MAVERICK ROVER WORLD. Blog Post #32. Dia De Los Muertos Puerto Vallarta, MX 11/6/2019

Post #32

November 6, 2018

MEXICO

Puerto Vallarta

(week 3)

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Dia De Los Muertos

Day of the Dead


So much to understand
so much to learn
so much to celebrate

Image on the wall of the cemetery


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Preparations

more prep work

stores are stocking up

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A little something I found on the 

pier walkway to remind us of the

LOVE

of those gone before us...

First, 
I'd like to start with my original poem
about Dia De Los Muertos

Gone But Not Forgotten

Dia de Los Muertos

Among the living  

Are the dead

In our minds

In our thoughts

In our hearts

Daily signs

Nightly dreams

of those passed

of their essence

of their consciousness

Forward is an invitation

Backward is a warning

to always remember

to constantly listen

to never forget

Sound deafens

Silence scares 

listen with the iris of your eyes

listen with the light in your fingertips

listen with your innermost breath

Hold yesterday

Grasp tomorrow

to our ancestors from the past

to those waiting for us

to unknown strengths

Alone in quiet

Together in space

a surprise voice

a blurred image 

a truth told

Walk unknown paths

Swim murky water

pebbles tell stories

waves cleanse

nature sheds light 

The dead live on

The living die

they speak to each other

they guide each other

they learn lessons

Listen quietly

Listen carefully

Listen 

Original poem by 

Roger Allen Mosser

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Dia De Los Muertos  (The Day of the Dead)

I invite you to read the details if you are not familiar with  

Dia De Los Muertos traditions

This may be the most misunderstood Holiday for those not familiar with Mexican culture.

It used to seem scary and macabre to me, but now that I am in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico during this celebration, October 31 - November 2, the meaning of the celebration has become more clear 

As a former Funeral Director/Mortician, myself, I feel that it is time for me to share my thoughts to help us all more clearly understand this Mexican tradition  

Locals setting up their kiosks for the big day

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Our apartment is just a few blocks away 
from the main graveyard,

Pantheon Deciembre 5, 

so we attended the festivities of song, candle lighting, marching in a parade, eating and of course honoring the lives of their lost loved ones 

The Day of the Dead is a celebration of all the souls of the lost. The popular belief is that the souls of loved ones who left us return from beyond the grave during the 

Day of the Dead  

The souls are recognized with an offering 
of their favorite food and drink
that is placed on an altar
or at the gravesite

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Parade from the Cemetery to 
Centro Zocalo

Caballeros and Tequila

(these guys carry a liter of tequila with them

to quench their thirst and enhance the celebration)

friendly parade marcher

Young caballeros with ropes instead of tequila

colorful parade marchers in hand sewn garments

My favorite 

La Calaverta Catrina

(Skull Female Mannequin)

These larger than life size paper mâché Catrinas 

were placed all along the Malecon 

in various brightly colored attire 

and oversized skeletal bodies;

most were females, however, there were also 

men, children, dogs, fish, 

and you name it

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“I was not born for one corner. 

The whole world is my native land.”     

Seneca

Roman Stoic, philosopher, statesman, dramatist

*

Uber:  Be aware, that not every hotel allows Uber onto their property; so be sure to ask the hotel where the designated pickup point is located.  Also, Uber airport pickup points are often different from Taxi pickup points. 

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**next stop
**November 2018  MEXICO
*merida(mid) 12/13/2018 - 1/13/2019

October 2018  MEXICO
*puertovallarta (pvr) 10/15 /2018- 12/13/2018

**October 2018 USA
*portland(pdx)

**September 2018 USA
*losangeles
*palmsprings
*lasvegas(las)
*sandiego(san)
*washingtondc(dca)
*newyorkcity(jfk)

**August 2018  ENGLAND

*highclere
*chester
*manchester(man)
*salford
*liverpool

**July 2018  SCOTLAND
*edinburgh(edi) 
*alloa
*sterling
*standrews

*glasgow(gla)

**July 2018  IRELAND

*dublin(dub)

**July 2018  ENGLAND, UK 

*london(stn)

**April - June 2018  SPAIN

*madrid(mad)

*valencia(vlc)

*barcelona(bcn)

*sitges

*palmademallorca(pmi)

*torrevieja

*puntaprima

*caboroig

*granada
*cartegena
*lazenia

*malaga

*altea

*alicante

**March 2018   USA

*sandiego (san)

*losangeles(lax) 

*

Our travels include all of these countries and cities around the world, plus multiple states and cities across the USA

**February 2018  MEXICO

**mexicocity(mex)

**October 2017  HAWAII

**maui(ogg)

**April 2017 PANAMA CANAL CRUISE

**mexico

**guatamala

**panama

**costarica

**curacao

**florida(mia)

**May 2016 DENMARK

**copenhagen(cph)

**April-May 2016 MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE

**italy
**malta
**greece
**turkey

**April-May 2016 TRANS-ATLANTIC CRUISE

**portugal

**gibraltar

**spain

**italy

**September 2014 HAWAII

**kona(koa)

**May2014 FRANCE

**paris(cdl)

**May 2014 ITALY

**venice

**April-May 2014 TRANS-ATLANTIC CRUISE

**canaryislands

**spain

**france

**italy

**June 2013 AFRICA

**tanzania(ark)

**June 2013 NETHERLANDS

**amsterdam(ams)

**October 2011 SPAIN

**barcelona(bcn)

**madrid

**seville

**valencia

**January 2009 MEXICO

**acapulco(aca)

**November 2008 MEXICO

**puertovallarta(pvr)

**October 2007 MEXICO

**cabosanlucas(csl)

**November 2006 ITALY

**rome(fco)

**florence

**pisa

**sienna

**tavernelle

**montepulciano

**November 2006 CANADA

**vancouver(yvr)

**March 2005 MEXICO

**guadalajara(gdl)

**July 2004 ARUBA

**December 2003 CANADA

**whistler

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