DAY OF THE DEAD IN MEXICO CITY

Day of the Dead in Mexico (November 1 and 2) is one of the most moving, culturally significant, and visually impressive events of the year. As opposed to the United States, where death is usually a hidden, private affair, in Mexico the entire country engages in a communal exercise of observing and remembering those who have died. It is a defining element of the culture, an expression of a world view that is distinctly Mexican. It is also one of the best times to visit, observe, and learn.

Places such as Oaxaca and Patzcuaro are famed for their Day of the Dead celebrations, but in Mexico City you will perhaps find even more going on. For those interested, here is the link to the article I wrote last year for The News. Most of the information therein will apply this year, too.

BLOGGING FROM BORNEO

We're at day 12 of seven weeks of travel, so I won't be blogging as often for a while.
We are currently in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak (Malaysia), on the island of Borneo. Any ideas you might have had (as I did) about the 'wild man of borneo' with a bone through his nose are long outdated. The wildest man we've seen so far was doing karaoke at an outdoor
food court last night.
Malaysia is a wealthy, modern country with high-rises, MacDonald's, and a racial mix of Malay (mostly Muslim), Chinese and Indian.
I arrived in Kuching with a toothache. The woman at the hotel helped me find a dentist,
which prompted some thoughts about the current debate on medical (or dental) costs.
My quick visit with Dr. Roki (it was a gum infection), plus antibiotics, anti-inflammatory pills and pain-killers came to a grand total of $11.
Off to Penang tonight, then who knows? It's not high tourist season here, so we're not planning ahead--just moving when we're ready. More to follow...

MERRY CHRISTMAS

If you're the kind of person who just can't get enough holiday cheer, you might want to move to Mexico City.
I had my first sighting of artificial trees on sale last week, then saw this large display of Christmas goodies in Sears yesterday.

When drought, drug wars, and armed lunatics in the metro get to be too much, we chilangos can always turn to what we do best--celebrate. Viva Mexico! Feliz Navidad!

A CONVERSATION WE SHOULD BE HAVING

The 'drug wars' in Mexico have escalated to the point where they rival, sometimes supercede, the news in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite increased government efforts, the war seems to be expanding, and the cost to the country is staggering. Now is the time to look at the position being taken by governments and drug cartels and wonder if there is a way to alter the paradigm. I encourage you to read this editorial from the New York Times and talk about it with at least one other person. Big things start in small ways.

ON THE AIR, 2

If you missed the radio broadcast of Rick Steve's interview with me and David Lida, you can hear it any time on your computer. Click here for the link.

ON THE AIR

Please join me and author David Lida on 'Travel with Rick Steves' this Saturday, September 12. We'll be talking about--what else--Mexico City. Click here to search for the public radio station near you.

SINGING PRIEST HIJACKS PLANE

It turns out that the hijacking of an Aeromexico plane in Cancun yesterday was the work of a Bolivian priest. His 'bomb' was a can of Jumex juice filled with dirt, with a few lights attached. José Mar Flores Pereira claimed to be acting by divine intervention, to warn the world of an upcoming disaster. Why does all this sound normal in Mexico?
For more details, click here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

My mother, Muriel Johnston, turns 85 on

September 8, 2009.

That currently makes her the oldest active Peace Corps volunteer in the world. She's working in a town in Morocco that is so small is doesn't even appear on Google Map.

To read more about what she's up to, see her blog and my previous post.

Happy Birthday Mom! You're amazing us all!

MUMMIES ON THE MOVE

The vampires are still here, and now the mummies are joining them. A travelling show of 36 mummies from Guanajuato and Celaya arrives in Mexico City today.
I visited the mummy museum in Guanajuato years ago, and I can assure you I do not need to go back. But for those interested, it's happening at the Foro Scotiabank in Polanco (Moliere 328 between Homero and Ejército Nacional).
Tickets cost 70 pesos for adults, 4o for children. Night-time tickets (8 to 10 pm) cost 200 pesos. You can get them at the Foro or from ticketmaster. Almost a million people have already seen this travelling show, giving you a clue as to the seemingly endless appetite for ghoulishness that can be found here. Expect long lines on weekends.

THE ART SCENE

As fellow Mexico City blogger Deborah Bonello recently wrote, museums in Mexico City are going through a hard time financially.

But the summer doldrums are over and many of the city's museums are launching new shows this month. One of the best features work of British artist Antony Gormley (photo left) at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso in the Centro Histórico. I just came back from my second visit and I highly recommend it. The eerily lit installation 'Breathing Room' took my breath away--twice!

Other new shows include an exhibition of Spanish design (chairs, lamps, & posters) at the

Museo Franz Mayer, and a show of El Greco opening on Sept. 4 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes.