September 8, 2023
It’s hard to say when September 8 began and when it ended, because the loud party atmosphere and religious events went all day and night continuously. The very loud ranchera band on a giant stage with stadium sized speakers stacked 30 feet tall was impressive. The band played on until 4 am, at which time the roosters were crowing and then the firecrackers and bells announcing the 5 am mass.
There was another 8 am mass that Stephen was going to celebrate, but due to the church overflowing and me having my fill, I caught a few pictures around the edges and then checked out what was going on in town. People had arrived from all over the region, even from indigenous Zapotec towns, and not to mention North American coming back to their home town.
I was interested in the horsemanship demonstration as men ( and an occasional girl) rode into town having ridden from a nearby town of Rioseco, 5 km away in the hot sun. The horses all formed a circle, facing the center, and then several highly trained horses demonstrated specialized skills of walking or dancing.
The horsemanship, precise control and the grooming of the horses was phenomenal.
After the horsemanship demonstration I went back to try to rest during heat of the day and to be ready for a Mexican rodeo called a jaripeo. At 5, Stephen and I got a ride down to the temporary big top and corral by the river. We were a little early and found some nice seats. Then I realized that perhaps I could get closer to the action if I asked the authorities: the organizer and the caller. Sure enough, they had no trouble with me squeezing in by the corral wall next to the caller or MC.
The bulls are pulled and guided into a small pen on the side of the corral, and the second the rider drops down on the back, the door is opin.
As the day came to an end we were taken to a relatives to have some tlayudas with meat and cheese inside, as well as coconut water. Something was not right and I spend the night with cramps and diarrhea.