November 7, 2005

Mérida Musings 4: Fiesta Oaxaqueña

Last Sunday, the 30th of October, we embarked on our second big trip to the Mexican state of Oaxaca.  Our primary reason for making the trip was to observe and take part in the celebrations of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.  This holiday is a pretty huge deal here in Mexico, as much as, or more so, than our Halloween, so I feel privileged to have experienced such an important part of Mexico’s culture.

Because we all went through the many adventures in Guatemala, not a one of us was surprised when, somewhere in the state of Campeche, our bus broke down.  Instead, we took the setback in stride, and enjoyed ourselves when a rented van deposited us at a roadside restaurant for a few hours while we waited for a new bus.  It was hard not to: the sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and the quaint thatched-roof eatery was at the water’s edge of the Gulf of Mexico – not a bad place to be stuck for two hours.