Point South Mexico - Real Estate and Lifestyle Magazine

It’s fiesta time in Ajijic and people that reside in one of the downtown Ajijic Rentals,have wonderful sights to behold . Evening services at the church are over and the townspeople are crammed shoulder to shoulder around the central plaza. Couples clustered near the bandstand boogie to the brassy beat of popular banda tunes. Squealing kids clamour for the mechanical rides. Teenage guys and gals parade around the square, exchanging flirtatious glances as they shuffle along in opposite directions. Others keep an eye on the action from the busy sidewalk cantinas and taco stands strung around the perimeter. The air is filled with music and happy voices, the wafting aroma of sizzling meats and spicy condiments, an undercurrent of the intoxicating brew that fuel the fun.

As the night wears on for those that reside in Ajijic Rentals, folks gravitate back towards the church edging up to a wooden tower that rises majestically from the cobblestone street. They gather in eager anticipation of the igniting of el castillo (the castle)--the dazzling fireworks display that will cap off the day’s festivities.

Interesting Sights for Visitors in Ajijic Rentals

Suddenly idle chatter is interrupted by sputtering detonations that sound like giant popcorn kernels exploding in a rapid-fire chain reaction. The crowd instinctively lurches back a step or two. Wide eyes lock on the tower as it bursts into a glittering conflagration that will unfold, layer upon scintillating layer.

The castillo is an ingenious contraption, hand-engineered by fireworks specialists known as coheteros (rocket men). The base structure is a heavy pole or latticed wood frame around which the coheteros attach an intricate maze of geometric forms fashioned from strips of bamboo, each laced with handmade explosive devices and a long fuse. The components are crafted in home workshops, transported in parts to the fiesta location for final assembly on site. Once in place the finished piece stands 20 metres or more in height.

With fiesta fervor hitting full pitch at ten or eleven o’clock, the head cohetero knowingly selects the first fuse, lighting it with the glowing stub of a cigarette. Despite their day-to-day handling of gunpowder and the other chemical components essential to their craft, most of the daring rocket men are unrepentant smokers.

The castle is detonated in stages, progressively burned on different sides and ascending layers. Suspense builds with the fizzling ignition of each fuse. Spectators watch expectantly, letting out a collective gasp of joy as the fulminating Catherine wheels, Roman candles, fizgigs, girandoles, and other fiery gizmos crackle and bang to life.

Exhuberant Celebrations for Visitors in Ajijic Rentals Downtown

Through the veil of acrid smoke, the crowd hoots and applauds. Eager niños push and prod, squeezing between the grown-ups for a closer view. The bravest little ones dash out to jig and giggle among the tumbling sparks, covering their heads with tattered scraps of cardboard. Unlike their more cautious northern neighbours, Mexican fiesta-goers have no fear of getting up close and personal with their fireworks. The latent danger allures as much as the magic of the fiery display. Yes, accidents do happen, but incidents of grave bodily harm are blessedly infrequent. It is really a sight to behold, and why so many Ajijic rentals in the downtown area are so popular.

The size and distinct design of each castillo is determined by the sponsors’ pocketbooks and the coheteros’ creative whims. Like snowflakes, no two are ever alike. The finest artistry usually appears at the top of the castillo. There may be a blazing motto or spinning basket that pops open to reveal an image outlined in colorful flames. The figure often alludes to the gremio (guild) that bankrolls the day’s festivities: a boat for fishermen, a guitar for musicians, flowers and butterflies for gardeners. Remember if you are thinking of visiting, one of the best places to see these wonderful sights is in one of the specially designed Ajijic Rentals