Belated Easter

We didn’t really mention it before, but we arrived in Guanajuato last week in the midst of Semana Santa. A very big deal here. The city was brimming with Mexican tourists, something we hadn’t encountered yet. Church bells rang all day and evening throughout the week.

Bode was very excited about Easter. For the last 3 years we’ve celebrated the day with the traditional egg hunt with our friends and neighbors. It’s a memory he really treasures, but one we wouldn’t be able to duplicate this year. But damned if I wasn’t going to give it a try. I’d been on the lookout for the plastic Easter eggs we normally fill with candy for a few weeks  – to no avail. He’s allergic to the real eggs, so we decided we wouldn’t bother with trying to boil and dye some in the bus.

Easter in Mexico is a cross between religious piety and week long party. It is in no way a commercial business. There are no baskets stacked high in the drugstores, no chocolate bunnies, jelly beans and absolutely no Peeps.

As you can imagine, the explanation of how the Bunny doesn’t hide eggs in Mexico didn’t go over well. The kid wrote a note to the bunny. The rabbit listened, and hid books, candy in plastic bags and a new Don Quixote sword and shield around our old VW, and around the abandoned bus parked a few meters away from us (no plates, no VIN, the owner knows nothing, come get it.)

Bode was especially thrilled to receive a note back from the Easter Bunny. He wasn’t all that thrilled with the weird candy which included some candied mummies. The books and swords were a big hit. He ran down the cobblestones chasing windmills and fighting dragons all afternoon. The best part was I got to be the princess. I realized my ‘knights in shining armor’ story repertoire is limited, so if you know any good kid books about knights, let me know.

Jason spent the afternoon reading(!) and doing a few bus projects we’ve never had the time to complete (not engine related.) We recently broke the passenger seat with a cartoon-style Boing! and the 40 year-old broken spring poking out. It’s been fixed with bailing wire and a soda can.

Later, we put on our best clothes (still not good) and went to town.  The tourists apparently make a quick exit on Easter Sunday and there was no one around – the party is already over. We found a restaurant in the main square, Jardin Union and had a fantastic meal in the now quiet town.

Happy (belated) Easter from Mexico!