Semana Santa is Officially Here in Banderas Bay Landon Hollander - InsideLaCruz
go to original March 23, 2013

Today marks the unofficial beginning of Semana Santa. Some of you may ask, "What 'dat mean?" while others may think, "no big deal," and, of course, some of you may have already said, "honey, go online and book us a flight outta here pronto…"

Ah yes, Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the ensuing Semana Pascua (Easter Week) is that time of year (officially from Palm Sunday March 24th through April 7th, but the start of the weekend is the real beginning) here in Mexico when many, varied forces come together to produce a phenomenon unlike any other occurring throughout the year. Think "Perfect Storm."

For starters, because of the (obvious) religious nature of these 14 days; festivals, parades, reenactments and celebrations of all kinds and colors occur throughout the local towns and cities. Secondly, these two weeks are also the Mexican Spring Break and vacation time for all Mexicans. And third, because this IS Mexico and this IS a resort/tourist/destination (and by that I mean ALL of the Riviera Nayarit/Puerto Vallarta area), an ocean of humanity is at this very moment making plans to invade every single space you have come to think of as tranquil and serene.

These assembling masses will conspire to interrupt your peaceful, beachside meal and will park in your secret parking space. Your favorite dish will be sold out, of course. When, at last you are ready for the regular oldies rock band to begin, you may be a bit irritated to find out that THIS week, the music is Banda. Your rush home will actually be a crawl.

So be prepared to spend at least twice as long as normal performing every daily task and routine as the roadways clog, the stores swell, the bank lines double or triple in length and your patience prepares to take a flying leap out the window.

OR, you can do as I have chosen to do these past few years and roll with it and appreciate the pageantry and awesome humanity of it all. After all, it IS an amazingly festive and joyful time, and that crowded visit to Mega or Costco may just feature a Mariachi band or a herd of Corona Girls!

Maybe you'll be asked to dance by the Lala Dancing Cow in the dairy aisle. Maybe you’ll see a truckload of beach-bound, bikini-clad Mexican beauties on the highway. Maybe you'll turn a corner and fall into a spontaneous parade. Maybe a rude out-of-towner won't cut in front of you. Ok, that last one is pure fantasy…

The decision, of course, is yours. Enjoy it or be prepared to endure. Or get out of Dodge. But don't say we didn't warn you.