Mexico

The Truth Will Set You Free

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The University of Guanajuato now serves over 30,000 students in several campuses across the state.  But the original campus here in Guanajuato started as a Jesuit school.  According to our guide, the intention was to create a school that would be a hive of learning, which is reflected in the architecture and the bumblebees on the seal.  The latin inscription means: the truth will set you free.  There is an irreverant ditty in there somewhere. Perhaps I will figure it out before the Pope visits here in March 2012.


 

Scenes From Hildago Market in Guanajuato

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Here in San Miguel it is not unusual to see a woman in brightly colored  indigenous dress hawking hand made dolls, while talking on her cell phone.  In the Hidalgo Market in Guanajuato, I found this somewhat less discordant, but equally interesting  contrast-traditional hand made bags and baskets in a stall with a vendor more interested in his cyber electric guitar lessons than selling.

 

Land Art

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At Charco del Ingenio, Mexico’s largest botanical park right here in San Miguel, there was a terrible fire last spring.  Fortunately, there has been a great recovery by many of the plants, and our year round San Miguel friends tell us that the wildflowers after the wild fire were the most spectacular in many years.


Currently there is an an exhibit of “land art” in the park.  Andy Goldsworthy type art made of natural materials.  These photos are of a burned mesquite sculpture, acknowledging and remembering that fire.

 

La Cañada Pyramid

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Pyramid maintenance is an on going chore.

Canada de la Virgin is an archeological site 30 km from San Miguel.  It was opened to the public last year after many years of legal wrangling.  The German who owned the land that this complex of Otomi pyramids were ondid not want to give the public access.  But he lost and a nine kilometer long road was built in the traditional style of this area - roads built by hand with simple tools.  

I am happy to report that I was able to understand at least half of what our tour guide told us during the two hour tour.  This site was used for celestial observation and it was aligned to indicate equinoxes and rainy seasons.  There is the beginnings of what promises to become a very interesting garden laid out in a swirling pattern with each section filled with plants that represent the vast knowledge of plant life by indigenous people.  This is a place that will look very different after the spring rains turn the desert landscape green.

Giving the Devil His Due

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The devil is a major character in Mexico’s Christmas festivities.  This scene, which is taller than me, occupies a place of honor in the jardin- across from the traditional creche scene- the one with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and the elephants….  

 

Lucifer is the star of the pastorela, a Latin American version of a medieval miracle play, traditionally performed at Christmas.  It involves shepherds on their way to see baby Jesus and devils and angels trying to direct things in often comedic ways.

Knowing this, makes the sight of children singing Christmas carols with devil horns a little less jarring.

 

 

Santa Heads South

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On the road from Leon to San Miguel, there are all sorts of roadside stands, selling everything from auto parts to fried chicken.  Nothing really sparked my interest, until herds of reindeer appeared along the roaside- creatures both large and small made from woven twigs and many with Christmas lights.  Laplands comes to Central Mexico.  And then on my first stroll about town with my camra, I found this version of frosty the snow man.