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Posts Tagged ‘Oaxaca’

Día de la Virgen de Dolores 2011

Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged , , , , on April 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, Oaxaca’s faithful celebrated el día de la Virgen de Dolores… commemorating the pain and suffering of the Virgin Mary upon the death of her son.  I may not be a believer, but there is something appealing about the religious celebrations here.  Special altars were constructed in courtyards and businesses… and benedictions and bands were heard in various parts of the city.
The 5-star ex-convento hotel, Camino Real invited the public to a program, replete with a benediction, speeches by local dignitaries, poetry, and a concert of sacred music by Coro de la Ciudad (Chorus of the City) and Sexteto de Cuerdas Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart String Sextet).
Sorry about the abrupt ending.  The learning continues…

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Books for villages

Posted in Education, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I’ve been wanting to write this post for almost two months…

Back in February, when L was visiting, we, along with thirty or so other curious and interested (mostly) gringos, toured two of the libraries Libros Para Pueblos has established — one in Santiago Etla and another further up the valley in San Pablo Huitzo.  Local officials and library staff welcomed us and school children read from story books, gave book reports, and performed skits.  It was a non-touristy introduction to Oaxaca for L, and a moving, informative, and inspiring experience for both of us.

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Libros Para Pueblos is a program of the Oaxaca Lending Library and is staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers, spearheaded by Janet Stanley, a one woman dynamo!  Its mission is, “putting books into the hands of the children of Oaxaca” by establishing  libraries in the villages of the state of Oaxaca, thereby encouraging a love of reading and promoting education.

As I explained in my previous post, Books… children… What’s not to like?!, the need in this state is enormous.  Little by little, progress is being made and over the past ten years, Libros Para Pueblos has set-up, always with the support and participation of the local communities, over 40 libraries.  It is a much-needed program and well worth supporting.

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And, speaking of water…

Posted in Environment, tagged , , , on April 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Today’s topic on Fresh Air was The Worldwide Thirst for Clean Drinking Water, in which, the program’s website states,  “Investigative reporter Charles Fishman says the past 100 years have been the golden age of water in the developed world — but now that’s about to change.  He profiles communities grappling with water shortages and details the efforts to conserve water in The Big Thirst.”

In the interview, Fishman makes the point that in the USA, “We don’t even take [water] for granted because taking it for granted would suggest we pay attention to it.”  Not so, living in Mexico; water is considered precious and, thus, respected and conserved.  Water deliveries, be they the non-potable I wrote about yesterday, or listening for the vendors of garrafons (1 equals 20 liters) of drinking water shout from their pickup trucks, “¡Agua!… ¡Agua!… ¡Agua!,” are an important part of daily life here.

I highly recommend clicking on, The Worldwide Thirst for Clean Drinking Water to hear Terry Gross’s interview with Charles Fishman, discussing his new book, The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water.

My garrafon of veggie and fruit washing, drinking, cooking, and teeth brushing water…Garafon of water with plastic pump

Yikes, it’s raining… gotta go put out my buckets to catch rain to store in my garden watering barrel!

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Gravity fed

Posted in Environment, tagged , , on April 10, 2011| 1 Comment »

Flying into any airport in Mexico, you see them, Mexico’s ubiquitous rooftop water delivery system, the tinaco.  This is mine…

Tinaco

After living with and cursing it for the past 16 months, word has it I might be getting a newer and larger one.  Even though I’m not superstitious, I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

*** For those of you who are dying to know how the water system here works:  Municipal water is regularly  (or, not so regularly) pumped into an aljibe, a storage tank under our courtyard and driveway; a bomba (pump) is run daily for an hour to bring water from the aljibe up into the tinacos sitting on the various rooftops of the apartment complex.  When we turn on our tap, water flows (or dribbles) from our faucets courtesy of gravity.

I might add,  this is non potable water.  Drinking water is a completely different story…

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Recycling… official and unofficial

Posted in Environment, tagged , , , on April 8, 2011| 2 Comments »

Look up!  Tree trimmers at work on the Alameda.  Never fear, Protección Civil is on the job.

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As are the recyclers… official and unofficial.

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Taxi! Taxi!

Posted in Labor, Protests, tagged , , , , , , , on April 6, 2011| 1 Comment »

I sure hope no one needs a taxi in el centro today.

Taxis double-parked on Indenpendencia

Double-parked on Independencia and lined up for blocks on side streets, empty taxis sit…

Taxis line up on side street

A protest against “pirate” taxis.

Fuera taxis piratas del centro

By the way, pink taxis, lavender taxis, and green taxis were lined up on other streets, which would have added more color to this entry.  But, alas, I violated the first rule of photography:  Always carry an extra battery!   I know, my feeble excuse of, I’d only gone out to buy velcro adhesive for my mosquito screen door project, is no excuse.

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Hail, yes!

Posted in Weather, tagged , on April 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday…

3:00 pm    Storm clouds gathering

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7:30 pm    Lightening spotted and distant thunder heard
8:00 pm    Patter of rain on tin roof
8:45 pm    Rain in earnest
9:30 pm    Hail???  Yes!!!  ***

***  It was 72ºF outside!

h/t Glenn for title inspiration

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Good Samaritans and Litter Bugs!

Posted in Beverages, Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, tagged , , , , , on April 1, 2011| 4 Comments »

Today, the fourth Friday of Lent, is Día de la Samaritana, also known as el Día de las Aguas, and a uniquely Oaxacan celebration.  It is inspired by the Biblical story of the woman at the well who offered water to Jesus.  And so, here in Oaxaca churches, schools, and businesses offer passersby free cups of  horchata, aguas frescas, and some, even ice cream.

Decorations began going up around town yesterday…

window decoration: purple tule, tin heart, and flowers

Sidewalk stands are set up,  some more elaborate…

Purple decorations hanging from lona

than others…Small agua fresca stand

And, what does one do with the empty (and not-so-empty) cups?

Empty cups on window sill

Decorate a window sill, of course!

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Challenges and rewards

Posted in Challenges, Food, tagged , , , on March 29, 2011| 2 Comments »

It’s only Tuesday, but it’s been a week already!   Living in Mexico requires a rewiring of one’s brain; wrapping one’s mind around a much more fluid concept of time.   As writer Tony Cohan pointed out, in his book by the same name, one must learn to live On Mexican Time, or endless frustration will result.

This morning I spent an hour at the Telmex office (yet again) attempting to upgrade my internet connection speed; my fourth trip to the office in six days.  Friday, I was assured that it would be taken care of on Monday and that my presence wouldn’t be necessary.  This morning, a check at speedtest.net revealed my connection speed had not changed.  So, off I went with as much documentation, patience, and good-nature as I could muster.  Eventually, after great deal of consultation and computer inputting, I was told all would be well in 24 hours.  We shall see…

Feeling not a little frustrated, I trudged up to my neighborhood indigenous mercado for some much needed provisions.  It’s never bustling with activity nor is it bursting with atmosphere, but it’s my local market and, though unlike Cheers, nobody knows my name, I am recognized and greeted with smiles by the gals who regularly sell me cheese and produce.  And today, there was a woman sitting next to the stairs selling hand (not machine) made tortillas.  My lucky day!

I walked back to Casita Colibrí smiling to myself.   How could I not, when returned home with big ball of quesillo, pimiento, epazote, warm tortillas, 2 aguacates, and flor de calabaza???

quesillo, pimiento, epazote, aguacates, flor de calabaza, torillas

Yummm… comida beckoned!

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Ahhh… the setting sun

Posted in Nature & Science, tagged , on March 27, 2011| Leave a Comment »

This evening… sitting out on the covered portion of Casita Colibrí’s terrace, birds are chattering, wind chimes are tinkling, the occasional flincher is exploding in the distance, horns are honking (who knows what is blocking traffic on Morelos), church bells have begun chiming, and big rain drops are plopping down on the tin roof.  The wind has planes, on their approach to Oaxaca’s little airport, flying over Casita Colibrí.  Am I really here… in Southern Mexico?

And then, the sunset…

sunset from the terrace

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Of trees, shadows, blossoms, and brooms…

Posted in Nature & Science, tagged , , , , , , , on March 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

On my way to the Oaxaca Lending Library this morning, I was stopped in my tracks by tree shadows and dappled lavender jacaranda blossoms on the rust red of newly landscaped planter beds of Santo Domingo.  Light, shadows, color, texture…

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I think the broom suspended in the tree is a nice touch!

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Plastic was falling on my head!

Posted in Celebrations, tagged , , , on March 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Saturday night’s full moon wasn’t the only activity in the night sky.

Major celebrating had been going on in the Plaza de la Danza since early morning… flinchers (all boom, no sparkle), bells of Templo de San José clanging every hour, and live music.

At 9 PM, I heard the unmistakable hisses and pops from a castillo.  Turning my attention from looking east at the moon, I turned west and saw…

Castillo at Plaza de la Danza

Debris began raining down on Casita Colibrí and I retreated under the tin roof.  Sunday morning’s evidence on the terrace told the story…

Debris from castillo

… and sheesh, it was plastic!!!

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Full moon rising over Oaxaca

Posted in Nature & Science, tagged , , , , , , on March 20, 2011| 3 Comments »

Last night’s Supermoon from Casita Colibrí’s terrace…

Full moon rising

And, happy Vernal Equinox to all!

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Books… children… What’s not to like?!

Posted in Education, tagged , , , , on March 18, 2011| 3 Comments »

Oaxaca is playing host to the 29th Feria del Libro: Guelaguetza Popular de los Libros y sus Lectores (Book Fair of Books and Readers), a four day event, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Arts of Oaxaca, the State Institute of Education of Oaxaca, and the National Council for Culture and the Arts. Istmo book fair participantsTents and tables line the Alcala and the Alameda, where workshops are being held; books are everywhere; and children, in colorful t-shirts promoting the feria and their regions, fill el centro. Book fair tentAccording to publicity, the feria is designed to bring together 5000 children from the eight regions of Oaxaca, 700 parents, and 400 teachers to promote reading.Mixteca book fair participantsOaxaca is one of the poorest and most indigenous states in Mexico and according to a Sipaz report, 21.5% of the Oaxacan population is illiterate; 26.7% of Oaxacan women are illiterate, compared to 15.5% of men; 34% of children over five years old do not attend school; the average grade of education is 6th grade; and almost 20% of the population over 5 years old that speak an indigenous language do not speak Spanish.Women at the book fairThe need is great!!!  How could this librarian not love this and other efforts to promote literacy in Oaxaca.

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Nature’s Sound and Light Show!

Posted in Nature & Science, tagged , , , on March 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Thunder cracking right overhead; lightening flashing all around; rain pounding on the tin roof is deafening.  Sheesh, even with TV cranked up as loud as it gets, I can’t hear Anderson Cooper!  Torrential downpour filled buckets for Casita Colibrí’s garden within 15 minutes.Full rain buckets

Ahhh… it’s been so long, I’d forgotten what it looked, sounded, felt, and smelled like.  A beautiful night in Oaxaca…Stormy night in Oaxaca

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