the virgin’s day

Every one should have one, don’t you think? For the Virgin of Guadalupe today marks the end of her 12-day festival. Beginning on December first, the tropical solitude of every morning, noon and evening is perforated by loud firecrackers and clanging church bells. These salutos are last about 3 minutes, but believe me, at 5 AM it seems like an hour. I have taken a few snaps of various altars set up in her honor which I will post tomorrow. As for what’s on the calendar for her tonight, there will be a big, noisy fiesta in the center of town that will include a parade, a castillo (a tall pole festooned with various types of fireworks. Someone lights the bottom wick and the explosions work up the pole until it gets to the top when all hell breaks loose), mariachis, random fireworks, and, my least favorite thing, los torros. These are boys who run through the crown wearing bulls’ heads with horns that shoot off firecrackers and other incendiaries. Last year Jack’s shirt caught on fire. All of this begins at 9 PM and I am not sure I will go, partly because it won’t really start until about 11 and partly because it is not something I enjoy. Harrumph!

Tonight is also the full moon. We have had a gloriously clear day ~ I even went into the pool, now 84º ~ so we are hoping for a clear night for the moonrise. Last night was clouds but made for a stunning sunset.

We may get internet connection in our house tomorrow. The problems seems to be an ethernet cable in Neighbor Nelson's house that needs a new connector on the end. We found a place in Tecoman that will either replace the connector or make us a cable to order. Here's the thing about dealing with Mexicans; they can fix ANYTHING.

40 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error