Tuesday 8 November 2011

Nov 8th. Day of the Dead and the pyramids

(posted by Shelley) So it has been a few days since we last posted and it has been pretty busy here. Lots of building going on and the casita is looking good. Trev and I can't wait to get in there and unpack all of our stuff as right now everything we own is still in boxes in my parents spare bedroom along with our king size bed, a huge armoire, 6 foot tall filing cabinet, an amp and a guitar stand with Trev's guitars.....oh ya..and Flash's dog bed. Needless to say it is pretty packed in there. We don't expect to be fully in before we leave for Puerto Vallarta and Canada but when we get back it should be all good to go.

We have not actually booked our flight back to Canada yet since we are in the middle of getting our immigration papers and you cannot leave the country without special permission during the process. If we do not have our FM2s by the time we get back from PV then we will apply for permission to leave the country.

So what is new......our first Halloween was a pretty uneventful one.We bought 3 bags of candy and had one group of kids come. There were about 6 kids and 4 adults. They didn't actually ring our bell but I heard them standing out in the street just yelling "Trick or Treat" and then waiting to see who might come outside with some sweets. They were very excited to get some suckers and then that was it. We were stuck with all that candy. Luckily we got some chocolate and we had no problem getting rid of that :) but none of us eat suckers of the sponge bob square pants variety, so we gave them all to Maria who has kids.

Then on November 2 Trev and I went into town for The Day of the Dead. There was a whole street in Chapala that was decorated with alters for loved ones....friends and family aswell as beloved singers like Mexico's own Selena and of course Bob Marley. It was amazing to see all the work that goes into these alters. Day of the Dead is actaully 2 days......November 1 is when it is believed the spirits of children come back and November 2 is for everyone else. It is not a sad time - more of a celebration. It is thought that tears will make the path to the other world slippery and the spirits will have a hard time walking on it. Once the spirits get here the alters are decorated with their favourite foods and drink, and many people hand out bread and drinks to people passing by. It was packed and just as were were leaving there was a candle light procession with all the teenagers painted in traditional day of the dead face paint.

Trev celebrating Dia de Muertos

an alter for Bob Marley

some kids painted for the celebration


candle light procession, about 50 or more teenagers

On Friday Trev and I finally got to go to the pyramids. It had been postponed a few times as they need at least 4 people to make the trip and it is right in between seasons for the travel agents but this week they had 8 people including Trev and I. The pyramids are about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Ajijic. On the way there we stopped on the side of the road just outside of Jocotopec for a traditional Mexican breakfast beverage. We pull up to a table on the side of the road that has all the stuff you can add to your drink.....cocoa with sugar, coffee, tequila and a few other things. Once you have put your ingridients in the cup you take it over to a white "tent" that is filled with a few cows and you hand your cup to a guy who then milks the cow right into your cup. Stir and drink. Now this might sound gross but let me tell you, it was awesome. For any of you that come and visit we will definitely take you there for your cup of morning joe.

We got to the pyramids and our guide Rosie was great. It was definitely worth going on the tour rather than going on our own because we would not have gotten any of the history on what we were seeing. These  pyramids are not like the Mayan ones that you are more familiar with. These are round to start with. These ones are also older dating back to 1500 BC. There are 3 large round pyramids. Two have been uncovered but the 3rd and largest is still buried. Before the site was protected some of the stones had been removed to build the roads in the nearby village and water has ruined all that was buried inside. Rosie says that due to the high cost it will not be uncovered, but they are still excavating other areas on site. Each round pyramid is surrounded by raised alters that at one point had a house in each one. Each alter was occupied by a different village and the site is belived to be for ceramonial purposes only. Walking around the large round pyramid you see Tequila Vocano. It was pretty amazing to touch stones and walls that were put there so long ago. Definitely worth the trip.


1 of 3 round pyramids, this is the 2nd largest on site

can't figure out how to turn this around but this was taken standing on the largest temple that is still covered.


from this angle you can see Tequila Vocano right behind the pyramid
 On the way home we stopped for lunch and then stopped off at a small village called Santa Cruz de las Flores to check out the church there. It was finished in 1692, and it is amazing. It is all made of stone and covered in carving from top to bottom.


This same day was also Chapala Haciendas annual street potluck. There was lots of food and beer and live music. It was great and we actually knew quite a few people there which was a nice feeling. It was also a chance to meet some new people also. We all had a great time.

Since then we have started painting in the kitchen and Jose, Trevor and my dad are getting the wall around the property painted very fast. Now we are trying to find the right colour for the house. Things are starting to shape up around here.

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