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Soledad pulling an all-nighter

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Food, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Basilica de la Soledad, brooms, escobas de otate, food, Mexico, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, Oaxaca, Patrona de los Oaxaqueños, photographs, photos, Plaza de la Danza, popular travel destinations, Queen of Oaxaca, twig brooms, Virgen de La Soledad, Virgin of Solitude on December 20, 2012| 5 Comments »

As yesterday’s post reported, fireworks late Monday night heralded the feast day of La Virgen de la Soledad, the patron saint of Oaxaca.

However, that was far from the end of the nocturnal tale. At the stroke of midnight, only an hour after the snaps, crackles, and pops had ended, and when I had finally drifted off to sleep, the bells of the Basilica began a frenzied pealing. They were immediately joined by repeated rocket explosions, and the unmistakable sounds of a tuna band; at 2 AM bells, rockets, and mariachis; at 4 AM more bells, rockets, music, AND a procession winding its way through the streets of the city; its sounds ebbing and flowing for almost two hours.

At 6 AM, I gave up attempting sleep, threw on jeans, shoes, and a sweatshirt (didn’t even bother to wash my face or brush my teeth — don’t tell anybody), grabbed my camera, and headed over to the Basilica. What a sight!!!

The Plaza de la Danza was covered with food stalls offering barbacoa, molotes, empanadas, tacos, buñuelas, hot chocolate, breads, and pastries — the best of Oaxaca street food. And, they were all open!

On the Basilica’s plaza, the Banda Auténticos (from San Andrés Huayapam) was playing…

Dancers were dancing…

People were just waking up…

Vendors were selling roses and bouquets of herbs…

And, ubiquitous twig brooms (escobas de otate) waited to sweep-up the detritus from Soledad and friends pulling an all-nighter.

After a breakfast of barbacoa (chivo) and hot chocolate, I walked back home. Sleep deprived or not, it was a great morning!

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The feminine touch

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, artists, arts, graffiti, graffiti artists, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, PINK, popular travel destinations, street art, wall art on December 16, 2012| 2 Comments »

Yesterday was just what the doctor ordered. On a long walk with best friend: a quinceañera, Christmas piñatas, a wedding, chickens roasting, and fanciful graffiti under the fútbol (soccer) stadium… these with a decidedly feminine touch. Love the incongruity!

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An interview with one of Oaxaca’s female graffiti artists, PINK, can be found here (in English and Spanish).

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Calenda of clowns; parade of payasos

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged clowns payasos, comedy, Día Internacional del Payaso, entertainment, International Day of the Clown, Mexico, Oaxaca, Plaza de la Danza, popular travel destinations on December 11, 2012| 6 Comments »

Where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don’t bother, they’re here.*

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Plaza de la Danza, Oaxaca, December 10 — Día Internacional del Payaso (International Day of the Clown). Gracias, Universidad José Vasconcelos.

If, like me, you suffer from coulrophobia (fear of clowns), Oaxaca is a great place for a little immersion therapy. Clowns are seen everywhere and everyday; waiting for the bus, walking their kids to school, as well as performing in parks and plazas. Not so scary anymore!

* Send in the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim

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Lo-fi, Oaxaca style

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Music, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged festivals, Low-Fi, Mexico, music, Oaxaca, Plaza del Carmen Alto, popular travel destinations, Sexto Low-Fi 2012, Virgen de Juquila on December 9, 2012| 1 Comment »

Riotous clanging from Soledad’s bell towers at 4:45 AM yesterday rudely interrupted a peaceful sleep. Explosions of cohetes and other church bells soon joined the morning’s 2-hour long Virgen de Juquila soundtrack. Chimes, rockets, loudspeakers announcing the presence of the water and gas vendors, fried plantain wagon steam-whistles, horns honking, bus gears grinding, and booming base emanating from open car windows; it’s all part of the cacophony one comes to know and love when living in Mexico.

And, then there is the music… Looking for signs of Juquila yesterday (with all that noise, I figured there must be something going on), I stumbled upon the Sexto Festival Low-Fi 2012. (Fyi: sexto = 6th, in case you were wondering.)

There were vendors…

This definitely didn’t have anything to do with virgins!

This was a music festival that almost didn’t happen. According to event promoter, Thorvalo Pazos Hoga, they were initially denied a permit, “on the grounds of religious and traditional festivals that are celebrated in the month of December in the city.” A silly argument, was his response.

I arrived in the early afternoon and fanaticos (love that word for fans!) were just beginning to gather at the Plaza del Carmen Alto. Ska, hip hop, heavy metal, rock, electronic music, and more would be adding to Oaxaca’s soundtrack until 11 PM.

Yes, we have no marimbas; the music was not your grandparents’ sones and jarabes. The bands had names like: K-OS Party, Cayune, Pichancha, Rekto de Cerdo, Dr. Jekill y Mr. Hyde, Herpes, Coito Violento, Forever, and Survival. Probably not even your parents’ music!

Oaxacan graphic artists designed the stage set. Love how they re-imagined the traditional Navidad piñata.

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Poinsettias coming to a zócalo near you

Posted in Gardens, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged Christmas, flowers, garden, gardeners, holiday decorations, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, plants, poinsettias, popular travel destinations, zócalo on November 27, 2012| 4 Comments »

Today, the truck arrived, the wheelbarrows were loaded, and the gardening crew began filling the flower beds of Oaxaca’s zócalo…

Navidad is coming to Oaxaca!

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Six years ago today

Posted in Culture, History, Parks & Plazas, Politics, Protests, Violence, tagged APPO, federal preventive police, historical photos, history, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo exhibition, photographs, photos, politics, protests, SEPODDH, social activists on November 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

November 25, 2012 marks the sixth anniversary of the bloody attack by the Federal Preventive Police on the teachers and members of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) in the zócalo of the city of Oaxaca. I wasn’t here during the 5-month long struggle, but its repercussions continue to reverberate.

Last year a plaque was unveiled by organizations representing victims, survivors, human rights, and social activists. Located where the Alameda de León meets the zócalo, it symbolically renames the zócalo, “Plaza of the peoples in struggle; for truth and justice.”

Truth and justice have not been attained, assassins go unpunished, many of the same issues remain, and Oaxaca’s economy still hasn’t rebounded. Today, the Survivors and Former Political Prisoners of Oaxaca in Defense of Human Rights (SEPODDH) mounted a photo exhibition across from the Government Palace.

Adults, children, and even vendors stopped to look and, for many, remember those days and nights six years ago.

Somber and unsmiling, they stood silently, gazed at the photos, and read the captions. The only hint of levity was SEPODDH’s mascota, who sat beside a collection bucket.

Section 22 of the teachers’ union held another march and rallied in the zócalo, but today these photos spoke much louder than the words coming from the loud-speakers.

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An ofrenda is…

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Barrio de Xochimilco, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Santo Tomás on November 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

an offering.

an integral part of the Day(s) of the Dead celebration.

filled with meaning.

a beacon to the departed.

an ephemeral work of art.

the sum of its lovingly chosen parts.

This is another ofrenda from the previously mentioned “altar decorating” competition on the plaza in front of Santo Tomás in Oaxaca’s Xochimilco barrio.

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Ofrenda prehispanico

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Barrio de Xochimilco, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Santo Tomás on November 3, 2012| 7 Comments »

Living and being in Oaxaca during the Días de los Muertos is hard to put into words. There is so much to experience and to think about. Sensory overload challenges the limits of heart and mind and my emotions are running the gamut from extreme exhilaration to a quiet joy to being moved to tears.

The latter occurred a few days ago, when I walked up to the Templo de Santo Tomás in Oaxaca’s Xochimilco barrio (neighborhood) where an “altar decorating” contest was in progress. Altars were to be judged on authenticity, originality, and creativity. When I arrived, friends and relatives were in the midst of putting the final touches on their altars. Some were elaborate and some exhibited real artistry, but one really touched my heart.

He was alone — no one to help, no playful banter. When I first arrived, he was carefully etching a cross with a piece of charred wood on a stone.

He worked silently and with purpose, pulling items out of a well-worn sugar bag and carefully placing them on his altar.

When the bag was empty, he walked over to a cart and pulled out another one.

Slowly, his vision emerged, with symbology I have only a cursory grasp of and won’t presume to explain.

I don’t know who won the 5000 peso first prize or second or third place purses, and I don’t know if he was doing it for the money (he certainly looked like he could use it).

All I do know is he and his ofrenda moved me deeply.

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Flowering of Monte Albán

Posted in Archaeology, Environment, Gardens, Parks & Plazas, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged archaelogical site, archaeological zone, archaeology, flowers, Mexico, Monte Albán, nature, Oaxaca, photography, photos, plants, popular travel destinations, wildflowers on October 6, 2012| 2 Comments »

Fifteen hundred years may have passed since Monte Albán was in full bloom as the center of Zapotec civilization. However, the flowering continues…

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Monte Albán on an early October morning.

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Wherever you go…

Posted in Archaeology, Buildings, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged archaelogical site, archaeological zone, archaeology, Mexico, Monte Albán, Oaxaca, photography, photos, popular travel destinations on October 4, 2012| 3 Comments »

… there you are.

Monte Albán on a picture perfect autumn morning.

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A tree falls in Oaxaca

Posted in Environment, Gardens, Parks & Plazas, Science & Nature, Weather, tagged Alameda, Indian Laurel tree, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, trees, zócalo on October 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Instead of the coming of age novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, we have the real life drama of a tree falls in Oaxaca. Heading down to the mercado this morning, I was brought up short by this heartbreaking sight.

According to reports, there were many present to hear and see one of the grand 130+ year old Indian laurels topple during a storm on Saturday night. And, worst of all, ten people were injured, two seriously. Trees in the city, including Indian laurels in the Zócalo, have been plagued by adversity. A laurel in the Zócalo fell a few years ago, damaging a nearby building, and most recently in May 2011, I wrote about a laurel on the Alameda that toppled. Resurrection was attempted and guy-wires remain to this day holding it upright. I guess the experts decided this latest one was beyond rescue.

Controversy reigns, as many assert that these trees should be able to withstand the rain and less-than gale force winds. Thus speculation over the cause runs rampant. Root rot appears to be the immediate culprit but the big question is, why?

And, as Chris sadly noted a couple of months ago, regarding the diseased flamboyant trees in front of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Any tree is hard to replace.

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Food glorious food!

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged Alejandro Ruiz Olmedo, bamboo skewers, chefs, cuisine, culinary traditions, dining, El Jolgorio mezcal, El Saber del Sabor, food, Mexico, mezcal, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Plaza de la Danza, popular travel destinations, restaurants, travel on September 1, 2012| 8 Comments »

Thursday night was the kickoff event for the 5th annual El Saber Del Sabor (literally, the knowledge of flavor) Festival Gastronómico Oaxaca 2012. Early in the day, the Plaza de la Danza had been tented and turned into a colorful banquet hall.

A couple of the evening’s chefs arrived early and were cooling their heels, waiting to begin doing what they do best. Hmmm… what’s with the bricks on top of the cantera? (Stay tuned!)

By 9:30 PM the tables had filled and cooking was well underway.

Casa Oaxaca chef and event host, Alejandro Ruiz Olmedo circulated, greeted old friends and fans, and was interviewed by a crush of press. Cameras and microphones were omnipresent — good for publicity, bad for navigating the aisles en route to food!

To begin the evening and ready the palate, wines, beers, aguas, and (of course!) mezcals were offered. We sampled a couple of mezcals from El Jolgorio and all I can say is, Wow! (BTW, that’s a good, “Wow!”)

The festival seeks to promote and protect Oaxaca’s traditional cuisine and to inspire innovation. For this evening’s event, we were invited to sample an incredible range of appetizers, side dishes, main courses, and desserts from 23 cooks, representing the 8 regions of Oaxaca.

I think I must have tasted at least 30 dishes — and this was late at night. Needless to say, no breakfast for me the next morning.

And, remember the bricks? My favorite sight of the evening were the little piggies roasting on bamboo skewers over red and white-hot coals. The tag line for the festival is, “tierra, fuego y cocina” (earth, fire, and kitchen). Yes!!!

From the Plaza de la Danza, the festival moves to restaurants throughout the city, where 36 renowned chefs from all over Mexico have come to prepare innovative cuisine that pays homage to Oaxaqueño foodstuffs and traditions.

A big “thank you” to Henry and Rosa (Amate Books) for inviting me to share such a delightful and delicious evening!

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Busking on the Alcalá

Posted in Culture, Parks & Plazas, People, Protests, tagged Bernardo Vásquez Sánchez, buskers, graffiti, Macedonio Alcalá, Mexico, Motley Crue, musicians, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street musicians, U2 on August 20, 2012| 2 Comments »

A motley crew…

Are you, too?

They were playing Pink Floyd — “Another Brick in the Wall.”

The “writing on the wall” refers to the assassination in March 2012 of Bernardo Vásquez Sánchez, a Zapotec community activist who had spoken out against a Canadian owned gold mine in San José del Progreso, Oaxaca.

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Sitting pretty in Oaxaca

Posted in Creativity, Environment, Exhibitions, Parks & Plazas, tagged bench, design, I Feel Good in Oaxaca, International Youth Day, Me Siento en Oaxaca, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, students on August 14, 2012| 2 Comments »

From Sangre de Cristo to Santo Domingo, along the Alcalá, one is now able to “have a seat.”

As part of the inauguration of the Me Siento Bien en Oaxaca (I Feel Good in Oaxaca) and to celebrate, International Youth Day, 13 pieces were created by students of the Faculty of Architecture Cinco de Mayo, the Free School of Art and Design, and the Urban Contingency B_root studio.

The theme was Evolution and the young people were charged with using recycled materials and innovative design.

I think they succeeded!

Alas, it is only temporary; August 18 is the last day.

However, according to a newspaper report, as a more permanent part of Me Siento Bien en Oaxaca program, benches “rescued by the City” will be put in public spaces.

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A very special Guelaguetza

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Parks & Plazas, tagged costumes, dance, dancers, Down's Syndrome, Guelaguetza, Los Angeles de Luzy, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pineapple dancers, traditional dances, traje on August 6, 2012| 5 Comments »

I’ve got to admit that up until yesterday, I was suffering from Guelaguetza burn-out. In fact, I still have 1000+ photos that need to be weeded down to a more manageable number.

However, then yesterday happened — “Una Guelaguetza muy especial” presented by the very special people of Los Angeles de Luzy. Sixteen young people with Down’s Syndrome, from the Yucatan, Campeche, and Oaxaca danced the traditional dances of the eight regions of Oaxaca in the Plaza de la Danza.

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Part of Oaxaca’s first Down’s Syndrome festival, it was an inspiring, moving, and incredibly joyful experience — and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. ¡Muchisimas gracias a Los Angeles de Luzy!

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