Traditional Mexican Clothing

Adhemar Ferreira da Silva became the second sportspeople in Brazil to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games when he won the jump triple at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki (Finland).

Rossana De Los Rios is a famous Paraguayan tennis player. She was junior world champion in 1992. Rossana is married to Gustavo Alfredo Neffa, who was a soccer football player. She once said, " I could have come very far in tennis. In 1992 I won the Junior Roland Garros but I made decisions and I am happy with my life. [Gustavo] Played soccer in the leagues of Italy and Argentina, with the national team and in the Olympic Games and he was good in that, but now he talks more about tennis. The times changed for the women and he helps me to be able to play calm. Now my goal is to return to the top 100. I am well, but for two years I had knee and wrist injuries and I had to come back from that. Perhaps I will retire in a few years and then I would like to help so that the Paraguayan girls are developed and are able to have a future, but by then if I am in the top 30 maybe I will defer that project". This sportswoman was born on September 16, 1975 in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay. Currently, she resides in the United States.

Francisco Cabañas became to first Mexican boxer to win an Olympic medal. He won a silver medal at the Los Angeles Games in 1932 .

Claudia Poll Ahrens (Costa Rica) became only the first Latin American female swimmer in the history of the Olympic Games to win two individual medals at one Games ( Sydney'2000 ). She is the greatest Central American athlete of all time...

Luis Brunetto won the silver medal in the triple jump at the 1924 Paris Games. Argentina's Brunetto became the first sportsperson to win an Olympic medal for his country.

The Brazilian men's volleyball team won the World Cup in 2007. The champions were Rezende Bruno, Marcelo Elgarten, André Heller, Samuel Fuchs, Gilberto Godoy Filho, Murilo Andres, André Luiz da Silva Nascimento, Sergio Dutra Santos, Anderson Rodrigues, Gustavo Endres, Rodrigo Santana, Dante Guimaraes Amaral.

Xavier Moreno and Jefferson Perez won gold medals at the Rio Pan American Games in 2007. The runners are sporting heroes in Ecuador now...

Cali (Colombia) hosted the FIBA Basketball Women's World Cup in 1975. Final standings: 1.USSR / Soviet Union ( currently Russia ), 2.Japan, 3.Czechoslovakia ( currently Czech Republic / Slovak Republic ), 4.Italy, 5.South Korea, 6. Mexico, 7.Colombia, 8. United States, 9. Hungary, 10.Australia, 11.Canada, 12.Brazil, 13.Senegal.

The most popular sports in Mexico are soccer, wrestling, basketball, baseball, athletics, basque pelote, underwater sports, tennis, martial arts, boxing, cycling and equestrian.

Jeanette Campbell ( Argentina / swimmer ) was the first Latin American female athlete who won the Olympic medal. She won the silver medal in the 100m freestyle at the 1936 Berlin Games.

Brazil sent 10 athletes to the 2006 Winter Games in Turin ( Italy ). The Brazilian delegation had athletes competing in 4 sports: alpine skiing, bobsleigh, cross country skiing and snowboarding.

Paraguay has had many famous athletes. Who they are: Jose Luis Chilavert ( soccer / one of the best goalkeepers in the 1990s ), Victor Manuel Pecci ( tennis ), Nery Kennedy ( track and field / South American champion ), Carlos Gamarra ( Olympic football silver medalist, 2004 ), Ramon Jimenez Gaona ( athletics / South American champion)...

Baseball is the national sport of Panama...

Francisco "Morochito" Rodriguez (boxer) is the only Venezuelan sportspeople to win an Olympic gold medal. Francisco was born on September 20, 1945 in Cumana, Venezuela (South America).

Montevideo (Uruguay) hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1930. Final standings: 1.Uruguay, 2.Argentina, 3.Yugoslavia (currently Serbia), 4.USA, 5.Chile, 6.Brazil, 7.France, 8.Paraguay, 9.Romania, 10.Peru, 11.Belgium, 12.Bolivia, 13.Mexico.

Gustavo Kuerten was one of the best tennis players in the world. He has won 28 international tournaments ( Saint Petersburg, Brazil Open, Auckland, Roland Garros, Monte Carlo, Acapulco, Rome, Hamburg, Cincinnati, Buenos Aires, Lisboa, Indianapolis...).

Fact File

Name: Gustavo Kuerten

Nickname: "Guga"

Nationality: Brazilian

Ancestry: German

Residence: Florianopolis, Santa Catarina ( Brazil )

Born : 10 / 9 / 1976

Height : 1.91m

Weight : 75 kg

Idol: Mahatma Gandhi (former human rights activist)

Favorite singer: Bob Marley

Favorite writer / author: Paulo Coehlo

Perfume: "Eternity" ( by Calvin Klein )

Best friends: Carlos Moya ( Spanish tennis player ), Nicolas Lapentti ( Ecuadorian tennis player ), Fernando Meligeni ( Brazilian player ).

Men's Tennis Association Ranking ( 1997-2000 )

2000: 1

1999: 10

1998: 20

1997: 66

The ethnic and regional diversity, as well as the socioeconomic divisions within the population make Mexico a truly culturally heterogeneous country. Among rural people, there are strong regional affinities and allegiances, often referred to as patria chica ("small homeland") that helps to perpetuate cultural diversity. The large number of extant Indian languages and customs, especially in the south, also accentuate cultural differences. In an attempt to unite the nation culturally by identifying a uniquely Mexican culture, the government has vigorously supported indigenous folk arts and crafts as well as the European-inspired classical arts. In fact, since the 1930s, indigenismo, or pride in the Indian heritage, has been a major unifying theme of the country.

Many Mexican writers and artists have received worldwide acclaim for their creativity and innovativeness. Within their work, both folk and classical tradition has been quite strong.

The country's best-known writers have gained their reputations by dealing with questions of universal significance, as did Samuel Ramos, whose philosophical speculations on man and culture in Mexico influenced post-1945 writers in several genres. The prolific critic and cultural analyst Octavio Paz is considered to be the foremost poet of Latin America. The novels of Carlos Fuentes are honored throughout the world, Gustavo Sainz is a leader in Spanish-language literature, and Juan José Arreola's fantasies are universally admired. Among dramatists, Rodolfo Usigli has been extremely influential, while Luisa Josefina Hernández and Emilio Carballido have also made significant contributions.

It would not be wrong to say that the most widely recognized Mexican art form is the mural, and the Mexican Muralist School counted among its members, the most powerful figures of the genre. The murals created by Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, depicting aspects of the Mexican Revolution, the nation's modernization, and class struggle, have become legendary, and, among others, Rufino Tamayo and Juan Soriano have achieved distinct stature. Perhaps, the most popular of Mexico's folk artists is José Clemente Orozco, whose animated plaster-of-Paris skeleton characters are both satirical and lifelike.

Mexican popular music, especially ranchero and mariachi music, has attracted a wide following throughout the Spanish-speaking world, and Mexico City has become one of the major recording centers for the Americas. The country's motion pictures and television industries are among the largest in Latin America, producing films and programs that circulate throughout the region. Bullfighting is the country's national sport, and the Plaza México in Mexico City is one of the perfect venues for this spectacle. Soccer is still the most popular participatory sport, but baseball has attracted increasing numbers of spectators and players at both the professional and amateur level. Mexico has also produced a number of world champions in the lighter weight classes in professional boxing.

I've observed that Mexican music falls into two classes. One is very, very good; the other is so horrible that it could quite possibly induce a nervous breakdown or at least a brain tumor after forced, prolonged exposure. Listening to too much of the latter could be hazardous to your health.

The orchestra here in Guanajuato is one of the finest I've ever heard, and I listen with a critical ear. I was a music major at the university many decades ago. I majored in voice performance and music theory.

I've often been moved to tears of joyous rapture listening to some the finest vocalists and instrumentalists-all Mexicans. But, the most exciting thing is to see how many locals show up at the concerts. The symphony is big here. I love that.

Mariachi is also big here. In the city of Guanajuato, you will see some very traditionally dressed Mariachi bands in El Jardin (the main plaza). There will be several of these bands playing all at once for different groups of tourists who are eating in the restaurants or sitting on the benches. This results in what I call "The Mariachi Screech."

Playing instruments that are in tune and singing in the same key as the instruments does not seem to be a high priority with Mariachi bands. This, of course, results in an interestingly incomprehensible cacophonous roar. But, amazingly, people pay these guys to sing at their tables. It makes me wonder just how that affects their digestion. I can only speculate.

Another form of music is what I call "The Bus Musicians." I can't think of anyplace in the States where there is anything like this. Decades ago, when I traveled in New York and Philly, I saw a lot of sidewalk performers with open instrument cases or hats where you could drop a buck or two but I never saw any Bus Musicians.

Bus Musicians are people with guitars (or some other "instrument"...sometimes nothing more than a comb and a tin can...go figure!) who board the bus-no matter how crowded-and start wailing like a cat that is being tortured horribly. The guitar sound as though it has never been tuned. The singer sings like he has needed to move his bowels for a terribly long time. Then, after he has finished his torture chamber musical number and has tortured all the passengers, he starts demanding money.

These "musicians" ask for money and people actually pay them.

This, of course, simply reinforces the behavior of taking captive an entire bus load of helpless bus passengers who just want to get from point A to point B, and forcing them to endure what doesn't even come close to passing for music. I think they should be dragged away and beaten, but no one ever asks me for an opinion about anything in this town.

And, I am talking about those who pay money to the so-called musicians and not the Musical Inquisitors who dole out the agony.

Here is an additional benefit about the Bus Musicians that I cannot forget to tell you. When the bus is full (as is usually the case), you, the passenger, will be afforded the distinct honor of getting cold-cocked by the guitar as the "musician" engages in his Songs of Death. You also might have the privilege of a nice shower of spittle from the more radically rowdy spewing lips.

There is one guy, though I've yet to see him on the bus offering his version of tormenting people, who is worth mentioning. He offers a really special treat. Though I would not normally understand one word spoken from his caterwauling mouth, I understand him because he sings some of The Beatles' greatest hits. Even though he hacks on an out-of-tune guitar and sings off-key, I can recognize The Beatles. The horror is that he sings the songs in English.

His performing venues are the parks and plazas. He sits with his back to one of the many beautiful fountains. He has the "Jose Feliciano" look going for him, which accompanies his horrendously frightening singing.

The other day, he was butchering "I want to hold your hand." It came out something like this:

"Ah wanna hoe who haaaa... Ah wanna hoe who haaaa...and when ah tosh who ah fee apple in-sigh..."

And then, he got to the chorus,

"And when I touch you I feel happy inside. It's such a feeling I can't hide."

He began screeching and convulsing to such an extent he made women swoon with the vapors, made children cry, dogs faint, and shopkeepers come running out expecting to find someone being murdered.

His special musical number, however, is the song "Twist and Shout." His version sounds something like this:

"Twee who s-howt, Twee who s-howt. Com-ah. Com-ah bay-bah..." and on and on.

Do you see what you are missing here in Guanajuato, Mexico?

The Waltz

The waltz, formerly known as the "Waltzen", rose to popularity in many parts of Austria and Germany in the early 19th century. During this time, there were many variations of the dance and they were each called by the name of the region where it originated. The dance that came from Landl ob der Enns, which is a region in upper Austria, became popular and was well-known by the abbreviation "Landler". The Landler was originally danced using heavy shoes and was comprised of complicated underarm turns, stamping, slapping and hopping around. But by the 1800s, it was performed with lighter footwear. This new version had similar quick gliding steps from the modern waltz but was danced to a slower tempo.

Another variation of the waltz was the "Boston". This is a slower version of the more upbeat Viennese Waltz because it is danced at 90 beats a minute. It started in America around 1870. The Boston was distinct from the other versions of the waltz because it was the first ballroom dance to have the dancers' feet at a parallel position rather than in the usual turned-out position. However, it retained most of the turning figures in the waltz and introduced additional steps such as the dip, wherein the partners would hold hands on each other's hips.

The present form of the dance is thought to have been developed in England around 1910 and was a derived from both the Landler and the Boston. It this version, the performers are able to add more figures to the slow tempo. The slow tempo also allowed dancers to add slow "picture" steps and poses and syncopated beats to give the waltz light and shade to make it more fascinating to watch.

The Tango

The Tango is a light and energetic Flamenco dance that originated in Spain. The Modern Tango, however, is quite far from its origins for it is now a combination of different styles of folk dance. The Spanish dance and other Spanish folk dances spread to the South Americas when the Spanish conquistadors took over. This emigration supposedly contributed to the formation of the Modern Tango. However, the forerunner of the Modern Tango was the African "Tangano" dance and was imported when Negro slaves were brought to the Americas. Over the centuries, these dances merged with other folk dances of the New World.

These dances from Spain and Africa eventually became combined with another folk dance from Havana, Cuba known as the Habanera. This merge occurred in the slums of Buenos Aires, Argentina in the late 19th century but worked its way up to the upper classes in the early 20th century. The merge was known as the "Milonga". This dance is known and distinct for its softness and intimacy between the couple and the visual emphasis on the movements of the legs. However, this was considerably altered in Paris in the 1930s when the choreography was combined with the stiff torso seen in other ballroom dances therefore giving it a disjointed impression. The visual emphasis in turn was pointed at the torso and the heads of the dancers. This change is retained in the Modern Tango.

This dance was first performed for the elite of Western Europe by France's greatest music-hall luminary, Mistinguett in 1910 in Paris, France. After his performance, "Tango-mania" ran all over Paris, then London and even to New York despite of World War I.

The mania was taken even further when it was performed by Rudolph Valentino in his movie "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" in 1921. The Tango's fame is strong even today when Al Pacino and Gabrielle Anwar danced in "Scent of a Woman" in 1992 and Arnold Schwarzeneggar and Tia Carrere in "True Lies" in 1994 gave demonstrations.