MeXscape

You may have noticed that things look a little different around here. Okay, a lot different. Why? Well, the easy answer is it was just time for a little sprucing up. I couldn't make over my living room, so I did the web site.

The 13 Wonders of Mexico (Maravillas de Mexico), a competition organized by TV Azteca and the Council of Tourist Promotion Mexico (CPTM), ended on September 25 with Mazatlan chosen as one of the 13 Man Made Wonders of Mexico. Mazatlan competed with over 40 other locations in Mexico in the 10-week contest which received 1.5 million votes. Now the celebrations start.

Sometimes I really want to sit down in the evening, have a cool beverage, sit in the dark, and watch the latest episode of Heroes. Will Hiro make it back to the present? Will Mohinder save Molly? What is Syler up to? These are questions that burn in my mind. My problem is that getting American TV in Mazatlan can be tricky.

After receiving requests from many people, we are pleased to announce we have added a new community forum to MeXscape, and it goes live today. It is free to register for an account so you can post, and we hope with your help to make this a great resource for everyone interested in Mazatlan.

Dia de la Revolucion (Revolution Day) is celebrated on November 20 and commemorates the beginning of the Mexican Revolution in 1910 which ended the rule of dictatorial President Porfirio Díaz Mori. The war, which gave rise to folk heroes like Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, lasted seven years and killed 7% of the population. The end came in 1917 with the ratification of the current Constitution of Mexico. Revolution Day is often confused with Dia de la Indepencia (Independence Day), September 16, which celebrates Mexican independence from Spain.

Every day in Mazatlan brings some sort of pleasant surprise. Today it was a peppy serenade from a wandering group with a big drum and a saxophone. I was sitting at my desk working when the lively music started directly below my window. I went to look and saw a small band of Mestizos standing out in the street.

Winter rolled into Mazatlan early this year and weather conditions deteriorated under a steady north wind that had daytime temperatures struggling to reach 19 degrees centigrade. For many, my self included, this was a serious cold snap that drove us into extra garb, with multiple layers for mornings and evenings. I have had on long pants for four days now and willingly seek comfort in the warmth of an evening barbecue. However, the newly arrived Canadians are finding the temperatures down right balmy and are cruising the Zone in shorts and tee shirts.

Christmas Eve in Mazatlan is a spectacular event celebrated with joy and gusto and quite a bit of noise. If you like a quiet, spiritual Christmas Eve, or if you want to sleep, don't come here. If you want to be a part of an epic celebration with people who know how to have a good time, Mazatlan is the place to be.

Christmas was quiet. Very quiet. We didn't hear even the usual shuffling and breakfast making noises from our neighbors until after 1:00 pm. Not a soul walked down our street, not a car drove by. The previous evening's celebrations didn't wind down until about 5:00 am, so I guess everyone was sleeping in.

My life has been powerfully and irrevocably changed by a shift in geography. A small change, really, only 9 degrees of latitude, but a significant 9 degrees. I do and accept things that I never could have imagined before. I call it "The Mexico Effect". We have been here for 6 months now, and I figured it might be nice to share some of the ways – both inconsequential and monumental – my life has been transformed.