Long before daylight on our first day of cold weather with heavy rain, I made my way to the highway with my umbrella where I met up with forty-four Mexicans. We gathered together in a dark house with one little dangling light bulb, all waiting for the bus. I was handed a small baby bundled in pink while her mother called out the seat numbers. Most seemed to be from our former Angel Flores neighborhood dating back to around 1985. It was good to recognize them again after all these years.
Now, on to a festival in Ciudad Guzman.... a true Spanish-learning experience! Not a word of English was spoken all day, not even by me! I was seated with a lovely lady, Rosario - better known as Chayo - and the one who makes "sopes" to sell (little handmade tortilla shells with a filling like picadillo or frijoles). I was really lucky to sit with her and we became "cuates" (close friends) for the rest of the day. By the way, the news is already out... just a day later. The salesperson at the corner grocery store today said "I heard you went on a trip yesterday...." There are no secrets in this Mexican community. They know everything about us foreigners and what we do here.
Everyone was so nice to me..... Socorro had made two ham sandwiches for me to have along the way and Pancho had loaned me a folding stool to use. Ramona was the organizer. There was Cristina who sells chicken on the plaza, Anita and her four sisters and Rocelio who had been the mountain guide for my last tour.
The only problem was that the ceiling of the bus leaked rain right over my head until it was fixed. I watched two movies with the famous Mariachi singer, Vicente Hernandez from nearby Cajititlan and with another house just a block away from us. I was freezing on the bus but I snuggled into my blanket over my warm clothes and took a siesta.
There was a stop at Acamecua known for good pecans that everyone bought and frijoles blanditos nuevos (new tender dried beans) which I cooked today with the remainder of my Cajun sausage and sent some to Socorro as a "thank you". I did some sight seeing. Nice village. Then on to Ciudad Guzman....
The weather was great, after we arrived, to warm up in. I actually had to use that umbrella again for the sunshine. (The "para-agua", at this point, became a "para-sol"). Our group sat together to view the parade while eating ceviche, jicama and pepina with chile, and good homemade potato chips, delicious with cold beer. Just next to us were loud announcements being made of each approaching group alternating that with loud music. A little uncomfortable but I went to a pharmacy to buy cotton for ear plugs although no one else seemed to need them. I walked several times to the Mercado (city market) where we could use the banos (restrooms) at two pesos a ticket.
Unbelievable parade for five whole hours! Indian and traditional performances by the hundreds all continuously dancing! Some wearing elaborate feather head pieces and little more than a loin cloth but the majority in handmade costumes of beautiful colors, all different to distinguish groups from each other. Although in various colors, all head coverings were similar to lampshades with beaded fringes. Cute.... and beautiful, too!
So special were the allegorical floats depicting the "Sacred Family" (Mary, Joseph & Jesus) in biblical scenes! Many great horses (some dancing) with handsome riders! Marching bands and mariachi groups playing music! Boys in scary costumes cracking whips between groups! People were kept out of harm's way and there was no need for barriers.
Never have I seen such colorfully dressed participants as in this non-commercial parade as opposed to our New Orleans Mardi Gras. There was an honor guard of hundreds of men in costumes pulling the ropes attached to "la ultima", the ultimate magnificent scene of the theme of this wonderful festival. Thrilling anticipation for that!
The plan was to stop in Mazamitla on the way home for dinner in a restaurant and shopping for cheese, Rompope, honey and cream to take home but a couple from our group got lost and we spent two more hours in Ciudad Guzman searching and waiting for them. I learned later that they just couldn't find us and took a regular bus home.
That was fine though because we had two more hours to explore Ciudad Guzman which was quite impressive. Its huge cathedral had long burgundy colored banners hanging all the way down from the high Gothic vaulting. These were held by gold colored angels blowing trumpets. Then there were the usual Mexican statues including the gory figures that are in so many churches. Outside was a large atrium for religious events. Beyond that was an even larger plaza filled with people happily enjoying this special holiday. In the center was a bandstand with tall cantera stone columns flanked by playing fountains of more cantera.
A special event was happening there--the famous Veladores from the state of Guerrero performed in the plaza with four men hanging from a very high spinning pole looking like flying quetzal birds! The spectacular climax of the performance was just in time for us to rush back to the waiting bus, stopping for a quick taco along the way. The ride home was uneventful except for kareoke singing and more movies while most drifted off to sleep. Not me, I was still excited about the marvelous day I had had. So much to tell my husband Hal when I got home and we were up until midnight describing my day with him vicariously enjoying it too.
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—About our writer:
Sylvia Perkins lives part of the year in Ajijic, Mexico with her husband Hal and enjoys writing about the local culture and the wonderful people there.
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