The festivities took place around Olvera St, which is the oldest part of Los Angeles, stretching back to the city's Mexican roots. Los Angeles was, in fact, founded by Mexican settlers in 1781, long before it was the United States of America. I had a traditional dish called a clayuda, which is a massive hand-made tortilla smothered with mole, cheese, and a couple different meats. It was amazing.
 |
| Clayuda |
In addition to the food, there were cultural celebrations, like these traditional dances from Oaxaca...
There was also a play going on inside an old Catholic church, put on by an LA-based theater company called Teatro del Barrio. I took a picture with my favorite of the actors.
I had a great time, wandering around with my friends Steve and Felice, taking in the sights, the sounds, the tastes of this festival. We also popped into La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, a fantastic museum of Mexican-American history in Los Angeles. It was a nice day of food and local culture.
