Deb and Gregg: May 2013

March 29, 2013, Good Friday. We take the bus from La Cruz to Bucerrias where Deb buys a lightweight dress and breakfast from street vendors. We have fun visiting with several different Hiuchol artisans offering their art in the square. They are very engaging friendly and pleasant as they patiently explain something about their culture and art. We converse with sign and Spanish, a second language for all.

Native American - Hiuchol

Next we wait almost an hour for the “Way of the Cross;” Via de los Cruzes to leave the Mission. It gets hotter by the minute and there is competition for shady spots in the courtyard. Why are several participants carrying small towels? I expect the procession to circle a couple of blocks and return to the Mission. Instead the route is about a mile along dirt streets through poor neighborhoods to a high ridge. The procession is led by Jesus, two Marys, two other convicts who did not carry crosses, and two centurions. There are 12 Stations of the Cross set up with temporary icons on the walls of homes along the way. The lessons are read and hymns sung at each station and Jesus struggles with the cross and the heat as we all ascend the steep path. Our small discomforts stumbling on the rocky surface and enduring the heat help us understand the suffering of Jesus. The small towels are employed mopping up streams of sweat from the pilgrims who thought to bring them. One tiny old woman in particular at first seems much too frail to endure this test but she is equal to the challenge. Well wishers take Jesus down from the cross and carry him to the tomb and the ceremony is concluded. We participants make our way back to the Mission.

Fellow pilgrim participating in Via de los Cruzes

Music and dance in Puerto Vallarta.

They say the cosutmes are a salute

to the Aztec culture but not strictly accurate.

Stone sculpture, Puerto Vallarta

Sand Sculpture Puerto Vallarta - Not

a real person

Sand sculpture Puerto Vallarta - this

is a real person; hot and itching

We have a bit of a hike and some confusion before finding a place to catch the bus from Puerto Vallarta back to La Cruz. This is not worth mentioning except that we take a detour upon hearing a band a block off our route. There in a side street intersection are a dozen musicians with lots of percussion and brass playing a series of lively tunes. We cannot establish any reason for the event other than joy in the music. This is a free concert not to be missed!

OK - a word of explanation here: This blog is in reverse chronological order. We were in Puerto Vallarta later and San Blas earlier. The following is from San Blas. I don't know the dates.