Oaxaca - the city of love

Well, that's how it seems to me in my first day.  I went for a walk to explore the city, and heard music playing, so I went to check it out.  It turned out to be the wedding of Gaby and Jordy, complete with a brass band, a ten foot bride and groom, dancers in traditional costumes, and men on stilts.

Notice the drone taking pictures over the crowd.

The bride and groom are dressed "conventionally."

After the dancing in front of the church, the ten foot tall bride and groom and the band led the bridal party and guests in a parade for two blocks  ... to waiting buses.  Reception for invited guests only, I guess.

I walked around Oaxaca for several hours, enjoying the center square, markets, and people.  When I headed back toward my apartment, I passed the same church and ... another wedding with the same ten foot bride and groom, dancers, and men on stilts.  But the big ball now says Edith and someone.

They paraded on down the street.  I sat quietly for a few minutes and then another band started playing in the street.  This is so cool, I thought.  Continual music.

After a few minutes, a crowd of people in red t-shirts showed up.  Two of them opened up a sign that said:  Dianarely, will you marry me.  A young man got on one knee and opened a box with a ring.

She said yes, and he threw up his arms triumphantly.

The red t-shirts had a heart on the front with Dianarely and David.  Each one said something different on the back like:  Sweethearts now married and There's going to be a wedding and She said yes.  While the band continued to play, the young couple took pictures for half an hour with their family and supporters.  This is way more involved than asking someone to prom.  Apparently, you always need a brass band for romance.

Today I went to the weekly market in Tlacolula, a huge market that draws people from all over the countryside, many in traditional dress.  There were very few tourists there; this is really a market for the townspeople.  Now I know where to go when you want a new or used machete.  They also buy and sell live turkeys, although it wasn't quite clear to me who was buying or why.  Obviously, they sell lots of food in the market, but people also brought their own food to picnic in the plaza.

There are several small villages outside of Oaxaca that are known for their crafts, with each one specializing in one craft.  After the market, I stopped in Teotitlan which is known for their rug making.  Each rug was more beautiful than the last.  I wish I had floor space so I could buy another rug.  And as I walked by the small church in Teotitlan, what did I see?  A band leading a wedding party on their parade down the street.

Apparently, you always need a brass band for romance.  And there is lots of romance in Oaxaca.