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No parking

February 17, 2016 by spixl

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Street sweepers and their escobas (brooms) de otate, excepted.

Posted in Signs, Transportation, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Love and language

February 14, 2016 by spixl

Because today is Valentine’s Day and International Mother Language Day is coming up on February 21, learn to say “I love you” in 7 of the 69 indigenous languages spoken in Mexico — including Zapoteco, Mixteco, and a couple of other languages of Oaxaca.

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¡Feliz Día del Amor y Amistad!  Happy Day of Love and Friendship!

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Carnaval jester

February 12, 2016 by spixl

A jester comes to San Martín Tilcajete…

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The Maladjusted Jester
by Danny Kaye

Your majesty, I have a confession
My secret I must now betray
I was not a born fool
It took work to get this way

When I was a lad I was gloomy and sad
And I was from the day I was born
When other lads giggled and gurgled and wiggled
I proudly was loudly forlorn
My friends and my family looked at me clammily
Thought there was something amiss
When others found various antics hilarious
All I could manage was this? ho ho
Or this? ho waahhh

My father he shouted he needs to be clouted
His teeth on a wreath I’ll hand him
My mother she cried as she rushed to my side
You’re a brute and you don’t understand him
So they send for a witch with a terrible twitch
To ask how my future impressed her
She took one look at me and cried hehehehehe, he?
What else could he be but a jester?
A jester a jester, a funny idea a jester
No butcher no baker no candlestick maker
And me with the look of a fine undertaker
Impressed her as a jester?

Now where could I learn any comical turn
That was not in a book on the shelf
No teacher to take me and mold me and make me
A merryman fool or an elf
But I’m proud to recall that in no time at all
With no other recourses but my own resources
With firm application and determination
I made a fool of myself!

I bought a little gun and I learned to shoot
I bought a little a horn and I learned to toot
Now I can shoot and toot ain’t that cute?  Plbbt!

I started to travel to try to unravel
My mind and to find a new chance

When I got to Spain it was suddenly plain
That the field that appealed was the dance
The Spanish were clannish but I wouldn’t vanish
I learned every step they had planned
The first step of all isn’t hard to recall
Cause the first step of all is to stand
And stand
And stand, and stand, and stand, and stand, and
They sometimes stand this way for days

Then they get very mad at the floor and start to stomp on it

[Smash! Ow!]

After all of my practice the terrible fact is
I made a fool of myself

I sadly decided that dancing as I did
To sing was a thing that was sure
I found me a teacher a crotchety creature
Who used to sing coloratura
She twisted my chin pushed my diaphragm in
With a poker she vocalized me
When she said it was best that I threw out my chest
You may gather that rather surprised me

I was on solid ground till I suddenly found
That in Venice I was to appear
The gala locale was a choppy canal
And me, a high sea gondolier
I nervously perched as the gondola lurched
Before the King’s palazzo
As I started my song my voice it was strong
But my stomach I fear was not so

Oh solo mio, oh
Oh solo ooh  Help!

When I fell overboard how his majesty roared
And before a siesta he made me his jester
And I found out soon that to be a buffoon
Was a serious thing as a rule
For a jester’s chief employment
Is to kill himself for your enjoyment
And a jester unemployed is nobody’s fool

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

It’s all about the masks, ’bout the masks…

February 10, 2016 by spixl

Fat Tuesday (aka, Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras), the day before the 6+ weeks of Lent begins, means Carnaval in scattered parts of Mexico.  I was supposed to be spending it on the Costa Chica — where Spanish Catholicism meets Mixtec meets Amuzgo meets Chatino meets Chontal meets Zapotec meets Afro-Mexicano — a region with some pretty unique ways of celebrating Carnaval.  Alas, illness (not me) has postponed that trip until next year.

In the meantime, the show must go on!  Thus, we returned to San Martín Tilcajete, one of the villages in the valley of Oaxaca, known for fantastical wood carving and surreal decorative painting, that result in alebrije and masks.

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And, it’s the masks that take center stage during Carnaval.

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Face in the crowd

February 9, 2016 by spixl

The day before Lent in San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca.

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Stay tuned… More masks and mayhem to come!

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Where am I???

February 7, 2016 by spixl

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Unfortunately, not Cuba.  (One of these days…)

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Saw it yesterday walking down Tinoco y Palacios, on my way home from Mercado Sanchez Pascuas.

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Leather upholstery, wood steering wheel, and paneled dashboard — it’s one very cool vocho.

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However, when it comes to telling a color story, wish it had been parked a couple of blocks down the hill, in front of this wall. 😉

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Transportation, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Soledad’s morning glow

February 5, 2016 by spixl

Yesterday, I opened my front door to the Basilica de la Soledad glowing in the morning light.  I grabbed my little Lumix and ran out to compose a photo to send as a Feliz Cumpleaños greeting to a friend celebrating his birthday.

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And the song, Morning Has Broken by Yusuf Islam (aka, Cat Stevens), began playing in my mind.  Ahhh…

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Churches, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Feria del Carrizo 2016

February 1, 2016 by spixl

Because last year’s fair was so much fun and I’m still loving my lampshades, blogger buddy Chris and I returned to San Juan Guelavia yesterday for the 5th Feria del Carrizo.  Upon arriving, our first surprise was being directed to a dirt estacionamiento (one of my favorite words, means parking lot) next to, what looked to be, a rodeo arena.  It was quickly followed by surprise number two:  The plaza crowded with people — at least ten times the number as last year!  Aside from two friends who were leaving (arms filled with purchases), we didn’t see many extranjeros.  However, we ran into several friends from Teotitlán del Valle and Tlacolula and at lunch sat across from some visitors from Mexico City.

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We arrived just in time for the official ribbon cutting that signaled the opening of the fair.  We didn’t recognize any of the dignitaries, though most everyone else did and masses of cell phones rose high in the air to record the event.  Once the ceremonial duties were done, chairs were pushed back and a children’s folkloric dance group marched in to the familiar music of the China Oaxaqueña delegation heard during La Guelaguetza.  There was even a mini-torito (toritito?) wired with fireworks that was lit, though one of the little girls didn’t appear too thrilled.  And, as we wandered around, we could hear music that we recognized from some of the other regions of Oaxaca and we caught glimpses of more of the kids dancing.

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Unfortunately, woven plastic baskets have become a more common sight at the markets in the valley of Oaxaca.  So, the growing popularity of the fair is good news for a community that has seen a decline in the demand for their beautiful handcrafted baskets made from carrizo (aka, Arundo donax, Spanish cane, Giant cane, Wild Cane, and Colorado River weed) — a tall perennial cane that grows along river banks in Oaxaca.  Besides traditional baskets and bird cages, the artisans have branched out to making lamps and shades, weaving decorative bottle covers for your mezcal, fashioning toys, and much more.  Naturally, I again couldn’t resist and happily came away with a new hamper.

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The Feria del Carrizo is also happening next Sunday, February 7.  SO, if you are in the neighborhood (San Juan Guelavia is only about 40 minutes east of the city), I highly recommend a visit and be sure to also stop at the tiendas on road into town — that’s actually where I bought my new hamper (above).

Posted in Children, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Game of drones

January 30, 2016 by spixl

Drones have arrived in Oaxaca; their hummy-buzzy sound is unmistakable.  My first “close encounter” of the drone kind down here was 2+ years ago at the Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos (baseball stadium) when a drone made an appearance at the Lluvia de Estrellas charity home run derby and softball game.

However, two weeks ago as I walked onto the Alameda, that telltale sound caught my ear and a low flying drone caught my eye.  Apparently, it was being used by the Pasión por Oaxaca to draw attention to their (political) organization’s booth.  “Smile, you’re on Candid Camera!”

Then early yesterday morning, there was that sound again.  Looking out the window I could see a drone in the distance.  Of course, I grabbed my camera and went out to investigate.  I guess the operator/pilot saw me, because soon the drone was flying toward my terrace, then stopped to pose for several seconds, before flying off.

Sheesh, Señor DeMille, I was still in my pajamas and definitely NOT ready for my close-up!

Posted in Politics, Sports & Recreation, Technology, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments »

Details that surprise at CASA

January 27, 2016 by spixl

Ahhh… a return visit to Centro de las Artes de San Agustín in early December still resonates.  The CASA, a former spinning and weaving factory, was re-imagined by artist Francisco Toledo and architect Claudina Morales Lopez.  Now it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing spaces I’ve ever experienced.  But, why have I never before noticied this?

Inside and outside, seen in black and white or color, wherever one looks, the attention to detail and design strikes, delights, and often surprises.

Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Museums, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Worms in Oaxaca?

January 25, 2016 by spixl

Have I mentioned most of the potting soil here leaves much to be desired?  As a result, over the past 6+ years, I’ve been experimenting with ways to enhance the soil I’ve been dealt to help my rooftop garden grow.  Besides, freezing (to speed up the fiber break down) and then adding green kitchen scraps, augmenting the soil with sawdust and sand, I’ve added worm farming to my arsenal.

Back in early August, blogger buddy and gardening guru Chris and I, armed with our new red bins, headed out to Sikanda (just outside Santa María del Tule) to purchase and be schooled in earthworm (lombriz, en español) farming.  P1130268

Our goal was to provide a nurturing environment for earthworms to go forth and multiply and to produce worm casting (aka: vermicompost, worm humus, worm manure) to enrich our soil.  Since then, I’ve spent the last five months keeping their home moist and feeding my worms more green kitchen waste, coffee grounds and tea leaves, and garden clippings.  Saturday, I finally harvested my first castings.

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There are several ways to separate the worms from their castings.  I chose the photosensitivity filter method — laying cheesecloth over another bin filled with compost and placing it in the sun, I transferred a thin layer of my worms and their castings onto the cheesecloth.

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Earthworms hate the sun and most quickly started burrowing down through the cheesecloth in search of cool moist darkness..  Once the worms had made their way into the moist compost of their new home (stragglers received hand-picked assistance), I removed the cheesecloth, now filled with worm-free castings, and dumped it onto my sifter, where I sifted the nutrient rich castings into my soil bin.

P1160372It’s rather time-consuming, but what else did I have to do on a Saturday?  It was well worth it and I get to do it all again in three to five months!

Posted in Animals, Environment, Gardens, Science & Nature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments »

Women of the street

January 21, 2016 by spixl

In Oaxaca city…

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In Tlacolula de Matamoros…

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They are seen and they are watching.

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes in Teoti

January 18, 2016 by spixl

As with all of life, there are changes going on in Teotitlán del Valle.  A large new Cultural Center is nearing completion.  It’s courtesy of the federal government and, according to the sign at the construction site, not a peso is coming from the state or village.  From what I’ve been told, it will house the museum, a library, and a performance space.

And, with their final Danza de la Pluma performance on Día de Guadalupe (Dec. 12), the three-year commitment of the last Danzantes de Promesa group was at close.  The new group has already begun the demanding work of learning the steps of the 40+ dances that make up the Danza de la Pluma.

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Under the watchful eye of El Picacho, Moctezuma, Malinche, Doña Marina, Teotitles, Capitánes, Reyes, and Vasallos practice from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Saturday through Monday to be ready for their debut the first Wednesday in July 2016 during the festival of the Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.  A major and meaningful commitment, it is.

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace
I’m going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

Changes by David Bowie (descansa en paz)

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Museums, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Drivers’ ed Oaxaca style

January 16, 2016 by spixl

If you drive in Oaxaca, you might want to take a stroll down the Alcalá today.  In front of MACO, there is an exhibition of rules of the road for the municipality of Oaxaca.

Who knew Oaxaca has an actual motor vehicle code???

 

If you have ever walked, biked, driven, or ridden, this comes as a pleasant surprise — *surprise* being the operative word!

However, I’m not sure how many drivers stroll the Alcalá…  Something tells me that those who need these lessons the most, probably don’t spend their Saturdays promenading along the capital city’s Andador Turístico.

Just so you know…  Licensing drivers is up to each state in Mexico and, according to Alvin Starkman, Oaxaca “has done away with virtually all licensing requirements relating to safety: no written test, no road test, no eye test.”  Consider yourself forewarned. 😉

Posted in Exhibitions, Signs, Transportation, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Brooms in waiting

January 14, 2016 by spixl

Back in Oaxaca and it’s scenes like this that make me smile…

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At the Tinoco y Palacios entrance to the Mercado Sanchez Pascuas.  Otate waiting to be made into escobas (brooms)?

Posted in Culture, Markets, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments »

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