We have been in Puebla, a large but not bustling city about two hours from DF. When we arrived on the 29, it was already Halloween, meaning kids with costumes were swarming around the streets with tiny plastic skulls, asking for "Una Comida por mi Calaverita?" -Something for my little skull to eat? (Skulls also eat small change, but eventually we got smart, and stocked up at a candy store. This was just one aisle in a two roomed store stacked floor to ceiling with CANDY. Do it, Mexico!
Along with the nightly calaverita feedings, people have also begun erecting Altares, with candy skulls, Pan de los Muertos (reader, we ate it. It was delicious. Soft, sweet, slightly tinged with orange extract. Perfectly pleasing to the living), liquor, cigarettes, Santos, and whatever else the celebrated dead enjoyed in life. Miniature version found in our hostel-
Marigolds are the flower of choice for the festivities.
The marigolds are left on altars and also, unsettlingly, at the death sites of loved ones. Traffic poles are well ornamented this week.
Local sites in Puebla have included Cathedrals, Gilded Catherdrals, MORE Gilded Cathedrals, and Ave Maria, many, maaany Marias. You've all seen churches but they are beautiful here, so feast those eyes on some GOLD LEAF!
We took a trip to a neighboring town, Cholula, because they have a massive old Aztec temple there that the Spanish, seeing a good real estate opportunity, planted a church atop like a big old yellow cherry.
It looks like a mountain, right? So while I was jazzed to see this anomalous church, I was NOT pleased, nor expecting to take the tunnel THROUGH THE OLD TEMPLE dug by archeologists in recent decades. Not a fan of tight, small, dark places, I especially dislike such places in areas of heavy seismic activity. The presence of two large active volcanoes nearby does nothing to assuage these fears. We managed to avoid being entombed alive. Here is my happy face-
Lots more to share but running out of time. Before I go- some food porn-
Above, the local sandwich, called a Cemita. Enchiladas with 3 types of mole,(pumpkin seed- amazing) and tacos arabes.
Made a new amigo. He's a little shy. Happy Halloween!
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