mother of god

Tales from a country where efficiency and productivity don't always come first...

Normal day driving on the nicely-paved, smooth-riding highway. Every now and then there's a bunch of traffic because a few of the 20-something million Mexico City dwellers (aka Chilangos) are on their way to Acapulco. But usually - cruising on the highways is a piece of cake. 

When things start to slow down, however, you can play this interesting game of - what happened this time?
 Sometimes a little roadkill will have you bumper to bumper for 10 minutes. Or a car accident that happened 4 hours ago will still be keeping people from getting to work. But today - I hit the jackpot of reasons to slow down.

Here's the situation - there's one big pickup truck with a bunch of people standing in the back (there was a wooden fence thing installed - don't worry). It's going so slow...wait...are those people standing on the highway getting in? Hmmm - what might they be doing standing out here? We pass that truck...and up ahead - hey! More of those people with those same yellow reflecting vests. This doesn't look like some sort of construction project - because I see a guy running with some sort of baton - and look! He's passing it off to the next lady after his 100 meter sprint. And there she goes - how many people are ahead waiting to take their turn? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8...another truck! And this one is dropping people off onto the highway. I think I can make out what's printed on their vests - it's a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe. 

Knowing Mexico's love for Mother Mary - who appeared to Juan Diego some 480 years ago - I could put the pieces together pretty easily. This caravan of trucks and the relay race began in a significant religious place (maybe the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City...aka 50 km away) and is on its way to somewhere that's special to this group of energetic believers. Imagine the Olympic torch-passing tradition on a small, homemade scale. I think it's pretty cool - even if it's blocking my lane - that people are so devoted and that they show it. The only thing that worries me is that the Feast Day for The Lady of Guadalupe isn't until the 12th of December...are they going to be running for 4. more. days???