Melaque's Town Square

 

In the late afternoons and evenings, in most Mexican towns, the locals and tourists gravitate towards the town square to spend time visiting and people watching. Families allow the younger children to play in the huge tiled area while the parents visit with friends and neighbours. Teens mill around, giggling and jostling each other the way they do everywhere in the world. It’s a time when the heat of the day eases and the cooler air invites relaxation. An easy-going attitude prevails.

Town Square, Melaque.

Shadows are lengthening and soon the sun goes down. It’s a cool place to eat an ice cream cone or just watch people.

Cooler temperatures at last.

As the crowds gather in the square, various artists may make an appearance to sell their wares or entertain.

A very talented guitarist.

One fellow had many of his works of art on display and demonstrated how he made the pictures using his spray paints. It was fascinating to watch the images appear on the paper.

The smell of lacquer was dizzying.

But when he lit the cans of spray paint, I  began to worry about the safety of all the little kids who were watching him with eager faces.

“Stay back!” he cautions. But is it enough?

After a while, the crowds thin and it’s time to wander back to our rented bungalows. We amble along the sidewalks through town and see that the swallows have already gone to bed.

See how they leave each other a respectable amount of space.

Hundreds of swallows sleep here every night.

So many little bird bums. You can guess what they do once in a while.

A foolish place to park, right under the wires.

And what a foolish place for this amateur photographer to stand! My blue velour jacket needed a good wash by the time I got back to our bungalow.

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