Ajijic festival again

Last post, I should have noted that not taking things for granted regarding house wiring does not just apply to Mexico. In 1985, we bought a house on Purcell’s Cove Road near the Armdale Rotary in Halifax. The house, built in the 1920s, seemed to have been renovated and the wiring upgraded. However, when up in the attic installing more insulation, we noticed the old parallel wiring with spool insulators. We thought that they just had not been removed when it was rewired. However, on checking, we found that the wires were live and that all the ceiling lights were still connected to this outdated wiring. While all the rest of the house had been rewired, no one had bothered to go into the attic and rewire up there.

Yesterday, the San Andres (Saint Andrew) festival for Ajijic’s patron saint started. It runs for almost 2 weeks. Today, there have been lots of big rocket firecrackers starting at about 5 a.m. We are far enough away that they don’t bother us too much. However, we were having brunch in the center of town only 2 blocks from the church where the rockets are set off. It was deafening. Every evening after mass, the plaza hums with entertainment, rides for the kids, lots of stalls selling everything, and lots of people. Practically every night, there is a big fireworks display at about 10:30 next to the plaza. Each night’s entertainment and fireworks is planned and paid for by different groups and unions in the town. Each group plans and raises money all year in order to make a big impression for their night. A lot of ex-pats go away for part or all of the festival time and/or complain a great deal. But this is Mexico and the Mexican way. No one is forced to come here and Mexicans are very tolerant of us, even though our being here impinges on their lives in many ways--some good and some not so good. Besides, it is very interesting to go to observe and even participate a little.

Our trip to Morelia is fast approaching; we leave Thursday, 26 Nov. It takes about 4 hours for the drive. From everything I hear and learn, Morelia is a fascinating city. In an earlier post, I gave Jim Cook’s blog with his pictures of Morelia. Below are a couple of websites with more information and photos. The schedule is quite busy. On Thursday, there is a dinner plus 2 concerts even though we get there only shortly after 12. On Friday afternoon, there is a short trip to Tzintzuntzan to the Convent of San Francisco de Asis and on to Pátzcuaro, which was the capital of the pre-Spanish Indian empire in this area. These people were never conquered by the Aztecs. Their capital also contained fantastic stone architecture. There is so much history in Mexico. We are free all day Saturday until 7 p.m. to explore Morelia itself.

Morelia

Google photos