Although Christmas trees are making inroads, in Oaxaca it is the nacimiento de navidad (nativity scene) that is the omnipresent symbol of Christmas. Unique and personal, they are seen everywhere; the zócalo, homes, hotel lobbies, store windows, and every kind of business you can think of!
And, yes, this “spiritual but not religious” gringa couldn’t resist a miniature woven straw one of her own. It’s a work of art!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Christmas, creche, Mexico, Nacimiento de navidad, Nativity scenes, Navidad, Oaxaca, photographs, photos | 6 Comments »
As yesterday’s post reported, fireworks late Monday night heralded the feast day of La Virgen de la Soledad, the patron saint of Oaxaca. 
However, that was far from the end of the nocturnal tale. At the stroke of midnight, only an hour after the snaps, crackles, and pops had ended, and when I had finally drifted off to sleep, the bells of the Basilica began a frenzied pealing. They were immediately joined by repeated rocket explosions, and the unmistakable sounds of a tuna band; at 2 AM bells, rockets, and mariachis; at 4 AM more bells, rockets, music, AND a procession winding its way through the streets of the city; its sounds ebbing and flowing for almost two hours.
At 6 AM, I gave up attempting sleep, threw on jeans, shoes, and a sweatshirt (didn’t even bother to wash my face or brush my teeth — don’t tell anybody), grabbed my camera, and headed over to the Basilica. What a sight!!!
The Plaza de la Danza was covered with food stalls offering barbacoa, molotes, empanadas, tacos, buñuelas, hot chocolate, breads, and pastries — the best of Oaxaca street food. And, they were all open!
On the Basilica’s plaza, the Banda Auténticos (from San Andrés Huayapam) was playing…
Dancers were dancing…
People were just waking up…
Vendors were selling roses and bouquets of herbs…
And, ubiquitous twig brooms (escobas de otate) waited to sweep-up the detritus from Soledad and friends pulling an all-nighter.
After a breakfast of barbacoa (chivo) and hot chocolate, I walked back home. Sleep deprived or not, it was a great morning!
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Food, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Basilica de la Soledad, brooms, escobas de otate, food, Mexico, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, Oaxaca, Patrona de los Oaxaqueños, photographs, photos, Plaza de la Danza, popular travel destinations, Queen of Oaxaca, twig brooms, Virgen de La Soledad, Virgin of Solitude | 5 Comments »
Today, Oaxaca’s patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, is having her day. Well, that’s not quite accurate, as she has been enjoying ten days of celebrations. However, December 18 is THE Día de la Festividad. So, no surprise, last night around 10:30, from the plaza of the Basílica de la Soledad, the booms and bangs of fireworks and crackles and hisses of a castillo, sounded to herald the upcoming day.
Only a block (as the crow flies) from the action, how lucky am I to have a ringside seat??!!!
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Basilica de la Soledad, fireworks, fuegos artificiales, Mexico, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, Oaxaca, Patrona de los Oaxaqueños, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Queen of Oaxaca, Virgen de La Soledad, Virgin of Solitude | 8 Comments »
Yesterday was just what the doctor ordered. On a long walk with best friend: a quinceañera, Christmas piñatas, a wedding, chickens roasting, and fanciful graffiti under the fútbol (soccer) stadium… these with a decidedly feminine touch. Love the incongruity!
An interview with one of Oaxaca’s female graffiti artists, PINK, can be found here (in English and Spanish).
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism | Tagged art, artists, arts, graffiti, graffiti artists, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, PINK, popular travel destinations, street art, wall art | 2 Comments »
I’m looking at the beautiful faces of the children from Wednesday’s The kids are all right post and my heart is breaking for the children of Connecticut and the world — that they are the innocent victims of a planet consumed with violence.
A candle in the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Teotitlán del Valle.
Posted in Churches, Creativity, Culture, Tragedy, Violence | Tagged candles, Connecticut, Mexico, Newtown, Oaxaca, tragedy, violence | 3 Comments »
On this day honoring one of the most revered icons of Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe…
The city of Oaxaca’s children are dressed as little Juan Diegos and their peasant sisters.
They are brought to the Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe at the north end of Llano Park.
Here they and their parents wait patiently in a line that rings the church.
They are waiting to enter (via the door with a large banner marked, “entrada”) the church and be blessed.
Once they exit (via the door marked “salida”), there are photographers waiting, with burros and panoramic scenes, to take commemorative photographs — for a fee.
The sun is hot, the lines are long, and sometimes it’s long past nap time. By the way, there is also a carnival (with rides and games) and puestos upon puestos of food; the religious and secular meet.
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged boys, children, girls, Juan Diego, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Virgen de Guadalupe, Virgin of Guadalupe | 2 Comments »
Where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don’t bother, they’re here.*
Plaza de la Danza, Oaxaca, December 10 — Día Internacional del Payaso (International Day of the Clown). Gracias, Universidad José Vasconcelos.
If, like me, you suffer from coulrophobia (fear of clowns), Oaxaca is a great place for a little immersion therapy. Clowns are seen everywhere and everyday; waiting for the bus, walking their kids to school, as well as performing in parks and plazas. Not so scary anymore!
* Send in the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism | Tagged clowns payasos, comedy, Día Internacional del Payaso, entertainment, International Day of the Clown, Mexico, Oaxaca, Plaza de la Danza, popular travel destinations | 6 Comments »
Going my way?
Is there gas in the car?
Yes, there’s gas in the car.
Get your motor runnin’.
Hitchin’ a ride on the class divide.
Posted in Culture, Signs, Travel & Tourism | Tagged cars, Jaguar automobile, Mexico, Oaxaca, photograghs, photos, popular travel destinations, street signs, transportation | Leave a Comment »
Riotous clanging from Soledad’s bell towers at 4:45 AM yesterday rudely interrupted a peaceful sleep. Explosions of cohetes and other church bells soon joined the morning’s 2-hour long Virgen de Juquila soundtrack. Chimes, rockets, loudspeakers announcing the presence of the water and gas vendors, fried plantain wagon steam-whistles, horns honking, bus gears grinding, and booming base emanating from open car windows; it’s all part of the cacophony one comes to know and love when living in Mexico.
And, then there is the music… Looking for signs of Juquila yesterday (with all that noise, I figured there must be something going on), I stumbled upon the Sexto Festival Low-Fi 2012. (Fyi: sexto = 6th, in case you were wondering.)
There were vendors…
This definitely didn’t have anything to do with virgins!
This was a music festival that almost didn’t happen. According to event promoter, Thorvalo Pazos Hoga, they were initially denied a permit, “on the grounds of religious and traditional festivals that are celebrated in the month of December in the city.” A silly argument, was his response.
I arrived in the early afternoon and fanaticos (love that word for fans!) were just beginning to gather at the Plaza del Carmen Alto. Ska, hip hop, heavy metal, rock, electronic music, and more would be adding to Oaxaca’s soundtrack until 11 PM.
Yes, we have no marimbas; the music was not your grandparents’ sones and jarabes. The bands had names like: K-OS Party, Cayune, Pichancha, Rekto de Cerdo, Dr. Jekill y Mr. Hyde, Herpes, Coito Violento, Forever, and Survival. Probably not even your parents’ music!
Oaxacan graphic artists designed the stage set. Love how they re-imagined the traditional Navidad piñata.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Music, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism | Tagged festivals, Low-Fi, Mexico, music, Oaxaca, Plaza del Carmen Alto, popular travel destinations, Sexto Low-Fi 2012, Virgen de Juquila | 1 Comment »
For the first time since I began nesting in my cozy little rooftop casita, I’m not heading north for Christmas. I admit to having decidedly mixed feelings; my family and most of my closest friends are up in El Norte and I’m already missing them and the traditions we have created. However, this year I get to share the holidays with new friends, create new traditions, and experience festivities heretofore unimagined — Noche de Rabanos (Night of the Radishes)? I can’t wait!
In the meantime, to bring a little of the familiar into the mix, I bought a Christmas tree. Not a real one (sad face) and not one of those seen below that my local supermarket has had for sale for several weeks. Mine is decidedly smaller, measuring exactly two feet, and…
too small to hang my favorite Mexican ornaments on its un-scented, wiry but green(!) boughs. These colorful and wonderfully bouncy decorations will be purchased and a place for them in and around Casita Colibrí will be found.
Trimming my tree will present some challenges. No cartons of ornaments, lovingly collected and stored by four generations of the family, to bring down from the attic. And, as I’ve said, the tree is tiny. I’m thinking… digging into my earring collection might be a good place to start.
However, these earrings will have to wait to adorn the tree until after I wear them tomorrow. December 8 is the celebration of the Virgen de Juquila — the first of three Vírgenes honored by Oaxaqueños in December. There will be parades. There will be fireworks. There will be wildly clanging church bells. And, there will be an abundance of magic this month, of this I have no doubt!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Christmas, Christmas decorations, Christmas trees, Mexico, Navidad, Oaxaca, Virgen de Juquila | 7 Comments »
Yesterday in the United States…
Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) made a rare Senate appearance this morning, sitting in a wheelchair just off the floor so that members would have to see him as they entered the chamber. Why? Because they were poised to vote on ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and Dole hoped to send a message.
It didn’t work. The Senate killed the treaty this afternoon, with a final vote of 61 to 38, which seems like a lopsided majority, but which fell short of the two-thirds necessary for ratification. [Link to full article in The Maddow Blog]
Today in Mexico…
Mexico’s Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling Wednesday striking down a marriage ban in the southern state of Oaxaca. Advocates say the language of the decision could open the door for same-sex marriages throughout the nation.
The ruling effectively changes Oaxaca’s civil code to state that marriage takes place “between two people,” instead of between a man and woman, reports Spanish-language site AnimalPolitico.
The Court ruled in favor of three same-sex couples who sued the state of Oaxaca for the right to marry. The ruling does not immediately eliminate marriage equality bans in other Mexican states, but it does set a legal precedent to begin challenging statewide marriage bans, according to the blog AfterMarriage. [Link to full article in The Advocate]
I am not the only gringa and gringo who is speechless re how low US politicians have sunk. A gal pal (since we were 12) who now lives in Mexico and is confined to a wheelchair due to MS just posted on Facebook that she is “disgusted and, frankly, very upset” and feels “like traveling to Washington and getting in their face.” And, Chris over at Oaxaca-The Year After asks, Seriously?
Which country do I feel prouder to live in? ¡Bravo, México!
h/t Michelle V.
Posted in Politics | Tagged current-events, Disability rights, gay rights, marriage equality, Mexico, Oaxaca, politics, same sex marriage, U.N. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, United States legislation, USA | 4 Comments »
Walking home today…
Besides walls of street art (which will no doubt appear here when inspiration hits or I can’t think of anything else to post), I came across this view.
View of Templo del Carmen Alto from Crespo, near the Escaleras del Fortín.
There is beauty out there…
Posted in Buildings, Churches, Geography, Neighborhoods, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged churches, iglesias, Mexico, mountains, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Templo del Carmen Alto | 2 Comments »
On Saturday, thanks to MexicoRetold, I stepped through the doorway and entered El Sueño de Elpis (the dream of Elpis), an art installation by Mauricio Cervantes in one of the many abandoned buildings in the city center.
In Greek mythology, Elpis was usually depicted carrying flowers and was the spirit of hope. She alone chose to remain when Pandora opened the lid of her infamous box.
I arrived a little after 10 AM. The glow of morning light on the colors and textures of this crumbling beauty and her furnishings was captivating — and I was reluctant to leave.
Elpis and her dream will continue to offer hope for another 3-1/2 weeks at Murguía 103 (between Macedonio Alcalá and 5 de mayo). There were candles — and according to the docent, it is especially magical at dusk.
I will return. Keep dreaming…
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism | Tagged art, art installation, cempasuchitl, Dream of Elpis, El Sueño de Elpis, exhibition, marigolds, Mauricio Cervantes, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos | 10 Comments »
From an article a few days ago in CNN Mexico:
Obama recibe a Romney en la Casa Blanca
Es la primera vez que se reúnen desde que el presidente venció a Romney en las pasadas elecciones del 6 de noviembre
Google translates:
Romney welcomes Obama at the White House
It is the first time they meet since President Romney beat in the elections of November 6
???!!! It’s all about the grammar. Back to the books for me!
Posted in Challenges, Culture, Language | Tagged English, Google translates, language, Spanish, translation, translation programs | Leave a Comment »
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 