Coconut, grape, lime? It’s hard to decide

Lip-smacking flavours of grape, strawberry, lime

Ting, ting, ting.  

That distinctive sound announces the Tuggui salesman is passing by, selling an assortment of ice-pops, frozen treats or as they are known in Mexico, paletas.  

The vendors’ mobile cold-storage carts are refilled daily with a fresh supply of frozen concoctions in a rainbow of colours – white, cream, chocolate, green, pink, purple, and bright yellow; lip-smacking flavours of coconut, arroz con leche (rice pudding), coco-crisps, lime, strawberry, grape, pineapple, plus chocolate and vanilla.

Manual "Tuggui" and Jorge

A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of a Tuggui Paleta cart being man-handled across the soft sands of North Beach by a slim, sinewy vendor.  That photo prompted our friend Kay Cole to introduce us to her neighbours, the Borges.  

Manuel “Tuggui” Borges is the second generation of paleta-makers.  His dad Benjamin Borges started the business twenty-two years ago. 

Señor Borges purchased the paleta making machinery in Guadalajara, along with four of the original carts.  Over the years he hand-built another three carts to augment the business. 

Loading up supplies for the day

Early in the morning the salesmen trundle the heavy carts to their designated routes, and trundle the hopefully empty unit back to the outlet around sundown. 

Their starting point is approximately mid-point on the island, across the street from Deysi and Raul’s El Charco Restaurante on the Paseo de la Aves. 

While I was taking photos of the Tuggui Paleta factory I inadvertently activated their very efficient alarm system.  The alarm is a fifteen-year-old goose named Pequeño or sometimes Pequeña. 

Pequeño or sometimes Pequeña

None of the family members know for certain if the goose is male or female.  The goose doesn’t seem to mind the name confusion.  Either way, it can effectively rouse their napping pit-bull with one loud annoyed hoon-onk!

By the time I had returned home from visiting the paleta factory, had a second cup of coffee, and downloaded my photos I could hear the ting, ting, ting sound coming down our street.  The gentleman who let me take his photo while he was reloading his cart was now passing our house.  

Vendor an hour later walking his route

He had been walking for nearly an hour by the time I saw him.  He walked from the factory to the high school to catch the morning shift of the students. Next he would buzz around to the other schools and return to the high school for the afternoon shift.  

It’s a long day in a hot and humid climate, pushing a heavy cart.

2009 Manual, a favourite photo

When we first moved to Isla, we occasionally purchased coconut or lime paletas from one of the vendors, Manual, as he passed by our house.

One morning I asked: “Por favor, una foto?”  He nodded, smiled shyly at the camera, and continued on his way.  It is one of my favourite people photos.  

It always amazes me when island friends see the photo they immediately recognize him as the popsicle man. 

We haven’t seen him in recent years, hopefully he is doing well.

My current favourite flavour is coconut!

The next time you see the Tuggui vendors passing by with their carts, or struggling through the soft north beach sand, try one of the paletas.  

They are a tasty treat! 

I think my current favourite flavour is coconut.  But, I might have to re-sample the other flavours, for research purposes.




Hasta Luego          

Lynda and Lawrie

Celebrating the Patron Saint of Isla Mujeres

Cowboys, bull fights, church services, baptisms, feasting and parades starting November 29^th and lasting into the first week of December; this year we finally have an inkling of what it all means.  It’s the Feast of the Virgin of Immaculate Conception.  

This is an important celebration throughout Latin America, but doubly important to Isleños as she is also the patron saint of the island.

Recently we were chatting with an island acquaintance, Jorge, and he tried to give us a sense of what this event means to local people.  

Beautiful horses and thirsty cowboys

Every village, city, town has its own patron saint who people hope will watch over them and their families throughout the year, bringing good health and prosperity to everyone.  Local people offer prayers, food or gifts to the patron saint hoping to attract her good-will. This is also the time of year when many children are baptized, or confirmed into the Catholic Church.  It is also the start of a six-week-long celebration that includes The Feast of our Lady Guadalupe on December 12th, Posadas Navideñas December 16^th to 29th, Noche Buena December 24^th, Christmas December 25th, and ending in January with the Night of the Kings on January 6th. 

And in the northwestern parts of Mexico where the drug cartels are very powerful they have their own patron saint of thieves and drug dealers – San Malverde.  Sporting a thick black moustache, neckerchief and pistol belt, San Malverde does not look like a typical saint.  (I think his name translates to Bad-Green, perhaps a reference to money?)  Although he is not recognized by the Catholic Church his festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm on May 3^rd in Sinaloa.  His popularity among drug lords is so widespread his followers have built chapels and shrines in his honor near the Mexico/US border. 

Presidente Hugo Sanchez - in front of 2011 parade

Personally, we enjoy the pageantry of our local saint with many island neighbours participating in the event.   I am always amazed how quickly the year rolls past us.  It just seems like last week I was snapping photos of the 2011 Feast of the Virgin of Immaculate Conception parade complete with island Presidente Hugo Sanchez riding with the cowboys.  And here we are again in early December and the celebration of the Feast of the Virgin of Immaculate Conception. 

                               _______________________

Esto y lo Otro:

Locally Gladys Galdamez and Susan Stowell have teamed up with other creative people to open a new retail outlet: Esto y lo Otro, which Goggle translates as That and the Other.  But, I am guessing it means something closer to This and That.  

You can find them in the Plaza Isla Mujeres between Juarez and Hidalgo Avenues, in behind Fredy’s Restaurante.  

Take a few extra minutes to browse through the beautiful jewelry creations by Todd Pierce.  Pretty cool stuff!  

I saw Ashley Blogins checking out a particularly beautiful piece made with turquoise stones. 

And one final note:

Tonight at Barlito’s on Isla Mujeres Kay Cole showcased her first novel, Lonesome Knob.  

It is a novel loosely based on her life growing up “at the end of a dusty road on a remote and desolate West Texas farm known as Lonesome Knob.”  

I bought a copy and plan to read it tonight.  Best wishes Kay for much success with your book.