Guadalupe in Monterrey

Last night, my friend and I went downtown to the Basilica of Guadalupe to see the preparations for the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is tomorrow.

The scene at the basilica was beautiful. Many dancers with feathered headdresses came in small groups up the pilgrimage route and then performed in the plaza - several dances were often taking place at once in different areas around the church while the mass going on inside the church played over loud speakers for those who could not get into the church itself. The busy, festival-like atmosphere had a beautiful, simple reverence to it.  There were hundreds of candles and flowers in various areas around the church, and everywhere there were people celebrating, singing, praying, posing for pictures, and taking in the scene.

 

Two of the streets that lead up to the basilica were lined with food stalls, shops, and pop-up vendors selling all sorts of religious and non-religious goods. There were calendars, toys, necklaces, candles, and rosaries for sale on the packed streets. More than that, though, there was food EVERYWHERE.

First, we came across folks selling raw sugar cane by the 'bolsita' or little bag.

Next, came the spun candy sellers - purveyors of candy canes, lollipops, and marshmallow treats. If it was colorful and sugary, it was available on both sides of the street, every few feet.

I was going into sugar overload just looking at all the candy, but fortunately there were many other, non-sugary options for dinner:

 

My friend and I settled down in a little sit-down restaurant and I had one of my favorite warm-me-up treats: Menudo - a very spicy soup made with tripe. I love the flavor of the soup, but can't stand the texture of tripe, so this is what my $2 bowl of soup looked like when I was finished:

Overall, it was a lovely, chilly winter night to take a little pilgrimage into unknown parts of Monterrey - and a great way to kick-off the Christmas season!

Mermaids Playing Guitars

So, I bet you didn't know this (or even want to know this) but Mermaids playing the guitar (and the ukulele) are totally a 'thing' in Mexico.

This is a statue in Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara of a mermaid, playing a guitar, while surfing on the moon:

I've also bought a few Mermaids playing the guitar (all in Merida, in the Yucatan). Here is a ceramic one:

and a tin one:

 

AND a wooden magnet.

One is a fluke, two is interesting, three is A THING (four is just obsession).

Therefore, Mermaids playing guitars are a thing in Mexico (and I have a weird obsession with them).

Other things that are 'a thing' in Mexico:

Biblical-ly Named Tiendas (these are all in tiny villages in the Yucatan):

...and Catrinas.

In a shop-front in Guadalajara

A live-action fortune-telling Catrina in Oaxaca at Easter

My roommate's Catrina cabinet (decorated for the holidays)

There's lots more 'things' - like Cabritos, and Tacos, and Tamales, and Pozole...and that's just for starters (literally, those are all food stuffs!). But for now, these are the things that make me feel most like Mexico is a very special place.