DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
If you have ever wanted to participate in Day of the Dead festivities or Dia de los Muertos, there is no better place to do than Mixquic! Well, I haven’t gone everywhere, but I must say that the festival for Day of the Dead in Mixquic is something I will never forget!
The food, art, contributions to those who have passed, vendors, face painting, decorations and did i say food, are unforgettable! I hope that all of you can go and experience this for your self one day, especially because the trip was budget friendly as well.
Below I am going to go over all that we experienced, and as always, comment below any questions you may have. 🙂
FOOD:
This is first because if you watch the VLOG you will see that we ate A LOT! Like, a lot a lot! There are just so many street food vendors. Every where you turn there is something new and just as delicious as the last thing you tried.
Food we had while in Mixquic is gordita del nada, pork kabobs, corn with chorizo and bacon, and barbacoa tacos. V got a little crazy and tried donkey meat and crickets, but I let him do that on his own. I have tried crickets in Mexico once, and once was more than enough for me.
We also had this yummy drink called Tepache, which is a fermented pineapple juice. Mexican food is soooo good and so cheap, that we filled up everywhere we went. (Be on the lookout for our eat your way through Mexico blog – yes, we had way more than this!)
If you go here for no other reason than to try all the food, I would totally understand! Below are a few pictures of some of the food I mentioned, but watch our vlog here to see more.
Art:
The street art is incredible here! There are so many murals that truly capture the essence of the Mixquic culture and Dia de los Muertos. Each mural told a bit of history and showed true light to what this day is all about.
V and I had some fun posing in front of some for you to see, but there were so many murals among each wall, that you really need to go and check it out for yourself! Check out our vlog below to see more.
Alumbraba:
As you go into the Alumbraba ceremony, you will see decorated alters and ofrendas set up to guide back the spirits of loved ones who have passed away. The bright colors, plump flowers, personal items, and more really help honor the dead.
After visiting, I truly wish to participate in this tradition back home, as it felt so personal and nostalgic. This is truly a beautiful ceremony that represents each individual in the cemetery’s life on earth.
As you walk through the cemetery, you will see people singing, praying, making fires to keep warm, leaving gifts for the spirits and more. It is such a magical experience that you cannot explain, you just have to go and feel it in person.
Be sure that if you go to be respectful of the families there, and give them their space to honor their loved ones.
Catrina Face Painting
Whenever you go to celebrate Dia de los Muertos, you have got to get your face painted. You will get your face painted like a skull, or calavera, and the most popular type is the Catrina.
This is a high society skeleton lady dressed in a fancy floral hat, which you will see many people dressed up as for this festival. There are so many design and color options, so feel free to look some up on pinterest before you go, or do as I did and just let the artist do their own thing. Almost everyone has their face painted, so join in on the fun!
Locals dressed up:
The locals dress up and go all out for this celebration of life and it just adds to the overall ambiance of the festival. There were people dressed like scarecrows, the mad hatter, devils, Catrinas of course, and much more.
Everyone is just fully devoted to this and it makes the whole experience so much more enriching to be a part of. They are all happy to take pictures with you and engage with any new comers. Don’t be hesitant to dress up yourself if you are feeling the vibe.
Day of the Dead decorations:
I genuinely could not stop smiling this entire trip! Between the impeccable murals and all of the flower alters set up around the city center, you will find yourself wanting to take pictures the entire day. All of the bright colors everywhere you go instantly lift your mood and make for great photo opportunities.
The plaza area is also gorgeously decorated with statues as well, which were fun for taking pictures. They also decorated their gazebo as an ofrenda so people could take pictures and see one up close. You will be impressed with the gorgeous detail that is put into Mixquic’s downtown area for the Day of the Dead Festival.
CONCLUSION
I highly suggest that at one point in your life you take a trip to Mexico City and visit the town of Mixquic for the Day of the Dead Festival. It was a cultural and spiritual experience that I can hardly put into words. I was moved to begin learning more about the culture and to start a tradition similar of my own.
Remember though that if you do go be very mindful and respectful to the locals around you. As much fun as it is, they are there to celebrate loved ones who are no longer with them and you need to respect their traditions.
Be careful where you walk, as everything is placed a certain way for a reason, and do not touch anything on any ofrendas. Other than that, go and have fun! You are going to LOVE it!
Be sure to comment below any other place we should visit for Day of the Dead! Also, comment if you have another cultural festival experience you think V and I should add to our travel bucket list! 🙂
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Until next time…. XOXO ❤
KASVENTURES 