Travel thoughts

The Molcajete

The Molcajete

Not much I can say that the video doesn’t convey. The Molcajete meal at Ten Ten Pie – the bubbling one pot meal which is as good as it looks!  A combination of arrachera, chorizo, fried panela, grilled nopales, green onions, avocado and cilantro in […]

New Church Announcement

New Church Announcement

They came by at 6am this morning, rockets and all. The procession wound through town, past all the other churches for a blessing, then returned to our street about 1pm. The new church in our neighborhood opened its doors today and this is the formal […]

Virgen de Guadalupe Novenas

Virgen de Guadalupe Novenas

Last night was the 6th Novena for the Guadalupe in our neighborhood. Each day more people come and live music arrived on the fourth Novena. Don’t let the peacefulness of it fool you or make you nostalgic for simpler times because once it got started, […]

Museo Antropologia

Museo Antropologia

Mexico City, the museum of anthropology. There’s more than I can write pecking a letter at a time on my iPhone so here’s some photos until I can get to my computer

Locos Parade 2011

Locos Parade 2011

Every June in San Miguel de Allende, they celebrate the feast day of San Antonio de Padua with first, Rockets beginning at about 4am, followed by religious processions and masses and a full size carnival with lots of kiddie rides, ending a week later with […]

Pilgrimage from Atotonilco to San Miguel

Pilgrimage from Atotonilco to San Miguel

Two sunday’s before Easter, Sr. de la Columna, the Virgin of Dolores and San Juan are removed from their places in the santuario, wrapped in silk scarves, covered, then carried in an all night pilgrimage to San Miguel for the upcoming Semana Santa celebrations and […]

Follow up to Virgin of Guadalupe

Follow up to Virgin of Guadalupe

Slow but sure, I am catching up on my video footage.  December 12, the celebration for the Virgen de Guadalupe.  The celebrations started a few blocks down from our house where several new altars were built this year and a pilgrimage began on foot and […]

Mexico Lindo

Mexico Lindo

Just outside the city limits, on the way to Dolores Hidalgo, there’s a roadside attraction – a mini theme park of sorts called Mexico Lindo.  Enter at your own risk beneath a large, sun-bleached cow skull, facing Christo Rey who resides as a centerpiece in […]

Sledgehammer Fireworks

Sledgehammer Fireworks

You hear the din of battle next to the church, the sound of rockets booming and you feel the ground shaking from five blocks away. Each Carnaval, in the tiny town of San Juan de la Vega Mexico, there is a re-enactment of a 400+ year […]

Carnaval San Miguel Style

Carnaval San Miguel Style

There’s not much going on here for Carnaval, but in the Jardin, you can buy gorgeous hand made paper flowers, accordion legged ‘payasitos’ – little clowns – paper masks and confetti filled eggs – cascarones – which the children run around with – war style […]

Seven Deadly Sins

Seven Deadly Sins

In Queretaro, there is a nacimiento in the main plaza – four blocks filled with larger than life Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the three kings bearing gifts, walking along with their elephant and white horse. There’s the annunciation, with Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, a menagerie of animals […]

Nacimiento Babes

Nacimiento Babes

Every Christmas, Markets are set up all over town, Hundreds of stalls selling Cactus, Heno, Tree bark, Fir boughs, Painted clay figures, Glittery things, Lights, Nino Jesus dolls – the Santo Nino Along with elaborate hand made clothing To dress him in, for his birth […]

Virgen de Guadalupe

Virgen de Guadalupe

I think the saying goes ‘Let me count the ways’ And today, the multitude of ways they honor the Guadalupe, Lupe, Lupita, beginning at midnight with fireworks and a mariachi mass. At 7am there is a rosary at the altar down the street, with singing, praying, tamales […]

Peña de Bernal

Peña de Bernal

Is considered the third largest monolith in the world following the Rock of Gibraltar and Sugarloaf in Brazil. In mass, it is second to Ayers Rock in Australia and towers at a height of about 450 feet. San Sebastián Bernal sits at the bottom of the […]

Six Months Later

Six Months Later

I met up with  Elvia and her four daughters at the cemetery today.  She was late so I waited in front for an hour, arms full of flowers – you know me by now, trying to video people coming in with flowers, buckets, shovels, eating […]

Where Did The Last Two Weeks Go?

Where Did The Last Two Weeks Go?

Yikes! all of a sudden two weeks have gone by. I’m working on several posts which if all goes well, Will be up by the end of the week – The final movie of the sunday parade is finished. You can click on the photo […]

Catching Up

Catching Up

2014 Disclaimer: This reflects the decisions we make in 2009. Anything written here may have changed since then. This is a log of our story and you will want to do your own research as rules/plans change. It seems like every time I travel north […]

Flash From The Past

Flash From The Past

The other day We were walking from the bus station home When we passed by a big open comedor. John went in to get a bottle of water And I noticed these old photographs on the wall. San Miguel from other eras. Canal street The […]

Up Up and Away and More Sounds

Up Up and Away and More Sounds

Twice this week, While walking down the hill from my swim There have been major events in the Jardin. On Monday, the entire area was covered In big white tarps, shade cloth, A stage and bleachers With go-go dancers on the stage Wearing red and yellow Singing […]

More Sounds

More Sounds

Following up on the sounds of Mexico #1 Today started out very quietly At 8:15 with our local milk seller Who carried two tin milk cans On either side of his donkey Ladling it  into your own container I’m sure it’s not pasteurized. As he leaves […]

More Sounds and Things

More Sounds and Things

Every time I get a little theme going (…sounds) Something else comes up that doesn’t quite fit But has it’s own merits. This morning, as we were walking out the door, We were greeted by two horses. Now we don’t live in centro, But we […]

Sounds Of Our Neighborhood

Sounds Of Our Neighborhood

I’m always struck By the variety of sounds That permeate the days and nights here. It starts in the early morning, before eight, With the recorded gas truck song, The truck goes so fast down the street You have to run as fast as you […]

Swine Flu Thoughts

Swine Flu Thoughts

We’ve been so busy dealing With Deaths, Novenas, Resurrections That I haven’t had a moment to figure out What exactly I want to say About Swine Flu here in Mexico. Since everyone else is saying it all I guess that’s just fine That I haven’t […]

Senor de las Columnas Returns to Atotonilco

Senor de las Columnas Returns to Atotonilco

At about 1 am John woke me to say “Fireworks!” I think the procession is nearby I’m going… Normally I am up and running But this time, I am too tired And unable to rise for the occasion. I heard the door slam as he […]

Semana Santa Winds Down

Semana Santa Winds Down

As if Semana Santa wasn’t enough The church that holds Senor de las columas, The San Juan de Dios Church, Is still holding services throughout the day And when there are none, People still sit in the pews praying. This morning we walked past On […]