Driving Deeper into Mexico

This morning we started our day with a soak in the warm pool under the palm trees at Chimulco, then headed east along the south shore of Lake Chapala. At the last minute we decided we weren't quite ready to head north, so we've driven deeper into Mexico towards Morelia and Patzcuaro.

The drive along Lake Chapala was just beautiful. It looks a like a cross between the Okanagan and the area around Kamloops. We had a lovely surprise at the little village of San Luis Soyatlan. As we came into town, a policeman directed us to a detour off the highway. The pavement on the main road was covered with alfalfa and palm leaves and people were gathering around for the Palm Sunday service. The priest and the altar boys were there, as well as people dressed in long robes, including "Jesu Cristo" and a donkey to lead the procession. It was an amazing sight to see everyone from families with children, to groups of teens with cell phones, to old men in cowboy hats and grandmas in prayer shawls, all holding bouquets of greenery or braided palmito leaves. Palm Sunday seems to be a special occasion here. We noticed many fresh flowers and wreaths on the shrines and in graveyards and we think it is a time when people also remember the loved ones they have lost.

We made it as far as Zamora where we're staying tonight. Strolled with the dogs down to the main Cathedral to find Palm Sunday celebrations continuing there. Many people were selling things of a festive and religious nature. Balloons for the kids, flowers, toys, and braided palmitos for the evening service.

Zamora is not a tourist town and it's obvious to us now that people selling things on the street is not just a tourist thing. It seems that wherever you go in Mexico you can find people selling things—on the highway, in restaurants, at gas stations, in the street and parks. Hammocks, roses, candies, belts, straw hats, mangoes carved into flower shapes, cut up fruit, toys, tamales—it's all available if you want it. We often feel sorry to decline the offer of these various things and think about how difficult it must be for someone to make a living this way. Certainly there are many people who don't have much money or a “regular” job but at least they are working and hopefully able to eke out an existence.