a Fort in Chilchota

greethings again from Chilchota, Michoacan. The fort is now underway, and nearing completion. With the help of Neto, a new friend from Chilchota, my idea of a creating a collaborative project has been coming to realization. We worked together most of the afternoon yesterday and into the night, collecting materials from a junk yard of sorts in the town and using local construction methods to put together the fort´s structure. The building techniques and structure of the fort are based on what Neto and other Chilchotans call casas de campo. This refers to a shack built out of locally available building materials, like corrugated plastic and metal, wood and plastic tarps called lonas. More to come soon! Enjoy the images>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Arrival in Chilchota, Michoacan

*fantastic band from the last night´s procession


::::::::::::mysto fog clearing::::::revealing a procession in the street below my temporary crash pad, which is la galeria perdida in Chilchota, Michoacan. I arrived here yesterday The procession is part of a 9 day long festival honoring Chichota´s patron saint, Santo Santiago. Each evening, there is a procession through the town to the awesome, and magnificently old church in the center of the town. The procession has a different band and a special dance performed by costumed men and boys each night. After the procession reaches the church, almost everyone goes inside for service and then afterward a band plays into the night outside the church.


*dancers dressed up for as moors for the procession last night

the search for fort-making materials has begun! more fun to come from galeria perdida in Chilchota, Michoacan!

in the Land of Lincoln

*Kitty Kelly performed on a large wooden globe, walking it up and down a teeter totter while convincing doves to perch on her outstretched arms>>>>>>>

Well yes, I have enjoyed the Land of Lincoln! Since Wednesday, I've been touring around to different and historic homes and farms around Petersburg, and learning about the rich and influential history of the circus here.

From the late 1800s up until the early 1900s, Petersburg served as the home-base for many travelling circus performers and their families. Trapeeze artists, clowns, jugglers, trick-horse-riders, acrobats and animal trainers would spend the winter inside a large ring barn, run by the The Kelly Brothers and Family (Amanda's great grandparents!).

I've had the priviledge to hear old stories about the Kellys and the magical history of this area from their descendents, who have been treating me like one of the family here at their annual family reunion.....

so, today I head off to Chicago and then on to Houston where I'll spend the night in the airport and head for Guadalajara city on Monday morning, where I'll travel out to meet my friends at Galeria Perdida for a special project.........onward!

Evan apRoberts' Magical Travel bLog

Hi!

Alright, here we go: the engine's warming up, preparations are being made for the next set of crazy-magic-travel adventures! From the tippee time fun of Carter Ranch to an artist residency at 6,000 feet above the sea in Idyllwild, I'm now preparing to head out on the trail for another series of projects and performances.....