Visiting the cemetery for Dia de los Muertos

Our friend Daniel offered to take us around to some of the sites for Dia de los Muertos.  We visited a cemetery named Panteon General.  When we arrived at the locations, we first cruised through a tunnel of carnival games and food.  Daniel playing one of the ball throwing games and won a piece of candy.  He encouraged me to drink Ponche which is similar to mulled wine but is made with beer and fermented fruit.  Floating in the cup are pieces of apple and peach and small seeded fruits which I could not identify

. Inside the cemetery walls were hundreds of people, many of them with painted faces.  Daniel is paying his way through college working as a clown on the city buses.

Many of the graves or should I say tombs, were decorated with flowers of red cocks comb and orange marigolds.  One of the tombs was in disrepair and I asked Daniel the reason.  He told me that if the person buried there did not have a son or if the son did not get married and have children then there was no one to tend the family tomb.

Also built into the cemetery is a large amphitheater.  A famous Oaxacan actor was giving a performance.  On the walk home we observed in one building, a large family alter.  The family allowed us access and encouraged us to take photos.