Cinco de Mayo Commemorates La Batalla de Puebla

BanderasNews.com
May 5, 2015

banderasnews.com

Cinco de Mayo is a significant date in Mexican history. On May 5, 1862, Mexicans won the battle at Puebla against the much larger French army. Despite being outnumbered, the Mexican army was victorious.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Lots of us have heard of the Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo, but not everyone knows what it celebrates. It is not, as some believe, Mexico's Independence Day. The festivities that occur on the fifth day of May commemorate a battle that was fought almost 50 years after Mexico declared its independence from Spain.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico's independence, but it is not Independence Day. Mexico asserted its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. The festivities on May 5 are about another battle for independence - a battle fought against the French in 1862.

After the 1846 Mexican-American War, in which boundaries were clarified after Texas became the 28th U.S. state, Mexico entered a period of political and financial hardship. The Mexican civil war lasted from 1858 to 1861 and left Mexico without a stable support structure. To supplement a deflated economy, Mexico borrowed a great deal of money from other countries. Among those countries were England, Spain and France.

In 1862, all three European powers came to collect. Their navies arrived in Mexico to demand payment and land to settle the debts, but Mexico offered vouchers instead, essentially asking for more time. England and Spain accepted and went home; France invaded, seeking total control of Mexico. Under Napoleon III, French troops began at the shore and tried to make their way to Mexico City. Before they could get to the capital, they were stopped at the state of Puebla, where a major battle took place on May 5, 1862: La Batalla de Puebla.

Outnumbered and outarmed, the Mexican soldiers at Puebla, under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, managed to defeat the French forces. Ultimately, the Mexican victory at Puebla only delayed the French invasion of Mexico City, and a year later, the French occupied Mexico.
But the Mexican men who fought at Puebla nonetheless defied the odds to defend its independence. Cinco de Mayo celebrates that bravery and determination, and commemorates Mexico's fight to ward off imperialist forces.

The city of Puebla holds a big annual celebration on the anniversary of the battle. But in most of Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not really celebrated. The real celebration takes place on Independence Day, the Sixteenth of September (or Diez y Seis de Septiembre), when everybody celebrates similar to the way the Fourth of July is celebrated in the U.S., with feasting, fireworks and parades dedicated to celebrating Mexico's freedom from European external powers.

Two ancient Maya cities found

thenews.mx

REUTERS PHOTO/Research Center of the Slovenian Academ y of Sciences and Arts.

 

 

Archaeologists have found two ancient Maya cities hidden in a jungle in Mexico.

 

 

REUTERS Archaeologists have found two ancient Mayan cities hidden in the jungle of southeastern Mexico, and the lead researcher says he believes there are “dozens” more to be found in the region. Ivan Sprajc, associate professor at the Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, said his team found the ancient cities of Lagunita and Tamchen on the Yucatan peninsula in April by examining aerial photographs of the region. Sprajc said the two cities reached their heyday in the Late and Terminal Classic periods (600-1000 AD).

The History of El Día del Trabajo (Labor Day) in Mexico

Marie Callan - BanderasNews.com
April 30, 2015

banderasnews.com

In Mexico, May 1st is a Federal holiday known as 'Dia del Trabajo,' with banks, schools, government offices, and many businesses closed. So kick back, relax, and have a safe and happy May Day!

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - May 1st, International Worker's Day, commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world, and is recognized in every country except the United States and Canada. This is despite the fact that the holiday began in the 1880's in the U.S., with the fight for an eight-hour work day led by immigrant workers.

In Mexico, May 1st is a Federal holiday known as Día del Trabajo (Labor Day) or Primero de Mayo. Banks, schools, government offices and many businesses are closed, but most shopping centers and many restaurants will remain open for business.

Having the day off means people can either relax at home or spend time with family or friends. In the main streets of major cities, Labor Day parades, rallies or demonstrations often feature large crowds holding banners to promote workers' rights.

A Bit of History
At the end of the nineteenth century, the need for Mexican workers to have more humane and fair work conditions became apparent, but Mexico's labor movement was repressed in places such as Cananea.
In June 1906, the Cananea Strike, also known as the Cananea Riot took place in the Mexican mining town of Cananea, Sonora. Although the workers were forced to return to their positions with no demand being met, the action was a key event in the general unrest that emerged during the final years of the regime of President Porfirio Díaz and that prefigured the Mexican Revolution of 1910.

During the Mexican Revolution, various capitalist factions vied for power whilst attempting to overthrow the dictatorship of General Porfirio Díaz. Meanwhile the Agrarian movement of Emiliano Zapata and the emerging urban working class attempted to defend their own interests amidst the chaos.

This armed conflict is often categorized as the most important sociopolitical event in Mexico and one of the greatest upheavals of the 20th century; it resulted in an important experimentation and reformation in social organization.

The Constitution of 1917 instigated significant social reforms to labor laws and provided for equality without discrimination, among other reforms.

According to some sources, a Labor Day parade was held in Mexico as early as 1913, but the holiday that commemorates the struggle of the Mexican working class wasn't officially celebrated until May 1, 1923.

While many countries celebrate May 1st in different ways, including the traditional Maypole ceremony, here in Mexico it is a day of rest and reflection. So kick back, relax, and have a safe and happy May Day!

Book Fair and Bazaar Opens in Plazuela de los Leones

by Maureen Dietrich
25 Apr 15
mazmessenger.com

With the goal of providing another location for culture and tourism in Mazatlán and offering antique and attractive products, two new bazaars are on offer in Plazuela de los Leones in El Centro.

The brainchild of Silvia Catelo Toledo, historian Antonio Lerma Garay and book promoter Melly Peraza along with a team from municipal family services (DIF), the two bazaars are held every Friday and Saturday from 4:30pm to 7:30pm.

The Friday event, Lectura y Bazar Literario, features the sale of second hand books and magazines and Saturday’s bazaar, Expo y Bazar de Antaño, the sale and/or exhibition of second hand articles of interest.

Tables and chairs for charitable organizations are free. To register for the bazaar as an exhibitor or commercial vendor contact Sandra Villarreal at DIF Mazatlán, 910-2845.

(from Noroeste)

Casa Machado Museum Closes

by Maureen Dietrich
20 Apr 15
mazmessenger.com

For the past 16 years the Museo Casa Machado has been one of the major tourist attractions in Mazatlán’s Centro Histórico for national and international tourists, but two weeks ago it closed its doors permanently when it was unable to sustain itself financially.

The museum was dedicated to the port’s history during the latter part of the 19^th century into the 20^th showcasing original furniture of the period and Carnaval Queen coronation dresses.

Located on the top floor of the Los Portales de Cannobio building in the Plazuela Machado, it was sponsored in part by the Hotel Pueblo Bonito.

(from Noroeste)

"Enciende" Mazatlán al ritmo de motores y rock la Semana de la Moto

Noroeste / Redacción

noroeste.com 

10-04-2015

Los modernos jinetes recorren la ruta Mazatlán-Durango. Fotografía: Noroeste.

< anterior siguiente >

 

MAZATLÁN._ Velocidad, adrenalina, carretera y rock and roll se fundieron en uno solo para "encender" de nuevo al puerto, en el marco de la Legendaria Semana de la Moto Mazatlán 2015.

Desde temprano, montados en sus "caballos de acero" cientos de motociclistas tomaron la supercarretera Mazatlán-Durango para domar al Puente Baluarte, que "serpentea" la Sierra Madre Occidental.

El "comandante en jefe" de los "bickers" fue el Gobernador Mario López Valdez, quien acompañado por sus "jefes de Estado Mayor", el Alcalde Carlos Felton y el titular de la Sectur estatal, Francisco Córdova Celaya, dirigieron un ruidoso ejército hacia esa imponente vista plagada de bosques y acantilados.

Con la expectativa de llegada de 20 mil motociclistas y un aporte sustancial a la derrama económica para el destino en el último fin de semana vacacional, anoche fue inaugurada de manera oficial la vigésima edición de la Legendaria Semana de la Moto Mazatlán 2015.

Este encuentro reúne a motociclistas de distintas entidades del País, Estados Unidos y Latinoamérica.

"La verdad es que es un orgullo lo que han hecho ustedes aquí en Mazatlán", declaró el Alcalde Carlos Felton a los organizadores, minutos antes de inaugurar.

"Cómo hace 20 años tuvieron la visión de organizar un evento para los amantes de las motocicletas y cómo año con año este evento se ha ido consolidando como lo que es hoy, un evento de talla internacional".

Paulo Orozco, organizador y presidente de Moto Club Mazatlán, agradeció la participación de los "jinetes de acero" y a los organizadores que confían en Mazatlán.

Este año, en representación del Gobernador Mario López Valdez, acudió el Secretario Turismo, Francisco Córdova Celaya.

Y por último, con pirotecnia y un recorrido por la Plaza de la Moto, empezó el evento de motociclistas.

Desde hoy, otro lleno en hoteles

A partir de hoy y hasta el domingo por la tarde se espera que Mazatlán vuelva a ser la casa de miles de turistas con la Semana de la Moto y el último fin de semana del periodo vacacional en las escuelas.

(Con información de Netzahualcóyotl Ceballos y Saúl Valdez)

Mexico unleashes cultural heritage

thenews.mx

BY ALBERTO VALDERRÁBANO
The News

Mexico has a rich cultural heritage that includes customs, traditions, fiestas, food, carnivals, traditional garb and indigenous communities.

One of the most enduring treasures that Mexico has is its cities, from the grand urban areas to towns far removed from modern civilization. These places will continue to pass on to future generations that indelible energy that is Mexico.

The Tourism Secretariat defines Pueblos Mágicos as localities with symbolic characteristics, history, legends, a routine character or transcendental facts. In general, the magic that emanates from each of its socio-cultural manifestations that become an important element in the promotion of national tourism.

The Pueblos Mágicos program contributes to re-imagine the significance of a set of towns that always played a part in the collective imagination of the nation. The towns represent traditions, which are emblematic of important eras that draw national and international visitors.

CHARACTERISTICS

The elements that must be present in order for a town to become part of the Pueblos Mágicos program are that it must be near a tourist area or a large urban center, be accessible by highway and have important cultural, historical or religious value.

The common denominator is that all the towns in the program have played a significant role in the national tradition. They should have enclaves that house cultural treasures, spaces where the routine is resplendent in colors and places that the quotidian life inspires passion through its foods, aromas and are capable of captivating the visitor’s spirits.

Travelers should be able to discover the traditions that the streets of these towns hold. Tourists are transported by the landscape, buildings and homes, most of which have tile roofs, and the facades represent different eras.

The residents of Pueblos Mágicos are committed to tourism. The government reports that they benefit from the flow of tourism by becoming excellent hosts for the national and international travelers.
These enchanted places have narrow streets, peculiar construction and in the majority of cases the residents have deep rooted traditions. These towns, much to the delight of national and international tourists, dot the national landscape.

THE FIRST PUEBLO MÁGICO

The Secretary of Tourism and Culture in Hidalgo Roberto Pedraza said that the program spurs economic development, strengthens the sense of belonging for residents and increased employment for locals.

Hidalgo has the honor of having the first Pueblo Mágico, Huasca de Ocampo. The town was nominated in 2001 and has the famous Basalt Prisms located within its boundaries. Three other towns rich in tradition, history and culture in Hidalgo are also part of the program. Mineral del Chico, with the national park El Chico, Mineral del Monte, with its traditional mining pastry and Huichapan, a historical place where you find El Chapitel, the place where the first “Grito de Independencia” was given by revolutionaries Ignacio López Rayón and Andrés Quintana Roo.

Pedraza said that petitions to incorporate Villa de Tezontepec, Tecozautla, Omitlán de Juárez and Chapuluacán in the Pueblos Mágicos program have been submitted.



NEW MAGIC

Presently there are 83 Pueblos Mágicos in the country. After not registering any new towns in the past two years, in 2015 the Tourism Secretariat (Sectur) opened the competition for new applications and provided a new set of criteria.

The federal agency received 74 applications from towns wishing to be incorporated into the program. Once the requirements have been met, Sectur officials will tour the towns to ensure they meet the standards of the program.

All of the 83 towns presently in the program will be visited and evaluated in 2015. At the end of the year Sectur will announce the results of its evaluation and decide if the towns will continue to form part of the Pueblos Mágicos program.

Since the founding of the program in 2001, Sectur said that indirectly, 5 million people have been employed in various areas of the tourism related to the program.

MILLION INVESTMENT

The federal government announced a 500 million peso ($33.5 million) investment to reactivate the Pueblos Mágicos program. However, it said that the towns themselves are responsible for the sustainability and long-range development.

The 83 towns already enrolled in the program will begin to run all of their telephone, cable and power lines underground. This project will commence with the most emblematic towns with the highest rate of tourism. With the cables underground, the image of the towns is expected to greatly improve.
During this remodeling of the towns, free Wi-Fi access will be installed in all public plazas so that tourists may further enjoy their stay.

The 2014-2018 National Infrastructure Program has a budget of 4 billion pesos to cover costs for the Pueblos Mágicos program.

STRATEGIC SECTOR

The Pueblos Mágicos program represents an integral part of the tourism sector. It generates 8.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 6.8 percent of the national population.
The Tourism Secretariat stated that the Pueblos Mágicos program should be analyzed to identify the strengths, weaknesses and areas of progress.

Once the analysis has been completed, the towns may serve as a tool for community development. They will strengthen social participation to create an agenda with institutions and government agencies to re-evaluate the land and work toward environmental sustainability, Sectur reported.

Mazatlán Celebrates 100th Anniversary

by Maureen Dietrich
9 Apr 15
mazmessenger.com

In a solemn ceremony yesterday, Mazatlán Mayor Carlos Felton, the municipal council and naval and military authorities celebrated the 100^th anniversary of Mazatlán becoming an independent municipality.

Municipalities in Mexico became independent under laws enacted by Emiliano Zapata and Venustiano Carranza in 1915.

(from Noroeste)

Daylight Saving Time Begins in Mexico on April 5, 2015

banderasnews.com

BanderasNews.com
April 3, 2015

Don't be late for your Easter date! If you are lucky enough to be spending the holidays here in Puerto Vallarta, be sure to set your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed on Saturday night.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Daylight saving time, usually referred to as the Horario de Verano in Mexico, begins at 2:00 am local time on Sunday, April 5, 2015. So if you are lucky enough to be spending the Easter holidays here in Puerto Vallarta, don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed this Saturday night!

Daylight Saving Time in Mexico

In Mexico, daylight saving time begins at 2:00 am local time on Sunday, April 5, which means most everyone will be turning their clocks ahead one hour. Some Mexico border communities changed their clocks on March 8th in accordance to the U.S. time change. (For more information, click HERE.)

Mexico adopted DST nationwide in 1996, even in its tropical regions, because of its increasing economic ties to the United States. Although the U.S. changed the schedule for DST beginning in 2007, most of Mexico did not go along with it. Daylight saving time for Mexico begins on the first Sunday of April, and ends on the last Sunday of October.

In 2010, the ten Mexican municipalities that share a border with the United States started to observe daylight saving time three weeks earlier, on the second Sunday in March and ending on the first Sunday in November. This change in daylight saving time observance was requested by local governments and political leaders to help facilitate commerce with the United States.

Until April of 2010, the state of Nayarit was one hour earlier than Puerto Vallarta and the state of Jalisco. Before that, many tourist related businesses in Nayarit around Banderas Bay would set their clocks to Puerto Vallarta time to prevent confusion. On April 4, 2010, Nayarit initiated a 2 hour time change to coincide with Jalisco.

Therefore, in both states clocks will be turned forward 1 hour from 2:00 am to 3:00 am on April 5, 2015. Daylight Saving Time will end in Mexico on Sunday, October 25, 2015.

5 Myths about Daylight Saving Time

by Murry Page
2 Apr 15
mazmessenger.com
 

Daylight saving time (DST) will begin in México on April 5, the first Sunday in April, except for the municipalities located less than 20 kilometers from the USA border. Those municipalities changed to DST on March 8, the second Sunday in March, along with the United States and Canada.

Although the United States adopted DST in 1986, México did no adopt it until 1996. Prior to 1996 the state of Baja California was the only state to observe DST. The state of Sonora has never adopted DST because of the non-observance of DST by Arizona and its important economic ties with that US state.

This will be the first year in which the state of Quintana Roo will not observe DST. That state also changed its time zone this year from Central Standard Time to Eastern Standard Time.
Many people are confused about the origin, which has created several myths. A few of them are:

• Daylight saving time was meant to help farmers.

This comes from the idea that more daylight means more time in the field for farmers. Michael Downing, who wrote a book about DST, says “The farmers were the reason we never had a peacetime daylight saving time until 1966. They had a powerful lobby and were against it vociferously.” The lost hour of morning light meant they had to rush to get their crops to market.

• The extra daylight makes us healthier and happier.

Commenting on DST the U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), said “In addition to the benefits of energy savings, fewer traffic fatalities, more recreation time and increased economic activity, Daylight saving time helps clear away the winter blues a little earlier,” he said in a statement last year. “Government analysis has proven that extra sunshine provides more than just smiles. .?.?. We all just feel sunnier after we set the clocks ahead.”

A little more vitamin D from the sun may be healthy, but not the way DST provides it. Experts have noted that when DST starts and ends there are noticeable spikes in workplace accidents, suicide and headaches. One 2009 study found a 5.7 percent increase in injuries among mine workers in the week after the start of DST, which researchers believe is most likely due to disruption in the workers’ sleep cycles. An Australian study found a slight uptick in male suicides in the weeks following time shifts, which the researchers blamed on the destabilizing effect of sleep disruption on people with mental health problems. Some physicians say that changes in circadian rhythm can trigger cluster headaches, leading to days or weeks of discomfort.

• It helps us conserve energy.

Representative Fred Upton from Michigan said, “An annual rite of spring, daylight saving time is also a matter of energy conservation. By having a little more natural daylight at our disposal, we can help keep daily energy costs down for families and businesses.”

A study by the California Energy Commission found the energy savings to be a paltry 0.18 percent. An Indiana study found a slight increase in energy use after the entire state adopted DST; the researchers believed that more air conditioning in the evening was largely to blame.

(from The Washington Post)

Work on Saltwater Swimming Pool Advances

by Maureen Dietrich
27 Mar 15
mazmessenger.com
|

Architect’s rendition of the renovated Carpa Olivera.

Although it will not be ready for Semana Santa holidays, work on the Carpa Olivera saltwater swimming pool in Olas Altas has advanced approximately 60 percent, says the municipality.

The goal of the revitalization project is to rescue the pool which due to neglect fell into disrepair and became dangerous for swimmers.

The saltwater pool was popular especially during summer months.

Personnel from the municipal public works department are presently working on the construction of a water slide, water discharge pipes, a cistern to hold water for an interactive fountain, an access ramp and public bathrooms.

Structural elements are now finished, the municipal press release stated, and work will begin shortly on the flooring.

Work has been interrupted or slowed occasionally due to high seas washing over the retaining walls, but it is expected the tides will soon recede and work can continue without delay.

Yet to done is the installation of benches, painting of walls, installation of electrical wiring, lamps, “intelligent” fountains and construction of a storage shed.

The municipality has invested 4,645,918 pesos in remodeling the once popular swimming pool. Work on the project is expected to be completed in the first two weeks of May.

 (from municipal press release)

Did you know that Lee Harvey Oswald traveled to Mexico only weeks before shooting Kennedy?

theyucatantimes.com

In an attempt to get to the bottom of one of the greatest conspiracies of all time – the assassination of President John F. Kennedy – one journalist turned his attention south of the border in search for answers.

Refiling through a slew of declassified notes and testimony from the U.S. ambassador and CIA station chief in Mexico City at the time of the JFK assassination, former New York Times correspondent Philip Shenon found a surprising amount of evidence that connected JFK’s shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, to Cuban officials and Mexican agitators sympathetic to Fidel Castro’s cause.
Oswald was on the CIA’s radar after he travelled to Mexico City only weeks before the assassination to visit the Cuban and Soviet embassies there in order to obtain a visa that would allow the self-proclaimed Marxist to defect to Cuba.

U.S. Ambassador Thomas C. Mann, who believed that Oswald had not acted alone and that his trip to Mexico proves that, was blocked from further inquiry when he received a top-secret message directly from then-Secretary of State Dean Rusk days after the assassination to shut down any investigation in Mexico that might “confirm or refute rumors of Cuban involvement in the assassination,” Mann said in a testimony years later.

Lee Harvey Oswald (Photo: Google)

Recently declassified memoirs from the CIA station chief at the time, Winston Scott, also seem to point to his assertion that Oswald was an “agent” of a foreign power, although he makes no reference to the CIA investigation being shut down.

“It is clear from government files declassified in recent decades that Oswald’s six-day trip to Mexico was never adequately investigated by the CIA, the FBI and the State Department — and, as a result, by the Warren Commission, the panel named by President Lyndon Johnson to investigate the assassination,” Shenon wrote in a piece for Politico.

He added: [L]ots of evidence has accumulated over the years to suggest that historians, journalists and JFK buffs who are still trying to piece together clues about the president’s murder – whether from the memories of still-living witnesses or in the new tranche of assassination-related documents the National Archives is set to release in two years – would be wise to look to Mexico City.

Besides Mann and Scott, Shenon also mentions the late former FBI Director Clarence Kelley and former FBI Assistant Director William Sullivan, as well as David Belin, a former staff lawyer on the Warren Commission as prominent U.S. government officials who believed that there was more to Oswald’s trip to Mexico than has been revealed.

FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover may have insisted publically that “there was nothing up to the time of the assassination that gave any indication that this man was a dangerous character who might do harm to the president,” but a top-secret June 1964 letter from Hoover to the Warren commission reveals that Oswald may have openly boasted about his plans – “I’m going to kill Kennedy” – while in Mexico, apparently at the Cuban embassy.

While none of this information directly links Cuban or Mexican agents to the killing of JFK, it certainly provides more fodder for those looking to see more than just a lone gunman behind the assassination —and a number of assassination-related documents the National Archives set to release in two years could shine even more light onto Oswald’s trip south of the border.

México’s Oldest Woman Dies at 127

by Murry Page
23 Mar 15
mazmessenger.com

Doña Leandra Becerra Lumbreras, México’s oldest living woman, died at her home in Zapopan, Jalisco, at the age of 127 years.

Doña Leandra was born in Tula, Tamaulipas, but lived with her granddaughter at the time of her death. She liked to knit, sing and talk about the time of the Revolution, her granddaughter said. One of her favorite stories was meeting Pancho Villa.

Doña Leandra was a healthy woman with no chronic diseases. Her granddaughter said that in recent years she spent much of her time sleeping.

(from Televisa)

City Council Changes Road Name, Honours Three Mazatlecans

by Maureen Dietrich
20 Mar 15
mazmessenger.com

Avenida Pacífico will have its name changed to “José Luis Peche Garcia.”

During a recent municipal council meeting, the majority of members approved a petition by the Commission for Urbanization, Ecology and Public Works and a group of distinguished Mazatlecans to change the name of Avenida Pacífico to “José Luis Peche Garcia” to preserve the memory and honor an exemplary businessman, proponent of noble causes and preserver of the history of Mazatlán through photographs.

Avenida Pacífico has become an important access road to the port connecting the entrance to south Mazatlán with the Marina zone.

Don Adrián García Cortés.

The council also unanimously approved a petition by the Commission for Social Action and Culture to confer the commemorative medals “Jornadas Heroicas” (posthumously) to engineer Richardo Urquijo Beltrán and Don Adrián García Cortés in recognition of their work.

Richardo Urquijo Beltrán.

At the same time, the council again approved unanimously a petition from Canaco and Canirac to extend the hours for businesses selling alcoholic beverages in the Zona Dorada and Olas Altas during the months of April, May and June this year.

Restaurants will see their hours for selling alcohol extended from 11pm to 2am, nightclubs from 2am to 4am, and bars from 11pm to 2am during those three months.

(from municipal press release and Noroeste)

Pulmonia History

mexified.com

by Howard 

Mar 20, 2015

On December 20, 1965, this strange cart first made its appearance in the city of Mazatlan.  Mr. Miguel Ramirez Urquijo, better known as “El Chicharo” (or “The Pea” in English) was a stark advocate who did much to develop and popularize these 4-wheeled wonders.   The 60’s marked a time of rapid growth and a tourist boom for Mazatlan, and this impelled “El Chicharo” to seek a means of transport that would appeal to all tourists who visit here. The peculiar characteristics immediately attracted the attention of people from all over. The vehicle would be destined not only to become a new form of public transport, but also a veritable and distinctive icon for the city of Mazatlan.

After only one year, the cart had met such widespread acceptance, that Don Miguel imported an additional 16 vehicles. With the assistance of Governor Alfredo Valdés Montoya, he obtained the necessary permits to officially integrate them into the city’s public transportation service – a decisive point in Pulmonia history.

Although, from its inception, this mode of transport was adored by users, it initially encountered considerable opposition. Criticism and pressure from the taxi unions and bus companies, which resented the sharp decline in their services, launched a smear campaign against this new shuttle.

Certainly, these were tough times, but the stark determination of Don Miguel backed by the support of the new Governor, ensured a steady growth for this over-sized golf cart.  After only 3 years of operation, 100 of these carts were circulating throughout the city.

At the height of the smear campaign, taxi drivers would actually stop people when they tried to approach these strange white vehicles.  They warned that they were very unstable, dangerous, lacked privacy and they risked getting “pneumonia” from being in the open air.

As a result of the opposition, the carts were christened: “Pulmonias”.  The name caught on, and today you’ll see over 300 of them roaming the streets of this wonderful city!

Admiran los visitantes espectáculo de clavadistas en Mazatlán

Verenice Peraza

noroeste.com

17-03-2015

Con cámara en mano para captar el momento, turistas observan a un clavadista tirarse desde varios metros de altura. Fotografía: Noroeste / Jorge Niebla.

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MAZATLÁN._ Venir a Mazatlán y no disfrutar del espectáculo que ofrecen los clavadistas de la Glorieta Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada, en Olas Altas, es como no haber venido a este destino, pues forma parte de la tradición mazatleca.

Y es que en caída libre, en un viaje de 15 metros, jóvenes clavadistas ofrecen lo que mejor saben hacer: echarse al mar y salir ilesos.

Ellos, los clavadistas de la Sánchez Taboada, desafían los vientos, la distancia, las olas y las rocas, logrando su cometido de divertir y sorprender a los visitantes, quienes les toman incontables fotografías para el recuerdo.

"Es muy bueno venir a Mazatlán y ver a ellos lanzarse al mar, son muy fuertes", expresó William Parker, de origen estadounidense.

Aunque la Semana Santa y la Pascua son periodos donde la Sánchez Taboada se convierte en uno de los puntos de reunión más visitados entre los atractivos turísticos, desde que se abrió la nueva autopista Mazatlán-Durango, los fines de semana largos y normales también son buenos.

Y no sólo a los clavadistas les va bien, sino también a los vendedores de artesanías, recuerdos y ropa de playa.

Aunque sin lugar a dudas los que mejor venden son quienes ofrecen alimentos como cocos, elotes, salchi-rollos, nachos y toda clase de antojitos que calman el hambre.

"La verdad es que fue un buen fin de semana largo, estamos muy bien en ventas y ya viene Semana Santa, nos estamos preparando para ello con mercancía y como familia, ya que le entramos todos al trabajo (toda la familia)", agregó Rosario López.

En este punto de la ciudad un coco cuesta 25 pesos, aunque son los 25 pesos mejor gastados de una persona, según don José Ávalos, quien vende estos frutos en la zona desde hace más de 15 años.

"Se le da su coco tierno, medio o durito, como lo pida la gente, ahorita es temporada de coco, así que podemos darle a escoger al cliente cómo lo quiere, se toman su agua bien heladita para el calor, y luego se comen la carne con mucho chile y limón, o con pura sal, según el gusto", dijo.

Los vendedores de la Sánchez Taboada abren sus puestos desde las 10:00 horas y laboran más de 12 horas en periodos de bonanza, como el que ahora se vive el puerto.

Writer promotes native languages

thenews.mx

2014 National Nezahualcóyotl award winner and Maya writer Sol Ceh Moo. SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

The News

Maya writer Sol Ceh Moo called on speakers of native languages to talk and write in their indigenous language.

If you speak one of the many indigenous languages of Mexico you should be proud of the heritage and pass it to the next generation, she said. Ceh Moo is from Yucatán.

There should be a declaration, pronouncement or law that allows for the teaching of all of the indigenous languages in Mexico at every educational level, the winner of the 2014 National Nezahualcóyotl award said.

“We should begin with the languages that have the most speakers, then we need to reinforce the other languages,” she said.

“I speak one of the most important languages spoken in Mexico, Maya. I denied it and tried to hide it. I tried to be like everyone else, but it is important to know who we are, where we come from and be proud of that.”

One of the biggest obstacles that indigenous languages face is the shame speakers feel about speaking in their own language, Ceh Moo said. They don’t identify with their language and their heritage.
The social oppression that many indigenous parents have suffered must be stopped, Ceh Moo said. They should be made to feel valued so they can pass on the language and oral heritage to their children and grandchildren.

“It is an absolute must that the language arise and gain strength in the home,” she said.
Ceh Moo believes that regardless of age, all indigenous people should have the opportunity to learn their language.

“Many have forgotten who they are and have distanced themselves from their traditions and culture. They have lost the feeling of belonging,” she said. “The world view of the original inhabitants of this country is in the language.”

Every person living in the country forms Mexico. It’s a single culture, with no distinctions between people. It’s only the languages that are different, but the way of living and feeling for the land is very similar.

“People of the Revolution” Art Exhibit Opens

by Maureen Dietrich
11 Mar 15
mazmessenger.com

 

The Mexican Revolution, one of the major themes of modern Mexico, is remembered by artist Carlos Castro y Vázquez in his exhibit “Personajes de la Revolución” to be inaugurated at the Angela Peralta Theater Gallery on Friday, March 13 at 7pm.

 

 

The series of 27 oil and acrylic paintings on canvass and wood demonstrates the important impact Francisco Villa and Emiliano Zapata has and will have on the collective imagination of Mexico.

 

 

Entrance to the exposition is free.

 

(from Cultura press release)

México’s Oldest Woman Dies at 127

by Murry Page
23 Mar 15
mazmessenger.com

Doña Leandra Becerra Lumbreras, México’s oldest living woman, died at her home in Zapopan, Jalisco, at the age of 127 years. Doña Leandra was born in Tula, Tamaulipas, but lived with her granddaughter at the time of her death.

She liked to knit, sing and talk about the time of the Revolution, her granddaughter said. One of her favorite stories was meeting Pancho Villa.

Doña Leandra was a healthy woman with no chronic diseases. Her granddaughter said that in recent years she spent much of her time sleeping.

(from Televisa)

Salen 70 escoltas a marchar en Centro

Sheila Arias

noroeste.com

20-02-2015

Las escoltas de 70 escuelas del puerto caminaron desde el parque Martiniano Carvajal hasta el Palacio Municipal. Fotografía: Noroeste / Jorge Niebla.

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MAZATLÁN._ Los estudiantes salieron a las calles con sus papás, caminaron desde el parque Martiniano Carvajal hasta el Palacio Municipal, esta vez no para protestar, ni exigir, sino para conmemorar el Día de la Bandera.

Las escoltas de 70 escuelas del puerto se acompañaron en esta caminata, al lado de sus maestros de educación física, todos avanzaron a paso lento por las calles del Centro.

"Los padres de familia son muy determinantes en el apoyo al programa de Educación Física que tenemos en nuestro Estado y que, entre ellos, está la responsabilidad de poder manejar la identidad nacional, con su Bandera y los símbolos patrios; el afán es ese, el mantener los valores y la identidad", comentó el profesor Cesáreo Álvarez González, supervisor de Educación Física de la zona escolar número 3.

A su llegada a la explanada del Ayuntamiento, el cuerpo de regidores recibió a los estudiantes de nivel Primaria, el mensaje fue mantener el respeto a su bandera, luego retumbó el Himno Nacional y el de Sinaloa.

"Están participando 70 escuelas, algunas de Tiempo Completo y otras de turno regular, es una afluencia de más de 700 alumnos, además los padres y maestros", sostuvo.

La ceremonia fue breve, fue cumplir la tradición de avanzar con la Bandera.

El Día de la Bandera se ha instituído en distintos países del mundo, en México es el 24 de febrero.

El profesor Álvarez González aseguró que adelantaron la actividad porque el 24 de febrero las escuelas participarán en un encuentro de atletismo para buscar su pase a un campeonato estatal y el día siguiente está prevista una jornada de futbol.

Para hoy la misma actividad está programada con estudiantes de nivel preescolar.