Viajes Mexicanos: Tequila

Yes, Tequila is a place! Like Cognac or Champagne. Only agave spirit which comes from Tequila can be labelled as such; everything else is mezcal.

Tequila, of course, is distilled from a blue-grey variety of cactus:

 Traditional tequila is made from agave harvested by hand, which is incredibly tiring work to be performing six hours a day in the desert sun.

Mexicans generally turn down their noses at the American style of drinking tequila (with lime and salt) and won't go near the brands that sell best among the gringos. Good tequila is meant to be appreciated, the same as any fine scotch or brandy.

There are generally five grades of tequila:

Plata/Oro (Silver or Gold) - Unaged. The tequila that has been bottled immediately or aged for less than two months in a neutral container.

Why have I put these two in the same category? Because they are the same thing! Gold tequila, as it is frequently sold in the US, does not exist. It is simply silver tequila that has been colored.

Reposado (rested) - Aged between two months and a year in an oak barrel.

Anejo (aged) - Stored for at least one year in an oaken barrel. Usually gold in color.

Extra anejo - Stored in oak barrels for at least three years. This is a fairly new concept, and opinion is divided over whether extra anejo tequila actually tastes better or is simply more expensive.

I still prefer a good scotch, but tequila is a fine accompaniment to seafood or anything spicy.

Tequila itself is a quaint little town which bases most of its economy on tourism and the sale of tequila (and other liquors). As one woman proudly told me, "We make the best tequila in the world here!" Yes, also the only tequila...

Still, it's charming enough:

A Trickle or a Flood?

Without getting overly political, I'd like too discuss the idea of illegal immigration.

Recently, the chattering class was aflutter over a report that roughly half a million visa holders overstayed their visas last year.

Sounds like a lot, right? Well...

Keep in mind the scale of the non-immigrant visa operation. Mission Mexico alone issue over 3 million tourist visas a year.  The dreaded visa overstays account for less than 2% of visa holders.

Of course, '500,000 visa violators walk among us!' is a pleasantly scary headline; much better than '98.5% of visa holders abide by all regulations.' Among those 1.5%, surely some are simply mistakes or are otherwise harmless; not all of those violations imply intended immigration or any other nefarious purpose.

And of course, those the most scandalized by the prospect of visa overstays have no solution whatever for how to resolve it. Their responses always seem to involve building a Fortress America and withdrawing from the international system. The US has endured illegal immigration for the past 150 years. I think we'll be OK.

The Foreign Service on Screen: 13 Hours

So apparently Michael Bay, blower-upper of things and ruiner of many a fond childhood memory, has turned his sights to the attack on the US diplomatic compound in Libya that killed four Americans:

Admittedly, I haven't seen the film. I'm not big on action movies in the first place. What I d know, however, is that the movie reinforces some of the more unfortunate misconceptions both about what happened on that day but more broadly regarding the US and its envoys abroad.

In the film, the only really good guys are the mercenaries. The diplomats, the intellectuals, and the experts are all namby-pamby effetes who are too naive and cowardly to understand the danger in Libya or react to it. Ambassador Stephens, in particular, is portrayed as preening and narcissistic, decorating his bedroom with photos of himself. If this was how Bay wanted to honor those who gave their lives for their country, he's doing it wrong.

Add to which, the movie had to recycle some of the more easily debunked myths about the attack itself, such as the CIA station chief forbidding the mercenaries from rushing to the Ambassador's aid ("Stand down!") or that there was air support less than an hour away. Both of these have been disproved even by the relentlessly partisan Republican investigations of the incident. 

You can't always preserve complete honesty in a fictional medium. Still, how sad that such a tragic even did not receive a more respectful treatment. 

Goodbye, DF

 Ah, el Distrito Federal! Capital city of Mexico, pulsing heart of the nation, by some standards the largest city in the world....is no more!

You see, Mexico's Congress has just voted to bring the city where roughly 1/6 of the population lives out of political limbo and make it a full-fledged part of the country.

Now the old DF will become officially known as 'Mexico City' and Mexico's 32nd state. The reform was largely pushed by the left-wing PRD party, which controls the city government. The measure was approved by 23 states.

Now, what about Washington DC?

Viajes Mexicanos: Guachimontones

Sure, we've all seen pyramids. But have you ever seen CIRCULAR PYRAMIDS?:

Who built them, and why? Nobody seems to know for sure. They are not burial chambers - there's nothing inside. The surrounding areas have rectangular 'courts' for playing of a lacrosse-like game which acted as their court system (the loser was not favored by the gods, and so lost the trial).

The mysteries of Mexico continue....

Why Join the Foreign Service? Part III

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.”

- Bill Bryson

Viajes Mexicanos: San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel de Allende is a picturesque little town in the mountains of Guanajuato:

 The winding, cobblestone streets can take some getting used to, and the altitude can be a challenge for those of delicate constitution.

 Still, SMdA is undeniably charming and full of character, will a village-like air. Like many Mexican cities, it is based around a central square dominated by a large cathedral:

 Over the years, the town has become home to large numbers of artists (particularly painters) and American expats. This has led to a profusion of high-end restaurants, silly-expensive real estate, souvenir shops, and art galleries:

 As a tourist site, I highly recommend it for the shopping alone. It is one of those places with few specific destinations or sights/ Simply amble through the town and enjoy it.