Tag Archives: events

Lake Chapala Promenade, Jalisco, MX

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At sunset, a boat returns to the pier with its passengers.

 

Lake Chapalpa is the largest freshwater lake in Mexico and the village of Chapala has been a  popular weekend and holiday destination for both Guadalajara residents  and international tourist since the 1920’s. The lakefront promenade or malecon has 2 scenic piers, boat rides, restaurants, hotels, playgrounds, skateboard park, mariachi’s, retail vendors and yacht club. One of  the malecon’s landmarks, seen below,  is the old Victorian style mansion built in 1906. It is now a restaurant called Cazadores but was  formerly  owned by the Braniff family of airline fame and fortune, In addition to tourist, ,many local people come to the malecon on a regular basis for picnic’s, see the sunsets or watch the birds who migrate here in the fall.

 

Cazadores Restaurant, formerly the Braniff family home
Birds start migrating to the shores of Lake Chapala in the falll
The main pier and lighthouse
An old boat is used as a planter in the garden on the malcon.
The Lake Chapala Inn on the malecon
There is a skateboard park on the malecon
On Sunday’s many families bring the kids to the playground on the malecon
Here’s a few of the restaurants at the east end of the malecon along with some strolling musicians
another pier is found at the east end of the malecon
Here’s the ever present Mariachi’s entertaining some visitors
The malecon is also the location for annual events such as Day of the Dead and Carnival

Day of the Dead, Lake Chapala, Mexico

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A tribute to revolutionary hero’s Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata

The day of the dead is a long standing tradition in Mexico similar to Halloween or all saints day in other parts of the world  and was inscribed into the intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO  in 2008. In Mexico, it is also a national holiday celebrated on November 2nd. On this day Mexicans pay homage to deceased family members, friends, national hero’s, luminaries and even world leaders with  personalized altars that offer gifts to the departed. These offerings usually include flowers, favorite foods, beverages and possessions of the dead. Alternately, family members will visit the grave site of departed souls and leave similar offerings.

Today , Katrina’s are the most highly recognized symbol associated with the Day of the Dead. Years ago, however, a Katrina referred to an elegant and well dressed woman of class and privilege  until a mexican artist  created an illustration of a well dressed skeleton during  revolutionary times that was supposed to symbolized the death of mexico’s ruling  class of privileged  aristocrats. Eventually,  the Katrina figure came to represent the joy of life in the face of its end.

The entrance to the street of altars
A tribute to Nelson Mandela
Tribute to Frida Kahlo, one of mexico’s most famous artist
a smiling katrina looking to the heavens
a grinning katrina on the malecon
an elegant looking katrina
a well dressed katrina in front of lake chapala
a katrina in front of city hall
city hall decorations
this altar offers insight into the departed persons favorite foods, beverages and possessions

A Spring Festival, San Cristobal, Mexico

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San Cristobal is at an altitude of 2300 meters and is surrounded by peaks, pines and oak trees

San Cristobal is at an altitude of 2300 meters and is surrounded by peaks, pines and oak trees

This annual week long celebration of spring  involves quite a variety of events and runs concurrent with the Semana Santa holiday in Mexico. There seems to be something for everyone including art exhibits, sports,  concerts, parades, cultural events, rodeo’s,  bull fights, fireworks and more. Best of all,  most events are free of charge and in San Cristobal de las Casas the weather is spring like almost year around. For more information and a few photos of event activities, see the gallery below.

local people who have no store of their own set up shop behind the main plaza to sell hand made textiles and crafts
past and present festival beauty queens at the El Gato blues concert
El Gato Blues Band rockin’ La Ensenanza Casa de la Cuidad, they were smokin’
A sidewalk art contest in the main plaza
Folk dancing on stage in the main plaza
Flora, a local artist from Korea sells her unique style of artwork on Calle Hildago, one of the pedestrian only streets in Centro during the festival
At the anniversary celebration of El Jardin de Epifitas, there was a plant contest.
Another exotic plant in the epifitas garden plant contest
a flower decorated frame was set up at all four corners around the main plaza
a marimba orchestra performing on one of two stages set up in the main plaza
a fashion show on the main stage in centro
another model wearing one of the latest spring fashion designs in Chiapas
One of the 2 day events was a National motocross competition
The winner flies over the checkered flag
Almost every event in Mexico will have a Mariachi Band as did the spring festival
There were state soccer tournaments at this field, as well as, basketball and baseball tournaments at other locations in the cities large sports park
Here is a handicapped musician who learned to master the marimba with his feet, performing on the main stage in centro
Here’s a 4 piece jazz band performing at the Casa de la Cuidad with a cover of Dave Brubecks “Take Five”
A trational orchestra on the main stage closing out the festival on the 27th of April

 

A Taste of Playa

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Baked Bread samples

Playa del Carmen just finished celebrating an annual event known as a “Taste of Playa” on Sunday the 24th of November. It is a culinary event that highlights the best and most creative restaurants as well as retail food outlets that define the culture of this area.which is renowned for its diversity, international influences and culinary expertise. At the event which is open to the general public from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.  guest have a chance to sample a variety of food and beverages served at the many restaurants around town  for a few pesos. This is a very convenient way to discover who’s serving your favorite foods at the right price without the hassle of shopping around town for days on end.

V.I.P. Zone
Chef and Roast
Main Plaza forsampling food and beverages
Fruit Stand and other snacks

Day of the Dead, Xcaret Park

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a headstone made of seashells

a headstone made of seashells

In 2003 the Day of the Dead was declared a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage by U.N.E.S.C.O. and every year the Xcaret Park near Cancun, Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead with a 5 day event known as the ” Festival de Tradiciones de Vida y Muerta”. During this celebration visitors can enjoy traditional cuisine of the region, workshops, handcrafts, visual art exhibtions, music, dances,  rituals, altars, and offerings. One of the highlights of this event is the tour of their cemetery which is both a tribute to the deeply rooted attitudes of mexicans towards death and a replica of cemeteries found throughout Mexico. This cemetery is located inside the maya village on a hill with winding spiral paths that lead to the top.The path is lined with unique and imaginative headstones, plaques and ornamental structures that display  a variety of spiritually oriented designs and attitudes about the dead.The photo gallery below is a sample of what to expect in the cemetery and in other locations around the park during this event.

the festival logo and display near the entrance
traditional yucatan altar and offerings
traditional maya dress and mask
day of the dead altar and offerings
a stone carved headstone with religious oriented design elements
a surreal headstone with spiritual design elements
a tiled headstone with religious design elementstwin towers, bells and crosses
a stone carved headstone with cross and a sculted religious figureeligous scuplture
stone carved headstone designed like a temple to and decorated with flowers in the shape of a cross
tiled headstone with a spiriual motif
a tiled headstone with other religious design elements
headstone with a religious theme and statue of the virgin de guadalupe
a religious theme for a headstone made with beer bottle caps and quart of corona beer
stone carved headstone with a spiritual theme

Playa del Carmen Highlights, Mamita’s Beach

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lots of people like to walk along the shores of the carribean sea The most popular beach in this authentic mexican resort is Mamita’s at the north end of Playa and a block from La Quinta Avenue, the pedestrian only entertainment center of town. Thanks to the amenities offered by Mamita’s s Beach Club and Kool’s adult beach club next door, you don’t need to bring anything with you other than a swim suit to enjoy a day at the beach as illustrated by the following series of images.

girls jumping for joy at mamita’s beach
Kools Bar and Adult Beach Club is right next door to Mamita’s but is for adults only. They offer many of the same services and amenities as mamita’s beach club
In addition to the restaurant, the beach club also has a lounge with a sound system and drinks to go.
Here’s the rental kiosk for a variety of water sports equipment such as hobie cats, boogie boards, surf boards etc.
Mamita’s Beach Club Bar and Restaurant also serves guest on the beach
lots of people like to walk along the shores of the carribean sea
If the ocean is a little to rough or you don’t like salt water, the pool is available for a nominal fee.
Mamita’s beach is also home to the annual international jazz festival in November. This a look at the crowd.
paddleball is a favorite recreational activity at mamita’s
some like to feed seagulls

Club Hipico, Equestrian Center

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Grand opening of Show Jumping

September 20th to the 23rd was the inauguration of Club Hipico and Grand Prix Equestrian Show Jumping in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. It is located in the exclusive gated community of  Otomi Lake and Villas close to the historic center of this world heritage site. The club features a restaurant, galleries, 3 paddocks and 3 separate courses for various levels of competition. In the future they will be hosting both national and international equestrian events.Equestrian show jumping

The outcome of  a Grand Prix show jumping contest  is based on numerical scores determined only by whether a horse attempts an obstacle, clears it, and finishes the course in an allotted time. Obstacles include verticals. spreads, double and triple combinations of each, along with many turns and changes of direction. The object is to jump cleanly over all obstacles on a set course in the time allowed. Faults are assessed IMG_1349for exceeding the time allowed, knockdowns and refusals to jump the obstacles. In higher levels of competition, such as Grand Prix events, the courses present more technical and complex challenges for the horse and rider. Not only does the height and width of obstacles increase but the turns become tighter and distances between obstacles shorter making the course more  difficult to complete without faults.

Mexico hosts LatAms largest balloon festival

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a floating house balloon

Mexico hosts Latin Americans largest balloon festival and  it is located in the city of Leon where the skies are filled with several hundred balloons over a three day period. This is an annual event which is held around the 3rd week of November. In addition to the colorful balloons; the event is packed with exhibitions, presentations, and live music concerts.