Time to Return

It has been a very frustrating month in Mexico, but, after changing my airline reservations twice to extend my stay, I have at long last accomplished everything I needed to do before returning to Ohio.  As I said in the previous post, yesterday we signed the papers, and Alejandro and I are now the owners of the condo which I have been renting since 2017.  My home-away-from-home will be my permanent residence.  After a lot of time spent standing in line on repeated visits to the Mexican immigration office, I am now a legal resident of Mexico.  In two years I will be able to renew my visa to a permanent residency status.   I called Mailboxes Etc. with a few questions that I still had, and I can register for private mail delivery online.  

Tomorrow, I fly back to Ohio.  Then I will have a whole new set of tasks to accomplish.  The most important on my list to sell my house.  I have never sold property before.  I hope that it is an easier, less bureaucratic process than in Mexico.  I hope that the house sells fairly quickly since I don't want to be stuck in Ohio for months on end.  Perhaps I am being overly optimistic, but I would hope that by October I will be purchasing a ONE WAY ticket to Mexico!

Just Browsing

Yesterday, just two days before my scheduled departure, we finally signed the papers, and Alejandro and I are now the owners of the apartment that I have been renting for the past six years!

On the way back to his family's house, we stopped someplace that we were always talking about visiting... Mexico City's new IKEA store.

(photo taken from the internet)

After a delay due to the pandemic, the Swedish furniture retailer opened the doors of its first store in Mexico in April of 2021.  It is located in a shopping mall called Encuentro Oceania that is not too far from the airport.  When it first opened, COVID restrictions were still in place, and, in order to maintain a healthy distance between customers, reservations were required to visit the store.  Those restrictions, of course, were lifted quite a while ago.

I had only been in an IKEA once before.  That was with one of my cousins in Switzerland.  This store seemed even bigger.  It took us several hours to go through the entire store.  Although we didn't buy anything, we did see a number of items that we would consider buying for the apartment.  The merchandise is very international.  We saw items from India, Vietnam, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Poland and other countries.  At first, I was impressed that I didn't see anything made in China.  But when we got to the home accessories section, there were quite a few items from China.  I wonder if, now that IKEA has a presence in Mexico, some of their products will be produced here. 

On the top floor there is cafeteria style restaurant that features Swedish dishes.  We stopped for a snack there before leaving.  Alejandro took a photo looking out from the restaurant window.  The store is located near a freeway and a Metro station.  In the distance, you can see the skyscrapers of downtown Mexico City.

We had fun browsing through the store, and I am sure that we will return in the future and perhaps make some purchases.

A Doubly Special Day

Grandparents' Day is a relatively new celebration that didn't exist way back in the day when I still had grandparents.  In 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation making the first Sunday after Labor Day Grandparents' Day.  This year it will be September 10th.

In Mexico Grandparents' Day is celebrated on the same date every year... August 28th.

Yesterday, Alejandro and I went out to buy a cake for his father Pedro.  We went to the same bakery where we have bought "baklava cake" a number of times for birthdays.  This time, however, we got a chocolate amaretto cake.  It was very tasty, and I'm not sure now which one I like better.

 Pedro with his Grandparents' Day cake

Yesterday also happened to be the first day of school for students in Mexico.  Pedro's grandson Ezra started his second year of "secundaria", what we would call 8th grade in the U.S.  He was looking forward to his return to school and came home very happy. 

Marathon

Neither Alejandro nor I went to watch it, but the 40th Mexico City Marathon was held yesterday.  More than 25,000 runners from around the world participated in this year's event.  The race began at the Olympic Stadium on the campus of the National University of Mexico, wound its way past many of the city's most famous landmarks, and ended at the Zócalo, the city's main plaza.

The winner of the men's event was the Bolivian athlete Héctor Garibay Flores.  He was not only the first Bolivian to ever win the race, but he broke the marathon's record with a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 22 seconds.

(images taken from the internet)

Winning the women's event was Celestine Chepchirchir from Kenya.  She came close to breaking the women's record with a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 17 seconds.

A Curious Church

Near the Basilica of Guadalupe, along the Metrobus line that passes close to Alejandro's home, there is an old church, in ruinous condition, which has always piqued my curiosity.

The front entrance is blocked, poles appear to be holding up the facade, and it doesn't look as if there is a roof.  And yet, it is a functioning church.  A sign on the front says that baptisms are held the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.

On Google Maps there are reviews and photos of the church.  People say that the building is under restoration and that masses are already being held there.  The photos posted of the interior show that the church does have a roof.  I have not been able to find anything about its history, but from the baroque decoration on the facade, I would guess that it dates from the 18th century.

According to Google Maps, the name of the church is the Sanctuary of San Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin.  According to the story, Juan Diego was one of the first natives to be converted to Catholicism after the Spanish conquest.  In 1531 it was to Juan Diego that the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared four times.  He was canonized as a saint in 2002; the first indigenous saint in the Americas.  

(image taken from the internet)

There are those who debate the historicity of Juan Diego.  They point out that there is no mention in contemporaneous written records of him or of the apparitions.  Not even Juan de Zummáraga, the bishop whom Juan Diego repeatedly visited and who saw the miraculous image of the Virgin imprinted on Juan Diego´s cloak, ever wrote anything about it.

As Alejandro and I were driving by, I mentioned the church.  He said that when he was a boy, the building was used as a movie theater.  He remembers going there to see Disney movies, and that, in the niches where images of saints would have been, there were paintings of Disney characters.

I wish I could find out more about the history of this curious church.

A Coin I Had Never Seen

A few years ago, there were plans to replace the 20-peso banknote (currently worth a little more than a dollar) with coins.  That seems to have been as successful as the effort in the U.S. to replace the dollar bill with a coin.  I still get plenty of 20-peso bills in my change, but I think I have only once received a 20-peso coin.  

A few days ago, Alejandro received a commemorative 20-peso coin that was issued in 2021.  It was minted to honor the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.  (The War of Independence began in 2010, but the war did not end until 2021.)

Under the words "Bicentenario de la Independencia Nacional" are the portraits of three of the most important figures in the war.  To the left is Miguel Hidalgo, the parish priest who began the struggle for independence on September 16th, 1810.  Next to him is José María Morelos, who took up the leadership in the war after Hidalgo was captured and executed by the Spanish.  Morelos was also captured and executed by the Spanish.  The mantle of "Commander-in-Chief" of the insurgents passed to Vicente Guerrero, the third portrait on the coin.  Guerrero survived to see Mexican win its independence and became the second President of the new nation.  However, he was overthrown in a coup begun by his conservative Vice-President and executed in 1831.

Above the portraits is a small square which contains the image of the "Angel" (actually a "Winged Victory") which is atop the Monument to Independence in Mexico City.  In very small print next to it is the word "Libertad".

The back side of the coin shows the eagle and the serpent which is the nation's coat of arms.  The official name of the country "Estados Unidos Mexicanos" (United Mexican States) appears above it.

Frustration

This morning I should have been on my way to the airport for my flight home.  However, I have extended my stay in Mexico City by another week.

When I originally made my reservations for this trip, I was only going to stay until August 17th.  I thought that it was going to be a relatively quick trip to sign papers to take possession of the apartment I am buying.  But before I had even left, the realtor said that the paperwork would be ready in mid-August.  So, just what does "mid-August" mean here in the land of "mañana"?  Shortly before my departure, I changed my schedule to leave on August 24th to be on the safe side.  But I still don't know when the documents will be ready to sign.  

First the paperwork had to be rewritten because they did not include the apartment number.  Then I was told out of the blue earlier this week that I had to pay for an appraisal of the apartment which had already been done.  I went to the ATM and paid for that.  The appraisal was necessary to calculate the closing costs which are fees paid to a notary.  I talked to the realtor and asked if another week would be enough time for everything to be taken care of.  "Oh, yes," he said.  So, I changed my flight reservation yet again.  But I am still waiting to hear what the closing costs are, and I am beginning to think that another week is NOT going to be enough time.

It has been a very frustrating experience.  There are days when I feel depressed or angry, and there are nights when I cannot sleep.  I love Mexico, but quite frankly, if it were not for the fact that my husband is here, I would not put myself through the aggravation of buying property here.

I have never experienced buying or selling a home in my life.  I just hope that when I finally return to Ohio and put my house up for sale that the experience north of the border is not as frustrating as it is down here!

T-Shirt

Alejandro found this picture on the internet and joked that he should get a T-shirt like this to wear on his next visit to Ohio.

The word "gringo" is a word used to refer to an English-speaking Anglo American.  There are many theories on the origin of the word.  Some of them refer to the invasion of Mexico by U.S. troops in the Mexican American War.  Supposedly, the Mexicans would yell at the soldiers in their green uniforms, "Green, go home!"  The most accepted theory, however, is that it comes from the word "griego" (Greek) and was used for someone speaking an unintelligible language.  (Comparable to our expression, "It's Greek to me.")  

I suppose that now that I have my Mexican residency visa, I could get a T-shirt that says "Cálmate, chilango, soy legal."

"Chilango" is a slang term for a native of Mexico City.  Its origin is also disputed, but it may come from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs.  And, like the word "gringo", it is a term that can be, but is not necessarily, an insult.  Mexicans from the "provinces" will use it mockingly to refer to the residents of the capital whom they view as arrogant and rude.  However, the natives of Mexico City have adopted the word for themselves and use it with pride.  I have often heard Alejandro refer to himself as a "chilango".

Well, this simple post with a photo of a T-shirt evolved into a language lesson!

Keeping Warm

As I have said before, the nights in Mexico City are usually quite chilly with low temperatures going down into the 50s F.

One morning last week we found the family dogs, Iztac and Pepe, cuddled together on the sofa to keep warm.

 

Hilary's Downpour

Yesterday I wrote about Saturday's downpour in Mexico City which was associated with Hurricane Hilary.  Mexico City has a long history of flooding going all the way back to when it was the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.  Some parts of the city were inundated by Hilary's torrential rains. 

I tried to find some photos on the internet of Saturday's flooding, but I was unable to find anything that I could download and use on the blog.  I did, however, find several YouTube videos.

In this news report in Spanish, you can see how some streets became raging rivers, and numerous trees fell.

In this video you can see the flood waters sweeping through a "tianguis" (outdoor market) in the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa.

While searching the internet, I came upon some photos of a flood in July of 1951 which submerged two thirds of the city, and which in some areas did not recede until three months later.

However, none of this compares to the great flood of 1629.  A heavy rainstorm which lasted 40 hours submerged the entire city to a depth of over six feet.  The waters did not completely recede until 1634 when drainage canals were finally completed. The flood and subsequent disease resulted in around 30,000 deaths.  Of the 20,000 Spanish families that lived in the city, all but 400 moved out.  There was talk of moving the colonial capital to another city, but it was decided that Mexico City should be rebuilt.  

The Fringes of the Hurricane

Mexico City is located in the center of a mountainous country, so it never feels the full force of a hurricane.  However, that does not mean that we are totally immune from its effects.  

Hilary emerged as a tropical storm far off the Pacific coast of Mexico on Wednesday and intensified into hurricane on Thursday.  It will make landfall on Baja California today and is expected to move northward into California.  Although this is the rainy season, and afternoon showers are the norm, we have had some heavy rainstorms from the outer bands of Hilary.

On Friday we had just returned from the "Instituto Nacional de Migración" when the heavens opened with a downpour.

Yesterday I took the Metrobus downtown because I wanted to buy some gifts to take home.  It was a pleasant, sunny afternoon, but I took an umbrella with me just in case.  After I had done my shopping, I went to a restaurant to have something to eat.  When I was ready to leave, it was pouring cats and dogs, or, as they say in Spanish, "llovía a cántaros"... it was raining jugs.  As I went outside, I opened the umbrella, but a gust of wind caught it and broke a couple of the ribs.  I tried walking down the street under the cover of half of an umbrella... but I had over a mile to walk in torrential rain to get back to the Metrobus station.  

As if by magic, the rainstorm brought out scores of vendors selling umbrellas.  After walking about a block, I relented and bought a new one.  Even under its cover, my shoes, socks and my pants up to my knees were soaked.  When I got to the Paseo de Reforma, the intersection of that boulevard was a lake.  Other pedestrians and I had to detour half a block to find a spot to cross that wasn't submerged in water.

I finally made it to the Metrobus, and then walk a short distance to Alejandro's house.  It was still raining, but not as heavily.  Fortunately, my camera, my cell phone and purchases did not get wet.

Getting the Mail

I have written before that the Mexican postal service is insanely slow and unreliable.  We complain about our postal service in the U.S., but, believe me, it is "Speedy González" compared to the service down here.  So, another one of my goals to accomplish on this trip was to look into a private mail service.

Do you remember "Mailboxes, Etc.", a business which used to exist in the U.S.?  Well, like so many companies that have bit the dust back home (Sears, Woolworths, Radio Shack), it still exists in Mexico. Yesterday, after I had taken care of my residency visa, Alejandro and I drove to one of the "Mailboxes, Etc." offices to inquire about their services.  

The lady that I talked to said that I can sign up online for a free post-office box in Miami.  My mail would then be shipped from Miami to whichever office in Mexico City I choose, I would pick my mail up there and pay for the delivery.  Well, I looked at their website this morning, and I couldn't find anything about signing up for a post-office box in Florida.  I thought that I had easily taken care of another one of my goals, but I have not.  So, next week I am going to have to go back to that office and have one of their employees take me by the hand and guide me through the process. 

Mission Accomplished... At Last

This morning I returned to the "Instituto Nacional de Migración" for what I hoped would be the final step in obtaining my Mexican residency visa.  I was going to take public transportation to get there, but Alejandro insisted on driving me.  We arrived around 9:30, a half hour after the office opened.  The lady yesterday said that I would not have to wait in line this time, and it was true that I was able to enter the building without standing in line.  However, when I went to the "biometrics" office I found it already crowded with perhaps as many 100 people who had come for their residency card.  There were people from all over the world.  "Gringos" were definitely in the minority.  There were a lot of people from Asia, several from the Middle East, some whose names sounded Russian or Ukrainian, and people from other Latin American nations. I handed in my paperwork, sat down, and waited.  The employees at the counters called out names.  The large room was a bit of an echo chamber, and I worried that I would not hear my name when it was called.

After waiting for about an hour, I heard my name.  The fellow who had called over me looked at the "CURP" (Unique Population Registry Code) document that I had received the previous day and recorded some information.  He said to take a seat again and that I would be called again in a few minutes.  It was just a few minutes later that another guy called me up.  He looked at my passport and took my fingerprints, not with ink, but with some sort of scanner.  Then a white screen was lower behind me, and three photos were taken, one from the front and two in profile.  I was told to return to my seat.  In a few minutes he called me back and handed me my residency card.  The photo is terrible, but I am now a legal resident of Mexico.

It was about 11:00 by the time I left the office and went outside to where Alejandro was waiting.  It had taken longer than I had expected, but at least I did not waste the whole day there, as I had previously.  My residency visa is valid for two years, and then I can apply for a permanent visa.

More Waiting... But Progress

I wrote in my last post, that I had to schedule another appointment at the "Instituto Nacional de Migración" because I was missing one document.  I also needed to show my husband Alejandro's voter ID card as proof of his Mexican citizenship.  I spent the entire afternoon on Wednesday waiting in line, and I finally got an appointment for Thursday at 11:30 A.M.

Thursday morning Alejandro drove me to the "Instituto", a journey of about an hour in Mexico City traffic.  We waited outside until I was called into the building shortly after 11:30. I stood in line with others who had an 11:30 time slot.  Then some of us were led to another area where we could sit down.  We played "musical chairs"; each time someone was called up to the counter, the rest of us would all move up a chair.  About two hours had passed between the time I entered the building and when I was finally called up to the counter.  The lady who waited on me was the same person I saw the day before.  She remembered me and asked me if had the items I needed.  Everything was in order (thank goodness!), but I was at the counter for about twenty minutes while she recorded information and had the paperwork authorized by someone else.  I also had to pay a fee of around 445 USD.  (Credit cards are accepted.)

The lady then gave a paper and sent me to another office where I received my "CURP".

"CURP" stands for "Clave única de registro de población"... Unique Population Registry Code.  Every resident of Mexico, whether a citizen or foreigner, has a "CURP" number, and now I have one.  

The final step was to go to "biometrics" office, where I assume I will be fingerprinted and photographed... and then I will receive my residency card.  However, that office was already closed for the day.  So, today I will have to return once again to the "Instituto Nacional de Migración".  However, this time I will not have to wait in line.  I will just show my passport and my "CURP" at the door and go directly to the "biometrics" office. I will leave as a legal resident of Mexico!

 

A Wasted Day

I had an appointment for August 16th at 10:00 A.M. to go to the "Instituto Nacional de Migración" to hand in all the necessary documents to receive my Mexican residency visa.  Alejandro had to take his dad to a doctor's appointment that morning, so I was on my own to travel across town via public transportation.  The "Instituto" is located about 12 miles away from Alejandro's house in the ritzy district of Polanco, and according to Google Maps, it would take me about an hour and a half to get there.  Not wanting to take any chances, I left the house at 7:00.  With my envelope of documents in hand, I walked to the Metrobus station just a couple of blocks from the house. I got off the Metrobus at a stop by the nearest subway station.  I took the Metro to the end of the line and then transferred to another subway route.  Of course, at that hour of the morning the bus and subways were crowded like cans of sardines.

I got off the second Metro line at the Polanco station.  Google Maps told me that from there I could take a local bus to the "Instituto", or I could walk for about 30 minutes.  I still had plenty of time, so I opted to walk.  I wasn't even walking that quickly, but it only took me less than 20 minutes to reach my destination.  I asked an employee at the gate where I should go for my appointment, and she told me to report to the side entrance ten minutes before ten.  With time to kill, I walked down the avenue about a block and found a little cafe that was open for breakfast.  

I went back to the "Instituto", and, shortly before ten, a woman started reading off names.  I clearly heard "William".  The last name was mangled beyond recognition, but I figured it had to be me.  The woman checked my passport, and I was allowed to enter the building.  I sat and waited until it was my turn to go to one of the counters.  The lady at the counter looked through all of my documents.  There was one document missing, a paper that had to be filled out and signed by both my husband Alejandro and me.  Not only that, but I needed the original... not just the photocopy... of Alejandro's identity card.  She gave me the document that I needed.  She said that at 3:00 that afternoon, I should wait in line on the street on the other side of the building and make an appointment to come back the next day.

I called Alejandro and gave him the bad news. He was planning to come to pick me up after his father's appointment, and he said would be there as soon as he could.  It was only 11:00 by this point.  I went out to the street and discovered that there was already an enormous line of people waiting to make an appointment.  Just then a couple of policemen came and said that they could not be lined up on the street this early; they would have to come back later.  The people were outraged and started yelling at the police.  "We have been waiting since early morning!  We aren't going to give up our spots!  The sidewalk is a public space!  We aren't causing any trouble!  Send your supervisor out here!"  The young policemen gave in, and the long queue of people remained in place.  I took my place at the end of the line and realized that I was going to have a long, long wait.

The line extended to the entrance to the "Instituto" at the end of the block.

As I waited, the line grew and grew behind me and extended down the block in the opposite direction.

I was conversing with a young Mexican fellow by me.  His specialty in school was immigration law, and he works as an agent hired by people requiring help in their migrant status.  He is in line here on a daily basis making appointments for his clients.  He comes prepared for the long waits, and kindly offered to let me sit in a folding chair that he had brought.  

Alejandro finally arrived and joined me in line.  The weather had changed from a pleasant, sunny morning to a cloudy afternoon.  It started to drizzle for a while, and fortunately Alejandro had an umbrella with him.  The temperature was in the 60s F, but with the dampness and breeze it felt chillier.  Both Alejandro and I were wearing short-sleeve shirts and were cold.  While we waited, he decided to go to a clothing store he had seen nearby.  There he bought us a couple of cheap sweaters.

At last, shortly before four o'clock, the line started to move.  People were allowed through the gate into the courtyard in front of the building.  The previous week when we were there, there were just two people under a tent in the courtyard giving appointments. This time, people were allowed to file into the building a few at a time.  There were several people working at the counters, so the line moved more steadily.  By 5:00 P.M., after waiting for six hours, I had an appointment to return the next day at 11:30 A.M.  I was told that the residency visa would be issued immediately, that another trip to the "Instituto" will not be necessary.

The story will continue...

It's That Time of Year

It's that time of year when restaurants throughout the city are serving my favorite Mexican dish, "chile en nogada", a poblano pepper stuffed with meat, fruit and nuts, covered with a cream walnut sauce, and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.  The dish is traditional for Mexican Independence Day (September 16th) because its colors are the colors of the Mexican flag.  Most restaurants only serve it in August and September (with some extending the season into October).  Our favorite restaurant, Angelopolitano, serves it all year round, although now they are now having a "chile en nogada" festival featuring variations on the traditional recipe.

I couldn't let this time of year go by without having my favorite dish at least once.  So, on Sunday, after we saw the "Cows on Parade" along Reforma, I suggested that we walk to Angelopolitano.

 We obviously were not the only ones eager to savor their wonderful "chiles en nogada".  This was the first time that we had to wait for a table.  It was about twenty minutes before we were seated.  While we were waiting, the chef and owner of the restaurant, Gerardo Quezadas, passed us and greeted us.  We have been going there since the restaurant opened in 2013, and Chef Gerardo always stops and chats with us when he sees us.

We usually order soup as a starter, but their "mole poblano" is so good, we decided to begin with the rice with "mole" for a change.  

And then came the main event... the beautiful and delicious "chile en nogada".  We order the traditional version of the recipe.  I have brought numerous friends and relatives here, and all of them have been impressed with this dish which is so unlike the image most "gringos" have of Mexican food.

There is a reason why Mexican cuisine (real Mexican cuisine, not Tex-Mex) was declared an intangible cultural heritage of the world by UNESCO!

More Mooooo

Here are some more photos of the fiberglass cow sculptures along the Paseo de la Reforma for the "Cow Parade" exhibition...

This cow is decked out in her best jewelry.

The paintings on this cow are inspired by signs you might find along the streets of Mexico City.

"Delicious hot tortas"

"Shoes repaired"

"Doña Blanca carnitas"

"Cowntinflas" is a bovine reincarnation of the famous Mexican comedian Cantinflas.

This cow in an elaborate ball gown is a "quinceañera".  (In Mexico, a girl celebrating her 15th party will have a big party that can rival a wedding in its expense and extravagance.)

This cow is covered in live moss ("musgo" in Spanish) and is called "Muuuusgo Cow".

One of Mexico's major drug store chains, "Farmacias Similares" is represented by the cartoon figure "Dr. Simi".  Here is "Dr. Simi" transformed into a cow,

"Cowpitan Jack"

I found this cow to be especially interesting.  The artist writes that in many ancient cultures the cow was venerated as a goddess.  The premise of her piece is that if the cow had existed in Mexico prior to the arrival of the Spanish, it might have been worshipped by the pre-Hispanic peoples as well.  The paintings on this sculpture are all inspired by mural paintings of the ancient Mexican civilizations but show the worship of the cow.  

I don't know if prizes are awarded for the best cows in the exhibit, but if I were a judge, I would certainly give this one an award.

 

Muuuuuy Interesante

You never know what you are going to find in Mexico City.  On Sunday Alejandro and I took a walk down a portion of the city's most famous boulevard, Paseo de la Reforma.  The boulevard was the scene of a public art event called "Cow Parade".  It was sponsored by Lala, Mexico's largest dairy company.

You may remember the "Mexicráneos", the large fiberglass skulls, each one painted by a different artist, which are displayed for the Day of the Dead. This is a similar event, except that the fiberglass figures are of cows.  I have never heard of this before, but I did some research. I discovered that "Cow Parade" is an international art exhibit which originated in 1998 in Zurich, Switzerland.  It has been held in 80 cities in 33 countries.  In each city, the life-size cows are painted by local artists and often reflect the nation's culture.  This is the third time that "Cow Parade" has been held in Mexico City.  More than 50 cows are on display along Reforma until September 2nd.

Here are some of the cows...

A cow dressed as a cowgirl (vaquera) in her skirt, vest and boots

This one is painted with iconic landmarks of Mexico City, such as the Basilica of Guadalupe, the Diana Fountain and the Floating Gardens of Xochimilco.

This one is wearing the jersey of the national soccer team of Mexico.

This one is entitled "Emoooji".

And this one is called "Muuuuusica".

"Cowrrusel"

More cows in my next entry!