Lavandería

Today I want to write about such a simple act of household as doing laundry and arranging clothes to dry on our terrace. We do have a laundry machine, laundry is not done by hand. However, it is arranged by hand on hangers, and it is secured by hand with clothes pins. (We had hard time finding both – hangers and clothes pins. Hangers we found at Bodega Aurora and clothes pins we found at Abarrotes on 20 De Enero Street, where we go for fruits.) Do you know that arranging cloths… Read More

Easter-Time Ritual

The burning of Judas is an Easter-time ritual held by Orthodox and Catholic communities. Effigies of Judas Iscariot are burned, hanged, flogged or exploded with fireworks. Once widely practiced across Europe, now it can be seen only in Greece, Portugal and Spain. The Spaniards and Portuguese spread the tradition around their colonies and it is still celebrated in Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Uruguay, Chile and The Philippines. Strange thing is that it was all sort of mummies hanging. One looked like grigo. I was told, sometimes San Migeulian’s hang politicians they do… Read More

Good Friday in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

My original home country is deeply orthodox Christian country, where people take religion seriously, obey all religious holidays, follow numerous long and short lents, celebrate Easter and Christmas at fullest. However, I have never seen anything like what I saw yesterday. Not in my home country Georgia or anywhere else. A well organized, fully orchestrated and I am sure numerous times rehearsed parade of Christianity marching from the center of San Miguel de Allende. Carrying statue after statue of Jesus Christo, Archangels, Angles, Mother Mary, crosses, glass coffin with statue of Jesus… Read More

Semana Santa or Holy Week

Holy Week and San Miguel—A Special Reverence Almost nowhere in Mexico is Semana Santa recognized with such reverence, tradition and awe as in San Miguel de Allende. Visitors both devout and curious come from all over Mexico (and the world) to experience the intense emotion of these observances of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. Despite the crowds, this is not a tourist show. These Holy Week ceremonies are deeply felt statements of faith. Many of the rituals go back centuries. It is a privilege to be allowed to observe them—and even… Read More

Palm Sunday in San Miguel de Allende

Palm Sunday is held 7 days before Easter Sunday. So, this post should have appeared last Sunday, or at least this week Monday… But, I had been really busy recently. Could not process photos. That’s why I am posting it today – the day of another big holiday which is Good Friday. Today also happened to be a cherished holiday by Orthodox Christianity, which usually falls within the Easter celebration time. This day in Gerogian language is called ხარება, in Russian language it is called – Благовещения. In English it is referred… Read More