All year Mexicans use as little electricity as possible because it is expensive here. I swear that some homes get by with one light bulb for the whole house. But at Christmas time, most of our neighbors put out some kind of Christmas lighting. Maybe one string of lights around a window or a strand or two of outside lights along the edge of the roof.Friday, December 26, 2008
Decorations in the Window
All year Mexicans use as little electricity as possible because it is expensive here. I swear that some homes get by with one light bulb for the whole house. But at Christmas time, most of our neighbors put out some kind of Christmas lighting. Maybe one string of lights around a window or a strand or two of outside lights along the edge of the roof.
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Last December in La Manzanilla, I walked past a little house each day. The house must have had no more than two rooms. The enterainment seemed to be sitting in front of the house each evening -- fanning and chatting. No lights. Then one evening, the Christmas lights went up. The residents used a utility pole as a tree -- adding strips of pulsing lights. When it was in full operation, it could have put an airport to shame. Moderation in all things, after all, is a Greek, not a Mexican, virtue. Thanks for the photograph, Billie. And for stitrring the memory.
Don't swear anymore Billie, it is true. We used to have one light bulb, one for the whole three rooms of the house. The light bulbl will go from room to room if needed, otherwise, it will be used a lot in the kitchen. Dark is so fun and ... don't we all look better in the dark? lol.
Glad to help stir up the gray matter Steve.
Alfredo, I can remember when I was growing up my Dad was after us all the time to turn out the light when we left a room. Now in the USA we use so much electricity with Air conditioning, washers and dryers etc, etc., that we think nothing of leaving on lights all over the house. Living here in Mexico has made me think about it. I'm kind of embarrassed for my neighbors to see all the lights we leave on.
I know exactly what you are saying. It appears that in Mexico, people are more environmentally friendly to a certain degree. I was there recently and the amount of plastic bags used is incredible. When I was living there, you will go to the frutería to get fruta y verdura and it was given to you in an alcatrás. Not the flower, but a newspaper cone. No extra waste and the store owner would recycle the newspaper. A friend from my town told me this time that his father makes the cones, just for making them. Nobody uses them anymore. I don't know if in San Miguel's bakeries use paper to wrap the bread or tortillas at the tortillería. It was a light brown thin paper called, "papel de estrasa". That has also changed a lot. Now, a plastic bag even to buy milk! Outrageous!
Alfredo, the only thing that we get wrapped in paper are tortillas and flowers. I hate those plastic bags. On highway 57 when we drive back to the USA, there are long stretches of beautiful land with cactus and sage. At least they would be beautiful if they did not have thousands of plastic bags stuck all over them. In Houston Buffalo Bayou would be beautiful except when it floods, and it often does, the trees along the waterway are dotted with plastic bags that get snarled in the branches. Plastic bags are truly an environmental hazard.
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