shake like mexico, rejoice.

ay. heard of the large earthquake in mexico today. seems to be minimal damage thus far according to various news sources.

so we just want to send a little love from our shake-prone part of the world over to guerrero and DF.

ok, carry on. pax y amor.

Domingo En Merida

Just last week an old friend of mine returned from a trip to Mérida, in the most wonderful part of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula. While she was there, she snapped some shots of the locals and their bicycles out for a Sunday ride about town. She knows I love this stuff (both Mexico and bicycles which I would happily combine any day of the week as they are two of my favorite things!).


What a lovely place to just putter around! I would ride all over the place all day long. I wish Guadalajara had been this accommodating when I lived there in 1992. I hear it has really changed since I was last there. Copenhagenize has ranked it on a global scale and it beat out SF! That blew me away! Viva México!!


I wonder if these are part of a bike share? If so, they put Mérida firmly ahead of San Francisco on that front (we still can't get it together here!).

I love those recumbent pedicabs! Power assist, nice seating, comfortable for the operator... I would ride those all over the place instead of a taxi any day! I don't know if they are for rent as they have no signage, but man they are cool!


The city of Mérida closes some of its streets every Sunday for several hours to allow the public to frolic in the peace. Nice for the tourists, but even nicer for the locals who get a regular break from the cars and the fumes.

So now I want to get back to Mexico even more than I did before! How about you? Ever ridden a bicycle along Mexico's cobbled streets? Do you commute in a city of my southern neighbor? Tell us about it!

*Stupid Blogger won't let me upload any more pictures right now, but when I can I will put up the shot she sent of the local plaza wit bicycles lying about waiting for their riders. A truly civilized scene, I assure you.

Peliculas

Videos from Mexico! Sent to us by friend of the blog, Alejandro. What happens when your bicycle gets stolen from the mall because they have no bike parking? This mall in Guadalajara finds out!

Our next video is from Mexico City (I think), from the blog Colectivo Camino, Haz Ciudad. The problem faced by the pedestrians in this film is one you can find in just about any city in Mexico- no sidewalks, no protection from cars and people forced to take their lives into their own hands just to get home from work.

Imagine the guts it takes, and the lengths you have to be pushed to to get out and paint your own sidewalk! I remember driving through small towns all over Mexico and how all of them had hand painted stop signs put up wherever the locals felt they were needed. I also remember playing dodge car like the people in this video every morning between my house and the University and it was not pleasant.

We complain here in the US about our lack of bicycle lanes, but I think that the Mexicans have us beat, not just for the lack of infrastructure but for the heart and soul the people who want to change the status quo are putting into their cause. We could all learn from this!

mexico city bike share

a reader/guest contributor went to mexico city during the recently holiday break and sent in a picture.

"they've got bikes here"

we've heard of this mexico city bike share (link in spanish) for awhile now. glad to see some fotos in the flesh. ¡¡viva méxico!!

thanks for the submission, and keep sending them in guys!

feliz diez y seis

hey guys, today is the 200th anniversary of mexico's independence. have fun out there in texas. i miss those celebrations so much.

in the meantime, maybe you can see me riding around with my flag on a basket later today. say hi.

besos desde califas...

c/s,
CTX