Dia de la Constitucion

Today is one of the many, many public holidays in Mexico so la Guarderia (the Daycare)and the schools were closed. I didn't do much, still finding my way around the maze of cobbled streets leading to amazingly beautiful churches and ex convents. Bought an ice cream, mantecado flavour, which turned out to be vanilla, walnut and plum, from one of the old fashioned stands with the various ice creams and sorbets in lidded metal pots on ice. It was lovely. In Dolores Hidalgo, not far from San Miguel, ice cream is one of their specialities and they make it from fruits, vegetables and even fish. Last time I was there I had octopus.

I was sitting in the Plaza at 12 noon and could see four blokes high up on one of the balconies of the Parroqueria. When the main bell at the top of the church began to peal they went inside and manually rang the four huge bells below, shaped like handbells for want of a better description, but easily 8 feet tall, by physically turning them end to end. A UK health and safety officer watching would have had a stroke! There were buskers in the Plaza this morning and they were brilliant. Two banjo players, a girl with an accordian and a guy on double bass.

A refreshing change from Mariachis, good though they are as well. I hope they made a lot of money because they were really entertaining Can't describe their style, a bit blue grass I suppose, but one of the tunes they played was 'la Llorona' which is my favourite Mexican song, about a woman who I guess we would call a banshee. Thought I'd show you the photo to the right: of the street I'm living on, has a tree growing right in the middle of it which the traffic has to drive round.