Oaxaca (day 6)

Semana Santa, or holy week in Mexico, began Thursday night with services and an evening procession around the city. That evening I walked around the zócalo (main plaza) to see vendors selling corn on a stick, families taking an evening stroll, street performers and balloons everywhere. But I didn't experience any of the religious aspect of Semana Santa until Friday morning when I joined my Oaxacan friend and her family for the procession of the saints. They live in a smaller village in the hilly outskirts of Oaxaca City. The initial idea had been for me to arrive early enough for breakfast before the procession; however, it took me longer than expected to find their house and I didn't arrive until the procession was just about to begin. Fortunately the chocolate de leche and pan de yema (bread and hot chocolate) that I ate beforehand were enough to sustain me for the two hour procession through the twisted streets of the small town. Members of the church dressed in purple and white gowns carried wooden figures of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene on their shoulders. Prayers were read at each of the 14 designated stops, in between which the congregation marched and sang with the accompaniment of a band. Once the procession concluded, parishioners met outside of the church to sip cool beverages of horchata, tejate (the chocolate drink) and agua casilda (a pumpkin beverage with chunks of fruit). I didn't have much time before I had to catch the bus back to Puebla, but in the time remaining my friend's family fed me a hearty breakfast of chilaquiles (tortillas with beans and cheese) and set me off with package of chile relleno with beans and rice. I departed Oaxaca with the only regret that I didn't have more time to spend in this welcoming city and province.