Today’s post is a photo montage dedicated to Dia de Los Meurtos. During our five-week road trip to Southern California last year we were fortunate enough (due to Bruce’s brilliant on-the-road research skills) to attend a community Dia de Los Meurtos celebration in a real graveyard in the community of Camarillo.

The afternoon was hot, the colours brilliant and the communal nature of the celebration was breathtaking. The order of the day was food, vendor booths and entertainment.

We watched as family after family, loaded down with picnic baskets and stunningly bright marigolds, were transported by motorized carts out to various grave sites. Once there, they ate and celebrated the memory and spirit of those family members gone before them.

I bought a beautiful necklace from a booth specializing in Mexican Folk Art – Yolteutl Art by Elehuiany Law – she is also an awesome face painter!

Soon after we arrived at the Celebration, we met Xavier Montes – a man well over six feet tall dressed all in white. A striking man, he seemed to be a Camarillo ambassador of some type. He made a point of checking out the strangers in town – introducing himself to us and making sure we found our way to his booth. He plays the harp for weddings and parties and also turns his hand to original artwork.

Thank you to the community of Camarillo for your warm welcome as two strangers from Canada wandered through your celebrations finding so much to enjoy.