New marigolds planted in many places to mark Days of the Dead 

Inside Belles Artes courtyard (red flowers in background are pointsetas) 

getting ready for days of the dead festivities 

preparations in from of the cathedral 

fresh marigolds around shop door 

Candles anyone? 

candies of various sorts (hope you can blow it up) 

the hat is for sale 

Mila's 89th birthday party 

John Lang sent some suggestions for Greg's costume 

Days of the Dead

Another delay in our house closing has set us back to sometime later next week. Fortunately this time it is on the Mexican side. I met the owners yesterday. They were quite cute. As suspected they built the house themselves over three years. He is now a chauffeur in LA but they have another house in SMA. I’m not sure what she does. They got a lesson in Mexican tax reform (driven by NAFTA) from the lawyer and in the end resigned themselves to the tax bill they face. They will still be a lot richer when and if this finally closes. They left a power of attorney with a friend here, so once the authority comes through from Mexico City it should all move without further hitches. Ojala!

The only thing worse than a bunch of Texans together is a bunch of drunk Texans together. I had that unpleasant experience the other night when I went looking for a place to watch the fourth game of the World Series. There was an empty bar seat in one place I looked into, so I sat down. The game was ok but listening to the two couples re-fight the Alamo, lament the outcome of the Civil War and labor endlessly over the bill and tip while insulting the help was painful to say the least. Fortunately I have learned not to insert myself in those conversations even when people are sober. Gladly I escaped unscathed and Boston won to boot.

There is something to be said for a town where the head police detail around el Jardin spends a good part of the morning tending the bougainvilleas in the large stone pots when not directing traffic or giving directions to tourists. It is a town with a parade of some sort almost every day. I happened upon one the other day that was apparently a United Nations school event. Hundreds of tiny grade 1-ers paraded around the town square all dressed in a variety of national costume from a country they represented. The one with the Canadian flag did not have much of a costume but many were elaborate and well done. Very cute. Yesterday there was a parade around el Jardin including a couple of marching bands advocating an end to domestic violence and violence against women in general.

Monday and Tuesday mark the culmination of the Days of the Dead (Los Dias de las Muertos) in Mexico and preparations have been in full swing for a month. Every shop has a skeleton somewhere and many are selling ceramic and paper ones in various sizes along with candied animal replicas. The foreign population here (and increasingly the Mexicans) mix it all up with Halloween, including costume parties at many bars on Sunday night, but the two have little in common. On November 1 (All Saints’ Day) and November 2 (All Souls Day) families unite to remember their deceased loved ones. Traditionally, day one is for dead children and day 2 for dead adults. Alters appear everywhere decorated elaborately with candles, marigolds, incense, bread, salt, water and corn along with photos of the passed. Feasts of traditional food are prepared and consumed in festive fashion and give sustenance to the dead who, after all, have not eaten for a year. Humorous ceramic figures, typically skeletons, and crepe decorations in orange, black, purple and red add to this mixture of Hispanic and pre-hispanic tradition to remind of the fragility of life and the certainty of death.

El Jardin is a beehive of activity in preparation for the various elements of the 2-day program and anticipated crush of several thousand visitors to witness the schedule of dancing and music concerts. Flower baskets are being repotted with orange marigolds, stages are being constructed and a grand alter will be built in front of the cathedral (Parroquia) along with some 40 smaller ones around the square. Special honor this year goes to Fray Jose Mojica, a famous local opera singer turned priest and founder of the Mexiquito boy’s home.

My friend Simonnette (97 years young) thinks the Days of the Dead tradition beautiful but refrains from buying the local press these days because she does not need to be reminded at every page of the inevitable. She also says it is sad to see all of the décor around the catholic graves while the Protestant ones lay unkempt. Not that there are many of the latter in this country. Mila turned 89 on Friday and we had a small party for her. She leaves today back to Hawaii and frankly I will not miss her narrow-minded view of the world.

And then there is this: Politics in SMA: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=6666441

local bar on Canal with outside attractions 

vet and pharmacy on Canal 

tavern on the corner one street up on Canal 

this from my front door - high-rent houses across the street 

from my corner across Canal and up 

Across Canal street from my corner - very elegant! 

again from across Canal street looking at my corner and down 

looking down my street from the other side of Canal street 

looking up Canal street to el Jardin from my place 

This Old House

We have had a small hitch in the closing and now it will not happen until Monday. It is a Canadian problem of course. I should wait until it does close before getting too excited but hopefully no more problems will arise.

This sow’s ear is just off Canal Street, (a major commercial street running the length of the lower town from el Jardin), zoned commercial and is an easy 6 or 7-minute downhill walk from the town center (el Jardin) – it is a more rigorous 8-minute walk uphill to el Jardin but one can stop for a beer. It is also only a ten-minute walk to the Instito Allende and the many shops and restaurants that area offers.

It is on a split lot and was apparently built by a Mexican family in the mid seventies, probably in stages over several years and most likely without a plan. It is on a steep hill but has little architectural merit and no view to speak of. Indeed it needs some changes to make it comfortable, and even more to make it attractive. It is on two levels with 2 bedrooms, (the master with small patio), and a studio upstairs, with living, dining and kitchen downstairs leading to a small patio/garden - pretty standard layout from what I have seen. The houses across the street from me are rather grand and have had recent work.

The street appears quiet but there are some commercial establishments close by that are both a blessing and a curse. For instance there are two doctors offices, one across the street and one down a few houses. There is a veterinarian and a pharmacy a block away. There are 2 local restaurants within a block and a laundry, movie rental and a computer repair shop less than 2 blocks away. There is carpenter's shop on the street one up. The town’s major farmer’s market is only three blocks away, which sells everything but more particularly fresh fruits, veg, meat and fish. The Warren Hardy Spanish Language School is a couple of blocks away and there is a small park, a church (with bells and we are not too sure how loud yet) and a school 3 blocks away. There are also two taverns within a block from me, one right on the corner – this may or may not be good news.

I have a cell-phone by the way. It is one of these pay as you go type and I have had it for a couple of weeks now and am quite pleased with it although I have no idea what the monthly will eventually work out to. It is very cute and makes me feel like I am now in step with the teenagers, construction workers and maids. Call me at 415 101 7503.

front view of the casita I bought 

another sow's ear 

Are we there yet?

You will probably think I am nuts but I have decided to buy a house here – well almost – I close the end of this week. It is another sows ear but seems to have some potential if the authorities will let me make a few changes. It will keep me out of the bars for a couple of years. I wonder if I have the energy for this still? The price was right and I need a base here that is more permanent than a rental. Most of the rentals are for specific terms and it is really hard to find one that does not specify – “no kids, no pets”. I am posting a picture of the street side and once I get in I will have more pics of the interior. It is small although a bit bigger than the place in Ottawa - no basement of course. It has a nice patio off the kitchen and dining rooms which should make a nice garden.

Speaking of bars I decided to forego the visiting metzo soprano at the Belles Artes Friday night at 8 p.m. and instead looked to see if there is any late night action in this town. This is a small town after all and the action is a bit sparse as far as I can tell so far. Not that I need it very much given my tender age.

I started at about 12:30 a.m. after a late siesta. I tried La Cucaracha first as I had read about it. It is a run down place with sleazy broken down but comfortable furniture and a jukebox and seems to be frequented mostly by young men that look to need a haircut and a good bath. Maybe I was too early. Many of the restaurants have small bars that were open but sparsely populated with couples in the last throws of an evening’s conversation. One had pool tables that were in use. I was told La Petit Bar was where to go but couldn’t find it. I walked into one place that had very loud music emanating from its doors but found it to be populated by young kids dancing to rave-type vibes.

I ended up at Mama Mia’s, which has a pretty good restaurant I have tried in the earlier hours. The ground floor bar was jumping with a live rock band featuring a female singer who was good and had the very tiny dance floor packed and animated. The crowd was a little older. I progressed upstairs to the rooftop bar from where you could see and hear the band below. It was pleasant and warm with a clear sky and waxing half-moon juxtaposed against men’s underwear and lady‘s nighty hanging from the clothesline on the rooftop next door. I ate a couple of tacos that the fellows were preparing on the rooftop grill and they were great. I called it a night at about 2:30. It’s an age thing.

I have since heard there are a couple of other places but I will save those for another time. There is bound to be a place with more traditional Latin music where the older guys go to blow off a little steam, but in this conservative Mexican farm community, who knows?

It was just as well I was out late last night. About 50 students arrived at the hotel from Mexico City and they were having a good time – all night it seems. I slept like a log.

some doors are open 

closed 

Courtyard of the Biblioteca (library)