Dia de los muertos, day of the dead

This weekend it was dia de los muertos, the day of the dead. It's the day when the mexicans honors and celebrates their dead family members and friends. It's a tradition to make an altar in purple and orange colors decorated with food, things they liked and skeletons to commemorate them. Earlier this week we went to Parque Morelos where they use to put up a market every year were they sell decoration for the altars. On the weekend we went to Panteon de Belen, which is the oldest cemetery in Guadalajara, famous for it's spooky legends, on a day tour (they say the night tour is a spectacular during these days but we didn't feel like standing in a line in the sun for 6 hours to get tickets so we took the day tour). Instead in the evening we went to Tlaquepaque where they had an altar exhibition and other events related to day of the dead. 

Traditional skulls made of sugar makes part of the decoration on the altar.

Small Catrinas as they are called on a market in Parque Morelos.

Skeletons doing their daily activities :).

You could find all kinds of professions such as nurses, chefs, dentists, guitarists and so on..

Traditional dolls made of papier mache. 

An altar in Tlaquepaque.

Self portrait :).

I think Rafael liked baseball when he was alive. 

Mexican design and handcraft in plastic

Here in Mexico you can find a lot of nice things designed and hand crafted in plastic, such as bags and chairs. They have been used for many years and are still being produced. Lately, the chairs are seen very often at trendy bars and restaurants. You can still find them at a good price here and the plastic thread that is used is very cheap.  At some places you can see persons making the chairs on the street and selling them to a good price. But maybe I will just buy some thread and try to make one myself when I get back to Sweden, a chair or two would be great to buy but hard to take home :S.. 

Above: bikes and lovely colorful baskets. Below: Bags at a market and two chairs

Colorful chairs at a bar in Tlaquepaque

Threads in all colors and the lovely Acapulco-chair.

An Acapulco rocking chair to the left not yet finished and an original completed one. 

A Sunday in Guadalajara

Last Sunday we spent strolling around the streets and markets of Guadadalajara. Then in the evening we visited my grandmother.  Sundays is a big day of markets mexico. Three of the big ones in Guadalajara are the one in "Santa Tere" which focuses on clothes mostly, "Tonalá" where you find hand crafts and furniture and the one of the street"la calle 38" or "Juan R Zavala" as it appears on maps. On the last one you can find everything (and I really mean EVERYTHING) you need (and don't need). Everything from pets to motorcycles. It's like a huge super market but on the street. 

Sundays is also a calm day (if you are not on one of the markets :P) when most of the mexicans rest. In Guadalajara some of the big avenues are closed for bicycling, running, skating and more and it's called "La via RecreActiva". I think it's a very nice concept which makes the car traffic decrease and people to go work out. 



Söndagen som var spenderades med promenad och marknadsbesök. På eftermiddagen hälsade vi även på min mormor. Söndagar är en stor marknadsdag i Mexico. De tre största i Guadalajara är marknaden i "Santa Tere" som fokuserar på kläder, "Tonalá" där de mest säljer hantverk och möbler och den på "La calle 38" (38:e Gatan) eller "Juan R Zavala" som gatan heter på kartan. På den sistnämnda kan man hitta precis allt man behöver (eller inte behöver och då menar jag verkligen ALLT). Allt ifrån husdjur till motorcyklar. Det är som en enorm stormarknad fast på gatan. 

Söndagen är också en stor vilodag i Mexico. I Guadalajara stängs några av de stora avenyerna av för aktiviteter som cykling, löpning, promenad eller annat som inte har med motorfordon att göra. Konceptet kallas "La via RecreActiva" och jag tycker det är en bra idé som minskar trafiken och får folk att röra på sig. 

En small market with hand crafts by Av, Juarez

Mexican sandals in a store in the centre

Beautiful bikes at the market of La calle 38

And so are the bike baskets!

One of the Via RecreActivas (Av. Juarez) 

The market of La calle 38

Visa större karta