FUN-video: Colonial Mexico Trailer
November 12, 2019 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-video: Colonial Mexico Trailer
We had a FUN & fabulous time with all the festivities happening for Día de Muertos! 😊
- We don’t usually do tours but this one was great! The company is A Closer Look Tours. And our guide Eric has a B & B in Guanajuato plus does custom trips. He treated us to a Mezcal tasting and served us lunch there too!
FUN-photos: Colonial Mexico
November 12, 2019 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Colonial Mexico
- We flew into Guadalajara and out of Mexico City from Tijuana – as that was the only way to fly non-stop – which saved us time and money. We opted for a tour and fortunately we were a small group of 14.
- Traveling by bus we visited Tequila, Morelia, Pátzcuaro, Quiroga, Tzintzuntzan, Guanajato, San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo, Queretaro, Taxco, Cuernavaca, Xochimilco, and Mexico City.
- And the highlight was being able to experience Día de Muertos! The Day of the Dead—is a holiday celebrated on November 1st & 2nd that honors the dead with festivals and lively celebrations.
FUN-fact – Assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning or sadness, Día de los Muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life.
FUN-Travel: Día de Muertos – Nov 2 – Taxco, Mexico
November 2, 2019 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-Travel: Día de Muertos – Nov 2 – Taxco, Mexico
Our road trip today was from Mexico City to Taxco with a stop in Cuernavaca.
FUN-Travel: Día de Muertos – Nov 1 – Queretaro, Mexico
November 2, 2019 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-Travel: Día de Muertos – Nov 1 – Queretaro, Mexico
Wonderful town filled with decorations! Our road stop between San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City.
Word-Of-the-Week #795: Halloween
October 31, 2019 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #795: Halloween
Halloween – what today is. 😊
I thought it would be FUN to share how Halloween started.
Its origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.
This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes.
When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints; soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating sweet treats.
And since I am in Mexico, I am sharing what I will be experiencing! Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is not a Mexican version of Halloween. Though related, the two annual events differ greatly in traditions and tone.
Whereas Halloween is a dark night of terror and mischief, Day of the Dead festivities unfold over two days in an explosion of color and life-affirming joy. Sure, the theme is death, but the point is to demonstrate love and respect for deceased family members. In towns and cities throughout Mexico, revelers don funky makeup and costumes, hold parades and parties, sing and dance, and make offerings to lost loved ones.
The rituals are rife with symbolic meaning. The more you understand about this feast for the senses, the more you will appreciate it. Click the link if to find out the Top 10 things to know about the Day of the Dead.
And when I get back I’m sure I will have some great stories and pix to share. Have a FUN Halloween!
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