Saturday afternoon, I returned to Teotitlán del Valle with my neighbor Marga for that evening’s world premiere of “La Festividad de los Muertos,” a film documenting Day of the Dead in Teotitlán (more about that in an upcoming post). Transportation back to the city late at night would have been challenging, so it was an ideal excuse to finally spend the night in one of my favorite villages. Marga booked the last room at Casa Elena and I stayed across the street at Las Granadas (both recommended).
Sunday morning, I was awakened by roosters crowing, burros braying, cohetes (all bang, no bling fireworks) exploding, and the sound of a band playing. Breakfast wasn’t to be served until 8:30 am, so I went for an early morning walk.
Yesterday (May 3) was Día de la Santa Cruz and in Mexico it is the feast day of construction workers. Crosses are erected on building sites and decorated. The tradition has its origins with the guilds during the colonial era.
However, in Teotitlán del Valle, tradition calls for hiking up to the top of El Picacho. A tall aqua colored wooden cross stands at the top of the peak.
There were two crosses, but apparently one was hit by lightning a week or two ago. It lies in splintered pieces below where it stood.
Mountain and custom beckoned, and so we headed out to Teotitlán yesterday morning to climb the mountain. The trek began and our eyes were on the prize as we passed by irrigated fields…
Along the steep and winding trail, there were signs…
Almost two hours later (we stopped a lot!), we encountered the tethered burros that brought the tamales, aguas, and cervesas that awaited us at the top.
Besides sustenance, there were fireworks…
and expansive and even more spectacular views.
There were parents, teens, toddlers, abuelos…
and abuelas.
Muchisimas gracias to the people of Teotitlán del Valle, who never fail to warmly welcome us and, again, generously offered us food and drink.
They are very special people who live in a very special place.
FYI: The trip down took less than an hour, I returned home exhausted, sore, sunburned (even though I’d slathered on sunscreen), and thoroughly exhilarated.
Today is Día de los Niños (Children’s Day) and it’s a big deal here. Oaxaca began her celebrations days ago. The 6th Festival of Children’s Story Telling opened on Saturday, yesterday an exibition of traditional toys (Colección Hanni Sager Juguete tradicional) had its inauguration at the Museo del Palacio, and Friday, the Guelaguetza Infantil calenda filled the streets from Santo Domingo to the Basilica de la Soledad.
As several bands played, the children from Oaxaca’s preschools wearing the traditional costumes from the 8 regions of the state of Oaxaca waited, posed, walked, danced, and threw candy to the appreciative crowds gathered on the sidewalks along the ten-block long route. (Note, some of the little girls already practicing holding canastas (baskets) on their heads!)
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Parents and teachers, many also wearing traje from the Cañada, Costa, Istmo, Mixteca, Papaloapan, Sierra Norte, Sierra Sur, and the Valles Centrales regions, proudly walked alongside the children. Vive Oaxaca concluded their article,
With such events from the early years of life are taught to love our Oaxacan culture, traditions, music and preserve the best legacy we have: our roots. Congratulations to the teachers and parent to correctly perform with great momentum this holiday culture. [Google translation]
How could I resist? Photo, yes. Dining, no. We had already eaten and so were not tempted to try Restaurant El Colibrí, across the street. However, still scratching my head about the relationship between marble (marmol) and hummingbird (colibrí).
This librarian couldn’t resist doing a little research. According to Wikipedia, the hummingbird in Aztec culture was, “emblematic for their vigor, energy, and propensity to do work along with their sharp beaks that mimic instruments of weaponry, bloodletting, penetration, and intimacy.” Hmmm… the tools and strength needed by a marble mason. Now, it’s beginning to make sense.
(Thanks Chris for stopping so I could take the above photos.)
And now a song from the Mixteca, “Chikirriyó’i” (“El Colibrí”) (The Hummingbird):
A meal named for the 3 parts of a bullfight? Yes, the origin of the name of Mexico’s ubiquitous 3-course, fixed price, midday meal, Comida Corrida, is derived from the “Tres tiempos” of a “Corrida de toros.”
Ordinarily, simple and substantial, chef Jean Michel Thomas of Gío (aka, Dondé está el Chef?) has taken it to a French infused gourmet level — all for only 80 pesos. My lunch on Monday…
Crema de Flor de Calabaza al Aji Panca accompanied by Agua de Jamaica
Tartare de Atún Fresco con Tomate y Arroz a la Mostaza de Dijon
Pastel de Chocolate Oaxaca con Coulis de Mango
Gío currently can be found at Eucaliptos 407A, Colonia Reforma, in the city of Oaxaca. It is open Monday through Friday, from 2:00 – 5:00 PM.
On this Earth Day, I thought I’d post photos of the Matria, Jardín Arterapéutico project. These were taken 3 weeks after my previous visit. Despite 90+° (F) temperatures since the garden was planted, it is thriving and very few plants have been lost.
The key to the garden’s success? Megan Glore and her team of volunteers are listening to what the plants are telling them and responding accordingly — just as we should all be doing with Mother Earth.
For more than a week, most afternoons have found me holed up inside my apartment with curtains drawn against an unrelenting sun — a semi-successful attempt to retain the cool air I’d ushered in when doors and windows were thrown open first thing in the morning.
These May-like temperatures, in the mid to high 90s F during the day, have been THE major topic of conversation amongst Oaxaqueños, ex-pats, and visitors, alike. If you must venture out, as I did yesterday, you hug that sliver of shadow. Umbrellas come in handy too!
The multiplex theaters on the outskirts of the city are some of the very few buildings with air-conditioning. However, to get there, one must take a sweltering bus or taxi ride through traffic clogged streets, never knowing when a bloqueo or road construction will bring your retreat to a scorching halt. A better alternative is to follow the lead of these priests processing into the Basilica and head to the nearest church. Mil gracias to the architectural gods for their thick stone walls and soaring ceilings!
This post is especially for other WordPress bloggers. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had problems with WordPress in the last 24+ hours, including not receiving any Daily Digests since April 12. So, who knows if this will reach you…
According to a post at ars technica, “Huge attack on WordPress sites could spawn never-before-seen super botnet. Ongoing attack from >90,000 computers is creating a strain on Web hosts, too.” Forbes has a good article on “How To Avoid The Coming Botnet.”
artist: sanez
Wall art from mural on Calle Prof. M. Aranda, next to Hotel Azucenas.
Several days ago, my previously mentioned, indomitable, and always adventurous neighbor Marga brought me a bag of small reddish-orange flowers. She waxed lyrical about their flavor (somewhat peppery) and crunchy texture, never mind the color they add to any dish. The street vendor from whom she had purchased these delectable delights even hinted at their medicinal qualities. Marga, what’s the name of the plant? (The librarian planning to do a little research before consuming.) Alas, she didn’t catch the name.
Anyone have an answer? By the way, even without a name, they were a delicious addition to 3-days worth of salads. I think I’ll show the photo to some of the chefs-in-training at today’s Feria Gastronómica…
Yummm….
Breaking news: They are black bean blossoms (flor de frijol). Mil gracias to Margie Barclay of the invaluable Oaxaca Calendar fame. That was fast. I love my readers!
Update, this just in: They are scarlet runner bean flowers, according to another longtime Oaxaca resident.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 