Dias de los Muertos.

The Day of the Day is Mexico’s most famous, memorable, and colourful event.

Tourists – more than seven million – from all over the world come to see it, along with millions of Mexicans.

There are two ways of celebrating and being a part of this amazing celebration.

One, see the great parades.

Two, celebrate with everyday Mexicans.

The festivities begin October 31 and end on November 2.

The essence of Dias de los Muertos is simple.

Mexicans remember and honor their deceased loved ones.

And that remembrance is not gloomy or morbid.

It’s festive.

In the small villages the celebrations are the most memorable – touching, soul searching.

Simple they are.

But their simplicity is unique and heart rendering.

Ordinary Mexicans spending a whole night at the grave sites of their deceased loved ones.

The graveyard scenes touch your soul, your inner being – peasants sitting at the grave of a deceased, their faces deeply lined from hard work, the trials and tribulations of life evident, stoic about what they seeing, coupled with serenity and resolve, mothers with their small children, attentive to the gravestone before them, candles ranging from one to six feet illuminating the surrounding scene, flickering silently, bottles of tequila, dishes filled with the favourite foods of the deceased.

These all-night-vigils – we were a part of it – forever etched in your memory.

The mythology of the Day of the Dead is that the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve into one.

At that time the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance, with their loved ones.

It is the loved ones that treat the deceased as guests of honour by leaving their favourite food and drink.

And while the celebrations are simple and powerful in the small villages, in Mexico’s cities they are all about the parades, people getting dressed, having fun.

Every Wednesday, veteran journalist, George Froehlich, gets personal – sharing with you, his amazing travel destinations, his wonderful recipes, art he loves, music he enjoys.
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