San Miguel De Allende and the Center for Global Justice

San Miguel de Allende is a small picturesque Mexican town.  With all modern construction halted in 1926 to preserve the town as an Historic Site, the consequence is a distinctly Mexican flavor in earth tones with a hint of Cosmopolitan Euro flair.  For this reason and so many others, the town has been a beacon for foreigners, Americans in particular, who want the slower pace, the kitschy life and the nice exchange rate.  After WWII, the the GI Bill allowed American Veterans to get  their education abroad and they flocked to San Miguel’s picturesque hills and renowned art school, Instituto Allende.

The foreign influence has had an effect on the town, in several ways.  San Miguel is one of the most expensive Mexican towns, but it also has a vision and action of sustainability.  Here you will find an organic store, several types of co-ops, and programs that work towards the sustainability of the environment, the economy and the community.  The Green Map is a place to consult to shop at such places.  Some of the places are difficult or impossible to find, but searching for them through the sloping, cobblestoned streets is an enjoyable experience in itself.  There you will find Café de la Luz.  From 7:00 until 3:00 the café serves a predominantly organic, fair trade, worker cooperative menu.  The coffee is outstanding and you can get a plate of homemade hotcakes, made by Joe, but maybe not for much longer.  Joe and his wife Lydia, who is the Director of the Center for Global Justice, are only there until November.  Ideally Joe will pass the Café on to a local Mexican to continue the good work.

The Center for Global Justice will remain and will continue its good work.  At 2:00 the front of Café de la Luz opens up and becomes a co-op store that sells local women’s wares.  Handmade blankets, pillows, purses and even lavender sache’s fill the stores shelves and stack up behind the counter.  The goods are not only handmade by locals, rather than machine made and shipped in from factories, but all of the profits go directly to the women who make them and help to sustain and lift up their families and communities.  This co-op is one of the projects that the Center for Global Justice under Lydia’s care has worked to create.

Formed in 2003 to educate the public about the harms of globalization and Free Trade that have come about since NAFTA, the Center for Global Justice does more than just dispense information.  The members of the center work hard to propose and enact solutions, many of which are currently in action and working well as a way to keep Mexicans out of poverty and their communities intact by using the center’s knowledge and resources. 

There are several hostels in San Miguel de Allende, most will run about 100 pesos a night.  We stayed at the Iron House Hostel.  It is clean-ish and quiet-ish (neighbors are a little noisy), with beautiful iron work and a roof that is nice to enjoy the view from, while you wait for your laundry to dry. Located at the foot of the main town area, it is just a small hike to the center square of town from Iron House. Again, 100 pesos - can't be beat.

All along the way to the various points of interest, there are shops and café’s.  Most of the shops contain touristy items that you’ll find anywhere in Mexico.  Prices are not too bad, but if you are heading to Oaxaca, save your money and your pack space and carry the cozy small town ambience with you as a souvenir, instead.

Aguascalientes

Out of the way and off most tourist tracks, Aguascalientes is a quiet enjoyable town that represents real Mexican life. There is only one hostel and not a lot of hotels.  The town square area is beautiful, there is nice shopping and several museums, the most curious of which is the Museo de los Muertes the "Museum of the Dead."  There is also a hot spring bath house that is wonderful to visit, not just for apparent reason of soaking in a nice warm bath.   

Arriving in Aguascalientes by bus is about as exciting as arriving at any bus terminal in Mexico - it's not.  But take the bus down through the streets as you look desperately to find the righ

t place to stop, unsure of whether your bus driver is going to be truly helpful, and you will enjoy the melee of the Mexican city streets and shops among the frenzied search.  Getting off the bus, still disoriented and you will enjoy the kindess and helpfulness of a local Mexican as you use your broken spanish to ask for help in locating the right direction, this does assume you have written down the instructions to your destination meticulously.  Then of course you will be unsure and have to ask again, because you are in a foreign country where street signs, are merely suggestions or worse - non-existent.  When you do ask again people will they will escort you to your destination, or in our case a shop owner sent her son to help us out. 

The only hostel in town - Lukas Hostel, is clean, comfortable and most importantly - welcoming.  Lukas will show you around, and advise you on all the best locations, how to get around and then some.  The best part is grabbing some beers and sitting in the hostel kitchen chatting it up with Lukas and Sonny, after a day touring the town (or maybe climbing Aguascalientes famous rocks).  There are hammocks on the roof to kick back in, or sleep in if you are so inclined, and and big barrels that serve as sturdy lockers.  At 100 pesos a night, it's a sweet deal.

Take a walk around Aguascalientes to the center square of town, there is a fountain, and a nice midday, work-break atmosphere (Aguascalientes is a city of business).  There are plenty of cafes and shops, gardens to stroll through, and the government palace.  Shopping here is a pleasure after the touristic town of Mazatlan, people don't hassle you to buy and prices are reasonable.  

The hot springs that Aguascalientes is known for, are located at the edge, of the center, of town.  Look sharp and you'll be able to get off at the main hotel where they lie just beyond.  For 130 pesos, you can spend one hour in a large, private bath that will comfortably hold about four to five people.  An hour is plenty of time to relax and ponder your trip.

The museums in Aguascalientes are small but interesting,  you can get into many for cheap or free if you have a student id (this is not the case everywhere in Mexico).  The National Museum of the Dead is a tribute to the annual celebration and the Mexican reverence and respect for those who have passed.  There are many works of art from clay figurines to paintings, some funny, and a few mildly disturbing.  The museum offers

 insight into the ancient roots that affect the modern celebrations.

Known as the heart of Mexico because of its central proximity within the state, Aguascalientes is a great out of the way place to get a good feel about the Mexican way of life. 

 

Mazatlan

Mazatlan is a consummate tourist town.  Everywhere you go along the main drag there are people selling wares, rides, and tours.  I love the laid back feel when you are off the main drag, and chillin' on the beach, or at a tiny shrimp taco stand (I have been told that Mazatlan is the shrimp capital of the world) but whenever I am someplace of interest, like the center of town or along the boardwalk, I feel like a walking dollar bill.

Fortunately we brought tiny backpacks that have very little room so we buy keychains and take pictures as souvenirs. One of the best picture mementos is at any and all Senor Frogs you find along the way.  In front of each "Official Store" is at least one plastic frog caricature.  They make for great photo ops.

No, we didn't get transported momentarily to Sweden, this was for sale in the Zona Dorada.  Not sure what the dealio was, but I was able to channel my roots, and I believe I felt a nice nordic breeze in that moment.  I also feel like this is a good example of how far tourists traps will go to make a buck.

In Mazatlan, we stayed with a very good family friend who put us up and showed us around, hence we don't have as much knowledge of where to stay or where to eat, actually we know where to eat, we just don't know how to get there.  Here's what we do know:

• Prices are high - go to at least half the price quoted.
• People will touch you and sometimes physically pull you into their stores in the markets, be prepared. 
• A taxi ride from the boardwalk along the main drag to the center of town by the big eclectic gothic cathedral is 40 pesos.  Ask the taxi how much, say "30" he should give you 40.  
• Hang out in the waves, but not too far out - there are a lot of rip currents (sometimes called undertows), make sure you know how to swim out of one. 

Mazatlan is a great place for a vacation, the people are by and large nice but its main industry is tourism.  You are the income for the people there, and that is how they will see you.  Research the internet and gather as much recent information about where to stay, what to do and most importantly what to pay. 

On Chihuahua

The City of Chihuahua is the capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua.  There is not a whole lot to do here except wait for the ChePe (the Copper Canyon Railway) to take you out of here. Nevertheless, it's an interesting town and not altogether a bad place to spend a chill few days eating great Mexican food and encountering genuine people. However, don't expect to see any Chihuahua's, Chihuahuans yes, dogs no.

Where we stayed: 

Casa Chihuahua

Comments: A nice little place directly across from the ChePe station. At 

10 pesos a bed it can't be beat. It is neat, clean and safe and the staff wonderfully helpful and friendly. Here's how great this place is - they were supposed to be closed the week we were here, however they forgot to close on the Hostel World site where I booked our beds in advance. Instead of closing they remained open, just for us.

Price: 10 Pesos/bed per night. 3 night maximum.

Where we ate:

"Street Taco Stand"

Comments: Go out of the hostel turn right, turn right walk to the first main road and carefully cross the street. The guy there sells little pork tacos and big glass bottles of Coke. Dress up the tacos with pico de gallo, lime, red or green salsa and cabbage and chat with the other patrons. Don't worry about cleanliness, he is fastidious, as he puts a glove on to take your money.

Price: 30 pesos for four little tacos and 6 pesos per coke (leave the bottle).

"La Coccina"

Comments: Highly recomended by Casa Chihuahua, it doesn't let you down. A big plate of Desayuno Mexicano that includes eggs, refried beans, toast, tortillas and fried potatoes. The service is great too.

Price: 45 pesos

"Coccina Economica"

Comments: Same as above but even more food. Really sweet woman who is wonderfully accomidating. Even gave us a small plate of Chilicilas to see what they were.

Price: 45 Pesos

Alianza Sierra Madre

The Sierra Madre Alliance – Providing education and resources to restore the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Madre Occidental.

The Sierra Madre Alliance and its sister organization Alianza Sierra Madre are two non-governmental organizations working together to advocate for the rights of the Tarahumara, indigenous peoples living in the Sierra Madre Occidental region in the western mountain system in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.  Four different ‘tribes’ of Tarahumara, the Odami, Raramuri, Warijo, and the Pima O’Oba, live in networks of small communities throughout the region.  Often marginalized by the government, their resources and land exploited and degraded by financial interests, these indigenous groups of northern Mexico need a voice to help them navigate the complex bureaucracies that are encroaching on their way of life, culture, and environment.

Founded in 1998, and working under the auspices of the Sierra Madre Alliance in the United States, founded at the same time, Alianza Sierra Madre’s purpose is to work as a bridge between the Tarahumara and the Mestizos (the multicultural, mixed race majority).  The culture within the mainly Mestizo Mexican government consists of a “fix it” mentality, particularly when dealing with the poorer, rural, underrepresented indigenous communities.  Seeing the communities as backward or insufficient, the government seeks to bring the indigenous people around to the ‘Mestizo way,’ leading to their marginalization as they are tucked away into the U.S. equivalent of project housing and become more and more separated from their heritage.  The result is a backward people who have no identity but that of forced poverty, effecting high rates of alcoholism, domestic abuse, and child abandonment. 

Those Tarahumara who still live on their land in the Sierra Madre face encroachment by loggers and drug lords.  The latter need a particular plant that grows in the region for drug manufacture. The destruction of the environment is not only detrimental to the Tarahumara communities, but to the entire region.   

The Tarahumara are hearty agrarians who live in small communities linked through their famed ability to run.  Historically running has been their choice when faced with encroaching European conquers.  Rather than fight or assimilate as many Mexican indigenous tribes have, the Tarahumara chose to retreat farther and farther inland until they ended up in the rugged mountains and canyons of the Sierra Madre system.  Now there is nowhere left for them to run to. 

Allianza Sierra Madre works to help the Tarahumara with three main objectives:

1.     Human Rights - The Mexican government provides the basic necessities but not the rights for the Tarahumara - the rights to their land, their ways, and self-determination.  Alianza Sierra Madre advocates for their rights as accorded to them through international agreements.

2.     Sustainable Well Being - The Tarahumara population faces many problems brought by forced integration and marginalization – alcoholism, domestic violence, and poor health.  Alianza teaches the communities about domestic violence prevention during their visits to the communities and is working to build an indigenous school, complete with a farm, in the community to impart their traditions and continue their customs.

3.     Biocultural Conservation – The Tarahumara land and culture is disappearing rapidly as loggers and miners invade their terrain, assisted by government factions and financial interests, and the Mexican government interferes in their way of life.  Lawyers working for Alianza Sierra Madre have filed lawsuits against the government and corporations stopping, for the moment, the intrusion onto Tarahumara land and resources.

There are many organizations in Mexico that work as advocates for the Tarahumara and other indigenous groups. Alianza Sierra Madre is the only organization that goes deep into the Sierra Madre Occidental to meet with communities most affected by the environmental issues.  Currently the organization is working on several pointed goals: an intercultural school that will be agriculturally based, audio tapes, and curriculums in simple Spanish and indigenous languages that educate the communities about their rights and the alliance’s goals to help them gain their own sovereignty.  They also provide administrative and legal assistance against corporate interests and the government itself. (Video)

The people of Alianza Sierra Madre take regular weeklong trips into the Sierra Madres to meet with the different communities, check on them, and keep them up to date.  They share in the indigenous traditions and learn as much as they teach.  There are many opportunities for Spanish speaking students who want to aid in the process. Alianza allows interns to come in to help facilitate the programs and learn about the process of assisting those who are marginalized by the government and taken out of their traditions.

Indigenous cultures are an important part of any country’s social fabric and they are humanity’s heritage.  Pushing them into forced poverty does not serve anyone.  It makes for a society of desperate people and drains the resources from the government.  Building these communities up and celebrating their traditions and way of life helps them teach us lessons about the human race, our past, our present and our future.  

The Phoenix to Chihuahua Express

After a short, torturous night of bad dreams about leaving for Mexico (for an assortment of reasons), I popped thankfully out of bed when my alarm sang at my snooze-inclusive time of 4:50.  We arrived at the “Bus Station,” bought a ticket, and rode a long, torturous day through the desert in a fifteen-person van hauling a little trailer with a really low hitch that bottomed out every chance it got.  It wasn’t all that bad, I read contentedly, caught up on the previous nights missed sleep, and took in the vast scrub and mountained terrain of northern Mexico.  Aside from the reading and viewing, our ride was punctuated by moments of stilted communication with a tenacious eight year old named Jacqueline.  She sat behind us with her mother and we would chat together. She knew a few English words, all the important ones like her colors, and numbers, and “shut up.”  She wants to go to China because she wants to get to know it.  We shared pictures and I lamented putting my back-pack in the trailer because I suddenly realized the true beauty of technology, the ability to share a personal world and moments through media when words are limited.  In the trailer, in my backpack, was my laptop which contained my world.  So Instead, I read to her from her personal English copy of Dr. Seuss’ “Grinch.”  I tried to get a picture of the three of us but she left while I was trying to figure out how to get to our destination once in Chihuahua.

We arrived in Chihuahua and it is a fine looking city, broad streets and well lit, with colorful Latino style buildings and shops lining those streets.  Although in one moment we were suddenly cruising past a giant Home Depot, a Starbucks and a Blockbuster and I worried we’d been somehow transported instantaneously to a highway just outside of LA.  At the van stop, one of the passengers, a señor Lopez helped us get a cab and rode with us to the ChePe station where, across the street stood our hostel, Casa Chihuahua.  Casa Chihuahua get’s rave reviews from Hostel experts all over and so far it’s pretty nice, just no hot water and signs on every door admonishing guests to ‘please get dressed before you leave’ your room or shower stall (it’s owned by a French guy – I think that just about says it all).  In the meantime Pop and I grabbed dinner at a street taco stand and shared our meal with a very nice couple who spoke a little English to mix with our little Spanish and we talked about our adventures and our plans.  The tacos were tasty and we’ll see how wise an idea that was by morning.  In the meantime, no pictures as our van’s tinted windows did not make for good photos and all was dark by the time we arrived.

Buenas Noches!