Ready to light!

A castillo, which is basically a tower of fireworks, has to be one of the most beloved things to wow the people at very special celebrations. Today was the celebration of the Virgin de la Soledad, who is the patron saint of the city of Oaxaca. Her actual day is Dec. 18, but several days of events lead up to the big day. The Basilica de la Soledad is right around the corner from where we live, so we can hear all the music and parades. 
The homemade fireworks (all different colors) are all connected to each other. When  the bottom section is lit the wheels spin and make a whistling sound, throwing sparks in every direction. The sections light in sequence, and on the top wheel fireworks spell out Virgin de la Soledad, and an angel flies off into the sky and everyone cheers! It's quite spectacular!  Unfortunately we missed the lighting of this one, but we hope there will be another soon!