Here Come the "Alebrijes"!

The first big event of the Day of the Dead season is the Parade of the Monumental "Alebrijes" which is held each year on a Saturday in mid-October.

This is the 18th year that the parade, which is sponsored by the Museum of Popular Arts, has been held.  If you have been reading this blog for a few years, you know that "alebrijes" are colorful figures of fantastical animals.  The wooden sculptures created in Oaxaca are one of Mexico's best known forms of popular art, but "alebrijes" originated in Mexico City where they are created from cardboard and papier mache.   As the name of the parade implies, these "alebrijes" are enormous, and are wheeled down the streets of the city.  The largest are over twelve feet in height.   The parade had grown in size and popularity since its inception in 2007.  In that year there were forty "alebrijes".  This year there were around 300 entries.  There are also more and more marching bands, dancers, and people in costume, which give the event a carnival atmosphere.

Alejandro was not able to join me this year, so I went downtown by myself.  I claimed my spot along Juárez Avenue across from the Alameda Park.   Although the parade is well attended, the crowds are not nearly as overwhelming as those for the Day of the Dead Parade.  The parade was supposed to begin at noon.  I arrived on Juárez Avenue a little before 11:30 and there was hardly anyone along the street yet.  I had a "front row" position.  Even as more spectators arrived it was never a mad crush of people.

While waiting I saw groups of parade participants heading down the avenue toward the starting point.

It was about 12:30 by the time the parade arrived at my location.  As much as I enjoy this parade, it is very frustrating if you wish to photograph it.  Many times the people who created the "alebrijes" surround their figure as they march down the street, thus blocking a full view.  Then there are people simply walking along the parade route, professional photographers in the way, or, most infuriating of all, the vendors passing by selling their wares.  I always feel as if I am not getting any good photos.  However, I take so many that when I go through them at the apartment, I have more than enough decent pictures to make up more than one blog post.  In fact, there will be three entries on the parade.

The parade begins...

There's more to come from the Alebrije Parade.

The "Ofrenda"

Those who have followed this blog for years know that every October I set up an "ofrenda" in the apartment.  An "ofrenda" is an altar which Mexican families set up for the Day of the Dead.  It represents what Day of the Dead is really all about... a remembrance of departed loved ones.

I set up my "ofrenda" early because a high school friend is coming to visit this week and another friend is coming next week.

There are those who believe that the souls of the dead return home on the Day of the Dead.  The pungent aroma of marigold flowers and the light of candles guide them home on their journey.  Last Thursday I went to a nearby market to buy a potted marigold plant and to a shop to buy batteries for the electronic candles.  Families always place food on the "ofrenda" for the visiting spirits.  "Pan de muerto" (bread of the dead) is always one of the traditional food items.  I'll wait until closer to the Day of the Dead to buy some "pan de muerto" for the "ofrenda".

A Trip to Ikea

I have four relatively large, ceramic and acrylic skulls that I put outside the door of my apartment as part of my decorating for the Day of the Dead.  I was thinking that they would look better if I had a small table to set them on.  We have an Ikea here in Mexico City, and I was wondering if they might have something suitable.  The table needed to be quite narrow so as not to be an obstacle in the hallway of my floor.  I looked at Ikea's website, and the only thing I found was a bench that was about 16 inches wide.  It was not quite what I wanted, but it would do.

The next thing was to check and see if I would be able to get to Ikea via public transportation.  I knew that there was a Metro stop right across the street from the store.  I checked Google Maps and found that I could take the Metrobus that runs near my apartment to the Buenavista Train Station.  From there I could take Line B of the Metro, the one that passes by Ikea.

So, last Thursday I went to Ikea.  The store is enormous with a path that loops from one display of furniture and other merchandise to another.  I had not gone far when I saw something that I had not seen on the website.  It was a black TV stand made of particle board, and it was only ten inches wide.  It looked nice and was just what I wanted.  I took a photo of the label with my cell phone, and went to the self service area on the top floor.  There were stacks of boxed merchandise.  I found the item I was looking for and carried it to the cashier to pay.

Now I had to get home with it.  Fortunately, the box was not too big nor did it weigh too much.  It was a bit clumsy to go through the turnstiles of the Metro and Metrobus, but I made it back to the apartment without too much difficulty.

Now, of course, I had to assemble the stand.  There were two panels... the table top, and a shelf... and the four legs.  The legs attached to the top with double ended screws (I think that's what you call them) and there was more hardware and screws for attaching the shelf.  The directions (which consisted of drawings) indicated that you could insert the screws into the holes in the top simply by turning them with your hand.  I was able to get them started, but there was no way that I could screw them all the way by hand.  Even with a pair of pliers it was extremely difficult.  When I finally had the screws in the top, I was then supposed to attach the legs by turning them onto the other end of the screws.  That was fairly easy.  I hoped that the table would stand level, and, fortunately, it did.

As I looked at the stand, I thought to myself, "Do I really need to attach the shelf?"  The table would serve my purpose without it.  If attaching the shelf should turn out to be as difficult, I would rather avoid the frustration.

So here is how it looks outside my door with my four Day of the Dead skulls.

My trip to Ikea was a success.  However, I don't know that I would want to assemble any more of their furniture.  

A Different Type of Graffiti

You know that I despise graffiti, but the other day I was taken aback by what I saw.  It's still vandalism, but this was the first time I saw graffiti with a positive message.

"Tu vida es digna de ser vivida."

Your life is worth of being lived.

A Taste of the U.K.

Last weekend, Alejandro and I walked about 25 minutes to the nearest branch of "City Market", a chain of upscale supermarkets.  A couple years ago, to celebrate Oktoberfest, they had a wide variety of imported products from Germany.  I had stocked up on some items that are hard to find here such as jars of sauerkraut and wide egg noodles.  (The noodles are not just hard to find; they are impossible.)  I thought perhaps "City Market" would be repeating the event, which is why I suggested that we go there.

Well, there was no Oktoberfest, but they were having a Festival of the U.K.   We posed at the iconic red phone booths that were set up at the entrance to the store.

At the endcaps of each aisle there were products imported from the U.K.  There wasn't a lot that interested me, although I did pick up a box of oat ginger cookies from Northern Ireland.  Then we passed the bakery section, and we saw that the in-house bakery had made scones.  So we bought five scones for ourselves and Alejandro's family.  Of course, if you want to be truly British, you need clotted cream for your scones.  We did some more looking, and we finally found banana flavored clotted cream in a jar.  At breakfast the next day we ate scones.  They weren't bad, but the clotted cream, not surprisingly, was a disappointment.  It did not taste of bananas at all.  It was very lemony.  It was not like having fresh clotted cream in England!

Politics

This is first and foremost a blog chronicling my travels and my experiences making a new life for myself in Mexico City.  However, over the years I have expressed my political opinions from time to time.  During the orange "pendejo's" first term in office I frequently published posts skewering him.  Then, after my permanent move to Mexico and the "pendejo's" reelection, the idea of that felon in the White House was so depressing that I tried as much as possible to insulate myself from the news. I was happy to be in another country and away from the insanity of what was occurring in the U.S.

That has changed in the last couple of months.  I am now reading with relish news articles on the internet and watching videos on YouTube about the "pendejo's" cratering popularity.  The midterm elections are offering a ray of hope... the Republicans are likely to lose control of the House of Representatives, and there is a very real chance that they will also lose the Senate.

And so, as we approach election day, I have once again been posting editorial cartoons and "memes" that I have found on the internet.  The occasional comments to these posts have been positive.  (I suspect that the MAGA crowd is not very interested in reading about a gay man's life in Mexico.)  However, a few days ago an anonymous commenter wrote that he / she will no longer be following my blog because of my "cheap shot political sniping".  A couple other readers then commented supporting my posts.

Well, here is another editorial cartoon that I found on the internet...

And to the disgruntled ex-reader who does not like my political stance, I say...

"So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu."

Day of the Dead Is Coming

Even though the Day of the Dead is not a legal holiday, it is without a doubt one of the most iconic and colorful celebrations in Mexico.  It is a little over two weeks away, and it is becoming obvious here in Mexico City that Day of the Dead is on its way.

Just around the corner from us there is a little sidewalk café that seats two life-size skeletons at one of its tables each year.

 Last Sunday, we walked through the "tianguis" (outdoor market) that is set up in the neighborhood.  There were several vendors selling Day of the Dead decorations and items to place on your "ofrenda", the altar that is set up to remember departed loved ones.

Candles shaped like skulls and marigold blossoms

The traditional candy skulls made of sugar or chocolate

A couple days ago I walked to the nearest public market in the adjacent neighborhood of "Colonia del Valle".  At this time of year there are stalls just outside the market building that sell all sorts of things for Day of the Dead and Halloween.  Some Mexicans are upset by the fact that the observance of Day of the Dead, a day to remember departed loved ones, is mingled with Halloween.  But nevertheless, the influence from north of the border is present.

A mish-mash of decorations

 

This stall sells skeleton figures in a variety of different attire.  There are skeletons dressed in regional Mexican garb, and there is even one dressed as a "lucha libre" wrestler.  In previous years I have bought a couple of these delightful figures for the apartment.  I have already put them out to welcome visitors to the apartment.

A large inflatable skeleton figure dressed as a  Mexican "charro"

 

And of course, there are plenty of marigolds, the flower whose pungent aroma is said to guide the souls of the dead home.