Oh, Mexico
My fascination on Mexico is that of a fellow outsider. Despite being a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the country and its citizens donot enjoy the provisions of the treaty as much as citizens from Canada and the U.S. Which provisions? Google on, my friend!
I think of Mexican artists who opted to stay south of the international border as big dream catchers. They stay profound on ethnicity. Don't ask me what I mean. You don't ask a painter to explain to you what they meant in their paintings, do you? 
"Oh Mexico
It sounds so sweet with the sun sinking low
The moon's so bright like to light up the night
Make everything all right"
James Taylor was not the only one who had romanticized Mexico. Linton Robinson, author of several novels about life in Mexico has not only romanticize Mexico in his books, he has made Mexico his home for the last 25 years or so. Meeting him in person for the second time, he spoke about what gringos do in Mexico. The first time I joined the meetups he hosted, he explained to me that gringos are Americans from the north, most likely Caucasians.
The Rosarito Art Fest 2015 is one of the most important fests of the year in Baja California, so does Linton Robinson say. Almost a year ago, I also attended the Rosarito seafood festival hosted by author. While the seafood was not regarded as that big as the art fests, it was just as important a food trip to me.
A street artist playfully posed for me. Then joked: 10 dollars. I smiled and others in his audience laugh. The banter warms me up like I am part of the village.
"Are you the artist?"
His name is Alex Montero and most of his paintings are of animals: horses, birds and big cats. If Alex was living north past the international border, he would probably be painting houses. I am glad he stayed and he looks happy with his art.
My favorite Baja California artwork is a mural in downtown Tijuana. With the inscription "azul y blanco", the mural depicts three Native Americans. The artist is unknown so anyone can make a connection. Tijuana is a derivative from the Kumeyaay language "Tiwan" which meant "by the sea". The Kumeyaay Native Americans, as I have always loved to mention in my blogs, are the original inhabitants of the Baja California region that used to include the southern areas of Southern California like San Diego.
The burros in downtown Tijuana did not really inspire the making of burritos. The burros in Tujuana are painted black and white to pretend as zebras in black and white photographs. Two years ago, I had the chance to look like an idiot sitting in a cart supposed to be pulled by a "zonkey". 
I had to discreetly take a photo of the zonkey while zonkey photo carts operators made tourists look like that the dumbasses that they really are. People in Tujuana, which is considered a cultural Mecca has to make a living and taking a photo of a zonkey without permission is like stealing a merchandise. 
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