Whether you are currently in Oaxaca or, like me, thousands of miles away, you can watch La Guelaguetza 2025. The 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM performances on July 21 and July 28, 2025 are being live streamed on the Guelaguetza Oficial Facebook page, CORTV, and Guelaguetza 2025 YouTube channel. (Note: Most of Mexico, including Oaxaca, does NOT observe daylight savings time.)
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged folkloric dance, Guelaguetza, Guelaguetza 2025 program, Mexico, music festival, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations | Leave a Comment »
I’m currently on the East Coast of the USA and, contrary to those who try to divide us, as always, I love and appreciate the similarity of scenes.
“Love is the power to see similarity in the dissimilar.” –Theodor Adorno
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Boston, Boston Common, here and there, Oaxaca, photographs, popular travel destinations, similarities, Theodor Adorno (quote) | 4 Comments »
Ah, Oaxaca. Another year, another birthday. Today, marks the 493rd anniversary of the elevation Oaxaca de Juárez to the rank of a city by Charles V of Spain. It was a political move by villagers to keep Antequera, as it was then called, out the hands of the Marquis, Hernán Cortes, who controlled the surrounding territory and villages. And, in honor of her birthday, I’m posting some of my favorite recent Oaxaca sights.
Of course, we know Oaxaca’s history goes back thousands of years before Spain even existed. Her past is still present and that’s one of the things I love most about Oaxaca.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged 493rd anniversary, Happy Birthday Oaxaca, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, street sweepers, trees, urban art, wall art | 2 Comments »
As an op-ed by Andrew Thayer and published in the New York Times explained (to those of us who had forgotten or never knew), there were two processions that entered Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday.
From the west came Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, riding a warhorse and flanked by armed soldiers bedecked in the full pageantry of an oppressive empire. Every year during Passover, a Jewish festival celebrating liberation from Egyptian oppression and slavery, Pilate entered Jerusalem to suppress any unrest set off by that memory.
His arrival wasn’t ceremonial; it was tactical — a calculated show of force, what the Pentagon might now call “shock and awe.” It displayed not only Rome’s power but also Rome’s theology. Caesar was not just the emperor; he was deified and called “Son of a God” on coins and inscriptions. His rule was absolute, and the peace it promised came through coercion, domination and the threat of violence.
From the opposite direction, both literally and figuratively, came Jesus’ procession.
Jesus entered the city not on a warhorse but on a donkey, not with battalions but with beggars. His followers were peasants, fishermen, women and children — people without standing or status. They waved palm branches — symbols of Jewish resistance to occupation since the Maccabean revolt — and cried out “Hosanna!” which means “Save us.” Save us from a system of oppression disguised as order. Save us from those who tacitly endorse greed with pious language and prayers.
Year-after-year, despite the challenges of life, on Palm Sunday I have been uplifted by the warmth, generosity and devotion of the people of San Antonino Castillo Velasco. Alas, it’s been two years since I have had this privilege and must content myself with looking through my photos from 2023.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Christianity, Domingo de Ramos, Holy Week, men carrying platform, Mexico, NYT op-ed, Oaxaca, Palm Sunday, photos, popular travel destinations, religious celebrations, San Antonino de Castillo Velasco, Semana Santa | 2 Comments »
Today, March 19, is Día de las Artesanas y Artesanos (Day of the Artisans). In celebration, I would like to honor three of Oaxaca’s passionate, talented, and innovative artisans whose exhibitions I was fortunate enough to see last month.
Natalia Toledo, Juchitán de Zaragosa, Oaxaca – “Ladidoo/Piel de hilo” Centro Cultural San Pablo.
Manuel Jiménez Ramírez, San Antonio Arrazola, Oaxaca – “El Tallador de Sueños” at Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca “Santo Domingo.”
Dolores Porras, Santa María Atzompa, Oaxaca – “”Dolores Porras Taller” at Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca “Santo Domingo.”
To all artisans, thank you for your passion, commitment, and creativity. Your dedication to your art, often calling upon centuries of tradition, enriches our lives — bringing us joy as well as making us think.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged alebrije, artisans, ceramic pottery, Day of the Artisan, Día de las Artesanas y los Artesanos, Dolores Porras, exhibitions, Manuel Jiménez Ramírez, Mexico, Natalia Toledo, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, textile arts | 4 Comments »
Four weeks in my home sweet Oaxaca home provided a much needed escape from the chaos that now reigns supreme here in the USA. The warm smiles and greetings of ¡Qué milagro! (What a miracle!) from vendors I hadn’t seen in over a year warmed my heart. However, try as I might, I can’t seem to write an upbeat blog post about the wonderful time I had in Oaxaca. The menacing clouds of el norte are casting their dark shadows over my words. For now, I’ll let the walls of Oaxaca speak for me.
However, to end on a positive note and in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th…
Despite suffering setbacks and facing countless attempts to block, divide and undermine us throughout history, feminist, LGBTI+ and grassroots movements keep marching forward. — Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnés Callamard
And, that includes Oaxaca, where NVI Noticias lists some of the actions taking place in celebration of Día Internacional de la Mujer.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Día Internacional de la Mujer, International Women's Day, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, stencil art, street art, Subterráneos Art Collective, urban art, wall art | 7 Comments »
¡Feliz día del amor y la amistad!
Happy day of love and friendship to all my wonderful readers from the front of a plastics recycling bin!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Holidays | Tagged Día del Amor y la Amistad, hearts, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, recycling hearts, street art, urban art, Valentine's Day | 2 Comments »
After being in el norte for an entire year (by far the longest I’ve been away from Oaxaca since I relocated 15+ years ago), I’m back! It’s been mostly a smooth return — well, except for my refrigerator’s failed fuse, causing a freezer full of tamales, mole, and soup stocks to spoil. Thankfully, my neighbors discovered it the day before my return and emptied and cleaned the refrigerator and an electrician replaced the fuse a mere ten hours before my arrival. Since then, this past week has been spent restocking the larder, cleaning, attending to the garden, catching up with friends, and enjoying my home, my neighborhood, and the flavors of Oaxaca — including…
The murals…
The streets…
The door-to-door flower vendor…
The comida…
And, let’s not forget, the view from Casita Colibrí!
It’s SO good to be back — alas, if only for a month. However, I intend to relish every moment!
Posted in Animals, Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism | Tagged cats on a roof, flowers in a vase, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, papel picado, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, tamales, urban art, wall art | 10 Comments »
Although I’m spending Christmas in the San Francisco Bay Area with family, I’m dreaming Oaxaca holiday dreams of piñatas, often seemingly floating in air. [click on images to enlarge]
Nacimientos (Nativity scenes) and neighborhood posadas, at once solemn and joyful.
And, the wild and whacky rabanos (radishes), totomoxtle (corn husk), and flor inmortal (dried flower) creations on December 23, Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes).
Thus, after a year’s hiatus, I’m reviving my Nochebuena tradition and presenting to you, “Pancho Claus” by Chicano musical legend Eduardo “Lalo” Guerrero and sung by Irma Garza. The song is a delightful parody of the Clement C. Moore classic, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” — and it has inspired real life Tex-Mex Santas. I hope it brings a chuckle or two on this Christmas Eve.
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa
Mama she was busy preparing the masa
To make the tamales for the tamalada
And all the ingredients for the enchiladas
Papa in the front room with all the muchachas
Was dancing the mambo and doing the cha cha
My brothers and sisters were out in the hall
Listening to Elvis singing rock ‘n roll
When all of a sudden there came such a racket
I jumped out of bed and I put on my jacket
I looked out the window and in front of the house
Was my old uncle Pedro as drunk as a louse
He ran in the casa he grabbed the guitarra
He let out a yell and played “Guadalajara”
I was starting to wonder as I lay there alone
How old Santa Claus was to visit my home
With all of this noise they would scare him away
When all of a sudden I hear someone say
Hey Pablo, Chuchito Hey! Arriba! Gordito, Jose
Get up there you bums or you don’t get no hay
And then to my wondering eyes did appear
Eight cute little donkeys instead of reindeer
They pulled a carreta that was full of toys
For all of us good little girls and boys
The fat little driver waved his big sombrero
And said Merry Christmas! Feliz Año Nuevo!
That means “Happy New Year”
And then I hear him sing
I am Santa’s cousin from south of the border
My name’s Pancho Claus and I bring you your order
I hear him exclaim as he drove past the porches
“Merry Christmas to all and to all Buenas Noches”
From my home to yours, I wish you peace, good health, and Felices Fiestas (Happy Holidays)!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Music, Travel & Tourism | Tagged 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, “Lalo” Guerrero, Christmas decorations, Christmas Eve, creche, Eduardo “Lalo” Guerro, Irma Garza, Mexico, Nativity scene, Noche de Rábanos, Nochebuena, Oaxaca, Pancho Claus, photos, piñata, poem, popular travel destinations | 3 Comments »
If you don’t like clanging bells, fireworks bursting in air, and navigating procession-blocked streets (at all hours of the day and night), you might want to avoid being in Oaxaca in December. The month heralds seemingly round-the-clock joyous, sometimes solemn, and mostly noisy celebrations. This month, honoring the feast days of the Virgins of Juquila, Guadalupe, and Soledad elicits some of the most enthusiastic, lengthy, and loud festivities of the year.
December 8 marks Día de la Virgen de Juquila — the first of the three virgins being celebrated this month. Observances began weeks ago as pilgrims began their peregrinations to her tiny Chatino village of Santa Catarina Juquila. And, in Oaxaca city, processions began filling the streets, cohetes (rockets) began exploding, and church bells sounded announcing special misas (masses).
Next on the on the calendar is the more widely known date of December 12, honoring la Virgen de Guadalupe, aka, Queen of Mexico, Empress of America, and patron saint of México. However, the celebrating has already begun and besides fireworks, processions, and church bells chiming, professional photographers set up “Guadalupe grottos” outside Oaxaca’s Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe so, after being blessed inside the church, parents can have their little boys and girls, dressed in traditional traje (costume), photographed. Once finished, all can partake in the rows upon rows of food stalls, carnival rides, and puestos selling toys, Santa hats, Christmas lights.
Last, but not least for Oaxaqueños, is December 18, the feast day of the much loved and revered, Queen of Oaxaca, La Santísima Virgen de La Soledad (Virgin of Solitude). Festivities with special religious rites, processions, and fireworks usually begin in early December, overlapping with Juquila and Guadalupe. Soledad’s celebration culminates with hundreds of her devotees camping out in the atrium of her church, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, on the night of December 17 — with musical entertainment throughout the night, afternoon cultural performances the next day, and several outdoor masses from before dawn to nightfall on the 18th. Food stalls take over the stairs leading to the Basílica and the street below (Independencia) is closed for several blocks with carnival rides and stalls selling more sweets and savories, religious tchotchkes, clothing, and much more. It’s lively, crowded, and loud!
I’m still in el norte and all is quiet. While it makes for a better night’s sleep, I’m missing the raucous and joy-filled cacophony that fills Oaxaca’s days and nights in December.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, Día de la Virgen de Juquila, Dia de la Virgen de la Soledad, festivals and fiestas, Mexico, murals, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, religious celebrations, street art, urban art, Virgen de Guadalupe, Virgen de Juquila, Virgen de La Soledad, Virgin of Guadalupe, Virgin of Juquila, Virgin of Solitude, wall art | 6 Comments »
Last January, I needed to go to the Aragal shipping facility to pick up a Christmas present — two jars of Salsa Macha made for me by K, best gal pal and former neighbor who was my personal cocinera (cook) during those dark days of Covid. The salsa made a circuitous journey from K’s kitchen in Teotitlán del Valle to my kitchen in Barrio de Jalatlaco. The route included being tucked in the back of our friend’s van while we all enjoyed a day trip to Ocotlán and San Antonino Castillo Velasco, once back in the city, being forgotten as I scrambled out of the van amidst bumper-to-bumper traffic, venturing up over the mountains to Puerto Escondido in said van, belatedly being remembered, and thus shipped by my van-owning friend back to me in Oaxaca.
And so, two weeks after it began its journey, I found myself walking south to Aragal to retrieve my errant gift. This is not a route I normally traverse and it’s definitely not in a touristy part of the city. However, being Oaxaca, there was no end of sights to surprise and delight — from the sacred of the Templo de los Siete Príncipes to the profane of the street art along the way.
The two glass jars of Salsa Macha made it intact with only a tiny bit of leakage. Whew! And, no surprise, the salsa was super delicious.
Posted in Churches, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Iglesia de Los Siete Príncipes, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, Templo y exconvento de los Siete Príncipes, urban art, wall art | 7 Comments »
It’s Halloween time up here in el norte and the occasional house features spiders poised to pounce in webs strung across bushes, witches with broomsticks guard front gates, and pumpkins decorate entries signaling trick or treaters are welcome. A few skeletons have moved into the neighborhood but none are as well dressed and accessorized as those seen last year loitering on sidewalks, hanging out on walls, and dining in the restaurants of Oaxaca during Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead).
What can I say? I’m missing these guys and gals inhabiting Oaxaca this time of year.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged calacas, Catrinas, Day of the Dead, Day of the Dead decor, Día de Muertos, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, skeletons, street art, urban art, wall art | 9 Comments »
The world is your home. Take care!
Never forget…
No matter where one lives, the fate of the earth is in our hands.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Environment, Travel & Tourism | Tagged environmentalism, here and there, Mexico, Mill Valley, murals, Oaxaca, photos, recycling bins, street art, Teotitlán del Valle, urban art | Leave a Comment »
It’s been ten excruciating and heartbreaking years since the horrific events during the night of September 26 to 27 unfolded on the streets of Guerrero in the town of Iguala. The murder that night of three students, wounding of several more, and disappearance of 43 students all from Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, a teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, has continued to haunt Mexico’s national conscience, much like the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre in Mexico City — a commemoration the students were enroute to attend.
As news of that unspeakable night ten years ago spread, demonstrations were organized throughout Mexico — and soon the world — calling for justice and the return of the missing 43 student teachers (normalistas). Artists, as they have done throughout history, used their talent to give visual voice to the grief, outrage, and resolve to uncover the truth. And, I began documenting what I saw on the streets of Oaxaca.
Here we are ten years later and the missing 43 are still missing, the heartbreak continues, the truth remains hidden, and justice has yet to be served. However, no one has forgotten. On this tenth anniversary, protest marches are being held, conferences have been organized, articles continue to be written, artists continue to create, families continue to mourn, and the people vow they will not be silent and the Ayotzinapa 43 will never be forgotten.
For more information in English:
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Education, History, Politics, Protests, Tragedy, Violence | Tagged Ayotzinapa, demonstrations, disappeared, Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, graphic arts, Guerrero, Iguala, marches, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, stencil art, street art, student teachers, urban art, wall art | 8 Comments »
A (somewhat) belated companion to my Mitla’s mysterious underground blog post from May.
And, this latest video (in English) from the ARX Project, where they describe what they have found beneath the above Groups and their speculations.
h/t Margie Barclay
Posted in Archaeology, Creativity, Culture, History, Travel & Tourism | Tagged archaeological zone, ARX project, fretwork, geophysical scans, grecas, Lyobaa, Mexico, Mitla archeological site, Mitla grecas, Mitla: Lost Tombs of the Zapotec Kings video, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, San Pablo Villa de Mitla, video, Zapotec ceremonial plaza, Zapotec culture | 5 Comments »
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 