Day 16. Mexico 2022. Girl Power!

The need for a cup of coffee got me into the streets pretty early in the morning, and once I was there the empty city and the fresh breeze just kept me going, heading to the northeast, where the Reforma neighborhood is located. Very pleasant residential areas where it was delightful to lose oneself in small streets. On the way I stopped to eat a couple of tamales and later, upon reaching the General Hospital I had a consomé de barbacoa and a couple of tacos de barbacoa. I was licking my chops when, on the park in front of the hospital, which has some beautiful statues of women in local costumes, I saw a big sign proclaiming this week, June 18 to 26, Women Liberation Week. In pretty clear terms it stated that women were not going to take abuse and violence any longer, and that Girl Power was here to stay.

The sign reminded me that I overheard a conversation a couple of days ago, between some older women, who criticized the behavior of a march, in which the demonstrators threw rocks to the windows of the Office of Women and Family Integration, followed by other acts of minor vandalism. Clearly the message was that they were fed up, and were ready to escalate the struggle until their demands were met. I was just pondering these events, when I heard the hum of a large group of scooters and motorcycles approaching, and so it was a group of a couple hundred female riders, spanning the range from 13 to 30 years old, who were riding to mark the end of the Feminist Week. They had a nice police escort and a half dozen of support vehicles, and rather than shouting or aggressive slogans they wore big happy smiles and encouraged each other to show their pride on Girl Power!  

You will be shocked to know that 8 pm found me, not going to bed, but instead going for a last stroll through downtown. It is Sunday night, and I imagine the scene there should be pretty colorful. I was not disappointed. The place was packed with families taking their ease. Children were chasing huge sausage-shaped balloons that they propelled into the air, like rockets, by the simple expedient of “serving” them with one sharp blow, like you serve a volleyball. Being aerodynamic, the sausage easily rises 10 m into the air, to the great delight of the little rocket scientist.

In the meantime the adults engage in Mexico’s favorite pastime, eating at sideway cafes, or take advantage of the music provided by a couple of bands to twirl around at the rhythms of danzones and salsas. It was one enormous party!