Tag Archives: Day of the Dead

Nov5

National Novel Month

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National Novel Month

November to writers is synonymous with National Novel Month. I’m usually traveling in November so I’ve never been able to participate. But I’m a homebody this month and decided to join in. The challenge is to write 1667 words every day and at the end of the month 50,000 words i.e. a novel.

I have put aside the third book in my trilogy for a while and have chosen to write on something completely different. It is fiction but has more of a lighthearted feel to it. While it is actually based on true events, names and places have been changed. And if I ever do decide to publish it, then a pen name is definitely mandatory. Only my closest friends have been told some details about this project. And it will remain that way for now.

The Blue Jays lost. I was amazed that the series actually went to seven games. I thought the Dodgers would have claimed victory much sooner. The Blue Jays really gave them a run for their money and they are to be commended for that.

Volunteer work for me here in Mexico is in the field of ESL. My adult conversation club is starting up again next week. I’ve had enthusiastic responses from participants and am looking forward to seeing them all again. My teenager starts this week and I am determined to keep him away from those videogames he loves so much; at least for 2 or 3 hours every week. Even more if he actually does his homework lol.

Both Halloween and Day of the Dead are done for this year. Now everyone is talking Christmas or La Navidad. Ricardo is even taking orders now for tamales. And he does make delicious tamales! I’ve already sampled some. So far my favorites are the mole dulce and the pina, with the rojas right up there as well.

What word contains 26 letters but only has three syllables?

Alphabet.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Oct31

Halloween vs. Day of the Dead

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Halloween vs. Day of the Dead

Last year I was in Aguascalientes and the big celebration was Day of the Dead, not Halloween. The temperature has plummeted here in East Wenatchee although there is no snow. Some of the churches are having Trunk or Treat in their parking lots. The malls and the main streets downtown are inviting kids to come out when it’s still daylight.

I have different memories of Halloween. I remember wolfing down dinner so that I could hit the streets early with my friends. We knew who made the best homemade popcorn balls and candy apples on the block. Because it was usually so cold (occasionally snowy too), neighbors would invite us in to warm up and have some cocoa. One of my favorite costumes I wore as a kid was a clown costume.

Decades later I had my own kids. We’d decorate the house and bake Halloween cookies and a Halloween cake. My food colorings got quite a workout, especially the orange and purple. My kids had a variety of costumes throughout the years and our dog even had costumes.

When I lived in Mazatlan, Halloween had filtered down from the USA. But primarily the big celebration was Day of the Dead. I recall a parade where cans of beer were tossed out to the crowd. Yes, it was one of the livelier events, although we did dress up in costumes for a party at Casa del Cameron as well.

In Guadalajara we went to a haunted tour of a cemetery. But I preferred to stroll through cemeteries in the daylight. I viewed colorful altars and listened to festive music. Yes, people partied in the cemeteries as they awaited the visits from the spirits.

Tlaquepaque is probably my favorite place to be on Day of the Dead. There are streets lined with altars and live catrinas walking around. I recall building altars at the school where I was teaching.

Last year in Aguascalientes I went to the parade. It was a warm night and I delighted watching the amazingly decorated floats in Centro. The parade lasted almost three hours and was followed by fireworks.

This year I won’t be going to a parade. I will miss seeing the catrinas and the altars. But I still enjoy Halloween, especially the chocolate!

Nov3

Day of the Dead 2023

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Day of the Dead 2023

Today Facebook reminded me that on this date in 2008 I taught my first deep water aquafit class. I’d been teaching shallow water for a while but the workout is very different. Fifteen years ago I’d never even heard of Day of the Dead. But it has become one of my favorite celebrations in Mexico.

Throughout the years I’ve gone to cemeteries in different cities and built alters with students. I’ve eaten pan de muerto and seen many parades. I’ve taken hundreds of photos and videos and have incredible memories of spending time with people from all around the world, not only local Mexicans.

Last night I decided to attend the parade here in Aguascalientes for the first time. I braved the crowds of thousands and secured a perfect viewing spot on Madero near the Plaza in Centro. I’ve been to parades in Mazatlan, Culiacan, Rosarito, Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara and Zapotlanejo. This is the first time I saw people climbing trees or sitting on awnings and rooftops, adults and children alike. There’s nothing like watching a parade up close rather than on TV.

The obligatory police escorts and marchers signaled the beginning of the parade. I admit it was a little daunting at first watching tanks roll by. But they were tanks with friendly faces very different from the ones I’ve seen on newscasts from the Middle East. There were also an amazing number of police doing crowd control.

The floats were awesome! Colorful catrinas and catrins were the highlights. Musicians and dancers entertained the crowds. The costumes were sensational. Children and adults alike vied to catch the treats being thrown out to onlookers.

I’m a people watcher and saw many a face-painted person on the streets that night. The costumes were also interesting and worn by adults as well as children. Hawkers walked by selling all kinds of treats. I have to tell you, the amount of sugar being consumed around me was staggering.

After the parade, spectacular fireworks lit up the sky, a perfect ending to this Mexican celebration.

Oct25

Buenas Tardes

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Buenas Tardes

Between following the world news, American politics and hurricane warnings here in Mexico, it’s been an eventful couple of weeks since I’ve been back. It’s peaceful here in Aguascalientes and I’m quite content to remain here for a while before venturing out to travel again.

Romina’s birthday party was fun and I enjoyed being with Gloria and her family again. Lunch with Lorraine and Victor at Country Break was a must. Joanne and I had breakfast at Palapa de Charly and caught up on seven months of activity. Other friends are starting to arrive in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta as well.

I’m not one for routine but I do have a couple of things I do regularly. Every morning I say good morning to four friends on What’s App. We’ve been doing this for a while. Lorraine and Victor are here in Aguascalientes, Angie is in Pachuca and Adriana is in Guadalajara. We send each other GIFs and text as well.

I first met Lorraine and Victor two years ago through a mutual friend who no longer lives here. Lorraine is a few years older than me and spent part of her life in Chicago. She likes to speak English with me as she is Mexican and I’m one of her rare friends who speaks English. And she does not want to forget her English. Her son Victor is a few years younger than me and is also Mexican. They came to Aguascalientes from Mexico City a couple of years ago. Our usual meeting place is Country Break.

Angie and I met back in 2010 on a train ride up in the Copper Canyon. She is Mexican but was also an English teacher, also retired now. I’ve gotten to know her family and last year we were all together to celebrate New Years in Jilotzingo. Angie and I are planning to get together somewhere in Mexico in January this winter.

Adriana is a former student as well as an accountant. Never fond of grammar, she arranged for tamales and other food to be delivered to my classroom at just the right moment. Adriana also introduced me to the fine art of sucking candy through a straw. Occasionally we also send each other good night GIFs.

Another routine that is new to me this year is practicing Tai Chi at night before going to bed. It’s a great way to relax and I’m hoping that in time it will have the same effect as the Doozies that are not available down here.

Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is coming up next week and I can hardly wait. It’s one of my favorite holidays here in Mexico and has quite a unique view of death and the spirit world. Partying in the cemetery is very different from the somber atmosphere in cemeteries in the USA and Canada. Creating alters and organizing parades are also characteristic of this holiday. I’ll likely write a post about it next week.

Tomorrow is my daughter’s eighth anniversary. Can’t believe it’s been eight years since we were all together in Punta Cana celebrating her wedding. Happy Anniversary Kimmy and Tarrant!

Dec25

2022 Part 2

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2022 Part 2

I spent the entire month of July in Winnipeg. I’ve written about it in other blog posts so I’ll just touch on this month briefly. July 4th I found myself out at a cabin rather than celebrating with parades or fireworks as I usually do in the USA. It was nice to get out of the city. I enjoyed spending time with my son and my friends but on a more sad note I attended a funeral. I also replaced my laptop finally. The old one had died during Covid back in 2020 and my tablet had become my best friend.

The first week in August I was back out at the cabin and the following week I flew back to Washington. Leavenworth Summer Theater was in full swing and I enjoyed The Music Man and The Sound of Music. The latter production is a favorite and I try to see it every year. The mountain setting makes this show even more spectacular. I also began teaching four SAIL classes a week instead of the usual two in Leavenworth. The two new ones were in East Wenatchee.

The September long weekend this year was really special as my daughter and granddaughter came from Kelowna. I enjoyed showing them some of my favorite places in Leavenworth and Cashmere. The County Fair began right after they left and I hadn’t been to one in three years due to Covid. September was also the 9/11 Ceremony in Cashmere and Autumn Leaf Festival in Leavenworth. Sadly it was also time to start thinking about returning to Mexico for the winter. Every year it gets harder to say goodbye to friends for six months of the year.

Three flights and a short bus trip and I was back in Aguascalientes. I love my neighborhood. Las Flores doesn’t change much even though I leave for several months every year. It was nice seeing friends again and catching up. I really dived into my writing too. The lure of the new laptop was definitely a factor. My characters were also quite talkative and that certainly helped as well. The internet has also been much better this year too.

November began with the celebration of Day of the Dead. This is one of my favorite holidays in Mexico. The catrinas are always outstanding and even the tiniest shops have colorful decorations. The alters in remembrance of loved ones are also prominent. This year I opted not to go to a cemetery but merely admired everything as I strolled through the streets. The entertainment was amazing and venues were set up throughout the city.

Suddenly it was December and the last month of the year. Festivities were now geared towards Christmas and the Centro area turned into a magical fairyland of colorful lights. Music was an integral part of this celebration and I saw dancers, heard bands and watched children performing. The tienguis was larger than usual with more vendors. I didn’t trim a tree this year. Just didn’t get around to it. Writing occupied much of my time instead. I went to Christmas posadas and Christmas Eve was spent in church. The inevitable fireworks lit up the sky in Mexico as well.

A new year is just around the corner. Here’s to a fabulous one filled with Health and Happiness for all.

HAPPY 2023!

Oct30

Festival Cultural De Calaveras

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Festival Cultural De Calaveras

Halloween was always a favorite day. As a child I loved to hit the streets with my friends and go trick or treating. We knew who made the best popcorn balls and caramel apples.

Flash ahead a generation to when I had kids. The times changed. An adult always went out with the kids as the streets were not as safe as they were when I was growing up. And forget the homemade treats. Instead I carefully checked their candy for anything suspicious.

And now it’s 2022. My granddaughter in Kelowna put on her costume the other day when we did a video call. She looked adorable in her witch costume and is excited about the upcoming party at her daycare. I told my daughter to look for a Light The Night at a church. I was in Leavenworth one year and volunteered at this event. Very family oriented and safe.

But here in Aguascalientes Halloween isn’t what’s on my mind. We celebrate Day of the Dead here and it’s one of my favorite times here in Mexico. Although November 2nd is the most popular day to party in the cemeteries with the spirits, the celebrations are well underway in this city. The party started October 28th.

There are different venues throughout the city featuring live music and a multitude of vendors, especially in the food area. I wandered down to Centro on Friday where altars honoring the dead and displays featuring catrinas were being set up. Storefronts and restaurants were colorfully decorated. There was a festive air everywhere.

Saturday night near the Jardin de San Marcos there were dancers and people on stilts dressed up in colorful Day of the Dead garb. And of course there was music. As I wandered passed the bars, I found a multitude of vendors selling items from jewelry to food and everything in between. There was also a stage set up and live music.

My destination tonight is back to Centro and along Carranzas. So much to see and only a few days to take it all in.

Oct26

It’s Humpday Again

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It’s Humpday Again

My friends in Washington are telling me how smoky it still is there. My friends in Puerto Vallarta are telling me how wet it is there after Hurricane Roslyn hit. Here in Aguascalientes the air is clear and it’s sunny and hot.

I went for a walk to the pharmacy on Monday. I picked up six months worth of blood pressure medication for under $10. Yes, it’s exactly what I get when I’m in Wenatchee. But it’s nowhere near as expensive. It really makes you think about the pharmaceutical industry. The markup is ridiculously high.

Day of the Dead is coming up next week. Marigolds are everywhere. I always loved marigolds even when I was a child. My dad was quite the gardener back then but he always made sure there was a special space for my marigolds. When I was older and had my own garden, my marigolds always had a prominent place.

I was saddened to learn that one of my friends in Winnipeg passed away. We were both working towards our accounting certifications back in the early 90s when we first met. She struggled with several health issues and spent the last few years in a personal care home.

I finally switched over to my Mexican phone chip yesterday. It’s usually one of the first things I do but it somehow got put on the backburner this time around. So my friends up north….you’ve been warned that when you see the country code 52 it’s me. I’m not a scammer or a telemarketer.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Nov1

A Long Weekend

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A Long Weekend

Thanks to Dia de Los Muertos, this long weekend stretches for four days. Tuesday November 2nd is a public holiday. But the celebrations really began a few days ago.

I’ve always been fascinated by cemeteries in Mexico, especially at this time of year. I’ve visited them in Culiacan, Tlaquepaque and Mazatlan in previous years.

On Friday I ventured out to the Panteon de la Cruz here in Aguascalientes. This is one huge cemetery and families were busy decorating for Day of the Dead. As usual I took way too many photos. Here are a select few.

Oct31

Halloween 2019

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Halloween 2019

Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays. As a child I loved going door to door with my friends and collecting treats. Those were the days when neighbors made homemade popcorn balls and all the apples you collected were passed on to mom for baking.

Flash ahead a couple of decades to when I had kids. Safety concerns dictated that an adult accompany them and that all candy was carefully inspected by a parent before consuming.

Costumes have become more outlandish these days, focusing more on the dark side. Gone are the clowns and cowboys.

I used to love decorating the windows of the house and hanging spooky mobiles my kids had made.

Decorating cookies and making a “spooktacular” cake was also a favorite pastime.

But I am in Mexico now where the northern influence has not yet made Halloween the popular event it is in Canada or the USA. Instead Day of the Dead is the big event here.

I ate at Cafe Angel yesterday and the traditional marigolds adorned the entrance.

Katrinas were visible in some storefronts.

And I found this display in a mall near my house.

If you are celebrating, have a safe and happy Halloween.