From The Land Of Haw - 2: January 2020

Holy cow, 6 weeks have passed since our last post!

Well let's get you caught up, it has been a blast!

The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe), is celebrated on December 12th, but there are several parties, parades and special events held leading up to that day.

The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe) is a popular Catholic feast that celebrates the belief

that a man named Juan Diego encountered the Virgin Mary twice in Mexico City, on December 9 and December 12 in 1531. According to legend, Mary told Juan to ask the bishop to build a church on Tepeyac Hill. However, the bishop needed proof of Juan’s encounter and asked for a miracle. Juan returned to the hill to see roses in a spot where there were previously cacti. When Juan Diego returned, he showed the roses to the archbishop and also revealed an image on his cloak of the Lady of Guadalupe. The bishop was convinced of the miracle and built a church in honor of the event.

According to the story of the Lady of Guadalupe, Mary spoke in the Nahuatl language when she appeared to Diego. It is said that millions of indigenous people in Mexico were converted to Catholicism as a result of her appearance and miracle.

Every year there is a large event held in Puerto Morelos which includes games of chance, rides for kids and adults, lots of food and drinks. Much fun is had by all at this week long event. All part and leading up to The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe) celebration.

Security is always in attendance at evening functions.

To celebrate The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Claudia and I sampled a great tequila that was given to us by friends Vic and Jayne. Their loss, our gain - man it was good, very smooth. Allan doesn't take part in this reckless behaviour because he believes once bitten twice shy, so he stands back waiting to provide his services should our experimenting go awry.

One evening we met up with our friends Claudia and Fernando at a great little taco place on Timon. Great food for sure.

A pinata donated to our Christmas Pre-Posada celebrations held on our street, Calle Goleta.

Claudia has set up an action program called "one block, one tradition" The program began this year with the Day of the Dead Alters on November 1st and 2nd, the next tradition to be celebrated was the Pre-Posada, a street party.

Part of the planning stage on our roof top terrace.

This is where the planning stage got put into action

and the peddle hits the metal or the rubber hits the pavement, whichever you choose. Allan is making a string of lights to be placed across the street in front of our casa to provide light for our pre-Posada being held on December 14th.

The Posadas is a Christmas tradition typical of

Mexico that begins nine days before Christmas, which symbolizes the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. It is an endearing Christmas party

that unites neighbors, families and friends. These Posadas seek to create an atmosphere of union

and joy, “The most important thing about the Posadas is that they bring together the neighborhood or the community, as they enter into the greater splendor of Christmas joy ”.

The evening began with blocking off our street and setting up tables, chairs, food shelters and entertainment for the children. Appetizers or Botanas was served along with a tradition punch made of a variety of fruits and juices and served hot.

To begin the celebration, there was a door or makeshift door (we used curtains across our street), on one side (outside) were the pilgrims, including Mary and Joseph, who travelled to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. Upon arrival they were looking for lodging and on the other side of the door (inside) were the innkeepers. Everyone holds a lit candle while singing this song, alternating stanzas for each side.

Outside:

In the name of Heaven I beg you for lodging, for she
cannot walk, my beloved wife.

Inside:

This is not an inn, so keep going, I cannot open,
you may be a robber.

Outside:

Don’t be inhuman; have mercy on us. The God of
the heavens will reward you for it.

Inside:

You can go on now and don’t bother us, because
if I become annoyed, I’ll give you a trashing.

Outside:

We are worn out coming from Nazareth. I am a carpenter,
Joseph by name.

Inside:

I don’t care about your name: Let me sleep, because
I already told you we shall not open up.

Outside:

I’m asking you for lodging dear man of the house,
just for one night for the Queen of Heaven.

Inside:

Well, if it’s a queen who solicits it, why is it at night
that she travels so alone?

Outside:

My wife is Mary, she’s the Queen of Heaven and she’s
going to be the mother of the Divine Word.

Inside:

Are you Joseph? Your wife is Mary?
Enter pilgrims; I did not recognize you.

Outside:

May God pay, gentle folks, your charity, and thus
heaven heap happiness upon you.

Inside:

Blessed is the house that shelters this day the
pure Virgin, the beautiful Mary.

All together:

Enter, holy pilgrims, receive this corner, for though
this dwelling is poor, I offer it with all my heart.

Yes that's us, Allan and I dressed and acted as Mary and Joseph for the celebration's song of the Pasadas. We even appeared in the news paper on front page!

Prior to and during the event the children enjoyed playing on a bounce castle and a blow up slide while the adults mixed and mingled.

When the song was sung and Mary and Joseph along with the other pilgrims were allowed into the Inn the meal was served. The dinner was pot luck and oh so many different dishes to choose from. Following dinner there was free ice cream for all the children.

To complete the celebration we were to hold the breaking of the pinatas but due to a heavy rain fall we had to postpone that part of the celebration until 3 Kings Day, January 6th. Another street party Yippee!.

The piñatas have religious significance too since ancient times. After the conquest the monks used the pinata as a resource of evangelization. Today piñatas come in a variety of shapes and sizes, however, originally they were made with clay pots, cardboard and seven peaks to form a star.

The seven peaks symbolize the 7 capital sins of:

Lust – to have an intense desire or need: “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
Gluttony – excess in eating and drinking: “for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags” (Proverbs 23:21).
Greed - excessive or reprehensible acquisitiveness: “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more” (Ephesians 4:19).
Laziness – disinclined to activity or exertion: not energetic or vigorous: “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway” (Proverbs 15:19).
Wrath – strong vengeful anger or indignation: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1)
Envy – painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage: “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:1-2).
Pride - quality or state of being proud – inordinate self esteem: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

The stick with which the piñata is broken symbolizes the force with which evil is overcome and falsehood and deceit are destroyed.

Blindfolded while hitting the piñata symbolizes blind faith in God

Colored papers on the piñata symbolizes the vanities and temptations of the devil

The fruits and sweets inside the piñata are the reward for overcoming sin.

When hitting the piñata it is common to sing the following song:(translated from Spanish to English)

"I don't want gold, I don't want money, what I want is to break the piñata.

Give it, give it, give it, don't lose your mind, because if you lose it you lose your way.

You already gave him one, you already gave him two, you already gave him three and your time is over. "

This is the last part of the Posadas and ever body goes home to enjoy the treasures received.

Everyone took shelter from the heavy downpour of rain that brought an abrupt end to the celebrations. We had a great turn out, approximately 127 people and everyone had an awesome time.

Dec 17th we headed home to celebrate Christmas with our family and friends. Yes we left this beautiful sunny paradise to go home to the land of ice and snow.

The airports were decorated for the Christmas season.

We took a photo of our one piece of checked on luggage so we could provide an accurate description should it mysteriously disappear before we made our final stop in Sudbury.

We stayed overnight in Sudbury because we had to do some shopping for items lost in our luggage and to purchase food for our Christmas Dinner which we held on Sunday December 21st with our kids and Grand-kids. One thing Allan and I learned early in our lives, Christmas Day doesn't have to be held on Christmas Day. Often we have had to share our kids with their other side family and/or shift work schedules. We take our Christmas time together when we can get it and love it. It makes the Christmas season last longer. Who could expect anything better.

This is the first time we have been home for Christmas since 2015 so it was fun getting the house ready for family and putting up our small tree.

Comfy!

I bought Christmas cookies from the Anglican Church ladies, had some donated by Maimie Sim and bought Carrot Pudding and Christmas cake from Denise McKenzie. My Grand kids loved it all. We were missing Brooklyn because she had to work, we felt the void greatly but were fortunate to get together with her on Boxing Day.

Dwayne and his family held their Christmas meal on the afternoon of December 24th and on Christmas Day we had dinner with Ann M and her son Kelsey. Boxing Day we went to Sudbury to be with Clinton and his family for a lovely pot luck. We were certainly well fed over the holiday.

It was nice being home for the holidays but I had trouble adjusting my body temperature. I had to wrap my feet in an electric blanket to get them warm. Hope our return home on March 5th holds warmer weather for us. Hahahahaha,

When we arrived in Sudbury on December 17th the temperature was minus 21 degrees with a wind chill of -29, damn it was cold.

The weather did warm up and brought with it freezing rain. Oh, how I missed our hot weather in paradise.

On January 2nd we arrived back in Puerto Morelos and soon treated ourselves to a meal at El Sarape Mexicano on Calle Chaca, just before the entrance to the highway out of the Colonia. Very nice place, the food is great and the staff are very friendly and accommodating. A must visit if you have not already been there.

Since our return we took a trip into Playa del Carmen again, every time we seem to see something interesting. For all you welders out there, notice the fellow squatted repairing the ATM? He is holding the lens out of a welder's helmet in his hand as protection for his eyes.

The lens in one hand and the welding stick in the other, good heavens!

This store name "Iay Guey" in English apparently means "I'll get around to it one day (with no intention of ever doing it). Sound familiar??

The follow-up event to Pre-Posadas with our "One block one Tradition" was held on January 6th, Three Kings Day.

On January 6th, many families celebrate Three Kings Day. It is a big deal for the kids, because it’s the day the Kings bring them gifts,(similar to our Santa Claus on Christmas Eve) just as they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Baby Jesus.

They also celebrate the day by cutting into Rosca de Reyes, the delicious, wreath-shaped bread with hidden surprises inside that is dipped into Mexican hot chocolate.

The tradition of the delicious rosca or bread:

The Bible tells us in Matthew that the Three Kings were summoned by King Herod and asked to let him know where they find the Baby Jesus, so he can pay homage, too.

After visiting Jesus, The Three Kings are warned in dreams to go back home by a different road, instead of returning to tell Herod where Jesus is.

Furious, Herod orders all children younger than two be killed in or near Bethlehem to eliminate this potential rival. The Holy Family escapes to Egypt.

Approximately 50 people joined us for breads and beverages mainly of Mexican Hot Chocolate and Mexican Coffee.

Symbolism of the Rosca de Reyes:

The circular form of the rosca represents God’s

eternal love which has no beginning or end

The sugar and fruit on top represent worldly

distractions that keep us from finding Jesus

The small doll inside the Rosca represents the

Baby Jesus who was visited by the

Three Kings and hidden away from King Herod.

The surprises in the bread are small figurines of the Baby Jesus.

The figurine in the Rosca represents baby Jesus in hiding. The person who finds the baby Jesus is symbolically his godparent and must sponsor the party when he is taken to the temple to be blessed, celebrated as Día de la Candelaria, or Candlemas, on February 2nd.

Guess what? Allan and I each an others of course found a figurine in our pieces of bread. Yes, it means another street party on February 2nd. Yippee!

Claudia worked hard for the Three Kings Day event - it was a great success.

Some walked, some came on scooters and some in cars.

The eating was followed by Pinatas.

Our gringo friends - Susan and Maurice from Winnipeg and Sharon and Rudy for the USA joined in.

The pinatas were a big hit with the kids as expected.

The neighbourhood Canadian dog joined in.

Tea, hot chocolate, horcheta and Mexican coffee were enjoyed throughout for the evening.

The adult pinata was an unexpected surprise, not only was it full of candy and adult trinkets but also special prizes of peanuts, chocolate, wine, specialty teas and a gift certificate to a local restaurant.

El Nicho restaurant on the Port side is one of our favourite stops for breakfast. They have made some major changes since we were last there. They have attached an outdoor patio and bathrooms. Wow what a difference. The yard is covered with sail sun shades, so comfortable to eat outside and the noise level is greatly reduced compared to that inside.

The wall murals and the succulent planters are very interesting to view.

After brunch and still in the port we went to the Catholic church to see their changes and seasonal displays. Beautiful.

This is a replica of the cloth Jesus was wrapped in following his his crucifixion and below is an x-ray of the cloth showing how it shrouded his body.