What can I say?
I am so…
With…
From yesterday’s walk, the walls seemed to read my mind.
Posts Tagged ‘popular travel destinations’
Letting the walls do the talking
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Health, tagged coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, graffiti, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, stencils, street art, urban art, wall art on August 24, 2020| 10 Comments »
My meditation for the day
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged African Tulip trees, Árbol de tulipán, Flame Trees, flowers, Mexico, mountains, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Tulipán africano, views, vistas on August 17, 2020| 5 Comments »
The flowers within and mountains beyond.
“I am large; I contain multitudes.” — Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass
Flowers and serpents
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, flowers & serpents, mural, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on August 10, 2020| 24 Comments »
A mural in progress. Jorge kept working…
… while Javier paused to chat and pose.
Also seen August 4, 2020 in Barrio de Jalatlaco, this time on Alianza.
Song of water
Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, El Armadillo Negro, El Canto del Agua, Fabián Calderón Sánchez, mural, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Sanez, street art, urban art, wall art on August 6, 2020| 6 Comments »
Oaxaca sings in the rainy season. Afternoon clouds gather, the sky darkens, wind picks up, thunder rumbles, heaven sinks closer to earth, and, if Cocijo is answering prayers, the sound of rain falling — El canto del agua; The song of water.
I knew the minute I saw this mural that it was the work of Fabián Calderón Sánchez (Sanez). Over the years, I’ve been captivated by and posted images of his thought provoking, creative, and powerful uses of indigenous imagery. The facade of El Armadillo Negro restaurant on Calle del 5 de mayo 307, Barrio de Jalatlaco, seen on August 4, 2020.
Ommm…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged meditating dog, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, stencil art, street art, urban art, wall art on August 3, 2020| 8 Comments »
Missing July 2019
Posted in Beverages, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged calendas, Carina Santiago, Desfile de Delegaciones, Feria del Tejate y el Tamal, Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres, Festival de los Moles, Grupo de Promesa de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021, Guelaguetza, hongos, Mexico, mezcal, Oaxaca, parades, photos, popular travel destinations, tejate, Teotitlán del Valle on July 27, 2020| 9 Comments »
July 2020, living in the time of Covid-19, is almost in the rear view mirror. Oh, how I have been missing July 2019!
July 9, 2019 – Teotitlán de Valle, Patronal festival in honor of La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.
July 10, 2019 – Teotitlán del Valle, Grupo de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021 dancing in honor of La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.
July 12, 2019 – Teotitlán del Valle, Convite inviting everyone to the fiesta celebrating La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.
July 13, 2019 – Teotitlán del Valle, Grupo de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021 dancing in honor of La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.
July 14, 2019 – Tlacolula de Matamoros Sunday market, Kalisa Wells at the stall of doll maker, Armando Sosa.
July 16, 2019 – Santa Catarina Minas at the mezcal palenque of Félix Ángeles Arellanes, Mezcal El Minerito.
July 18, 2019 – Oaxaca de Juárez, Carina Santiago at a cocinera tradicional (traditional cook) demonstration.
July 19, 2019 – Oaxaca de Juárez, Mole Festival at the Jardín Etnobotánico (Ethnobotanic Garden).
July 20, 2019 – Oaxaca de Juárez, Guelaguetza parade of delegations.
July 21, 2019 – San Antonio Cuajimoloyas, Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres (Regional Wild Mushroom Fair).
July 22, 2019 – Las Peñitas Reyes Etla, Guelaguetza.
July 25, 2019 – Oaxaca de Juárez, procession announcing the Guelaguetza Muy Especial by the Down’s Syndrome folkloric dance troupe.
July 26, 2019 – Oaxaca de Juárez, procession by the Asoc. de Juchitecos radicados en Oaxaca.
July 27, 2019 – Oaxaca de Juárez, young participants in the second Guelaguetza parade of delegations.
July 31, 2019 – Oaxaca de Juárez, making tejate at the Feria del Tejate y el Tamal in the Plaza de la Danza.
A reminder that we need to appreciate and be present to the present; it will never come this way again.
Back in the red
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Health, Travel & Tourism, tagged coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, cubrebocas, masks, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, semáforo system, stencils, street art, urban art, wall art on July 21, 2020| 6 Comments »
After only two weeks of semáforo naranja (orange traffic light), as of yesterday, the federal government ordered the State of Oaxaca back to semáforo rojo (red traffic light) in the ongoing battle with Covid–19.
To tell the truth, the move to orange had many of us scratching our heads. Closely following the data released by the state health department, we wondered if Oaxaca really was experiencing a downward trend in the four metrics used to move from one traffic light to another: numbers of new cases, hospital occupancy trends, current hospital occupancy, and percentage of positive cases.
As for cubrebocas — a misnomer, if there ever was one for reasons to follow: Sunday’s stroll about town revealed 15% of people not wearing masks; 50% wearing them correctly; 35% wearing the “cubreboca” ONLY over their mouth, just like the name implies. In Cuba they are called “nasobuco,” indicating they need to cover both nose and mouth — a much better name, methinks!
By the way, according to Richard Grabman over at The Mex Files, “85% of Mexicans are wearing masks in public, compared to 67% of people in the US.”
Virtual Guelaguetza 2020 delegations
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged braids, calendar of events, Guelaguetza, Guelaguetza 2020, Guelaguetza 2020 delegations, Guelaguetza 2020 poster, List of delegations, Mexico, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, schedule of events, virtual Guelaguetza 2020 on July 18, 2020| 2 Comments »
The Secretaría de las Culturas y Artes de Oaxaca (Secretariat of the Cultures and Arts of Oaxaca) and the Comité de Autenticidad (Authenticity Committee) have selected this year’s Guelaguetza delegations from video taken from the years 2017 to 2019. The performances will be broadcast by CORTV, both on television and on their Facebook page.
July 20, 2020 – Morning delegations and dances:
July 20, 2020 – Evening delegations and dances:
July 27, 2020 – Morning delegations and dances:
July 27, 2020 – Evening delegations and dances:
This year’s poster image is the work of Montserrat Alhelí Steck Ortiz and was chosen out of 67 entries. Titled, Trenzando Magía (Braiding Magic), according to this article the artist explained that she wanted to begin with the image of woman as symbol of mother earth and giver of all wealth — exemplified by the peasant working the land and tending Oaxaca’s iconic maguey. The image then illustrates the be-ribboned braids reaching out to capture the joy found in the colors, textures and dances of the eight regions of Oaxaca.
Guelaguetza gone virtual
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Bani Stui Gulal, Donají la Leyenda, Guelaguetza, Guelaguetza 2020 schedule of events, Legend of Donají, Mexico, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, posters, Villa de Zaachila, virtual Guelaguetza 2020 on July 15, 2020| 4 Comments »
It’s July, corn planting time and “Mes de la Guelaguetza” (month of the Guelaguetza) — a time when Oaxaca recognizes and celebrates the sixteen indigenous groups whose languages, traditions, and maize cultures long predate the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and permeate the character of the state. However, all is quiet in the streets. Due to the dreaded virus, there will be no live and in-person Guelaguetza 2020.
All is not lost; the “máxima fiesta” and its ancillary activities have gone virtual — broadcasting on TV and online.
Click on each image to read the dates and details for the book presentations, art exhibitions, lectures, and music and dance performances — including how to watch.
Villa de Zaachila is even holding a virtual Guelaguetza 2020, accessed from the Facebook page, “Guelaguetza Virtual Zaachila 2020”
It may not be up close and personal, but if you are missing the sights and sounds of la Guelaguetza, it’s better than nothing! And, if the above isn’t enough, you might want to scroll through my Guelaguetza blog posts from previous years.
These streets are made for walkin’
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on July 9, 2020| 15 Comments »
A sampling of sites seen from the streets that have saved my sanity while living in the age of Covid-19.
Barrio de Xochimilco
Marcos Pérez/Lic. José Vasconcelos neighborhood
Calle Independencia entrance to Mercado IV Centenario
Calle Santo Tomás at the corner of José Lopez Alavez
Calle Marcos Pérez
Casa de Barro, Av. Reforma
These streets are made for walkin’ and that’s just what I do!
Brightening my days
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, tagged African Tulip trees, Árbol de tulipán, Cee's Flower of the Day (FOTD) challenge, Flame Trees, flowers, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Spathodea campanulata, Tulipán africano on July 6, 2020| 17 Comments »
When the rains come and the three African Tulip trees (Spathodea campanulata, Tulipán africano, Flame trees, Flame of the Forest) in my apartment complex begin blooming, even grey days are brightened.
As the name suggests, Tulipán africano are native to Africa and I was first captivated by them in the early 1980s when I watched the PBS series, The Flame Trees of Thika, based on the Elspeth Huxley memoir about her early years in Kenya.
Beginning the late 1800s, these ornamental beauties were introduced to other parts of the world — thriving and even becoming invasive in many areas of the tropics.
Bursting with brilliance and providing food and shelter to a multitude of hummingbirds battling for territory and mates, these creations of Mother Nature always beckon me to stop, gaze, and marvel.
Who’s on first?
Posted in Economics, Health, Travel & Tourism, tagged coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, health and safety, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, reopening the economy, vendor stalls on June 30, 2020| 6 Comments »
Does anyone remember the Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First?” baseball routine? If not, check out the link — it’s still pretty funny and, at least to me, speaks to the confusion regarding news of Oaxaca beginning to lift the “quédate en casa” orders.
Mexico is using a stoplight system (Semáforo) to illustrate the COVID-19 risk of spread, with rojo (red) being the highest level of contagion, thus only essential services allowed to operate and people instructed to stay home. Oaxaca is still at red and for the past three months, in addition to closed museums and canceled church services, shuttered restaurants, hotels, businesses, and street stalls have been the norm.
However, given much of the state’s population relies on the informal economy and there is essentially no social safety net, economic hardship pushed the governor to announce on Sunday a reopening of businesses (albeit with restrictions on capacity, mask wearing, etc.) beginning July 5. Then on Monday morning, merchant leaders announced they would be reopening on July 1.
No matter if it’s July 1 or 5, I’m continuing as if nothing has changed. You will not find me dining in restaurants, shopping for a new falda (skirt), or browsing in art galleries. And, according to an article in today’s NVI Noticias, some of the hoteliers are not one hundred percent on board, either. The (translated) headline read, “We could go bankrupt, but we are not going to expose lives while the light is red.” With this accelerated reopening, it’s no doubt going to get worse before it gets better. So, to all the people who are anxious to visit Oaxaca, I continue to say, “For your safety and the safety of Oaxaca, please stay away until the light turns green.”
Update: In an extraordinary session yesterday (July 1, 2020), the city council of Oaxaca de Juárez unanimously voted to to extend the restrictions and preventive measures against COVID-19 while the light continues to be red.
Last Sunday’s scenes
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Xochimilco, bird images, bougainvillea, bugambilia, Colonia La Cascada, light and shadows, Mexico, murals, photos, popular travel destinations, rooftop decor, street art, tinaco, urban art, wall art on June 16, 2020| 4 Comments »
Last Sunday morning’s walk took us up and across Niños Heroes (aka, highway 190) into Barrio de Xochimilco and Colonia La Cascada. The (albeit sporadic) rains have begun, the field-burning has ended, and planting has begun. Thus, the air was fresh and the sky was varying shades of blue — depending on direction and hour. Humans and Mother Nature showed off their creativity. So, we kept walking…
It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
Dancing on the walls
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, China Oaxaqueña dancer, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, Flor de piña dancer, Guelaguetza dancers, light and shadows, Mexico, murals, music, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, Uriel Barragán Bouler, wall art on June 13, 2020| 6 Comments »
There will be no dancing in the streets or up on Cerro del Fortín this year. Due to Covid-19, La Guelaguetza, Oaxaca’s “máxima fiesta” has been canceled. However, thanks to the artist Bouler (Uriel Barragán), a few of the dancers can be seen dancing on the walls of Barrio de Jalatlaco.
If his work looks familiar, it is because this image from two weeks ago is part of the above series. In addition, he also painted the mural honoring Macedonio Alcalá in Jardín Carbajal.
From blue to pink…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, tagged blue sky, bougainvilla, bougainvillea, building colors, graffiti, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, rock sculpture, stained glass doors, torito, urban art, wall art, wall colors on June 1, 2020| 8 Comments »
Sunday’s walk went from blue to pink — with a few colors in between.
The colors were kind of like my mood over the course of two hours of walking.
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