. The City of Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Mexico, relies on tourism for its very existence. Juanita is trying to figure out where she went wrong, realizing that Día de Los Muertos should top up her bank balance, just like the Christmas season, the summertime festival weeks known as Guelaguetza, and Easter. Time and again she asks herself, "Am I paying my staff too much?" read more
Oaxaca

Mexican Folk Art from Oaxacan Artist Families by Arden Aibel and Anya Leah Rothstein Reviewed by Alvin Starkman

Aficionados of folk art of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico are already familiar with Arden Aibel Rothstein and Anya Leah Rothstein's Mexican Folk Art From Oaxacan Artist Families. It was surpris... read more
book-reviews Oaxaca

Mexico's endless Pacific beach: sun, surf, sand, seafood and solitude Gerry Soroka

There's more to the Mexico seashore than skimboards, seafood and sun-bathing bronzed bodies: there is solitude. There are vast stretches of uninhabited or unfrequented beaches lounging serenely beside a roiling sea that stretches westward seemingly into infinity. read more
beaches exploring-tourism travelogue Central Pacific Jalisco Puerto Angel, Oaxaca

A driving tour from Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque: Part Two Alvin Starkman

The ancient Maya city of Palenque
The countryside in Southern Mexico is tropical and beautiful. There are "must sees" all along the way as you drive from San Cristobal de las Casas to Oaxaca. read more
driving-routes travelogue Oaxaca Palenque, Chiapas Veracruz

A driving tour from Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque: Part One Alvin Starkman

Street Scene
Copoya, Chiapas
This 2,000 kilometer driving tour serves the needs of vacationers to Oaxaca who also want to take in the sights in central Chiapas. It is also useful those who want to at least consider visits to the Pacific coastal resorts in Oaxaca and the Gulf beaches and cultural sights in the state of Veracruz… all without foreclosing a side trip to Puebla. The south central circuit of Mexico provides travelers with a leisurely and culturally diverse driving segment within the context of a two or three week vacation, with virtually no backtracking. read more
driving-routes travelogue Oaxaca Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas Huatulco, Oaxaca San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas

A wedding and christening in rural Oaxaca: The mandate of tradition Alvin Starkman

A wedding and christening in rural Oaxaca
We usually think of weddings and baptisms as rites of passage we attend on separate occasions. But November 27, 2008, marked the celebration of both in San Lorenzo Albarradas: the nuptials of a couple in their early twenties, and the baptism of their three-year-old daughter. What resulted was a melding of highly organized custom... read more
culture-customs fiestas-traditions perspectives Oaxaca, Oaxaca

Eight surprises from a senior year abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico Eliza Migdal

As we studied, found pursuits and made great Mexican and expatriate friends, many of our assumptions were challenged. Our year abroad altered our perspective on both Mexican and American lifestyle and priorities.

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exploring-tourism Oaxaca, Oaxaca
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