Postcard from San Martin Tilcajete, Mexico: Chaotic Carnaval ushers in Lent

Not sure how the Oaxacan town of San Martin Tilcajete, known for its colorful and imaginative alebrije creatures, ended up with such an unusual wild and wacky celebration of Fat Tuesday, but it definitely is fun.

Instead of traditional Mardi Gras royalty, a bride and groom united in a mock ceremony reign over the festival. The bride is always a man dressed in drag and fittingly attired in an elegant white gown.

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Biannual roundup of your favorite posts

Above photo from Postcard from Toulouse, France: Falling in love one quirky detail at a time

The year 2022 brought a reshuffling of what blog entries caught your attention. You dove back as far as 2010, an indication of how long I have been blogging.

You politely made one of the stories drawn from research for An Ostrich-Plumed Hat, And Yes, She Shot Him Dead your number one favorite, clearly attracted by Texans’ love of pralines. You continue to support efforts to populate Brackenridge Park with ghosts, and thanks for welcoming a post about my new hometown focusing on the history of Zilker Park. And the quirkiness that is Toulouse sparked your attention. In other words, your interests are as unpredictably wide-ranging as my posts.

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Postcard from Guanajuato, Mexico: ‘Quiero volver, volver, volver’

Above, “Volver, Volver” in La Clave Azul

Leaving Guanajuato City, you always know you want to return, as in the chorus of that classic ranchera.

This assortment of images is as jumbled as the colorful houses climbing up the mountains surrounding the city or the sounds emanating from musicians stationed along her streets.

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