Fiesta de Guadalupe and What makes San Cristobal So Special in general.

Last night was the big party for all the people who walked to our Guadalupe church to ask the Virgen for her blessings, to forgive a sin, or a wish. Lots of puestos (booths) that sold food and games, and hot fruit juice with homemade liquor (really yummy in the cold). There are six million people that are at the actual guadalupe church in mexico city. They come from all over mexico and wear white shirts with the virgen on the front and their town written on the back, saying where to where they are walking. Some have torches. The Day of the Virgen of Guadalupe, is the biggest mexican holiday (i thought they said that about independence day....)

So last night was like a carnival at the steps that went up to the church, games, a live band and cotton candy. We climbed the steep steps to the church and the virgen was lit with a green neon light and a red one. It reminded me of a shrine to Frank Sinatra. We were about to leave when they started to sing... the tune sounded familiar... and then they switched into english.... LET IT BE by the Beettles. I kid you not!

So there we were in the crowd in front of guadalupe, the people with the white shirts and a bit drunk off the hot fruit punch, swaying back in forth in the church to the beetles. Outside they played the MARIMBA, traditional Chiapas music. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimba

-----------------

I just got back from eating at a tiny place with indian food. I had a hindu burrito that was made for me by a Japanese lady and her daughter (?) who own the place. There is japanese writing and massage advertisements of Shitzu massage on the walls. Behind their counter is crazy Bollywood music videos playing loudly, in the small room.

This is what I like about San Cristobal.... it mixture of people that live here, the weirdness that makes you wake up daily to life. Some times when it is hot I feel like I am at burningman when I pass a VW bus hand painted. Walls have messages of resistance and rebellion, written, graffiti, drawn or posted on. Capitalism, Sexism, Racism, Classism, rights for indigenous groups and the EZLN. San Cristobal has been a focal point for social movements, as i hear this occurred after the Zapatista rebellion and artists. The walls in San Cristobal reflect its culture. I believe it is the only place like it. There is nowhere, I remember so similar to the feeling i get here. The more you open up to this place, the more events you find out about, the more movie showings, plays, live music (including jazz) and poetry you hear about. But it is not about ego, its about we, not the I. VIVA SAN CRIS!

Right now I am listening to the never ending nose makers, fireworks (even during the day!) and car alarms.. its popular right now, to drive around with banners of the virgen on it, hanging over it, and put on a crazy car alarm. Or better yet,  park your car and do the same, maybe in front of my house,  that repeats often enough to make you go a bit insane.

Just be careful with the road construction. Walking today to the indian place, I saw a gas tanker stuck, its wheel in a hole. I decided to walk on the other street...and watch out for those bulldozers! they swing their equipment around.... and nothing is blocked off.

Then there is the best quesadilla place in San Cristonbal... Sin Nombre. Thats its name... without name. It does not have a title on the door and opens up late.. you know when it is when the green light is on outside. You write on scraps of paper, what odd ingredient you want in your quesadilla, like pumpkin flowers (amazingly good tho!) and go to the back dark outdoor area and wait on a bench. There is a tiny wooden closet that a man is selling a corn drink, available with homemade liquor if you wish.

I love it here. i love the smallness of the place, i feel like i know a lot of people, owners of newly opened bars. I like the small signs letting you know where places are, like the electric voodoo place...