La Noche que Nadie Duerme and Fería de Cecina

This was another busy weekend filled with festivals and fairs. Friday night was “La Noche que Nadie Duerme” (the night that no one sleeps). I went last year, but this year several more vols decided to go as well, so I had a full house this weekend. We got to Huamantla at about 9pm as the streets were just beginning to be filled with colorful sawdust and sand designs. The idea of this night is that all the streets in the historic center of the town are filled with tapetes, or basically carpets, of colored sawdust. Eventually, around 3am, the virgin and her procession of followers, leaves the church and walks through the streets of the town, on the carpets. We didn’t stay to see the whole procession, but did visit the virgin in her church.

Partial group shot (from Jen)

On Saturday, we made a quick side trip to Cholula. I’ve already put up pictures from there a couple times, but here are some from the inside of the church that sits on top of the world’s largest pyramid.

On Sunday, after most of the group headed home, Kurt and I went to Atlixco to the Feria de Cecina. Cecina is a type of think sliced beef that is grilled and often served with lime, tortillas and salsa, and in this fair, accompanied by a plate of cheese, cactus salad, grilled chilies, and avocado.

Next weekend they are going to make the world's largest chilie enogada in Atlixco, but I will be in the US for my sister's wedding and then off to Belize and the Yucatan.

La Noche que Nadie Duerme

The night of august 14th is called la Noche que Nadie Duerme (the night that nobody sleeps) in Huamantla, Tlaxcala. As part of their fair to honor the patron virgin of the town, beginning at 8ish they cover the streets of the center with elaborate decorations made from colored sawdust and sand. Each block has its own theme or design. As the night goes on the carpets, as they are called, are eventually completed just before the procession with the virgin begins. There are also elaborate decorations of flowers and sand art at the church. Festivities literally continue the entire night and when we left at 3AM for the hour trip back to Puebla, there were still plenty fireworks and people working to complete their carpets, making rounds through the streets to view the various displays, or feasting on the abundance of food, as well as the on-going procession of the virgin.

All of the image is made from colored sand.