One year ago I started this blog to write about the city of Guanajuato and the festival called Cervantino. If you read my very first blog post you'll find that I'm impulsive, not much for planing, but have a desire to share this event with others. You'll also read that I was told if I wanted anyone to go that I had to plan early, and that is what I did.
I started sending out invitation along with possible itineraries in January/February and by the end of May I had a group of seven, including myself, on board for a trip south. I had never traveled in a group this size and had never organized anything like this, but I felt that if I could just get them down there, that the charm of Mexico would do the rest, and that is exactly what happened.
I flew south about four days before the first of my guest arrived and caught a couple of shows that weekend. The first show was called Article 13 and was held at night in a large dirt lot.
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| Article 13 |
The title of the show Article 13 pertains to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10th 1948. Article 13 of that document states that 1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement within the borders of each state. 2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country. The directors of this play/installation piece used small vignettes, along with video and audio to tell the story of migrants. Silent actors go through the motions of washing their dusty clothing, at their feet are cut out photos of children, men, and women, giving a feeling of remote sadness, of loss. In another rectangle seated on a crate sits a young man smoking, waiting, but for what. The chance to cross the border, to start a new life? The unknown factors of his endeavor weigh heavily. He knows that he could be robbed, or killed by gangs that prey on people such as he, but he also has the need to create a better life for himself. As you read this, at this moment around the world, tens of thousands of people are put into this situation. They are frighten and filled with anxiety, and this is exactly what is conveyed by this very emotional piece. Suddenly, after we had been there for a hour or so, flood lights that surround the grounds are switched on, the crowd is frozen in place. In the blaring light all of us are exposed, there is no place to hide, a twinge of fear passes through me, and by the reactions around me I am not alone. The effect is visceral, deliberate and completely effective.
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| Templo de la Valenciana |
On Sunday Anne-Marie and I drive up to Templo de la Valenciana to see a group from the country Azerbaijan. Alim Qasimov and his daughter, Fargana Qasimov are accompanied by two very talented musician playing instruments that I have never seen before - the Kamanche, and the Taar. Alim and Fargana sing their traditional folk songs in clear, strong voices filled with emotion. As I sit listening I can't help but wonder if they could be singing about the heart ache and loss that was so well depicted in Article 13 from the night before, emotions that are universal, timeless.
By Thursday afternoon my group is assemble and safely ensconced in a beautiful home owned by my friends Ethan and Anne-Marie.
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| Ethan & Anne-Marie 2009 |
Since my first visit to Guanajuato 2009 I have watched their home be transferred from a wreck to a palace. And ever since that first trip I have been going on and on to people about Guanajuato and trying to convince folks to take a chance on heading south. Now in 2014 I have a group of six friends, all from different eras in my life, gathered for the last weekend of Cervantino. Coffee in the morning, wine at night - let's have some fun!
https://www.flipkey.com/guanajuato-vacation-rentals/p646012/
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| Out for dinner in Guanajuato |
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