What America Can Learn from Mexico
Last weekend was a "puente"--a word literally meaning "bridge," and informally referring to a long weekend. Barry and I decided to go out of town and explore some of nearby Mexico. We took the bus to Peña de Bernal, a small town about 3 hours away with the third-largest monolith in the world, which we of course climbed on Saturday afternoon, along with the rest of Mexico, it seemed. Bernal was a very small town, but still had the predictably ornate and preserved colonial church, a colorful plaza, and many festively painted buildings. On Sunday, we took a 45-minute bus ride to nearby Tequisquiapan (Tequis for short), a larger town of about 25,000 with narrow streets festooned with lush, plum-colored bougainvillea and small, sunny squares. "San Miguel without the gringos," I joked to Barry. We did see one gringo--finally--the last day we were there. Tequis is a getaway destination for Mexico City and Querétaro residents. It was once the home of many thermal spas, now gone "thanks" to industry, according to our Lonely Planet guidebook. And on Monday, en route back tok Guanajuato, we stopped in Querétaro, a large city and capital of that state.
All three towns are lovely. In each one, there are expansive downtown areas devoted to pedestrians, spacious brick or stone plazas with flowering shrubs and trees, inviting benches used by everyday folks to sit and watch life, watering fountains, and people of all ages enjoying the public space from early morning to late at night... a seemingly effortless and natural mix of people, landscape and public space. The atmosphere is safe, relaxed, friendly, easygoing. Mexico knows how to do it! Mexico seems to naturally do what urban planners in the U.S. devote costly studies to figure out, but even after thousands of dollars are spent, rarely get right. In Eureka, California, where I live when in the States, the benches in our small central square were removed by the City Council because homeless people sat on them, and now the plaza has a cold, friendless look, and is empty most of the time. The boardwalk along the bay is used mostly by street people.
I rarely see panhandlers or street people in Mexico.
"American planners and government officials should tap Mexican expertise on urban planning," I said to Barry. But of course, American officials would never do that.
Another thing we noticed in all three towns was all the families. Despite the outside world's pressures, the Mexican family is a strong and cohesive unit. I don't mean they don't have their share of problems...we hear the horror stories of infidelity, alcoholism, and abuse. But even so, Mexican families hang out together in a way that I often don't see in the U.S. I find it very inspiring and touching.
All three towns are lovely. In each one, there are expansive downtown areas devoted to pedestrians, spacious brick or stone plazas with flowering shrubs and trees, inviting benches used by everyday folks to sit and watch life, watering fountains, and people of all ages enjoying the public space from early morning to late at night... a seemingly effortless and natural mix of people, landscape and public space. The atmosphere is safe, relaxed, friendly, easygoing. Mexico knows how to do it! Mexico seems to naturally do what urban planners in the U.S. devote costly studies to figure out, but even after thousands of dollars are spent, rarely get right. In Eureka, California, where I live when in the States, the benches in our small central square were removed by the City Council because homeless people sat on them, and now the plaza has a cold, friendless look, and is empty most of the time. The boardwalk along the bay is used mostly by street people.
I rarely see panhandlers or street people in Mexico.
"American planners and government officials should tap Mexican expertise on urban planning," I said to Barry. But of course, American officials would never do that.
Another thing we noticed in all three towns was all the families. Despite the outside world's pressures, the Mexican family is a strong and cohesive unit. I don't mean they don't have their share of problems...we hear the horror stories of infidelity, alcoholism, and abuse. But even so, Mexican families hang out together in a way that I often don't see in the U.S. I find it very inspiring and touching.
posted by Louisa at 5:21 AM
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