If you want to enjoy this panorama with sound, you can simply load this youtube video (in another browser tab) which I shot just a few moments before these panoramas were shot - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSMcNRzl6E
So, what is going on here?
Well, while a gringo such as myself would automatically assume that this was some kind of special day, it is probably not all that special, being Mexico there are tons of "special days" where society grinds to a halt in order or pray, worship, party (probably all three at once).
This parade marked some part of Lent - I don't know anything more than that unfortunately. What I do know is that this parade occurred every day for three days. On each mornign of these three days, at about 5:30, there was a series of explosions, something between a shotgun and a bomb. One after the other. Relentless. Seemingly never-ending. One of us counted them on the second day and there were ar total of 75 explosions over about a fifteen minute period. At five thirty in the morning. Yes, these people are mad. They know how guarantee that the entire town is awake before sunrise, that's for sure.