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.
Posts Tagged ‘Mexico’
Hall of smoke
Posted in Food, Markets, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged food, grilled meat, Hall of smoke, Mexico, Oaxaca, pasillo de humo, photographs, photos, Tlacolula de Matamoros on August 26, 2014| 2 Comments »
Nourishing body & soul
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 on August 23, 2014| 7 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!
Wonder women
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged costumes, female superheroes, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, women on August 22, 2014| 2 Comments »
Today, south of the zócalo, the streets were well protected…
Don’t tread on the women of Oaxaca!
Talavera transformation, the end
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Renovation, tagged Casita Colibrí, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, renovation, stairs, Talavera on August 20, 2014| 11 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!
Talavera transformation, part 2
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Restaurants, tagged Casita Colibrí, counter construction, kitchen, kitchen counter, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos photographs, renovation, Talavera, tile work on August 19, 2014| 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.
Talavera transformation
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Renovation, tagged bathroom counter, bathroom sink, Casita Colibrí, counter construction, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, renovation, Talavera, tile work on August 18, 2014| 10 Comments »
For those of you who may not be aware, most Mexican bedrooms and bathrooms are small. In the US, it’s what I grew up with and lived with most of my life, so I’m cool with that. However, what has driven me nuts is the lack of a bathroom counter. How does one handle toothbrush, tube of toothpaste, and water bottle, without at least one of the items ending up in the sink or on the floor? And, forget trying to apply makeup!
So, when I moved into my bigger and better, but also with the aforementioned deficiency, apartment a year and a half ago, it became number one on my “find a way to fix” list. Serendipity motivated me into action, when I happened upon a talavera sink and surround on sale AND discovered a treasure trove of leftover talavera tiles in the bodega (storage shed) here at my apartment complex. Project proposed and permission given by the property’s owner (thanks Doug), I hired a contractor, and work began.
Being completely ignorant of construction of this type, I was fascinated by the process.
Once I’d received the okay for the project, I began hauling up buckets of mismatched tiles from the bodega and laying them out on the floor of my main room — in an attempt to create some sort of unified design — it was exciting to see it materialize.
The finished project…
And, take a look at the side — it’s what one see’s when opening the bathroom door. I think Nalo and his crew did a super job!
What a difference a bathroom counter makes. Form and function!!!
Handwriting on the wall
Posted in Economics, Education, Labor, Politics, Protests, Signs, tagged banners, Mexico, newsstands, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, posters, Seccion 22, signs, Teachers union, zócalo on August 15, 2014| 6 Comments »
I walked down to the zócalo today. Not exactly big news, I know, but the truth is, I’ve been avoiding it. However, I was out of dried cranberries and pecans and had to go to the Mercado Benito Juárez to restock the larder.
New posters have gone up on building walls, this one calling for justice for the victims of the previous governor (Ulises Ruiz Ortiz) and preparations for a general political strike against the structural reforms (education and the state-owned oil industry, of which I’ve previously written) recently passed by the federal government.
The zócalo and surrounding streets continue to be filled with teachers, tents, and al fresco kitchens. No surprise, this is causing a traffic nightmare and parking is at even more of a premium than usual. However, if you are in need of a pit stop for you or your car, this one is on Trujano at 20 de noviembre.
The restaurants under the portales on the zócalo have been especially impacted — some had patrons sipping their morning coffee and hot chocolate while looking out over the sea of tents, tarps, and banners and some were empty.
If you are tired of reading the newspaper accounts, D-II-218 of the Telesecundarias (rural distance education programs) from Miahuatlán has provided a poster so you can read up on the issues in dispute from the teachers’ point of view.
However, if you are tired of it all, you can always stop by the local newsstand to catch up on what’s really important — the opening of Home Depot (an OMG! OMG! OMG! event for some) or, if you are so inclined, graphic images of crime and violence. By the way, regarding the latter, I stumbled on a website that gives A Vague History of La Nota Roja.
What can I say? Good news is in short supply, no matter where one looks. The handwriting seems to be on the wall here, there, and everywhere…
Humor with pathos
Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, tagged actor, Cantinflas, Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, graffiti, Mexico, photo, photographs, street art, Teotitlán del Valle, urban art on August 12, 2014| 6 Comments »
Feliz cumpleaños to Cantinflas. Today, the beloved Mexican actor, comedian, writer, and producer, born Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, would have turned 103. I’ll be waiting in line to the movie, Cantinflas, based on his life, when it opens in Mexico on September 19, 2014. For those in the USA, you get first crack, as it is scheduled to open on August 29, 2014.
Image of Cantinflas on a wall in Teotitlán del Valle — painted by the lovely and multi-talented, Luvia Lazo.
I would also like to say RIP, Robin Williams, another actor with the gift of combining humor and pathos. How blessed we are to have shared this planet with both and to continue to have the opportunity to experience their creative genius.
Tlacolula never dies…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged artists, graffiti, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, Tlacolula de Matamoros, Tlacolulokos, urban art, wall art on August 11, 2014| 7 Comments »
After five days of being confined to Casita Colibrí — eating, inhaling, and choking on concrete and brick-dust and enduring the throbbing sounds of drills, hammers, and chisels — due to demolition of the old and construction of a new kitchen counter (still not finished), market day in Tlacolula de Matamoros was just what the doctor ordered. Blogger buddy Chris offered and off we went.
The enticing aroma of tacos and gorditas at our favorite street stall beckoned and we quickened our step, until we came to this unexpected and powerful mural…
The mural is the work of Tlacolulokos, a collective that originated in Tlacolula. According to this article, these self-taught artists explore the subjects of violence, the transformation of traditions, tourism, poverty, and social decay by referencing southern Mexican folk elements. They use a variety of media and techniques, ranging from graffiti, easel painting, graphics and object, to video and sound.
And, Tlacolula worked her magic… We ate, soaked in her color, stopped to listen to a youth band from Santa María Guelac (with a girl tuba player, no less!) play “New York, New York” and “Can-can,” and shopped a little (for me, a 5-liter plastic “gas” canister for our next mezcal run and red bananas). Tlacolula never dies and never gets old.
International Day of Indigenous Peoples
Posted in Culture, Economics, Education, Politics, Travel & Tourism, tagged discrimination, indigenous peoples, injustice, International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, map, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Pueblos indígenas, United Nations on August 9, 2014| 3 Comments »
August 9th is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples; so designated twenty years ago by the United Nations General Assembly in an attempt to guarantee the human rights of over five thousand indigenous groups that exist in 90 countries.
Zapotec woman at Oaxaca’s Feria del Tejate y del Tamal – July 23, 2014
However, to cruise around the online versions of CNN International and the New York Times, one would never know of the day’s significance. At least Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas isn’t being ignored by CNN Mexico. In an article published today (in Spanish) they cite seven challenges faced by the indigenous of Mexico:
- Justice – The CNDH reported on July 24 that there are 8,334 Indians in Mexican prisons. Of these, the majority “have not been assisted by a defender and interpreter or translator companion, and even often know why they are internal,” the commission said in a statement.
- Health – 20% of the indigenous lack access to health services, a rate similar to the population as a whole, except, as the article notes, in recent months the issue has drawn public attention following cases of indigenous women who have had to give birth in hospital courtyards or bathrooms, as they were not given immediate attention by hospital authorities.
- Education – 50% of Mexico’s indigenous are said to be educationally “backward.” And the article noted, the three states with the highest failure rates in primary and secondary school are Guerrero, Michoacan and Oaxaca, three of the states of the country with the largest indigenous populations.
- Housing – 40% of the indigenous have inadequate housing.
- Food – 42% of Mexico’s indigenous population receives insufficient nutrition.
- Poverty – 72% of the indigenous in Mexico are living in poverty.
- Discrimination – In August 2012, the National Council to Prevent Discrimination (Conapred) released a survey showing that 44.1% of Mexicans believe that the rights of indigenous people are not respected.
Pueblos Indígenas en México (Indigenous peoples in Mexico) — Infographic from NoticiasMVS
And, regarding discrimination, yesterday ADNPolítico.com published an article, 5 ‘retratos’ de la discriminación hacia indígenas mexicanos (in Spanish). Despite the fact that the first article of the Mexican Constitution declares, any discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin is prohibited, the story highlights five recent cases that have made national headlines:
- The death of a 20-year-old pregnant Mixtec woman and the baby she was carrying, after she had spent 5 hours in the waiting room of a community hospital in Copala, Guerrero.
- The case of a 13-year-old girl, with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, who was denied medical care in the Civil Hospital of Oaxaca.
- A Tarahumara laborer from Guachochi, Chihuahua, died after spending five days outside a hospital in Guaymas, Sonora, without food and without shelter, having been denied admission to the hospital because he did not have enough money.
- A 10-year Tzotzil boy originally from Chiapas who, while selling candy to buy his school supplies, was humiliated by an official of the municipality of Centro, Tabasco, who forced him to throw his merchandise on the ground. A video of this travesty went viral and sparked outrage.
- A gas station in Zapopan, Jalisco, was closed last June after its owner was shown on video assaulting an Indian couple who was eating outside the station.
We, in Oaxaca, just experienced the spectacle of the Guelaguetza celebrating the indigenous cultures of Oaxaca. However, some say (in Spanish) it presents a static view of indigenous peoples, reinforces stereotypes, and sells exoticism — all to promote tourism.
Mixtec dancers from San Antonio Huitepec at La Guelaguetza — July 21, 2014.
The focus of this year’s International Day is “Bridging the gap: implementing the rights of indigenous peoples.” Is it all talk, no action, and a lot of window dressing? I don’t know, but it sure seems like that to me… Sometimes, “poco a poco” isn’t good enough.
Colibrí at Casita Colibrí
Posted in Animals, Casita Colibrí, Gardens, tagged African Tulip trees, Árbol del tulipán, birds, Colibríes, Flame Trees, garden, hummingbird, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Spathodea on August 6, 2014| 3 Comments »
The African Tulip Trees (Árbol del tulipán) are in full leaf and bloom, adding an explosion of greens and red-orange to the view from Casita Colibrí…
… and providing the colibríes (hummingbirds), who give my apartment its name, a home, playground, and 4-star restaurant.
Art walk
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Museums, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Museo del Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, railroad cars, railroad museum, street art, urban art on August 4, 2014| 2 Comments »
Last Monday, as I previously wrote, my bus ride home was rudely interrupted by a bloqueo (blockade). Initially, this is how I felt…
Without any other options, I found myself walking along Calzada Madero.
and found murals painted on old railroad cars…
in the yard of the old railroad station, now the Museo del Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur.
By the time another bus finally came by, I felt much more like this…
Sighhh… good ol’ Oaxaca, you just never know what you will stumble upon.
Dawn beckons
Posted in Books, Churches, Travel & Tourism, tagged dawn, Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day, Diane Ackerman quote, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pink sky, Templo de San Felipe Neri on August 3, 2014| 9 Comments »
Last Sunday morning. What can I say? Sometimes the light…
Painting its own time zone… dawn summons us to a world alive and death-defying, when the deepest arcades of life and matter beckon. Then, as if a lamp were switched on in a dark room, nature grows crisply visible, including our own nature, ghostly hands, and fine sediment of days.
Diane Ackerman, Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day.
(New York: W. W. Norton, 2009), xiv.
Masked & anonymous
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Desfile de Delegaciones, Guelaguetza, mascaras, masks, Mexico, Oaxaca, Parade of Delegations, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on July 31, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Up close at Guelaguetza in Etla
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Protests, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged blockade, bloqueo, dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Flor de piña, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pineapple dancers, Seccion 22, Villa de Etla on July 29, 2014| 8 Comments »
Last Monday, L and I had a leisurely hike up the hill from my apartment to the Guelaguetza Auditorium, sat in stadium seats almost 20 rows up, looking down on the enormous circular concrete stage with the city and mountains providing a picturesque backdrop.
Yesterday, I hopped on a bus, heading for another Guelaguetza performance, this time in Villa de Etla. However, a bloqueo (blockade) by Sección 22 of the teachers’ union had the bus turning around, doubling back, and taking a circuitous route that eventually wound its way through the narrow streets of Santa Rosa. Once we got back on the main road, I transferred to a colectivo and arrived in Etla just as the dancing was about to begin — this time on a small temporary wood-plank stage, that seemed to shake with every dance step. The setting wasn’t quite as spectacular, but, there I was, within an arm’s reach of the dancers!
Danza de la Pluma
Flor de Piña
With the exception of the Danza de la Pluma, these dancers are from a folkloric group that performs each of the traditional regional dances. As you can see from their faces, they dance with as much joy and pride as the delegations from the villages at the big Guelaguetza.
Returning home was its own adventure. Last week, L and I only had to navigate sidewalks, pathways, and stairs along with the other 11,000 attendees. Yesterday, Chris (see his Guelaguetza in Etla – 2014 post) gave me a ride to a bus stop where, after about 10 minutes, I caught the bus that would deposit me a half block from Casita Colibrí. Alas, the best laid plans… Just before the intersection up to Cerro Fortín, masked maestros (teachers) surrounded the bus, our driver shrugged, opened the doors, and off we passengers got. It was hot, I was tired, but what else was there to do? I hoofed it to halfway between the Museo del Ferrocarril (Railroad Museum) and Morelos Park, when another bus materialized, I climbed aboard, giving my feet a much-needed rest, and let the driver navigate the clogged streets that took me back to home sweet home.
It was a fun and frustrating AND exhilarating and exhausting kind of day.
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This work by spixl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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