Archive for the ‘Sports + Recreation’ Category
|Visiting Chipilo for a Traditional Charreada
Saturday, February 26th, 2011
Chipilo is a small farming town located about seven miles south of the Puebla capital. It was established in 1882 by emigrants of the Veneto region in northern Italy, who relocated to central Mexico to escape poverty back home. The majority of these chipileños, as they’re known in these parts, hailed from Segusino in the Treviso province, which in 1982 became an official sister city.
Perhaps because of this close relationship — and the fact that Chipilo was relatively isolated from Puebla’s urban sprawl until the late 20th century — many locals speak a Venetian dialect. The biggest draws to outsiders are its meat and dairy products, particularly artisan cheeses, which are sought after for miles around. Nearly all of the attractions in town are located along a short stretch of road that veers off and then back onto the federal highway to Atlixco. (Turn right before the sister city sign.) Here visitors will find restaurants, shops and services, a church, a hotel, baseball and soccer fields, and the town’s lienzo charro, or rodeo ring.
Charreadas — or rodeos — have been a part of the Mexican culture since the 16th century, although being a charro used to be more of a job than a sport.
Our visit to Chipilo last Sunday took us directly to this ring, where the family of Alfonso “Poncho” García, was holding a gran charreada, or great rodeo, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his death. The free event attracted hundreds of spectators and riders from Atlixco, Mexico City, and beyond, including an award-winning group of escaramuzas (women equestrians who ride side-saddle in precise, choreographed patterns) from Puebla. Our friend Elmar, who’s close to the Garcías, invited us to see the show — my first-ever rodeo — and we were honored to meet several longtime charreada fans and participants.
Charreadas have been a part of the Mexican culture since the 16th century, but being a charro was a more of a job than a sport up until the early 20th century. In 1921, the National Association of Charros formed to keep tradition alive, and in 1933 turned over country-wide organizational duties to the new National Federation of Charros. (Puebla’s affiliated state association of charros is among the oldest, dating to 1923.) A typical charreada comprises nine events for men and one for women, which are scored based on an individual’s technique. There is no time limit. Rodeo is considered an amateur sport, in that competitors usually vie for trophies, titles, and bragging rights instead of money.
The charreada in Chipilo was scheduled to start at noon, but in true Mexican fashion, it didn’t get under way until sometime thereafter. We didn’t mind. Our seats on the rickety metal bleachers were in the shade, and we bought a giant beer and snacks from various vendors. In some form or another, there was constant entertainment: Early on, one bull escaped the ring and disrupted the soccer game going on next door, as players and charros tried to get him off the field. Later, two others wouldn’t buck during the jinteo de toro, or bull riding, event; right out of the gate, they simply sat down. The announcer told jokes — some less politically correct than others — and tried to hurry the proceedings along by reminding everyone that he needed to, ahem, get to church by 6 p.m. And, at one point, the water truck managing the dust in the ring drove a little too close to the crowd.
The roping, reining, and riding skills on display, however, were well worth the occasional wait. The escaramuzas appeared to be in top form, executing intricate patterns in close proximity with speed and grace. Perhaps most impressive to me was the young charro who, on foot, repeatedly lassoed a mare that was being chased around the ring by three other competitors on horseback in the forefooting event. For his efforts, he received a standing ovation and many hats thrown into the ring.
Tags: charreada, charro, Chipilo, Puebla, rodeo
Posted in Explore, Featured, Sports + Recreation | 10 Comments »
The Monday Night Fights: Las Luchas in Puebla
Monday, January 17th, 2011
It’s 10 o’clock on a Monday night, and we’re sitting on concrete bleachers inside the Puebla Arena. Through a chain-link barrier that prevents spectators from hurling objects into the ring, we watch in awe as a muscly, shirtless wrestler leaps over the ropes and rushes up an aisle to our left, cursing at someone in the stands. The obscenities, complete with hand gestures, are flying. ¡Chinga tu madre! ¡La tuya en vinagre! ¡Puto! Several rounds of insults later, I stand up to see who’s causing all the commotion. Turns out, the foul-mouthed fan is a petite indigenous woman who looks old enough to be my grandmother.
This scene is typical of what transpires at the weekly matches held in Puebla by the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). Based in Mexico City, the organization — perhaps the oldest professional wrestling outfit in existence — holds events in Puebla every Monday featuring virtually the same cadre of athlete-performers. Teams of two to three wrestlers square off in a series of bouts that start around 9 p.m. with lesser-known acts and culminate with superstars like Místico, Máscara Dorada, and Mephisto. The fights typically pit rudos (rule-breaking rude boys) against técnicos (the technically proficient good guys). Many wear masks, a practice that dates to the 1930s and pays homage to Mexican history as old as the Aztecs: Each colorful design evokes an animal, god, or ancient hero that the wrestler assumes during his performance. For more details about the sport in English, including rules and weight classes, click here.
The matches sometimes feature women athletes, too, but that’s about the only politically correct aspect of las luchas. (One difference between Puebla and Mexico City is the absence of bikini-clad female escorts here, although you may see dwarfs dressed as furry animals…) Expect moments of utter pandemonium and, if you sit in the front rows, be prepared to become part of the show. Also of note is the somewhat bewildering array of treats and potential projectiles available from vendors — beer and soda, cotton candy, boiled shrimp, slinky toys, Blow-Pops, cemitas, devil horns that light up — which helps explain the chain-link barrier. Outside the arena, vendors sell even more wares, including full-size souvenir masks that run about 300 pesos each ($25).
The Puebla Arena is located in the city’s historic center at 13 Oriente #402. Tickets generally cost 50 to 120 pesos each and are available at Mega supermarkets, Gandhi bookstores, Ticketmaster outlets, and the arena box office. The lineup is often posted on the CMLL Puebla page the Thursday prior to the match, but lately the webmaster seems to be a bit behind. Ticketmaster says that in tonight’s headline fight Máscara Dorada, La Máscara, and La Sombra face off against Mephisto, Volador Jr., and Averno.
Tags: CMLL, luchador, luchas, Puebla Arena, wrestling
Posted in Do, Featured, Sports + Recreation | 5 Comments »
Where to Watch the 2010 World Cup
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
¡Ponganse la verde! That’s the rallying cry for everyone to wear green in support of the national soccer team, also known as “El Tri,” for the three colors in the Mexican flag. To say that fútbol is huge in Puebla would be an understatement. When Mexico takes on South Africa in the opening game of the World Cup tomorrow at 9 a.m. CDT, there’s unlikely to be a TV in town that isn’t tuned into the match.
“It’s impossible to separate ourselves from the phenomenon of soccer,” Darío Carmona García, the secretary of public education, said this week, apparently hoping to keep students and teachers on campus. “In schools where conditions permit, everyone may follow the games, but it’s not permitted to suspend classes.”
That’s a tall order. Schools outside its jurisdiction, such as Humboldt College and the UDLA, reportedly plan to show the inaugural game on giant displays on campus. Meanwhile, expect business to grind to a halt for 90 minutes on Friday morning: Volkswagen, which employs nearly 15,000 people in Puebla, will allow its union workers four hours off to watch the World Cup games involving Mexico. Another large manufacturing plant in town will shut down temporarily and invite its 450 employees to watch Mexico vs. South Africa in the company’s conference rooms.
It’s doubtful they’ll be the only ones not working. Every time El Tri plays, the city, in cooperation with TV Azteca Puebla, will set up screens and chairs in the zócalo. Anyone who’s downtown can watch the action for free.
The June 11 broadcast from Puebla’s main square begins at 8 a.m., and the station promises “a party atmosphere.”
Other spots around town that could make for good public World Cup-watching:
Bull McCabe. An Irish-style pub that serves a mean bagel, which should be perceived as a bonus for anyone who drags themselves out of bed and across town to watch early morning games. Avenida Juárez 2902, Colonia La Paz
Scudetto. This large sports bar overlooking Boulevard Atlixco always seems to be bursting with people — and its name is Italian for “soccer champion.” And since Mexico beat Italy in the friendly leading up to the World Cup, well, you have nothing to fear. Blvd. Atlixco 37, Plaza JV San Jose
La Martina. The most casual choice, this Cholula restaurant will serve you a proper Mexican breakfast in front of its newly installed flat-screen TVs. Bonus: Freshly baked goods and European-style treats are available from Flavr next-door. Container City, 12 Oriente and 2 Norte, San Andrés Cholula
Photograph courtesy of The Vandhaal/Creative Commons.
Tags: soccer, World Cup 2010
Posted in Featured, Sports + Recreation | No Comments »
Jogging Paths in Puebla
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
Finding safe places to run in unfamiliar city can be challenging, particularly if you dislike treadmills and don’t want to wear neon or stop every few blocks to consult a map. Visitors to Puebla may find themselves further frustrated by the uneven, often nonexistent sidewalks and by unsympathetic drivers who generally disregard pedestrian traffic. Forget to look both ways before crossing a street and you might get run over. Fortunately, the area offers several secure, well-maintained public places to jog, or power walk, or do that half-marathon training that you swore you’d somehow manage to fit in while on vacation.
Parque Ecologico Revolución Mexicana. 19 Oriente at 24 Sur. Located just east of downtown, Parque Ecologico is probably the most convenient running destination if you’re staying downtown. The 143-acre ecological park features a 3-kilometer path of soft soil, plus a soccer field and volleyball and basketball courts. Post-workout, visitors may also want to check out the aviary (home to 50 species of birds), take the kids to the jungle gym, or go for a boat ride on the lake. Parking costs MX$10.
Parque del Arte. Boulevard del Niño Poblano at Sirio. This recently restored 32-acre park near the Siglo XXI cultural complex is frequented by active folks who live and work on the west side of town. Parque del Arte has two soft soil running tracks, the longer of which (1 metric mile) circles the perimeter of the park. Soccer fields attract local teams, and a manmade lagoon lures ducks and other fowl, including a pair of peacocks. Parking is free.
Cholula pyramid. 3 Norte at 4 Poniente, San Andrés Cholula. For shorter training sessions, such as speed intervals and hill work, head for the 400-meter track next to the archaeological site in Cholula and the path leading up to the pyramid. “For any athlete, it’s a challenging climb to the top,” notes Camilo Aguilera in Intolerancia magazine, which recommends it as one of the best places in the area to run.
Visitors who are tempted to simply head out the door of their hotel for a jog should do so with caution.
Drivers in Puebla are highly unpredictable (traffic signals are often regarded as mere suggestions), which makes pounding the pavement a risky proposition, especially if you’re trying out a new route or listening to music. “This is not a very running- or cycling-friendly city; car culture is very strong here,” says Oriol Sierra, a long-distance runner who lives downtown. On the bright side, “given its altitude [7,000 ft.], it’s an excellent place to train. There is also a good running community in Puebla, and there are many running events on weekends.”
Sierra, who ran the Puebla half marathon in 2008 and the Mexico City marathon in 2009, graciously provided the links above to a few of his training runs, which include maps, elevation, and other data. To find out about upcoming local races, he recommends checking with AS Deporte and Emocion Deportiva (available only in Spanish).
Editor’s note: Just after this story was published, Puebla’s governor announced plans to spend $12 million pesos to add a soccer field with artificial turf and a professional athletic track to the existing facilities at the Parque del Arte.
Tags: public park, running, trail
Posted in Featured, Sports + Recreation | No Comments »
