Felix D'Eon Diary ~ Jalisco with my Family October, 2006 |
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After my week in Tennessee, I went to LA, met my mom, and together we flew to Guadalajara, her hometown (she grew up in neighboring Cocula as well, a small and charming town in the countryside). The following are some photos from this first, idylic week spent with my family in the state of Jalisco in mexico.
This and the following photo are of one of my cousins at Lake Chapala, near where his family has a country house. I spent a day there early in the trip with his family and my mother.
My mother and I went to Cocula in October because that is the month dedicated to the celebrations of Saint Michael, the patron saint of her home town. Every weekend there are religious progressions in which the statue is paraded from the central cathedral to all the outlying churches, accomponied by music and dancing, with large parties at night. The photo aboce was taken during a morning progression.
The streets are strewn with fragrant herbs everywhere the progression goes, and is led by Aztec dancers who came in from Guadalajara. The photo above and below are of the troop leading the procession.
At night, during the Enramadas (that is the name of the procession) fireworks are strung across the streets. If you are not carefull, they set them off right above your head, and you have to run or get burned! Above is one of the flowery arches the statue had just passed through.
At the end of the procession, just before Saint Michael is returned to the cathedral, a huge construction of spinning fireworks goes off, which is pictured above. After this is a mass, and then a huge party in the plaza.
Back in Guadalajara, I went to see my friend Cheko's Aztec dance troop perform in the great plaza. Above are two drummers. You can see him in the following two photos. He and I dated the summer I turned 17, which I spent at my grandmother's Hacienda outside of Cocula. It was nice to see him - my mother even offered to pay for us to stay in a nice hotel, and spend some romantic time together, which was very sweet of her, but our relationship is long over. He is currently in love with a handsome Mexican boy, whom he told me all about one night over drinks.
Before the dance had ended, a terrible rain storm broke out, and Cheko and I ran for cover under the porch of the Opera. One of the other men in his troop stood underneith as well - he is pictured sheltering from the rain below. His meager garments were completely soaked, and you could see his underwear through them, which I thought was very beautiful, and worthy of a painting later.
Unfortunately almost all the pictures I took of him and Cheko huddling under the porch came out blurry, and the sweet charms of transparent clothing were completely undecipherable. Shortly after this my mother returned to America, and I went on to Mexico City. It was a beautiful, if uneventful time - which was not to prove true of my time in Oaxaca and Juchitan, which were alternately beautiful and a little scary. I will write about them soon,
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