Here is another shrine dedicated to an ancestor. Usually you will find the person's favourite food and drink prepared for them, lots of marigold petals, and numerous candles to help to provide the soul some light as these mexicans believe the soul of the dead relative wanders around in darkness until it finds its way towards heaven.
In Mexico City, Coyoacan's centre, artists have raised a monument dedicated to dead artists from the area. You can see the many death motifs illustrated.
Offerings of food and tequila were placed inside the shrine with candles all around them.
We visited a woman's home in a countryside village whose husband had passed away only three months ago. She had mounted this shrine in rememberance of him. I could not get over the pile of fruits and vegetables that were place there for him.
On this one shrine, we noticed it had a box where people can place prayers or greetings for the deceased. The note on the box says : "I would like to hear from you!"
Other shrines have the person's profession displayed on the shrine such as this one explaining the shrine was for a dentist.
The most memorable part of the Day of the Dead festival was the visit to the cemeteries. Tombs were decorated with marigolds and candles and offerings.
People sat by the tombs for hours (often overnight!) to spend time with their deceased relatives or friends.
It was a little strange sometimes to see jack-o-lantern pumpkins also placed on the tombs.
Kids during the week culminating to the Nov 1st event walk around with a jack-o-lantern asking for money -- so that they may in turn purchase candies to celebrate their Halloween, which is called the Night of the Witches instead but is officially celebrated on the same day.
Some interesting art themed around Day of the Dead.
We even noticed Mexican TV Show hosts enjoyed dressing up in the skeleton theme, similar to this random skeleton-costumed woman we passed on the street.
