Fri 8
Birthday of Emiliano Zapata
The most appealing figure of the Mexican Revolution was born on this
day in 1879 in San Miguel Anenecuilco, Morelos. Under his slogan "Land
and Freedom!", he became the apostle of agrarian reform and was perhaps
the purest of the heroes of the revolution.
Lured into a treacherous ambush by Col. Jesús M. Guajardo in Chinameca, Morelos on April 10, 1919, he died with ten of his followers. Time has not diminished the appeal of Zapata or the nobility of his principles.
Sat 9
Birthday of Vicente Guerrero
The hero of México's Independence struggle was born on this day in
Tixtla, Guerrero in 1782. As the early leaders of the 1810 insurgency
were captured and executed, it fell to Guerrero to keep the uprising
against Spain alive.
Guerrero was president of the young volatile republic in 1829. Forced again to take up arms against the government, he was betrayed by a Genoan ship's captain who turned him over to his enemies on what is now called La Entrega beach in Huatulco. (La entrega means the handing over or the delivery). Guerrero was executed at Culiapan, Oaxaca on Feb. 14, 1831.
Mon 11 - Sat 16
International Boards Championship 2003
The annual Mexpipe Open surf tournament has been paired with a
skateboard contest for the second year, in a week-long celebration of
the rapidly growing Extreme Sports phenomenon. Besides the competition,
there will be demonstrations of other extreme sports, daily rock
concerts on the beach and other entertainment.
Playa Zicatela 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Tue 12
Taxi Driver's Day
Every profession and trade in México is honored with a day to celebrate
their contribution to society. Today, Puerto's cabs are bedecked with
flowers and streamers as the cab drivers take their turn.
See Below
Tue 12 - Wed 13
Meteor Shower
The annual summer appearance of the Perseid meteor shower can offer
quite a show, depending on weather conditions, finding a place away
from city lights and being able to stay up late: best viewing are the
hours before dawn.
Wed 13 - Fri 15
Feast of the Ascension Of the Holy Virgin
This is the Annual Fiesta in Santa Maria Tonameca (near Pochutla) with
parades, fireworks, dances and rodeos, as well as the religious
observations.
The lighting of the castillo (castle or tower) of spectacular fireworks always takes place on the verbena or saint's day eve (Aug. 14). Santa Maria Tonameca is off the coast highway between San Antonio (where you take the road to Mazunte) and San Pedro Pochutla. Among other communities which will celebrate this occasion with fiestas are Santa María Colotepec and San Pedro Mixtepec. It's also the Annual Fiesta in the attractive Mixtec town of Huazolotitlan, just four kilometers off the Coast Highway from Huazpala, midway between Jamiltepec and Pinotepa Nacional.
Wed 27 - Sun 31
Bodyboard Contest
Pro-Am 2003
This inaugural tournament will match professional body-boarders with
talented amateurs in a two-category contest Open and Drop Knee that
will demonstrate the thrilling levels of performance this discipline has
acheived in recent years. This is also the first time a contest has been
held at Punta Colorada, a beautiful, unspoiled beach just beyond the
point at the end of Bacocho Beach. The shallow waters and perfect
a-frame waves make this the ideal envitrnment for a "boogieboard" fest.
See our featured story
The Martyrdom of John the Baptist
One of the most important festivals of the year in the Chatino town of
Lachao Pueblo Nuevo, on the road to Oaxaca vía Sola de Vega. (There are
some cool waterfalls nearby.) See June 2003 for more on Chatino
country
Fri 29 - Sat 30
Feast of Santa Rosa de Lima
Like México's Virgin of Guadalupe, this religious figure came out of the
New World and is venerated throughout Latin America. There's a town
named for her just past Rio Grande on the coast highway towards
Jamiltepec and Pinotepa Nacional. The Chatino community of Santa Rosa
near San Juan Lachao Pueblo Nuevo, on the Oaxaca road vía Sola de Vega,
will also host fiesta activities on these days.
The Night Sky
The Red Planet
Talk about a once in a lifetime opportunity! This month, Earth and Mars will be in closer than at any time in recorded history. Astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years.
Mars has been growing progressively brighter and this historic encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles and will be the brightest object in the night sky after the moon. It will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75X magnification, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But by the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m.
That's pretty convenient when it comes to seeing something that no modern human has ever seen.
In many cases it means a day off, at the very least it's cause for a
special lunch or dinner, or a full-blown, boogie-til-dawn party.
As well as Mother's Day (May 10) and one for Fathers (third Sunday in June), there is a Children's Day (April 30), a Student's Day (May 24). And this month, there's Senior's Day, Aug. 29.
But that's just the beginning: Aug. 4 is Day of the Priest; Aug. 17 is Veterinarian's Day; Aug. 22 is Day of the Fireman. But the big day in Puerto Escondido is Aug. 12, Taxi Driver's Day. As Puerto is a resort town, the cab fleet has a bigger than normal role and a higher profile. And on Aug. 12 is higher still.
The night before, the cabs are adorned with flowers, ribbons and streamers. Then at 8 a.m. the entire Puerto Escondido taxi fleet assembles near the church for a special mass and blessing of the cabs. Then the vehicles parade through the streets of town, sometimes preceded by the truck carrying the banda traditional brass band.
There's a special lunch for the drivers and private parties later when the shifts change. Don't be surprised to find fewer vehicles on the streets today. If you can find one, give your driver a tip and tell him "felicidades!"
They hold up to 5 passengers, two up front with the driver and three in the back. (Tip #1: always choose the back seat if you have the choice.) It cost 2 1/2 pesos to ride. Pay the driver when you get out, as close as he gets to your destination. The "covered wagons" and the minibuses also cost 2.50 pesos per ride within Puerto.
A regular cab will charge you 15 pesos for a ride from, say, the commercial center of town to the Adoquín or one of the nearer colonias. But for longer trips, from Zicatela to Bacocho, for example, the rate might be 20.
At night, expect to pay more, starting at 20 pesos for short trips and up to 30 for longer ones. For multiple stops, you will probably be charged the minimum fare for each stop.
For out of town journeys, negotiate a price with the driver, or call the radio dispatch office at 562-0990 and ask them the going rate.