Click to enlarge the photo and see the bunny in the box at the clown's feet. While the clown works the street, the bunny hops from lane to lane and back to the safety of its box. It's very well trained–but just for this one trick.
Mexico calls its under-the-radar businesses 'informal commerce'. These very individualized businesses include a lot of ambulatory salespeople, service people, and curbside entertainment. You'll see them working in every city: windshield cleaners, fire eaters, balloon vendors, candy and fruit sellers, jugglers, and people doing anything that someone else might pay to buy or see. In these difficult times of la crisis económica (no translation needed, right?), more people than ever are squeezing a living out of tips from drivers and passengers in cars stopped at any traffic light.
"Don't take my picture, take a picture of these folding lap tables I'm selling. Don't you want to buy one for yourself?" Click any photo on Mexico Cooks! to enlarge it for a better view.
Cilindrero (organ grinder) in the Centro Histórico (historic center). Mexico Cooks! has seen three or four of these late 19th Century delightful hand organs here in Morelia, plus another dozen or more in Mexico City. The guys who play the cilindros in Morelia are part of the Mexico City group.
Got a leak? Although this pickup is parked every day at a nearby busy corner, Mexico Cooks! has never seen the driver. Just call the number!
Young women who work distributing advertising, handing out free samples, or simply acting as living decor for any event are called edecanes. The word comes from the French aide-de-camp. The lovely Señorita Promo Tip's passed a free promotional newspaper through the window of my car.
During September's Fiestas Patrias (Independence Day celebrations), flag sellers rolled their colorful carts to hundreds of local intersections. Due to la crisis económica, sales of flags and other Independence Day souvenirs were very slow this year. Right now, few people have enough money for small luxuries like these.
Every visible surface of his body is painted silver and he juggles flaming batons on a 12-foot ladder while you wait for the light to change. Just before the green light, he passes through the lanes of traffic to collect a propina (tip) from those who care to give him one.
This young man is selling BonIce brand frozen fruit pops, not far from the street in Morelia where Mexico Cooks! lives.
Take home roses for your sweetie, 40 pesos the dozen–about $3.00USD, at the current exchange rate.
Mexico Cooks!' favorite Morelia payaso de semáforo (street clown)!
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