Day of the Dead - The Symbols and Traditional Elements

An Altar with Many of the Typical Elements

The Day of the Dead is a rich Mexican tradition which takes place during the first two days of November, and focuses on the memory of family and friends who have passed away.  This is my third post about my limited experience with this very special holiday, and the information I give here about the symbols and traditional elements is far from complete, and comes mostly from my wife  (if it's inaccurate, I'll take the credit for poor translation!). For anyone new to the holiday, however, it will give you an idea of what you'll see if you ever have the opportunity to experience the Day of the Dead.  If you know more about it, feel free to share info in the "comments" section below.


The items I list here are usually found on the altars, set up in homes for deceased family members, and seem to have a special association with the Day of the Dead and the emotional, spiritual and community significance of the holiday.

Cempoalxochitl

This is the name from Nahuatl (language of the Aztecs) for the Mexican Marigold (meaning "twenty-flower," I guess because of the many petals), which has various spellings, and is also called the "Flower of the Dead" in Mexico, because of its strong association with the holiday and other related traditions; I've read that in Honduras, they wash corpses with water that has been boiled with the petals.

The flower is placed on the altars, and in the cemetery.

A path Leading from the Door to the Altar


This could be a line of the marigolds, or of ashes, again with the purpose of guiding the souls to their altar.


Candles

Candles are lit on the altars and in the cemetery when family members visit.  The idea is that the candles will help to light the way for the souls of the deceased when they come to visit the altars their family has built for them.


Crosses


This is a plain cross, without Christ on it, and is placed on a central point of the altar.

Pictures


Often, pictures of the person or people for whom the altar was built are placed on the altar, at the base of the cross.


Incense

Copal Resin ready to be burnt as incense

This is a special resin called copal (which is also a word from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, still spoken in isolated villages) which "cleanses and purifies a place and the people in the place" when burnt as an incense.



Sugar Skulls


Little skulls made out of sugar or chocolate and brightly decorated are placed on the altar, sometimes with the names of the deceased. (I assume one for each person.)  See my last post for a picture (there's a link at the bottom.)



Catrina, the Skeleton Lady

Catrina Figure in Playa del Carmen

This is an image of a skeleton dressed as an elegant, upper-class lady from about 150 years ago, and is closely associated with many images related to the Day of the Dead. The image was originally created by a Mexican cartoonist (Jose Guadalupe Posada) who used images of skeletons to make fun of the Mexican elite upper class (hence the clothing of "Catrina.") Later on, the images became associated with the Day

In some places I have seen elaborate scenes of skeletons, like an entire band of little skeletons, or a woman skeleton sewing; this depends on the career or hobby of the person in question, or it could be a skeleton couple, for example, if the couple has passed away.  Sometimes they are a part of the altar, sometimes as separate Day of the Dead decorations.

Water

As with the next few items, glaseswater is placed on the altar for the convenience of the the souls who visit. Many people authentically believe that the souls of their family and friends come and drink the water.

Pan de Muerto

This is a round, semi-sweet bread, coated in sugar on top, and sometimes has a mild orange flavour.  There is also the form of several "bones" shaped with the same bread crossed on the top of the bread.  Besides being placed on the altar, it is sold in very large amounts during October and November, and eaten as a special seasonal treat.  Personally, I love it. Some people find it too dry, but this depends entirely on which bakery you buy it at.

Mole

Mole is a rich, dark, thick sauce, made out of chocolate, ground chilis, sugar, peanuts and many other ingredients.  A small bowl of this sauce is placed on the altar, as a part of the meal for the deceased.  Other food items can also be included, usually the favourite food of the person who has passed away.  Even non-food items can be included such as beer, wine, cigarettes, etc.

While mole is served plain here, it is also a very common food in Mexico, normally eaten with chicken and tortillas.  Someday I'll do another post about mole, one of my favourite foods.

Dry, Sugar-Coated Squash


This also for the souls of the dead, in case they are hungry.  This is a candy-like treat that is very traditional in Mexico but I actually don't too many Mexicans who like it.  I tried it once and I think it was OK, but I like just about everything.

There are many other symbols and elements which are often included in various parts of the country.  Thanks to my wife who helped me put this much together about the tradition she is most familiar with!

To read my first post, which is a brief introduction about my experience with the Day of Dead in Cuernavaca, click here.
To read my second post, which was a brief overview of a few different areas where there are interesting traditions, click here.

Tomorrow I will write about the altar we are putting up this year.

The Day of the Dead - Different Traditions throughout Mexico

Cemetery in Mixquic on Nov. 2

While I'm hardly an expert, and my experience with the varying traditions of the Day of the Dead is limited, I've heard of a few interesting traditions that I feel are worth sharing.  If you are not Mexican, I'm sure these will be intriguing; if you are Mexican, I'm sure you will know a lot more, but read on anyway, and maybe you can add, expand or correct in the comments section below.

In the first post I wrote on the topic yesterday, I described the traditions in small village at the edge of Cuernavaca, which is just south of Mexico City (click here to read).  I've heard that even within the state of Morelos, the small state surrounding Cuernavaca, that there are variations in traditions.


Mixquic, Mexico City

Just a little north, at the south end of Mexico City, there is a very famous and strong tradition in a community called Mixquic in the borough of Tlahuac, not far from Xochimilco (which is famous for its canals, gardens and the colouful boats which visitors can hire for tours of this area.)  The traditions are very similar to those described in Ocotopec in my post yesterday but involves a larger community.  On November 2, in the afternoon, the church bells ring, and a large portion of the population, as well as visitors, make their way to the cemetery in a large procession, where they light the candles at the graves.  The sight is spectacular, and the experience is inspiring.

Lake Pascuaro, Michoacan

Janitzio on the Day of the Dead

Last night, two neighbors were telling me about a very special procession in the central Mexican state of Michoacan, about 4 hours northwest of Mexico City.  In a large lake near the state capital (Morelia) there is an island called Janitzio, which can be identified by the large statue of Jose Maria Morelos, a hero of Mexico's war of independence.  On November 2, the procession to the cemetery for many locals around the lake involves travelling by boat across the lake to the island, which is also an incredible experience.

Yucatan Peninsula

I know that on the Peninsula is cities like Merida, people also make their altars and have similar traditions.  The Mayan people, who are still a very distinct native group in the area, celebrate their own version of the tradition called Hanal Pixán.  I don't know much about the celebration, but I believe that the authentic celebration can probably only be found in small villages.  One of these days, I'll ask a Mayan priest about it, who owns a variety store at the other end of town.

In Playa del Carmen, where I live now, the traditions are weaker, I guess mostly because the people here have come from all over Mexico, and no longer share neighbors with the same traditions.  On Oct. 29 there was a parade down the main tourist street with children and teens from the local schools dressed in costumes related to the Day of the Dead, which was nice.

Parade in Playa del Carmen

One of the nearby theme parks, Xcaret, does a fairly good job of presenting Mexico's culture, history and traditions to tourists, and has a special presentation for the Day of the Dead, which includes music, altars and a reconstruction of a traditional cemetery with the procession.  There is also food and music, and each year they present specific traditions from a different region - I think this year it's Chiapas.  I've heard the presentation is very good, and if you're ever down here, it would be worth the visit.

However, my personal recommendation is is to participate in one of the community traditions if you can.  Instead of just seeing and taking pictures, you can take part, leave candles for the deceased and accompany the family; it may not be appropriate to take pictures, but sometimes, if you know the people, it might be OK.  In any case, you gain an experience - if a picture is worth a thousand words, an experience is worth a thousand pictures. (I guess photographers might not agree ...)

If you're not Mexican, and you visit during this time, find someone who knows the traditions and knows how you can participate.  Many Mexicans are eager to share their traditions with friends from other countries.

If you want to read yesterday's blog, an introduction to my experience of the Day of the Dead, click here.
Tomorrow, I'll  talk about some of the symbols involved. (Click here to read.)

Day of the Dead

An Altar at a Public School in Playa del Carmen

The Day of Dead in Mexico is probably my favorite holiday.  It's much deeper, and a richer tradition than Halloween, which at best is fun with costumes and candies, and at worst is part of the ever more exaggerated commercialism and consumerism that has people buying jack-o-lanterns in July and Santa Claus costumes in September.

The Day of the Dead is something different.  It's a day to remember family and friends who have passed away.  There are no ghouls or goblins, but lots of memories.  For some people the memories are overbearing, and so they choose not to participate.

The basic idea is that on the nights before November 1 and November 2, people make "altars" for their lost family members, which include pictures of the person, candles and food, including mole (a dark, rich sauce made of chili, chocolate and many other ingredients), "pan de muerto," which is a special bread made for this season, the favorite food of the deceased, glasses of water, little sugar or chocolate skulls and burning incense.  Other favorite items can also be left, such as beer, wine or cigarettes.  A special flower for this occasion, the cempoalxóchitl (I don't know what it is in English, or even Spanish - this looks like an Nahuatl name to me) is placed on the altar.  Usually a special altar is made for any person who has passed away during that year, and one other combined for all others from past years.

November 1 is dedicated to children who have passed away, and November 2 to adults.  The traditional belief is that the souls of the dead will come to visit the altars dedicated to them, and drink the water.  This is also the reason for leaving their favorite items.

Pan de Muerto

One of my wife's great aunts claims that she actually saw the procession of souls, in the form of lights, leaving the cemetery entering their respective homes; she says she heard their voices as well.  Very few people have had experiences such as this one, but many people do believe that the souls come to visit.

There are different traditions throughout the country.  The only one I have experience directly is that of the state of Morelos in a village on the edge of Cuernavaca, called Ocotopec.   Many homes are open to the community to come and pay respects to the deceased, and offer consolation to the family.  Homes which are open will offer visitors tamales and a hot fruit punch, made with sugar cane, apples, hibiscus, tamarind and some other small fruits.  Some have music or bands, if music was really important.  Visitors leave a long white candle for the deceased, which are later lit, with the idea of lighting the way for the spirit.

The same night that the altars are placed, family members will go to the cemetery to accompany the deceased, often singing songs or praying.

A Very Decorated Sugar Skull

I clearly remember visiting one man's altar, which had been placed in the village church by his brother.  While the altar was relatively simple, the elderly man spent a good deal of time telling us about he life of his brother; it was shortly after my arrival in Mexico, so I didn't understand much, but I was impressed by the time and dedication of sharing part of his brother's story with us.

I also remember the tamales and punch from the homes we visited - they were delicious!  More importantly it was incredible to see the participation of so much of the community.

Most important to me was the significance of the entire holiday; the celebration of the memory of close people.  I believe that this tradition sharing their memories with the community can help people with grief.  Sometimes it is a personal experience, and the altars are private. For some people this can be more helpful.

I'll write more about the Day of the Dead between now and November 2.
Click here to read about some traditions throughout Mexico.

Looking for a pot of Gold? Perhaps a heart of Gold? Grandpa Pedro, Part 2

Don Pedro (centre) and his sister and brother - about 6 years ago

We all know legends about leprechauns and rainbows and pirates sailing the Caribbean in search of a hidden treasure, but have you ever met anyone who is really looking for hidden gold?  And I don't mean collectors who use metal detectors to find the next coin or artifact, I mean someone who really wants to find a real chest of gold and get rich from it.

Grandpa Pedro is one of those people.  He is authentically convinced that somewhere in the steep, narrow valley owns and lives in there is gold that was hidden during the Mexican Revolution, which began exactly 100 years ago.  Pockets of the revolution were still going on when he was born, but I guess by the time he was a child, legends of the recent Revolution and its upheaval were fresh in everyone's mind.  I can't comment on the plausibility of a rich estate owner coming to hide their gold in this very isolated  valley in the hills, but he is convinced that there is gold hidden there, and has searched all over for it.  From what I understand, many people in countryside areas used to hold similar hopes.

Grandpa Pedro's Work

My wife's grandfather is a very hardworking man.  As I said in the last post about him, from what I understand, there hasn't been a day in his life that he woke up later than 6 in the morning.  His entire life, he has raised animals - cows, chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs among others - and grown crops including corn, beans and squash (a tradition that seems to be as old as the western world itself, and shared by native people throughout North America.)  He also has an orchard of plums, peaches, guavas and a number of other fruit which I have never seen in Canada, I wouldn't be able name.

My wife remembers him making her swing in the trees of the orchard, which had the added thrill of swinging out over a steeper drop! (Pretty much everything there is a hillside.)  She spend most of her childhood summer vacations at the farm, and would climb up into the trees to eat the fruit.  These memories of the time with her grandpa are among her fondest.

He also cares for the home's water supply, which is captured from rainwater in the concrete cistern which I mentioned in the post about homes in this valley, or brought through a hose from a nearby stream.

A Young Pedro Lopez, During His Military Service

I remember on my first visit, I was determined to help him with some of his work, so I joined him to walk out to spring the water was fed into a hose.  I was entirely useless.  Any kind of job on that farm are jobs that people are never taught; they learn them as children watching and participating.  Having to deal with an adult who would need to be "taught" these things was probably just absurd to him.  (It's like making "mole," a very delicious and traditional dish - all the old ladies know how to do it, but they wouldn't be able to produce a recipe; it's something they learned growing up in that setting.)  But Grandpa Pedro didn't seem to be bothered, and simply went about his business fixing something that he had fixed a thousand times before, telling me some stories about the farm along the way.  Once when I asked how I could help, he just kept explaining whatever it was he was explaining and finished the job.  It didn't look difficult, but I'm sure experience made it look easier than it was.

I would love to go during harvest or seeding time some time to work with him, but I would probably have to be insistent in having him show me how to do it.  The unfortunate part is that he does all of this alone, and right now he's getting to old to finish it all by himself.  In our modern society, people retire 25 years younger than he is right now.

Grandpa Pedro's Family

Why does he do it all alone?  Something that struck me about the place, only at the end of my second visit, is that there are no young men.  There are children, there are women of all ages, and there are old men, but there are very few males between the ages of 15 and 60.

At the end of my second visit, my wife and I stopped by her great aunt's house.  Her grandson was there working on the house.  I chatted with him in English, because he had been in Texas for the last 2 years, and for 4 years before that.  He had come back to see his wife, his 2 year-old daughter who he had never seen before, and to do some work on the house.  He was heading back again in 2 months.  I can't confirm, but I guess his wife would have been expecting again by the time he left.  That is where the young men are; in Texas, California and other parts of the U.S., working.

The young women have their children back in the village.  The one's who are lucky, get cheques sent in the mail. The one's who are luckier (in their own perspective) get to join their husbands in the U.S.

(Meeting these people first hand, knowing their history, and seeing their homes, I realize that U.S. policy makers, conservative and liberals alike, are 100% disconnected with the reality of these people, and are therefore incompetent to solve the problem of illegal immigration, which WILL continue despite any wall, despite Arizona's new, strict measures.  But I'll save the political commentary for another post.)

One unfortunate young lady, a great niece of Granda Pedro, who used to live on his farm and take care of both the old men (her grandfather and great uncle), was abandoned by her husband.  Later she had 3 other children by other men, but never again managed to find a stable relationship.  From what I understand, this kind of situation happens all to often.

This second cousin of my wife and her four daughters, who were the only rays of youth on this farm, have now left and live in the town.  The wife of the other cousin - the young man who works in Texas - also left for town with her child, leaving the great aunt alone.  The great aunt, who couldn't take care of herself alone, moved down into the valley so her two brother could take care of her.  This is Grandpa Pedro's family now - his brother and his sister, all three of them getting up their in years.  So, the crop usually gets left at least partly unharvested, and it becomes more and more difficult for them to manage.


As I mentioned the last post, when I heard about the pleasure Grandpa Pedro had in buying a new turkey, and taking care of the recently hatched chicks, I can see that the joy of life hasn't left him.  I'm also amazed that he is putting the effort to care for his aging sister when he himself needs care, or at least help in getting the work done.  I'm amazed by how much passion he has for life at his age.

For the moment, that's all I have to write.  My wife could write a book, I'm sure.  And I'm sure I'll think of more with time.  In April, we want to go visit again.  We're both eager to go back.

Don Pedro Lopez - Grandpa Himself

Don Pedro Lopez, My Wife's Grandfather

In my recent series of blogs about my wife's Grandpa's farm, I realized that I hadn't introduced one important person; her grandpa.  Of course, this man, the owner of the valley where he lives, who has never been farther than Cuernavaca, but boldly walks the streets of Mexico City with no fear of getting lost, is central to everything about that place.  He's someone I admire, so, here's some of the few things I know about him.


Grandpa's Religion

Unlike my wife and mother-in-law (his daughter) her Grandpa, whose name is Pedro, is Evangelical.  My mother-in-law had left the valley to work in the cities (first Ixtapan de la Sal, then Toluca, then Mexico City) before the Evangelical missionaries showed up, and so she has remained a faithful follower of the Catholic faith for all of her life, a dedication which she has passed on to my wife to some extent.  Grandpa Pedro, however, enthusiastically embraced the newcomers, and has become passionately opposed to Catholic beliefs. While he unquestioningly excepts my mother-in-law and my wife, he spends hours trying to convince them that they too should follow his steps.

I clearly remember one morning getting up and going to his house (we had been staying at the home of his brother about 200 meters away), entering his yard, then his porch to find him there sitting on his chair, with a pensive look upon his face, reading his Bible - I believe he learned to read only for this purpose.  He immediately invited me to sit down with him, began reading a passage to me, and explaining little bits of the sermon he had heard last Sunday.  I wish I could remember which passage it was, and what he told me about the pastor's words, but I can't.  I do remember, however, that each point returned to the fact that Catholics were on the wrong track.

Making a Strong Point

(Concerning this point, I made a few observations in that village as well as other places, concluding some points both in favor and against both the Evangelicals and Catholics in Mexico, but those belong to another post.)

I listened carefully, and asked him a question now and then, careful not to agree or disagree on any points about Catholics, since I knew that this could cost my mother-in-law hours of debate.

What amazes me about Grandpa Pedro, though, is that despite his passionate disapproval of Catholics, this in no way influenced his treatment of Catholic people.  He accepts my mother-in-law and my wife whole-heartedly to an extent that I have rarely seen among a family where one member makes a controversial religious choice (in this case to remain Catholic; all her brothers and sisters are solidly Evangelical, since they lived in the valley or nearby village when the missionaries arrived.)  As far as I know, not all of my wife's aunts and uncles are quite as accepting as Grandpa Pedro.

It is also worth noting that he hold some beliefs which seem to be outside of his religion.  Once a large beautiful rooster appeared by his house. It was around for a few days, and refused to eat, and no other animals would go near it.  One day the rooster began to crow horribly and loud, and disappeared.  His explanation was that the rooster was from the devil.  There are other stories of such animals. Although I've never seen anything that could make these seem plausible, I'm not making fun of this belief; my personal experience has led me to accept the possibility of many things I would have reject before, at least until I find some good evidence either in favor or against them.


Grandpa's Health

For the past few decades, apparently, he has had a hernia, and for this reason he would strap a small board to his belly to prevent the pain - I'm not sure how this concept works, but apparently it helped him avoid going to a hospital for these decades. The most recent news I have of him is that he was in the hospital for that hernia.  Only days after the operation, my mother-in-law complained that he refused to follow doctor's orders, and was out and about; he bought a turkey, which laid eggs.  He was excited that the eggs had hatched and was dedicating a good deal of effort to care for this turkey and the new offspring.  My wife observed that it would be next to impossible to restrict a man to his bed who has probably never in his life slept past 6 am.

Once he was stung by a scorpion, for which he went for a shot at a nearby clinic - I'm not sure exactly what is meant by "clinic;" this could be someone's living room.

Other than this, as far as my wife knows, his health has been perfect for the 30 years she can remember.

Grandpa's House - I described this in another post. Click Here to read it.

Well, I'm out of time to write today, but I'll definitely add a second part, discussing items such as Grandpa Pedro's work, his family, and his continuous, but unsuccessful search for a hidden treasure (which comprises of gold lost during the Mexican Revolution.)

To read all the stories I've written so far about my experience on Grandpa Pedro's farm, Click Here.

How often would you use this?

The Banana Containter - With a Fork!

First of all, this has nothing to do with living in Mexico. It’s just something fun to write about! One little form of pointless entertainment I have is to look through those catalogues that people circulate from family to family, or are tucked into the pocket in the seats in airplanes (the place where I first discovered this game) to find, what seems to me, the most absurd item for sale.

Yesterday a neighbor gave my wife this catalogue (they seemed to be passed around among women, I have no theory to explain why; there are as many men who buy nicknacks like these as women.) After my wife excitedly drew my attention to an object that I found perfectly useless, I started with my little game of finding the most fun and pointless object, and I found this banana container. There was one other object which came close in pointlessness (a pair of padded tweezers used to clean glasses – those special cloths from the optometrist do just fine, there’s no need for a special invention) but lacked the “fun” aspect of the banana container. If you use tweezers like that, and you actually find them to work better, let me known; I’ll take back my words.

Let me explain the theory; a normal and very useful part of the development of civilization is that specialized tools are created to make jobs easier. Hence, using kitchens as an example, we have waffle irons, coffee makers and potato peelers, in addition to the frying pans, stove top pots and knives, each of which could be used satisfactorily in the case that we didn’t have the other gadgets. But all so far are useful, if you consume waffles, coffee and potatoes frequently enough.

Likewise, instead of just bags and generic containers, someone managed to invent a half-sphere, round bottomed container in which a cut tomato or onion could be stored in, air tight, with a minimal amount of air around it, preventing the cut edge from turning brown or slimy, as they tend to do if left open in the fridge. They also keep the smell of onions from filling the fridge. So far, we are still within the realm of usefulness, for anyone who keeps tomatoes and onions in their fridge every week.

However, somewhere in the world, there seems to be extra money floating around that the rest of us don’t know about; someone is getting paid to take these ideas and extend them to such a specific use that they can’t possibly used for anything else, like this banana container.  They get put into these catalogues.

By the time you get to something this specific, you can no longer justify it by how often you eat bananas. I eat at least two bananas every day, as do my wife and son (along with bread, it’s probably the single food item we eat the most of,) and I would not be able to justify buying this thing on any rational grounds. We also send bananas to school with our son, but instead of fretting about squashing the banana, or wishing we had a banana shaped container, we take 30 seconds to cut them up and put them in a small, round air-tight Tupperware container (which one of my aunts very kindly gave as a gift to my son – thank you if you read this!) We also add granola and yogurt. The banana doesn’t go funny or get brown.

Besides this, did you notice the little fork that clips into top of the lid?  Who eats a banana with a fork? Please tell me if you do, and I will buy you one of these containers.

Now, just to let you know, I would possibly buy this container, just because it crosses the line so far, that it’s fun. So, if you ever invite me to your birthday or wedding, and I don’t know what to get you, you might end up with one of these banana containers. (Only if my wife doesn’t know you; she wouldn’t let me do this to anyone she knows.) If you would like one of these, let me know, and let my wife know so she knows it’s a serious gift.

I estimate that 55% of the objects in these catalogues have only one use, and cannot possibly used for anything else. I assume this is how the catelogue gets most of its sales – no matter how many of their nicknacks you buy, you always need another one. Of those 55%, about half of them are funny, like the banana.

Of the other 45% which have more than one use, I can see the point of about half of them, and there are about 2 things I would actually buy when they fit into my budget. The only problem is I can’t remember what they were.

This is all just my opinion; I know a bunch of people who would love many of the nicknacks in this kind of catalogue – even the ones I consider pointless. That’s not such a bad thing; it makes it easier to buy birthday presents for those people.

A Different Kind of Beachfront Town - My Visit to Progreso

One of Progreso's Markets, where I talked to Bill

Being more used to Playa del Carmen and the nearby areas, visiting the town of Progreso was interesting in the sense of seeing a beachfront community that was very different from the upscale, luxury, beachfront "paradise" idea that people prefer over here. Progreso is located on the north shore of the Yucatan Peninsula near Merida.

My impression of the town was defined by two people. One was Bill. Bill is Canadian, about 50 years old, originally from an English speaking town in Quebec, who has been living in Progreso for 15 years. I was crossing a road and noticed a tall, thin man, about 50 years old, clean shaven and dressed in comfortable clothes (neither expensive brand names, nor badly worn or old), and a somewhat broad rimmed cloth hat; when he lifted the hat to wipe the sweat from his brow (which he did often), I saw he had short, light-red hair which matched his light-skinned, freckled complexion. In a town where 99 percent of the people I had seen were Mexican, he stood out, as I'm sure I did, and making eye contact he immediately said hello. He seemed ready to talk, as though we new each other.

Progreso is a still a small Mexican town, and the people – Mexicans and foreigners alike – are welcoming and friendly. Making eye contact with someone on the road is enough to prompt a friendly discussion. It is very relaxed, and everyone seems to have time.

First we talked about where we are from – typical of most Canadians from other parts of the country, when I told him I was from Southern Ontario, he answered with a polite, "Oh yeah," (which really means, "that's too bad.")

Since moving to Progreso, he had been buying old homes and fixing them up to resell. When I asked him what he did for fun, he said that he plays basketball, holding up the jersey he was carrying on his shoulder. Thinking of the Playa del Carmen crowd which tends to hang out according to nationality, I asked if he played with other Canadians or Americans. He said that he plays with a Mexican team. A friendly handshake and a warm smile ended the conversation, and he was off to his basketball game. Absolutely no rush.

While I do like Playa del Carmen, the feelings of the laid-back beachfront community or the procrastinating Mexican town no longer exist. This is both a bad thing and good thing – a bad thing when you want to enjoy that cafe-free lifestyle where nothing really matters, a good thing when you want to get something done, like having your home built, or, in the case of Bill, renovated.

The other person that helped define my the impression of the town was a cafe owner. Just off the town square, there is a cafe which proudly boasts that it was founded in 1895. I knew of places in Toronto that had been founded in the 40s, but had passed through the hands of various owners. This was not the case here. Sitting down with a cup of coffee, I began chatting with the waiter, who, seeing that I was interested in learning something more about this cafe's history, went for the owner, who explained that the cafe has been in her family since its founding.

The Beach Downtown

She then gave me a tour of a series of old paintings and photos depicting the town's history. For each one, she clearly explained where the image was, and how it had changed since then. For someone who loves all kinds of history, this was a real treat. The explanations were also short and concise, but very informative.

"If I weren't working today," she concluded, "I'd take you on a tour of these places myself." And I believe she would have. The Mexicans in this town are very welcoming of foreigners. This lady proved that it's not just money; I had only bought a coffee.

Most business owners, like this lady, were very relaxed, and took time to talk to visitors. Down on the beachfront there was a restaurant/bar where many retired Americans and Canadians hung out. These people were a slightly different style from Bill; they liked to spend their time in the bar, chatting with their old friends rather than play basketball. They were the only people I met who seemed worried that too many "gringos" were showing up to spoil the small Mexican town they had discovered and made their home for the past 20 years. When I sat down for breakfast there, the owner recognized me from the night before (I had had dinner there) and sat down to have a coffee, read a newspaper and chat. He didn't ask if it was OK, or if I minded; for me, it was great, and I assume in that town, it's just how you do things.

One of the old Homes, Ready to Be Renovated!

The town is old and there are a lot of classic stone homes, some falling apart with only a sad facade left half standing as a memory of something that was once beautiful, others fully restored by people like Bill with beautiful woodwork. Most of the town is defined by those typical Mexican one-storey homes with a little wooden door in the middle and large window to one side, colourfully painted, but with the paint peeling off because of humidity. This isn't necessarily a sign of neglect; the humid climate on the Yucatan Peninsula requires re-painting every year, although in some cases, neglect and the epidemic of procrastination are certainly a factor.

There are also some new condos and, along the beachfront outside of town, luxury homes with ultra-modern designs. There's no point in describing these, since they're the same in every beachfront tourist town from the U.S. to Brazil, and don't really define anything distinct about the town. (No complaints about them, I just didn't see anything that stood out as different.)

Both Bill, the lady who owned the cafe, and the restaurant owner all said that starting in November a lot more retirees show up from Canada mostly, and some from the States who live there for only 6-8 months ("snowbirds"). It would be interested in talking to some of these to see people to see what inspired them to choose Progreso as their winter home, and if, like Bill, they hang out with the locals.

The Boardwalk Bench - The Lights of The Town's Long Pier are Vaguely Visible

The town's beach wasn't as soft as the beaches in Playa del Carmen, since it was covered by shells, but I prefer the design of the beachfront area; directly on the beach, there were little thatched roof shades with chairs and tables under them. Next there is a long walkway (a boardwalk or promenade) which had a concrete bench running the entire length of the walkway, about 1 km, perfect for sitting down and relaxing. Then there is a road, and, on the other side of the road, restaurants, stores, hotels, parks, etc; the beach is open and has easy access for everyone. The townspeople as much as the tourists can enjoy it fully. Surprisingly, it was also very clean; some beaches with eating and sitting areas on them end up with a lot of garbage, but not this one.

The people I talked to told me that about twice a week a cruise ship shows up, and the town is full of American and Canadian tourists, apparently so much that you can't even walk down the beach.

Overall, people say there's not much to do in Progreso. Personally, I enjoyed it, though. I love the fact that the people are so welcoming, and will always take time to talk to you. I'm someone who can be entertained by a good conversation much more than by expensive entertainment. The history which is visible throughout the town is also appealing for me. While it obviously can't compare to a place like Mexico City, it has a few more layers than the resort towns over by Cancun.