The Eye Beach, Village + Urban Living in Oaxaca January, 2020 Issue 94 FREE
Year of the Rat
“Everybody in America is so money-hungry. It's like a rat race and even when you win you're still a freaking rat.”
Marina Chahue, Huatulco Tel. 958 105 1671 Cel. 958 100 7339 Closed Mondays
Mike Tyson
W
elcome to 2020! I hope that you have had a debaucherous holiday season filled with cocktails and friends, and that you are ready to settle into what is sure to be a much needed collective existential crisis. You probably want to stop reading right now and order another margarita. I was attempting to write something inspirational for my first editorial of this decade, but everything was coming out kind of dire and pessimistic. If you are a regular reader then you know our January issue's theme has followed the Chinese New Year for the past few seasons. Always met with a groan at first by our writers – “Chickens? what can we say about chickens?” – a lot apparently, and this year's 'Rat' has been no different. Rats are easy to dislike, having come to mean traitors or snitches. Partly this is due to their bad reputation as filthy and deadly creatures, and also because rats will flee sinking ships and collapsing houses, giving the impression of abandonment. My father was an animal behavior psychologist who often had to go to his university office on the weekends to feed the rats and run them through a maze because, while they are easy to dislike, rats are the top choice for experimentation due to their anatomical, physiological, and genetic similarity to humans. In fact, rats have a counterpart to every known human gene associated with disease. A 2013 study also showed that rats – and not their mouse colleagues – were capable of exhibiting the full range of Alzheimer's brain changes. As I write this, it was announced that the bad boy up north has been impeached, but one has to wonder if anything will change or if it will even stick. I am amazed at the number of business people I know who say he is all right and don't appear to have an issue with the erosion of human rights as long as the economy is doing well. Who are we and what are our values when, as a culture, we find justification for immigration detention camps lining the border of one of our world's most powerful nations. Every day you make decisions that ultimately say something about who you are, from your purchases, your food choices, your comments on social media, even which media you choose to ingest. So who are you and what do your actions illustrate about your values? Let's be better than rats this year!
Wednesday- Sunday 5pm- 6pm 2x1 Cocktails www.cafejuanitamexico.com
Editor: Jane Bauer Copy Editor: Deborah Van Hoewyk Web Goddess: Erin Vig Writers: Susan Birkenshaw, Julie Etra, Jan Chaiken, Marcia Chaiken, Caryl Delaney, Brooke Gazer, Randy Jackson, Alvin Starkman, Kary Vannice Cover Image: Bonzami Emmanuelle Photography/Art: Various Artists Distribution: Renee Biernacki, Maggie Winter Layout: Jane Bauer Opinions and words are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Eye. We welcome submissions and input. To get involved send us an email. TheEyeHuatulco@gmail.com
See you next month,
Jane
Visit Us Online www.TheEyeHuatulco.com
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In This Issue A Rat Is Not “Just a Rat” By Julie Etra Page 6 It's Not a Rat! By Brooke Gazer Page 8 Blues on the Beach By Brooke Gazer Page 12 The Year of the Rat – from the Beginning By Susan Birkenshaw Page 16 A New Partner for Un Nuevo Amanecer By Brooke Gazer Page 18 La Rubia Negra: The Erotic Art of Gerardo Navarro By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D. Page 22 The Rat Pack in Mexico By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken Page 28 No Rats in Alberta? Pretty Much Nope! By Randy Jackson Page 30 Rupert, Resonance & Rats By Kary Vannice Page 34 3 Kings round the World By Caryl Delaney Page 38 EDITORIAL PAGE 3 UPCOMING EVENTS PAGE 26 www.TheEyeHuatulco.com
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Chiles&Chocolate Cooking Classes Huatulco, Oaxaca
The best way to learn about a culture is through its food. www.HuatulcoCookingClasses.com
Morning Activities
Evening Activities
TUESDAY- Seafood -Seafood Fritter with Chipotle -Shrimp Tostadas -Tomato and Jicama Salad -Baked Fish in Hoja Santa leaf -Paloma Cocktail
TUESDAY- Frida’s Favoritesdishes inspired by Frida Kahlo -Huauzontles in Green Sauce -Corn Pudding with Chiles in Cream -Chicken in Pipian -Zucchini Salad -Frida Cocktail
WEDNESDAY- Mama’s Kitchen -Black Mole- This is the most exquisite and complicated Mexican sauce. -Yellow Mole -served with Rice and Chicken -Handmade Tortillas -Mezcal Margarita THURSDAY- Pigs and Rum -Cochinita Pibil -Corn Cakes -Pickeled Onion and Habanero -Avocado Salsa -Nopal and Radish Salad -Horchata FRIDAY- Street Food -Red and Green Salsas -Pico de Gallo -Handmade Tortillas and Sopes -2 types of Taco Fillings -Huitlacoche Empanadas -Jamaica Margaritas
FRIDAY- Village to Table Dinner Our 8-course dinner using local ingredients is a culinary experience not to be missed! *This is not a cooking class Chiles&Chocolate Cooking Classes offer delicious culinary and cultural experiences that explore Mexican cuisine. Our hands-on classes ensure you will leave prepared to recreate the dishes when you get home. · · · · · ·
Hands-on Instruction in English Recipe Manual Free Gift Bag Food and Drinks Included Transportation Included Morning pick-up is 9am Evening pick-up is 5pm
Cost: $85 USD per person Activities are 3-4 hours Zimatan, Huatulco
Tel. 958 105 1671
chileschocolatehuatulco
Cel. 958 100 7339
chiles.chocolate@yahoo.com www.HuatulcoCookingClasses.com
A Rat Is Not “Just a Rat” By Julie Etra
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K, here is your primer on rats – perhaps more than you would ever like to know. There are a lot more rats than the rat with the deservedly “bad rat” rap, the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus, hence the common name. It is also known as the brown rat, the sewer rat, the wharf rat, the Hanover rat, and the Norwegian rat. (White lab rats are a product of selective breeding of the Norway rat for the specific purpose of research.) The other common rat in temperate climates (including deserts) is various species of the woodrat, or pack rat, Neotoma. There are well over a dozen species of this genus, considered a “good” rat. That Bad Rat It is thought that the Norway rat originated in China and Mongolia; it now enjoys worldwide distribution, with the exception of the Arctic, Antarctic, and the province of Alberta, Canada (see article elsewhere in this issue). From northern Asia, they most likely migrated to southeast Asia, Siberia, and Japan. They did not appear in Europe until the 1500s. Norway rats are nocturnal and have almost hairless tails that are shorter than their bodies; they have short ears. Females have 12 nipples and they reproduce year around, ovulating spontaneously. Females can be sexually active immediately after giving birth. Litters range from two to 22 offspring, with gestation between 21-24 days, and the young are weaned in about 28 days. In summary they reproduce like crazy. Adding to their adaptability and reproductive success, they are omnivorous and opportunistic eaters, consuming just about everything. Although they can swim, they cannot climb out of a bucket (see below). They are smart and have an acute sense of smell, although poor vision. The Norway rat is almost exclusively associated with human beings; how it evolved from a wild animal to ubiquitous pest associated with humans has been studied through relatively recent (2016) genetic investigations. In addition to being the notorious vector of the bubonic plague in Europe, they urinate and defecate where they eat, contaminating food supplies. Perhaps even more problematic they eat insulation and chew through electrical cables. In fact, a few years ago, I met with several Mexican businessmen in Guadalajara who were working on a project with South Korean investors to grow habaneros for production of a concentrate to coat cables and prevent the sheath's consumption. Apparently, Norway rats to do not like the super picante habanero. From Norway to Mexico As with many introduced species, the Norway rat most likely arrived in eastern North America (US) aboard ships around 1775, if not earlier, as stowaways, with wharfs and associated supplies being preferred habitat. Norway rats arrived in Mexico with the Spaniards during the beginning of the conquest, most probably with Hernán Cortés when he landed in Veracruz in 1519, bringing supplies from Cuba, although Cortés was preceded by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Juan de Grijalva.
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As for whether Christopher Columbus brought rats to the Caribbean – he beached on both Hispaniola and Cuba on both the first and second of his four voyages – we do not know. Documentation confirms that Columbus and his men went ashore in Bariay Bay on the northeast coast of Cuba when he landed on October 28, 1492. There were no docks and it is unknown what, i.e., rats, may have accompanied them ashore. The first voyage was relatively small with the three ships (La Niña, La Pinta, and La Santa María) and only 90 sailors. In contrast, the second voyage included 17 ships and approximately 1500 sailors, making land in what is now Puerto Rico; stowaways may have been more likely that time. We know that Cortés arrived with horses, as his expedition was one of conquest and colonization, which he and his men accomplished with the help of horses. Over the 15th and 16th centuries, the Spaniards brought pigs, chickens, and wheat, among other goods (this trade was known as the Columbian Exchange, since goods went in both directions). Urban Rats In Mexico City, according to exterminators, there are currently between nine and 18 rats for each of the over 21 million people living in greater Mexico City. Even with the low estimate, that is a scary 189 million rats! New York City has suffered for three centuries from sewer rat populations that occasionally explode – the New York Times recently reported a 38% increase in complaints, measured by 17,353 calls to the rat hotline in the first nine months of 2019. New York has tried rodent birth control, dry ice and even a ban on eating in the subway, with few noticeable results. The city is now trying a new “high tech” rat trap: a bucket, vinegar, and drowning. The vinegar is supposed to prevent the rats from rotting too fast, and to keep the bucket of dead rodents from stinking too much, according to its maker, Rap Trap Inc. “ICK” is all I have to say, and until humans and their crumbs disappear, the Norway rats will continue to live with us.
But, Yes, There Are “Good” Rats All rats provide some ecological benefit, such as scavenging dead animal and plant material, and can serve as important prey species for wildlife such as owls, hawks, foxes, bobcats, mountain lions, etc. when they share the same habitat. One “good rat” is the pack rat. Pack rats are nest builders, and uses twigs and other scavenged material for construction. Although most people call the plural of the wood rat a “pack” that is technically called a “mischief.” Pack rat nests can be complex with several chambers and are called middens. They resemble a pile of debris. Middens can be very old, and scientists have dated some as old as 50,000 years; their study can provide a window into past site conditions. Although diversity is greatest in the deserts of the US southwest and northern Mexico, they are also found in a wide range of habitats including rocky terrain and caves, but are unknown in the tropics. They are also opportunistic and known to nest in attics and garages, to which my husband and I can attest, as we discovered one living on our top shelf. They have bushy tails, feed on twigs, shoots, fruits and nuts. Babies are born naked and are raised in the middens. Females can have up to five litters per year with up to five babies per litter. Lifespan is usually short, 1-2 years. Want to know more? Check this link. www.ratbehavior.org/history.htm
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It's Not a Rat! By Brooke Gazer
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ineteen years ago, when we moved into our new villa in Residencial Conejos, there were not many residences. With fewer than a dozen homes, the neighborhood had ample forest for small wildlife to inhabit. Many of our construction workers had lived on site, and we later discovered that their habits of leaving tortillas and other food around encouraged small visitors to drop by. A few families enjoyed the abundant supply of nourishment so much that they moved right in. Being from Alberta, which boasts of being a rat-free province, I had never encountered a rat before, and even today they make me shiver. Once we took occupancy, evicting those disgusting creatures became our number one priority, and within about a month we felt we had been successful in ridding ourselves of the vermin. One night we returned home and spotted what looked like the biggest scariest rat we'd ever seen. It was like a rat on steroids, or some mutation that had resisted various poisons. Dominating a planter in our common room, this fat little beast was nearly two feet long and weighed well over ten pounds. Seeing it frightened me so much that the scream froze in my throat. Normally we'd check the internet after being out for the evening, but rather than cross the room to get to our office, we went upstairs to bed. Fortunately, we had no paying guests and hoped this one leave before the sun came up. The next morning it was gone but our terror remained. Where did it go? When might it reappear? Would it attack if we surprised it? Were there others? When Rick mentioned our unwelcome guest to a Mexican friend, Ernesto laughed. “That's not a rat, it's a tlacuache. They're harmless. They eat worms and bugs. And they aren't even rodents.� It turns out these really are harmless and they are rather interesting little critters. Tlacuaches are gentle nocturnal animals who live a solitary life except when mating. In English they are referred to as possums. What is really fascinating about them is that they are marsupials, like kangaroos. They have a pouch for their undeveloped infants, who start out the size of honeybees. For their first two months the babies remain inside the pouch, attached to the mother's breast. Then they climb onto her back and begin to experience the world. Most marsupials live in Australia, and there are several in South America, but this species is special since it is the only marsupial found in North America.
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There are six sub-types of these marsupial mammals in Mexico. They are tough little guys, resistant to rattlesnake venom and they eat all kinds of bugs, including scorpions. Unlike rodents they are not known to carry disease. With five fingers on each hand, their dexterity is equal to of humans. Unfortunately, tlacuaches are slow movers with poor eyesight; when threatened they often go into a coma-like state hoping to fool a predator into thinking they are dead. Apparently, tlacuaches have been in Mexico in their present forms for sixty million years. An adaptable species, these creatures eat almost anything, and they have adapted well to urban life. Currently. their biggest predators are humans because it seems that I am not alone in confusing this animal with a rat. However, it would be a pity if they disappeared due to a misunderstanding regarding their identity. So, if you see one try to ignore it. www.xataka.com.mx/ecologia-y-naturaleza/tlacuache-asies-el-pequeno-y-unico-marsupial-mexicano Brooke Gazer operates Agua Azul la Villa, an ocean view B&B in Huatulco (www.bbaguaazul.com).
Dental Lab Services Broken Dentures? 30 min. repairs New Dentures Available Urgent Needs: 24 hrs. finish Francisco Adrian Barron Dental Technician with over 20 years of experience Cel.: 553 148 8840 Carrizal Edificio B-8, Apt. 2 Beta Centauro, La Crucecita, Huatulco
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Blues on the Beach By Brooke Gazer
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ince its premiere in 2012, the Blues on the Beach concerts have grown so popular that some Huatulco visitors arrange their vacation to coincide with one or both annual events. Mark two Saturdays – January 18 and February 22 – on your 2020 calendar because you won't want to miss either of these two fun-filled extravaganzas. The concerts will be held at The Sea Soul Beach Club in the Chahue area of Bahías de Huatulco. The lineup for January includes Guy Bélanger on harmonica, blues/soul singer Annika Chambers, and Paul Deslauriers, one of Canada's elite guitarists. Quebecer harmonica artist and composer Guy Bélanger, influenced by blues greats Bob Walsh and Dutch Mason of Canada, as well as Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, James Cotton, and Big Mama Thornton, has been touring Europe and North America for over four decades. He started releasing his own albums in 2008; his sixth and latest, Eldorado, came out in October 2019. Bélanger has received two Canada-wide Maple Blues Awards, and 14 of Quebec's Lys Blues Awards. American Annika Chambers grew up singing gospel music in church, but her exceptional gift became apparent through her military service. An invitation to sing the national anthem led to a tour of Kosovo and Iraq, boosting morale for her fellow soldiers. After two tours of duty, Annika returned to Houston where she formed her own band and launched her professional career. In 2015 Chambers and the band (The Houston AllStars) were nominated for the Best New Artist Album at the Blues Music Awards; in 2019, she won the BMA's Soul Blues Female Artist award. Paul DesLauriers fronts one of Canada's greatest blues bands. He was awarded Entertainer of the Year and Electric Act of the Year in both 2016 and 2017 at the Maple Blues Awards. In 2016 his band took 2nd place at the 32nd International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, renowned as the world's largest gathering of blues artists. The group's latest album, Bounce, premiered in June 2019. It is worth noting that, with the exception of the entertainers, everyone involved in making Blues on the Beach so successful is a volunteer, and 100% of the proceeds go to a worthy nonprofit organization. Un Nuevo Amanecer provides therapy and education for nearly a hundred local children who suffer from a broad spectrum of disabilities. Their mandate is to help these kids develop to their maximum potential and live as independently possible. Most of these kids come from poor families and without UNA, they would have little or no hope of becoming self-sufficient. The government provides very little support, but the people in Huatulco have demonstrated overwhelming generosity in keeping this commendable cause afloat. Tickets are $400 pesos and can be purchased at Resort Real Estate Services, Giordana's Trattoria, Café Juanita, Restaurant Viena and Aventura Mundo.
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The Year of the Rat – from the Beginning By Susan Birkenshaw
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s I grew up, one of my not-so-secret pleasures was to read my daily horoscope. I often would have my tea leaves read or go to the card reader at the fall fair, and I even tried to figure out what the Chinese Zodiac might mean to me. I remember that I was often surprised about just how “close and similar” the results seemed to be. As a kid, I would try to live my life (for maybe a couple of days) based on the results of each event. Ultimately, not a sensible path! Over the years I also spent many busy, noisy and controversial dinners with my family. At its largest, the dinner table sat – 3 Dragons (me), 3 Tigers, one each of Rabbit, Dog, Sheep, Rooster and Horse. With no rats at my dinner table, at the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Rat, I wonder who and where they were?! Over time, I “learned” to enjoy the entertainment value and move on. While that didn't mean I simply ignored the potential impact, over time I started to wonder just how these “teachings” had such a history and such a major impact on the lives of so many people around the world. In particular, the Chinese Zodiac has been an important factor in most Chinese culture for over 2,000 Years. Twelve animals, 12 days and finally down to 12 hours times 2 – this originally led to a simple way of telling time and identifying important times in history. Now, it is often the basis of relationships, baby creation times and business decisions. Many believe that while the fables are simple and consistent, the basics remain constant and must have some basis in history and reality. There are twelve members of the Chinese Zodiac. Eleven of these are from the animal kingdom and one is a fantasy creature (dragon). While not all possible animals are represented, the most enduring myth or fable about the origin of the official Chinese Zodiac originates around the time of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 9 AD). It tells us why some seem to be missing. The fable most often told begins with the Jade Emperor. He wanted to invite 12 animals to be his new sentries. After sending his invitations far and wide to any member of the Animal Kingdom, a great race began. It was established that the first across the finish line would be first in rank and so on throughout his new corps of 12 guardians. Oddly, enough, 12 contestants showed up at the start line. The race would finish on the far side of a great river before the heavenly gate of the Jade emperor's abode.
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The rat and the cat were not great swimmers, but they were both very intelligent. They decided that the best and fastest way to cross the river was to hop on the back of the ox. The ox, being kindhearted and naïve, had no objections. Just as the ox reached the shore of the river, the rat shoved the cat into the water, leapt off the head of the ox, and rushed up to the Jade Emperor. The rat was named as the first animal of the zodiac calendar, the ox had to accept second place, and the cat never placed at all. The tiger came in third. Even though he was strong and powerful, he explained to the Jade Emperor that the river currents had slowed him down. Next, “thump, thump,” and from the distance the rabbit came bounding up. He explained that he started crossing by jumping from one stone to another, but he slipped about halfway through. A floating log passed by and the rabbit jumped aboard. The log was rushing downstream but mysteriously dropped the rabbit on the shore in just the right place. Thus did the rabbit become the fourth animal in the Zodiac cycle. In fifth place came the flying dragon, but the Jade Emperor queried the dragon as to why, if he was so swift and never had to enter the river, he did not come in first. The dragon explained that he had had to stop at a drought-plagued village and bring rain to the the people. Then, right near the finish, he saw the rabbit clinging to the log, so the dragon puffed a bit so the log brought the poor rabbit to shore. The Jade Emperor was surprised and pleased by the dragon's good nature, and named him the fifth animal. Next, from afar they heard a galloping sound, and the horse came into view. But coiled around the front leg of the horse was the snake, which leaped out across the finish line, startling the horse. The horse fell back and the snake came in sixth while the horse placed seventh. A bit later, the goat, the monkey, and the rooster arrived at the Heavenly Gate. They had worked together to cross the river. The rooster found a raft, and the monkey and the goat tugged and pulled all the river weeds out of the way. Of course, they had to run from the shore up to the Heavenly Gate, so the goat was number eight, followed by the monkey and then the rooster. The Jade Emperor was much pleased by their teamwork. The dog was the eleventh animal placed in the zodiac cycle. Although his swimming and running skills were excellent, the dog (not surprisingly, spent his time playing in the water. He explained to the Jade Emperor that he needed a good bath before arriving at the finish line, and that was why he was late.
Just when the Jade Emperor was going to call the race, even with only eleven finishers, an "oink" sound was heard, and there came the pig. The pig had, of course, felt hungry in the middle of the race, so he stopped, ate something, and then fell asleep. He woke up and continued on, finishing the race in twelfth place, becoming final animal in the cycle. Knowing the origin of the Zodiac Cycle, we can dig a little deeper to learn that each of the Zodiac animals has five separate elements: wood, water, earth, fire, and metal (or gold). However, this takes us into mathematical calculations that many of us may choose to take to the experts. There are many charts and outlines to follow or mathematical equations that will help you identify your own element. Following one of these charts, I determined that I am Water Dragon. Apparently, this means that I have the ability to be more reflective, calm and intuitive than my more "out there" dragon sisters (when necessary). All of this to say, the Chinese Zodiac is a tool for life planning that can be considered when creating something new or planning a new adventure.
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Open daily 11am- 11pm Tel. 958 117 4502
It is not as slavishly adhered to as it once was; in the times of the early emperors, marriages, other relationships, birth months and even good times for war were determined by auspicious times as decreed by the Zodiac. With its long history and cultural impact today, this tool is nothing to be laughed at. Simply another approach to your life pondering. Here are two simple and useful sites for you to consider in you first forays into the Chinese Zodiac: www.yourchineseastrology.com or www.astrologyk.com
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A New Partner for Un Nuevo Amanecer By Brooke Gazer
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he parents and staff at UNA are exceedingly grateful for the help that Huatulco provides, through both Blues on the Beach and from personal and corporate donations. But the need is ever increasing.
Since 1997, UNA has had the use of therapy rooms free of charge above the Ferrealianza hardware store at the corner of Calles Jazmin and Plumbago in La Crucecita. For children with severe physical disabilities, a second-floor facility is hardly ideal, but staff and parents carry children and wheelchairs up the steep iron staircase. In September of 2017, an 8.2 earthquake in the Gulf of Tehuantepec reached Huatulco, causing structural damage to the building. In the event of another tremor, evacuation of healthy children might be challenging, but the logistics with physically disabled kids is a nightmare that no one wants to contemplate. Land has been donated and some money for a new building fund set aside, but the amount is far below what is necessary to reach the goal. UNA needs about $2,000,000 pesos to begin construction on the new facility and an additional $2,000,000 to complete the project. The good news for Canadians is that this year, due to a partnership with Amistad Canada, donations can be tax deductible. This organization was created in 2009 to help Canadians contribute to worthy non-profit agencies in Mexico. It was registered under the Canadian Income Tax Act and is able to provide donation receipts for Canadians who contribute to any of the twelve Amistad partner organizations; UNA is the newest member and the only one in southern Mexico. Any donation made through the Amistad Canada website can obtain a receipt to support a charitable tax deduction. To donate online go to the Amistad website and click on the “DONATE/ DONAR” tab on the top. Then click the “FUND” button in the left column and select “UN NUEVO AMANECER.” (www.amistadcanada.org/donate/), Donations may also be made by Interac e-Transfer or by check. For Americans and Mexicans, donations can be made directly to UNA either in cash or through UNA's PayPal account. As a registered Mexican charity, UNA can issue receipts for tax deductions in Mexico. The Blues on the Beach event hopes that Amistad Canada's involvement will allow the concert proceeds to be devoted exclusively to construction of a new home for UNA, rather than being used for operating expenses.
Brooke Gazer operates Agua Azul la Villa, an ocean-view B&B in Huatulco (www.bbaguaazul.com).
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(958) 581 0265 gaurei@hotmail.com www.bbaguaazul.com
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La Rubia Negra: The Erotic Art of Gerardo Navarro By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.
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rtist Gerardo Navarro Gómez lives in a lush, tranquil setting with his mother and three sisters. One would not expect to encounter art ranging from the mildly erotic to pieces that test the sensibilities of the most liberal amongst us. But, yes, accompanying paintings that express religious imagery and childlike carefree scenes are those of quite another theme, carefully hidden from view. The women in the Navarro Gómez family weave cotton textiles on their backstrap looms, while Gerardo is busy painting all manner of contorted body parts, at times spewing the lifeblood of humankind. They all, matriarch included, lightly laugh, joke and slough it off in response to my pointed and arguably embarrassing questions. No subject is taboo, nor provokes shame. Perhaps the Eden-like environment is the key to the harmony between such different forms of creativity in one family. The family lives in the Catholic rural world of Santo Tomás Jalieza, about 40 minutes south Oaxaca City. Residents have been weaving cotton textiles for umpteen generations, more recently primarily for the tourist trade – table runners and placemats, napkins, purses, leathertrimmed belts, change purses, eyeglass cases and more. In the case of the Navarro Gómez family, the trade dates back only a couple of generations. Inhabitants remain to a large extent self-sufficient through ranching and agriculture, relying if not on sheep, goats or cows, then certainly upon chickens and turkeys – and subsistence crops such as corn, beans and squash. The vagaries of Oaxacan tourism require it. Navarro grew up rejecting formal education: “I never did finish public school. I didn't think I was learning anything, and in fact spent about four years languishing in first grade. Finally, when I was 14, I packed it in for good.” But one teacher did impact his future. “She was the only one who saw something in me different from the others. She gave me crayons and a drawing book, and left me to work. I never asked her why she centered me out, and she never offered an explanation. She just left me alone most of the time, to draw.” After school Navarro would tend his father's goats, while sometimes doing a bit of leatherwork, and regularly jotting down his thoughts, even making little verses. Twice the government sent instructors to the village, initially to teach about working with animal skins, and then to show the townspeople how to combine textiles and leather to make purses and belts. Gerardo became proficient at making leather belts decorated with narrow strips of cotton textile produced by his sisters and mother on their looms. But once again, he rejected convention. “I didn't like doing that kind of work. I always felt under pressure and like I wasn't really creating anything. I had no freedom. For someone to say, 'I need 20 belts just like this in two weeks,' just reinforced that I had to do something else and remove myself from the lifestyle of those around me.”
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In January 1994, he left for California, intent on a new life: “I wanted to leave behind everything from my past, so I even burned all of my little writings from those afternoons in the fields.” He returned in May, having found the Los Angeles lifestyle even worse; people were always rushing around and seemed to be under an undue amount of pressure. Within three months of Navarro's return, his life had indeed changed, dramatically. His mother Mariana and sisters Margarita, Inés and Crispina, had developed a reputation for fashioning textiles of extremely high quality, setting them apart from most other townspeople. Crispina in particular found herself a niche, weaving fine thread into the most intricate of designs. Her notoriety spread to such an extent that she began to receive praise from craft aficionados outside Mexico. She's been in the company of four Mexican presidents, and even visited former President Vicente Fox at his ranch. The family had become accustomed to hosting dignitaries at their modest, yet spacious and immaculately kept, home. Frequently artists would attend to buy handicrafts, and to just chat. And who wouldn't be so drawn to the family, residing in one of the most welcoming environments imaginable. The late Juan Alcázar, acclaimed Oaxacan artist, and his wife Justina Fuentes, a talented painter in her own right, were one such couple. Of course, Navarro knew nothing of them at the time, other than that they were city folk who appreciated quality textiles. One day in early August 1994, a visitor of German extraction, Helmut Kohl, came by to admire Crispina's artistry. He noted Navarro's fine leatherwork, and suggested that he might want to consider taking art classes with a friend, Juan Alcázar. Over the next several years, daily from nine to six, Navarro would visit the Alcázar / Fuentes workshop, initially working with pencil, then ink, and eventually watercolors. While others were in groups taking courses while learning to be artists, Gerardo would be off in a corner, his back to them, working away independently.
“Don't even look at art books until you've been painting for ten years,” Alcázar counseled; no matter, since Navarro had not previously cracked a book, and never had any intention of doing so. In fact to this day, he has never looked in an art book, nor read about theory or technique, and is oblivious to the art of Chagall and Picasso – aside from the fact that some of his patrons have likened his work to theirs. Navarro first exhibited in 1995, after Kohl had advised him that he wanted to display his work in a gallery in Ajijic. Gerardo had no idea what to expect. When he accompanied Kohl to the framer the day before the exhibit's inauguration, he was taken aback at how different his work then looked. But Kohl kept him grounded: “If you sell one piece you'll be lucky; with two sales consider yourself a master; and never expect to sell three.” He learned that a gold star beside a piece meant it was sold. By 6 pm that first evening of the show, 15 of 16 pieces had gold stars. None of those initial works was erotica, though from the outset Navarro had been creating art with sexual content. He's always feared exhibiting such pieces, even at home: “I still keep it apart from the rest of my work, in a separate plastic sleeve, face down. I won't show them unless people ask; and besides, sometimes children come to our home, so I have to be careful. Even my larger works are on the floor facing inward.” He points to a large framed painting hidden behind another. Narvarro has recently been painting more erotica. But he never decides “I'm going to do erotica starting today.” He doesn't start out with a particular idea – the brush just takes him where it wants to go. “My mind seems to flow like a river; and so I just follow it, and if it keeps flowing after I'm finished with a piece, then a sequence of pieces will emerge.” Many of Navarro's works include prose or poetry relating to the image represented. Sometimes words come to him when he begins a piece, thereby inspiring content, and other times what he writes comes about once a work has been completed. He acknowledges with embarrassment, “I know that because I'm not educated, there are always errors in spelling and grammar.” Such works remind the viewer of the Mexican votive painting tradition (often referred to as ex voto, to reflect thanks and devotion for a divine favor or benefit).
In Navarro's lighthearted La rubia negra (the black blonde, 2006), the message is clearly conveyed without the use of prose: a lover's teary upset and her boyfriend's rejecting dismay upon his realization that she's not a natural blonde. The title's double entendre alone is sufficient poetic rhyme; another translation is “the gloomy blonde.” The imagery dispenses with the need for written explanation. In 1996, Fuentes told Navarro it was time to try working with oils. She gave him a canvas and told him to buy a couple of tubes of paint. After he sold his first oil, he went out and spent 1,000 pesos on as many tubes of paint as the money would buy. Everyone laughed, never having heard of anyone spending all their money on so much paint. But he was filled with excitement and ambition, so much so that within the next four months he had created 18 oils, exhibiting them for the first time in 1997. Oils are amongst the erotica tucked away in his workshop. “You never know what people's reactions will be, or how receptive they'll be to that kind of art. A while ago a woman from the city bought one of my eroticas, a mermaid having oral sex with a mortal. She took it home and her husband wouldn't let her hang it in their house. So they came back together, and exchanged it for a painting of a couple making love, with a crucifix on the wall above them, and an angel passing over, covering Jesus' eyes.” Navarro doesn't perceive inconsistency between being Catholic and producing erotica, but then again he attends church infrequently. “I have my faith, and I believe in Jesus.” He continues, “What initially turned me off going to galleries to see other art or even my own, occurred once when there was an exhibit of my work in one room, and religious art in another. The crowds were looking at my display, and hardly anyone was staying to look at the religious art. Someone came up to me and said 'you're the devil.' My response was simple; at night we all lie down and spread our legs, so what's wrong with that kind of portrayal in my art.” Continued on page 24
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For his oils and watercolors Navarro works in the most brilliant of colors. And with his ink drawings he uses sepia tones. Curiously, it's more in his pieces done in shades of blacks and browns where he lets loose and enables bizarre sexual metaphors to predominate.
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“I'm not interested in exhibiting in other countries,” Navarro states. “People come from far away to see me, not just my art. So what happens if I'm not here? It's not fair to those who admire what I do, if they come by or contact me to make sure I'll be around, and I'm away.” The sisters echo that sentiment. They infrequently travel out of the country to exhibit. And for local fiestas and family obligations, generally one family member remains at home. Being available for those who appreciate their work is a priority.
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The division of labor in the Navarro Gómez household is consistent with Gerardo's personal worldview as represented in his art. Each family member has morning household tasks; sweeping the exterior hardened earth or the interior concrete floors, making tortillas, cooking meals, tending the animals. Most are subject to weekly rotation. Gerardo begins his artistic day only after everything else has been completed. And so equality between the sexes in the household spills over to his erotica – one sex does not dominate the other, and women appear to be just as active participants as men in the eroticism portrayed. Much of Gerardo Navarro's erotica speaks to his personal philosophy regarding monogamy. He has not been in a longterm relationship since beginning his career as an artist some 25 years ago. He sees marriage as a compromise he's not prepared to make. “Marriage is like a grave,” he maintains, then continues, “It kills love. In the world I know, the men aren't around all that much. They're off in the US under the guise of earning for their families, the women and children left at home to fend for themselves. What do the women do?” Silence ensues, leading one to imagine what actually transpires behind closed doors in Santo Tomás Jalieza. Gerardo Navarro Gómez then returns to painting one of his favorite themes – the apple tree in the Book of Genesis, with Eve firmly in control.
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One of Gerardo's non-erotic oils graces the cover of Alvin's book, Mezcal in the Global Spirits Market: Unrivalled Complexity, Innumerable Nuances (www.mezcaleducationaltours.com).
Mezcal Educational Excursions of Oaxaca TM/MR While in the state capital, learn about this century's most coveted spirit by spending a day with recognized
A big bowl of Birria (Mexican stew)
is the ultimate comfort food.
authority Alvin Starkman. Visit rural artisanal distilleries (palenques) using both ancestral clay pot and traditional copper stills. For novices and aficionados alike. Sample throughout your excursion with no obligation to buy.
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Palo Verde & Bugambilia La Crucecita, Huatulco Delivery Cel: 958 116 2932
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Huatulco’s Frozen Yogurt Gardenia Street La Crucecita (2 blocks from the church) Open 3pm-10pm Closed Mondays
Upcoming Events Huatulco Recurring Events: English AA, Huatulco Wednesdays, Joe and Charlie Step Study, 7:15 pm Thursdays, meeting, 11:30 am Saturdays, meeting, 7:15 pm Plaza Oaxaca, Calle Flamboyant 310 2nd floor, La Crucecita, Info: Becky Wiles, b_wiles@yahoo.com Weekly Markets Pochutla Market- Every Monday Huatulco’s Organic Market Santa Cruz 8 am - 2 pm First and third Saturdays of the month Encuentro de Cocineros - Local cooks gather with sample dishes to raise money for local charities. Santa Cruz Park, 150 pesos Last Sunday of the month at 2 pm
Huatulco Special Events: Plaza Coyula Local 4 Santa Cruz, Huatulco (behind Banamex) Tel: 958 100 9998
January 18, Blues on the Beach, Sea Soul Beach Club on Chahue Beach 8 – 11 PM January 25, The Bacaanda Foundation's Dream Fesitval, Guelaguetza Park, on the west side of Marina Park Plaza, 5 – 10 PM
Oaxaca City Recurring Events: Open AA Meetings (English) Members of all 12-step programs welcome Mondays and Thursdays, 7 pm Saturdays, 9 am 303B Rayon near corner of Fiallo Al-Anon (English) Tuesdays, 10:30 am 303B Rayon near corner of Fiallo Religious Services Holy Trinity Anglican Episcopal Church Sundays 10:30 am Crespo 211 (between Morelos and Matamoros) Liturgy followed by coffee hour. Information 951514-3799 Oaxaca Quaker Friends Saturdays, 10 am, Free. All are welcome. For more information and location, contact janynelyons@hotmail.com. Weekly Markets Zaachila Market, Every Thursday Ocotlán Market, Every Friday Etla Market, Every Wednesday Tlacolula Market, Every Sunday
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Plaza Paseo Punta Diamante 33 Commercial Spaces
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The Rat Pack in Mexico By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken
T
he original Rat Pack entertainers were primarily known for their individual accomplishments and their group antics in shows in Las Vegas and films in Hollywood, but they also owed homage to Mexico for contributing to their fame. They included iconic American figures Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. While Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop may not be much recognized among the younger generations, they too were part of the Rat Pack. The name Rat Pack was bestowed on them by Bogart's wife Lauren Bacall, who, after seeing the disheveled group after a night of heavy drinking, said, “You look like a pack of rats.” They were famous for partying, and one place where they could party without being mobbed by adoring US fans was Acapulco. They helped contribute to the reputation of Acapulco in the 1950s and 1960s as a glamorous place for rest and recreation. According to Sammy Davis Jr., who frequently faced major discrimination in the US, they were warmly welcomed in return by the Mexican people. So warmly, that Davis was invited to provide inaugural entertainment in Acapulco in 1977 by the newly elected President José López Portillo. Another soon-to-be president, Jack Kennedy, was an honorary member of the Rat Pack during the time his sister, Pat, was married to Peter Lawford. He also shared their attachment to Acapulco, where Jack and Jackie had honeymooned. The group was redubbed the Jack Pack during the times he hung out with them. However, the relationship did not go well once Jack reached the White House, due to Sinatra's alleged connections with the mob. Ironically, Lawford and Pat divorced soon after Jack was assassinated. Lawford married Mary Ann Rowan in Puerto Vallarta. The ceremony was performed by Luis Fabela Icaza, deputy mayor of Puerto Vallarta. The Rat Pack's fame and fortune overlapped with the Golden Age of Cinema in Mexico, so it is not surprising that Mexican superstars and the Rat Pack were involved in some of the same films. The revered Mexican comedian, Cantinflas, was the leading actor in the film, Pepe. Bit parts by Rat Pack members playing themselves included Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin.
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A number of films made by individual Rat Pack members were shaped by their Mexican retreats. Bogart might be best known for Casablanca, but film critics agree that one of his best performances was in Treasure of the Sierra Madre. This film, which has definitely withstood the test of time, was shot in the state of Durango and the city of Tampico. One of the first Hollywood productions to be shot outside the US, the film was selected to be preserved by the US Library of Congress. A far less critically acclaimed movie, Marriage on the Rocks, starring Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in non-singing roles, also was set in Mexico. The comedy involved fast divorces, faster marriages, and remarriages in a Mexican beach resort. The concept of Mexico aiding and abetting serial marriages so offended the Mexican government that they banned the film and all other Sinatra films. In addition, Sinatra himself was banned from entering the country. When asked about the ban, the official response was, “The government is empowered to bar anyone from entry without giving any reason.” Perhaps the worst quasi-Mexican movie made by a member of the Rat Pack was The Ambushers, a spoof on the James Bond films, starring Dean Martin. Martin, as the spy Matt Helm, is off to Mexico to track down a stolen flying saucer. Although the film featured a bra that shoots bullets and a device that makes men's pants fall down, it was not banned in Mexico but simply ignored. Although they spent many weeks partying and on location in Mexico, the selection of songs by Rat Pack members just barely reflected their attachment to the country. South of the Border was a hit recording made separately by Sinatra and Martin. Martin introduced an English version of La Paloma to fans who lived north of the border, but the Spanish version did not make it into his repertoire. Even Sammy Davis Jr., who was of Cuban descent, largely eschewed Spanish in his performances for standing-room-only crowd in Acapulco – ending with one word – “gracias”. All the members of the Rat Pack are now gone. The former glamour of Acapulco has faded. But if you would like to spend time remembering the good old days, have a drink at an old rat-pack haunt, the now refurbished and reglamorized Madeiras restaurant in Acapulco. Or watch the original 1960 Ocean's Eleven featuring the whole pack. It's in English of course, but you can probably find a copy with Spanish subtitles.
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No Rats in Alberta? Pretty Much Nope! By Randy Jackson
T
he Chinese zodiac year of the rat in 2020 coincides with the 70th anniversary of having no rats in the Province of Alberta. NO rats is only a very slight exaggeration. About a dozen rats a year are found wandering into the province or inadvertently carried in by vehicles from elsewhere. Obviously, those unhappy wandering rats don't survive. Alberta is the largest rat-free populated area in the world. “Populated� is a key word in this statement, as the Brown or Norway rat has evolved to live with people; they don't survive without our crops, our waste, and our structures. Besides Alberta, there are no rats in the Arctic, in Antarctica, or on a smattering of islands here and there. So to have such a large area (Alberta is 661,848 square kilometers, about the size of France) without rats is astounding. This all came about because Alberta is uniquely situated historically and geographically to keep rats out. It took quite a while after European ships arrived in North America for the rats to reach Alberta. According to an online source, The History of Rat Control in Alberta, it is thought that rats were first established along the eastern shores of the continent in 1775. It wasn't until 1950 that the first Norway rat was discovered in Alberta near the Saskatchewan border. After 175 years of migration, along with settlements and farms moving westward across the prairies, the first rats came up against the Alberta Agriculture Control Act of 1942. Alberta has some big geographical help as well. The natural barriers Alberta has against rats are the mountains to the west, the boreal forest to the north and the mountains and arid plains of Montana to the south. The only way into Alberta for rats is over the Saskatchewan border to the east.
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That's not to say every rat from 1950 onward was stopped dead on the Saskatchewan border. It took a while for Alberta to establish effective tools and procedures of eradication. Alberta government data shows confirmed rat infestations (2 or more rats in one place) in 1959 to be 600. The eradication of these infestations began with calculated placement of various toxins, including arsenic, strychnine alkaloid, and various other compounds, including the brand-new anticoagulant Warfarin. By 1990 Alberta had reduced the number of rat infestations to 10, and by 2003 there were zero confirmed rat infestations in Alberta. The benefit of the rat control program to Alberta represents a huge cost savings for the province compared to losses and damages from rats experienced throughout all other parts of the world where people live and crops are grown. The Ecological Society of America reports that 15% of food crops in Asia are lost to pests (principally rats), representing food that could feed 200 million people a year. Statistics from Africa are similar. The estimated cost from rats to the United States economy is $19 billion/year from loss of foodstuff, structural damage, and fires from rats chewing electrical wires. In India, most automobile fires in Mumbai are caused by rats. Pablo Escobar's brother Roberto, who served Escobar's Medellin cartel as an accounted, estimated that rats ate 10% of Pablo Escobar's cash stores, amounting to US $2.1 billion a year (that would be over US $4 million a week). Along with its natural barriers to rats, Alberta has a 28-kilometerwide rat control zone along the Saskatchewan border that stretches 600 kilometers north from Montana. There is an ongoing rat control program with a staff of 6 people. The rat control work includes inspection and monitoring as well as an education program for farmers and others, mostly teaching people what a rat actually looks like. There is a rat hotline (310-RATS) for reporting of rat sightings, although the majority of reports turn out to be other animals. One reported sighting of a large rat in a woman's basement turned out to be a small beaver. Sightings are rare enough that when a rat is occasionally discovered in Calgary or Edmonton the story is often covered by the mainstream media. So even with the upcoming Year of the Rat in the Chinese Zodiac, I'm pretty sure there won't be any special welcome for rats in Alberta.
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Rupert, Resonance & Rats By Kary Vannice
N
o matter what your political, moral or spiritual stand on using animals for experimentation, it's undeniable that rats have contributed a lot to understanding the nature of biology, psychology, genetics and many other areas of science. Rats also been instrumental in helping scientists quantify the nebulous and unquantifiable.
To prove that out, the same experiment was conducted again in Australia using rats that had no connection to those used in previous experiments. These experiments, too, showed the same results. In each, the first set of rats to try the maze seemed to start out with a failure/learning rate similar to where the last set had left off, even though they were on another continent and had no genetic connection to the other rats.
One such theory is that of “morphic resonance,” proposed by Rupert Sheldrake in the late 1960s. Sheldrake proposed that organisms inherit memory, such as learned behaviors, and not just biological material from their forebears. Or, put another way, individuals inherit a collective memory from past members of the species.
All of these experiments ended in 1954 with hardcore scientists scratching their heads, unable to refute the results, but also unable to explain them. Sheldrake's morphic field theory, proposed 10 years later, pointed to a possible explanation, but was met with plenty of skepticism.
But how does one begin to prove something as nebulous as morphic resonance? Enter the rats. One experiment that Sheldrake used to support his theory began at Harvard University in the 1920s. A scientist named William McDougall devised an experiment where lab rats were to escape from a specially designed tank of water by swimming down one of two pathways that led out of the water. The “wrong”' pathway was brightly lit, while the “right” gangway was not. If the rat left by the illuminated pathway it received an electric shock. Which path was illuminated changed from trial to trial, so the rats had to learn that the key to success was the darkness and not the left or right gangway. When the experiment began, some rats required more than 150 shocks to learn to exit the experiment via the non-lighted path. Once the rats had learned the key to successfully exiting the experiment without receiving a shock, they were bred. Their offspring were then subjected to the same exact experiment, without the benefit of watching the parent rat, so no learned behavior could take place. Any improved rate of success would have to have been “passed down” and not learned. By the thirtieth generation only 20 shocks were needed to learn the key to successfully exiting the experiment. The findings seemed to prove the theory that this learned knowledge was somehow being passed from generation to generation. But here's where it gets really interesting. To test the theory, the exact same experiment was set up in London using rats that were not genetically linked to the rats used in the Harvard experiment. Shockingly, from the very first experiment the new rats needed only 25 shocks to learn the key to success, suggesting that the knowledge of how to avoid the lighted pathway was not being passed from parent to offspring, but was instead was universally available on some sort of energetic level.
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Do the rat results prove there is some sort of morphic field that we all have access to? It's a question that researchers in many areas of science have been asking and trying to prove for centuries. If you've ever heard of “The 100th Monkey Effect,” it's the same premise. Carl Jung theorized there was a collective unconscious at work in his psychology patients. Likewise, Freud spoke of archaic remnants, which he described as “mental forms whose presence cannot be explained by anything in the individual's own life and which seem to be innate and inherited shapes of the human mind.” While scientists are still trying to find definitive proof that this collective memory bank exists, it's hard to deny that there is something in the “field” when so many researchers from various disciplines are coming up with the same idea. If it does exist, what would you put into the collective field for future generations to pick up on?
Marina Chahue Huatulco 958 105 1671
Join Us for Brunch! Sundays 9am- 3pm
The Dream FestivalHave Fun for a Good Cause!
Open Daily 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm Located beside La Papaya in Chahue
If you're in Huatulco in the last couple of weeks of January, you get a chance to spend some pesos to have a good time, eat fun food, see Mexican dancing and giant puppets, splash a couple of popular locals into the dunk tank – lots of music, lots of prizes, and you'll be supporting education in the rural villages surrounding Huatulco. The Bacaanda Foundation (El Sueño Zapateco, or Zapotec Dream) is holding its fifth annual Dream Festival on Saturday, January 25, at Guelaguetza Park, next to Marina Park Plaza, from 5 – 10 PM. Bacaanda has been upgrading and building new schools, teachers' quarters, and sports facilities for over five years; it is now working to install the Internet at those schools. The goal of the Foundation's latest project, Intelligent Rural Schools, is to use point-to-point wireless technology to bring the internet – now a fundamental educational tool – to the rural communities where schools are located. The project includes teacher training on classroom technologies and equipping classrooms with iPad tablets loaded with offline and online educational content and smart TVs.
Patio Time at Frida’s Giant Margaritas, Jugs of Sangria and the best caesars in town! Variety of Burgers, Tacos and Pitas Fried Cheese, fresh shrimp cocktails
Chiles&Chocolate Cooking Classes Huatulco, Oaxaca
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NEW CLASS! THURSDAY MORNINGS Pigs and Rum -Cochinita Pibil -Corn Cakes -Pickeled Onion and Habanero -Avocado Salsa -Nopal and Radish Salad -Horchata
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chiles.chocolate@yahoo.com www.HuatulcoCookingClasses.com The Eye 35
Tipping By Señorita Manners
M
ost of us have worked at one time or another in the food service industry, maybe it was a lemonade stand in grade school or as a waiter in college. But when travelling no one wants to be the chump and many of us are wary and guarded for fear of being taken advantage of. Tipping is a subject of much discussion on travel message boards; when and how much is appropriate? Please do not confuse tipping with charity. It is as insulting to tip with used clothing or school supplies in Mexico as it would be at The Keg. Tipping your server has been a long-standing North American tradition. While tipping 15% of the total bill has been the standard for a long time, that tip can vary depending on the service you receive. It is a system of payment, especially in job sectors where wages are low. In Australia for instance, the minimum wage for waiters is $25 Australian dollars/hour. As a result, eating out is a lot more costly in Melbourne than in Mexico. The friendliness and attitude of the server has got to be a top priority in determining a tip. However, do take into account language barriers and cultural norms. The food could be wrong because of a chef’s mistake, the room temperature could be cold because the manager set it that way…but a server’s attitude is nobody’s responsibility but the server’s. Most people whogo into restaurants are happy and looking forward to eating a nice meal and not having to do the dishes afterwards.
If you get a server with a poor attitude a small tip, would definitely send him or her a message. By the same token, a server who is happy, smiles a lot, and seems to thoroughly enjoy waiting on you, should definitely get 20% or 25% for making your evening even more pleasant. A little quiz for those of you who have never waited tables: 1.What is the average hourly wage of a server? 2. How much should you tip your server? 3. Is it OK to verbally abuse, throw your food, your drink, even your cigarettes, at your server? If your answer to the first question was minimum wage, or more, you’re not even close. If you said “as much as I think he deserves” for No. 2, again, not even close. And if you laughed at the third question, fine, but don’t think it doesn’t happen. Remember that your server is a person. More than likely he waits on you so he can pay the bills. In Oaxaca wages for servers can be as low as… nothing… yes nothing. This is especially true in high tourist traffic areas such as beaches or ruins. Servers are willing to work for nothing because they expect to make their wage in tips. In resorts or in town, servers may earn 1200 pesos a week- still a small amount for a 48 hour week. They are also usually obligated to share 10% of their tips with kitchen staff whose wages can be as low as 1200 pesos a week. When staying at a resort I suggest a minimum of 50-70 pesos per person per meal- at the buffet, and more in the higher end restaurants! Low wages are one of the reasons all-inclusive resorts in Mexico are much less expensive than in the US or Canada.
Mercader Restaurant opened its doors in Huatulco in July 2015. The entrepreneurs, Francia and Braulio , wanted to create a fresh new idea for a restaurant, something that didn't already exist in Huatulco. They wanted to create a menu with the expertise and knowledge they had acquired in their international travels and their professional development as world class chefs. Their highly successful restaurant, located in Santa Cruz, has become known as one of the best places to eat in Huatulco and the menu is both unique and creative, not to mention incredibly delicious. This success has motivated them to open a second location in Huatulco, where they can continue with their innovative ideas and create new culinary experiences for their customers. This second location will be in Palacio de Huatulco, which will be ready for occupancy in June 2021. Francia and Braulio want to thank Palacio de Huatulco for the confidence that the developer has placed in them to develop this second location. ………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………. Lanny Berner from Segovia International Realestate and the creator of Palacio de Huatulco expresses that Segovia is very excited to have reached an agreement with Mercader Restaurant. The entire team at Segovia is very confident that with the expertise of Francia and Braulio, combined with the stunning new location, that their new location is destined to be yet another huge success. Mr. Berner on behalf of Segovia International Realestate would like to take this opportunity to welcome Mercader Restaurant to the Palacio de Huatulco family.
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From the Archives, January 2012
3 KINGS ROUND THE WORLD By Caryl Delaney
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piphany, Three Kings Day, Little Christmas or Día de los Reyes is celebrated in many ways around the world. The traditions of this celebration – including the actual date of celebration – vary as greatly as those of Christmas do. Most countries and cultures share the idea that Jesus was visited by the Magi, but after that the meaning of this day branches off into a myriad of directions. The Spaniards brought the tradition of celebrating the Epiphany and sharing the Rosca to the New World. Here in Oaxaca, particularly on the coast, it is a rather simple family holiday, mainly for children, neither a holy day of obligation nor a day off. Families buy a Rosca de Reyes made of flour, eggs, sugar, dried fruit and often orange or cinnamon flavors. Inside the cake there is a little figure of Jesus called el mono or el niño. Whoever bites into this little figure becomes the godfather or godmother of the little Jesus doll and gets to buy the tamales for all on Candlemas Day, or Día de la Candelaria, which falls on February 2. (Last year I got three little figures in one Rosca and ended up having to buy 28 tamales!!) In other parts of Mexico, perhaps those places more entrenched in traditional colonial Catholicism, the holiday brings on different activities. In some parts of Mexico children leave small gifts and sweets or put out their shoes the night before, much as stockings are left out on Christmas Eve farther north. Shoes are stuffed with straw or hay for the Kings’ camels; in its place, the Kings leave little ones. Similarly, in some places children leave a wish list letter for the Kings in their shoes. In others they attach the letter to a balloon to send it off. Just as they do with Santa farther north, children traditionally have their pictures taken with the three wise men. In Mexico City´s La Alameda park, a verbena (street party) is held for the kids, where an abundance of food, sweets, games and the like will be found on this day. Last year in Mérida in the Yucatán, several public sectors got together and broke the Guinness record for the biggest Rosca ever – 1.3 kilometers long (.8 miles) and weighing 2,160 kilograms (4,762 pounds)!!!. This year the Yucatecos are trying to break that record. For some, Día de los Reyes represents completing the “Guadalupe Marathon” or crossing the “Guadalupe Reyes bridge” – finishing off the Christmas season that runs from the Day of the Virgin Guadalupe through the Day of the Three Kings. For others the holiday officially stretches into Candelaria. Here in Oaxaca, it is a charming, non-assuming holiday to enjoy the rosca, the niño, family and friends and a nice cup of Mexican hot chocolate.
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