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More virtual trips in Jalisco, Mexico
May. 11th, 2013 09:07 pmSo, first San Juan de Los Lagos:
Mom remembered going here when she was very young, especially to visit the cathedral basilica.
Here it is decorated for the Christmas Season. Mom did not remember the victory column and fountain in the foreground, however. The sign says "Do Not Feed the Pigeons" and Keep your Hands out of the Fountain" basically. Here is another shot of the column, and another. The pigeons love the column, it seems.. Also new, I think this is a statue on Pope John Paul II. Mom was melancholy about photos of the inside of the church. She pointed out all the gold decoration, and reminisced about the pilgrimage to Mexico City she went on with a group from the local catholic churches here. There was a lot of gold inside the churches they visited in and around Mexico City but a lot of poverty outside. She claimed that most of what is at San Juan de Los Lagos was gold leaf, though.
The Mexican relationship with the Catholic Church is awkward. Part of it is due to the Church's role during the Spanish Colonial Period, then the mythology surrounding the War for Independence, land grabs by the Church, and then the Revolution and Cristero War. On one hand Mexico is in love with the Virgin of Guadalupe and being Catholic is such a big part of being Mexican, but there is this strong current of suspicion of the Church and almost-athiesm. Not saying that everyone is that way, but its in Mexico's national character. Nevermind what other Christian denominations have to say about the devotion to Mary. The altar at San Juan de Los Lagos is a bit of an extreme example; the center piece is a statue of Mary and the angels at the top seem to be bringing down a crown on her, while Jesus is on a crucifex off to the side. 'Course, there are more extreme examples in Mexico City and Tepeyac, specifically.
Anyhow on to Pátzcuaro.
In the parts of Mexico that Mom grew up in, the big thing to do on El Día de Muertos is to celebrate on the island of Janitzio on the Lake of Pátzcuaro. On that day, there are dances and performances in the big plaza at the top of the hill, though she doesn't remember the huge statue at the center. She probably never bothered to look upwards. Of course, since it was El Día de Muertos, visiting the island's cemetery is a thing. This is the picture that helped mom confirm I was looking at the right island; she remembered walking though the gate with the bell. She also remembered that there was food and bottles of booze decorating the graves, all mostly from the favorite meals of the deceased person. But she also remembers it was raining hard that day, so getting down to the cemetery was difficult. The roads are all cobblestone, but she says walking around was like wading in a river; she remembers that she was afraid she would get swept out int the lake. It kind of explains why she never looked up and noticed the statue of José Morelos. Anyway the only way to get on and of the island were chalupas, seen here used by a local fisher, but now it safer looking boats are used.
Thanks random internet people for geotagging your photos!
Mom remembered going here when she was very young, especially to visit the cathedral basilica.
Here it is decorated for the Christmas Season. Mom did not remember the victory column and fountain in the foreground, however. The sign says "Do Not Feed the Pigeons" and Keep your Hands out of the Fountain" basically. Here is another shot of the column, and another. The pigeons love the column, it seems.. Also new, I think this is a statue on Pope John Paul II. Mom was melancholy about photos of the inside of the church. She pointed out all the gold decoration, and reminisced about the pilgrimage to Mexico City she went on with a group from the local catholic churches here. There was a lot of gold inside the churches they visited in and around Mexico City but a lot of poverty outside. She claimed that most of what is at San Juan de Los Lagos was gold leaf, though.
The Mexican relationship with the Catholic Church is awkward. Part of it is due to the Church's role during the Spanish Colonial Period, then the mythology surrounding the War for Independence, land grabs by the Church, and then the Revolution and Cristero War. On one hand Mexico is in love with the Virgin of Guadalupe and being Catholic is such a big part of being Mexican, but there is this strong current of suspicion of the Church and almost-athiesm. Not saying that everyone is that way, but its in Mexico's national character. Nevermind what other Christian denominations have to say about the devotion to Mary. The altar at San Juan de Los Lagos is a bit of an extreme example; the center piece is a statue of Mary and the angels at the top seem to be bringing down a crown on her, while Jesus is on a crucifex off to the side. 'Course, there are more extreme examples in Mexico City and Tepeyac, specifically.
Anyhow on to Pátzcuaro.
In the parts of Mexico that Mom grew up in, the big thing to do on El Día de Muertos is to celebrate on the island of Janitzio on the Lake of Pátzcuaro. On that day, there are dances and performances in the big plaza at the top of the hill, though she doesn't remember the huge statue at the center. She probably never bothered to look upwards. Of course, since it was El Día de Muertos, visiting the island's cemetery is a thing. This is the picture that helped mom confirm I was looking at the right island; she remembered walking though the gate with the bell. She also remembered that there was food and bottles of booze decorating the graves, all mostly from the favorite meals of the deceased person. But she also remembers it was raining hard that day, so getting down to the cemetery was difficult. The roads are all cobblestone, but she says walking around was like wading in a river; she remembers that she was afraid she would get swept out int the lake. It kind of explains why she never looked up and noticed the statue of José Morelos. Anyway the only way to get on and of the island were chalupas, seen here used by a local fisher, but now it safer looking boats are used.
Thanks random internet people for geotagging your photos!
