Viva Independencia! Viva Mexico!

Well, first to attend to business --

RETRACTION:  On our last blog we foolishly stated that Luke was an apostle.  Well, do you think we are EVER going to live that down? No.  We heard from everyone from parochial school dropouts to people who have vast theological knowledge about our silly little error. However, in true quien sabe spirit the real answer is a bit murky.  Not the identity, but the reason that there is no one (soon to be named) in the vacant spot.  It is thought by those better versed than ourselves that the spot was intentionally left empty because, let's face it, Judas does not deserve a statue.  We're going with that. Or maybe Judas was stolen... who knows?

SECOND RETRACTION:  Okay.  It wasn't the Virgin of Guadalupe in the photo.  It was somebody else whose name could be read right below the statue by those who attend to that type of detail.  But we were very tired.  We thought you wouldn't notice.  Religious statues are beginning to blur in our minds.  You people are sharp and we are chastised and will not try anything like that again until the next time.

Now on to the Revolution!

We got back from our trip to the Colonial Cities well versed on how things had gone down and just in time to celebrate our first  Independence Day.  Well, actually there was a week in between which was just enough time to celebrate Globos and to cure Michael of his case of salmonella.  We will not dwell on the salmonella incident except to say that it was quite unpleasant yet provided an excellent opportunity to once more appreciate the fine Mexican medical system.

Saturday, September 15th is the celebration of the grito which takes place at 11PM from the balcony of whatever is the most important municipal building.  It is yelled by the mayor/governor/president as the case may be.  Then much dancing, carousing and singing (not to mention drinking) happens in the Plaza.  Well, Michael was still coming off the Salmonella incident and we had friends over to dinner but we were gamely prepared to walk to the Plaza and take part in the festivities.  As the evening progressed and we ate our dinner, had a few margaritas and wines and lolled on the front veranda, I could feel the grito resolve ebbing from the crew.  Just as the critical departure moment arrived, the skies opened up and a torrential rainstorm swept in.  "Oh darn," we uttered, "rotten luck.  Maybe next year.  Can you pass that wine over here?"  Turns out, that was probably the last big rain of the rainy season.

The next day, parades and festivities are held throughout Mexico.  At 10AM Michael and I walked up a block to Avenida Constitution (how appropriate) and grabbed a piece of curb to watch the Parade.  First came the school kids.  Millions of them.  "Where did all these kids come from?" I asked Michael.  "There can't possibly be this many kids in Ajijic!"  We then realized that at any given time you only see half the kids in Ajijic.  This is because schools operate on two sessions (roughly morning and afternoon) cleverly disguising the fact that there are a million kids here in total.  Nancy tells us there are even more (could there be a third session?) and we will see them in the "big" parade on November 20th.

School children color guard

School children drum corps (check out the pom-poms)

How did the kid with red hair & freckles end up here  

Following the school children came the Miss Ajijic winners and runners up.  We had unfortunately missed the Contest that was held on the Plaza several weeks earlier but have it on our list for next year.  After that came the charros and their accompanying bands.  Charros are very interesting and I am getting hooked on them.  In general, charros are pretty well heeled folks who learn to ride while in, or soon post, diapers.  This can be attested to in our photos.  The charro tradition is passed on through families who have been doing it foreverish.  They have beautiful outfits that would look ridiculous on anyone else.  They also have beautiful horses and drink a great deal of beer and tequila on and off horseback.  But the best part is the dancing horses.  You would not believe what these guys can make these horses do.  And unfortunately, still photos can't capture it. Charros, in addition to doing parades, hold charreadas which are very similar to rodeos but not quite as violent as the American form.  Bulls are smaller, roping cows smaller,  no rodeo clowns.  But I digress once more. Back to the Parade.

Miss Ajijic

No parade in Jalisco is complete without mariachis

The charros followed by the band

More charros

There are charras too!

The charros begin to learn to ride from a very early age

However notice the "seat belt"

This young charro kept talking about his investments with E Trade

Once the entire parade had passed us by on Constitution, we ambled up to the Plaza, grabbed a table and a coffee and watched the world pass by.  The Plaza was so crowded it was difficult to move but everybody was just pretty chilled.  Street food was everywhere as well as the requisite confetti eggs, balloons and approximately 7,000 Mexican flags.  The kids buy the confetti eggs and spend the day cracking them over each others heads which looks like great fun.  We watched a mother trying to get her 2-3 year old to crack an egg on her.  The child was clearly conflicted.  Having spent the last year of her life being trained to not hit her mother, Mom was now begging her to wallop her with this painted egg.  What kind of crazed woman had begotten her was written in her eyes.

Gathering in the Plaza after the parade

Colorful snacks for sale in the Plaza

Even the very young dress up for Independence Day

The Parade ends, of course, at the Plaza providing us with the opportunity to see most of it again from our new vantage point.  The horses are not allowed on the Plaza itself (see Mexico DOES have rules!) but the charros were really going great guns (not literally) on the street.  The band was playing, the horses were dancing and the charros were getting down. The party lasted well into the afternoon and it appeared a good time was had by all.  I will end here because there are mucho pictures and we don't want to run out of room.  Alex arrives on Friday and hopefully we will be able to get into some adventures that will result in more blogs.  Until then, take care and have fun.

The charros perform with their dancing horses next to the Plaza

You are never too young to learn to be a charro!

Nor are you ever too old!

Nor can you ever be without your cerveza