Banda is a style of music typical of this part of Mexico and is hugely popular. It is always played loudly, very very loudly, with lots of trumpets and trombones and the odd drum or two.
When the schools were closed during the swine flu outbreak, a group practiced in the empty beauty school on the corner. We went out a lot. This evening, we decided to stay home to watch a movie.
However, it's Saturday night and the guys up the street have decided to have a birthday party, with music, banda music, loud banda music. They started earlier in the evening with recorded music, but a band has arrived and has set up for a live performance. They are right outside the door (and our bedroom window). There are about 10 guys in the band and they also have an announcer, with a microphone, who is singing and telling jokes. Which we can't understand of course, but everyone is laughing so I assume it's jokes he's telling. He could be talking about us! We have closed the windows, turned on the air, and turned up the volume on the TV. It's not working. Abi is going to start howling any minute. Mike has gone outside to watch the performance - we can hear it quite well from inside! The crowd is growing - they really love this stuff.
I'm going to be honest here - I just don't get it. It all sounds sort of the same - they play for a little bit, then everyone stops,they re-tune their instruments, then they play the same song again. Well, it might be a different song, after awhile they all sound the same. Mike just came in and said he thinks he might be starting to like it. Perhaps it is time to go home for awhile!
We took this picture at the school the other day (you got it - another banda band!) He was having a great time, all by himself, not a girl in sight!
This is going to be a long night - glad we both had a siesta today. Now, where on earth did I put those earplugs?
When the schools were closed during the swine flu outbreak, a group practiced in the empty beauty school on the corner. We went out a lot. This evening, we decided to stay home to watch a movie.
However, it's Saturday night and the guys up the street have decided to have a birthday party, with music, banda music, loud banda music. They started earlier in the evening with recorded music, but a band has arrived and has set up for a live performance. They are right outside the door (and our bedroom window). There are about 10 guys in the band and they also have an announcer, with a microphone, who is singing and telling jokes. Which we can't understand of course, but everyone is laughing so I assume it's jokes he's telling. He could be talking about us! We have closed the windows, turned on the air, and turned up the volume on the TV. It's not working. Abi is going to start howling any minute. Mike has gone outside to watch the performance - we can hear it quite well from inside! The crowd is growing - they really love this stuff.
I'm going to be honest here - I just don't get it. It all sounds sort of the same - they play for a little bit, then everyone stops,they re-tune their instruments, then they play the same song again. Well, it might be a different song, after awhile they all sound the same. Mike just came in and said he thinks he might be starting to like it. Perhaps it is time to go home for awhile!
We took this picture at the school the other day (you got it - another banda band!) He was having a great time, all by himself, not a girl in sight!
This is going to be a long night - glad we both had a siesta today. Now, where on earth did I put those earplugs?
Sandie & Mike
ReplyDeleteJust discovered your blog through "Countdown to Mexico". Enjoy your experiences and presentation. Especially the not so neat and clean. The rather raw exterior images you posted presents a more honest picture of Maz. Much appreciated. Not the usual cathedral and theatre shots. Hey, I'm still a sucker for sunrise and sunset pics. I'm from Saskatoon and retireing to Maz in 14 months. I thought the prairies had the best sunsets until I saw a Maz sunset. Hope this finds you well and maybe we'll meet some time. later
daniel
It was loud! I'm sure it was crazy at your place. There's a banda group that practices a half block from us, one time they started up at 5 am! Now I can sleep through anything!
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