The Blessing of San Miguel

Happy birthday San Miguel!
Today's the day, but the big celebrations begin this weekend.
Last evening, this procession passed through the Jardin on the way to the parroquia with San Miguel, to be blessed.
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Mexican Independence In 2 Minutes

The Independence of Mexico, starring:
Ignacio Allende
Padre Miguel Hidalgo
Dona Josefa Ortiz
Juan Aldama
Ignacio Perez on his horse
The people of Mexico.

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For those of you who do not understand Spanish
it goes like this:
Dona Josefa in Queretaro, searches for Ignacio Perez to ride his horse to San Miguel el Grande to give a scroll proclaiming the insurgence to Ignacio Allende.





Alas, Ignacio is not home so he gathers a companion and they ride together past Atotonilco to Dolores where they find Ignacio Allende, Padre Miguel Hidalgo and Juan Aldama waiting.  He hails Allende - Capitan Allende! Capitan Allende! and hands him the scroll at which point there is much difficulty getting the ribbon off so they can read it.



Hidalgo is really more interested in the sword on Allende's belt than the scroll.  They each read the proclamation and head to the Parroquia to ring the bell, calling the people together for the fight.

The grito is shouted while they people wave flags and cry
VIVA MEXICO! VIVA MEXICO!
and they dance.


Below, my friend Elvia's daughter, Lupita.

Encarnación

If you haven't gone out to Mineral de Pozos to see Kate McKenna's second show, Encarnación, at Galeria 6, it has been extended until the end of October.



Besides being a wonderful show, Mineral de Pozos is a great place to visit for the day or an overnight at El Secreto, the B&B that is connected to Galeria 6.  My post about her first show, Suculencia, has a good description of her work.

Below is a video walkthrough of the show:

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More Celebrations

Last weekend, in an overnight to the city of Guanajuato, the neighborhood behind our hotel was having their saints day celebration.  Mid-afternoon, a procession which was headed for the church passed by the restaurant we were having lunch at, blasting off loud rockets to a torito dance performance followed by conchero dancers and hundreds of young drummers preceding flowered litters which carried the chalice, Jesus on the cross and the Virgin Mary.

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The party afterward had all the usual, specifically loud traditional music which echoed off the surrounding hills until 11pm followed by rockets and a fireworks display.