Noise

So I am living in Mexico, and it all looks very peaceful.   

But life is noisy here. 

I woke up this morning to the sound of roosters crowing.  There are birds too, but mostly roosters.  Otherwise, it is all quiet.  It is early though... people are just starting to wake up.  

This is a land of sounds. 

The gas company rumbles about town in an old dilapidated truck with the tanks clanking in the back, playing some sort of music over bad speakers, calling out in a very bored voice, let every one know they have ‘gas’. 

The fruit vendor does the same.  His truck is older, and rattles incessantly over the cobblestones.  The young couple yell out prices and product to let people know he is there.  

When I venture out, motorbikes are almost invisible, flying by me on either side.. but I know when they are coming by the Mexican Mariachi music blasting from specially installed speakers.  

Guadalajara is apparently the capital of such music, and it doesn’t get lost as you travel closer to the lake. 

If I try to escape the noise in one of the little garden sanctuaries away from the hustle and bustle of the street, a mariachi band, or at the very least, a fellow with his guitar and a bad voice, is sure to stand next to me, and sing.  And want a few pesos for the effort. 

Life and music is always a celebration here.  There is always something to celebrate.  And every life experience is a good excuse to set off ‘crackers’ of some sort… fire crackers of course, but also ones that just BANG!  Like.. really bang.. Every little town is named after a saint, and they all have a celebration for that saint.  I live between three or four little towns that have grown together along the side of the lake, so it seems some saint is always getting the cracker love.  Then of course there are religious holidays, old, traditional ones and the newer Catholic ones.  Then of course there is always Mother's day or some ones birthday..

Lilias and I were walking along the edge of the lake yesterday (I don’t really call it a beach)to get away from the noise and congestion of the street, and suddenly the sounds of fireworks erupted from the hills.  I guess there is some celebration of some saint for the next 7 or 9 days.. and this was the start of it.  It was the middle of the day, and I could see puffs of smoke popping up with each new ear crushing ‘bang’.  The sounds bounced off the water as well.. almost as loud!  As we walked through the town of Ajijic we noticed whole streets were shut off to traffic and little stalls set up selling junk from China, food and traditional hand made art and such. Each one was playing music (of sorts) or had a radio blasting. 

This is not even the start of the Christmas celebrations.. yet..  We have that to look forward to.

Fireworks, without the fire.  I really don’t understand the attraction and either do the dogs.  (All the gringos, except me, have a dog.. and they all tell me how the dogs run for cover at every bang). 

Kids in the street let off little crackers.. jumping back and giggling, all the time.  Well, not all the time but at any time.  I remember doing this as a kid as well, don’t quite get the attraction now.  Now, that my ears don’t work as well.  You would think it would be opposite way, but it isn’t. 

I go to bed with sound as well.. the happy sounds of people playing soccer next door: laughter, shouting, music.  We have a big soccer field there and by the sound of it, people thoroughly enjoy it.. full on.  And they especially love the after party.  There is laughter and music.. and as often as not, Karaoke.

I am getting used to it and I actually enjoy all these happy sounds of people living their lives and loving just being alive.  I woke up the other night at about 3 in the morning though.  Things usually quieten down about one, so I guess my subconscious was saying WTF?! 

I went out on the little balcony off my bedroom to see .. just because.  And there was one guy.. ONE guy and a karaoke machine.  A really big machine with really big speakers.  ONE GUY in the middle of a sleeping neighborhood. I don't think anyone complained.  I just shut the screen door and went back to sleep. 

It is morning now though, and the hammering has begun.  There is an ultra light flying right over my place.. sputtering .. hope they are ok. 

Workers on a nearby building are blasting their radios already, the drills are drilling.. the dogs are barking, church bells are ringing.. 

The sound of the crowing roosters has been drowned out by the sounds of the day. 

I am living in Mexico and it is noisy.  It just comes with the gig! 

How lucky am I?!