Last night around 8:00 we opened our front door and there was a stream of people headed for the Plaza de Armas to participate in the ongoing independence celebration. We joined the stream while a guy walking the other way waved a red bandana and shouted, "¡ánimo!" "Animo," everybody shouted back to him.
When we got to the edge of the Plaza we saw a covered bandstand with the symphony orchestra seated on it. In front of them was Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan.
The Plaza was totally filled and all the streets emptying onto it were starting to fill up.
We decided to walk around back to get a front view. On the way we passed the guy who sells us symphony tickets. "¡Buenas noches! he said. "¡Muy buenas noches!" we replied.
After about three mariachi songs (everyone around us sang along) our ánimo started to wane, so we walked home. I'm not a very patriotic or nationalistic person, but I have to admit I was moved by the spectacle. I admire Mexicans' animation and patriotism. Mexico has never invaded a foreign country (Pancho Villa doesn't count). I saw no flags honoring war dead in the Mexican cemeteries I've visited. (They are, however, pretty good at killing each other. A different issue). I think my lack of patriotism has a lot to do with Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan, torture, drones, Cointelpro, etc.
On another note, we seem to be closer to buying a house. Yesterday we went to measure the rooms. The man living there said his daughter, the owner, was coming here either this week or next. She has to come to sign the papers or pay 25% of the difference between what she paid for the house and what she's selling it for.
I'm going to show it room by room, because it gets a little wacky after the first room.
This is the room you enter from the sidewalk. It has two front doors, one of which we hope to make into a window. The room, which we could call the living room, is 15x15.
It has a decent floor and the traditional high ceilings with exposed beams.
Another room tomorrow.
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