Feliz Ano Nuevo, Mas Navidad y El Piano Rojo

And You Thought Christmas Was Loud

We were pretty wiped out by the time New Year's Eve rolled around.  We had been doing the fiesta thing with family and friends pretty much nonstop from October onward.  By the time we dropped Justin at the airport to catch his 10:15 flight to LA on New Year's Eve our only goals were to make it home without colliding with livestock on the pitch dark highway, throw ourselves in bed and sleep for perhaps several weeks.  As we tucked ourselves in we were aware of the blaring Salsa music from Number 4, bottle rockets, the sky alight with fireworks and the throbbing bass emanating from numerous cars that circled our block endlessly.   Usually the cacophony of village life abates at one or two in the morning. Well, they set a new record. I awoke from my fitful sleep at 6AM to find that it was STILL all going on. Where these people get the stamina I have no idea.  Because, by noon, they were all up and ready to go for the New Year's Day parade.

It seems that every post we do includes a parade.  I believe several posts have contained two parades.  I am going to count the parades this year (Resolution #327).  Freed from the constraints imposed by a parade marking a religious or patriotic event, our villagers were able to kick off the traces and let the full range of their imagination soar. Soar so far in fact that there were several floats whose theme or message totally escaped us.  Like the one featuring a woman swigging a drink with a small child looking on.  Then there were all those bees.  Perhaps it's cultural.  Or we're dense.  You decide.

Bring in the clowns...

and the revolutionaries...

and the peacock princesses (along with the horse-man baring his stomach)...

and the giant head with the "Mexico" sombrero with the giant cigarette!

It may not be the Rose Bowl parade, but there are still lots of flowers,

along with a bit of Japan in Old Mexico,

featuring a geisha in drag.

Does she or doesn't she? Based on the child I'd say she does. 

More flowers & fairies too.

A classic hecho in Mexico. Also note the woman with the blue hair.

The gringos watch the parade, while the dog poses for the camera.

The man with the cohete (rocket), without which no Mexican celebration would be complete.

Even the banner bearers are in costume.

There seems to be a bee theme here...

and here...

and here...

and here!

I'm not sure how the green bug fits into the bee theme.

A lucha libre character joins the band.

In any case, it only whet our appetite for the possibilities involved in the Mardi Gras Parade (February 12th).  It would seem that Mardi Gras (what with Lent and all) might have an overlay of the religious but we have been assured that even in a conservative Catholic area they just go really nuts.  Can't wait.


And So It Is Christmas...

Ha!  You thought it was over.  Well, maybe NOB it is, but the Mexican's have perfected making Christmas last two months.  How you ask?  Let's see.  Everybody's tree goes up at the end of November.  Then Posadas start December 16th and continue until the 24th.  Then the Main Event.  Then Three Kings Day on January 6.  Then Candlemas February 2.  Then it is over.  I think.  But, of course, that is just in time to crank up for Mardi Gras.  You just have to love this culture.

So, when it became time for Three Kings Day, we hiked up to the Plaza to witness the public portion of the event on the night of the 6th.  First, on the night of January 5th all the kids stick their shoes under their beds or in the family nativity scene.  They have placed their list of demands (Christmas lists, sorry) in either place or the more creative kids have tied them to balloons and released them to heaven.  After playing with their gifts all day they are ready to go see the Three Kings.

We arrived to find the Plaza set up with a corral arrangement next to the Nativity Scene.  As time went by, livestock arrived.  Goats were very big.  In fact, maybe only goats.  No camels and certainly no elephants like you see in most Nativity Scenes here.  The highlight was when they put two tiny kids (goats-- not the other kind) in the pen.  Now you would think that the locals would be rather jaded about goats of any size since they are everywhere and they even eat them but the crowd just melted and cooed.  Some excitement was provided by the dog who snuck in (he did look a bit like a goat but many do here) and started a fracas but he was soon extracted and sent on his way.

Then Mary, Jesus and Joseph made an appearance in the neighboring Creche in front a roaring fire that small boys were drawn to like moths.  No fatalities.  We were awaiting and awaiting the three Wise Men but they got lost or stopped for a beer or something and we just gave up.  Assuming they arrived, and once their deal was completed, the big event was the breaking of Pinatas by the young ones.

The shepherds watch over their flock of goats waiting for Tres Reyes.

When the little goats are let into the pen, the white one finds mama right away.

However the black one is not far behind.

Mary, Joseph & one of the shepherds wait for Tres Reyes.

Even the Ajijic Town Hall is decorated for the extended holidays.

There is another big event that happens on Three Kings Day.  Every family, or cohesive social group, bakes or buys a Rosca de Reyes.  This is a cake that is shaped in an oval and decorated with candied fruits (the Latin version of the dreaded fruit cake).  Prior to baking, a small plastic Jesus is pressed into, and obscured, in the raw dough.  This symbolizes keeping the Christ Child hidden from the murderous King Herod. When the cake is eaten whoever gets the Baby Jesus is named padrino or godfather of the baby and is then on the hook to provide a big tamale feast for everybody on Candlemas on February 2nd.  I can only imagine the intrigue involved in avoiding the honor.  I wonder if they are digestible.  I wish we had a picture of one.  Go to Wikipedia OK?

Going Loco at El Piano Rojo

You may remember my mention of El Piano Rojo, the new club in town owned by the "proud transgendered Canadian with a background in ice trucking, construction and art."  Well, come on, you know we had to go scope it out.  As our initial foray, we decided to go see Joelle Rabu who specializes in Edith Piaf, torchy kind of stuff.  We were tempted by The Kinsey Sicks (America's Favorite Dragapella Beauty Shop Quartet) but our friend Wes assured us they were a bit passé.  So, last Saturday we gussied up (not really) and took in the show.  It was outstanding! Outstanding I tell you! First of all the venue.  It really was a cabaret.  Shades of Joel Grey (not to be confused with Shades of Grey).  Michael was forced to use his iPhone which offends his photographic sensibilities but I hope he got at least a decent shot.  This was not a drag show.  Her son was her accompanist.  Well, I guess that could work either way but it wasn't a drag show.  I will say, I have a hard time picturing El Piano Rojo in Wellesley, MA.  Although it is an amusing image.  The audience was as intriguing as the show.  Straight, gay, pretty old, all swigging wine with gusto.  The place was sold out.  It has been sold out since it opened.  Next time we are going edgier.

Joelle Rabu & her son Niko at El Piano Rojo (note the rojo piano).

Joelle on the piano.

Note the Catrina on the rojo piano.

The painting at the right was done by one of the owners of El Piano Rojo & was raffled off.

So, What's Up

Family is all good.  Justin's company's film Max Rose starts production in the next week or two and he is busy.  Alex decided working 110 hours a week, while remunerative, is insane and has cut back to two jobs.  He is tanning nicely.  The population of Ajijic has swelled dramatically (like 30-40%) as Canadians flee the sub-zero temperatures and blizzards of the North.  Next post should cover the Charra that takes place on Sunday (I'll leave you guessing what it is) and we may regale you with our tales of joining Seguro Popular -- the national health system. Take care and hope your 2013 is shaping up nicely.