It's that time of the year in Mexico (1-2nd November). The Day of the Dead, when everybody gathers at the cemetery to have a jolly good time with the loved ones gone. It's a weekend in fact, with the first night dedicated to the children who passed away. A work colleague and I headed to San Andres Mixquic, still part of D.F. (Mexico City), though it does not seem like it is. Amazingly enough, a photo I've used in one of my collages is indeed a night shot of the cemetery in that village. One more reason to drive there! Orange flowers are most prominent in the ceremony (my favourite colour) - another reason to check out Dia de los Muertos! We passed through canal-riddled Xochimilco and after a few traffic jams in the various hamlets - with their cemeteries and surrounding market stands full of people wanting to connect with the dead - we made it to Mixquic. 
It's a pretty ugly place, but for the main church - baroque overload - and its charming burial grounds. I said a little prayer for Mum. Most of the village had turned into a market stand fiesta, offering trinkets, silly gadgets, Christmas decorations and flowers, not to forget the food, food, food! It was packed, but I was glad to see that crowd control emergency planning has been taken care of (see photo). I find it attractive to turn remembrance into something cheerful and social. It takes the sourly, protestant sting out of dealing with the dead.
We did not stay until the evening to watch a see of lit candles, but returned to the big city instead, to have a proper meal.
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