Category: Travel

Club Ciclista de San Luis Potosí part 1

Every August the road bicycle club Club Ciclista de San Luis Potosí does a four day state-wide tour in conjunction with the Feria Nacional Potosina – in this video we accompany the cyclists on the first two legs – from their base, the state capitol San Luis Potosí over to agricultural center Rio Verde, then the following day over the Sierra Madre Oriental from the valley of Rio Verde into the Huasteca Potosina.  The Huasteca which covers three states – Hidalgo, Veracruz and SLP, is tropical and filled with waterfalls, rivers and natural sites.  Its a sugar cane growing region which remains indigenous, the Huastec or Tének people and the Nahua.

Bicycle touring is a great way to feel the way the terrain and climates change, to meet people along the way.  This Vuelta combines four hours of hard cycling in the morning with afternoons exploring the sites and regional foods.

99th Anniversary of the Toma de Zacatecas

The taking of Zacatecas, June 24, 1914, by Generals Pancho Villa, Panfilo Nateras & Felipe Angeles marked a crucial turning point in the long and bloody Mexican Revolution.  This video highlights the 99th anniversary Cabalgata (expedition on horseback).  Next year for the centenario Zacatecas will celebrate a re-enactment and huge fiesta.

The Princess of the Winds: Behind the Scenes

For the Zacatecas, MX International Street Theatre Festival 2012, the Cosmicomicos developed this large acrobatic piece Princess of the Winds, a fairy tale.  They were contracted to present in the largest, most important space – the Plaza de Armas or central plaza of the city, and decided to develop an original work featuring aerial dance, gymnasts and a score of live music with comic-book style costumed characters.

In this video we interview the director, production manager, composer & costume designer as well as some of the players, and then show clips from rehearsal and opening night.

Via RecreaActiva Guadalajara

Every Sunday for the past 9 years Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico has closed its main traffic arteries to cars and hosts the ViaRecreactiva – pedestrians, bicycles, skateboards and rollerblades, runners cover 64 kms. of cityscape.  Along the way are activities for children of all ages like arts workshops, chess, sports games as well as shopping in neighboring stores, cafes and dining, and the presence of social service organizations and the Universities.  Its been a huge success, and versions exist throughout Latin America – notably in Bogota, Colombia and Santiago de Chile as well as Mexico City.  Participants enjoy the opportunity to exercise safely with their families and friends and to see their beautiful city in a fun stressfree manner.

This video was made for the municipality of Guadalupe, Zacatecas, where leaders are developing a parallel event.

Thanks to Luis de la Cruz

Zacatecas Cultural Festival 2010 Montage

http://vimeo.com/56832325

We get spoiled here in Mexico with the great arts offerings.  The 2010 festival of the arts featured Gary Burton, YES, Baaba Maal and the incomparable Lila Downs.  This is a sampling.

Cerro de la Bufa at dawn

One autumn morning I went with my friend, artist Homero Guttierez and we watched the dawn on top of Cerro de la Bufa, the peak set above Zacatecas, Mexico. The statue towards the end is General Pancho Villa, the other one General Felipe Angeles, heroes of the bloody taking of the Bufa in 1914, in the Toma de Zacatecas.  This was a very bloody battle, upwards of 50,000 were killed, that changed the course of the Mexican Revolution.  Now its nice and peaceful up there, and this is just a fun little video we made.

La Pena de Bernal

Xantolo

The talented Hugo Mendez of San Luis Potosi, MX created this video about the extraordinary Day of the Dead celebrations in the Huasteca region of SLP state.

The region is dominated by agriculture, sugar cane fields. Its hot and humid, a contrast to the Altiplano high desert that covers the rest of the state. Due to its isolation, foreign tourists rarely get there which is a shame, the area is loaded with waterfalls, warm turquoise rivers, some pyramids and some hot springs, and indigenous communities who continue traditional lives.

Some tourist Eco projects & cool hotel/resort venues are happening (huastecasecreta.com ex.), the SLP Bicycle Vuelta hits Ciudad Valles and explores the area, and the famous Castillo and jungle art of Sir Edward James draws visitors to Xilitla in the southern Huasteca, a region of coffee growing and cooler altitudes.

Trip to La Paz, Mexico