Chalma and the Dark Lord of the Cave

Around the mountains, the pilgrims snaked. Their incense filled the air around them with thick, scented clouds, issuing out from burners. Their clothes and hair were colorful with the season's flowers. Once night fell, they lit their flaming torches and carried them high. It took days to reach the sacred spring, along the spiral ways, but this was the last rite before arriving at their destination.


Bathing in the waters, drinking them; cleansed inside and out and holy now. They thrice walked around the ancient Ahuehuete tree, hung through with offerings, flowers, fruit and little bags containing umbilical cords. They were ready to enter the sanctuary. The Dark Lord of the Cave was waiting.

Oxtoteotl is an Aztec deity. He's the God of War; the Destiny of the Night; the Dark Lord. His shrine is the back of a cave, which takes days of a snaking, spiral pathway through the mountains to reach. There is evidence of human sacrifice in His worship. He was one of the most popular Gods of the Aztec age. Pilgrims came from great distances to visit His shrine, above the modern-day town of Chalma, in Mexico State. He could heal; and He could protect.

In 1537, Augustian monks appeared in the area. They watched the thousands of pilgrims making their progress up the mountain-side. The religion was strong here, but two of their number, Brother Sebastian de Tolentino and Brother Nicolas Perea, were determined to smash it. This was their calling. This is where Christ should be.

They spread out amongst those gathered, evangelizing and talking about the 'Spanish God'. They visited the sanctuary and surveyed the dark, cylindrical shape of the Oxtoteotl stone. They saw the people dancing before him. The Augustian were appalled. For three days, they walked about the pilgrim paths, encouraging people to tear down the statue and convert to Christ. People laughed in their faces.


It was at night when Brother Sebastian de Tolentino and Brother Nicolas Perea climbed the mountain to the sanctuary for the second time. Their intent was clear. They were going to pull down the icon themselves. They would prove, with their bare hands, that their God was stronger and that nothing would happen, if they descrecated the centuries old sacred cave.

They arrived to find it devoid of worshippers, but a miracle had occurred! In place of Oxtoteotl now stood a statue of the crucified Christ, with his skin burnt a dark black. The floor was littered with the fractured remains of the Aztec icon, smashed to smithereens. No-one claimed responsibility. No-one had seen the statue being conveyed up the steep paths. God must have done it. The friars reported that, as the first Aztec pilgrims arrived, they all fell to their knees in 'apostolic piety'. The holy brothers wasted no time in converting them to Catholicism.


(There is another version, which says that the friars sculpted the Oxtoteotl stone into a representation of Christ on the cross. It's black because the Aztec stone was obsidian black.)

In the years that followed, the mouth of the cave was enlarged and a shrine dedicated to St Michael was established there. The people still visited in the same way, climbing the paths with incense and flowers; bathing in the spring and encircling the Ahuehuete tree.


Inside the cave, they danced to the dark Christ now that Oxtoteotl had gone. They left their offerings and were cleansed of their sins. They petitioned for healing and protection. The Augustian monks set up a monastery to cater to their needs.

Over a hundred years later, in 1683, a huge church was built upon the canyon floor. The image of Christ was brought down from the sanctuary and placed into it. El Convento Real y Sanctuaria de Nuestro Señor Jesus Christo y San Miguel de los Cuevas de Chalma (The Royal Monastery and Sanctuary of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Saint Michael of the Caves of Chalma) stands there still.




It is the second most visited site of Catholic pilgrimage in Mexico (the first is the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City). Mexico state tourist board estimates that over 2 million people per year make the trip to Chalma. 50,000 people per day is the norm. Most are Mexicans, but some people fly in from countries all over the world.

The town has a plentiful number of lodgings and restaurants, as a result of the demand from pilgrims. Amongst the attractions are the church; the 17th century monastery; the cave up in the mountains; and many organized events, including parades and open-air ceremonies, in addition to regular services held inside the church.


There is also a high emphasis on public safety and crowd control. Patrols watch from both ground and in the air, with regular sightings of helicopters. Experts on crowd control train their apprentices here.

A river of people. We are immersed in a river of people. The sanctuary of Chalma is situated at the bottom of a canyon in the heart of this village. The passageway down into that canyon is narrow, lined with hundreds of vendors selling food and trinkets and crucifixes.

A river of people. A river of beautiful brown faces. A river that murmurs with language not our own. Are we pilgrims... or are we just tourists today?

... If you are new here, this is a sanctuary full of people who love you even if you are a stranger - just as my friend and I were loved and cared for by a river of strangers in Mexico. You are God's Beloved.

'Chalma Pilgrimage: Baptism in Foreign Waters' by Rev Karen Christensen

The crowds become part of the spiritual wholeness. Time within them passes without incident.


But there is a tragic reason why Chalma has become so adept at ensuring the safety of its millions of visitors. On February 13th, 1991, a Holy Week ritual involved the signs from the ashes, smoke lifted from a ceremonial flame inside the church. As it took place, the news reached those outside that they were missing it. There was a sudden stampede of humanity into the limited space inside. Twenty people died and forty more were seriously injured, mostly due to compression force, as the crowd surged. It is a scene that Chalma authorities never want to see repeated here again. Security has been stepped up ever since, so that no God will receive another human sacrifice here.

Holy Week, Easter, Lent and the feast day of the Christ of Chalma (July 1st) are the times when most pilgrims are in the sanctuaries. The most devout will visit it three times during their lives. The area is so famous that it's a common saying, in Mexico, that something can't be done until someone has 'danced at Chalma'.


Each time, they leave with their petitions heard and their sins cleansed. They have walked the ways and danced to the Dark Lord of the Cave, be He Oxtoteotl or, more often now, the black skinned Christ Himself. They take the sacred holiness home with them. They are truly blessed, in this place of power.

A Taste of Mexico: Cornish Pasties?

The succulent Cornish pasty was once the preserve of Celtic miners. The D shaped, crimped edge pastry is filled with potato, beef, swede/turnip and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper. It can be easily carried and keeps the heat sealed within for a sustaining lunchtime meal, deep within the pit shaft. These days, anyone can and does eat it. It's too delicious to pass up! And it accounts for 6% of the Cornish food economy.



But hold on! This is supposed to be a blog about Mexico and, tasty as the Cornish pasty is, it has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for a Celtic nation in the British Isles! That's a bit far away to be of interest to us. Or so you'd think. But try telling the people of Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, that.

Mineral del Monte is town with a population of around 12,000 people, nestled high in the mountains of central-eastern Mexico. It's a beautiful place, full of red-roof houses, built at an altitude of 8,800ft (2,700 meters), in the Sierra de Pachuca. This is a smaller mountain range with the larger Sierra Madre Oriental.



To the locals (and the tourist board), the town is more often called Real del Monte, or simply El Real. It was designated a Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town), in 2004, because of its cultural significance. The town has a definite Olde Worlde feel to it, with narrow streets winding along, lined with historic houses. Many early 19th century buildings are kept in excellent repair. They are often now museums, showing how the town used to be in the early days.

This has always been a mining town. Amongst the attractions are guided tourist trips into mines; a former miners' hospital and cottages dating from the 1820s, restored to how they would have looked then; a mining museum; and Museo de Medicina Laboral (Museum of Workplace Medicine), showing how injuries were dealt with down the pits. There is also the Monument to Miners, an impressive statue in the main plaza.


A second glance might also reveal the British influence, amongst the native Mexican and Spanish. The parish church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary) has two steeples, one in the Spanish style and one in the British. There is a British graveyard around the back, where the stones all traditionally face distant Britain. All of this might give a huge clue as to why we were waffling on about Cornish pasties at the start of this blog entry.

Between 1824-1848, a group of 350 economic migrants from Cornwall arrived in Real del Monte, lured by the silver mines, while escaping crippling conditions back home. The mining industry had been in decline in this part of Mexico, so this wasn't the easy option. Through sheer hard work and determination, the Cornish revived these mines and made them profitable again. Their endeavours, in turn, attracted Mexican miners to the area and the town became firmly established.

Their labour wasn't all that the Cornish brought with them. Mexican workers soon spotted the lunch that their British colleagues were eating. It didn't take them long to send their wives knocking on the doors of their Cornish neighbours, in order to get the recipe for the pasties. The meal is called 'paste' in Mexico, pronounced 'PAH-stays'. Today there are still over 30 paste vendors in Real del Monte, rendering it the town's most popular food.


The tradition Cornish pasty has ended up with some changes, in its evolution into a Real del Monte paste. Beans, sausages, pineapple, mole, apples, chillis, rice and tinga (shredded chicken) have all found themselves inside the crust. But then Mexicans have always liked to be experimental, even with already great ideas!

The descendents of the Cornish miners and their families are still there, though all now consider themselves Mexican. There's barely a word of the Cornish language to be heard, as they've all favor Spanish. But the links remain.

In 2001, the Sociedad Cultural Cornish-Mexicana (Cornish-Mexican Cultural Society) was formed to strengthen links between the two people.

Recently paste maker, Ciro Peralta Gonzalez, flew to Cornwall in order to learn the traditional recipe at the source.

Every October, the Cornish Pasty Festival takes over the town.

This year's event has benefitted from the formation of the cultural society. A party of people from Cornwall (some with ancestors among the original emigrants) will be traveling to Mexico to join in the festivities. They will be joined by Judith MacGregor, Britain's Ambassador to Mexico, and Diana Kennedy, a British celebrity cook known for creating Mexican dishes. Exciting times for little Real del Monte!

It is believed that these Cornish miners had an even bigger impact upon Mexico, than simply leaving pasties and a mining heritage in one of its towns. It appears that they also missed their sport. In 1900, in neighbouring Pachuca, some young men clubbed together to create a football team.



Charles Dawe, John Dawe, James Bennetts, John Bennetts, William Blamey, Richard Sobey, William Bragg, William Thomas, Percy Bunt, Lionel Bunt, Albert Pangelly and William Pengelly were the Cornish footballing miners, who now found themselves in need of another team to play. They encouraged the formation of football teams as far away as Mexico City.

They are credited with introducing the now national sport of futbol into Mexico. Gracias Cornwall!

Filmed in Mexico

Mexico has always been a great country in which to shoot films. Not only has it got its own thriving movie industry, but it is very close to Hollywood. A short drive, or an even shorter plane journey, can see a whole cast and crew coming south of the border. They are all taking advantage of the megadiverse scenery and the wide open spaces. Everything from deserts to rainforests to oceans to subterranean worlds to sprawling urban locations can be found here. Of course, it helps enormously that average production costs are up to 30% lower than in the USA, Canada and Europe.

According to The Internet Movie Database, some 16,218 movies have been filmed in Mexico. This has been going on since the very dawn of Hollywood. Some of the scenes are rather surprising. For example, who guessed that the climatic sinking scenes, in 'Titanic', were filmed in Rosarito; or that the same location doubled as Pearl Harbour? We couldn't possibly cover all of the movies here. However, here is a taste of what Mexico's scenery helped bring to the silver screen. Please do comment with any of your favorites that we missed.

Acapulco, Mexico:

'Fun in Acapulco' (1963): Elvis Presley did go to Acapulo to film this.



'Licence to Kill' (1989): Sanchez's home is actually the real life Villa Arabesque, on the di Portanova Estate, near Las Brisas in Acapulco.

'Limitless' (2011): The cliff dive happened here.

Cancún:

'The Real Cancún' (2003): Filmed in and around the real Cancún.

Catemaco, Veracruz:

'Apocalypto' (2006): The rainforest scenes were filmed here.

Chichén Itzá:

'Against All Odds' (1984): This is where Coach Sully catches up with Brogan and Wyler. The Sacred Cenote, which plays a prominent role in the film, is located at Chichén Itzá.

Cozumel:

'Against All Odds' (1984): This is where Brogan found Wyler.

Isla de Mujeres:

'Against All Odds' (1984): The Cozumel scenes were actually shot on Isla de Mujeres.

'Licence to Kill' (1989): This is where James Bond and Felix Leiter find Sanchez. It's also where the underwater scenes were filmed.



Mexicali, Baja California:

'The Game' (1997): Van Orton is left here by gamesters.

Mexico City:

Home of Estudios Churubusco (Churubusco Studios), where films have been made since 1945. Amongst those known internationally are: The Fugitive (1946), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1968), Amityville II: The Possession (1982), Rambo: First Blood Pt II (1984), Licence to Kill ( 1988), The Hunt for Red October (1989), Total Recall (1990), Romeo and Juliet (1996), The Mask of Zorro (1998) and 'Resident Evil: Extinction' (2006), plus many more besides.

'Licence to Kill' (1989): Much of Isthmus City is really Mexico City. The ornate post office is real. It's Mexico's City main post office (Oficina Central de Correos, Calle Tacuba 1 y Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas). The 'El Presidente', where James Bond and Pam Bouvier spend the night, is really Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de Mexico, though the exterior is Biblioteca de la Banca de Mexico (Library of the Bank of Mexico). The City Theatre doubles as Sanchez's office, while the 'Isthmus Casino' is usually a restaurant called 'Casino Espanol'. Just outside the city, the Otomi Ceremonial Center was used as the set of the Olimpatec Meditation Institute.

Total Recall (1990): Many of the scenes were filmed in and around Mexico City. There is supposedly still blood splatter stains, at Metro Chabacano, on the Tacubaya-Col. Puebla Line, where the escalator scene was filmed. The lobby and penthouse of Hotel Nikko Mexico were also used; as was Metro Insurgentes subway station, in the Glorieta de los Insurgentes shopping mall.

Free Willy (1993): Some of the city scenes were filmed in Mexico City.

Nayarit:

'Limitless' (2011): Some of the tropical party scenes were filmed at Punta de Mita and on Isla Marietas.



Puerto Vallarta:

'Limitless' (2011): Some of the party scenes were filmed in Bahia de Banderas, Puerto Vallarta, including the reckless driving through the streets.

'Night of the Iguana' (1963): Much of the film was recorded here. The cast, including Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner, Sue Lyon, Emilio “El Indio” Fernández and Richard Burton all stayed in the town, along with director John Huston, and were visited often by the author, Tennessee Williams. This took place just as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were starting their relationship.

'Predator' (1987): Filmed in Mismaloya, near Puerto Vallarta. Some of the props have been left there as a permanent tourist attraction.

Rosarito, Baja California:

Home of Baja Studios, which was originally built to film James Cameron's 'Titanic'. Amongst the films recorded here are: Titanic (1997); Tomorrow Never Dies (1997); Deep Blue Sea (1999); In Dreams (1999); Pearl Harbour (2001); The Fast and the Furious (2001); Life of Pi (2002); Master and Commander:The Far Side of the World (2003) and Jumper (2008).

Titanic (1997): Vast tank built here was where much of the sinking footage was filmed.



Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): Used the tank built for 'Titanic' for the sea landing scene.

Rumorosa Pass, Mexicali:

'Licence to Kill' (1989): The climatic car chase, nominally on 'Paso El Diablo', was filmed at the Rumorosa Pass, 50 miles west of Mexicali.

San Felipe, Baja California:

'Quantum of Solace' (2008): The dogfight that ensues when James Bond and Camille survey Quantum's land acquisition by air was filmed here.

Tulum:

'Against All Odds' (1984): This is where Brogan and Wyler finally get together.

Yucatán, Mexico

'The Cave' (2005): The flooded cavern system was partially a composite of several cenotes on the Yucatán peninsula. The scenic shots were in Mexico, while the action shots were in a controlled environment, namely a large tank in Romania. There was also some open water footage. The crew were on the Yucatán for five weeks capturing all this pretty scenery.

A Taste of Mexico: Quesadilla!

Many Mexican foods have been exported and found their variants in countries around the globe. Up there in the vanguard is the packed quesadilla, brimming with diverse fillings, based on own personal taste. It can be sampled practically anywhere in the world, wherever a Mexican themed restaurant has sprung up. But, of course, there's only one place to find and enjoy the real thing: Mexico.


The recipe for quesadilla (pronounced kess-a-dee-ya) changes as it travels. The basic idea is there. It has an outer crust, soft or hard depending on the location, called a tortilla. This is folded, in a half-moon shape, around an array of delicious ingredients (mushrooms, vegetables, beans, chicken or beef are favorites), all held into place with melted cheese. Salsa and/or guacamole are usually offered for inclusion too. Nevertheless, outside Mexico, quesadilla rarely tastes the same.

Often this is due to the little changes of convenience and culture made beyond our borders. For example, in Mexico, the salsa is often a matter of honor and pride. It may be a family secret recipe, handed down from a succession of grandmothers, and experimented with until perfection is reached.

In other countries, salsa is just salsa with none of the judgmental values attached. It's ok to just reach for the mass-produced jars of chopped tomato with flavoring and still call it salsa. A Mexican cook would never get away with that. They wouldn't dare produce a bland salsa and hope to escape with their culinary reputation intact.


Also Mexican tortillas tend to be made out of corn. They are rolled by hand and individually formed over smoky comals. In America, Canada, Australasia and Europe, the tortillas are generally made from wheat flour and fried or baked as a batch.

It all comes down to what works and what is acceptable. Corn is more plentiful and cheap in Mexico (it is one of our major exports) than wheat; while the reverse is true for other nations. Those little taste details, as with the salsa, would pass without remark elsewhere, so it makes sense for businesses to take the cheap and lazy option. But all of these things alter the quesadilla too, as it is created across the world. Hence the assertion that, for the real deal, Mexico is the only place to eat one.


Quesadillas are incredibly popular here. Just about every street corner, mercado and food court has vendors selling them. No self-respecting restaurant and cafe would be without them on the menu. The savoury smell whafts out drawing locals and tourists alike. A wedge of quesadilla can be a light snack, to see the hungry through their journey towards their own kitchen. A full-sized portion can (and often is) the full meal itself.

It is universally savoury here, though some have experimented with sweet quesadilla. The 'quesa' part of the name comes from the Mexican word for cheese, 'queso'. Oaxaca cheese is usually used here (another taste difference, as Monterrey cheese is often exported for quesadillas elsewhere). This is white and arrives semi-hard, until it is softened over the comal. Then the cheese becomes stringy and melts with a taste similiar to Italian mozzarella.

The fillings are limited only by imagination and availability. Chicken and beef are standards, though other cooked meat or seafood, like shrimp or crab, can be used. For the vegetarians, many a tasty quesadilla has been made with mushrooms, refried beans and vegetables. So much may go into this mix. Seeds, stew, mole... the list goes on. Just ask and it may happen.

96% of Mexico is Safe for Tourists

With harsh headlines about Mexico still dominating the world's press, it might be expected that vacationers would keep away. However, reports are out that demonstrate that tourists, especially in America, are too savvy to be hoodwinked by scare stories. Now the government is fighting back with answers for the country's critics and data for those weary of being spoon-fed bad news.


Cabo San Lucas
23 million international visitors came to Mexico last year, on business or for pleasure; with their numbers boosted by a further 6 million docking for day-trips from the cruise ships. The majority were citizens of the USA. In 2010, 10% more Americans entered Mexico than in 2009. President Calderon informed a Las Vegas conference of travel executives that 'almost zero' of these even encountered drug violence.

The reason is clear. They were nowhere near the trouble. Mexico is a huge country, divided into 2,500 counties. Of these, only 80 counties are experiencing the problems that dominate coverage in the newspapers. That's only 4% of the total landmass. The remaining 96% of the country ranges from 'relatively safe' through to 'completely safe' from drug cartel violence.


Chichén Itzá
Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara was asked, in a recent interview, where is it safe to travel to? She replied, "I would say they can go to all the tourist destinations because all the tourist destinations are fine. It depends on whatever you like, but there are a lot of places you should visit and have a great time. Stay away from a couple of cities within the border." ('Popular destinations safe, says Mexico tourism minister'.)

This is a message that is supported by the USA's federal travel warning. This was last updated on April 22nd, 2011, and reads,

Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day for study, tourism or business and at least one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico.

The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes...

...you are urged to defer non-essential travel to the states of Tamaulipas and Michoacán, and to parts of the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi and Jalisco.
Mexico

In short, Mexico's northern border with the USA.


Guadalajara City
This was not the message conveyed by the Texas Department of Public Safety, which issued its own, more extensive warning earlier this year. Spring breakers were told to stay out of Mexico full stop. The penalty for traveling south, the declaration darkly cautioned, would almost certainly be dire. DPS Director Steven C. McCraw was reported widely stating, "Our safety message is simple: avoid traveling to Mexico during Spring Break and stay alive."

He was almost universally ignored. Not only did his predicted bloodbath utterly fail to occur, but the numbers of Spring Breakers reached record proportions in 2010.


Spring Breakers in Cancun
In addition, there has been a steady stream of celebrities crossing the border, for work, pleasure and, in some cases, matrimony, throughout the year. By their very nature, these are the pampered and protected products of film and TV studios or record labels, who would soon be forbidding any destination which might threaten their star.

Yet just today, American journalists were writing, 'Now that Mexico's tourist industry is pulling out of a long, well-publicized slump... we can't help noticing that the uptick parallels an accelerating stream of celebrities visiting the country.' ('Stars head to Mexico for work and pleasure.')


American actors Soleil Moon Frye, Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart and their children, on a Memorial Day vacation, in the Four Seasons Resort, Punta de Mita, Mexico
Terry Denton, president of the Travel Leaders/Main Street Place Travel in Fort Worth, explained that, "In the past, people in Texas have rolled things like this off their back because they were savvy with Mexico travel." Though he did report a substantial increase in concerned people visiting his office with their questions, after the DPS warning was issued. "In many cases, we could alleviate any fears and concerns they had by sharing our knowledge of statistics and geography."

However, American travel agencies remained unimpressed with the scaremongering, which could well have hit them right in the pocket. Adventure Travel Trade Association president, Shannon Stowell, was blunt in her response to the issue. "If you look at federal travel warnings, they are very editorial free, just reportage on the facts. But the one that came out of Texas had what I would call an inflammatory message. It was an unfair blanket statement. It's a damage to our membership." ('Tourism groups ask Texas DPS to refine its warnings about Mexico'.)

No-one in government, nor the American tourist agencies, are denying that there are severe troubles in certain parts of the country. Javier Sicilia's peace caravan, which has weaved its route throughout Mexico and is currently at the US border, is just one testimony to that.


Javier Sicilia at the head of the Peace Caravan
President Calderon is the first to admit it. "Yes we have problems... We are dealing with that, we are facing it." He stated, at the Las Vegas conference, but he also commented, "Mexico is a safe place to visit." Because once the hotspot 4% of the country is avoided, then it is.

Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara also recognized past marketing errors. "We left a gap of lack of information. That gap was filled up with bad news and that happened for a couple years. We realized that was a mistake and we’re fixing it. Yes, we have some challenges but, I haven’t met a country that doesn’t have challenges."

In the meantime, 2011 has been declared the Year of Tourism by Mexico's government; and that tourism is going from strength to strength.

Chihuahua: The World's Smallest Dog

There are 1,700 different species of animals indigenious to Mexico. Some are world famous, yet one stands out above them all. The national emblem of our country is the Mexican golden eagle, but it might as well be the chihuahua.


This is the world's smallest dog, standing at around 6-10" (15-23cm) tall. It is named after the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. Along with chocolate, coffee, corn and tequila, the breed is one of the country's most successful exports. Most of the globe is familiar with the little guy.

The ancestor of the chihuahua was slightly bigger. This was the techichi, a favorite dog of the Aztec people. It apparently had a mystical significance too. The techichi were thought to be so loyal that they would guide their human companion's soul through the Underworld into safety. It would fight off all evil spirits in their path. As a result, the poor techichi was often sacrificed and burnt, along with their owner, so that the two could journey on together.

Even after the coming of Christianity to Mexico, this practise continued. Only now, the techichi were used as scapegoats. Cremating one in a human funeral pyre meant that the techihi dog would take on the human's sins. Thus its owner could carry on straight into Heaven.


Techichi
The techichi, as a distinct breed, is extinct now, but its genes live on in the tiny chihuahua.

There is a theory that Spanish conquistadors brought with them a toy breed, like the Chinese crested dog. This mated with the techichi, in order to create a brand new hybrid, which eventually became the chihuahua. Others argue that images and other artifacts, including remains, have been found in Maya and Aztec archaeological sites. These obviously pre-date 1530, pointing to the fact that chihuahuas were in Mexico long before the Spanish came with their pets.

In 1904, the American Kennel Club officially registered the breed of toy dog, that the fashionable society ladies of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico were buying in Mexico. It was called the Chihuahua Dog, as in the breed from Chihuahua, though that quickly became shortened to a chihuahua. This is the moniker by which it is known throughout the world.

(For a moment there, it could have been called the Texas Dog or the Arizona Dog, which is where they were most prevalent in the USA, at the start of the 20th century. Today, they are stereotypically seen, in Mexico, as the pets of Manhattan's social elite, hence the dog's nickname here of 'New Yorker'.)


It is a popular misconception that chihuahuas have to be pampered by humans in order to survive. They were certainly the dogs of kings (the Aztec monarchs all owned one), but they have been known to form wild packs too. One such pack famously took up residence in the ruins of Tenochtitlán Palace, in Mexico City. Their ancestors had been abandoned after their Aztec owners, all members of the nobility, had been killed in the Spanish invasion of the 16th century.

Generations of this pack of chihuahuas lived there for three centuries, right up until the construction of the National Palace of Mexico, in 1850, near to the site. It's hard to build grand architecture, with dozens of 10" dogs yapping in defense of their patch, so, unfortunately, the wild chihuahuas were removed.


Chihuahuas are usually differentiated between two types: long-hair and smooth-hair. They are genetically exactly the same breed, but their fur is respectively long or short. (Smooth hair doesn't necessary mean 'smooth'. It can be velvetty or coarse, as long as it's short.) As show dogs, they shouldn't weigh more than 6lbs, though 2-4lbs is the ideal.

They are the favorite of the world's celebrities, with actresses and socialites in particular often seen with one under their arm. Famous chihuahua owners include: Marilyn Monroe, Sharon Osbourne, Paris Hilton, Hilary Duff and Cesar Millan. Chihuahuas often turn up in shows and in films, including 'Evil Con Carne', 'Invader Zim', 'Batman Returns', 'That's So Raven', 'The Soup', 'Legally Blonde' and 'Transformers'. They've also advertized Taco Bell. Let's not also forget that Ren Höek, the eponymous hero of 'Ren and Stimpy', is a chihuahua.

Boo Boo, the world's smallest, living, adult dog, is a chihuahua. She is 4" high, 6.5" long and weighs just 24oz. She can be found in Raceland, Kentucky, in the USA.

Strange Plants of Mexico

In a megadiverse country, you are spoiled for choice in looking at plants. There are 23,424 known, different variaties here, with more being discovered all of the time. We have selected just a few of the interesting ones to show you.

Bladderpod


Cleome Isomeris, aka Bladderpod, is mostly found in Baja California. By 'found', we mean whole fields and hillsides bathed in a vibrant yellow, as the Bladderpod spreads as far as the eye can see. They grow up to 6.5ft (2 meters) and they are gorgeous.

To the disappointment of small children everywhere, the 'bladder' part refers only to the shape of its seed-pod. Inside each of them, there are dozens of tightly packed seeds, just waiting to pop out.

Burro's Tail


Burro is the Mexican word for a donkey, hence the common name for Sedum Morganianum (though this is surely a missed opportunity to name it 'Knatty Dreadlock Plant'). It takes a second look to realise that those tendrils aren't woven. It's just a visual fallacy caused by the shape of the blue-green leaves. In season, there is also a red flower at the end.

The tendrils grow to nearly 2ft (60cm) and are often exported for use as foliage houseplants. It can be found throughout Southern Mexico.

Fishbone Cactus


It looks like it's all leaves and the occasional magnificent flower, but those green parts are actually branches. This is Epiphyllum anguliger, also known as the fishbone cactus. It flowers at night, and then only for a handful of nights each year.

In the wild, it is only found in the rainforests of Chiapas, at a high altitude. However, people do successfully cultivate it as a rare houseplant.

Jelly Bean Plant


Doesn't it look good enough to eat? This is Sedum Rubrotinctum, better known by its nicknames, the Jelly Bean Plant or Pork and Beans. Despite those tasty sounding names, it's better not to attempt to eat this plant. The 'jelly beans' are actually poisonous. Either ingesting or touching them might cause irritation.

It grows easily throughout Mexico and is one of the popular gardening exports. It will grow in any soil, except mud or swamp; however, it can't cope with frost. The leaves change color, from green to red, during the course of the year. Its flowers are bright yellow.

Little Hermit of Mexico


In 2005, a botanist, from St Louis, Missouri, in the USA, was on holiday in Mexico. He climbed up into the mountains east of Acapulco and found a strange, parasitic plant growing all over a tree. George Yatskievych, with a botanist's instinct, cut off a segment, then pressed and dried a whole specimum. Once he returned home, he attempted to find out what it was called. The world's experts didn't have a clue.

Wayt Thomas, from New York's Botanical Garden, did have a sneaking suspicion that it matched another specimum. That had been found in 1985 and hadn't been seen before nor since. They compared their plants and they matched. It's still being studied, but it appears to be an extremely rare, undocumented plant. It currently wears the moniker, 'Little Hermit of Mexico'. They are working on the Latin name.

It can be found in the Guerrero mountains, though you may be looking for days before you spot one.

Old Man Cactus


Ok, that's cheating just a little, as you're only seeing the top of Pachycereus Schottii, aka Senita Cactus, Whisker Cactus and Old Man Cactus. As it grows up to 21ft (6.4 meters) in height, and congregates in clumps around 15ft (4.6 meters) wide, you're unlikely to actually see the summit of the mature plants. It's very pretty though.

Here is the rest of it, growing around the base of a dead Ironwood Tree, in the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve, Sonora.


It is in bloom right now, with pale pink flowers showing from April until August. However, they only appear at night. Another feature of this cactus is that, as it ages, the spines at the top become quite large, in comparison to those at the bottom. These top heavy spines hang down, giving the impression of a long, flowing, white beard. Hence its nicknames of whisker cactus and old man cactus.

It can be found throughout Northern Mexico, including on the Baja California.

Shrimp Plant


This is Justicia Brandegeana, also known as the shrimp plant, because its flowers, well, look like a shrimp.

The flowers are white, but they grow from red bracts, which give it the illusion of a pink color. The bracts keep on extending for most of the year, until they reach around a foot (30cm) in length. Then the weight snaps it off and it falls to the ground.

This plant is a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies. It can be found all over Mexico.

Teddy Bear Cholla


Is anyone else getting the impression of a load of cacti, who just saw the camera come out and rushed forward to pose? That one at the front definitely has a, 'Hey Mum!', aspect to it. Or maybe it's just me on one two many tequilas.

Despite the cuddly name, it's better not to hug a Teddy Bear Cholla. They are covered in spikes and so it might hurt. Not least because they have a habit of detaching ends of their stems to embed themselves into bare flesh; hence you should wear long trousers while walking anywhere near them. (Stong language warning for the below video.)



The spikes are about an inch long, densely covering a plant that is between 3 to 7 feet (1 to 2 m) tall. The jumping segments are around 10 inches (25 cm) long.

Teddy Bear Cholla can be found in the Sonora Desert.

The Pelican Brief

The largest bird in Mexico is the American white pelican. In fact, it's the largest in the entire of North America. With a wingspan of up to 9ft (2.74 meters), they are quite the sight to see flying over.



As well as that impressive wingspan, the adult American white pelican has a body length of around 5ft 2" (1.58 meters). They weigh in at nearly 2 stone (25lbs; 11 kilo), thus you'd think it would be difficult for them to get air-borne at all. Not a bit of it. They soar in their thousands into Mexico each year, in great clouds of squawking whiteness. They are here for the fish.

Their destination are the great inland lakes, like Lake Chapala, which divides the states of Jalisco and Michoacán. This is the largest freshwater lake in Mexico, covering an area of approximately 424 square miles (1,100 km²); which is a good job, when you consider the size and number of its annual avian visitors.

The American white pelican settles over a vast area and immediately establishes itself at the top of the food chain. It swims on the surface of the water, gracefully ducking its head to scoop up fish in its long bill. Once it ventures into the shallows, then some community co-operation comes into play. The pelicans group together in a wide semi-circle, trapping fish before them. Each pelican then chases the fish right into the path of its neighbour. Thus group hunting means that everyone feasts.


American white pelicans can be spotted, in winter, along the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coastlines, but they will be in the estuaries or inland lakes. Occasionally a stray, blown off course or just plain lost, will be seen along the Caribbean.

They had previously been in decline, as agricultural pesticides seeped into their habitat, but they have recovered. Environmental treaties, covering their migratory route between Mexico and Canada, have saved them. They live up to 16 years, in the wild, with the adult females laying two eggs a year.


American white pelicans might look impressive, but for pure entertainment value, their native cousins, the brown pelican, wins outright. These are the great divers of the avian world, with death-defying plunges that leave on-lookers breathless with anticipation as to whether they will make it or not. The adults, at least, invariably do, but the adrenaline rush is worth the spectacle.

Here is a version in slow motion. The reality is seven times faster. They will begin the dive at 40-60mph. They will have picked up speed by the time they hit the water.



A substantial number of brown pelicans don't make it past their first year. They break their necks learning how to do that. Then they drown.

Though dwarved by the American white, the brown pelican is not a small bird. Its wingspan can stretch up to 8ft (2.5 meters). Its body grows up to 4ft 7" (1.8 meters). It weighs nearly a stone (12lb; 5.5kg); and it drops from the sky at around 60mph. Aren't you glad that you're not a fish?

As with many creatures, it's not us who are at risk from them, it's the other way around. The use of DDT, in agricultural pesticides, came close to rendering brown pelicans extinct in the 1960s. It took a ban on that to see their population recover. By 1988, they were removed from the endangered register of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, redesignated 'least concern' instead.

In fact, their numbers have grown so great this year, that it's causing comment across their migratory route. (This report from San Diego, in the USA, is common: Buzz Rising Over Local Pelican Population.)


As a marine bird, brown pelicans can be spotted anywhere on Mexico's 6,300 miles (10,143km) of coastline. They are on the Pacific, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. The challenge is to try and film those dive-bombs. They're much too fast for the average camcorder holder to follow!

Endemic Species of Mexico

Endemic species are those creatures, birds, plants etc that are only found in one place in the wild. By their very nature, they are endangered. If there is only a population in one place, then something negatively effecting that habitat is going to threaten them with extinction. From volcanic bunnies to rare giant frogs, megadiverse Mexico has thousands of endemic species. Let us examine just a few.

Cozumel Thrasher

The Cozumel Thrasher is a mockingbird that lives only on the Island of Cozumel, off the Yucatán Peninsula. It is the most critically endangered bird in Mexico, as its population levels have dropped dangerously.

It's not alone in that status on the island. This is the sole habitat of several other birds and mammals, all of which are protected, as humanity tries to hold back the tide of extinction for them.

The Thrasher is special though, in that it's already been extinct and come back. Well, not quite. It was assumed to be gone from the world and was thus registered. Then, in 2004, someone spotted one in Cozumel and there has been a scramble to save it ever since.

Some think that it's already too late, as there has not been a reliable sighting of Cozumel Thrasher since 2008. If you're on the island, please keep your eyes peeled. There will be a lot of relieved ornithologists, if you find it.

Flat-headed Myotis

The bat is one of the smallest in the world. It weighs about the same as two peanuts held in your hand. It's also one of the rarest creatures to spot, even in its natural habitat in a valley in Coahuila. It was first seen in 1952, then not again until 1966, when there were two separate sightings. Then nothing. By 1996, it was declared extinct.

A team from the Program for the Conservation of Bats of Mexico weren't happy with this designation, so set out to try and find the miniature bat. That was in 1997. In 2006, they finally found eleven of them, in Los Pinos, Coahuila. You can read all about it in their article: 'The Flat-Headed Myotis is Alive & Well: 'Extinct' bat is rediscovered in northern Mexico'.

Great Peeping Frog

The Great Peeping Frog, aka Rana-fisgona Labios Blancos, is only found in the Zonas del Pedregal de San Ángel, just south of Mexico City. Its natural habitat is sub-tropical or tropical dry shrubland, thus it loves the lava fields of Volcán Xitle.

The problem for this frog was that it lives so close to Mexico's capital city. As the city expanded, it ate up more and more of its habitat, right up until the point when someone realised it was going to become extinct. Pedregal de San Ángel has now been made a nature reserve, with the Great Peeping Frog under the 'special protection' registration of the Mexican government.

Nevertheless, there are no natural corridors into the outside world and the population of these mighty frogs has dangerously decreased. Survey work is currently underway to determine how many are left and if they are going to survive as a species.

Guadalupe Fur Seal

You used to be able to find the fur seal all up the Pacific coast, from Mexico to Canada. However, their skin is so soft, dense, waterproof and lovely, who wouldn't want to make clothes out of it? As a result, they had been hunted out of existance, in the USA, by 1825. Now they can only be found on and around Mexico's Guadalupe Island, off the coast of Baja California.

Commercial hunting stopped, in Mexico, in 1894, when just seven remained. The Guadalupe Fur Seal population has now grown to approximately 10,000, so their status has been altered to 'near threatened', as opposed to practically extinct. They remain listed as 'endangered' in the USA though. Guadalupe Island has been declared a seal sanctuary.

There was a bit of drama concerning one recently. A stray young male Guadalupe Fur Seal washed up on Torrey Pines State Beach, in the USA, in a terrible condition. He was starving and suffering from both hypoglycemia and hypothermia. He was taken to SeaWorld, in San Diego, where he was nursed back to full health. Nicknamed Buddy, the seal was then returned to the Pacific Ocean. As he was fitted with a tracking device, it is known that he immediately headed home and appears to be going strong. (Guadalupe Fur Seal Released Into the Ocean.)

Mexican Prairie Dog

Southern Coahuila and northern San Luis Potosi are the only places where the Mexican Prairie Dog might be found. However, they are another species which has made it onto the 'endangered' register. This time it is because they have been historically considered to be agricultural pests. Therefore ferrets kept being sent down their 'towns' (subterranean habitat of the prairie dogs) to kill them.

The 'towns' generally have a funnel-like entrance, leading into a sloping passageway up to 100ft underground. Leading off this tunnel are little rooms, all dug out by the prairie dogs. Inside them, the prairie dogs sleep and store grasses, herbs and other tasty items of food.

Since 1994, the prairie dogs, now living in less than 4% of their original habitat, have been listed as 'endangered'. Two organizations, Pronatura Noreste and Profauna, have taken it upon themselves to save them. They have been highly successful in securing the protection of 42,000 acres (170 km²) of grasslands for the prairie dogs. This involved getting a lot of signatures from private land owners and those using communal areas. It is hoped that the initiative will see the survival of these creatures.

Querétaro Pocket Gopher

In the north-eastern corner of Querétaro state, there is the Sierra del Doctor. Nestled deep in this remote, tiny mountain range is the Querétaro Pocket Gopher.

Very little is known about this small mammal. It lives underground and it is noctural. But there are so few of them, in such a remote location, that most research relies on hearsay. The locals know all about them. They see the evidence in mounds of earth, under which the pocket gophers have been burrowing.

For many farmers, they are incorrectly seen as pests, despite the fact that there is some evidence that the pocket gophers are responsible for the richness of the soil up there. All that digging has the effect of aerating it, while their droppings fertilize the it, deep underground.

San José Island Kangaroo Rat

As the name suggests, the San José Island Kangaroo Rat can only be found on San José Island, off the coast of Baja California, where it is steadily being eaten out of existence by feral cats. There are very few adults left now and they all live in very close proximity. These rats are, therefore, listed as Critically Endangered.

In addition to the feral cat problem, there's also the habitat destruction by wild goats and human development. The Mexican government, fearful of an actual extinction here, have stepped in to protect the immediate vicinity of the rats' home. They live in open grasslands, close to a sandy beach.

For the record, kangaroo rats aren't related to the marsupial. But they do tend to hop, instead of the scurrying of an average rat, hence the name.

Tres Marias Raccoon

It is thought that the ancestors of the Tres Marias Raccoon was just the same as any other common Mexican raccoon. But sometime in the past, the raccoons got trapped or taken to an archipelago, just off the coast of Nayarit. The Islas Marias became their home and, without contact with the mainland, the Tres Marias Raccoon evolved into an entirely different family.

This raccoon is quite large, compared to its mainland cousins, with an angular skull also setting it apart. Scientists are still arguing over whether it is a separate species or simply an interbred stray family. No conservation efforts are currently in practise.

Unfortunately, it's on the brink of extinction, having been listed as 'endangered'. Only 250 known adults survive on two of the three islands; while they've disappeared completely from Isla María Magdalena. The largest number exist on Isla María Madre, where the islanders are still killing them as pests.

Volcano Rabbit

Stand in Mexico City and look to the horizon. There are three large volcanos (not all are active), upon the slopes of which live the world's rarest bunny. The Volcano Rabbit loves the warm soil. In particular, it loves the leaves that grow on zacatón grasses, which only grow where there is thermal heating.

They live at an altitude of 9,186-13,943ft (2800-4250 meters), in an area of dense pine forest. They congregate in families of just two to five and emerge at dawn or dusk. The rest of the time, they are deep underground in their warrens.

The Volcano Rabbit is endangered, though, surprisingly, that has nothing to do with lava. The zacatón grass has been over-grazed, because natural corridors to other areas have been cut off by human development. In addition, the rabbit has been used for target practice. There are now laws in place to stop both things happening again.

Yucatán Wren

The Yucatán wren is only found on the northern strip of the Yucatán Peninsula. This is an area of dense mangrove shrubbery, right on the Caribbean coast, which is a perfect habitat for them.

It is always dangerous, in terms of the survival of a species, to live in just one locality. The poor Yucatán wren had the misfortune to choose an area just north of Cancún for its home. As the demand grows for holiday accommodation, and homes for those serving tourists in all of the attractions, the borders of Cancún have crept ever northwards. Its now encroaching upon Yucatán wren territory.

Things aren't critical yet. The wren is listed as 'near threatened' and planners have been quick to react to conservation concerns. Ría Celestún, San Felipe and Río Lagartos are all designated national parks, where the Yucatán wren can live in protection.