In Salem, I doubt I have ever seen a machete-wielding man climbing a coconut tree. Because we have a certain dearth of coconut trees there.
Here, the coconut trimmer is a common sight. His role is two-fold: to trim excess palm fronds and to harvest coconuts before they become head-bashing missiles. I have had several close calls with flying coconuts during my prior visits to Mexico.
But this is the first time I had a loge seat for the performance.
He climbs the tree using only his hands and feet. And then wields his machete with deadly precision. And, remember: I took the photograph from the second story. It is a healthy (or unhealthy, if unplanned) drop to the ground.
I wanted to take some more photographs. But he knew I was watching, and, once again, I felt awkward about taking photographs of people working. It still feels like an intrusion to me.
But I thought those of you up north may be interested in one of the daily sights that makes the tropics interesting.
When I started posting from Mexico in mid-April, one of our blogger colleagues requested that I not waste time by posting information that old hands in Mexico already know.
I have repeatedly violated that advice (this post being a prime example) -- for at least two reasons.
The first is obvious. I am going to have a tendency to write about things that interest me. And, if it is new to me, I will probably share it.
The second follows from the first. Even though I thoroughly enjoy reading the blogs of expatriate pioneers who have hewn an electronic trail through the wilderness, most of the people who read this blog will never have the joy of living in Mexico. And, I suspect, moments like this are every bit as interesting to them as an editorial on Mexican political parties. (A topic I still need to tackle.)
The coconut trimmer was a quick moment in my Mexican adventure. During the coming week, I want to share a few more of those moments and some thoughts about living in Mexico.
