On the Front Page

 

Yesterday all of the major newspapers in Mexico City ran the same story on their front pages.  "¡Culpable!" (Guilty) and "Traidor a México" (Traitor to Mexico) the headlines screamed.  On Tuesday a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, found Genaro García Luna guilty of taking millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa drug cartel.

So, who is Genaro García Luna?  From 2006 until 2012 he was the Secretary of Public Security of Mexico during the Presidency of Felipe Calderón.  He was portrayed as a "super-policeman" who took on the fight against the drug cartels.  In fact, it turns out that he was a collaborator with the infamous Sinaloa cartel.  

During the trial of "El Chapo" Guzmán in 2018, one of the kingpin's associates testified to bribing García Luna with suitcases stuffed with three million dollars.  García Luna was arrested in Dallas by U.S. agents in 2019.  He was denied release on bail.  He pleaded innocent, but the jury found him guilty on all counts. Sentencing will occur in June, and the 54-year-old could receive a sentence of up to 55 years in prison.

Former President Felipe Calderón has denied any knowledge of García Luna's illicit activities, even though he was one of Calderón's closest associates.  Curiously, just last October, while the trial was underway, Calderón obtained a residency permit in Spain. 

Funny Sign

While I was walking through Mexico City's Roma neighborhood, I saw this sign over a seafood restaurant that gave me a chuckle.

"The Only Place that Does Not Belong to Carlos Slim"

In case you don't know, Carlos Slim is the richest man in Mexico, and for a few years was ranked as the richest man in the world.  His estimated worth is over 62 billion dollars.  Forbes Magazine ranked him as the 16th richest man in the world last year.  He owns Telmex, the Mexican telephone company, Imbursa, an insurance and investment company, and the Grupo Carso conglomerate, which includes more than fifty businesses.  Among those are the Sears Roebuck Mexico; Mixup, a major chain of music stores; and Sanborns, a ubiquitous chain of restaurant / gift shop / pharmacy stores found throughout Mexico.  However, he does NOT own the Restaurante Peces!

A Restaurant Discovery

On Sunday, Alejandro and I took a walk through the neighborhood of San Pedro de los Pinos which is adjacent to Nápoles, where my apartment is located.   It was late afternoon and time for dinner.  As we were headed back, we spotted a restaurant that we had not noticed before... "Villa Casona".  

The building, in colonial style, looked attractive, and we decided to look at the menu that was posted at the door.  There were lots of items that appealed to us, so we decided to give the place a try.  The restaurant was crowded... a good sign... although we only had to wait a few moments for a table.  There were also a lot of senior citizens there... another good sign.  We older folks know what places serve good food at a reasonable price, as opposed to trendy places that serve tiny portions at an exorbitant price.

I started with "Sopa de lima" (lime soup), a specialty of Yucatán.  It was good, but not as good as what I have had in Mérida or even some Yucatecan restaurants here in Mexico City.

Alejandro had shrimp and nopal (cactus) soup.  He said that it was excellent.

For my main course I had chicken breast in almond "mole".  It was delicious.

Alejandro had a salmon filet with mango sauce.  Also excellent.

Alejandro didn't have any dessert but I ordered apple studel.

I'm not sure that an Austrian would give it a seal of approval, but it was very tasty.

Even though the restaurant is a bit of a walk from my apartment, we will definitely return.  The atmosphere is pleasant, the service very good, the prices are reasonable, and the food is great.

 

 

Introducing Pepe-Voltaire

Alejandro and his family have always been dog lovers.  When I met Alejandro, they had two dogs, a Labrador named Olinka, and a mutt they rescued off of the street named Luna.  Just before the pandemic started, a neighbor gave them a pit bull puppy which they named Iztac. 

Olinka passed away a couple years ago, followed by Luna last year.  That left only the crazy but affectionate Iztac.  I hoped that they would not get another dog right away, but knowing the family, I figured that it would only be a matter of time before they increase the canine population of the household.  

Last week, after Alejandro walked his nephew Ezra to school, a scruffy street dog followed him home.  The family took the dog in.  Alejandro and Ezra wanted to name him Voltaire, but Alejandro's sister and father were in favor of the much more prosaic name of Pepe.  I liked the name of Voltaire also, so Alejandro and I often call the dog Pepe-Voltaire. 

Pepe-Voltaire is very sweet and wants to be near people all the time.  Alejandro immediately took the dog to the vet, and the doctor said that Pepe-Voltaire was malnourished and anemic.  He recommended three meals a day supplemented with chicken livers.  He also gave the dog some kind of medicine to get rid of any fleas that he might have.  However, he said not to give Pepe-Voltaire a bath for a week until the medicine had fully done its work.  As a result, Alejandro also sometimes refers to the dog as Pepe Le Pew.

Fortunately, Pepe-Voltaire and Iztac became friends right off the bat.  Sometimes their play gets a little rough, but their tails are always wagging.

(video taken by Alejandro on his cell phone)

Carnaval

In the United States we know the revelry that comes before the beginning of Lent by the name of Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday).  In the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking worlds the celebration is known as "Carnaval".  The biggest "Carnaval" in the world is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  In Mexico the best-known celebrations are in the port of Veracruz on the gulf coast and the city of Mazatlán on the Pacific.  Mexico City does not have a city-wide celebration, but in some boroughs such as Iztapalapa and Xochimilco, local events are organized.

Yesterday I was at Alejandro's house in the neighborhood of San Juan de Aragón.  The area is one of the few places in Mexico City that celebrate "Cinco de Mayo" with a loud, raucous reenactment of the Battle of Puebla.  However, I did not realize that they also celebrate "Carnaval".  I was fixing dinner when I heard music playing from a distance.  "It's for 'Carnaval'," Alejandro said.  The music grew louder and louder, and we went outside to see.  At the street corner, just feet away from his house, there was a band and a small group of costumed men and women dancing. 

The costumes, the women in ball gowns and the men in top hats and tails, are meant to poke fun at the white upper class.

After dancing a couple numbers, they then headed down the street to dance some more.

There is always something new to see or experience in Mexico City!

A Little Fiesta

Xochimilco is noted for its many festivals and religious observances.  As soon as I arrived there, I knew that something was going on because rockets were being set off, exploding in the air with a loud band and a puff of smoke.  Later I could hear the sound of musicians who were practicing.  

Finally, along one of the streets, I came upon a crowd that included numerous musicians.

There were also several children dressed in the traditional attire of the "chinelos" dancers.

There was a tent set up in the middle of the street, and under it there were several images of the Virgin Mary on flower decorated platforms.  Then the musicians started playing, the images were lifted up, and a procession headed down the street.

 

However, the procession began to divide into different groups, with the images of the Virgin heading in different directions.   I followed one group that was headed toward the main plaza.  (I thought perhaps they were going to Xochimilco's main church, San Bernardino de Siena, and that I might have a chance to see the interior of the church after all.)

But, no.  Upon reaching the plaza they turned down a side street.  I asked someone on the plaza what fiesta was being celebrated.  She said that it was "la Fiesta de los Cuatro Barrios" (The Fiesta of the Four Neighborhoods).  The images are taken to the parish churches of four of the neighborhoods of Xochimilco.  Then, according to what I read later, the images are taken to the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows for a fiesta which marks the beginning of Carnaval.

At the Market

While I was visiting the center of Xochimilco, I took a stroll through its public market.  Actually, I should say markets, because there are two buildings, side by side, each oneoccupying an entire city block, which serve as the neighborhood's marketplace.

Even before reaching the market, there were vendors on the street selling fruits and vegetables.

                    

The market buildings are not much different that the markets found throughout the city.  But I always find them interesting, and the displays of colorful produce are always photogenic.

Just a few avocados!

Machines crank out tortillas.

As in other markets, there are a number of "cocinas" (kitchens) where you can sit down and have a meal.

As you might expect in Xochimilco (its name comes from the Aztec language and means "flower field") there are numerous stalls selling flowers and flower arrangements.

Moving on to the other building, there were the stalls of butchers and fishmongers.

For those used to buying their meat at a supermarket, already packaged, some of the sights might be a little strong.

Every part of the animal is used.  This stall is selling cow stomachs.

This mural painting is at one fo the entrances to the market building.

The artist's inscription reads in part, "I offer to the Lord and to the residents of Xochimilco this humble example of my work to give thanks for the favors given, because being in need of love and food, in this market I have found flowers, fruits, vegetables, meat and legumes which make my body and soul strong."