Mexican Holiday A. P . K I T C H E N

A S S O C I A T E Α Ι Ε Ε

EX C L U D I N G C a n a d a as c o u n t r y m u c h like

t h e U n i t e d Sta tes , M e x i c o , to A m e r i c a n s , is t he i r m o s t accessible foreign l a n d . A 2-day t r a i n r i de f rom N e w Y o r k o r P h i l a d e l p h i a b r ings o n e to L a r e d o , T e x . , t h e b o r d e r ci ty, w h e r e a 3 -hour s top for cus tom ' s inspec t ion is m a d e . F r o m t h a t p o i n t the Diese l -powered a i r - c o n d i t i o n e d t r a i n con t i nues for 32 hou r s t h r o u g h beaut i fu l m o u n t a i n o u s t e r r a i n s o u t h ­w a r d to t h e cap i t a l c i ty . I t is possible to m a k e t h e t r a in r ide f rom eas t e rn cities to M e x i c o C i t y in a Pu l l ­m a n c a r w i t h o u t c h a n g e i n 3y2 days , o r b y a i r o v e r n i g h t . T h i s p a r t of M e x i c o o p e r a t e s o n C e n t r a l S t a n d a r d T i m e .

T h e c h a r m of M e x i c o is a compos i t e of m a n y th ings . O n e of these is c l ima t e . Because of t h e h i g h a l t i t u d e of the t a b l e l a n d s of c en t r a l M e x i c o — 7 , 3 5 0 feet a t M e x i c o C i t y — a n d because of its l oca t ion i n t h e t r o p i c z o n e , i t is a l a n d of sunsh ine a n d of even t e m p e r a t u r e s t h r o u g h t h e yea r . T h e t h e r m o m e t e r r a r e ly goes be low 60 or a b o v e 85 degrees , a n d the h u m i d i t y is low. W h i l e s u m m e r is the i r r a i n y season, so-cal led, t h e r a i n is l ight , a n d it falls l a te in t h e d a y so t h a t it does n o t seriously in ter fere w i t h p l ans for s ightseeing.

T h e s o u n d of a n o t h e r l a n g u a g e is in t h e a i r every­w h e r e . I ts even flow is m u s i c to t h e ea r s of t h e visi tor from the n o r t h even if h e c a n n o t u n d e r s t a n d it. A n d h o w m u c h m o r e e n j o y m e n t t h e r e is for t h e tour is t w h o h a s b r u s h e d u p o n his h i g h school S p a n i s h before go ing t o M e x i c o ! I t gives o n e a rea l thr i l l to find t h a t h e c a n b e u n d e r s t o o d b y t h e " h o m b r e " b e h i n d t h e w h e e l of t h e taxi o r t he " s e n o r i t a " w h o wai t s o n his t a b l e .

T h e use of a different c u r r e n c y , w i t h pesos a t a p p r o x i ­m a t e l y 5 to t he do l l a r a n d w i t h cen tavos a t 100 to t h e peso, is like p l ay ing a n e w g a m e un t i l t he nove l ty w e a r s off*. A n d t h e r e a r e likely to b e m a n y mis takes wh i l e l e a r n i n g !

M u c h of the c h a r m of a M e x i c a n t r ip lies in t h e dress of the na t ives . T h e p o p u l a t i o n , p r e d o m i n a t e l y of I n d i a n descent , moves a b o u t slowly, o n foot o r o n b u r r o s , w i t h sc rape over shou lder , a n d s o m b r e r o o n h e a d . T h e I n d i a n w o m e n , often bare foo ted , b a l a n c e loads o n the i r h e a d s o r c a r r y bab ie s o n the i r backs as t h e y wa lk . T h e wea l th i e r M e x i c a n s a r e to b e seen o n S u n d a y s in C h a p u l -t epec P a r k o r o n t h e Paseo d e la R e f o r m a , M e x i c o Ci ty , dressed in beaut i ful b r o c a d e d cos tumes a n d w i d e som­bre ros , r i d i n g p r o u d l y o n ho r seback . T h e s e a r e t h e cha r ros f amed in p i c tu r e s tory.

Eve ry M e x i c a n ci ty has its s t reet m a r k e t w h e r e fruit ,

A. p . Kitchen is test engineer, Philadelphia Electric Company, Philadelphia, Pa.

" M a k e t h e 1 9 4 8 s u m m e r g e n e r a l m e e t i n g a n exc i t ing vaca t ion i n colorful M e x i c o . " T h i s t h e m e is s e c o n d e d v i g o r o u s l y b y t h e a u t h o r w h o g i v e s a f irs t -hand a c c o u n t of

w h a t to e x p e c t o n a h o l i d a y i n M e x i c o .

vege tab les , flowers, a n d t h e p r o d u c t s of h o m e c ra f t sman­sh ip m a y b e o b t a i n e d . A few s q u a r e feet of s idewalk space is al l t h a t a M e x i c a n n e e d s t o s t a r t in business for himself. T h e r e is n o t h i n g

m o r e colorful t h a n t h e m a r k e t sec t ion . I t offers t h e tour i s t t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to see a cross sect ion of t h e life a n d spir i t of M e x i c o . B u t t h e visi tor shou ld use dis­c r e t i on in e a t i n g fruits, vege tab les , o r cooked foods p u r ­c h a s e d t h e r e .

T H E M E X I C A N P E O P L E

Life m o v e s a t a le isurely p a c e across t h e b o r d e r a n d t h e c o n t r a s t is v e r y a p p a r e n t to us f rom t h e n o r t h . W e see t h e p o v e r t y o n eve ry h a n d , b u t w e s h o u l d rea l ize t h a t t h e r e is n o h e a r t t r o u b l e f rom o v e r w o r k in M e x i c o . T h e y a r e a p e o p l e w i t h n u m e r o u s a r t s a n d crafts, b u t m a k i n g m o n e y is n o t t h e p r i m a r y in teres t of M e x i c a n s . T h e y love flowers a n d c h i l d r e n — a n d h a v e p l e n t y of e a c h . T h e y a r e a c o u r t e o u s p e o p l e a n d t h e y usua l ly t r e a t A m e r i c a n tour is t s w i t h in te res t a n d respect . T o o often t h e n o r t h e r n tour i s t is disrespectful of M e x i c a n shr ines a n d c u s t o m s . A l i t t le s t u d y of t h e his tor ical b a c k g r o u n d of t h e c o u n t r y , of t h e Aztecs , d a t i n g from t h e y e a r 1300, a n d of t h e S p a n i s h conques t s , d a t i n g f rom 1521 ( the S p a n i s h r e g i m e las ted for 300 years u n t i l i n d e p e n d e n c e w a s a c h i e v e d ) , a n d of t h e l o n g s t ruggle for p e a c e a n d o r d e r i n t h e c o u n t r y since t h a t d a y — a l l th is m a k e s o n e rea l ize t h a t t h e M e x i c a n has b e e n s u b j u g a t e d , fleeced, exp lo i t ed b y ou t s ide r s to such a n ex t en t t h a t it is n o w o n d e r t h a t h e is a l i t t le suspicious of t he mot ives of t h e fore igner o n his soil t o d a y . U n i t e d S ta tes en te rp r i se is n e e d e d in M e x i c o as t h e r e a r e t r e m e n d o u s needs to b e filled, b u t M e x i c o w a n t s to r e t a i n t h e profits of t h a t en t e rp r i se . T h e r e c e n t l aws f o r b i d d i n g i m p o r t s of m a n u f a c t u r e d goods w e r e passed in o r d e r to s t imu la t e h o m e indus t ry . T h e p e o p l e w a n t a n d will p a y for goods f rom t h e U n i t e d S ta tes , b u t the i r au tho r i t i e s w a n t t h e m to w o r k for a n d w a i t for the i r o w n indus t r ies to b e d e ­ve loped . W h a t t h e o u t c o m e will be , will t ake years to d e t e r m i n e . A la rge A m e r i c a n c h a i n s tore o p e n e d a r e ­tai l s tore in M e x i c o C i t y r ecen t ly a n d w a s g iven such a w e l c o m e t h a t t h e e n t i r e s tock w a s sold o u t in less t h a n a week . T h e r e a r e , h o w e v e r , n o c h a i n stores as t he re a r e in t h e U n i t e d S ta tes .

T h e s h o r t a g e of suppl ies r e c e n t l y h a s b e e n e x t e n d e d to i n c l u d e s u c h necessary i t ems as e lec t r ic i ty a n d w a t e r . O w i n g to d r y w e a t h e r a n d its effect o n hydroe l ec t r i c

MARCH 1948 Kitchen—Mexican Holiday 215

plan t s , a pa r t i a l b l ackou t was in force last s u m m e r in M e x i c o Ci ty . T h e ci ty was zoned a n d e a c h zone was c u t off for ce r t a in hou r s w h i c h were adver t i sed in a d v a n c e in t he da i ly newspape r s . Elec t r ic d i sp lay l igh t ing w a s for­b i d d e n a t all t imes . O n e sho r t age w h i c h strikes t h e touris t is the scarc i ty of c l ean p a p e r m o n e y . S o m e of the c u r r e n c y in c i r cu la t ion is filthy luc re in m o r e ways t h a n one . Bu t t he re seems to be n o sho r t age in lo t t e ry tickets, a n d m e n , w o m e n , a n d c h i l d r e n sell t h e m o p e n l y o n every street .

T h e tour is t suffers n o sho r t age of food o r d r i nk . A little c au t i on a b o u t e a t i n g u n c o o k e d fruits o r vege tab les , or a b o u t d r i n k i n g from r e g u l a r w a t e r suppl ies , is still in o rde r . T h e r e a r e , however , m a n y g o o d r e s t a u r a n t s a n d hotels ava i l ab le w h e r e t he r e n e e d b e n o c o n c e r n a b o u t w h a t is served {EE, Feb '48, pp 790-2).

M e x i c o is fighting t h e d r e a d hoof a n d m o u t h disease w h i c h has b e e n t h r e a t e n i n g its m e a t supp ly . T h e tour is t b y a u t o m o b i l e b e c o m e s increas ing ly a w a r e of this w h e n h e is forced to leave his c a r w h e n e n t e r i n g o r l eav ing t h e M e x i c o D e p a r t m e n t F e d e r a l b o u n d a r y l ine to wa lk t h r o u g h a t r e n c h filled w i t h a w e t d i s infec tan t . E a c h a u t o m o b i l e is d r iven t h r o u g h a smal l l ake of t h e solut ion before t a k i n g o n its passengers a g a i n .

M E X I C O C I T Y

T h e ci ty of M e x i c o (or M e x i c o , D . F . , as it is d e s i g n a t e d the re ) con ta in s t e n p e r c e n t of t h e p o p u l a t i o n of t h e w h o l e c o u n t r y , r e p u t e d l y 2 ,000,000 peop le . I t is a l a rge c i ty in n u m b e r s , b u t to c o m p a r e it, for e x a m p l e , w i t h P h i l a d e l ­ph i a , a c i ty of c o m p a r a b l e size, w o u l d b e r a t h e r m e a n i n g ­less. C e r t a i n l y t he a u t o m o b i l e traffic is a b o u t as b a d in one p lace as t h e o the r . T h e t ax i d r ivers of M e x i c o a r e t r a i n e d to "ou t -b lu f f " t h e o t h e r fellow a n d t h e y d o it exper t ly , l e a v i n g t h e h e a r t of t h e i n e x p e r i e n c e d p a s ­senger in his m o u t h mos t of t h e t i m e . M a n y of t h e s t ree tcars a n d busses of M e x i c o a r e rel ics of b y g o n e years , a n d t h e y o p e r a t e in a fearfully o v e r c r o w d e d cond i t i on . T h e i n t e r u r b a n busses a r e , i n g e n e r a l , m o r e u p - t o - d a t e . T h e p r i n c i p a l r a i l r o a d s t a t ion in M e x i c o C i ty m i g h t b e c o m p a r e d in size w i t h o n e in W e e h a w k e n , N . J . , o r S a n A n t o n i o , T e x . , a n d it p r o b a b l y does n o t h a n d l e a n y m o r e traflfic. T h e i m m e n s e C a t h e d r a l of M e x i c o , b e g u n in 1530, h a s b e e n d a m a g e d b y t h e yea r s

a n d b y e a r t h q u a k e s a n d n o w is u n d e r g o i n g r e c o n ­s t ruc t i on w h i c h , j u d g i n g b y t h e p r e sen t r a t e of p rogress m a y r e q u i r e a n o t h e r c e n t u r y to c o m p l e t e .

M e x i c o , D . F . ( a n a b b r e v i a t i o n of F e d e r a l D i s t r i c t ) , ha s beaut i fu l p a r k s such as C h a p u l t e p e c a n d A l a m e d a ; m a n y s ight ly m o n u m e n t s s u c h as t h e M e m o r i a l to t h e F o u n d e r s , A r c h of t h e R e v o l u t i o n , a n d J u a r e z M o n u ­m e n t ; w i d e b o u l e v a r d s s u c h as Pa seo d e la R e f o r m a ; a n d a magn i f i c en t O p e r a H o u s e i n w h i c h s u m m e r g r a n d o p e r a of t h e h ighes t o r d e r is h e l d . T h e m u r a l s of t h e g r e a t p a i n t e r D i e g o R i v e r a w i t h i n this b u i l d i n g a n d in t h e N a t i o n a l P a l a c e a r e w o r t h g o i n g mi les t o see. T h e c i ty has severa l l a r g e m o d e r n hote ls a n d m a n y in t e re s t ing r e s t a u r a n t s a n d n i g h t spots . T h e w e s t e r n sec t ion of t h e c i ty c o n t a i n s m a n y beau t i fu l m o d e r n res idences w h i c h a r e fes tooned w i t h b r i l l i an t b o u g a i n v i l l e a v ines , s u r r o u n d e d b y d a t e p a l m s , o r n a ­m e n t e d w i t h p i c t u r e s q u e ba lcon ie s , a n d enc losed b y d e c o r a t i v e i r o n fences. T h e s e S p a n i s h m a n s i o n s a r e r e m i n i s c e n t of t h e bes t sect ions of P a l m B e a c h o r M i a m i B e a c h . M e x i c o is t r u l y a l a n d of con t r a s t s , a n d p e r h a p s t h e g rea te s t of these to t h e tour i s t is t h e w i d e gulf t h a t exists b e t w e e n t h e few w e a l t h y M e x i c a n s a n d t h e m a n y p o o r I n d i a n s a n d p e o n s . L a b o r still c a n b e h a d in M e x i c o for t h e e q u i v a l e n t of o n e d o l l a r p e r d a y , a n d ye t t h e p r ices of a l l n e e d e d c o m m o d i t i e s a r e a s h i g h as in t h e S ta t e s . I s it a n y w o n d e r t h a t m a n y c o m m u n i s t s h a v e f o u n d a refuge the re?

T H E S I G H T S E E R I N M E X I C O

M e x i c o possesses a c e r t a i n g r a n d e u r of s cene ry t h a t is f a sc ina t ing to t h e p e r s o n f rom e a s t e r n U n i t e d S ta t e s . A t M o n t e r r e y i n n o r t h e r n M e x i c o o n e first g l impses t h e r u g g e d m o u n t a i n p e a k s t h r o u g h t h e c l o u d s of e a r l y d a w n . T h e r e S a d d l e B a c k m o u n t a i n a p p e a r s o v e r t h e p a l m s of t h e c i ty . I t seems r e a d y to c a r r y t h e b u l k of s o m e l e g e n d a r y g i a n t for a r i d e t h r o u g h t h e skies. As t h e t r a i n a scends t o w a r d t h e t a b l e l a n d s t o t h e s o u t h , scenes of m o u n t a i n g r a n d e u r unfo ld themse lves in endless va r i e ty . A t e a c h t o w n t h e n a t i v e I n d i a n s flock to t h e s t a t i on to b a r g a i n w i t h t h e pas senge r s for t h e i r w a r e s . L o o k i n g ove r t h e r o u g h a r i d l a n d of t h e val leys , o n e w o n d e r s h o w in t h e w o r l d t h e y eke o u t a l iv ing in those s u r r o u n d i n g s . A p p a r e n t l y t h e y d e p e n d

Street s c e n e i n T a x c o ( le f t ) , a n d o u t s i d e t h e b u l l r i n g at M e x i c o Ci ty ( r igh t )

on the tour is ts for t h a t . N e a r M e x i c o C i t y t h e t e r r a i n flattens o u t s o m e w h a t , p e r m i t t i n g t h e ra i s ing of c o r n a n d m a g u e y o n a l a rge r scale, a n d t h e g r a z i n g of ca t t l e . E v e r y w h e r e t h e fami l ia r c o r n stalks a n d t h e less f ami l i a r spines of t h e m a g u e y p l a n t s a r e vis ible .

T h e rea l thr i l l in m o u n t a i n scenery c o m e s w i t h t h e first s ight of I z t a c c i h u a t l , t h e s leeping l ady , a n d P o p o ­ca t epe t l , t h e v o l c a n o . B o t h a r e m o r e t h a n 17 ,000 feet h i g h a n d a r e cove red w i t h s n o w all t h e y e a r . B a r ­r ing c louds , t h e y a r e visible for a n h o u r o n t h e m o t o r t r ip to P u e b l a , a n d t h e tour i s t c a n n o t r e m o v e his g a z e from t h e m for t h e en t i r e p e r i o d .

F a r t h e r d o w n , a t F o r t i n , t h e g r e a t snow-cove red O r i z a b a , m o r e t h a n 18,000 feet h igh , comes i n t o v iew. Seen from t h e gardenia- f i l led s w i m m i n g poo l of t h e H o t e l R u i z G a l i n d a , it p resen t s a s ight n e v e r to b e forgot ten . I t is h e r e t h a t fair M e x i c a n m a i d e n s e n ­thusias t ica l ly d r a p e e a c h newly a r r i v e d tour i s t w i t h a lei of fresh g a r d e n i a s a n d t h e y a c c e p t n o t i p . N e x t m o r n i n g , howeve r , t h e y sell you o rch ids . T h e t rop ica l g a r d e n s in this p a r t of M e x i c o , w h i c h is n e a r e r t h e seacoast a n d therefore w a r m e r , a r e of r a r e c h a r m . H a c i e n d a d e las A n i m a s a t C o r d o b a is o n e of t h e best of these . S u c h p l a n t s as c i n n a m o n , coff'ee, s u g a r c a n e , p i n e a p p l e , a n d b a n a n a g r o w h e r e in a b u n d a n c e .

T h e t r i p to t h e a n c i e n t p y r a m i d s a t T e o t i h u a c a n is o n e t h a t is o n t h e " m u s t l i s t . " I t is t h o u g h t - p r o v o k i n g to rea l ize t h a t t h e Aztecs of M e x i c o bu i l t these m o n u ­m e n t s to the i r dei t ies m o r e t h a n 300 yea r s before t h e P i lg r im F a t h e r s l a n d e d a t P l y m o u t h R o c k .

T h e shor t t r i p to X o c h i m i l c o floating g a r d e n s n e a r M e x i c o C i ty is en joyab le . W h i l e p i cn i ck ing o n flower-covered flat boa t s , g o n d o l a style, o n e h a s a m p l e o p p o r ­t u n i t y to observe M e x i c a n life o n a S u n d a y a f t e rnoon o n the p i c t u r e s q u e c a n a l s .

W r i t i n g of M e x i c a n life o n a S u n d a y a f t e rnoon , o n e m u s t n o t over look t h e bu l l fight. Precise ly o n t h e d o t of 4 : 0 0 p . m . t h e r e is a h u s h of t h e c r o w d as t h e first bug le cal l h e r a l d s t h e e n t r a n c e of t h e m a t a d o r e s , t h e p i cadores , t h e b a n d a l l e r o s ( a n d t h e necessary he lpe r s d o w n to t h e last m a n w h o ca r r i es t h e shove l ) . T h e y e n t e r t h e r i ng in the i r beau t i fu l b r o c a d e d cos tumes , briefly bow, a n d t h e n re t i r e before t h e first bu l l e n t e r s a n d t h e fight beg ins . T o sit t h r o u g h t h e full p e r ­

f o r m a n c e of five of these fights o n a n a f t e rnoon m a y b e a l i t t le t oo m u c h for t h e nov ice . T w o of t h e m a r e e n o u g h to d e m o n s t r a t e t h e skill t h a t is r e q u i r e d o n t h e p a r t of t h e pe r fo rmers . A n d p l e n t y of skill is r e q u i r e d in s t u d y i n g t h e b e h a v i o r of e a c h a n i m a l in t h e r i ng , in se lec t ing t h e exac t m o m e n t a n d t h e precise spo t in w h i c h to p ie rce h i m w i t h t h e s w o r d a n d t h e spea r . E v e n those w h o h a v e a n ave r s ion for this typ ica l ly S p a n i s h spo r t of bu l l fighting m u s t a d m i t t h a t i t is n o m o r e c rue l t h a n s o m e p r i ze fights. A n ex-bu l l fighter to ld m e t h a t t h e bu l l is so a n g r y t h a t h e does n o t feel t h e p a i n a n y w a y . T h e h u g e c r o w d follows t h e m o v e of t he i r favor i te bu l l fighter w i t h w r a p t a t t e n t i o n , ca l l ing o u t t he i r a p p r o v a l w i t h cries of, " O l a y , " a n d d i s a p p r o v a l w i t h whis t les a n d c a t cal ls . T h e y seem to enjoy it a n d t h e y c o m e b a c k for m o r e S u n d a y after S u n d a y .

A m o t o r t r i p t o C u e r n a v a c a a n d T a x c o is, n e x t t o t h e P u e b l a - F o r t i n t r i p , t h e h igh l igh t of a visit t o M e x i c o . I t is a 2 - d a y t r i p a n d inc ludes a n i g h t s p e n t in T a x c o . T h e t o w n r e m a i n s j u s t as it w a s several c en tu r i e s a g o . I t s n a r r o w c o b b l e - s t o n e d s t ree ts , its q u a i n t w h i t e houses bu i l t o n t h e hillsides w i t h r e d tile roofs, its o ld c h u r c h e s , a n d its m a r k e t s q u a r e h a v e a c h a r m a b o u t t h e m t h a t o n c e seen n e v e r will b e fo rgo t t en . I t is t h e bes t p l a c e in M e x i c o to p u r c h a s e i t ems of si lver. C u e r n a v a c a is t h e c i ty in w h i c h D w i g h t L . M o r r o w es tab l i shed his r e s idence as a m b a s s a d o r f rom t h e U n i t e d S ta t e s . H e se lec ted C u e r n a v a c a b e c a u s e of its wonde r fu l l y e q u a b l e c l i m a t e , a n d h e e n d e a r e d himself t o t h e p e o p l e t h e r e b y his m a n y gifts a n d b y his d e v o t i o n to d u t y .

I n t h e space of t w o weeks u n d e r p r o p e r g u i d a n c e a t r a v e l e r m a y cove r p r o p e r l y t h e p r i n c i p a l p o i n t s of in te res t in t h e h e a r t of M e x i c o a l id a t t h e s a m e t i m e c a p t u r e t h e sp i r i t of a l a n d of p r i m i t i v e peop le s w h o o n l y n o w a r e b e g i n n i n g a s t rugg le t o w a r d a b e t t e r life. T h e e x p e r i e n c e is su re to m a k e eve ry A m e r i c a n m o r e consc ious of t h e g r e a t n e e d s of t h e ou t s i de w o r l d , a n d to m a k e h i m m o r e a p p r e c i a t i v e of t h e benef i ts w h i c h h e , as a U n i t e d S t a t e s c i t i zen , a l r e a d y is r ece iv ing .

T h e A I E E w a s wise in its se lec t ion of M e x i c o C i t y as t h e site for t h e s u m m e r m e e t i n g i n 1948 . A n y o n e w h o h a s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o visit t h i s i n t e r e s t i n g l a n d e i t h e r w i t h t h e eng inee r s , o r i n d e p e n d e n t l y , s h o u l d n o t fail to d o so.

M o n u m e n t to t h e F o u n d e r s , M e x i c o City , ( left ) , a n d at r ight , t h e floating g a r d e n s at Xoch imi l co