mazbook1, Jul 24, 2013: I have lived and cooked in México full-time now for 16 years and there is one puzzle I still haven’t solved. The spice saffron – azafrán – is probably the world’s most expensive spice, as it is just the dried stigmas of the purple flowers of the crocus sativa. Expensive since […]
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Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D. The naysayers, as well as many pundits and so-called mezcal experts, are critical of the agave distillate industry, lamenting that it is no longer sustainable. They are the same people who blanketly criticize multinational corporations and celebrities owning mezcal brands. They appear to be against big business being in the industry, […]
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Magic is Mexico’s superpower. Here, the ordinary and the sacred intertwine like smoke and spirit. The sacred still whispers, and its relevance is ever-present to those willing to listen to its wisdom. Alongside colorful towns and festive celebrations runs a steady stream of healing rituals, sacred medicines, and ancestral wisdom that restore body, mind, and […]
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More than a deep dive into cool waters, cenotes (sinkholes) are portals to the past, conjuring up the history and lore of the Yucatán Peninsula, where they were thought to be passageways to the underworld or Xibalba: the place where the dead met the most powerful of gods and underwent trials and challenges. But who […]
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Our dearly departed Rolly would have celebrated his 94th birthday this month on 20 August 2025. Our tribute to Rolly (1931-2015) Rolly’s co-authored book on moving to Mexico (2009) Rolly Brook’s website (2000-2015) He may now be holding court in a higher world but will long be remembered by his friends and readers in this […]
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Encaustic collage with calligraphy © Thea Evensen 2024. The air is clear and cool inside the church of San Felipe Neri as a small cluster of reverent women kneel at the altar rail chanting to the Virgin in hushed voices, their supplications echoing through the vaulted nave, the smell of disinfectant and old wood […]
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Many of the world’s prestigious institutions of higher education have welcomed students for centuries. The oldest established school is the University of Al-Karaouine in Fez, Morocco, founded in 859. The University of Bologna in Italy opened its doors for the first time in 1088, soon followed by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom […]
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In 2021, Mexico City unveiled its innovative Cablebús system, a network of gondola lifts intended to revolutionize urban mobility. The project aimed to integrate historically under-served neighborhoods with the city’s sprawling public transportation network, providing a much-needed lifeline for its residents. What began as a practical solution to a logistical challenge, however, has become one […]
Continue ReadingIn January 1975 my friend Linda drove me to the Mexican border where I took the train from Mexicali to Mexico City. It was my first trip out of the country alone and I was both nervous and excited. I booked a private compartment, inexpensive in those days, so I could relax and sleep in […]
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Index to Mexico this month (all 12 months) June 1, 1565. Andrés de Urdaneta sets sail from the Philippine Islands on what eventually becomes recognized as a landmark voyage in sailing history. His return to New Spain, by sailing across the Pacific Ocean from west to east, is the earliest documented successful voyage in this […]
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