As the evening grew into night, the posadas (small parades or religious processions) began to circle the Zocolo on the way to their respective churches. The posadas are each presented by a different church and may show any religious scene, but most show the manger scene. Most are preceded by a runner with a small fireworks display attached to a wooden stick he holds high in the air. Then there is a float with a biblical scene in tableau presented by young children. A mariachi band either brings up the rear or comes between the fireworks and the float. There must have been 25-30 of these posadas circling the Zocalo several times before leading whoever wished to follow to their church for midnight mass.

The Zocalo was packed with the sweetest crowd we have ever had the good fortune to be a part of. Children sat on father's shoulders often loaded down with food, toys, and costumes-- whatever they had seen that they wanted. Everyone was in a good mood, laughing and joking...enjoying the nippy Christmas Eve with the entire community and a large number of foreigners as well.

  We followed one posada to the church and participated in a beautiful mass before wandering finally back to our hotel..
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Monte Alban was our destination for Christmas Day. It is only on Christmas Day that the celebration became a private family gift giving and feasting event.

  We opened our gifts to each other and then went to Monte Alban where there were still vendors even on Christmas Day catering to tourists. We climbed pyramids and looked down on the valley which is Oaxaca.

  Monte Alban is an ancient city built by the Zapotecs Indians long before the arrival of the Spanish. It was covered up and preserved from the conquistadors' knowledge and was not rediscovered until the early part of this century. Only a small percentage of it has been excavated to date, and that small percentage is very impressive.

  The temperature zoomed back up into the 80s up there--a perfect place to spend a Christmas Day and end probably one of the most colorful and joyful vacations of our lives.

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 FELIZ

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