Feria de Candelaria- A Fesitval for Spring

North America » Mexico » Guanajuato » San Miguel de Allende
February 5th 2009

Published: February 8th 2009

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HollyGo

Mini Cactus

5 pesos each...I bought 4.

Even though it is still chilly here in the mornings and at night...Spring is here in Mexico. Every year at this time, San Miguel celebrates with the Feria de Candelaria. It means "Candle Mass," or the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple and is also for the Virgin of Candelaria. The main park in the city, Parque Juarez, becomes filled with plant and flower vendors from all over Mexico. They fill the park with gorgeous blooms in every bright color you could desire. The basketball court is filled with macetas, or flower pots, from teeny-tiny to HUGE! Aztec dancers welcome the spring with drums while children giggle and play with wheel barrels, hoping to help you to your car or taxi for a tip.

I have been wanting plants for our place very badly. We were spoiled at Eleanor's because she has amazing plants everywhere and when we moved in to our new place, I really missed having some green friends. So Ronnie and I have made two trips to the Candelaria and I have spent probably too many pesos...but I love each and every plant! I think they make our patio that much better. I bought

Flowers for sale

mostly flowers and cactus. This is Mexico after all! Ronnie has been very supportive of my strange plant purchase addiction and even acts as my slave labor. He carries most of them home for me. What would I do without him?

Other things that have gone on this past week...our good friend Gioanna, who owns Ave Maria where our studio is, invited us to a birthday party of a friend of hers. We loved being able to see inside a huge Mexican house and being the only "gringos." We drank beer, made jokes and shared travel stories with many new people that we promised to go dancing with in the future.

We also had a house warming party. It was small and one of my favorite nights here. We invited our closest friends, Gioanna, Eleanor, Macky, Aissa and Jason. A few others couldn't make it. We sat out on our patio drinking and sharing amazing desserts that Macky and Aissa brought until it was just too cold to bear it anymore. We moved inside and chatted for a long time. Once 1:00am arrived, I made everyone breakfast burritos to help fight off the next day's punishment...and boy did

Pretty purples

I have a head ache the next day. Thank God for the amazing fried eggs and beans drenched in rich mole and jugo (juice) of fresh papaya, orange and banana juice at El Buen Cafe to heal me. (Ronnie had a chile rellano stuffed with scrambled eggs and chorizo....yum!)

It has been a good week. And even though the Candelaria is still calling to me (it lasts for 10 days!) I must remember that my green friends won't be able to come home with me. Of course one more would look good over in that corner...

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