November began as October ended. The Intercultural Celebration of Life and Honoring Death Festival at the Lake Chapala Society was a success. Glorine and Loretta Downs used this four-day event to help blend the cultures of both sides of the border. Halloween activities were over and the Day of the Dead festivities began.

Alfredo Aldana, the Education Director at LCS taught  a class on the history of Day of the Dead, that included the custom of building alters to honor and remember those who passed.	A dozen alters were built and on display throughout the LCS campus. This one was built to honor those lost to AIDS. Others honored past volunteers of LCS and the video library honored movie star who passed.
The "Before I Die" wall stood for ten days, allowing members and community to write things they want to do to get the most out of life before it is gone. One person said the writings were a reflection of humanity.	The Celebration of Life was a two-hour ceremony emceed by Loretta Downs, three religious leaders and songs to cherish the lives of those who we lost, particularly those since COVID.
Memorial Cards were handed out for people to write the name of loved ones lost. We focused on a dozen family members and friends we lost over the years, including Glorine's two brothers, George and Emanuel who died of COVID and Larry's niece Donna who died unexpectedly at the age of 49.	These Memorial Cards were collected, placed in a bowl, lit on fire and the collective smoke rising into the evening sky.  In addition, luminaries lined the walkways, each with a name of a loved one.
El Parque, our condo development, created an alter to remember homeowners who died since COVID hit our tiny community.	On a shopping trip to Guadalajara, we stopped in the suburb of Tlaquepaque with storefronts and walkways filled with decorations.
Tlaquepaque is known for its art and we found this work of art quite interesting.	Christopher Faison wooed the audience at the LCS Concerts in the Park with a tribute to Luther Vandross. Proceeds of the event went to Ninos Incapacitados, a non-profit, who provides assistance to local Mexican with serious disabilities or life-threatening illness. Listen in!
Friend Jean created hundreds of 'SNUGABLES' which she sold to raise money for Operation Feed, which focuses on food and other services to poor families living in San Juan Cosala.	With all the snowbirds returning, El Parque put on a Welcome Back Party, which included a cocktail hour, roasted pig, salmon and all the trimmings and music of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
La Feira Maestro del Arte (Master Art Fair) was back after a two-year absence. Artists and artisans from throughout Mexico displayed and sold their gourds, ceramics, metal, and every other imaginable medium. Entertainment included music and Folkloric Dancing.	The fair was a three-day event that attracted dozens of vendors and was held at the Chapala Marina. While Lake Chapala is not used by many ex-pats (other than kayaking) the lake was filled with sail boats and other sea-going craft.
LCS hosted its Annual Blues Festival featuring the Dirty Black Beans and Blue Jay Slim. While it rarely rains in November, it started drizzling shortly before the event ended.	We took a day trip to Ixtlahuacan about ten miles north of Ajijic, where we walked the streets of the downtown area admiring the murals that lined the  plaza, including these on the front of city hall.
Glorine made another Chocolate Crêpe Cake for friends who invited us for Thanksgiving. The next day, we had dinner and played cards with Maureen and Wayne who thoroughly enjoyed left over dessert.	One evening, we were the only home in El Parque who lost electricity and in the middle of the night, the power came back on. The problem was traced to the wires behind the meter--they were fried.
So after it was repaired and the plaster dried, we contracted  with Claudia to paint the meter post to blend in with the Bougainvillea.	We also wanted to showcase these petroglyph  inspired figurines of indigenous ancient Mexican warriors. The one to the right we bought 20 years ago when we vacationed here to check out Ajijic.