For the Day of the Dead

If you saw the Disney movie "Coco", you surely remember the beautiful marigold bridge that connected the land of the dead with the land of the living.  The marigold is the most important flower in the Day of the Dead celebration.  It is believed that its bright color and pungent scent guide the souls of the departed back to the homes of their loved ones.  In Mexico the flowers are called "cempasuchil"  from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word "cempasuchitl".

At this time of year you see marigolds everywhere.  Yesterday, when I went to the supermarket, they had potted "cempasuchil" plants, so I bought one for the apartment.  Later in the day I passed the nearby flower stand, and they too had the potted flowers for sale.  I thought, "What the heck", and I bought another one.

My apartment is now properly decorated for Day of the Dead.