Given the importance of the Catholic faith here in Mexico, Semana Santa (Holy week or easter) is a very big deal. The schools are on vacation for two weeks, so much of the country is on the move, with many Mexican tourists visiting Oaxaca (an many other places undoubtedly).
Unlike the U.S., where primary and secondary schools generally break at a different time than colleges, the entire country takes off these two weeks. Much more importantly, most everyone celebrates the religious aspects of Semana Santa. Oaxaca exploded with people on the Monday preceding Easter Sunday. There were, however, no Easter bunnies or plastic eggs (thank goodness!), but rather purple and white ribbons hanging along the streets and churches, many flowers, beautiful figures made from palm leaves, and handmade decorations of dried flowers and agave plants adorning many doorways. The Easter celebration truly begins on Thursday night and continues through Saturday night. Most stores and restaurants were closed all day Friday and Saturday, reopening on Sunday. All in all, a very different celebration than we gringos do for Easter.
I went to my friend Rocio's house for "comida" with her family on Friday (dinner around 4:00), then we biked to a small town called Tule to visit the world's largest tree - a cypress weighing more than 600K tons, with a diameter of something like 20 feet! Rocio then decided that we needed to bike to another town - Santa Domingo - where everyone in the town makes bread. It was a surreal experience, including riding home in the dark.
Rocio and Andrea in front of the gi-normous cypress tree. Our
house on Vashon could fit inside of it. Truly.
Fresh bread in the pueblo of Santa Domingo. Most of the town
was at church while we visited. It was Friday night of Semana
Santa.
It seemed like the entire town was in this procession. Hard to
see, but these people are carrying a casket (Jesus)and are holding
Mary and Joseph overhead.
Here the procession is entering the church. This was a super clean
town.
This woman was putting flower arrangements together for the
church. I love this photo.
This is one of the many decorations made for Semana Santa. It
was incredible how much work was required to create these. The
entry way of many churches were adorned with weavings like these
and other dried and fresh flowers.
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