The Día de Muertos murals in my Barrio de Jalatlaco neighborhood continue to go forth and multiply…
As do the crowds. Love the former. No comment about the latter.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Day of the Dead, Día de Muertos, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art | 9 Comments »
Everywhere one looks, skeletons can be seen hanging around my Jalatlaco neighborhood.
They are even floating above us.
At least they order something when they enter a restaurant.
All in all, they look pretty happy, even if some of their poses look mighty uncomfortable.
Hmmm, I wonder what they are waiting for. Día de Muertos, perhaps?
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, calacas, Day of the Dead decor, Día de Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, skeletons | 6 Comments »
One day there was a blank wall. By the next day, the wall had turned into a canvas for a gigantic mural. The story soon unfolded…
The piece was commissioned to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of INFONAVIT (the federal government’s home loan institution). Ricardo Ángeles designed the mural and the work was carried out with the collaboration of the acclaimed, Taller Jacobo y María Ángeles.
That first day, after chatting with María, she scrambled up on the scaffolding to continue working along with the team of painters.
A couple of days later, there was Jacobo, in his signature white shirt, on his knees painting details on the image of the dog.
Despite late season rains, the work went quickly and I couldn’t believe my eyes at the progress by day five.
The team (listed above) did an amazing job. With pots of plants replacing caution cones and scaffolding, the finished mural was inaugurated yesterday. It is located on 5 de mayo, between Calle de la Noche Triste and Calle de la Alianza in Barrio de Jalatlaco.
By the way, the people in the mural sure look a lot like a young Jacobo, Ricardo, Sabina, and María — la familia Ángeles.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism | Tagged artists at work, INFONAVIT, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Ricardo Ángeles, street art, Taller Jacobo y María Ángeles, urban art, wall art | 6 Comments »
For two days following the previously mentioned convite inviting the villagers of Teotitlán del Valle and guests to the festival honoring the Virgen del Rosario (Virgin of the Rosary), the Danza de la Pluma was performed in the atrium of the church. The Danza de la Pluma is a ritual reenactment of the battles between the Aztec and the Spanish conquistadors. There are thirty nine dances that tell the story. This is the Chotis de 4 Reyes– a Schottische performed by the four kings allied with Moctezuma.
As you can see, the dance steps are complex and made all the more challenging by the wind, which comes up most late afternoons this time of year, catching the massive penachos (the headpieces) worn by the dancers. By the way, this day was the actual feast day so they danced for seven hours. I don’t know how they do it!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Chotis de 4 Reyes, dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, Mexico, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, religious celebrations, Schottische of the Four Kings, Teotitlán del Valle, video | 8 Comments »
As the days become shorter and the sun appears lower in the sky, in Oaxaca the shadows play.
Between funny and witty
Falls the shadow
-Stephen Fry, The Fry Chronicles
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, bird, light and shadows, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, shadows, spiral staircase, Stephen Fry quote, Teotitlán del Valle, White-winged dove, woman with basket on head | 4 Comments »
A BFF since age twelve (don’t ask how long ago that was) and her husband are visiting. I took them to the weaving village of Teotitlán del Valle for the Santísima Virgen del Rosario festival — three days of witnessing the weft of Spanish conquistador Catholicism woven onto the warp of indigenous Zapotec culture. The public festivities began with Friday evening’s convite — a formal 45 minute procession, through the streets of the village, that serves as an invitation to the festival.
I think my friends were impressed!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged convite, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, procession, religious processions, Teotitlán del Valle | 12 Comments »
Several weeks ago, at the weekly Friday market on Calle del Refugio, I bought a hibiscus plant in a 6 inch pot. It had a single brilliant yellow with red highlights flower, but was filled with promise from multiple buds. I immediately transplanted it into a larger pot and it has proceeded to put on quite a show. As one flower folds up and falls off, another opens to take its place.
Each flower is unique and ready for its close-up!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens | Tagged Flower of the Day Challenge (FOTD), flowers, garden color, hibiscus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, rooftop garden | 8 Comments »
After a two year absence, thanks to the pandemic, Mexico’s Independence Day parade returned to the streets of Oaxaca’s capital. There were lots of drums that had me hearing snare drums in my sleep that night. But, note all the young women drummers! (Click on each image to enlarge.)
Being that this was a civic and military parade, there were the requisite scary guys and gals with guns and military hardware.
But there were also contingents of firefighters, federal disaster relief, and the Red Cross.
There were horses with stunningly dressed male and female riders.
And, there were the young riders… from toddlers to preteens. Did I mention there were lots of horses?
And, to end the parade, there was a patriotic float with beautiful young women, dressed in the green, white, and red of the Mexican flag, singing the national anthem, “Himno Nacional Mexicano.”
¡Viva México!
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged camoouflage paint, Día de la Independencia, desfille, drummers, equestrians, Himno Nacional Mexicana, horses, Mexican Independence Day, Mexican National Anthem, Mexico, military, Oaxaca, parade, photos, popular travel destinations | 4 Comments »
Barrio de Jalatlaco played host to an invasion of tunas a few weeks ago. No, not the smelly fish or succulent cactus fruit. These were of the 13th century strolling university musician variety. The tradition of Tuna bands originated in Spain and Portugal, spread to Latin American, and remains alive and well in Oaxaca. Thus, the Tunas from the Universidad Regional del Sureste (URSE), one of four groups participating in the Barrio’s first Callejoneada, gathered on my block.
They serenaded the neighborhood.
We followed these pied pipers.
How could we not, with exuberant ballads like this?
Tuna de la URSE came, we saw, and two days ago they conquered La Tuna de Montes de Madrid (Spain) and La Tuna de Derecho de San Martín de Porres (Peru) — winning the Gran Final Internacional de Tunas Universitarias competition. ¡Felicidades!
Posted in Culture, Music, Neighborhoods | Tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Mexico, music, musicians, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Tuna de la URSE, video | 4 Comments »
Adding some welcome color to these grey rainy season days, on the first of September my neighbors raised their ginormous flag marking the beginning of the Mes de la Patria — a month-long celebration of Mexico’s War of Independence from Spain.
The war lasted eleven years — from September 16, 1810, with Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s call to arms (Grito de Dolores), to September 27, 1821, when the Army of Three Guarantees triumphantly marched into Mexico City.
Merchandise in green, white, and red (colors of the Mexican flag) fill store shelves, vendors ply the streets selling flags and tchotchkes, and patriotic displays decorate public and private buildings.
As for me, I’m jonesing for the season’s traditional dish of chiles en nogada. It’s been four years since I savored its complex combination of flavors and textures at Restaurante Catedral (photo above).
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Chiles en Nogada, El Mes de la Patria, Mexican flag, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Oaxaca, patriotic decorations, photos, popular travel destinations | 3 Comments »
Over the past several years, one can’t help but notice that Oaxaca has become much more pet friendly.
In place of the formerly ubiquitous roof dogs menacingly peering down and barking at pedestrians, images of silent dogs and cats look out from walls along the sidewalks.
Veterinary offices have sprung up all over the city, dog walkers have become a “thing,” many businesses are placing water bowls outside their entrances, and restaurants are welcoming pets — cat photos that follow are from the mural outside La Selva de los Gatos Cat Cafe vegetarian restaurant.
Thanks to the efforts of various sterilization clinics in the valley, one doesn’t encounter nearly as many street dogs and feral cats.
If you are so inclined, Huellas de Ayuda Oaxaca and Teo Tails are a couple of clinics that could use financial and volunteer assistance.
Just look at these faces. What’s not to love?
Of course there is the occasional big cat.
And, not to be overlooked, armadillos are known to appear.
No matter the species of animal, on August 31, in celebration of the feast day of San Ramón Nonato, they can accompany their humans to be blessed at Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Merced at 4:00 PM. If years past are any indication, it should be a colorful and lively event.
Posted in Animals, Celebrations, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Bendición de los Animales, Blessing of Animals, Cats and dogs, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, Pet sterilization clinics, pets, photos, popular travel destinations, San Ramón de Nonato, street art, urban art, wall art | 7 Comments »
Sometimes, you just have to stop and marvel at the artistry of organ cactus planted against a wall.
The sculptural effects of organ cactus always seem to create a WOW factor.
Posted in Creativity, Flora, Gardens, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, organ cactus, Pachycerus Marginatus, photos, popular travel destinations | 2 Comments »
At long last, thunder is rumbling and rain is pouring down on the highways, byways, and rooftops of Oaxaca. If you look closely, you can see the buckets collecting the runoff from the new pergola.
Oaxaca, a largely agricultural state, desperately needs the rain. Let’s hope it lasts!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, Weather | Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, rain, rain storms, rainy season, rooftop garden, video | Leave a Comment »
After four seasons of living with the blazing sun on the rooftop of the new Casita Colibrí, I decided the lone, albeit large, umbrella over the table was completely inadequate in making the terrace compatible with human occupation. Thus, a pergola project was begun. Much web surfing and consultation with friends with engineering and construction experience ensued — including Tom H. (thank you!) who designed and supervised the shade structure at the old Casita Colibrí.
A huge “muchisimas gracias” to Civil Engineer, Omar Rito and his crew of five for their wonderful work constructing a perfect rooftop pergola in two days!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Gardens | Tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, gazebo, Mexico, Oaxaca, Omar Rito (Civil Engineeer), photos, rooftop garden, rooftop pergola, shade structure | 14 Comments »
In Teotitlán del Valle, the dancers of the Danza de la Pluma (Feather dance), make a solemn commitment to their faith and to their community to dance for three years at each of the four major annual religious festivals in their village. 2022 brings a new group and the festival honoring Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo the first of their public performances for the residents of their village and visitors. They dance four times during this festival — two half days and two full (7 hours) days.
July 5, 2022…
July 6, 2022…
On the superficial level, the Danza relates the story of the Conquest — the Spanish, Moctezuma, his allies, and Malinche/Doña Maria. But, as is the genius of art, it reaches into our hearts and souls and explores and communicates the truths we know and feel.
In 2022, they will dance again for Natividad de la Virgen María in September, Rosario de la Virgen María in October, and the Fiesta a la Virgen de Guadalupe on December 12.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture | Tagged Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Doña Marina, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Grupo de Promesa de la Danza de la Pluma 2022-2024, La Malinche, Mexico, Moctezuma, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle | 6 Comments »
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