Did You Know? Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in USA than Mexico
Why this one? The main reason is that the Battle of Puebla marks Mexico's only major military success since independence from Spain in 1821.
On May 9, 1862, President Benito Juarez declared that the Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, was to be a national holiday. In the U.S., the Cinco de Mayo has been transformed into a much more popular cultural event. read more
Cinco de Mayo: What is everybody celebrating?
Ask about the history behind these celebrations, and a few may be able to tell you that the Mexicans defeated an invading French army on that date in 1862. Beyond that — except maybe in Puebla — general knowledge of the circumstances becomes sketchy. Why were the French there? What happened next? Did the French just go away? Many teachers in the U.S. still tell their classes that May fifth is Mexican Independence Day, which is dead wrong.
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Audubon de Mexico: A community partner for ecological awareness
I'm sitting in a third grade class at the Independencia School in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Aside from the charming teacher, there's hardly a full set of teeth in the room, although nobody's smile...
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The Devil's Workshop
Feeling detached, perhaps defensively, from his plummeting body, Sands wonders, "How had the little people emerged from the painting over his buffet?
It was his Rafael Cantú masterpiece, The Last Supper, the prize of his collection. And they were the characters from the painting. He recognized the odd, ragged leather outfits.
Had he been murdered by these nightmare versions of Christ and the Apostles?" ... read more
Mexican trout with sesame seeds in parchment paper: Trucha empapelada con ajonjoli
The Mexican trout farms in the mountains outside Atlixco have open air restaurants that are crowded with families getting out of the city on weekends. The menus feature trucha empapelada, or en papillo...
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Chapultepec: Mexico City's urban forest
City parks were not an important part of my life when I was a child. I was raised in the country on a farm which, for all practical purposes, was a park. Growing older, though, I learned to appreciate ...
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Easter in San Miguel de Allende: Our Lord of the Column
The church bells have been tolling most of the night, interrupted only intermittently by the blast of rockets soaring into the night sky. One resounding boom echoes throughout the city at midnight. Thi...
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Xtabentum: A Novel of Yucatan
The young Amanda, with the help of her thoughtful father, begins to understand la Casta Divina, the Divine Class, and how most members of this class "considered themselves superior by birth and the lighter color of their skin." read more
Mexico exploration: Jocotepec discovered
This news bulletin just in: Mexico considers revising history books. Another holiday proposed. Famous explorer discovers Jocotepec!
Okay, maybe not in the way Christopher Columbus did his thing. It ap...
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Building houses for Mexico's less fortunate
For some northerners, heading south of the border to live after a busy career, Mexico looks like the land of mañana. All they have to do is kick back and watch the monarch butterflies pass on their an...
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