Picasa Photo Album

Here is our Picasa web album of our Puebla ...

https://picasaweb.google.com/115771192758513101844/CraigAndAmyAtDayOfTheDead?authkey=Gv1sRgCL_6y9KDnuaeUg

Remembering loved ones

One very touching feature of day of the dead is that all over Mexico people go to cemeteries to clean and decorate their graves. We've seen it in many states, even where the tradition of offrendas or of staying at the graveside all night long no longer continues. Below we'll publish a few photos, of this and the lovely decorations that result.

The Amazing Voladores de Papantla

We have been so hopeful this trip to experience the Voladores de Papantla. There is a tradition in the huastec tribes near and above Veracruz that was a religious ceremony and was something that the catholic church could not prevent so they incorporated it. In this ceremony four brave men ascend a very straight very tall pine, 30 meters (100 feet) where they balance on a yard wide square that spins. They arrange ropes in a spiral like a maypole. Then a fifth even braver man climbs up and plays a recorder like flute and prays with the men to the four directions, while standing and dancing! On the top of the pole. Finally he sites on the top of the pole and the four others slowly lean out backwards and fall out on their ropes, heads down, ropes around their slim waists-- how do they ever stay there... With one foot hooked around the rope. Heads down they spiral through the air as if in a trance slowly flying down to earth. Here are some pictures: in our case seen at a county fair, far from the usual solemn presentation!

Tlaxcala sentimental

It's late. We just spent an hour or two, under the main portal arcade of Tlaxcala's main square, listening to a very romantic and skilled trio playing the kind of poetic yearning songs that to us represent the very best of the Mexican tradition. They played a vihuela for the rhythm, a guitaron for the bass, and the melody on a regular guitar. The three sang with a fourth guy with that gorgeous harmony that gives fullness to the music. Although it was chilly the music was very warming. There were small family groups listening, all of us seated at the cafe's small tables under the stone arches.

Today was a perfect day. Had delicious breakfast in our hotel, the Gran Casona de Cortes, of fruit, chilaquiles, and enchiladas suizas. Went to the market and roamed then hopped on a local bus to go half an hour out in the countryside through the town of Nativitas and then got dropped off in the burbs and walked about seven steep blocks, past a churchyard with its graves outlined in orange marigolds, up to the ruins called Cacaxtlan. This ruin, 1500 years old, has beautiful murals in turquoise, red, white and other colors, remarkably like Bonampak in the Yucatan, so much so they feel sure this place had Mayan influence though soooo far away. We could have seen all three of the big volcanoes from the hilltop site but it was a little hazy. The area is rolling hills with pepper trees, a few pines, cornfields, some Joshua tree like plants and giant nopal cactus. Beautiful. A few rivers.
On the way back met a sweet young Mexican American guy who is assembly of God, here on a personal mission of sorts, teaching in a village while attending the university in Tlaxcala.
Then we combi'd back to town, caught the end of another charreada, caught another performance by the Voladores de Papantla, did some shopping then ate an incredible pork chops in red pipian sauce, so savory, with some Don Julio reposado, then walked the plazas then had a pie called "5 chocolates" that was creamy with a sponge cake soaked in various chocolates and then after some more strolling found this band, "Los princes". Perfectly full day to end this perfectly full varied week. How we love being in Mexico. Sad that it's time to go home but it could not have been a better last day.

Tomorrow we hop on our last bus from Tlaxcala straight to Mexico city's huge TAPO bus station where we'll get a "secure taxi" which you need in Mexico City if you've got luggage, to the Mexico city airport for a last great Italian meal... Then home.

Offrendas of Puebla