Sopa de Pato

Viernes de Dolores shrine on Mesones, San Miguel de Allende

Here in Mexico, Holy Week, Semana Santa, begins on the last Friday of Lent with Viernes de Dolores, the Friday of Sorrows, referring to the seven sorrows of Mary. In the evening, many roads are closed and wonderful shrines appear, some in the middle of the street, featuring an image of the Virgin among a mass of flowers, fruit, candles, and particularly chamomile which is strewn over the ground. Most interesting are those that are created in the entradas or courtyards of the most grand to the most humble of houses. In each case, the owner offers drinks or food to all who visit. Here on Mesones, a children’s choir also sang in a side gallery to this patio.

Viernes de Dolores shrine, Relox, San Miguel de Allende

In addition to the grander examples of Viernes de Dolores shrines, many homeowners create simpler offerings in the entrances to their houses or in their street windows as here, outside the door of our friend Marina on Relox. The large yellow ice chest is full of popsicles on offer to all visitors.

Emiliano Zapata in gold paint, San MIguel

The great thing about living in the center of a town like San Miguel, is you don’t have to go far for entertainment. This evening, as I often do, I opened our front door to spend a while talking to whoever was passing or just seeing what was going on. This young couple, Apolline and Venmar, drove up and parked opposite our house and in the next half-hour, behind their car, Venmar proceeded to transform himself with some gold makeup into a very shiny version of Emiliano Zapata. He performs here in the Jardin, just five minutes away, which makes our street a convenient dressing room.

The Banda Nueva Ilusion outside the Oratorio, San MIguel

These gentlemen, the Banda Nueva Ilusion, are real enough, and are making up in enthusiasm for what they lack in musical expertise. They have been blasting away in the forecourt to the Templo del Oratorio all day to the delight or otherwise of the churchgoers. It is next to impossible to keep up with all the various Saint’s days here, but no doubt they are performing in honor of one religous festival or another. I am left with the impression that heaven is going to be a noisy place.

In front of the Parroquia, San Miguel

The current toy of choice for the kids who play in front of the Parroquia are these bouncy pencil thingies. When held vertically and bounced hard on the ground they shoot up thirty or forty feet and then float all over the place as they come back to land. In the background, apart from San Miguel’s landmark church, evidence of the increasing obesity in Mexico.