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The natural beauty of migration: from butterflies to whales
The migrations of the gray whale and the Monarch butterfly are two of the most enigmatic and mesmerizing spectacles that nature has to offer. Towards the end of each summer, millions of butterflies begin an epic journey from the mountains of the eastern United States to travel to the pine forests of Central Mexico. This journey, which covers 4,000 Km ends around the first week of November. Michoacán State has made conservation of the sanctuaries which house the Monarch butterfly a top priority. This insect is not only beautiful to observe, due to its colour and patterns, but its importance as a pollinator is paramount. In general, the butterflies’ lifespan is 3-4 weeks, except a special generation which is born each autumn and lives for more than 7 months. This phenomenal spectacle can be witnessed in both Michoacán and the Estado de México (México State). Another Mexican eco-touristic spectacle can be found just off the shores of Baja California. It is the mass migration and breeding
Eat, drink and be merry: Feliz navidad from Mexico!
of the gray whale which takes place during the first quarter of the year. Every year these magnificent mammals travel 9,000 km to find this mating ground and give birth to their young. The mating and birthing of the gray whales off the Pacific Coast are a cause of national pride in Mexico, and one of the most engaging and awe-inspiring natural sights to be seen anywhere.
México Festivities in January
JAN 1: New Year's Day (Año Nuevo) Nationwide A national holiday, and a day of celebrations, parties and festivals. New Year celebrations are particularly lively in downtown México City: although you'll find festivals and parties happening all over the country. JAN 2-12: City of Merida Festival (Festival de la Ciudad de Merida) Merida, Yucatán In celebration of the city's founding more than 461 years ago, this ten-day festival features music, dance and exhibits of local art, as well as the annual serenade to the city, where the traditional "Mañanitas" (the "Happy Birthday" song) is sung by its residents. JAN 6: Three Kings' Day (Dia de los Santos Reyes) - Nationwide This is the day that gifts are traditionally exchanged as it represents the day that the Three Kings arrived at the Nativity to give their gifts to the baby Jesus. This is also a day when Rosca de los Reyes (King's Loaf ) is served, a round, doughnut-like cake, which contains a little plastic doll somewhere inside. By tradition, if you are served the slice that contains the doll, you must host a party on Dia de la Candelaria in February. JAN 15-23: St. Sebastian Fiesta (Fiesta de San Sebastian el Martir) Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas This fiesta is famous for its "parachicos" tour, which features a dancing procession from the Santo Domingo church to the San Antonio Hermitage and ends in a delectable food festival featuring traditional dishes such as "pepita con tasajo" made of beef in a creamy pumpkin seed sauce. On the night of the 21st, a traditional nautical battle takes place on the Grijalva River which concludes in a spectacle of fireworks.
Beyond your expectations
SPOTLIGHT
BRIEFS
Copper Canyons Tarahumaras
The Mayan World – an enthralling new experience
Christmas food in Mexico
Important ingredients in Christmas dishes for Mexicans include beans, chiles, avocado, corn, vanilla, cocoa, pumpkin, guava, papaya, chocolate, tomatoes, turkey, nopal (young stem segments of prickly pear), the maguey (agave plant), the chayote (a local squash), the sapota (a sweet fruit), and the mamey (a sweet fruit). Some of these ingredients are national staples but all of them are found in kitchens across Mexico during the Christmas period because they are essential ingredients for the Christmas feast! Following Mass on Christmas Eve, tables in Mexican homes are covered with dishes that their native ancestors ate: manchamanteles (tropical sauce), mole with romeritos, tamales, and of course turkey. However, as with all Mexican traditions the foods are a mix of indigenous and Hispanic cultural influences. There are significant dishes for Mexicans, without which it would not be a true Christmas –here is a selection, including a traditional recipe: Tamales: originally made in pre-Hispanic times, the tamale is the equivalent to turkey in the United Kingdom. Almost every home in Mexico will eat tamales, either home-made or bought from special ‘tamale cooks’. The tamale varies from region to region because different ingredients and preparation methods are used. Tamales are made from corn and stuffed with meat, vegetables or fish and then wrapped in a corn shuck or banana leaf, before being steamed. Pozol: Mexican soup made with many ingredients, based on corn. La Ponche de frutas: typical Christmas fruit punch made with several different fruits and water Buñuelos: the collective name for the sweet pastries and puddings eaten at Christmas. One special pastry is pulque bread, pulque being the traditional, slightly fermented drink people produce from maguey's sweet sap, maguey being a giant, agave-like plant. In pulque bread, pulque is used less for its taste than for the fermenting organisms it contributes to the bread batter. Here is the recipe: Ingredients 750 g butter 750 g sugar 1 kg flour 18l pulque 15 eggs 2 tsp baking powder Preparation: separate the eggs and beat them with the pulque using a wooden spoon in circular movements. Add the sugar little by little, then the sifted flour and lastly add the melted, cold butter and mix all the ingredients together. Empty your mixture into the pre-greased moulds and turn the oven to 250º C. Test the bread with a fork and if the fork removes cleanly, take the bread out of the oven and leave to cool. This bread is found in every village fair and town festival and often the bread will have inscriptions – “For my mother-in-law”“Love Delfin” or “To my , loved one” Happy baking! .
Copper Canyons, located in the State of Chihuahua, is a region of spectacular biodiversity that has flourished in a series of canyons, greater in size than the Grand Canyon in Colorado, USA.. The region was first settled by four indigenous groups, among them were the Tarahumaras or Raramuri. The indigenous group has inhabited the Tarahumara Mountains for over 500 years and has managed to pass on traditions, generation to generation, to preserve its unique culture. During the gold rush, the Raramuris where forced into slavery and worked in the mining grounds of the region. Many of them peacefully protested their freedom but continued to work in the mines, which they thought was a way of being closer to their God and truly connected to Mother Earth. Nowadays, the government of Mexico is helping to establish programmes and foundations to provide alternative livelihoods, tackling health and nutrition issues, and securing the cultural legacy of this indigenous group.
The Mayan culture flourished and thrived 20 centuries ago in El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala and the southern states of México: Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Yucatán. It is one of the most important ancient pre-hispanic cultures and the continent’s most advanced: the pyramids, temples and archaeological finds bear testament to this. Chichén-Itzá is one of the most famous Mayan sites and in 2007 was declared one of the Seven New Wonders of the Modern World, cementing its status as a globally significant attraction. The Mayan civilization is a culturally rich and fascinating region. In México it stretches from
the city of Palenque in the southern forests of Chiapas, to the Yucatán Peninsula and Caribbean where the temple of Chichén-Itzá is located. An Air Covenant has recently been signed between the five nations to increase connections between the Mayan countries, and to make exploring the region even easier. Travellers will have a choice of routes ensuring their journey through the Mayan World is logistically straightforward with guaranteed connections. Itineraries are being prepared by the Mayan countries that will take visitors across national borders through the Mayan region and plans are in place for a single visa within the Mayan World. More news soon!
Traditional food festival in Oaxaca
The Night of Radishes is a traditional festival in the state of Oaxaca. This popular celebration is an opportunity for horticulturists and flower-growers to create figures using their produce and artistic talent. Each of them handcrafts special figures from radishes, the ‘immortal flower’ (an indigenous regional flower), and the totomoxtle – the shell or leaf covering the corn on the cob. The competition (organised by the Municipality of Oaxaca) takes place each year on 23 December and the entire city congregates near Oaxaca’s cathedral in the Plaza de la Constitution to admire the creativity and artwork of the participants. This festival dates back to the time when the horticulturists of the Trinity Gardens brought their vegetables to the market de la Vigilia de Navidad (Christmas Vigil Market), held each year on 23 December. To make their vegetables more attractive, the horticulturists began to create figures with the radishes, adorning them with leaves of cauliflower and the flowers of tender onions. According to the book ‘Night of Radishes’ written by Professor Alejandro Mendez Aquino, on 23 December 1897 the then Municipal President, Francisco Vasconcelos Flowers, organized the first exhibition in which the horticulturists showcased their curious and wonderful creations carved from radishes.. And since then the festival and competition have became an established part of the market. Locals and visitors alike buy the figures to decorate their Christmas tables and homes.
The Wine Route of Mexico
The Wine Route in Mexico showcases an extensive variety of attractions for wine lovers: from small, family-run wineries to large-scale producers; from rural family restaurants to the finest dining experiences; from camps and ranches to boutique lodges and 5 star luxury hotels; from art galleries and museums to nature reserves and native cultural sites. The Baja California region has something for everyone: the active traveller, the romantic newly-weds, families and of course the wine connoisseur. Baja California The Wine Route is located in the northern part of the State of Baja California. The area is one of the few microclimates in Mexico fortunate enough to have the right altitude, soil and climate for growing grapes and making wine. The valleys of Calafia, Guadalupe and San Antonio de las Minas are at the heart of the Wine Route, which extends northwards to the Valley des las Palmas and southwards to the Valleys of Santo Tomás and San Vicente Ferrer. White wines from Baja California are produced from Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes. Red wines use Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Carignan, Barber, Nebbiolo and Zinfandel grapes. The first settlers in this region were the Kiliwa and Kumiai. They were followed by Hispanic missionaries who paved the way for immigrants from Russia, Europe and other parts of Mexico to settle on this fertile land. The different cultural backgrounds of these peoples created a diverse wine region, each ethnic group bringing their own traditions, tastes and production methods.