Mexico – Where Death is Celebrated as a New Beginning

In the words of Nobel prize-winning Mexican author Octavio Paz:

 

To the people of New York, Paris, or London, ‘death’ is a word that is never pronounced because it burns the lips. The Mexican, however, is familiar with death, jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, and celebrates it.

And truly, Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead is not a macabre scene by graveyard, but a jolly time, when joyful celebrations are held in remembrance of people who hath passed.

As Halloween is around the corner, you must need some urgent last minute travel idea. So, why not visit Mexico and learn from the Mexicans, the art of celebrating death and relishing the very idea in the land of livings.  

Mexico is known for its diversity, geographically as well as socially, which manifest in the form of colorful festivities around the nation. But especially it’s in the city of Oaxaca, in south-east Mexico where the celebrations are blended with rituals and sacred ceremony. The city possesses a timeless charm due to the amalgamation of indigenous cultures and a sharp contrast between ancient and modern.

There still are stunning proofs of colonial architecture here like Church & Monastery of Santo Domingo. You can take a car rental service to tour your around the city to visit each of its historical structure.


The Craft Aura

The Day of the Dead is believed to be a fine blend of pre-Columbian mysticism & Spanish Catholic tradition, whose origin traces back to Aztecs, who lived in Central Mexico for hundreds of years. There are many small towns outside Oaxaca, where the day is celebrated with elaborate art and crafts. You can spot best specimens resulted from weaving, embroidery and wood carving. There is also a Sunday market in Tlacolula, where you can buy lots of craft items. Don’t forget to gulp down their non-alcoholic pre-Hispanic drink and seasonal foods. For shopping leisurely, you might wish to stay. For that you can do booking at any of the cheap hotels around or within the city.

Carnival at the Cemetery

At the night of 31^st October, head straight towards Oaxaca’s largest cemetery, the Panteon San Miguel to witness the carnival in its full swing. You can enjoy the neon-lit amusement rides with people, dance to the tunes of wild music being played all around or just clink bottles of beer. On this night, candles are lined up along tombs and graves. People dressed as ghosts, skeletons and mummies march along the altars accompanied with the band of music and people joining in the parade from on all sides.

As you sit to book cheap flights to Mexico, you do not need to fret about an accommodation that is way too affordable. Oaxaca contains all budget hotels, along with cheap food ranging from lip smacking street food to mouth watering high end restaurant gourmet dishes. Oaxacan cuisine is a thing not to be missed ever while being in Mexico. You can find all kinds of worms fried and spiced, on your menu list, along with moles.

Death is, but an ending, with an onset of another set of beginnings. So, why not celebrate this Halloween, the phenomena of Death just as we celebrate and cherish Life…