Are You Out There

I hope some of you are reading my posts but not leaving a comment. Write a comment to me and tell me what you would like to read about or see while I am here. It is easy to leave a comment. At the end of each post, after you read "Hasta luego", in tiny print the word "comments" appears. Click on it and write your name or write under "anonomous". I would love to hear from you!

Hasta luego.

The Quinceañera

Rosario and her family were invited to a Quinceañera and they asked me to go with them. I was quite excited about this since I had never attended such an event.

A Quinceañera is a special birthday party celebration. When a young lady turns 15 years old she celebrates the crossing over from being a child to being a woman. This celebration is similiar to a Bar or Bat Mitzvah for young Jewish children.

This 15th birthday began with a Mass held in their Catholic church. The tradition is that her Godparents oversee the religious ceremony. The birthday girl chooses a color scheme and the flowers and decorations are selected to match. Laura opted for blue, silver and white. The church was decorated with white and blue flowers in large urns lining the central aisle of the church; the altar was banked with flowers. The church looked very much like it would for a wedding.

Laura and her parents arrived at the church in a car decorated with flowers. She wore a long blue gown with hoops, her hair was upswept with a tiara. She was escorted down the aisle of the church by her parents, followed by her chambelan of honor (6 young men) and also by friends carrying gifts to be given during the ceremony. During the Mass, the friends walked down the aisle and gave gifts to Laura of a candle, a cross, and a Bible. Then they presented gifts to the Virgin, in Laura's name---fruit, bread, wine and flowers. Each gift had a special significance.

After the Mass in the church, everyone went to a banquet hall for a party, once again, very much like a bridal reception in the USA. At the fiesta, Laura posed for pictures with everyone while dinner was served, buffet style. There was background music and a video of Laura's life---all 15 years! After dinner the festivities continued with a traditional father-daughter dance, after which the father "presents" his daughter to the chambelan. Laura then dances with the 6 young men, again a traditional dance. This signifies the transformation from family to friends and the outside world.

Laura changed into a ballet costume, blue, of course, and danced en pointe with 6 little girls. At the end of the dance, she presented all the little girls with a doll, signifying that she is giving up her toys of childhood to accept the challenges she will face as a woman.

Then a Mexican "Banda" took the stage! A VERY LOUD bass, percussion, tuba, and 10 other brass instruments played for dancing. Everyone danced until after midnight. What fun!

Laura and her family were very happy and all her friends had a great time participating in her Quinceañera.

The church in La Chona where the Mass was celebrated.

Inside the church.

Laura in the blue gown poses for pictures with friends.

The banquet hall ready for guests.

Spagetti, a beef dish, frijoles, pork, tortillas, and nopales for dinner.

The cake table.

Adriana, Rosario and I are enjoying the party!

Hasta luego.

The Black Sheep and a Birthday Party

Kind of a different title to this post, isn't it? Today I would like to share with you some news about a great little restaurant and also a birthday party.

But first, I want to show you the mountains around Aguascalientes. They are called Cerro del Muerto...Death Mountain. They say that the mountain looks like a dead person lying down in a casket. If you look at the far left, you see the forehead, nose, chin and further down the hands folded and on the far right, the feet. Maybe it takes some imagination to see all this, but it makes for a good story, doesn't it?

The restaurant...

Now for the Black Sheep...La Oveja Negra.
I tried a new-to-me Mexican dish---Barbacoa de Borrego---barbequed lamb, and oh, was it good! I like lamb very much but had never heard of barbequed lamb.

Here's the story...Rosario's sister sent us out to buy chicken for dinner at a chicken place she likes. She gave the directions to Rosario and we drove around but never found the chicken restaurant. However, we did discover a small restaurant called La Oveja Negra and they were advertising their barbequed lamb. Knowing that we had to come home with some food, we stopped there. We decided to taste the lamb before buying an amount to take home. It was so good that we sat down and ordered 3 tacos de Borrego with Fresca to drink. They were served on blue corn tortillas. Que rica! We enjoyed our dinner and bought some to take home for the family. They liked them too. A successful, and delicious, outing!



In the restaurant, he is checking the order and she is preparing the tortillas.

The cooks puts the lamb on the tortillas.





The good dinner! Fresca, limes, cilantro and salsa, and my and Rosario's tacos. Yummy!

The birthday party.....

Rosario's sister, Estela, celebrated her birthday last week and she invited about 30 family and friends for a party. A little after 9pm people started arriving. Within minutes, 3 card tables with yellow tablecloths and the white plastic chairs appeared in the garage. Remember, the garage in Mexican homes is in the front of the house enclosed with an iron gate. She had parked the car outside, opened the gate and the double doors to the living room and we had a party!

About 11pm 4 men and 3 guitars (trobadores) appeared and the music began. Everyone knew the words to all the songs and they sang and sang. Estela's special friend was the host and he did a great job of keeping everyone's glass filled. About midnight people wandered into the kitchen and ate what they found there. Two chicken dishes, slaw, and tostadas were offered. It was very different from parties I am used to. No munchies. No desserts. No housecleaning before the party. Everything was much more casual. I think I like that!!

Another thing that was different...several people were smoking. We don't think much about that any more because so few people smoke. I was surprised when I smelled cigarette smoke coming from the garage.

Finally at 3am I said goodnight! I do think the party broke up about then. It was a good one!

The next morning when I got up and went into the kitchen, it was immaculate. The white chairs were stacked, the tables closed down and the car back i the garage. You would not have known there was a party there last night. Rosario said she went to bed st 5am!

Feliz Cumpleaños to Estela. Thank you for inviting me to your party!

A group of people sitting in the garage. That is Krystela, Estela's daughter, in the blue dress.

Two of the guys playing. They are sitting in the doorway to the living room.




Estela, in the striped shirt, visits with a friend.







Some of the cousins played games while the adults talk.

The birthday girl with her gelatina---no cake for this gal!

These are the flowers that her special friend sent to her for her birthday. Pretty aren't they.

I hope you enjoyed the food and the party.

Hasta luego.

La Chona

Although known as La Chona, the real name of the town is Encarnacion de Diaz. It is a small town, tucked in the hills of northern Jalisco, about 30 miles from the state line of Jalisco and Aguascalientes. It is Rosario's hometown and she is very proud of it! She has two sisters who live there and we go to visit them.









On this trip we explored the Mummy Museum (Museo de Momias) and had a personal tour by the docent. It houses about 15 mummies as well as several very, very old paintings and religious objects found in the area. The docent explained there is something in the earth that naturally mummifies a corpse.









We also toured the city cemetary. You may think it unusual to go to a cemetary, but in Mexico the cemetaries are very different from those in the USA. This cemetary has vaults in the walls as well as the white statues in the graveyard naming the families buried there.









In another small museum in La Chona, I learned about the Cristero War. In 1926-29 there was an uprising and counter revolution against the Mexican government, set off by persecution of the Catholics. The rebels called themselves "Cristeros" because they said they were fighting for Christ. Many people were killed in the war which was ultimately ended by diplomatic means with the help of the US Ambassador to Mexico.









La Chona, much like AGS, is known for its handcrafts: embroidery, crocheting, knitting, and serapes are woven and sold there. They also make pottery and stained glass. There is a bullring where bullfights are held in February and occasionally charrerias--the roping of cattle and fancy horseback riding done by the charros.









In August the people of La Chona are looking forward to the celebration of the 250th year anniversary of their town.









Maria Chuy, Rosario's sister, crochets, embroiders, and knits beautiful things. She showed me tablecloths, placemats, blankets and doiles that she made and she presented me with a pretty placemat and a fancy handtowel that she had decorated. I observed that while sitting quietly the women's hands are constantly busy doing some sort of needlework. The lady who sold tickets to the museum was embroidering a set of placemats and her friend was knitting a baby blanket. The women of La Chona are proud of their handwork.









On Saturday evenings you will see many people on the plaza, sitting on benches eating Pan Dulce, a tradition in the town. Children are playing and teenagers are circling the plaza in their pick-up trucks and cars. A typical small town Saturday night!







































This is the view of La Chona from Maria Chuy's house on the hill.






























Nopales cactus grows in Maria Chuy's backyard. You can see how tall it gets by my standing next to it.






The Mexican people eat Nopales in several different ways. It is good in a salad, with scrambled eggs, and as a vegetable with dinner. I like it very much. Mr. Neat---watch out! You just may have an ensalada de nopales when I get home!









Maria Chuy is cutting some Nopales for our dinner.

Rosario has cut off the "prickles" and is chopping nopales for salad.

This is the Museo de Momias.

The chapel in the city cemetary.

Vaults in the walls decorated by the families.

The cemetary in La Chona.

Some of Maria Chuy's handwork.

Embroidered roses on a tablecloth.

Hasta luego.

More Pictures of Aguascalientes

I have added a few more pictures of AGS...more of the San Marcos fair area and of the Old Train Station. Enjoy!





An interesting sign advertising the San Marcos fair for 2010.







Upon entering the gate at San Marcos, you go into a very nice garden with lots of walking paths, benches and pretty flowers and trees.









Here is the children's train that drives around San Marcos plaza. Anyone for a ride?

The church in San Marcos plaza.









The old station has been restored and houses a small museum. It brought back old memories of my childhood, when I would wait for my dad to come home from work on the train. He was a railway mail clerk and my sister and I would wait with our mother to take him home.

This is an old steam engine. Maybe it was used in the "old days"? It sits in the rail yard in front of the station.

The Dancing Fountains with programmed music perform every hour. Very nice! We sat on a bench and watched the show.

Here I am with the old train master!

Hasta luego.

Pictures of Aguascalientes

Once again, I have finally gotten to upload some photos to the blog! I wrote about Aguascalientes the other day and these are some pictures of the city. I hope you enjoy them.



Here is the eagle on the Plaza Patria, the historical plaza in downtown AGS. It is said that it represents the geografical center of the country of Mexico. It is surrounded by a fountain, trees, flowers and benches in a park-like setting. I sat on a bench and watched some little boys having fun flicking water from the fountain at each other!






This is the cathedral in the Plaza Patria. The carved wooden door is very unique. Can you see the bells in the tower? And, of course, the pidgeons enjoy the crumbs on the plaza!

The Morelos Theater is next to the Plaza Patria and there are still performances in the theater. It is a pretty building, isn't it?

The Governor's Palace is where the beautiful murals are. One can spend a lot of time looking at and learning about the city of AGS in this building. The red stone is from this area. On the far left is the Municipal Palace. A picture of it is next.

Here is the Municipal Palace, the city government. Notice the pink stone. This building is in the Patria Plaza.

Just off the Plaza Patria, there was a mercado--a Mexican market where each puesto sold different items. This man was selling fruit, wine, vegetables and a few other things. One stall sold only candy and sweets; another, toys and games; another, sunglasses; items from the state of Oaxaca; blouses and shirts; jewelry; books. Everything was there for the offering! It was a lot of fun to browse here.

A street scene in the downtown of AGS. The clothes are displayed and I walked from store to store, admiring and buying a few embroidered items.

The gate at the San Marcos garden where the fair is held each April. This is the entrance to a large park---trees, flowers, fountains, benches, vendors selling balloons and food items. It is very pretty and relaxing to sit there. The area around this garden has stores, the bullfight ring, restaurants and other places that are open during the fair.

This is the plaza in front of the San Marcos gate. There is a little train for children that circles this plaza. An engine and about 4 cars give the kids a ride and lots of smiles as they ride around the plaza! Food items are sold there and people walk and visit on their lunch hours as well as during the evening. I took this picture about 6:30pm.

AGS is a very old city and yet a very modern one. If you haven't read the next post about the city, please scroll down and enjoy!

Hasta luego.

Aguascalientes

My friend, Rosario and I, along with her two teenagers, took the bus from Guadalajara to the city of Aguascalientes last Friday, the 16th. It is about a 2 hour drive between the cities. She has two sisters who live there and we are staying with Estela and her little girl, in her lovely big house.



Aguascalientes is the capital city of the state of Aguascalientes, the state just northwest of Jalisco. Once again, do you mind if I abbreviate? Aguascalientes = AGS. It is an old city, founded in 1575 as a postal rest stop between Mexico City and the state of Zacatecas.



The name, Aguascalientes (aguas=waters, and calientes=warm), came about as a result of the many thermal springs in the area. There are still several public bath houses and spas in the city which are open to the public. The Ojocaliente is an original bath house still in use today and fed by the thermal springs.



The Patria Plaza is the historical center of the city. There are several impressive buildings there. The Govenor's Palace with its Neoclassical facade of red stone was built in 1664. Inside there are 111 arches under which are five murals depicting stories about the city. They were painted by the Chilean artist, Oswaldo Barra Cunningham. Other notable buildings are the Municipal Palace, built with pink quarry stone, and the Cathedral, Nuestra Senora de la Asunacion, built in 1575. A very tall statue of an eagle stands high in the plaza and it is said that it covers the spot which is said to be the exact center of Mexico.



There are many plazas, parks, churches, theaters and museums in the city. At the Old Train Station I learned that in 1884 AGS was the largest train hub in Latin America. I enjoyed looking at an original locomotive and browsing through the station itself which has been restored and looks just like an old train station. The rail yard is now a park with trees, flowers, benches and a "Dancing Waters" fountain when each hour the waters "dance" to programmed music.



AGS is well known for its handcrafts, festivals and fairs. The San Marcos fair is one of the oldest (175 years) and most famous fairs in Mexico and is held for four weeks each April. It showcases the regional culture and folklore, art exhibits, cultural events, dance performances and cockfights. Yes, cockfights! Cockfights are very traditional in Mexico. There are also horse races and bullfights during the fair. Many people wear traditional clothes and traditional foods are available. There is also a national competition for young artists at that time.



Another popular festival, The Festival of the Skulls (Festival de las Calaveras) occurs Oct. 31-Nov. 2. It honors the pre-hispanic tradition of paying respect to the dead. It is also known as "El Dia de los Muertos" and is celebrated with candy skulls, offerings of food and drink, and a living altar. La Catrina is the symbol most recognized for the festival and she appears permanently in many places in the city. "Catrinas" are humorous figures of modern people depicted as skeletons.

AGS is also widely known for their handcrafts: embroidery, knitting, crocheting, and weaving. Embroidered clothing, tablecloths, doilies, and tortilla covers are cultural symbols of the area. Pottery made from natural clay, kneaded, molded and painted by hand grace the tables in restaurants and homes. Also wool textiles (cowboy clothes), stained glass, and artistic ironworks are "hecho mano"---made by hand---here in AGS.

The city is rich in history but is also a very modern industrial city. Nissan, Texas Instruments and a Coca Cola bottling plant are located in the city. There are several big shopping malls as well as a busy downtown shopping area. Movie theaters, restaurants, video game arcades, and this week: a circus is in town!! I wish I could go to the circus but, I guess I will have to miss it!

AGS is a big city, but smaller that GDL, thus the lifestyle is more relaxed and quiet, not so busy and crowded. I have enjoyed seeing the sights and interacting with the people. Soon I hope to be able to post some pictures of the city. In the meanwhile...

Hasta luego

Pictures of Guadalajara

When I visited friends in La Chona (more about that later) Brenda had a laptop and I could upload photos to my blog. I hope you enjoy them





This is my birriria de chivo! Yum! It is good with tortillas and aguas frescas de jamaica to drink. A good dinner!

I am standing in front of the kitchen in the restaurant. Notice the Talavera tile. My friend, Rosario, is sitting at our table.

The restaurant where we ate our dinner (la comida). The little animal statue in front is a goat. The signs say: Birria of goat and the other barbeque of sheep!

In front of the Instituto Cultural de Cabanas where there are many of Orozco's paintings.

I am sitting in front of the Fountain of Fire in the Plaza Tapatio. It is a pretty place.

One of the big jewelry stores in the area.

Kids playing in the fountain!

The Plaza Fundadores, the plaza of the founder of GDL.

This is the Degollado Theater. Some day I hope to go inside!

The Plaza Liberacion, the main plaza in GDL. The cathedral is in the background.


Hasta luego