A Festival of Tourism

Last Saturday, Alejandro and I headed to the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City's iconic, monument-studded boulevard.

I had read that the city was holding a "Touristic Festival" that weekend.  The tourist departments of the states of Mexico were invited to participate.  About twenty states plus Mexico City had set up booths along the boulevard.

Not only were they promoting tourism, but they were also selling typical products and handicrafts from their states.  Handicrafts!  If you have read this blog for long, you know that I love handicrafts!

The town of Amealco in the state of Querétaro is famous for its traditional "María" dolls.  Here a woman from the Otomí tribe poses with a display of handmade dolls for sale.

Alejandro by a giant "María" doll next to the Querétaro booth.

"Rebozos" (Mexican shawls) for sale in the booth from the state of San Luis Potosí.

Among the merchandise from the state of Veracruz were bottles of vanilla from Papantla, and a toy representing the "voladores de Papantla", the dancers who descend from a tall pole with their feet tied to ropes.

At the booth from Oaxaca there was a gentleman selling his "alebrijes", brightly painted animal figures carved from copal wood.  I bought a jaguar mask to add to my collection.

A fellow from the state of Nayarit dressed in the traditional attire of the Huichol tribe.

The town of Metepec in the State of Mexico is famous for its elaborate clay sculptures known as "Trees of Life".  This one represents the Bible story of Noah's ark.

The town of Taxco in the state of Guerrero is renowned for its silversmiths.  I bought a couple pairs of earrings.

There was also a stage set up where dance troupes were performing folkloric dances.

Interspersed among the booths were large resin sculptures representing famous Mexicans.  The figures had skull heads and their clothing was decorated in traditional beadwork by members of the Huichol tribe.  More than three million glass beads were placed by hand on these sculptures.

This figure represents the famous comic actor Cantinflás.

The famous mural painter David Alfaro Siqueiros

The 19th century artist and engraver, José Guadalupe Posada, who created the image of the "catrina", the elegantly dressed skeleton that has become the symbol of the Day of the Dead.

I had to do a double take when I saw this figure of a baseball player.  It was wearing a Cleveland Indians uniform.  The sculpture represents Roberto (Bobby) Avila who was a star player with the Indians for ten seasons (1949-1958).  After retiring from baseball, he became the mayor of his hometown of Veracruz.