Christmas is in full swing here until January 6 because today, Ephiphany, is a big affair and a school holiday for the kids who line up in the park by the hundreds for a piece of Rosca de reyes, a wreath shaped fruity baked bread. Imagine an oval of sliced bread 200 feet wide -- that's about 800 feet of cake arranged on tables with a gazillion kids waiting for a piece. Some pieces of cake contain a ceramic or plastic figure of the baby Jesus.
I'd forgotten all about the day when the three wise men were supposed to have visited Jesus. I asked a young woman what was going on this morning and she gave her friend a kind of "who is this bozo" look. Christmas carols filled the air yet again and I had to pinch myself that we hadn't stumbled into a time warp. So Mexican children receive Christmas and Ephiphany presents.
All last weekend the Zocalo was packed with people lining up to ice skate -- or mostly stumble and fall on an ice rink or tube down two story ice slides. Even in Mexico, Santa comes from the land of ice and snow.
These four guys are hanging on for dear life to the rink's edge.
Disney is alive and well here.
The Arabe is stacked pork layered with onions and herbs and often grilled next to charcoal or a gas flame. Another type, The Pastor, is marinated pork, cilantro and pineapple.
The Pastor
The Biblioteca Palafoxiana library
The Biblioteca Palafoxiana library is an eye opener because the books date back to the 1500s. It was founded in 1646, was the first public library in colonial Mexico, often considered the first in the Americas and has more than 41,000 books and manuscripts from the 15th to the 20th century. In 2005, it was listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.
Walls of ancient books.
In 1646, the bishop of Puebla donated 5,000 of his own books and manuscripts to the Colegio de San Juan on the condition that they be made available to the general public. About one hundred years later the current library was built and more books added including those confiscated from the Jesuits when they were expelled in 1767. This is an earthquake zone and so old buildings like the library have suffered and been restored.
A 1600s book.
Stacks from floor to high ceiling.
As the guide said, this is history's internet -- a rotating wheel to place the documents you are reading.
Ancient entrance door.
Tomorrow Susan and Alan leave for Nelson through LA and Spokane. We have a few more days to explore at a more leisurely pace. Life has been very, very active these last three weeks! More pics to follow. I hope all is well where you are.
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