Semana Santa -- Holy Week

Semana Santa is an annual christian holiday intended to commemoration the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.  It begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Resurrection Sunday with everyday having its own meaning and celebration.  Some say that the festival really begins the Friday before Palm Sunday called Pain Friday.

It doesn't have a set date of celebration, usuallyl its the last week of Lent, landing typically in March or April.  Lent ends on Maude Thursday which is supposed to represent the day of the last supper and the following Friday, Good Friday, represents the crucification of Jesus.  The Resurrection is called Saint Saturday and then finally you have Resurrection Sunday also known as Easter.

In Mexico, Semana Santa is a very religious and serious holiday.  Maybe people will go on vacation that week, but many people also stay at home and attend various church services during the Saint Days.

Here is what each day is called in Spanish and what it represents.

 

Domingo de Ramos. 

The day Jesus arrived to Jerusalem.

Lunes Santo. The Day Jesus arrived at Lazarith's House and also the day he destroyed/kicked everyone out of the market in front of the Temple of Jerusalem.

Martes Santo. The day Jesus told his disciples they were going to betray him.

Miércoles Santo. The day Judas betrayed Jesus.

Jueves Santo. THe day Jesus washed his disciples feet and the day of the Last Supper.Also the day of Jesus' arrest.

Viernes Santo.  The day of the interrogations of Herod and Pilot.  The day of the Crucifixion.

Sábado Santo.  The day he was put into the tomb.

 

Domingo de Resurrección.  Easter.  the day of Resurrection

Happy Birthday Benito Juarez (March 21st)

Benito Juarez is considered one of Mexico's greatest and most beloved leaders. During his political career he helped to institute a series of liberal reforms that were embodied into the new constitution of 1857. During the French occupation of Mexico, Juarez refused to accept the rule of the Monarchy or any other foreign nation, and helped to establish Mexico as a constitutional democracy. He also promoted equal rights for the Indian population, better access to health care and education, lessening the political and financial power of the Roman Catholic church, and championed the raising of the living standards for the rural poor.

Benito Juarez was born March 21st 1806, the child of Zapoteco Indians. After they died, he went to live with his uncle, but at 12 he joined his sister in Oaxaca. He began studying for the priesthood, but changed to studying for a law degree, which he received in 1831. 

In 1853 the conservatives took power in Mexico and many liberals were exiled, including Juarez, who spent his time of exile in New Orleans. In 1855 the liberals won the election, and Benito Juarez returned from his exile as the Minister of Justice. In 1858 the conservatives rebelled, and again Juarez had to leave Mexico City, this time fleeing to Veracruz, where he created a government in exile.

In January 1861 the conservatives lost power, and Benito Juarez became the President of Mexico.  After Mexican congress rejected an agreement Juarez had made with the British Prime Minister to protect the interests of European countries Spanish, British and French troops landed in Vera Cruz. Spain and Britain were there to protect their financial interests, and left in April, after it became clear that France had conquest in mind. The French troops fought for two years, and although suffering a serious defeat on 5th May 1862, eventually captured Mexico City in June 1863

Benito Juarez and the government of Mexico were forced to retreat right back to Ciudad Juarez, After four years, finally the Napoleonic forces withdrew. Maximilian himself was captured and executed on 19th June 1867.  Juarez returned to Mexico City, and the presidency even after suffering a stroke in October 1870, and the loss of his wife in 1871. He won the presidential election in 1871, but died on 18th July 1872, of a heart attack.  

Interesting perspective on Police.

So this morning I was at the gym. I was the only 1 at the gym because apparently I'm the only 1 who thinks it seems to be appropriate to get up at 6am on a Sunday to workout hahahahaha. Anyways, as I was working out I was looking out the window and saw a few police cars driving by. It made me start thinking about the different way we see police in the United States and in Mexico. Actually more so the different ways that the police see us. Here are some of the main differences: 

United States
  1) the police drive around in small sports cars made to look like the cars that everybody drives
  2) they sneak around and try to catch you doing something you're not supposed to do when you don't think that they're watching
  3) if you even think about bribing them to get out of a ticket you will most likely go to jail!

Mexico
  1) the police drive around in big Ford trucks with the words municipal police clearly written in big letters on all sides of the vehicle.  Also there's usually 3 or 4 policemen standing in the back of the truck with big guns just in case you were wondering whether or not they were police. 
  2) during the day and at night the police drive around with their lights on.  Not their headlights, but the red and blue lights on the top of the vehicle.  It's as if instead of hiding they're saying we are here and we want you to know that, so behave. 
  3) about 50 percent of the time the police will pull you over for absolutely no reason other than to see if you will try to bribe them! 

I don't know which system is better, I kind of like the aspect of everybody knowing they're there. It puts the control back in the power of the person to decide if they really want to do something bad. Instead of saying you did something bad hahaha we caught you. 

Just something I was thinking about this morning. I would love to hear your thoughts or comments on the topic. 

Los Mochis y Creel!

After leaving Hermisillo I had a long bus ride down to Los Mochis.  Originally I was just planning to spend the night there and leave in the morning for Creel, but I met a guy through Couch Surfing that changed my mind. Also, it didn't help that the economy train didn't leave till Friday and I arrived on Wednesday.... I stick to my story that Paul told me about all the cool things that I had to see in Los Mochis and that convinced me to stay.  :-).

We went downtown, he ran (I walked) up to the lookout point (twice!!!) And we watched the sunset!  We saw the new baseball stadium and went to visit his mothers restaurant for dinner.  We had a great time!

The new Baseball Stadium! 

The halfway point at the lookout tower

Finally on Friday morning I got on the Chepe (train that goes from Los Mochis to Chihuahua) and watched the sun rise.

sunrise from the train

It was an awesome train ride...  The first time on a train...  Sorry grandma, going from Racine to Chicago on the Metra doesn't count.  :).  And 8-10 hours later I arrived in Creel! 

It was soooooo cold!!! And I'm not talking like 50° cold I mean like 0°!!!  There was snow....snow in Mexico!  It was actually a little annoying/funny because as I was looking out the window at the snow thinking about how cold its going to be outside while all the little Mexican children were so excited and cheering "look daddy... Snow!!! We can throw snowballs!!!!"  There was me like....  " greaaaaaaat" :).  I must say though....  The Copper Canyon made it all worth it!!! 

Once in Creel I went on a tour to some cool rock formations, indigenous caves, cities, and waterfalls.  In this tour we had three French people that spoke French (one spoke a little Spanish)....  Two Germans that only spoke German and English.... two Mexican guys that only spoke Spanish... And me!!!!  We were the most mixed up international group ever put together!!  :).

This is the inside of the case where the indigenous people Tarahumara from Creel still live to this day.  Our guide told us they are very religious and they think that if they move that God will punish them. 

This is a different view of the inside of the cave.  That area in the back that looks like it has zigzag ramps is where the put all the animals at night so the coyotes can't get to them. 

This is the outside of the cave. 

After we left the Tarahumara we went to the Valle de los hongos (Valley of Mushrooms). 

They say that all these rocks were positioned like this naturally and this area is not man made... but I have my doubts.

Our guide also said that this valley may have been underwater at some point in time with could explain the rocks sitting on top of each other. 

Next we visited Valle de las Ranas (you've probably guessed it, Valley of the Frogs).  Also said to be completely from nature. 

I don't think this one had a name but it was very stone hedge esk, so I took a picture!  hahahaha..

This is a church that we visited that was one of the first attempts to change the Tarahumara to Catholicism.  It was very cool because it had variety of catholic and indigenous symbols all over.

These crosses were outside the church.  As you can see the bigger, closer one is inside the gates of the church and the other one is outside the gates.  The one outside is called El Cruz de Castigo (the Cross of Punishment) and the closer one is called El Cruz de Bendicion (the Cross of Blessing/Forgiveness).  When someone in the community does something wrong they tie them to the Cross of Punishment and whip them, then once they've been punished, they crawl inside the gates of the church and pray and ask for forgiveness at the base of the Cross of Forgiveness. 

Piedra del Elefante...  You guessed it!!  Its the Rock that looks like an ELEPHANT!!! :)

This waterfall is called Cuz Cerare in an indigenous word for Lugar de la Aguila which means Place of the Eagles in English. 

It was beautiful... and the snow didn't stop us from going down to the base of the waterfall. 

This is el Lago Arareco which is said to have healing powers if you bath in it... but it was WAY to cold for any of us to think of putting even a finger in this lake.  hahahaha.  Lake Ararco is another indigenous word, but I don't know what it means in Spanish. 

 If anyone ever wants an amazing place to go in Mexico that doesn't have a lot of tourists, my suggestion would be COPPER CANYON!  It really is awesome!  

After leaving Creel I spent the night in this little town called El Fuerte.  Apparently, that is where the man who the character Zorro was based on was born!  Pretty cool huh??

Hermosillo

So I got on the bus to head to Hermosillo at 7pm.  It is a 14 hour bus ride, so I figured better to do it overnight so I could sleep.  Before I left everyone from Tijuana to Guadalajara told me not how miserable this trip was going to be.  They told me how uncomfortable the buses were, how the desert is super cold and how the second class buses stop every two hours!!! Not surprisingly I had a different experience.  The bus was packed full and just when I thought I was going to luck out and have two seats to myself, a nice older gentleman sat down next to me.  He was very sweet, we talked for a little while and then I went back to reading my book.  When we stopped for the first time, he got off the bus...and came back with a bag of chips and a couple drinks.  He asked me to take the chips.  I thought he just wanted me to hold them while he got settled, but after a couple minutes he asked "well aren't you going to open them" surprised I opened them and tried to hand them back to him at which time he promptly responded "no, I got them for us to share, here is your drink too". What!!  I didn't understand but I sat there and talked to him for a while, while we had our snack.  Next thing I know as its getting late, he reaches up and pulls down a big, warm, soft blanket which he proceeds to share with me for the whole night.  In the morning when it was time to wake up, he bought me coffee and brought me an entire bag of creamers and sweeteners cause he wasn't sure how I took it.  :). It was probably one of the most comfortable 14 hour bus rides I've ever had!!!! 

After arriving to Hermosillo I was picked up by some of the couch surfers that I had talked to and proceeded to have an amazing time in Hermosillo!!  First and foremost they took me to this restaurant  where I saw the biggest tortillas I had ever seen in my life.  They are bigger than a large pizza!!! 

Tortillas sobaqueras (por sobacos recién sudados de doña Lupe).  Which basically means that they got their name because the woman who originally started making these ultra thin super big tortillas used to toss them around her arm kinda like a pizza and people would say that they were made with her sweat mixed in...   I was assured that the person who made the ones I ate had long sleeves on!!!  :)  

Gerardo let me stay at his house, I met his friends, Gaby is an incredible girl, and his family was super nice and welcoming.  His mom made fresh tortillas and amazing food everyday.  We went to the lookout point, saw the Government Palace, the Church and many other places in the city.  

La Catolica

El Palacio del Gobierno

These paintings were done on the inside walls of the palace. 

All in all I had a great time!!  :-)

Gaby and Me!

I thought this sign was funny.  I know its dorky, but the HMO made me laugh. 

A picture of the side of the Palace and also the lookout point of the city where were taking pictures the night before. 

This is PJ's sister!  :)

Lions that we saw at the zoo. 

The White Tiger in the zoo that for some reason would not stop staring at me.