Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Milan and The Mayas

Mexico’s Junk Food Tax Hitting Pepsi and Coke

Since cigarette smoking was found to be a leading cause of lung cancer, COPD and even asthma, it has been outlawed in public settings and taxed to ensure that smokers pay, at least in part, for the additional costs they put on the health care system. Now, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in Mexico, with Coke and Pepsi heading the list of known suspects for contributing to complications of diabetes. Taxes in Mexico add one peso, about 7 cents, to the cost of a liter of sugary drinks, and 5 percent of the price to foods with 275 calories or more per 100 grams. So far, this has decreased consumption of soft drinks very little, but it is a decrease and that is what’s important. Mexico has the world’s highest rate per capita consumption of Coca-Cola products, so any decrease is good. Now, the taxation of sugary drinks is taking on a life of its own, with California set to become the next state that adds this health conscious tax. Needless to say, the soft drink companies are sparing no expense in their efforts to fight this kind of legislation. If you live in Yucatan, look for rising junk food prices coming to a store or market near you.

American Field Service Coming to Yucatan

Since the end of World War II, one would be hard pressed to find someone who has never met an exchange student in the United States. In fact, since then, there have been over 400,000 exchange students worldwide. Today, there are over 40,000 host families and over 100,000 volunteers giving young students an opportunity to become the global leaders of tomorrow by sharing the culture of their counterparts in other countries. Now, the American Field Service (AFS) is holding a training workshop in Merida. We are all used to having several thousand foreign students per year at our local universities, but these students will be high school age. You do not have to host a student to volunteer. There are many other things you can do. If you would like to volunteer, as an individual, or if your civil association could be of service in some small way, please do not hesitate to contact American Field Service Mexico. and do visit their website to see just how interesting this concept really is.

Coming Soon: Flights Between Milan and Merida

We were very pleased to hear that, following increased visitations to tourism fairs between major cities in Italy and our own Merida, the first direct flights to Italy will begin in April 2015, and will be between Milan and Merida. In order for this to happen, the airlines had to be shown that there is sufficient interest in traveling in both directions. Since French and Italian cultural influences can be found all over Merida and throughout its modern history, we suspect that these alliances will result in deep and lasting relationships. For those who want to travel the world, it looks as if Merida is growing in importance as the perfect place to travel from and come home to.

The Maya Remember and Weep

This past week, the starting point of Christopher Columbus’ three ships was uncovered in Spain and a shard of pain made its way through the Maya in the New World, over 500 years later. After 1492, within 70 years, the icons, codices and vessels of the Maya would be burned, in Mani, and over 5,000 Maya would be killed in the name of evangelization. From that day forward, the Maya have cried silently for the loss of their culture. Today, the Maya of Yucatan are fighting back with renewed interest in their identity as a people, even to the point of constructing the genealogy of some of their last kings. While this story is a sad testament to the unintended consequences of colonization, we are pleased to know that, in Yucatan, the Maya are entering a new era of strength and development. Perhaps there was something to the 2012 predictions of a New World after all!

Archaeology: Old Road Found in Good Condition

For those who enjoy going out to Uxmal, you will soon have all sorts of new archaeological treats to experience. First, the site itself has been found to be quite a bit more extensive than initially believed. Restoration has begun and it should not be long before those arches, walls and buildings are uncovered and restored. But second, archaeologists have found a sac-beh (white road) that runs some 18 km between Uxmal and Kabah. It was not buried, only covered over by dense undergrowth. When that was removed, the road they found is in surprisingly good condition, so that will soon be available to visitors as well. Until now, everything at Uxmal was relatively modern, having been built between about 700 AD and 1,000 AD. These new discoveries have not been dated yet, but they were probably built around 300 AD. Everyone who loves Mayan history can hardly wait to see what the finished restoration will bring.

Eleven Month Project: New Distributor Road in Progreso

Our age is showing. We remember the building of the by-pass in Progreso, when it was a new stretch of white concrete far off the beaten path. And we remember the orange cones that blocked the beginning of the new road east out of Chicxulub Puerto. Then, of course, there was the bridge from Progreso to Yucalpeten that was a very long time in coming but no one can imagine it not being there now. This new distributor road, however, will not be far off of anyone’s path and, we suspect, will be heavily used from its first day. The new project is set to take approximately eleven months. The part of the road that is on the ground will still be the road from Merida to Progreso. However, the part that is an overpass will be a road that connects Yucalpeten with Chicxulub Puerto. There will be entrances and exits to Progreso and the entire mangrove will be completely remodeled and reforested. From what we understand, this is part of a ten-year plan for improving roads and the environment in Progreso. Coupled with the work already accomplished in the mangroves along the coast, this project is expected to have a significant impact on tourism in the area. All of this in a town that is still listed as a “sleepy little fishing village” in many places on the Internet. But we know Progreso is growing!

Xmatquil Midway Gets Underground Wiring

Everything is almost ready for the Yucatan State Fair to begin. This time, the main midway will be clear of anything that even resembles an electrical wire. All of that has gone underground in an effort to increase safety and comfort for visitors. Along with the usual clean-up, fix-up, paint-up activities associated with the Yucatan State Fair, many of the venues have been completely modernized. Overall, it looks as if the fair really will be not only bigger, but far better than ever before. Mark your calendars for the Feria Yucatán 2014 en Xmatkuil. More than 2.1 million people are expected to attend this year’s Fair at Xmatkuil and 2,250 events have been scheduled between opening night, November 7, and the closing ceremonies on December 1.

Child Suicide: What Can You Do?

This past week saw two boys, ages 12 and 17, attempting suicide in Yucatan. One was successful, the other was not. The 12-year old was grieving after the death of his beloved pet cat and hung himself while his mother was at the market. The 17-year old attacked a bank guard with a knife, in hopes that he would be shot with the guard’s R-15 rifle. He was not successful and ended up being arrested. His case is yet to come before the courts. On the face of it, there does not seem to be much that expatriates can do to make ourselves useful in combating suicide in all ages in Yucatan. But that may not be true. We can learn Spanish. We can smile and speak and we can show genuine interest in our neighbors and in the children who cross our paths. We can support students through the apoyo education programs that we have chronicled here on Yucatan Living. We can support soccer teams and chess teams. We can volunteer with programs for young people at our churches and at local food banks. We can be part of the fabric of Yucatan society that provides moral and physical support for those young Yucatecos who may temporarily need just a little boost to keep on keeping on. Our deepest sympathies to the family who lost their child. We hope this never happens to anyone else and that expatriates in Yucatan will continue to come forward in support of anyone in need.

The Future of Water in Yucatan

In less than 4 decades, there will not be enough water in Yucatan to support its population. This came from a forum on Mexican Traditional Medicine and Ancestral Knowledge, held in Merida this past week. This situation is being caused by rampant growth and increasing levels of poverty. Taking that one step further leads us to the understanding that these situations will only grow worse without significant community involvement, education and jobs. The influx of pharmaceutical and other manufacturing firms negates the value of the jobs produced, from an environmental standpoint. This seems much like the Greek concept of Hope and Sorrow treading on each other’s cloaks as they pass around and around in a never-ending circle. Man, according to traditional medicine professionals, must learn to live with the environment, and not live by destroying the very ecosystem that sustains life.

Pork Prices Rising Rapidly

In advance of the Day of the Dead, pork prices soared from a low of $45 to $55 pesos per kilo to $69 and $70 pesos per kilo, with $80 pesos per kilo expected by the end of the month. There is not a lot that people can do, other than buy ahead of the crowd as much as possible. It might also be a good idea to purchase your holiday turkey now as well because the price of turkeys will soar as the holidays draw closer. One of the best investments we can think of, in anyone’s kitchen, is a stand-alone freezer and a calendar with clues about when to purchase any number of different food items. Need proof? Try to buy a fish during Semana Santa. This holds true unless you put in place a personal list of home gardeners and other food producers who will make sure you have fresh foods straight from their gardens, yards, or the sea, without increases in price, year-round. There are lots of ways to save grocery money in Yucatan, so pay attention to trends and you’ll always come out on top.