Picto Diary - 15 February 2020 - San Sebastian (15 Feb Part One)

Above: TIMDT and driver/guide Adrian. Las Palmas, Jalisco, Mexico. 15 February 2020.

Above: Cemeterio Las Palmas. Las Palmas, Jalisco, Mexico. 15 February 2020.
Elaborate family tombs...you can walk inside and see memorabilia...attest to strong feeling of family continuity and generational respect, essential elements to keep a culture vibrant and strengthening.
The banner honoring a couple married on All Saints Day illustrates how mysticism and ritual animate culture on the Day of the Dead, or All Saints Day.

Above: Man making bricks. Las Palmas, Jalisco, Mexico. 15 February 2020
Bricks. Hand made. Baked in the sun. Fired when 1000 bricks accumulated. 2000 pesos for 1000 bricks. 80 year old man, seeming fit as a fiddle, making 200 ($20.00) pesos a day.

Above: Cock. San Sebastian, Jalisco, Mexico. 15 February 2019.

Cock in training for upcoming fight.

Cock fighting is illegal in the US, but not here in Mexico. Think of the cocks. What is life if limited to the boring routine of crowing in the morning and servicing hens?

If you were a cock, wouldn't you rather preen and be pampered by your owner/trainer as you prepare for fight night when you can either take out your opponent and reign supreme acknowledging the accolades, or leave this life in a blaze of glory, body bled out by a thousand razor cuts, when you lose?

Cock fighting is also a big deal in the Philippines. I witnessed a cock fight in Manila when we lived there in the early '80's. More recently, in 2015, I attended a cock fight in Ko Samui, Thailand.

What's good for Napoleon and Trump..."l'audace..." should also be good for cocks right? Better to push the envelope than to stay safely within it. No?

Above: San Sebastian Church. San Sebastian, Jalisco, Mexico. 15 February 2020.

This church, was originally constructed in 1608. It seems a disproportionally significant edifice for a small town of one thousand inhabitants. But, then, it must be remembered that the town once had 20K inhabitants when the Spanish were mining gold and silver in San Sebastian in the early 17th Century.

The church is built in Spanish Baroque style. There are Corinthian columns and beautiful frescoes on the vaulted ceilings.

Seeing this beautiful church caused me to remember some, of the unique Catholic churches and cathedrals we've visited over just the the last five years.

Se Cathedral, Goa, India.
Cathedral de San Coleman, Cobh, Ireland.
Lamb Home, Italian Chapel, Scapa Flow, Scotland.
St. Peter's Cathedral, Rome, Italy.
Se Cathedral, Lisbon, Portugal.
Catedral de San Pablo, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Notre Dame Cathedral, Chartres, France.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry, India.
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool, UK

Reflecting, seated in a pew of this beautiful church, I realized how deeply Catholicism is intertwined into the cultures of so many many countries throughout the world. Beautiful churches and cathedrals are among the best of mankind's artistic expressions. Religious devotion leads to aspiration to create...to build. The cathedrals and churches of Catholicism are a magnificent expression of mankind's aspirational quest to become closer to and more like God. Their placement throughout the world is evidence of Catholicism's widespread impact on human progress.

Above: TIMDT. San Sebastian, Jalisco, Mexico. 15 February 2020.

San Sebastian founded 1602.

Above: TIMDT and Blue Agave. La Estancia de San Sebastian. San Sebastian, Jalisco, Mexico. 15 February 2020.

One Tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor!

San Sebastian craft, family distillery.
100% blue agave (no additives)
38% alcohol

White no aging. Smoky (not so smooth)
Amber. 8 months. Reposada. (smooth)
More amber. 3 years. Anejo (more smooth)

Addendum:

(Comments on Bishop's book review of "Richard Jewell," by Marie Brenner)

Stephen,

This was insightful and extremely relevant to my current work—one of my two current books has about 30% material published years ago or elsewhere.

Thank you.
Cornucopia,
Park City, UT

Very erudite observations!

Drummer,
Lehi, UT