Morelia on the Weekend

By Emily Hogge – Guest blogger traveling in Mexico.
I can hardly believe that 3 weeks have come and gone, and that I am entering my last week of my stay here in Mexico. The first week I was here seemed slightly interminable, but since then the time has flown by, and I will be sad to leave on Saturday. I am looking forward to seeing my friends and roommates at home, but I will miss improving my Spanish, trying all sorts of tasty food, and seeing the many amazing things that are here.
This weekend, although I didn't do much other than rest, my few activities were, I think, very "Morelia." On Saturday night, in the rain (it's really becoming apparent that this is the rainy season), I went to la Catedral with a few friends, and saw the fuegos artificiales (fireworks) blazing in the sky nighttime sky. It was very dramatic, with tons of locals and tourists gathered on the street in front of it, and choral music setting the stage as well. They actually shut down the street in front for the duration of the fireworks, which I thought was a little crazy, considering this is something that takes place every Saturday evening. It was worth getting soaked (even with umbrella) to see it, especially since the cathedral itself is so beautiful at night.
Sunday afternoon, I wandered with Patricio, Natalie, and Margaret, to el Mercado de Independencia (Independence Market), which simply explodes with people and vendors on the weekends. This was my third visit, but definitely a memorable one. We saw the usual cow heads and large pieces of meat in the open air, but this was the first time I had noticed chicken with the feet still attached.
It was also the first time I've explored the large group of booths that overflow outside the market itself. My favorites were the delicious mini pancake biscuits, straight off the griddle of a street vendor, and the booth with assorted blender parts where you could assemble your own. I had also wanted to purchase a tortilla press, so I can make corn tortillas in the States, and although I didn't buy one, I now know where they're located in the market (right by the saddles and machetes, naturally), so I can hopefully return this week.