Yesterday morning, as I made the rounds bidding each of my plants a “muy buenos días,” peeking out from the bottom of one of my garden pots…
A star looked up and wished me a very good morning.
A Quaqua mammillaris flower for Cee’s photo challenge.
Posts Tagged ‘photos’
Rainy season star
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, tagged cactus, flowers, garden, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Quaqua mammillaris on August 19, 2016| 4 Comments »
God and resistance…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Education, Labor, Politics, tagged graffiti, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on August 16, 2016| 2 Comments »
Murals seen in mid July on Garcia Vigil, between Independencia and Morelos. A month later, they have been painted over, but in Oaxaca, god and resistance never die…
The public school fall semester is scheduled to start Monday, August 22 and, as you can see from the Oaxaca-The Year After blog post, for good reason, no one is holding their breath.
So, while we wait, take a deep breath, exhale, and watch Lila Downs performing Dios Nunca Muere live HERE.
Fallen flower petals
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Travel & Tourism, tagged Flor de mayo, flowers, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, plumeria, popular travel destinations on August 14, 2016| 2 Comments »
Rainy season means wind, rain, and fallen Flor de Mayo flower petals. What to do?
Nothing like the scent of Plumeria to perfume the room.
My entry in Cee’s photo challenge.
Taxi driver day
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged Día del Taxista, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, taxis, taxistas on August 12, 2016| 4 Comments »
The morning of August 12: Almost continuous explosions of cohetes (rockets), shrill incessant traffic whistles, honking horns, and the distant sounds of a band (or two or three). What in the world? I had errands to run, so out into the cacophony to confront the unknown, I went. It only took walking to the end of my block to realize what I’d forgotten.
It’s Día del Taxista, the day when cab drivers and their families decorate their taxicabs and process en mass through the streets of the city, accompanied by bands, monos, and pirotecnicos (hence the booms and bangs).
I not only forgot what day it was, but I also forgot my never-leave-home-without-it little Lumix, so the above were taken with my iPhone — something I almost never do and which explains the “creative” image below.
I have NO idea how it happened, but I’ve got to say, it does illustrate what riding in a taxi in Oaxaca often feels like!
What’s the story Morning Glory?
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Weather, tagged flowers, Mexico, morning, Morning Glories, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Weekly photo challenge on August 7, 2016| 6 Comments »
This year’s “like it used to be” rainy season has brought Morning Glories climbing their way to my doorstep and adding a little color to an otherwise grey morning.
Obviously, I’m not the only one who enjoys the green of their heart-shaped leaves.
Helping the local economy
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged artisan markets, clothing, Guelaguetza, huipil, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations on August 4, 2016| 9 Comments »
The reports are in regarding tourism during the Guelaguetza and, unfortunately, they confirm our observations and discussions with merchants, restaurateurs, and hoteliers. Hotel occupancy was only at 53% and tourism was 37 points below estimates for the period, July 22 to August 1. Artisans had to pay 2,600 pesos (US$138.00) for a stall at the state sponsored, Encuentro Artesanal Guelaguetza (exposition and sale), which ran from July 16 to August 1, and many said they barely broke even, especially when taking into consideration expenses getting to and from the site and having to purchase meals.
However, I tried my very best to help the local economy throughout Guelaguetza. As regular readers know, I love the textiles of Oaxaca and thus I have a few new treasures hanging in my closet. First, this modern take by Muchitos on the traditional huipil.
I purchased it at Letra Capital, a 4-day contemporary design market, held in the courtyards of the Biblioteca Pública Central de Oaxaca.
And, then there was this traditional huipil woven by Juana Reyes García from San Juan Colorado, Oaxaca, and purchased at the 4-day Tianguis Artesanal at the Centro Cultural San Pablo.
Juana has been recognized for her work using natural dyes and has won several prizes.
Then there was the tunic-length (at least on me) blusa from one of the extraordinary embroiderers of San Antonino Castillo Velasco — bought at the above-mentioned Encuentro Artesanal Guelaguetza.
I have been wanting one for years and years. However, whenever I’m in San Antonino, it’s usually for a festival or during Día de los Muertos and, while there are stalls upon stalls selling blouses and dresses, I’m distracted by the event at hand — never mind, that I don’t usually carry enough money to pay for one of these treasures. Isn’t the work exquisite?
I’ve already worn all three of my new textile treasures several times. And, that wasn’t the end of my shopping spree. My other big splurge was commissioning a tapete from my friend, Samuel Bautista Lazo’s family business, Dixza Rugs. They had a stall at the Encuentro Artesanal Guelaguetza and a rug I fell in love with. Alas, it was too big, so they are making me a smaller one. Sam has promised it will be done within a month. Blog post to follow!
Pride and joy on parade
Posted in Celebrations, Children, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged dancers, Desfile de Delegaciones, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on July 31, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Unlike last Saturday, there was no rain on yesterday’s Guelaguetza parade. There was music, mezcal, and tepache. (Click on photos for full image.)
There were headdresses and bling.
There was awesome pride and joy.
And, there were kids to carry on the traditions.
Muchisimas gracias to the extended family of Hotel Casa Catrina who allowed me to seek shelter from last Monday’s rain and yesterday, saw me across the street and invited me for a shot of mezcal and to watch the desfile with them. That’s Oaxaca — warm, welcoming, and wonderful!!!
Hearts and flowers
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mainy-Dauer, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on July 30, 2016| Leave a Comment »
A pause in the Guelaguetza action…
I was last on Callejón de Hidalgo about a month and a half ago and a new (to me) mural charmed me. I’ve been meaning to post photos, but there has been way too much going on and they got lost in the pictures shuffle.
Murals are usually a “no-go-zone” for graffiti. However, yesterday, walking with friends, I again found myself on that lovely little lane, but was dismayed to discover someone(s) had tagged Peter Cottontail and his tree-lined neighborhood with graffiti.
I don’t know who you are, Mainy-Dauer, but I want you to know your mural made be smile.
I’m glad I have the above photos to remember it by.
Guelaguetza in black & white
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Black and white photography, dancers, Flor de piña, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Reyes Etla on July 26, 2016| 4 Comments »
Yesterday, two friends and I hailed a taxi and headed out of the city. We disembarked at the Viguera crucero, where we crowded into blogger buddy Chris’s car enroute to the intimate Guelaguetza in Las Peñitas Reyes Etla.
The day was overcast and there were a few light sprinkles, but the welcome we received on this grey day warmed our hearts.
As they have in past years, for three and a half hours, the members of the folkloric dance group, Danza Balachi, danced, changed costumes, danced, changed costumes, and danced some more.
The sun eventually made an appearance and our day ended with very yummy estofado at our favorite restaurant, Comedor Colón in Villa de Etla. It was a great day!
Danzantes in the rain
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Desfile de Delegaciones, Guelaguetza, Javier Gutiérrez Hernandez, Malinche, Mexico, Oaxaca, Parade of Delegations, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Quetzali del Rayo Santiago Ruiz, rain ponchos, rainy season, Subalternos, Teotitlán del Valle on July 24, 2016| 6 Comments »
Yesterday, as the Guelaguetza dancers gathered at the Cruz de Piedra and Conzatti Park waiting for the desfile (parade) of delegations to begin, the sky darkened, thunder rumbled, lightening flashed, the wind picked up, and the rain began falling. While they may be making their first appearance (in recent memory) at the Guelaguetza, the Grupo de Danza de Pluma Promesa from Teotitlán del Valle came prepared.
They donned rain ponchos and covered their penachos (headdresses) with clear and specially sized plastic bags.
They were good to go!
Dance master and choreographer extraordinaire, Javier Gutiérrez Hernandez, must have hauled his old costume out of storage to fill in for one of the danzantes. But he looked stoked!
I’m not sure which Subalterno this is. Florentino Martínez Ruiz is that you? Or, is it Juan Bautista Ruiz? Before and during the desfile, both clowned around a little and assisted the danzantes a lot.
There is something about kids and rain… Five year old, Quetzali del Rayo Santiago Ruiz (Malinche) looked happy as a clam.
Perhaps there was a little trepidation among the danzantes at the conditions and concern if the desfile was really going to happen.
However, at almost exactly 6 PM, police sirens sounded, the leading band struck up, and the parade of Guelaguetza delegations began dancing their way through the city’s rain slicked streets.
Not long after it began, the torrential downpour subsided and the plastic began coming off the danzantes penachos.
After 35 minutes of dancing through, what became, a light drizzle, they reached the intersection of Crespo and Morelos, only a half a block from the parade’s end at the Plaza de la Danza. Next on their dance card, Monday evening’s Guelaguetza performance! I’ll be watching on the local CORTV station. However, if you are not in Oaxaca, CORTV will also be streaming the 10 AM and 5 PM Guelaguetza performances live, this week and next.
Nourishing body and soul
Posted in Animals, Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Science & Nature, tagged bees, flowers, garden, Mexico, Night Blooming Cereus, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pollination on July 21, 2016| 2 Comments »
This morning I was greeted by several flowers on my night blooming cereus, with one acting as a rich playground and dining room for a guest in the garden — a very welcome honey bee.
I have no idea how long she had wiggled and wallowed before I saw her. I stood mesmerized for a minute or two before running into my apartment to get a camera.
I continued to be intrigued by her industry and pleasure for another five (plus) minutes before returning inside — letting her continue in privacy, while I turned to my morning cup of coffee and bowl of cereal.
She may have been nourishing her body, but she was also nourishing my soul.
My entry in Cee’s photo challenge.
Timberrrr!
Posted in Flora, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged arboles, Jardín del Pañuelito, Mexico, Oaxaca, palm trees, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, trees on July 20, 2016| 10 Comments »
If you’ve been to Oaxaca, you have probably gazed up at the palms along Constitución next to Santo Domingo — an area known as Jardín del Pañuelito. In early 2012, color changing mood lighting was added to illuminate the trees.
However, last Thursday, on my way to the Oaxaca Lending Library, I noticed something was amiss; fronds had been removed from the tops of two of the palm trees.
Saturday, the image was more ominous; one of the denuded palms was missing and crowds were focused on another.
Most everyone had their cell phone cameras out, aimed aloft. And then…
Timberrrr!!! Down it went, amidst oohs and aahs. Then the soundtrack turned to the buzz of chainsaws, as workmen began cutting the trunk into manageable pieces.
Sad… I know about the where and how, but I’m not sure about the who, what, and why.
Artisan show & sale
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, People, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged Amalia Martínez Casas, artesania, crafts, crafts sale, exposition and sale, expoventa, Guelaguetza, Honorina Gómez Martínez, indigenous textiles, Mexico, Oaxaca, Pablo Martínez Martínez, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Samuel Bautista Lazo, textile plagiarism, textiles on July 16, 2016| 2 Comments »
Artisans from the eight regions of Oaxaca have moved their hand-crafted textiles, pottery, wood carvings, jewelry, and more into the previously mentioned booths near the top of the Andador Turístico (Alcalá/walking street) and Paseo Juárez el Llano (Llano Park). Not all the signs are in place, but the artisan vendors are. The exposition and sale will run through the last Guelaguetza performance (August 1), so today’s mission was just to do an initial reconnaissance — to check out new vendors, see what I absolutely cannot live without, and connect with some of my favorite vendors.
First up were the artisans in Llano Park, where I rendezvoused (stall #70) with my old (though he’s young) friend, Samuel Bautista Lazo, from Teotitlán del Valle. As I’ve mentioned before, I met Sam and his family during my first visit to Oaxaca in 2007 and (of course) bought two tapetes to bring back to the San Francisco Bay Area. The rugs returned to Oaxaca with me when I moved here in 2009. Between then and now, Sam has gotten his Ph.D. in Sustainable Manufacturing at the University of Liverpool (yes, England!), returned to Oaxaca, and is currently helping his family market and manage Dixza Rugs & Organic Farm — their weaving and Bed & Breakfast business.
At one of the stalls along the Alcalá, I spotted the unmistakable work of Amalia Martínez Casas from Tamazulápam del Espíritu Santo, a mountain village in the Mixe. Alas, it was her daughter staffing the booth. She assured me that Amalia’s health was okay, but that she’s getting old and had decided not to make the tiring journey down from the mountains into the city. I have several huipiles and a serape of Amalia’s but I must admit, I am very tempted to add another piece to my oft-worn collection.
Lastly, I stopped by to greet Honorina Gómez Martínez and Pablo Martínez Martínez from Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, also in the Mixe, and just a few miles up the mountain from Tamazulapam. It never ceases to amaze me how clothing styles vary dramatically in Oaxaca, not only from region to region, but also from village to village, within the same region. You may remember, Doña Honorina Gómez was a leading spokesperson in the plagiarism dispute with a couple of French designers, which the embroiderers of Tlahuitoltepec eventually won and which prompted Oaxaca’s congress to declare indigenous costume and language as part of the state’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
However, a new charge of plagiarism is being reported— this time, against Argentine designer Rhapsodia — for copying designs from San Antonino Castillo Velasco. When I return to the expoventa in the next couple of days, I will have to ask one of the artisans from San Antonino about it. Besides, I’ve always coveted a dress from San Antonino.
Dancers of promise
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, History, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Doña Marina, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Malinche, Mexico, Moctezuma, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Subalternos, Teotitlán del Valle on July 8, 2016| 3 Comments »
One of the much anticipated features of this year’s Fiesta Titlular a la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo in Teotitlán del Valle was the debut of the new Grupo de Danza de Pluma Promesa.
Danzantes
Danzantes
Unlike in many of the other villages, where the Danza de la Pluma is danced by folkloric dance troupes, in Teotitlán del Valle nineteen young men and two little girls make a promise to their god and, thus, their community to learn and perform the dance at each of the four annual major religious festivals in the village for three years.
Moctezuma with Malinche and Doña Marina
Danzantes woven wool leggings
This is not a commitment to be taken lightly, as there are 40+ dances that comprise this Zapotec retelling of the story of Moctezuma and the Aztecs battle with Cortes and the Conquistadors. The entire telling of the story takes almost eight hours to perform in the church plaza — in conditions that can vary from brilliant sun with sweltering temperatures to gusty winds to drizzling rain.
Subalterno offering water
Subalterno imitating the danzantes
It’s been almost six months since we first saw the new group at one of their early practice sessions. In jeans, t-shirts, and gym shoes, the guys were at the beginning stages of learning the steps.
Moctezuma, a danzante, and Doña Marina
Moctezuma and the danzantes
They have learned well and it’s going to be an outstanding three years!
You are invited…
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged canastas, convite, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Mexico, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, procession, Teotitlán del Valle on July 5, 2016| 7 Comments »
Late yesterday afternoon, under a dark and threatening sky, we gathered in front of Teotitlán del Valle’s church for the first *convite of the Fiesta Titular a la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, the village’s patron saint festival.
Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo
Peeking out from the canastas
Danzante and daughter
Subalterno entertaining the crowd
Kids in the ‘hood patiently waiting and posing
Leaving the church
Through the streets with one of several marmotas
Hundreds of unmarried girls and women parade through the streets
Balancing canastas with dignity and pride
The debut of the new Grupo de Danza de Pluma Promesa (2016-18)
The rain held off, as the procession returned to the church
And, the banda played on…
Major festivities of the Fiesta Titular a la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo continue through Sunday. We shall return!
* Convite: According to Harrap’s Spanish and English Pocket Dictionary, convite means reception. However, if I drag my weighty Larousse Standard Diccionario down from the shelf, convite translates to “invitation” or “banquet.” And, if one turns to Google or Bing translation programs, a convite is a “treat.” To me, it is all of the above!
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