Our first trip to Mexico
After a lot of work by both of us and some success, we needed a break. For some years I got to know the work of Bob Hamblin in Tucson Arizona on measurement. When one of my most promising students, Henk Stronkhorst, asked me what to do after finishing his studies, I recommended him to go for his PhD research to ths USA, especially Tucson, working under supervision of Bob Hamblin. I asked him, he agreed and Henk moved with his wife to Tucson. When they were settled there in a nice small house, we planned to visit them there. I had also in mind to go from there to Mexico because my travelling cricket friend, Willem Smit, had advised me to go to the canyon in the North of Mexico. Henk showed us the most beautiful places of Tucson and we visited the university to have a talk with Bob Hamblin, but our main aim was Mexico.
To Mexico
Henk was well adjusted to the American way of life, he had a big American car. He offered to go with us to Mexico in his car. So after a couple of days we went there. I had bought an instant camera to register what we would experience.
Tucson is close to the border of Mexico. Our first surprise occurred at the border. Arriving there, we saw a large row of cars waiting. Henk told that one had to offer some money to the border employees to rapidly pass. This was indeed the case because an American did not want to pay. We went to another counter and offered an employee our passports with two billets of 10 dollars. He said that he would see what he could do. When nothing happened, we went back to him and asked him whether he could see what the problem was and offered him another 20 dollars. Then we immediately got our passports back and also the paper to pass the border with our car while other cars remained there. It seems the price was 40 dollars to pass.
Henk was well adjusted to the American way of life, he had a big American car. He offered to go with us to Mexico in his car. So after a couple of days we went there. I had bought an instant camera to register what we would experience.
Tucson is close to the border of Mexico. Our first surprise occurred at the border. Arriving there, we saw a large row of cars waiting. Henk told that one had to offer some money to the border employees to rapidly pass. This was indeed the case because an American did not want to pay. We went to another counter and offered an employee our passports with two billets of 10 dollars. He said that he would see what he could do. When nothing happened, we went back to him and asked him whether he could see what the problem was and offered him another 20 dollars. Then we immediately got our passports back and also the paper to pass the border with our car while other cars remained there. It seems the price was 40 dollars to pass.
To the Canyon
Now we started our trip through Mexico. We saw different forms of Saguaro cactuses and typical villages. Unfortunately we could not speak Spanish with the very friendly people we met. The idea was to go with the train through the Canyon. The train would go from Los Mochis to Chihuahua. Arriving in Los Mochis we were looking for the station to buy the tickets but there was no station. It was not at all clear where to buy the tickets. We asked many people finally it became clear that there was an old train wagon where we could get information about the train and buy the tickets.The train ride through the canyon was impressive. It is said that this canyon is larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon in the USA. For that information look here.
Now we started our trip through Mexico. We saw different forms of Saguaro cactuses and typical villages. Unfortunately we could not speak Spanish with the very friendly people we met. The idea was to go with the train through the Canyon. The train would go from Los Mochis to Chihuahua. Arriving in Los Mochis we were looking for the station to buy the tickets but there was no station. It was not at all clear where to buy the tickets. We asked many people finally it became clear that there was an old train wagon where we could get information about the train and buy the tickets.The train ride through the canyon was impressive. It is said that this canyon is larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon in the USA. For that information look here.
Train stops
Occasionally there was a stop where the local Indians were selling their goods. This was different than we were accustomed to: the venders were not coming to us with their goods. They were sitting on the floor and were just waiting whether or not passengers would come to buy their goods.
Occasionally there was a stop where the local Indians were selling their goods. This was different than we were accustomed to: the venders were not coming to us with their goods. They were sitting on the floor and were just waiting whether or not passengers would come to buy their goods.
Stop at the Lodge
In the middle of the trip there was a Lodge which was recommended by my cricket friend. So we stopped there to stay overnight and have a look around in the environment. This was a very special experience. With Henk I went around the Lodge and detected that very close by there was a huge desert. We thought that nothing was growing there and nobody could live there till we saw a little boy, 5 or 6 years old, walking in the desert with a herd of goats. We were wondering how these goats could survive there, let alone the boy and his family. Intrigued by this situation we followed him to see where he went with his goats. It turned out that he went to a hut where his parents and an older sister were sitting on the sand and dust in front of their small cabin. We were too embarrassed to make a photo of them but I gave them a photo I had made with my instant camera of their son. Maybe it was the first time they saw a photo. Then I made a movement asking to make a photo of all of them. They gave a sign that we understood as an agreement and I made a photo of them and handed it over to them again. At the same time Henk made other photos. They looked at my photo with great interest again handing the photo over from one to the other without saying anything to each other nor to us. Had they ever seen a photo of themselves? Later I read that they were members of the Tarahumara Indians who were living in this region. We were wondering how they could survive in this region where nothing was growing. There was no green plant to see as far as our eyes could reach, only sand and dust. I was also struck by their dignity. They were not asking for anything. They lived their own life at their own place.
Coming back to the lodge the guests were offered drinks by the direction. We drunk our first margaritas and then we quickly went to bed because immediately we all were quite drunk. It was clear that we were back to the civilized world.
In the middle of the trip there was a Lodge which was recommended by my cricket friend. So we stopped there to stay overnight and have a look around in the environment. This was a very special experience. With Henk I went around the Lodge and detected that very close by there was a huge desert. We thought that nothing was growing there and nobody could live there till we saw a little boy, 5 or 6 years old, walking in the desert with a herd of goats. We were wondering how these goats could survive there, let alone the boy and his family. Intrigued by this situation we followed him to see where he went with his goats. It turned out that he went to a hut where his parents and an older sister were sitting on the sand and dust in front of their small cabin. We were too embarrassed to make a photo of them but I gave them a photo I had made with my instant camera of their son. Maybe it was the first time they saw a photo. Then I made a movement asking to make a photo of all of them. They gave a sign that we understood as an agreement and I made a photo of them and handed it over to them again. At the same time Henk made other photos. They looked at my photo with great interest again handing the photo over from one to the other without saying anything to each other nor to us. Had they ever seen a photo of themselves? Later I read that they were members of the Tarahumara Indians who were living in this region. We were wondering how they could survive in this region where nothing was growing. There was no green plant to see as far as our eyes could reach, only sand and dust. I was also struck by their dignity. They were not asking for anything. They lived their own life at their own place.
Coming back to the lodge the guests were offered drinks by the direction. We drunk our first margaritas and then we quickly went to bed because immediately we all were quite drunk. It was clear that we were back to the civilized world.
Going on to Mexico City
After this impressive experience Henk went back to Tucson while we went on via Chihuahua to Mexico City. There is a lot to say about this town but let me restrict myself to two issues. The first was the anthropological museum. This museum familiarized us with the Mexican history and the god Quetzalcoatl. I saw that the Aztecs also had a status hierarchy of occupations. In the Netherlands I was trying to measure the status of occupations aswell.
After this impressive experience Henk went back to Tucson while we went on via Chihuahua to Mexico City. There is a lot to say about this town but let me restrict myself to two issues. The first was the anthropological museum. This museum familiarized us with the Mexican history and the god Quetzalcoatl. I saw that the Aztecs also had a status hierarchy of occupations. In the Netherlands I was trying to measure the status of occupations aswell.
A Quetzalcoatl statue in the Anthropological museum
My obsession with their Gods
I also saw two other gods which I liked a lot but my instant camera refused to make a photo of them. I thought this was the will of the Gods, they did not wanted to be photographed. However I did not want to give up. After a very nice lunch of fruits in a half emptied pineapple in the museum restaurant, I went back to the gods but they refused again to be photographed. I was wondering whether it was my camera or the gods that prevented me to make the photos. Later we made a walk in Chapultepec Park nearby. There my camera worked well. So, I returned again for the photo but the gods again refused to be photographed.
I also saw two other gods which I liked a lot but my instant camera refused to make a photo of them. I thought this was the will of the Gods, they did not wanted to be photographed. However I did not want to give up. After a very nice lunch of fruits in a half emptied pineapple in the museum restaurant, I went back to the gods but they refused again to be photographed. I was wondering whether it was my camera or the gods that prevented me to make the photos. Later we made a walk in Chapultepec Park nearby. There my camera worked well. So, I returned again for the photo but the gods again refused to be photographed.
The cathedral
Another monument what impressed me a lot was the huge church on the main square. Going to Mexico I had read a book about the capture in 1521 of Mexico City by Cortes with very few soldiers against a huge crowd of Aztecs. Now I was standing in front of an enormous Spanish church that was built in 1575 on the place of a former pyramid. The church was in the Spanish way decorated from the bottom to the top and all this was done in 50 years. How many people should they had brought there to do this enormous work.
Another monument what impressed me a lot was the huge church on the main square. Going to Mexico I had read a book about the capture in 1521 of Mexico City by Cortes with very few soldiers against a huge crowd of Aztecs. Now I was standing in front of an enormous Spanish church that was built in 1575 on the place of a former pyramid. The church was in the Spanish way decorated from the bottom to the top and all this was done in 50 years. How many people should they had brought there to do this enormous work.
Finally the gods give in
There would be much more to tell about Mexico City, but let me finally mention this. I was so obsessed by these gods who did not like to be photographed that just before we left for Tucson again, we went back to the Museum to try again and it seemed that this time the Gods pittied me and allowed me to make the photo, not a good one but at least I got one.
This was just our first visit to Mexico which we loved to visit again as we did later. It was also necessary to get a better picture of these gods.
There would be much more to tell about Mexico City, but let me finally mention this. I was so obsessed by these gods who did not like to be photographed that just before we left for Tucson again, we went back to the Museum to try again and it seemed that this time the Gods pittied me and allowed me to make the photo, not a good one but at least I got one.
This was just our first visit to Mexico which we loved to visit again as we did later. It was also necessary to get a better picture of these gods.