What do the guys do while waiting for an Independence Day parade to begin?
And, what do gals do? Pose for them!
A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes. — Robert Frost
Posts Tagged ‘photographs’
Boys will be boys…
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged desfile, holidays, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, military, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, women military on September 16, 2013| 6 Comments »
Green, white, and red
Posted in Celebrations, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged El Grito, el grito de dolores, Grito de Dolores, Mexican flag, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on September 15, 2013| 2 Comments »
At 11 PM tonight, with El Grito de Dolores, also known as El Grito de la Independencia (the Shout of Independence), echoing from government buildings throughout the country, Mexico begins celebrating her long and hard-fought independence from Spain. Despite the gathering of meteorological and political storm clouds, Oaxaca has gotten her green, white, and red on.
Doors are decorated, bunting is hung, and Mexico’s tricolor appears…
This proud yet faded flag with frayed edges seems a fitting symbol this year.
In the words of Che Guevara, “La lucha continua.”
Meanwhile in Oaxaca…
Posted in Holidays, Labor, Politics, Protests, Weather, tagged current-events, demonstrations, El Grito, Frente Único de Lucha, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, politics, protests, San Juan Copala, Triqui on September 14, 2013| 2 Comments »
Yesterday, as today’s article in Noticias states, “with great dignity and head held high” the Triqui families from San Juan Copala pulled up stakes and moved to temporary housing in Colonia Reforma. The 105 displaced families had been occupying the front of the Government Palace for several years, but reached an agreement with the state government to relocate.
Meanwhile, on the east side of the Government Palace, the band played on… September is “La mes de la patria” (the month of the motherland). Tomorrow night, governor Gabino Cue will repeat El Grito de Independencia (the Cry of Independence) from the balcony of the Government Palace and Monday, an hours-long patriotic parade will pass in front of the Palace.
Today, the scene has changed. Members of the Frente Único de Lucha (FUL), the new incarnation of APPO, have taken up positions in front of the Government Palace and vowed to remain until those arrested in clashes with the federal police, on December 1 and yesterday in Mexico City, are released. Hmmm… I wonder what will happen tomorrow and/or Monday.
Just remember, when you read, hear, or watch the news… Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca are the most indigenous and poorest states in Mexico. And now, the tears of Mother Nature are raining down on Oaxaca.
To know the flavor
Posted in Culture, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged Aurora Toledo, barbacoa, barbecue, chefs, cuisine, culinary traditions, dining, El Saber del Sabor, food festival, gastronomic festival, gastronomy, José Domingo Cruz Cobos, laborers, Mexico, Oaxaca, Patricia Quintana, photographs, photos on September 12, 2013| 12 Comments »
A couple of days ago, above the Plaza de la Danza, a mound of sand and a pile of bricks.
There were guys doing the heavy lifting — bricks on their shoulders and buckets of sand in hand — carrying load after load down the ramps and stairs to the plaza below.
The sand was spread and leveled and the bricks were carefully laid in a herringbone pattern.
What were they up to? Preparing a barbecue platform for last night’s gastronomic festival, El Saber del Sabor Oaxaca 2013, opening night buffet. The entire Plaza de la Danza was tented, tables and chairs were set up, lights were strung, and by yesterday afternoon, all was ready.
Last year we missed out on the barbecue — spit roasted lamb and pork — it looked and smelled divine, but the line was too long and then it was gone. This year, we were not to be denied and so our strategy was to be first in line.
That meant standing for at least 20 minutes in front of the newly constructed barbecue at the Cuenca station, where we had plenty of time to study the menu and salivate, as smoke from the BBQ permeated our clothes and burned our eyes.
José Domingo Cruz Cobos from Tuxtepec did not disappoint. I can’t even begin to describe how succulent the meat and how crispy the skin. It was well worth the wait!
However, this was only the beginning. Cooks from the other 7 regions of Oaxaca were also there, preparing their signature dishes.
Aurora Toledo of Zandunga restaurant with chef, teacher, author, and the evening’s special honoree, Patricia Quintana.
Gluttony makes for a hazy memory, but in addition to the above, I had mole negro and tamalitos from the famed Mendoza sisters of Tlamanalli in Teotitlán del Valle, garnachas from Aurora Toledo of Zandunga in the city, and ??? Oh, and then there was wine, mezcal, and a cajeta flavored paleta for dessert.
All this, and much, much, much more for only 350 pesos (about $27 US). It was a lovely and delicious night.
And for those with deeper pockets, multi-course lunches and dinners with wine and mezcal pairings are being prepared by the top chefs from all over Mexico, at select restaurants throughout the city, including Alejandro Ruíz of Casa Oaxaca and Jose Manuel Baños Rodriguez of Pitiona, each recently named to Latin America’s 50 Top Restaurants.
¡Buen provecho!
From head to toe
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged capes, Danza de la Pluma, feather art, Feather dance, Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, leggings, Mexico, Oaxaca, penachos, photographs, photos, Teotitlán del Valle on September 10, 2013| 5 Comments »
The Danza de la Pluma penachos (headdresses), capes, and leggings are spectacular and unique to Teotitlán del Valle. The feathered designs on the penachos are more intricate and varied than in other pueblos; and the capes and leggings are hand-woven in this village that is internationally known for its weaving. However, while the Danza de la Pluma is a crowd-pleaser during the annual July Guelaguetza on Cerro del Fortín in Oaxaca, folkloric groups from other villages are usually chosen to perform it, as Teotitlán’s costumes are not considered “authentic.”
However, performing for tourists is not why Teotitlán del Valle tells this story through music and dance several times a year. It is performed on the church plaza, not the municipal plaza, because it is an integral part of the annual major religious celebrations of the village: Fiesta titular a la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo in July, Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María in September, Fiesta a el Rosario de la Virgen María in October, and Fiesta a la Virgen de Guadalupe in December.
Penachos from the Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María on Sunday…
Moctezuma’s penacho
Detail of Moctezuma’s penacho
Capes from Sunday’s Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María and July’s Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo festival.
Leggings from both festivals…
The various elements of the costumes do not come cheap and dancers must appeal to their extended families to assist in commissioning each of the pieces. Thus, as annual festivals come and go during a dancer’s 3-year commitment, the costumes may evolve.
With their performances, the dancers honor the rituals of their church and community. And, with their magnificent costumes, they pay homage to the creativity, talent, and tradition of Teotitlán del Valle’s weavers and feather artists.
It’s good to be home!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Doña Marina, El Picacho, Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María, fiestas, Malinche, Mexico, Oaxaca, penachos, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle on September 8, 2013| 2 Comments »
Yippee, I’m back in Oaxaca! Last night’s flight was smooth, on-time, and mostly empty. I have to admit to always getting a goofy grin as the little Embraer comes in over the lights of the city and the smile continues through immigration and baggage claim. It usually falters and turns to a grimace when I have to hoist my 50 pound suitcase up onto the x-ray conveyor belt. However, last night the grin returned when I pressed the “to search or not to search” button, got the green light, and was able to proceed directly to the booth to buy my colectivo ticket — 60 pesos for door-to-door service to the historic district ‘hood. An easy return to home.
Unpacking done, late this morning I walked down to my local mercado to restock the larder with some basics: 2 perfect avocados, 1 pristine white onion, a bunch of unblemished small and sweet bananas, half kilo of quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese), and 6 freshly made tamales (mole, rajas, and verde). I’d actually asked for 4, but my regular tamale gal threw in 2 extras. How often does that happen in el norte? A welcoming return to home.
This afternoon, blogger buddy Chris and I drove out to Teotitlán del Valle for the Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María performance of the Danza de la Pluma. We stepped up onto the plaza of Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo and it was like emerging into the middle of a technicolor movie. We’ve been there countless times, but today we were blown away by the scene. Mother Nature had conspired to use her enhance wand on the sky, clouds, sun, and costumes. A spectacular return to home!
A spectator sport
Doña Marina y penacho
Nueva marmota
A pause in the action
In step!
Battling the wind
El Picacho y penacho
Hold your hat
La Malinche y dos Subalternos
Danzante, up close
The recent trip to California was to sign papers finalizing the sale of the house my grandparent’s built in 1957. Prior to relocating to Oaxaca, it had been my home for 30 years, where I’d raised my kids and made many wonderful memories. Needless to say, selling it was an emotionally challenging ordeal and it has engendered a lot of thinking about the notion of “home.”
However, these past 24 hours have reinforced my belief in bumper-sticker wisdom seen many years ago, “When you live in your heart, you are always home.” It’s good to be home!
Art is the tree of life
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Museums, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged arts, Hecho en Oaxaca, MACO, Mexico, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, trees, urban art, William Blake quote on September 7, 2013| 4 Comments »
More from the Hecho en Oaxaca exhibit…
The courtyard at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO)…
Art is the tree of life. — William Blake
Rhu crew
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, graffiti, Jorel, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Rhu Crew, street art, urban art, wall art on September 4, 2013| 2 Comments »
Work in progress on Tinoco y Palacios by Jorel and the Rhu Crew…
Up close and personal…
All finished!
Camote man
Posted in Culture, Food, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged camotes, dessert, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, plantains, steam whistle, sweet potatoes, vendors on September 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »
I’m back up in el norte for a brief “taking care of business” trip. And, sheesh, it’s SO quiet on this western front. No fireworks. No clanging chains of the propane tank vendor. No bands playing in the streets. No loudspeakers. And, no shrill sound of the steam whistle heralding the arrival of the camote man.
Every evening, he wheels his cart through the streets of Oaxaca selling sweet potatoes and plantains sweetened with sugar and drizzled with condensed milk. They are cooked in a pressure-cooker-like contraption that is heated by a small wood fire in the metal drum below. The iconic sound comes from the hot steam being released from the cooker.
If you have a sweet tooth, follow the whistle for a yummy dessert treat!
Bases covered
Posted in Culture, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged colectivos, crucifix, flags, Jesús crucifado, Mexican flag, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Virgen de Guadalupe on August 24, 2013| 4 Comments »
Down to Mercado de Abastos late this morning to catch a colectivo out to Etla. I’ve actually come to enjoy the 10-block walk through this definitely not-spiffed-up-for-tourist-consumption neighborhood. However, crossing the Periferico Sur is another story! Cars, taxis, colectivos, buses, trucks, motorcycles, hand-trucks, and pedestrians all in motion or poised to move. Did I mention the potholes ready to swallow people and vehicles? There is a pedestrian bridge a block down the street, but what’s the fun in that?
Needless to say, we all need all the help we can get! I think my colectivo driver had all his bases covered, invoking Mexico’s “Holy Trinity” — La Virgen de Guadalupe, Jesús crucificado, and patriotismo.
Of course he had the rear view mirror covered, too!
Waiting…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Museums, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged arts, Hecho en Oaxaca, MACO, Mexico, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art, Waiting On The World To Change lyrics on August 21, 2013| 2 Comments »
Another wall, courtesy of the Hecho en Oaxaca urban art project of the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO). It reminds me of the John Mayer song,
Waiting on the World To Change
Me and all my friends
We’re all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There’s no way we ever could
Now we see everything that’s going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It’s hard to beat the system
When we’re standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want
That’s why we’re waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It’s not that we don’t care,
We just know that the fight ain’t fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
And we’re still waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting waiting on the world to change
One day our generation
Is gonna rule the population
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
~~~
But, then again, maybe he’s waiting to join the struggle to make the change…
Black and white and dry
Posted in Culture, Environment, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged cactus, campo, climate, Cocijo, corn, corn stalks, El Picacho, fields, maguey, maize, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Teotitlán del Valle on August 18, 2013| 10 Comments »
Friday, I went Teotitlán del Valle to visit a friend. N is living out in the campo and it was an adventure just getting there — necessitating a colectivo, bus, moto-taxi, and a fair amount of walking. However, it was well worth it! The conversation was non-stop, comida was delicious, and the setting is spectacular.
El Picacho from my friend’s rooftop terrace.
However, a major topic of conversation in the village is the lack of rain. Granted, I was grateful the creek the 3-wheel moto-taxi and I had to ford only had about six inches of water in it, but looking out from N’s terrace, it was evident the fields are suffering.
Maguey fields in Teotitlán del Valle.
Acres upon acres of parched earth, with rows upon rows of drooping and stunted corn — the lifeblood of this country. When the campo suffers, so too the people.
Rows of corn stalks.
Word has it that this is the driest rainy season anyone can remember. In a normal year, afternoon showers irrigate the fields and clean the city’s streets at least four to five times a week from June through September. This year, nada! I can probably count on two hands the number of times it’s rained. Your offerings and prayers to Cocijo would be much appreciated!
Update: Wow, I have some powerful blog readers — it rained last night!!! Mil gracias.
Las guapas de la Guelaguetza
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Asunción Ixtaltepec, costumes, desfile, Edna St. Vincent Millay quote, El Espinal, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, Ocotlán de Morelos, parades, photographs, photos, San Agustín Loxicha, San Jerónimo Tecóatl, San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, San Juan Cacahualtepec, San Pablo Villa de Mitla, San Pedro y San Pablo Ayutla, Santo Tomás Ocotepec, traje, Villa de Tututepec de Melchor on August 16, 2013| 6 Comments »
“Beauty is whatever gives joy.” — Edna St. Vincent Millay
Some of the beautiful women, young and old, of this year’s Guelaguetza desfiles.
Apostles with attitude
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, exhibitions, Galería Noel Cayetano Arte Contemporaneo, Los Apóstoles, Mexico, Oaxaca, paintings, photographs, photos, The Apostles, Vladimir Cora on August 11, 2013| 4 Comments »
I think I’ve mentioned several times before, Oaxaca is filled with art — in the streets, museums, and galleries. New venues crop up regularly and exhibit openings, replete with mezcal, cervesa, and botanas, seem to occur a couple of times a week. I can’t keep track!
A few days ago, on our way to La Popular for tortas, my friend (and artist) Laurie Fisher and I stopped by the Galería Noel Cayetano Arte Contemporaneo to see the current exhibit, Los Apóstoles (The Apostles). Male and female, they are all self portraits by Nayarit born sculpture and painter, Vladimir Cora.
Cora dedicated the exhibition to all all those who do their job well have not been corrupted. “Todos tenemos un apostolado y si lo haces honestamente, esta exposición es para ti.” — Vladimir Cora (Noticias, 10 agosto 2013)
The Cayetano gallery is upstairs at the Plaza Santo Domingo, M. Alcalá 405-30 in Oaxaca city.
Mezcal – old school going upscale
Posted in Beverages, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged Chichicapa, Lila Downs, Mexico, mezcal, mezcaleros, Mezcalito, Oaxaca, palenques, photographs, photos, San Baltazar Chichicapam on August 8, 2013| 7 Comments »
As a current article says, mezcal seems to have wormed (oh, that’s bad!) its way into the hearts, minds, and media of el norte. And, all I can say is, it’s about time! I’m not really much of a drinker; mostly just wine with dinner, the occasional beer on a hot day, and a mixed drink a couple of times a year. However, I have to say, mezcal has been a pleasant surprise. The smoky complexity is quite a treat, especially if one ventures beyond the mass-produced brands and into the artisanal varieties.
Here in Oaxaca, mezcal is offered to welcome visitors, served at celebrations of all kinds, plays a role in most traditional ceremonies, and audiences always enthusiastically join in when Lila Downs sings, Mezcalito. Oaxaqueño families have been harvesting agaves and hand crafting mezcal for generations. The following photos are from an afternoon spent at one such palenque in San Baltazar Chichicapa(m).
Agave piñas (hearts) are stripped of leaves & roots and placed in a large outdoor pit oven.
They are covered with agave leaves, fiber, mats and dirt and cooked over red-hot rocks for three to four days.
The roasted agave is crushed with a gigantic stone wheel pulled by a horse.
The roasted and mashed agave is then placed in large wooded vats to ferment.
The liquid is extracted and twice distilled. Next it is either bottled, if it is to be sold as blanco (aka, joven), or placed in barrels to age. Reposado is aged for less than a year and añejo is aged from one to twelve years. Needless to say, I returned home with my 4 L plastic gas can (no, it had never been used for gas!) filled with reposado made by our host and master mezcalero, Faustino.
As the old Oaxaqueño saying goes, “For everything bad, drink mezcal and for everything good, you also should!”
And, please note: This is a drink to be savored not chugged!
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