JOSE
Getting back to Querétaro felt like home (absence does make the heart grow fonder even if it was less than 24 hours). As we wake and go about our days here, we’re getting to know our neighborhood and our neighbors well. Across the street from us lives our landlord’s mother, Conchita. She sits outside on the cement benches that surround a single sapling (imagine a huge potted plant with benches). Other neighbors occasionally join her for a few hours of chit chat. Naomi and I once stopped for a quick hello, which turned into an hour of commiserating on old scars and hip replacements all the while being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Also across the street we met Enrique and his wife Martha, who own a small shop, which sells beautiful original pieces of metal work (think lanterns, metal framed tables, ceramic pots, etc.).
Enrique doing his thing
The shop could use a bit of organizing and is reminiscent of Sanford’s junkyard. We hired him to make us a table for preparing food which came out beautiful.
Our custom made table
We live on a street that’s more like a triangle and at the tip of this triangle is a beautiful fountain with a taco stand that serves some of the most delicious tacos on this side of the street. Also on that very corner is a small stand (well they’re actually on the floor) with 3 women selling fruits and vegetables (I’ve already made a yummy soup out of them).
Fountain, Taco Stand and Naomi
Delicious Tacos for 10 pesos ($1 usd)
Further along our block there are butcher shops (2 of ‘em) one specializing in red meat and the other in chicken, a bakery and a law office (you can sue the butcher for tainted meat and then buy a cake to celebrate your settlement all in one block). A lot of the stores here specialize in specific items or services. You can walk into one store and get tennis racquets (not balls or other accessories, just tennis racquets) and then walk into another and get shoelaces (not shoes or sneakers just laces). Naomi and I wonder how they make their money since we don’t see anyone frequenting the stores, but what we’ve assumed is these are people’s residences and their living rooms have been converted into store fronts. We’re also guessing that the other partner is out making the main bulk of the income at some other job. One more thing, there’s a small market with actual stands that sell tacos and fruits and vegetables. It’s like having a farmer’s market everyday up the block. I think one of the vendors overpriced us on some plums but who’s counting.
A little side note: The other day we were walking down our block and happened to come upon this huge caterpillar. HUGE! Naomi rushed back to our place to get the camera. When she came back, a man, a woman and I were huddled around the beast, contemplating what kind of creature it was. The woman said it was deadly poisonous and that it was a “cienpies” (centipede). A man about my age pulled out a ruler (people in Querétaro walk around with rulers in their pockets). It measured 5” or 11 mm. And it was thicker than a drunk’s swollen finger. After it’s photo shoot, the beast was pocketed by the man, who apparently ignored the venomous fangs (just kidding).
The Beast
NAOMI
We decided to come home to Querétaro for Independence Day. And arriving back in our city felt like coming home again. I’m very grateful that it feels like that. Monday the 15th felt like kind of a regular day… most businesses were open. In the evening we made our way into the main plazas and witnessed the masses celebrating. It was wild to see the costumes: big fake moustaches, sombreros, red white and green painted on faces, white blouses and dresses, cowboy hats, red white and green belts and festive ribbons in hair, and even red white and green fake eyelashes! I saw a man painting on a fake moustache.
Jose and the moustache bandit
We saw military bands perform, soldiers with machine guns chatting on their cell phones
Soldiers tooting their horns
and greeting the crowds; lots of families; and vendors selling food, drinks in terracotta cups, costumes, red white and green eye masks, flags, horns to blow (like New Year’s), and dolls in traditional costumes. We tried Papas francesas with: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, hotsauce and lime! They were very yummy.
At first we were afraid that we had missed the Grito (celebration of the cry of independence) because the Plaza de las Armas (a.k.a. Plaza de la Independencia) was pretty deserted. We explored the streets, alleys and plazas and eventually made our way back to the main government building on Plaza de las Armas, where crowds were gathering. You’ll notice that because the colors of the Mexican Flag include red and green the decorations have a Christmasy feel.
Decorations all around the Plaza
We found a space to stand and were incredibly lucky to be partially under a tree that was trimmed at an angle so that when the rain started we were sheltered most of the time. It was also very warm because of the number of people. We waited for several hours for something to happen, and heard people around us wondering when it would happen. I was very impressed by the huge camera boom,
BOOM
almost crane-sized, that swung around over the crowd and up to the government building. Above the balcony (with the podium that appeared in preparation for the governor) was the bell.
Governor and the ringing of the bell
Red, green and white balloons were distributed to kids in the crowd. A large group of kids was watching from a platform until an official came to clear the platform so that the press could photograph and film the main event. One girl’s mom took the girl’s balloon and tapped the official’s back repeatedly as she laughed. I couldn’t tell if it was just for entertainment’s sake, or if she was protesting that the kids were made to move. Eventually, the governor came out and yelled Viva Querétaro, Viva Mexico and rang the bell to loud cheers from the crowd. Suddenly there was a blast of confetti
A blast
Rockin'
and then fireworks shot across the square on wires that were strung from building to building! It was the closest I have ever been to fireworks and it seemed like the sparks were falling on me!
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