Tag Archives: Dia de los muertos

Oct31

What A Week!

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What A Week!

Tonight can’t be Halloween already. Of course in Mexico the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos culminates with a parade tonight and partying in cemeteries over the weekend. Here in Aguascalientes there is quite the display in El Centro along with music, dancing and food.

But I’m passing on the parade this year. I will be watching the Blue Jays-Dodgers game. And yes, I watched all 18 innings Monday night. And I sincerely hope the Blue Jays take it on home turf. It’s been quite a series.

I’m settling in for the winter. I first discovered Aguascalientes in 2019. I arrived in January for three weeks after spending a couple of months in Culiacan and San Ciro de Acosta. I intended to stay for 3 weeks but stayed for 3 months. I returned that fall determined to visit the museums I had missed the previous winter. But Covid came along and I wound up staying until September of 2020 when I was able to get back to Washington. I returned to Aguascalientes in the fall of 2021 and it has become my winter home.

My Spanish has been getting a workout here in Las Flores. I’m not pantomiming as much when I shop at the tiendita or at the tianguis. And conversations with neighbors are going well although I still feel they speak way too quickly. I understand more when they speak slowly.

Yesterday I met some of my Mexican friends at Country Break for lunch. This is a quaint little restaurant that plays country music in English, although it is part of a Mexican chain. Great hamburgers and fries. A very popular place with Mexicans.

Speaking of food, Ricardo is cooking for me again and I am absolutely delighted. Tomorrow he is bringing me prime rib of beef Mexican style and 3 types of tamales. Earlier in the week I enjoyed chiles rellenos, enchiladas suizas and lasagna. Yes, he makes a wicked lasagna!

I got together with another friend and we had breakfast at La Palapa de Charly, another favorite restaurant. Delicious omelets are served with chilaquiles and beans. And the turtles still greet you at the entrance.

I belong to a book club in Cashmere and I’m keeping up by reading books on Libby now that I’m back in Mexico. The current book is Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. I’m almost finished it and will email my comments to Joanne to share at the meeting next week.

I’ve also watched 2 interesting movies in Spanish this week. I pass on the subtitles. It’s a great way to improve my Spanish. Friends have recommended that I watch soap operas, but I prefer movies. Occasionally I opt for The Simpsons or Dora The Explorer. But movies are more my thing.

And that’s what I’m going to do right now. I’m going to watch a movie while I eat my lunch.

Have a great weekend!

Nov20

It’s Different Here

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It’s Different Here

Looks like I got out just in time. I missed that bomb cyclone in Washington with hurricane force winds, downed trees and powerlines. Friends in East Wenatchee are reporting power outages and more than six inches of snow. I’m shivering just thinking about this.

Here in Aguascalientes the temperature has been far above the norm for this time of year. I’m back to taking walks early in the morning and then again later at night.

Now that my room is organized, I have more time for writing. In addition to the novel I’m working on, one of my online writers’ groups gave an interesting challenge — “Write the story of your life as a narrative rather than as a collection of stories for a book of memoirs.” Seeing as I’ve struggled with the latter, it’s tempting to take up the challenge.

Last weekend Gloria and I went out to Tres Centurias. When I first got here five years ago, I took way too many photos of the trains so this year I only took photos of the catrinas. They hadn’t been taken yet although Dia de los Muertos was November 2nd. Then we walked over to Malva and had a delicious lunch of cochinita pibil.

Yesterday I went to my favorite bakery where I was greeted enthusiastically by the owner, “Maestra!” Somehow that name has stuck. The first time I went there I told her I was a retired teacher. Of course the word “retired” was eliminated immediately.

I also went to another favorite store where I buy a few things I don’t find at my corner tienda. And once again the staff remembered me. This store has a variety of meat and cheese as well as crepes and hotcakes.

My Spanish is getting a workout. Raul is pretty much the only one I speak English to. Of course I still have to tell my neighbors “mas despacio, por favor.”

My Spanish must be improving. I watched a crime show on TV the other day and actually picked up on most of the subtle cues although I’d never seen this episode before. And I don’t use subtitles.

Happy Humpday!

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!

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.

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.

Oct24

It’s Coming

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It’s Coming

Yes the clock will go back an hour on the 31st, just in time for Halloween. But that’s not the big one here in Mexico.

Here is a pictorial preview of preparations for Dia de Los Muertos.

November 1st and 2nd are days of remembrance. These are the days when the spirits of the dead return to visit. Altars are created to honor loved ones who have passed. Cemeteries come alive with music and parties.

I snagged these photos of the traditional bread at a bakery.

Here in Aguascalientes the celebrations, including a parade, begin on October 29th. It will be an interesting weekend.

Nov4

Dia De Los Muertos

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Dia De Los Muertos

I’m back in Tlaquepaque enjoying one of my favorite Mexican celebrations…..Day of the Dead. This is a time when family and friends gather together to pray for and remember family and friends who have passed away. Altars are constructed and food and photos are prominent. Personal possessions are also displayed. Faces are painted and traditional dress is also featured for both adults and children alike. Brightly colored marigolds are everywhere and the cemeteries are alive with celebrations of the spirits of the deceased.

I spent hours walking down Calle Independencia and Calle Juarez taking photos of altars. It was fascinating watching the various artists painting faces of children and adults. The costumes were outstanding and Catrinas were everywhere.

 

In the evening I checked out the amazing altar outside El Parian in the square. An added delight was the celebration inside the government building which featured altars, catrinas and mariachis. In the Jardin Hidalgo a stage had been set up and various singers and dancers performed.

The vendors were out in full force. Food ranged from tortas ahogadas to churros. Other vendors sold everything from leather goods to jewelry. Needless to say, the people watching and photo ops were plentiful. Here are a few:

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