La Posada Sin Fronteras

This is where the wall between San Diego and Tijuana runs into the Pacific Ocean.

I finally made it down there today, a chilly grey Saturday, mainly just to see this part of the wall, but also to see La Posada Sin Fronteras enacted on the border.

La Posada is a traditional Mexican festival, in which the attempts by Mary and Joseph to find somewhere to stay the night Jesus was born are re-enacted in villages all over the country. Mary and Joseph make their way through the village, knocking on each door to ask if they may stay, and by each house they are turned away. Until, that is, they get to the last house, where they are let in... and there the party begins.

La Posada Sin Fronteras links Mary and Joseph's attempt to find accommodation with the attempts by Mexican migrants to enter the United States. It is also used as a time to remember and commemorate those who have died trying to cross the border.

A row of luminarias (paper bags with candles inside) acknowledged recent deaths.

A small crowd gathered on each side of the fence, testimonials of those who had lost friends and family were given, prayers were said, songs were sung, and a moment's silence held for those who have died or disappeared.

All the while a lone representative of the Minutemen, bearing a flag with a picture of a rattlesnake and reading "don't tread on us", yelled out such things as "Go Home Aliens!" and "Obey the Law!"

To start off with there had been two of them, but once the rain set in, the wind rose, and the temperature dropped, this guy was abandoned by his buddy.

Earlier discussions between the Minutemen and those participating in the posada reached a predicatable impasse.

The border patrol were also there, keeping a respectful distance - and staying warm and dry in their trucks.

The posada ended with people throwing little bags of lollies over the top of the fence. Here you can see a couple of bags coming in from the Mexican side.

It is expected that this posada sins fronteras will be the last, at least until the wall comes down again. By next year the wire fencing will be replaced with the triple reinforced fencing, and it'll be long throw across from Tijuana then.