Mi México

Author’s Note: Dudes. Dooooodes. I see you hitting my page from all over the place looking for San Isidro, Apozol, Juchipila, etc., etc., (the horror . . . the horror). At least leave a message and say hi in the comments! :)

As mentioned before, IP and I are going to Cancún for our honeymoon. It’s the first time we’ll be in Mexico together, and I find the idea of that pretty fun—after all, it is my home country, and I do love the culture and people and the time I spent there as a child. I really wish it was possible at this time to visit my actual place of birth and sometimes childhood home: Zacatecas.

See the town called “Apozol” in the southern part of the state? That’s where I went to school. I lived between Jalpa and Apozol; I’m a little surprised they don’t show Juchipila, which is a bigger town than Apozol and is, coincidentally, my birthplace. A little further south and you hit Moyahua, which has the best burritos ever—you stop there on your way to or from the airport for lunch or dinner. I have yet to find a match for those fantastic burritos, and I would love to take IP there one day.

A visit to my part of Mexico would go a little like this:

1) Land in Guadalajara, Jalisco. A pre-arranged taxi would pick IP and I up and drive us to San Isidro, the little village in between Apozol and Jalpa. The taxi ride takes up to three hours depending on how experienced the taxi driver is. To be honest, the ride between the airport and the village terrifies me a bit. Not only is it a drive, but it’s a mountainous drive. Like drivers everywhere, Mexican drivers can be careless. Like bus drivers everywhere, Mexican bus drivers can be super careless. There have been plenty of accidents, with people taking the curves too fast and plunging a few hundred feet down to death. Overturned buses are not unheard of, nor are collisions between cars trying to pass on a blind curve. I don’t mind mountain driving in general (who knows how many miles IP and I have logged out West?), but here my alarms are alert and flashing. I would like to fly into Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes one day because the drive is supposed to be less taxing. But for now, this is how it’d have to go. And if we did that, we’d miss out on burritos!

2) On the drive, stop at Moyahua for those excellent burritos that I mentioned. Maybe order a few to go for dinner later that night.

3) Arrive in San Isidro. It’s not like it used to be—we probably wouldn’t stay in San Isidro for long because I’m guessing it would be super depressing for me. But I would show IP around the village, including Cuca’s little store where my cousins and friends and I would buy Cokes, chips, and candy; my uncle’s little store that was everything from a restaurant to a tortilleria; my grandmother’s lovely home (which better fucking damn well stay in the family—you’re on notice, uncle dear [note: not the same uncle mentioned above]) with it’s sprawling courtyard, the guava tree I’d climb to reach the delicious guavas, and the small rooms that house so many good memories; up to the elementary school we’d head, where I spent one miserable year before heading to middle school; off then we would go to my parents’ house, which isn’t much to write home about since the construction wasn’t so great, but it’d be nice to show IP where I lived when I was a tween. If it were early May, we’d be in time for the village’s festival, and in time to eat lots and lots of pitayas, known as dragon fruit. They kick prickly pear’s (known as tunas in Spanish) ass when it comes to the battle of cactus fruit.

We’d also have to get some hielo raspado. Which is shaved ice, but with flavors 10 times better than those you find anywhere, including Hawaii. This is most likely vanilla. Vanilla with a sweet milk? OMFG, nom, nom, NOM!

4) To sleep, off we go to the Paraiso Caxcan, a little resort tucked in between the villages of San Isidro and San Miguel. I have never stayed there, of course, but I think it’d probably be the best bet for IP and me while in Mexico (I don’t like staying with family unless it’s my grandmother; since that’s not an option, and since my parents’ house is bound to be in disorder, the resort it is!). Here we could swim, relax, eat at the restaurant, get a small cabana for ourselves, and have a cookout if we wanted to.

4) After visiting San Isidro, we’d have to make a trip to Juchipila and Apozol; Jalpa could be done on the way to Zacatecas, and that would be very brief given that I didn’t spend much time there. Juchipila would also be a quick run; I’d point out where we did our weekly shopping, the hospital where I was born, we’d get some mouthwatering rotisserie chicken and juice (and maybe a Chocomilk for me?), and then we’d depart. In Apozol, we’d hike up to my middle school, where I actually had a good time. Not too long ago I found a website that had a bunch of pictures of my school, but the domain name has lapsed and the pictures are no more. But this would definitely be on the list. We’d also stop to get some popsicles here because they are the bomb.

5) After a brief stay in San Isidro, we could head over to the state capital, which boasts a rich history that dates back to the mid-1500s. Silver was found in the capital, which made it a hub as the lands were taken over by the Spanish. The mines are pretty much abandoned now, and you can take tours of at least one of them. The city center is preserved and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cathedral of Zacatecas is beautiful:

The Plaza de Armas is always hopping; there are bands playing, schools competing in dance competitions, people watching. After exploring the city center and maybe taking a gander at the university, IP and I would have to head to the Cerro de la Bufa. The cerro commemorates the Battle of Zacatecas during the Revolutionary War in the early 20th century. It was a decisive victory for Pancho Villa and his men; the federal troops were absolutely decimated and the town fell to the rebels. Victoriano Huerta, president of Mexico at the time, resigned shortly after the defeat since Zacatecas now gave the rebels rail access to the nation’s capital. You can access the summit of Cerro de la Bufa by car or by teleférico (an aerial tramway) that links the summits of Cerro de la Bufa and Cerro del Grillo, giving passengers views of downtown Zacatecas. The summit of Cerro de la Bufa has a parish built on it; a monument to the battle exists in the form of a museum and three large statues of Pancho Villa, Felipe Ángeles and Panfilo Natera, riding their horses to take the town. Little stalls selling souvenirs ring the museum and parish.

5) There would be a lot more to do, but unfortunately, Google Images is failing me. We’d have to go for a picnic in El Aguacate, which has about 35 inhabitants and one of the most pristine areas of open land that I’ve ever seen. It’s a hike to get to the actual village, but the payoff is a beautiful afternoon filled with yummy food, clear skies, and hills to explore. Presa Achoquén would be a must for some nice views, a hike, and another picnic (or cookout). By integrating hiking into our visits to Zacatecas, Apozol, Juchipila, Jalpa, El Aguacate, and Achoquén, IP and I could probably spend a week here as long as we’re not too wrapped up by family. Then again, I don’t have many left there, so I might be able to get away with just being a tourist in my hometown.

And that’s what our trip would be like if Mexico weren’t a failed narco state. I like to say that in jest, but the reality is that, even in Zacatecas, the long tendrils of violence are reaching and touching people on a deep level. As this New York Times article from 2009 reports, Zacatecas can be a prime target. I wouldn’t want to travel alone there, but traveling with my husband could be even more dangerous. Sure, tourists are for the most part left alone, but the sight of IP and me could be rather tempting to someone hard up for money or just part of a cartel that dominates the northern part of Mexico. Bluntly put, it’s obvious IP is American, and that could lead people to believe we have big bucks. Which we don’t. But compared to them, we probably do.

It wouldn’t be the same as when I was a child, which deeply saddens me. But hopefully one day I’ll be able to show IP and any children we may choose to have where I grew up, where I was pretty happy, and where I hope stability, prosperity, and normalcy will return to again.