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Posts Tagged ‘photos’

Size doesn’t matter

Posted in Culture, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

What are you driving these days?  Size doesn’t matter when it comes to cool rides in Oaxaca…

The question is, do you dance with wolves while driving?

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It’s all Greek to me

Posted in Culture, Immigration, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on February 15, 2014| 7 Comments »

I’m SO done with this so-called, Polar Vortex!  I was supposed to fly into Albany, NY on Thursday night.  It’s now Saturday morning, I’ve gotten as far as Chicago, and killing time until tonight’s flight by sorting through sun-drenched, color-filled, warm-weather Oaxaca photos.  Even if the weather gods and goddesses are not cooperating, at least their cyber siblings are on the job providing WiFi — thus a new blog post.

Store front: Makedonia

This watch-repair, jewelry, and gifts (large or small) shop on Calle 20 del Noviembre is owned by Alekos Gatonas, originally from Macedonia.  He studied at the University of Chicago, met his Oaxaqueña wife, and eventually they moved to Oaxaca.  He and his family also own the event venue, “Zorba El Griego” and a Greek restaurant on the way to El Tule, “El Griego.”

By the way, “EΛΛΔΣ” translates into the Spanish word, “ellas,” which can be translated into English as “including.”

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Day of love & friendship

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , on February 14, 2014| 8 Comments »

After a day’s delay (thanks to the big snow storm), I’ll be spending Valentine’s Day enroute to the US East Coast to visit family.  However, I wanted to wish all my readers much love and friendship.

String of hearts with word, amor¡Feliz día del amor y la amistad!

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It’s a jungle out there

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on February 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »

A mono in camo, seriously???

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I guess it really is a jungle out there.  But, it isn’t easy to stay hidden when your buddy is laughing at you.

Just another day crossing the Plaza de la Danza on my way to the market.  As I keep saying, you just never know what you will uncover walking the streets of Oaxaca.

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Sitting on top of the world

Posted in Buildings, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 5, 2014| 5 Comments »

It’s amazing how sometimes light, shade, and a pristine backdrop can come together to highlight something you have looked at hundreds of times, but have never really seen.

Early last week, on a stunningly clear blue sky day, I passed the La Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption) and stopped dead in my tracks.

Mexican flag atop Cathedral

The flag must have been what initially caught my attention — it’s not an everyday occurrence — but what held my gaze were the three gals atop the Cathedral.

Seated female statue on top of Cathedral

I wondered, are they new?

Standing female statue on top of Cathedral

Once home, I scrolled through old photos I’d taken and sure enough there they were in every photo of the Cathedral’s facade.

Seated female statue with arm around child on top of Cathedral

Hmmm…  How could I have missed their imposing presence?

Now to find out who they represent.  (You can take the librarian away from the reference desk, but you can’t take the reference questions away from the librarian!)  Anybody out there have any answers???

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A tradition that flatters your palate

Posted in Food, Parks & Plazas, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 28, 2014| 6 Comments »

After more than two weeks of frente fríos (cold fronts) sweeping down from el norte, the weather has turned downright hot, with temperatures in the mid 80s (F).  What’s a person to do?  Today, this person headed to her favorite ice cream parlor, Nevería Malena at Jardín Socrates.

I previously mentioned this nevería when the Jardín underwent an image enhancement a year and a half ago.  And, as before I ordered leche quemada (burnt milk) and tuna (nopal cactus fruit).  It may not have been the most nutritious lunch, but it hit the spot!

Parfait glass with leche quemada and tuna

As you can see from the photo, Nevería Malena now sports spiffy new seat covers for the backs of their wrought iron chairs.  And, on the back of the laminated menu of flavors, the story of Malena and the “tradition that flatters your palate” is told.  (My translation follows.)

Placard with an image of Señora Malena and a granddaughter

Señora Malena is the 5th child of Ángel Armengol and Anacieta Hernández.  They taught her the craft and soon she became one of the most prestigious and famous for the seasoning and flavors of her frozen dessert.  

Initially, Malena walked around the Zócalo, offering her frozen dessert in glasses.  Later she relocated next to the Cathedral where she continued to offer her delicious frozen dessert.  (Note:  At that time natural ice was brought from the community of “La Nevería” in the Sierra Juárez.)  She then moved to the Alameda de León to a space which already had a laminated roof.  It was here she affectionately began to be called, “Malenita” and the stall was named Malena.

Malena became famous for traditional flavors like burnt milk, sorbet, walnut, pear, and lemon.  Fame grew with an invitation by the Secretariat of Tourism to participate in the “Week of Oaxaca in Mexico,” at which Malena participated for 15 years.  The stall subsequently was transferred to “Socrates Garden” where it is currently run by her children and grandchildren, with love and affection — to continue the tradition and increase the variety of flavors.

Hanging plaques listing flavors

And, increase the flavors they have!  So many to choose from.  Hmmm… next time, Beso de Ángel or Diablo???

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As Mr. Rodgers sang…

Posted in Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged , , , , , , on January 26, 2014| 2 Comments »

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”

A winter Sunday in Oaxaca.

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Divorced eggs???

Posted in Culture, Food, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 23, 2014| 8 Comments »

Sí, huevos divorciados!  A little food porn to begin the day…

Plate of huevos divorciados

Early morning walk up to Hotel las Golondrinas yesterday morning for breakfast.  Surrounded by the distinctive pottery of Dolores Porras, it was the perfect setting to meet Michael Peed, filmmaker of the documentary, Dolores Porras: Artista Artesana de Barro.

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Esquipulas espectacular

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on January 21, 2014| 3 Comments »

As promised, the fireworks on Sunday night at Templo del Carmen Alto celebrating Señor de Esquipulas were, indeed, espectacular!  But, you may be asking, “Who is he and why does he deserve such celebration and veneration?”

Esquipulas refers to a town in Guatemala where, prior to the arrival of the Spanish, the peoples of Mesoamerica worshiped the god Ek Chua.  After the Conquest, in 1594, Quirio Cataño was commissioned to carve a sculpture of Jesus on the cross for Esquipulas.  Legend has it that Cataño used dark wood so that it looked more like the indigenous residents of the area.  Another version of the story has the sculpture turning dark overnight to “please the children from the village of Esquipulas.”  However, during a recent restoration of the image it was determined that it was centuries of smoke from candles and being touched by the faithful that turned the original light wood, dark.

Señor de Esquipulas during the Procession of Silence, Good Friday 2013

Señor de Esquipulas from Templo Carmen Alto, Oaxaca — Procession of Silence, Good Friday 2013

Various miracles have been attributed to Señor de Esquipulas and pilgrims descend on the small Guatemalan village from Central America and Mexico to venerate the Black Christ.  He has a long reach and replicas have been commissioned in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, and even as far away as Venezuela for the faithful to worship.

I’m not sure how Carmen Alto in Oaxaca came to house a Señor de Esquipulas, but it does and they go all out celebrating.  Processions and special masses have been held during the week.  However, the big festival day is January 19 and it began with early morning rockets at 6 AM — Alegres mañanitas in honor of the Señor de Esquipulas.   The eucharist was celebrated at 7 AM, 8 AM, and 12 PM — the latter “For the peace of the world and for all the infirmed.”  Cultural events were held during the day and there was another eucharist at 7 PM.  Following the evening eucharist, Señor de Esquipulas was carried through the streets of the parish, accompanied by a band, monos, and believers.

Once they returned to Carmen Alto’s courtyard, it was “torito” time.  The little bull holding up part of the castillo-under-construction in my last blog post, was ready to take center stage.  Encircled by a brave crowd, for twenty to thirty minutes he danced and ran around the plaza spewing sparks at those in the line of fire.

Next up was two castillos, multi-story structures wired for a major sensory experience — light, sound, and much welcome heat, on a chilly night.  Peace seemed to be a theme this year, with wheel appendages spelling out, “Violence no more” and “All united for peace.”  This year there was even a prerecorded soundtrack.  A young couple, on a cycling trip from Vancouver to Argentina, recognized it as music from a movie that I hadn’t heard of — however, they seemed quite surprised and delighted.

The flaming tops of each castillo eventually spun off into the night, as a fabulous fireworks display lit up the sky.

The show put on for Señor de Esquipulas was spectacular!

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Danger / Peligro

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on January 19, 2014| 4 Comments »

Beware, anyone in the vicinity of Carmen Alto church tonight…

There’s going to be some major fireworks!!!

Oaxaca is celebrating the Black Christ, Señor de Esquipulas.

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Has this post got legs?

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 17, 2014| 2 Comments »

And now for a little levity…

Seen through the window of La Condesa restaurant and bar in Oaxaca.

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I love to tease men with my legs.   — Eartha Kitt

I keep waiting for the bar stools to break out into a tap dance routine.  A friend posted this video on Facebook yesterday of Fred Astaire tapping and drumming — at the same time!   I wonder what he would have done with these stools?

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Attack of the killer cactus

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Gardens, Health, tagged , , , , , , on January 15, 2014| 13 Comments »

Reader alert:  If you are squeamish, you might want to skip this post.

Yesterday, minding my own business, I was attacked by a killer cactus!  Well, the cactus isn’t really a killer (at least, I don’t think it is) and I wasn’t really minding my own business — I was weeding in the vicinity of said cactus, which I think is an Austrocylindropuntia subulata ssp. exaltata.  Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time this particular cactus and I had had a run in.

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Four years ago, concentrating on weeding around another plant, I momentarily forgot about the danger lurking in the neighboring pot and got stabbed in the upper arm.  After more than momentary disbelief, I gathered my wits and called on my friend, neighbor, and fellow gardener G for help.  He managed to pull the spine out with only a moderate amount of pain, cleansed the puncture site with alcohol (the rubbing kind), gave me alcohol (the drinking kind), and I was good to go.

After that encounter, I showed the Austrocylindropuntia the respect it so rightly deserves.  I also admit to having had thoughts of abandoning it on my old apartment’s terrace when I moved last year.  However, I was convinced by my moving crew that it should join the rest of my garden on the new big terraza.  Though why they wanted to risk its espinas peligrosas, I don’t know.  However, I do know, I would have much preferred bringing my beautiful Agave Americana to my new home, but they said it was too big and had to stay put.

That brings me to yesterday’s unfortunate incident.  I remember thinking, as I reached in to pull a couple of weeds in the Austrocylindropuntia’s pot, “Go get the long garden tweezers.”  But I didn’t, and got stabbed on the back of my right hand (between the knuckles of my index and middle finger) for the trouble.  How stupid could I be???  Stunned, I again turned to neighbors — this time, David and Marilyn from Alaska.  It was decided I needed professional help, so off to Hospital Molina we walked, me with a four-inch cactus spine sticking out of the top of my hand.

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The doctor took me into an exam room immediately.  He asked the important questions:   “Name?  Age?  Address?  Allergies?  Where is the offending cactus located?  Do you use pesticides in your garden?”    I asked the question that was foremost on my mind, “Aren’t you going to use lidocaine?”   “No,” he calmly replied.  He then directed me to relax and look toward the window.  He had such reassuring manner,  I actually did as I was told.  He gently felt around the protruding spine and then it was out — and, miracle of miracles, I didn’t feel a thing!  He, too, cleansed the wound with alcohol, wrote prescriptions for an antibiotic and a mild pain reliever, told me to apply hot compresses twice a day, and collected 300 pesos ($23.00 US) for the visit.  I collected my ever-so-kind neighbors and we went on our way.  The phrase, “Do you have insurance?” was never uttered and I was not required to fill out ANY forms!

It’s thirty hours later and I am alive and well.  Antibiotic is being taken every six hours, my hand is only slightly swollen, and there is only a little pain.  I’m good to go.  And I’m thinking, it’s time for the Austrocylindropuntia subulata ssp. exaltata to go.  No use tempting fate a third time!

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Work in progress

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Urban artist, Yescka, at work on December 20, 2013 at Gorilla Gallery in Oaxaca…

Live action painting from the back of the glass, a devilish Virgen de Guadalupe emerges…

From the back and from the front, La Virgen is finished.

Yescka then turned to one of the gallery’s windows; outside looking in and inside looking out.

Like street art, these works are not forever.  In a month (or so), the virgin will be disappeared and another artist will come to Gorilla Gallery to create another ephemeral masterpiece.

Gorilla Gallery is at Crespo 213 and is open on Thursdays, from 2:00 – 8:0 PM.

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Pop-up parade

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Education, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , on January 11, 2014| 2 Comments »

Walking down the Alcalá… on the way home late yesterday afternoon… sounds of a band… I look up towards Santo Domingo… and see a calenda coming down the street.

Universidad La Salle Oaxaca on parade.  Reason # 552 why I love living here!

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Who is that woman?

Posted in Culture, History, Parks & Plazas, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , on January 9, 2014| 1 Comment »

At a busy intersection, on a small concrete island, sits the bust of a woman.  Who is she?

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This is where Pino Suarez and República both meet Niños Heroes, traffic comes in at “unnatural” angles, and my attention is usually laser focused on attempting to look in the right direction, deciphering which traffic lights do what, and keeping my adrenalin in check as I determine the safest moment to dash across each street.

However, a few days ago, on my return to El Centro, after having walked far up into Colonia Reforma, I decided to take a break and investigate.  Just who is this indigenous woman who presides from her triangular perch.

P1010334Meet Brigida Garcia de Juárez, from the mountain village of Guelatao, Oaxaca — mother of Oaxaca’s beloved favorite son and Mexico’s revered former president, Benito Pablo Juárez García.  She died when he was only three years old.

The plaque that rests at the base of the monument reads, “Madre de Benemérito de America – H. Ayuntamiento – 1984.  Mother of the distinguished national hero of modern Mexico.

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