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Posts Tagged ‘photographs’

Lush life update

Posted in Gardens, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 27, 2011| 3 Comments »

Returned from the mercado this afternoon to find…

Garden pot breaking on top of the garden god

… a crack in the pot.  Garden god bursting with pride???

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Lush life

Posted in Gardens, Weather, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Torrential rain by night; brilliant blue sky by day…

Garden god surrounded by succulents and cactus

This is the way the garden grows during the rainy season in Oaxaca.

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Crossing a riverbed for breakfast

Posted in Food, Neighborhoods, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »

No, I didn’t have to ford a raging river… just make a harrowing 5+ second dash, while dodging speeding cars in an effort to cross Calzada de la República, which used to be a river that formed the natural boundary between Oaxaca and the village of Jalatlaco.

Today, Jalatlaco (“sandy embankment” in the Aztec language of Nauhatl) is a barrio (neighborhood) of Oaxaca, but República and its traffic continue to provide a daunting barrier and some colorful street art.

Colorful street art on wall with female skeleton, bird, and serpent

However, once beyond República, the atmosphere changes.  Cobblestones from the old riverbed line the streets and slow the pace;

Doorway on a cobblestone street.

color and foliage, not to mention crowns, add to the character;

Green wall with gate with crown and palm tree.

and stone walls line the narrow streets, shielding the neighborhood from the bustle beyond.

Stone wall

By the way, my breakfast of huevos divorcíados at El Biche Pobre was colorful and delicious!

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Strolling along Constitución

Posted in Culture, Random associations, tagged , , , , , , on July 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Just strolling along Constitución en route to and from the Oaxaca Lending Library.  First en la mañana…

Cross of flowers extending from a lamp post

and across Reforma, pasted on one of the previously mentioned Old and dangerous buildings.

Poster pasted on side of building advertising "Tianguis Cultural; Libertad y Resistencia; Plazuela del Carmen Alto; 25 Julio - 01 Agosto"

And then, en la tarde… father, son, and daughter waiting to perform on a stage set up at the Jardin El Pañuelito.

Father, daughter, and son dancers sitting on sidewalk waiting to perform

Going from here to there is never just going from here to there!

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Old and dangerous!

Posted in Buildings, tagged , , , , , , on July 2, 2011| 2 Comments »

Viejas peligrosas was the headline of an article in yesterday’s Noticias, chronicling the dangerous old buildings in the 484-block historic center of Oaxaca.  According to the article, 23 properties are at high risk of falling, are magnets for trash disposal, and are sources of disease.

Although en español, I encourage even non Spanish speakers to take a look at the revealing slideshow of some of the more egregious, but highly photogenic, properties at the end of the article.

In addition, I’d like to nominate this building:

Front of dilapidated building

And, what do you think about the roof???

Collapsing tin roof

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RIP…

Posted in People, Tragedy, tagged , , , , , on July 1, 2011| 1 Comment »

Sadly, the tree mentioned in my last post didn’t fall as a result of wind and rain.   According to newspaper reports, it was slammed into by a Chevy Silverado; the driver apparently had fallen asleep at the wheel.

Sidewalk memorial to Victor D. Diaz Gonzalez

Víctor Damián Díaz González was killed instantly.

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Ch-ch-ch-changes in the ‘hood

Posted in Random associations, tagged , , , , on June 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »

After 35 days up in the USA (and yes, I was counting), I’m back in Oaxaca.  The old stove still “decorates” the driveway of my apartment compound, apparently following in the footsteps of the two refrigerators which graced the driveway for almost a year.

Old stove sitting on the side of driveway

However, there are a few changes in the ‘hood.  I arrived home yesterday, to discover a delightful new neighbor moving into one of the apartments below me; the stump of a tree across the street that must have toppled during one of the recent storms;

Tree stump in front of building

and a new canopy atop the Guelaguetza Auditorium.

Sun-shade on the Guelaguetza Auditorium

This is a “take two” attempt at this controversial sunshade; the first tore before it was even finished, causing last year’s Guelaguetza performances to be relocated to the university’s soccer stadium, across the city — making yours truly a very unhappy camper!  With family visiting, it was the first time I had shelled out the big bucks to attend and, not only could we not just walk up the hill to the event, we weren’t able to enjoy the fabulous views of the city and the mountains to the east, that the Guelaguetza Auditorium provides.

FYI:  Over the past week, Chris at Oaxaca-The-Year-After, has been blogging about the controversy.

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The Fathers of Oaxaca…

Posted in Celebrations, tagged , , , , , on June 19, 2011| Leave a Comment »

One of the sights on the streets of Oaxaca that always brings a smile is a father holding his young daughter’s hand in one hand and her little pink backpack in the other.  In the absence of a photo of that delightful scene, here are a few other padres y hijos…

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Screen time

Posted in Random associations, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 16, 2011| 2 Comments »

Are you…

Santo Domingo through chain-link fence.

Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Oaxaca

Guerreros baseball player at bat; fielder poised to catch ball seen through backstop netting.

Guerreros de Oaxaca vs. Los Olmecas de Tabasco

Giant Swallowtail butterfly against window screen.

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly in Oaxaca.

…inside or outside?

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Stinky plant, attracting flies…

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Nature & Science, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 10, 2011| 5 Comments »

Twenty-four hours in the life of one of the more bizarre, and almost prehistoric-looking, residents of the terrace garden, a Stapelia gigantea…

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Trying to identify this plant I did a Google search using the terms:  cactus, stinky, flies, star flower… because it definitely smells gross, has incredibly large zebra striped star-shaped flowers, and is a favorite of green bottle flies!

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Serendipity on Viernes Santo…

Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I opened the front gate this morning to find the sidewalk had morphed into an Estación de la Cruz.

Station of the cross on the sidewalk with Jesus and Nuestra Señora de la Soledad.

Worshipers prayed, recited the appropriate devotions, and then slowly moved on.

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Faces of Jueves Santo

Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , on April 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Today was Jueves Santo (aka: Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday).

Believers gathered to commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus.  Tables are set up in church doorways selling pan bendito (3 buns for 5 pesos of blessed bread).  And, where there are more than ten people, vendors gather….

Woman dulce vendor outside Sangre de Cristo

Outside Iglesia de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo — I suspect her life hasn’t been half as sweet as the dulces she was selling.

Angelic looking altar boy

A little sweetheart on his best behavior and waiting to process.

Seated nun

Would you buy pickled carrots or peppers from this woman?

Plastic rain capes vendor

The rains came and the capas del agua vendors miraculously appeared outside Santo Domingo.

Vendor making empanadas, memelas, tortas, and tlayudas on a comal.

After visiting the prescribed 7 churches, I rewarded myself with my (hopefully, not last) supper — a flor de calabaza and quesillo empanada, cooked to order.  Yummm….

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Grand installation…

Posted in Environment, Home, tagged , , , , , on April 19, 2011| Leave a Comment »

And now a pause in our Semana Santa coverage…

Yesterday was a momentous day at Casita Colibrí.  I arrived home just in time to watch the removal of my late, previously mentioned, but definitely not lamented, baby-size tinaco and the installation of my gigunda, new, and much wished for, tinaco.  It was a sight to behold!

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These guys looked so young… but worked efficiently and seemed to know exactly what they were doing.  I sure hope so!

Fingers and toes, but not eyes, are crossed that this will, at long last, solve my every-other-day lack of water problem.

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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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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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