Fiestas de San Antonio Tlayacapan

The fiesta in San Antonio Tlayacapan is well known as the biggest party in the area, It's even said that the fiesta's noise brings the first summer season rains, and this year it did!  Right on time, as predicted we had our first rains of the season. In recent years, devout village families have been striving to bring the emphasis back on the patron saint and the church. One way they have accomplished this is by dressing some of the village's children in the brown robes of the Franciscan monks for the evening processions.


The fiesta honoring Saint Anthony as patron saint of San Antonio Tlayacapan concludes on the June 13, the anniversary of St. Anthony's death in 1231. Each day of the town's celebration is sponsored by a different village family. There are special Masses, processions, bands, dancing, carnival rides and games in San Antonio Tlayacapan each day of the fiesta.

St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost items, romance, old maids, boats, shipwrecks and the poor. Statues of San Antonio are prominent in many area churches. In church statuary, San Antonio always wears brown Franciscan robes and often holds the child Jesus, a white lily, or a book.

San Antonio was the privileged son of a 13^th century Italian family. The wealthy family expected Anthony to become involved in the family business, trading in silks and other bounty from the Orient.  Instead Antonio became a Dominican priest, and then left that order to join ranks with the missionaries headed by St. Francis with hopes of becoming a martyr by being killed by the infidels. He became so ill on the trip to the African coast that he was sent back to Italy immediately.

For years, he lived quietly in a rural hermitage, cleaning the kitchen and hiding his background, intellect and education. When St. Francis of Assisi discovered Antonio's gift for speaking and sharing the scriptures, he sent the humble priest all across Europe where he preached to enormous crowds.

Yummy Pan

Game Booths Galore!

Castillo

Each day of the fiesta patronal culminates in a giant firework castle or castillo.  I remember these from my youth in Guadalajara in the month of October, when we would honor our local virgin, La Virgin de Zapopan.

Brad and I headed to San Antonio about an hour before the castillo was to be lit...people crowded the little plaza, circulating round and round.  We ate corn on the cob with limon, sal y chile as we strolled.  The anticipation of the spectacle was palpable.

The church papel picado flags flapped in the lakeside wind as the castillo was being lit.

The crowds from the plaza poured in as the sounds and lights of the castillo enticed everyone into the churchyard .

The castillo is unlike any other firework display...as read on Brad's face.

Several firework structures were to be burned that evening.

The firework display lit up the night.

As the last structure burned it brought our evening to an end.  But the fiesta carried on into the wee hours of the morning...and early in the morning, after all the rides and booths were put away, the calming, cooling rains arrived...lulling us back to sleep and giving much needed moisture to our landscape and our souls.



Ruidos - Sounds

Right before daylight there is stillness, darkness, an occasional, far off call of a night bird.  Then the night recedes and daylight peaks through the blackness, which in turn, wakes the songbirds singing their morning chorus.  It is a beautiful, cacophonous, rousing sound...and then the day starts.

My morning bike rides along the lake shore bring me a few "moos" from the local cows, a whinny from the new colts and mares in the open fields, an occasional dog bark as I try to pass unnoticed in front of their homes, distant duck calls, macho rooster crows and sweet, young chick clucks.



Almost everyone I pass or meet says "Buenos Dias".  Even the animals.

The cobblestones clack and click my bicycle tires and stress my shocks.  As I near the plaza, shouts of children running and playing in the school yard meet me.  Women are talking to each other in open doorways as I pass.  Local delivery trucks are making their rounds...all in preparation for the fiesta about to start tonight.

Then I reach the Malecon with it's gorgeous vistas, the egrets almost silently flying above, the herons patiently fishing, the grackles mischievously imitating sounds and strutting for each other.  What a show this is!

I find a shady spot to sit, from which to drink in the view, to leisurely read the morning paper, to have a breakfast bite and some liquid to quench my thirst...and I sit...stop...exist...and listen.


The swallows have found a good crop of swirling insects to feast on, right above my head.  Their sweet calls a welcome break from the people sounds.  I listen to their flight, their swooping and turning quickly, their squeaks of joy as they accomplish their innate tasks, sated.

As I ride home I hear the teasing, rising call of the cicadas...their plea turns into a whirling, whistling sound that pierces space with its intensity.  I greet my neighbors with "Buenas Tardes" as they lounge under the shade of our wondrous ficus trees.

And I return home greeted by the music of my partner, Chopin or Rachmaninoff...or possibly MDNA later in the evening.



Then the day grows dark, as the night sounds start.  The flapping of bat wings over head.  The night birds emerge to serenade our evening.  And the street dogs howl at the quehuetes as they explode somewhere over San Antonio, for the feast day celebrations have begun.

Then sleep over rides everything and the sound of dreams lull us into another realm.

Lake Chapala Cleanup

Basura

One of the most confusing things about driving through Mexico, or almost any state in any country for that matter, is how people nonchalantly throw trash out of their car windows or throw trash on the street as they stroll by, be it cigarette butt or fast food container.  Almost any animal, even a dog, knows not to poop in its own home.  So why is this lesson so hard to learn for humans?

When I ask, what I hear is that society has set up social systems and workers to clean up after "us".  But if your country is like mine, the resources set aside, or promised, for this task always seem to have been depleted too early and trash accumulates along roadsides, walkways and sidewalks.

So, coming from the eco-forward city of Santa Monica, CA. I thought I could coordinate neighborhood efforts for a lakeside cleanup.  I thought of asking if there already were efforts created along this line of thinking.  Before I could ask, I ran across a group of yellow and red T-shirted youth along the Ajijic Malecon...300 or so strong....with plastic trash bags in hand....busy picking up plastic bottles, food containers, paper wrappers, etc.  It was as if the divine spirit, the Lady of the Lake, had heard my inquiry and answered my prayers.

Who were these numerous busy workers?  Where did they come from?  How was it that they mysteriously appeared lakeside and were making our beautiful lake a pristine paradise?

They appeared to be high school age.  I asked a group of them what they were doing and why.  They answered that they were part of a bi-annual lakeside cleanup crew from a high school or preparatoria from Guadalajara that visits the lake in June and November every year to help clean up what we, the locals, discard as trash.  As I am now a local,  I was embarrassed to not be able to say that I was part of a clean up effort along the lake.

I sought out one of the two teachers responsible for the cleanup crew and learned from Ms. Sandoval that this effort was part of a high school curriculum focusing on environmental, sustainable issues.  The high school in question is the Preparatoria de Jalisco in Guadalalajara.  They have been visiting the Lake of Chapala for the past 12 years, twice a year, cleaning up other people's trash.

The Crew Lakside

The Crew Working Hard

Cleanup Crew Members Posing

Waiting for more trash

Aurrora Michel, local resident coordinator extraordinaire

Labyrinth Garden Prep

Aside from cleaning up the lake, the Prepa group also was going to plant a garden in the shape of a labyrinth.  Our local painter/designer Efren Gonzalez, was recruited to design a garden, honoring the power of positive action and thought.  A tractor was recruited, bricks ordered, top soil delivered and flowers and plants obtained.

Tractor Pic Op

In the spirit of positive thought, Bill Vincent, local musical magician from El Chante led us in song singing John Lennon's "Imagine".  A minute of silence was observed, then more songs sung.  The youth were thoroughly engaged and entertained.

Bill Vincent entertains the crowds

Some of the product

Ultimate Product = Clean Lake

When I got home to our little lakeside chateau, I ran into Ana Maria, who is our neighborhood watch mother.  I asked her if similar cleanup efforts had ever been tried on our street.  She explained that before the current political administration took office, there had been resources for the locals to work and keep their neighborhoods clean and clear of trash and graffiti.  Now that money was nowhere to be found.  Ana Maria had high hopes for the change about to occur on July 1st with our Mexican elections.

I hope she is right.  I too have high hopes for our neighborhood.  Whether the next administration provides resources, or we gather and do the job ourselves, it will be a better lakeside for all.

Humo

From the earliest memory of Mexico, smoke or humo rises. 

It laces itself into your being...the aroma invading your clothing, encircling your heart and piercing your soul.  Humo is part of the Mexican landscape and it is hard to escape it if you live here.  If arriving via airliner then driving to the city of Guadalajara, one is treated to a smokey, lingering layer from local fires lightly settling

 on the lirio marshes surrounding the airport. 

If arriving by motorcar, one is enticed by the scent of roadside fires.

With a bit of imagination you could envision

an indigenous roadside ritual residue.

This morning a smokey glaze laid over the Lake of Chapala.   The layer appeared to be more of a haze than smoke, but the effect was the same nevertheless...beautiful hued layering on the mountain ranges, a mysterious opaque screen across the water.

Today was Friday and we were heading to the big city....Guadalajara...to shop for some needed items that could not be bought lakeside.  We have a love/hate relationship with Guadalajara.  We hate the traffic, the hectic pace...but love certain things about Mexico's 2nd largest city.  One of those love things is the Casa De Las Artesanias at Parque Agua Azul.

Also known as the Instituto de las Artesanías Jaliscienses, the large exhibit and sale space is installed and located in the land/area of the Parque Agua Azul.  The Casa has as its objective to conserve, protect and promote the Jalisciense artesanias. The building was inaugurated on September 7th, 1964.  In the Instituto de la Artesanía Jalisciense one can purchase an extensive, excellently chosen array of artesanias from all over the state of Jalisco.  Objects such as ceramics, blown glass, weavings, tin work, steel work, paper maché y silver work, as well as wood carvings, bone carving, Huichol art, iron work and clay figures from Tlaquepaque can be found there.

Instituto de las Artesanías Jaliscienses

Astral Turtle

Sol y Luna

Artist Unknown

Temporary Title - Cara, Cuerpo y Mano

Top Dawg

After enjoying the treasures of artesania at the Casa De Las Artesanias, we strolled next door to the Parque Agua Azul.  My grandfather used to bring me to this park when I was a child.  Way back then, it was known for its caged animals, so we called it the zoo.  At the time, the city of Guadalajara did not have a proper zoo, so the Parque Agua Azul was it.  The animals have mostly been moved to the new zoo location, but we did see an amazing Butterfly Pavilion and Aviary.

Brad at the milkweed planter in Paque Agua Azul

Butterfly Pavilion

Monarca

Milkweed...after seeing how many butterflies were around this plant, we decided to have

a whole wall full of Milkweed in our new home.

 Red "Mac" Caw

Kissadee

Perico

Quinceniera

The Parque Agua Azul is a destination stop for wedding, birthday and Quinceniera

fotos...and we were not at a loss of photographers and subjects today.  I love the gown and

especially the color coordinated tennis underneath.

After strolling thru the Parque we headed to the center of the city to do our shopping.

We crossed one of the major boulevards of the city...The Calzada Independencia...a large champs that goes through the entire city from east to west.

Calzada Calandria

Our destination was right off the Calazada Independencia....the Mercado San Juan de Dios,

also know as the Mercado Libertad.

Mercado Libertad, better known as Mercado San Juan de Dios (San Juan de Dios Market) is one of the largest indoor markets in the country with an area of 4000 m².  The market was inaugurated on December 30, 1958 and was designed by the architect Alejandro Zohn.

There are approximately two thousand nine hundred eighty posts in the market, selling clothing, eyeglasses, shoes, movies, video games, CDs, electrical goods, and many other types of items. The lower level includes stands selling typical foods of Guadalajara.

.

The market has three levels and two parking lots.  The first level has a section that includes stalls selling typical groceries and sweets as well as an area of stalls selling crafts. The second level includes small restaurants and food stalls selling typical Mexican dishes. The third level, the most recent addition, includes stalls selling imported goods, clothes, electronics, music, movies, computer equipment, paint, shoes, etc.

We spent the morning shopping for an electric adapter, CD-R disks for Brad's classical music, leather sandals, as well as medicinal herbs at a local botanica, all the while feeling overwhelmed with the size and breathe of the market.

After a full morning of shopping (which is way more than we usually can handle) we headed to one of my favorite restaurants in the centro area, for comida.  We strolled through the Plaza Tapatia marveling and liking the increased number of indigenous vendors and their beautiful wares.  Quickly we came upon La Rinconda, a wonderful restaurant housed in a restored 19th century Mexican mansion.  The waiter must have seen us with ragged face, because he asked if we wanted a cool room...to which I enthusiastically answered "Si, por favor"!  We were whisked to a back portico covered room, full of plants, delightful in its privacy, yet close enough to hear the piano player in the main room.  We dined on beautifully grilled salmon, champignones with ajo, Caesar salads and thirst quenching drinks.

As we left we felt sated, content and slightly rested.  Walking out of the restaurant we also feasted our eyes on the Hospicio Cabañas, the old city orphanage turned into the present city's cultural center. 

Hospicio Exterior

The Hospicio Cabañas in Guadalajara, a World Heritage Site, is one of the oldest and largest hospital complexes in Spanish America.  The complex was founded in 1791 by the Bishop of Guadalajara, in order to combine the functions of a workhouse, hospital, orphanage and almshouse. It owes its name to Juan Ruiz de Cabañas who was appointed to the see of Guadalajara in 1796 and engaged Manuel Tolsá, a renowned architect from Mexico City, to design the structure.

Tolsá's design was based on classic examples such as Les Invalides in Paris and El Escorial near Madrid. The buildings form a rectangle measuring 164 m by 145 m. These are single-storey structures which are 7.5 m in height. The chapel is twice as high and has a dome rising to 32.5 m. The complex is erected on one level, "so as to facilitate the movement of the sick, the aged, and children."

Dome Interior

Dome Detail

"Hombre De Fuego"

Jose Clemente Orozco

And so from the Hombre De Fuego, we made our way back via the carretera to our beloved Lake Chapala.  The vista of the lake upon cresting the surrounding sierra was dark with pendulous clouds....a form of smoke upon the water.  As we arrived home, we were greeted with rough winds, waves upon the usually calm lake and smoke in the air.  Our neighbors were burning grass clippings and the high winds were stoking the flames.  I made my way to the lake, as if to a sunset ritual, taking in the burning embers and swirling smoke.

Perhaps smoke is a sign of metamorphosis....change....decomposition...returning back into the soil to be born again as some of our lovely local foliage, or perhaps something else?

Pondering.

xo,

Fco.

.