Bodas y Desfiles

I happened upon a wedding, or the wedding happened upon me. Huge puppets, balloons, trumpets, and paper hearts. There are so many spontaneous bodas (weddings) and desfiles (parades) in Oaxaca. It's such fun to be surprised by puppets and dancers and drums in the street, to become part of the party for a time before it moves on.

My favorite was the surprise of the Gay Pride parade, with lavender balloons, rainbow streamers and drag queens who wore beautiful hand embroidered dresses and did traditional folk dances down the street.

When it's over, I want to say: I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bride groom, taking the world into my arms. -Mary Oliver