Is it cheating to post photos from the 2013 Mexican Independence Day desfile in Oaxaca? What can I say? It was raining today and, if it counts for anything, I never got around to posting these photos last year.
However, I do have some news from this year: The state police staged a protest and, besides your’s truly, Governor Cue did not attend — and I don’t think it was the rain that stopped him!
Posted in Celebrations, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged desfile, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, military, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations | 3 Comments »
My morning caller flew the coop and so did I. After being confined to quarters for the past several days due to the rain and gloom, I walked downtown.
Also, I was curious as to the state of the Zócalo, in light of the teachers, ambulantes, and the annual reenactment of “el Grito de Independencia” by the Governor, from the balcony of the Government Palace, at 11 PM tonight.
I found, except for a handful of tents and tarps, the Alameda and Zócalo were back to normal.
Castillos were being constructed on either side of the Government Palace.
And, like every year, the Mexican flag was flying high, green, white, and red lights and banners were strung, and images of the heroes of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain decorated the front of the Palacio de Gobierno
Most of the teachers and ambulantes have departed and all is being readied for el Grito de Independencia 2014. And, nobody seems to miss the State Police, who are staging a “work stoppage.” Ahhh, Oaxaca… Ya gotta love her!
El Grito de Independencia
¡Mexicanos!
¡Vivan los héroes que nos dieron la patria y libertad!
¡Viva Hidalgo!
¡Viva Morelos!
¡Viva Josefa Ortíz de Dominguez!
¡Viva Allende!
¡Viva Galeana y los Bravo!
¡Viva Aldama y Matamoros!
¡Viva la Independencia Nacional!
¡Viva México! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México!
In English
Mexicans!
Long live the heroes that gave us the Fatherland (and liberty)!
Long live Hidalgo!
Long live Morelos!
Long live Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez!
Long live Allende!
Long live Galeana and the Bravos!
Long live Aldama and Matamoros!
Long live National Independence!
Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico!
Posted in Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged castillo, El Grito, el grito de dolores, Government Palace, Mexican flag, Mexican Independence, Mexican War of Independence, Mexico, Oaxaca, Palacio de Gobierno, photographs, photos, zócalo | 7 Comments »
This morning’s sunshine (after days of gray) brought a visitor to my door…
A Sphenarium purpurascens, also known as Chapulín de la milpa. No cornfield nearby. Hmmm… perhaps the recent storms blew it off course?
Posted in Agriculture, Animals, Casita Colibrí, Science & Nature | Tagged Chapulín de la milpa, Chapulines, grasshoppers, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs, Sphenarium purpurascens | 4 Comments »
During the aforementioned convites, you will find the boys of Teotitlán del Valle, Standing On the Corner watching all the girls go by. Not much has changed since The Four Lads had a hit with that song!
From my friend Samuel Bautista Lazo, who grew up in Teotitlán del Valle, “It’s funny to see boys with their cameras taking pictures and videos of the girls they like, often they watch the procession at one corner once they have seen everything, they run (or bike) as fast as they can to the other good spot to see all the girls again.” And, he knows from personal experience!
Like Sam, I wonder how many couples have gotten together??? Perhaps meeting at the fireworks a night later…
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged boys, convite, Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Teotitlán del Valle | 1 Comment »
Defining the terms…
According to Harrap’s Spanish and English Pocket Dictionary, convite means reception. However, if I drag my weighty Larousse Standard Diccionario down from the shelf, convite translates to “invitation” or “banquet.” And, if one turns to Google or Bing translation programs, a convite is a “treat.”
All pretty much agree, the English translation for cochinilla is cochineal. As Wikipedia explains, “Cochineal is probably from French cochenille, Spanish cochinilla, Latin coccinus, meaning ‘scarlet-colored,’ and Latin coccum, meaning ‘berry (actually an insect) yielding scarlet dye.'” It has been called, A Perfect Red and was much sought after by Europeans. Home to said insect is the nopal cactus and guess who and where it was probably first cultivated? In the valley of Oaxaca by her indigenous people, long before the Spanish set foot on the continent.
Which brings us to last Saturday (September 6) in Teotitlán del Valle, under the watchful eye of el Picacho, the sacred brother/sister mountain, for the convite that precedes the Virgen de la Natividad (Nativity of Mary) festival day, held annually on September 8…
It is the custom in this Zapotec village for the unmarried women of the village to process through the streets two days before this (and a couple of other) important religious festivals, elegantly balancing handmade canastas (baskets), decorated with Catholic and Zapotec imagery, on their heads. They wear brightly embroidered blusas (blouses) and, in this village known worldwide for its weaving, enredos, hand-woven red wool wrap skirts — the yarn dyed red with cochinilla. They are accompanied by bands, men carrying enormous (and heavy!) marmotas (cloth globes), little boys carrying poles topped with miniature marmotas, sheep, and airplanes (the significance of the latter is a mystery to me), fearless pirotécnicas announcing the convite’s progress by shooting thunderous rockets into the air, and the dancers who will be performing the Danza de la Pluma in the church courtyard during the following two days’ of festivities.
Borrowing from the definitions above of convite, I would like to think of these processions as a lovely treat, an invitation to the impending fiestas/feast (banquet) days for the saints venerated by the village. The beauty of the welcoming faces of the young, old, male, and female in the convite provide a warm reception to villagers, visitors, Catholic saints, and Zapotec ancestors, alike.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged canastas, convite, danzantes, El Picacho, Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, procession, Teotitlán del Valle, Virgen de la Natividad | 4 Comments »
Last year the rainy season was almost non-existent and the campesinos were worried. Four years ago it rained almost everyday from early July to late September and landslides and major flooding resulted. This year the rains have been on again, off again, and on again. But Mother Nature always manages to paint rainbows all over your blues.
View from Casita Colibrí of the bell towers of San Felipe Neri and the Indian laurels in the zócalo.
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Churches, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, Weather | Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, rainbows, rainy season, Templo de San Felipe Neri, video Rainbows All Over Your Blues | 6 Comments »
September is El Mes de la Patria in Mexico (the month of the homeland) and green, white, and red decorations have gone up all over the city. The governor is scheduled to recreate “El Grito” (the Cry of Dolores) from the balcony of the Government Palace at 11 PM on September 15. The following day, there will be an hour-plus long patriotic parade through the streets of the city celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain.
Neverías in Jardín Socrates
The teachers’ planton (encampment) on the zócalo expanded again to adjacent streets yesterday, though it is supposed to end by September 9. Oaxaca is holding her collective breath.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged celebrations, El Grito, El Mes de la Patria, Grito de Dolores, holidays, Jardín Sócrates, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, neveria, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations | Leave a Comment »
Remember the night my Pitahaya (aka, Dragon fruit) blossom was ready for her close-up? Three months later, here she is…
Though there is fruit, flowers continue to put on their bloomin’ after-dark show.
Their beauty never ceases to enchant.
From terrace to table…
My version of “farm fresh.”
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Food, Gardens, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism | Tagged cactus, Dragon fruit, flowers, garden, Hylocereus undatus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Pitahaya, succulents | 12 Comments »
However, my vote for the most exotic pet of the day goes to the hurón, known in English as a ferret. Oh those piercing eyes and those claws. I’d hate to get on her wrong side!
Posted in Animals, Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged animals, Bendición de los Animales, birds, Blessing of Animals, dogs, ferrets, Mexico, Oaxaca, pets, photographs, photos, Saint Raymond Nonnatus, San Ramón de Nonato, Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Merced | 8 Comments »
This has been a good year for my stinky Stapelia gigantea.
Feather-light blossoms open to reveal zebra-striped, hairy flowers. Apparently, to carrion eating insects, these tiny soft white hairs resemble mold growing on rotting meat — a disgusting thought!
And, to complete the putrid package, the flowers smell like rotten meat.
An odious odor only a green bottle fly could love.
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Science & Nature | Tagged carrion plant, garden, green bottle flies, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Stapelia gigantia, succulents | 4 Comments »
One of my favorite things…
The women and their grills in el pasillo de humo (the hall of smoke).
Another Sunday market day in Tlacolula de Matamoros.
Posted in Food, Markets, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism | Tagged food, grilled meat, Hall of smoke, Mexico, Oaxaca, pasillo de humo, photographs, photos, Tlacolula de Matamoros | 2 Comments »
Yesterday, as I was walking home, the eyes of these guys caught my eye.
More eyes beckoned me across the large driveway/parking area, that separated the mural filled walls from the sidewalk.
A sign for Okupa Visual Oaxaca was pointing the way, so I figured I must not be trespassing and might even be welcome.
More eyes drew me toward an open door…
I peered inside the Taller de Grafica Experimental de Oaxaca and was greeted with the warm smile of artist, Guillermo Pacheco López. He showed me around the light airy gallery and studio and explained the programs they offer. We then proceeded through an open doorway into a another multipurpose space.
Besides more gallery and workshop space, it is home to Café Panartesano and where his delightful wife, Kate, along with an assistant, bake brownies, blondies, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, and other yummy looking sweets. In addition, they make homemade pizza and tortas.
As you may have guessed from the above menu, Kate is from the USA — San Francisco to be geographically precise. We had much in common and I stayed for almost half an hour chatting with her. Naturally, I couldn’t resist buying a chicken with zucchini and red bell pepper torta on focaccia, which was muy sabrosa!
If you are in town, I highly recommend stopping by Taller de Grafica Experimental de Oaxaca and Café Panartesana. They are located at La Noria 305 (at the corner of Melchor Ocampo).
Nourishing body and soul — that’s Oaxaca!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Food, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism | Tagged artes graficas, artists, Café Panartesano, graffiti, graphic arts, Guillermo Pacheco López, Mexico, Oaxaca, Okupa Visual Oaxaca, photographs, photos, restaurants, street art, Taller de Grafica Experimental de Oaxaca, urban art | 7 Comments »
Today, south of the zócalo, the streets were well protected…
Don’t tread on the women of Oaxaca!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged costumes, female superheroes, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, women | 2 Comments »
Just because the concrete stairs were ugly, the bodega held more tile, Nalo is a maestro…
and what’s a little more talavera between friends?
The end, I promise!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Renovation | Tagged Casita Colibrí, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, renovation, stairs, Talavera | 11 Comments »
Initially, when I came face-to-face with the kitchen at the bigger and better Casita Colibrí, I was convinced there was NO way I could make it work and that IT should be numero uno on the make-over list. A double sink, but no counter space? A grungy ancient copper-colored stove that may or may not have been safe to light? A cabinet door that couldn’t be opened, because said stove was in the way?
With a little pleading (whining), management replaced the stove with a new one that had been hiding in the storage shed. I installed the shelf unit I’d gotten for my old apartment and I had the cabinetry painted white — making it more functional and easier on the eyes — and I was happy. Hey, a friend even wanted to practice using his new fisheye lens.
(photo by Alan Goodin)
However, the talavera transformation in the bathroom turned out so well, I was inspired, plus the cement at the base of the kitchen sink unit kept falling out. Thus, talavera transformation, part 2 began two weeks ago.
The old cabinet was demolished (oh, the polvo!) and the new counter, with new sink, began to materialize from the dust and debris.
Again, I scavenged tile from the bodega. Luckily, there were several boxes of russet orange tiles, but they were slightly smaller than most of the other orphan tiles, making finding accent pieces a challenge. I didn’t want to introduce another color into the blue/cream/orange mix that already tiled the walls and so was hoping Nalo and crew could salvage some of the old tile, but it proved far too time consuming.
The result? I love the cleaner, less busy, look for the kitchen. And, the crew took about 6″ off the top of my old shelf unit, so it would fit under the new counter and I wouldn’t lose the storage space. It’s faintly visible on the right behind the blue plastic curtain.
One of my grandmother’s oft-repeated sayings was, “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” — but I’m trying!!!
h/t Chris for the shower curtain idea.
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Restaurants | Tagged Casita Colibrí, counter construction, kitchen, kitchen counter, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos photographs, renovation, Talavera, tile work | 11 Comments »
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 