Thank you for reading my blog on Dia De Muertos (Day of the Dead) last week. This is a follow-up to let you know what we personally were able to take in this cultural event here in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.
The festivities started on Friday October 30th so we drove to Cholla Road where the shops are located. If you are familiar with this area it has been known as Rodeo Drive or Shack’s 5th Avenue for years. It is use to be a sandy narrow 2 lane path between the rows of shops. On busy weekends, it was a mess, as someone always got stuck in the sand or if it rained, it only got worse. Leading up until about 5 years ago, that was always the way it was and we loved it. Then the city went in and did a really great job of remodeling it. New cement street and sidewalks and street lights. As that progressed, the shop owners also modernized their shops and made it a fun place to go. Within the last 2 years, Casa Bonita, Fabiola’s ( a wonderful apparel shop), an art gallery and a restaurant named Marachi and Tequila moved in. This really adds to the shopping experience. Shops have really upgraded what the carry and if you like Talavera pottery, this is the place to shop.
Back to this weekend. The city sponsored the event which started Friday night. There were over 20 altars set up in front of the shops, with many of them offering free food. A stage was set up for the music as the night progressed. As you can see from my pictures a lot of work went into these altars. There are pictures of the loved one along with candles, food, drink and a lot of flowers. Some were for the parents who had passed over and one was for a young girl who had passed. It is somber but also relaxing to learn about some of the families.
Saturday my husband and I went to a local plant nursery to get some plants and they were selling beautiful huge bouquets of flowers for $100 pesos or about $6.75 USD. They were so big, I made 2 out of them. On Sunday I went to the cemetery where families were busy cleaning and re-painting the grave sites. Some people were making a family picnic out it while cleaning. Flower and food vendors were set up out front. Very festive!
November 2nd many businesses are closed in observation of the holiday and many people remain at the cemeteries and celebrate the life of the one who has passed. Sometimes there are little bands and it is a festive event.
I think my favorite picture is at Playa Bonita that I took a couple of years ago and Day of the Dead figurines are my favorite. They are made out of either paper mache or ceramic and are skeleton in shape but also dressed. They have long bony fingers and they always have a big hat sitting on the of the skull. They may be found all over Mexico and here in Puerto Peñasco, Mercedes Rustico always has a variety of the them as well as many of the vendors on Rodeo Drive.
I hope you will enjoy the little tour that I took and hopefully next year, you can make the events. Don’t be afraid to walk the cemetery, it is a cultural event not something to get you down. The colors on the graves are so full of life. I always only get to the old one behind Ace Hardware and it is quite large. There are a lot of shade trees to stop under and just take in everything.
Until my next blog which will be on our upcoming Tequila Festival, be well and come down to visit us. The weather is beautiful and the beaches are clean. Days are I the 80’s and nights in the 60’s.
Don’t forget our 15th Annual Bike Rally November 11th – 15th. “The largest Bike Rally this side of the Border” If you are coming down, stop by the registration area at the first Circle K gas station on the left south of the new over pass and introduce your self. You can register even if you don’t own a motorcyle. Remember all money goes to our charities. $20 USD gets you a complete registration package, with pin, patch, wrist band, koozies, a bandana and so much more. Just look for the Law Tiger Balloon.
