I’ve mentioned before that one of the benefits I enjoy from belonging to an organization like SATW is access. While at the annual convention in Guadalajara, Mexico last month, I had another opportunity to take advantage of that perk of membership. A limited number of us were given special access to the Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan to witness the pilgrimage known as the Romeria, where a statue of the Virgin Mary is carried from the Cathedral in Guadalajara to the Basilica.

As we were waiting to be let into the grounds of the Basilica, streams of dancers made their way past us in the street. Honestly, I could have spent the day there photographing these colorfully dressed folks but we only had a few minutes before passing through the gate.

Inside the Basilica, we were allowed to go up into the bell towers for a view of the assembling crowds. Some estimates said that there were as many as 3,000,000 people in attendance.

Some days I’m really glad that I haven’t brought my entire backpack full of gear with me. On this day, I had assembled a small shoulder bag with a few essential pieces. Even so, it was a tight squeeze in this narrow spiral stair within the bell tower. Once at the top, I had to nearly crawl under the large bell to get to the tiny ledge.

We couldn’t stay on the tower long because they would be ringing the bells at the end of the procession. Looking at the size of the bells, I was fine with that decision. Back to the street level to get some shots…

I made my way back to the rooftop flanking the bell towers before the statue of the Virgin Mary was brought down the street toward the Basilica so that I could take advantage of another high vantage point. It was a great morning and I thank those who gave our small band of journalists this amazing opportunity. This is one more thing I can say that I never would have seen if it weren’t for this crazy career of mine.

One last shot as the statue is being carried past the platform where commentators were describing every moment: