In normal times, Cholula, Puebla, one of Mexico’s magical towns, is a major tourist site. But these are anything but normal times.
Stories by Joseph Sorrentino
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The best advice for pedestrians in Mexico: show no fear
Mexicans may be among the nicest people in the world, but put them in the driver’s seat and some mysterious sort of killer instinct kicks in.
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Kings’ Day bread is all about tradition, but each baker’s method is personal
Rosca de reyes, or Kings’ Day bread, is a Mexican tradition, but each baker expresses their creativity in their unique twist on the recipe.
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Italian Epiphany tradition helps a Puebla town remember its heritage
In the 1990s, Chipilo, Puebla residents brought an Italian Epiphany ritual to Mexico to honor their ancestors from the Véneto region.
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Stuffed chile dish is a staple in Puebla during the Christmas season
Every family has its own recipe for this traditional dish, which is served at Christmas and on New Year’s Day.
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Mexico’s speedbumps are a noble but misguided attempt at road safety
Topes, Mexico’s uniquely tall speedbumps, try to quell Mexican drivers’ love for speed by threatening to take out a car’s undercarriage.
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Puebla town’s New Year’s Day tradition harkens back to Italian ancestry
Chipilo, Puebla residents’ ancestors brought this New Year’s Day tradition with them in 1882 when they migrated from Italy’s Veneto region.
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Love them or hate them, cohetes mark nearly every part of Mexican life
When I complain to friends back in the U.S. about cohetes, the bottle rockets that are a staple of Mexican FULL STORY
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December’s posadas mix dancing, fireworks, drink and devotion
A reenaction of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter, Mexico’s posadas are also joyful community Christmastime parties that unite neighborhoods.
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‘In the future, it will be furniture:’ a Puebla town adapts to a changing market
Chipilo, Puebla, a 100-year dairy community, traded in milk pails for chisels when Mexico’s market bottomed out. Now they make furniture.
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Mexico’s second-biggest pilgrimage site has its own indigenous origin story
Mexico’s annual Catholic pilgrimage from San Gregorio to Chalma is about faith and gratitude, but also the bonds formed in mutual suffering.
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The quest for perfect Day of the Dead flowers isn’t always easy
Mexico Life writer Joseph Sorrentino goes on an all-day quest for just the perfect kind of flowers to make a Mexican Day of the Dead altar.
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Veteran Catrina makeup artist won’t let the virus stop her Day of the Dead
For the last 10 years, Erika Ponce has been turning women into Catrinas but cancellation of the Mexico City parade has stopped her this year.
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Annual pilgrimage has ancient pre-Hispanic and Catholic roots
Every second Sunday of November, Tlatelolco’s Plaza de Tres Culturas in Mexico City fills with thousands on a pilgrimage to Villa Guadalupe.
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Bakers are preparing special bread that accompanies Day of the Dead
Home kitchens, large bakeries are busy making pan de muerto in San Gregorio Atlapulco, a product that appears just once a year.
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It takes Concepción Fernández two full days to prepare chiles en nogada
The Puebla cook shares her method of making the traditional dish, typically served during September to celebrate Independence Day.
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Group of young men who serve Catholic Church has origins in Franciscan friars
Los Varones dedicate a year or more to serving the Catholic Church. It is the only group of its kind in Mexico, and perhaps the world.
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The hair-raising ‘bridge of death’ in Chiapas: perhaps it was a test
It was constructed of thin boards and narrow tree limbs, all held together with barbed wire, and spanned a raging river 25 feet below.
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It’s a magical place and a beautiful pueblo. But the mole is the main attraction
San Pedro Atocpan is a beautiful little pueblo with a lovely church and a pretty park. But that’s not why people visit.
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In San Gregorio, a velación kicks off all important fiestas
The cool night air fills with the smoke and smell of burning copal while musicians herald a ritual held the night before big events.
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Riding the buses can be an adventure in Oaxaca
If you’re visiting Oaxaca chances are good you’ll often need to take a bus. This, as anyone who’s attempted it will tell you, is no mean feat.
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Prickly pear cactus doesn’t look like a tasty treat—but it is
Nopal is an important food source for several reasons: it’s abundant and it’s inexpensive. And perhaps just as important, it’s tasty.
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Oaxaca’s colectivos a great way to travel though not for the faint of heart
Colectivos aren’t for the faint of heart but they provide good transportation for people on a tight budget.
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Municipal authorities take belated steps to combat coronavirus
They were necessary steps but the majority of people working in the market, who were just eking out a living before, are barely surviving now.
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Traditional art and its conservation are the focus of Mexico City market
Early on Saturday mornings Plaza Tenanitla, a tiny sliver of a park in the San Ángel neighborhood, is transformed into a bustling art market.
