Walking along the sidewalks of Oaxaca…
I get the feeling I’m being watched… by Oaxaca’s revolutionary street art.
Archive for the ‘Travel & Tourism’ Category
Walls are watching
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, stencils, street art, wall art on June 13, 2017| 4 Comments »
Rainy lushness of Teotitlán
Posted in Flora, Geography, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged El Picacho, goats, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, rainy season, rivers, Teotitlán del Valle on June 8, 2017| 6 Comments »
Late afternoon and middle of the night thunder, lightning, gusting winds, torrential downpours, and gentle showers — the rainy season has arrived and appears to be hanging around. This is good news, as there has been an Historical Drought in Oaxaca. What a difference a month makes…
Goats scrounging for food in Teotitlán del Valle – May 3, 2017
Streams have begun running in Teotitlán – June 6, 2017
Cerro Picacho and surrounding mountains have already turned green – June 6, 2017
Splashes of green now dot the rocky landscape at La Cuevita in Teotitlán – June 6, 2017
A green Teotitlán del Valle with a dam that is filling is a beautiful sight
This is good news, as this is an agricultural village and state.
Chicatana time
Posted in Animals, Casita Colibrí, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged culinary traditions, Florentine Codex, food, insects, Mexico chicatanas, mole de chicatanas, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, rainy season, tzicatana on June 2, 2017| 4 Comments »
Along with much-needed rain and sparkling green cantera, tropical storm Beatriz also brought the one-day-a-year appearance of chicatanas (aka, tzicatana, tzicatl).
What, you might ask are chicatanas? They are giant flying ants that emerge with the first rains of the season — and by giant, I mean about 4 cm from the head to the tip of the wings for the females. (As in much of the insect world, males are smaller.) Known by the Nahuatl long before the arrival of the Spanish, they were mentioned in the 16th-century Florentine Codex which talked about the tzicatana living below ground and cultivating fungus to eat.
By this morning, the rain had stopped and when I returned from an early errand, I found chicatanas — queens (wings) and soldiers (wingless with vicious front pincers) — crawling around on my terrace and balcony. There were probably many more earlier, but I had been in a hurry and hadn’t noticed. By 10:30 AM they were gone.
Oh, and have I mentioned that they are a delicacy and a great source of protein? I’ve had chicatana salsa and chicatana mole several times. Below is Mole de Chicatanas I sampled during the Mole Festival in 2014. It’s from the Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca and made with chicatanas, pork ribs or loin, chile costeño, peanuts, and much more. It was yummy (and I was a picky eater as a child!), so I had it again at last year’s festival.
If you won’t take my word, check out this Bizarre Foods episode set in Oaxaca. (Chicatanas start at 1 min. 40 sec.) By the way, these are the dreaded leaf-cutter ants. However, it is the much smaller workers who can strip a tree overnight and are the bane of gardeners here. At least their queens and soldiers are good for something!
Post script: On a somber note, tropical storm Beatriz also brought flooding, mudslides, more downed trees, collapsed roads, and a current death toll of three.
Emerald city
Posted in History, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged cantera, Emerald City, green stone, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, rain, rainy season, tropical storm, Tropical Storm Beatriz, Verde Antequera on June 1, 2017| 2 Comments »
Rain has been falling in the city for over 24 hours, as Tropical Storm Beatriz slowly moves up Oaxaca’s coast and up and over Sierra Madre del Sur mountains. According to the National Hurricane Center, “over a foot of rain is possible in Mexico’s Oaxaca state through Friday with isolated amounts up to 20 inches possible.”
At various times in her past, because of the native green stone used to construct her buildings and pave her sidewalks, Oaxaca has been known as la Verde Antequera — the Emerald City.
Walking through the streets on a rainy day, it’s easy to see where she got her nickname.
While Beatriz may be causing headaches on the coast, the campesinos (and all who depend on them) in the Valle de Oaxaca, are rejoicing.
Bus doesn’t stop here
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Signs, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, poster art, posters, street art, street signs on May 27, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Sorry folks, the bus doesn’t stop here. Why? You ask. Doesn’t red mean “stop”? Not here. Not now. There is DANGER; this edifice is in a bad state!
And, make sure to produce, disseminate, and teach about the dangers of buildings in hazardous states of disrepair. As Mother Nature has reminded us twice within the past week, this is earthquake country.
Graduation Day in Oaxaca
Posted in Celebrations, Education, Travel & Tourism, tagged caps and gowns, graduation, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, students, Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán on May 25, 2017| Leave a Comment »
In honor of…
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged Carolyn Kallenborn, exhibits, International Museum Day, Irmgard Weitlaner Johnson, Mexico, Museo Textil de Oaxaca, museums, Oaxaca, Ornilla Ridone, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Textile Museum of Oaxaca, textiles, Trine Ellitsgaard on May 17, 2017| 4 Comments »
Tomorrow, May 18, museums worldwide will be celebrating International Museum Day with special events around this year’s theme, “Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums.” According to the IMD website, The objective of International Museum Day is to raise awareness of the fact that, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.”
While Oaxaca has many wonderful museums, textile lover that I am, I would like to honor the day by looking back at several exhibitions I had the pleasure of viewing at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca — and a current one, too!
“Tormentos y suenos” (Storms and dreams) by Carolyn Kallenborn – August 3, 2012
Exhibitions ranged from works by individual textile artists to themed shows displaying textiles from the museum’s permanent collection and those on loan.
“Transcomunalidad. interventions and collaborations with stilt communities and craftsmen” exhibition by Laura Anderson Barbata – March 1, 2013
Item labels and detailed descriptive booklets have been extremely helpful and, in the case of collections by individual collectors, their field notes were fascinating.
“Irmgard Weitlaner Johnson: a life dedicated to textiles” – Costal (bag) was acquired by Irmgard in 1949, is said to be one of the most well preserved examples from the Valle del Mezquital, Hidalgo and, given the design, is thought to have been a wedding gift. – Nov. 21, 2014
The museum not only collects, preserves, and exhibits, it also holds workshops, lectures, expo-ventas (exposition and sales), and has provided a platform for issues of importance to textile artists, especially from the indigenous communities of the state of Oaxaca.
El Delirio del color Oaxaca en los años 1960″ – Huipil mazatecas from the Tuxtepec district – Apr. 19, 2015
Exhibition openings often have included receptions, with an occasional performance art presentation thrown in.
“Hilo Rojo 3047” an autobiographical installation by Ornilla Ridone – May 21, 2016
Museums can be a place to help shape community identity and bring different community groups together, a catalyst for regeneration through the creation of new venues and civic spaces, and a resource for developing the skills and confidence of members of those communities. — Museums Association
“Tekstil” current exhibition by textile artist Trine Ellitsgaard – Piece titled “Serpiente y abanicos” (Serpent and fans) – May 6, 2017
In observance of this year’s International Museum Day, the Museo Textil de Oaxaca invites textile artists and designers, academics, students, and the general public to participate in a conversation exploring the questions, “What is plagiarism? What is a copy? What is collaborating? Is ‘to collaborate’ synonymous with ‘to employ’? What has been the role of the copy in the development of craft goods?” May 18, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the Claustro of the Centro Cultural San Pablo — next door to the Textile Museum.
Sign painting, Oaxaca style
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Signs, Travel & Tourism, tagged Calle Matamoros, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, shops, sign painters, signs, store displays on May 12, 2017| 3 Comments »
Thinking of all the sign painters I used to know back in the day, up in el norte.
At a time ruled by the industry and advanced technologies of all kinds, it’s easy to forget that once many things were done by hand. One of these things would be sign painting…. However, like many crafts and trades, hand-made sign painting was taken over by computers and printers, which promised cheaper and quicker solutions to its curious customers hungry for the wonders of the new era. As a result, these creatives lost their jobs, like many of their fellow draughtsmen and handymen. — The Nostalgia of the Sign Painting
But, here in Oaxaca…
We’ve got the ladder, the brush, and the artist.
The hand-painted artistry continues and leads to…
The creation of a beautiful and unique sign on Av. José María Morelos in Col. Centro.
¡Vive los artesanos!
Update: The sign painter (rotulista), Arturo, can be reached at: 951-201-3527
Pause that refreshes
Posted in Food, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged aguas, Beverages, Casilda Aguas Regionales, fruit drinks, markets, Mercado Benito Juárez, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on May 10, 2017| 3 Comments »
Nothing like stopping in Mercado Benito Juárez at Casilda Aguas Regionales midway through a morning filled with errands. The posted list of fruit drinks is mind boggling: Horchata, horchata con tuna, guanabana, melón, limón, sandía, jamaica, limón on chía, tamarindo, piña guayaba, kiwi, coco, crema de coco, durazno, ciruela, lichie, mandarina, mango, and maracuya.
Translated: Rice-based drink, rice-based drink with prickly pear cactus fruit, soursop, cantaloupe, lime, watermelon, hibiscus, lime with chia, tamarind, pineapple, guava, kiwi, coconut, coconut cream, peach, plum, lychee, mandarin orange, mango, and passion fruit.
What to choose? While I love horchata con tuna, I chose the unlisted limón con hoja santa (2nd from left in top photo) reeled off by the waitress. It was a lime with “sacred leaf” kind of day. Ahhh… the pause that refreshes!
Cats
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, stencil art, street art, urban art, wall art on May 7, 2017| 7 Comments »
“What’s your name,” Coraline asked the cat. “Look, I’m Coraline. Okay?”
“Cats don’t have names,” it said.
“No?” said Coraline.
“No,” said the cat. “Now you people have names. That’s because you don’t know who you are. We know who we are, so we don’t need names.” — Neil Gaiman, Coraline
The problem with cats is that they get the exact same look on their face whether they see a moth or an axe-murderer. — Paula Poundstone
“Curiosity killed the cat,” Fesgao remarked, his dark eyes unreadable.
Aly rolled her eyes. Why did everyone say that to her? “People always forget the rest of the saying,” she complained. “‘And satisfaction brought it back.” — Tamora Pierce, Trickster’s Choice
Aly rolled her eyes. Why did everyone say that to her? “People always forget the rest of the saying,” she complained. “‘And satisfaction brought it back.” — Tamora Pierce, Trickster’s Choice
Inviting the rain atop Picacho
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, People, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Cerro Picacho, Day of the Holy Cross, Día de la Santa Cruz, El Picacho, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procopio Contreras, Teotitlán del Valle on May 4, 2017| 9 Comments »
Yesterday, I did it again! After a year’s hiatus, on Día de la Santa Cruz I returned for the ritual pilgrimage to the top of El Picacho, the sacred mountain that watches over Teotitlán del Valle. To avoid hiking in the worst of May’s high temperatures, our ascent began at 5:30 in the morning. Yes, it was dark, with not even moonlight to guide our way. Thank goodness for the flashlight app on my smart phone. However, by 6:30 AM dawn was breaking and our artificial lights were extinguished. Our hardy band arrived at the summit about 7:30 AM to the ritual round of handshaking that accompanies greetings and farewells in the village.
The three crosses mark the summit
Pilgrims perched on the rocky outcroppings that make up the peak.
The views were spectacular no matter which way one chose to look.
An altar greeted pilgrims at the peak.
At 8:30 AM, an hour-long mass was celebrated and, perhaps a first, some of it was in Zapoteco.
As the mass began, the cicadas (cigarras or chicharras, en español) began their song — one even perched on the fabric swag festooning the crosses.
Mass over, Procopio Contreras, the young priest (first from Teotitlán) took off his vestments and posed for photos.
Mountain top delivery of tamales de mole amarillo followed the mass.
Along with a cup of agua de jamaica, we took our tamales into the shade, where bromeliads clung to tree branches.
After a lazy comida filled with conversation between new friends and with our strength renewed, we (3 Teotitecos, 1 Belgian, and me) descended the mountain.
While the day may be designated Día de la Santa Cruz and a mass said on top of Picacho, this day has pre-Hispanic roots in ceremonies related to the sowing season. In the early days of May (by our calendar), prayers and rituals were dedicated to Cosijo, the Zapotec god of lightening, thunder, and rain — later to Tláloc, the Aztec god of rain — thus fertility and water for the growing of crops. Hmmm… On May 2, lightening flashed and thunder roared, but Mother Nature only delivered a few drops in the village. However, on May 3, once the daylong festivities atop the mountain concluded, three hours of a good hard rain fell in Teotitlán del Valle. The gods must have heard the prayers.
h/t Zeferino Mendoza
Beneath the sheltering leaves
Posted in Agriculture, Flora, Food, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged fruit trees, gardens, granadas, grapefruit, mango, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pomegranate, Teotitlán del Valle, trees on May 2, 2017| 4 Comments »
Cooking with Juana… Mangos ripening just out of reach.
Sunlight filtering through the leaves of the granada (pomegranate) tree.
A pomelo (grapefruit) waiting to drop.
There is something to be said for outdoor kitchens.
Have you visited Teotitlán del Valle?
Posted in People, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, popular travel destinations, questionnaire, survey, Teotitlán del Valle, tourism, Zeferino Mendoza on April 30, 2017| 2 Comments »
Dear Readers, if your answer is “yes” to the above question, I would like to ask you to participate in a survey by my friend, Zeferino Mendoza.
Zeferino is a Zapotec weaver from Teotitlán, where he participates in the village’s system of cargo (community service), speaks and teaches Zapotec, and studies Cultural Management and Sustainable Development at the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca. He is currently working on a thesis about cultural tourism and believes:
that the culture of Teotitlán deserves to serve as a sustainable development of the village…. This time I need to survey the range, the advantages and disadvantages of the village to hold and promote cultural tourism.” My thesis is a diagnosis of its cultural potential to highlight the attractions, services and activities…. I eventually, will do some research among the Zapotec people, its artisans, cooks, and guides so we can have a broader idea about the practice of tourism.
This survey is for an academic study in order to better promote tourism in the village of Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca. Please send your numbered answers directly to: gestionculturalteotitlan@gmail.com And, if you have friends who have visited Teotitlán, please consider forwarding the survey to them.
1. Your age: a) less than 30 b) between 30 a 60 c) 60 and over
2. Where are you from?______________________________________________
3. Gender: a) Male b) Female
4. How much are you willing to spend or did you spend?
a) $ 500-1,000 Mexican pesos
b) $ 1,000-5,000 Mexican pesos
c) $ 5,000-10,000 Mexican pesos
d) More than $ 10,000 Mexican pesos
5. When are you planning to visit or did you visit?__________________________
6. Would you recommend visiting Teotitlán del Valle to friends/family?
a) Yes b) No c) Maybe
7. What brought you to visit Teotitlán?
a) a guide-book b) a recommendation from a friend
c) Other: ___________________________________________________________
8. What draws you to visit Teotitlán del Valle?
a) Museum b) Weaving c) Hiking c) Riding horses d) Restaurants
e) Other: ___________________________________________________________
9. What other kinds of activities interest to you?
__________________________________________________________________
10. What aspects of culture would you like to know more about?
__________________________________________________________________
11. What aspect of culture or customer service did you enjoy the most?
__________________________________________________________________
12. What kind of problems have you experienced during your stay that have not been resolved to your satisfaction?
__________________________________________________________________
13. Have you enjoyed your visit? a) Yes b) No
c) Other: ___________________________________________________________
14. Did you find everything as you expected about the village? a) Yes b) No
c) Other: ___________________________________________________________
15. Was it your first time in Teotitlán? a) Yes b) No
c) Other: ____________________________________________________________
16. What questions or suggestions do you have?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
If you have any questions about the survey, please email Zeferino: gestionculturalteotitlan@gmail.com
Good Friday in Teotitlán
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Good Friday, Holy Week, Jueves Santo, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, rugs, Semana Santa, tapetes, Teotitlán del Valle on April 28, 2017| 3 Comments »
When I left off, it was early evening on Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday) in Teotitlán del Valle and the church doors were to be left open all night. Sometime after dark, the statue of Jesus was removed from the church and incarcerated behind a petate (woven palm) mat.
All during the night, the faithful waited their turn to visit the incarcerated Jesus.
On Viernes Santo (Good Friday) morning, as the last of the villagers had paid their respects, the petate mat was removed.
At the same time, in the esplanade in front of the rug market, a pulpit was constructed and decorated with tapetes — on loan from the nearby vendors.
At 10:30 AM, a procession of Mary, Mary Magdalene, and St. John left the church, enroute to the esplanade.
Then Jesus, bearing the cross, began his journey to the esplanade.
Accompanied by throngs of faithful and the Roman Centurion, he wound his way through the streets along a different route from Mary.
Jesus entered the plaza between the Municipal Building and the new Cultural Center.
While Mary entered the plaza from the opposite direction — between the museum and the rug vendor stalls.
Mary and Jesus stood facing one another. They inched closer, as the priest continued his recitation, and at a designated moment, the statues were tilted so they could touch in farewell — this was the encuentro (encounter).
Everyone joined together in a single procession back to the church.
The Centurion returned to the church, as well, and couldn’t stop smiling.
Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, and St. John made their way back to the village church, Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.
Following several hours spent under the unrelenting brilliant sun, most villagers made their way across the street to the mercado for a refreshing nieve (water or milk based ice cream). Maybe that was why the Centurion was smiling.
Townspeople returned home for a traditional meal of salted fish and white beans — sustenance for what was to come — an evening Mass of the Crucifixion, followed by a second parallel procession to the cemetery, where another encuentro took place, and culminated in another joint procession back to the church. Alas, I was exhausted, and chose bed over the evening’s events.
Want to translate this blog?
Where is Oaxaca?
Weather in Oaxaca?
What is the Exchange Rate?
-
Categories
-
Want to read recent posts?
- Scenes from around town
- Let the festivities begin!
- World Cup fervor
- Back in Oaxaca!
- Here but soon there
- For the love of murals
- Numbers in my neighborhood
- Focusing on the joy
- ¡Feliz Nochebuena!
- Food glorious food!
- Of marigolds and fruit
- Serenade for the departed
- Beacon to my departed
- No Kings, Oaxaca style!
- Independence Day, Oaxaca style
- La Guelaguetza 2025 – live stream
- There and here
- Happy Birthday Oaxaca de Juárez
- A donkey not a warhorse
- Honoring the artisans
Archives
What tags are most used?
art artists Ayotzinapa Barrio de Jalatlaco Basilica de la Soledad Black and white photography cactus California Carnaval Carnival Casita Colibrí celebrations cemetery Christmas convite coronavirus fallout costumes COVID-19 fallout dance dancers Danza de la Pluma danzantes Day of the Dead Día de los Muertos Día de Muertos Easter El Picacho festivals Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo flowers food food festival garden Good Friday graffiti Guelaguetza Holy Week markets mascaras masks mercados Mexican Independence Day Mexico murals music Oaxaca panteón papel picado parade parades photographs photos plants Plaza de la Danza popular travel destinations protests restaurants San Antonino Castillo Velasco San Martín Tilcajete Semana Santa skeletons stencil art street art students Teotitlán del Valle textiles Tlacolula de Matamoros traje travel trees urban art video Viernes Santo Virgen de Guadalupe wall artWant to email me?
-
This work by spixl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 
Riding to the rescue?
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, political commentary, popular travel destinations, stencils, street art, wall art on May 29, 2017| 2 Comments »
We live in perilous times…
The signs are everywhere…
This guy can’t be the only one riding to the rescue.
We all must do our part.
Share this:
Read Full Post »