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Posts Tagged ‘popular travel destinations’

Fathers of Oaxaca, 2014

Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on June 15, 2014| 6 Comments »

To all the loving fathers out there…

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A very happy Father’s Day!

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This is a good spot

Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Signs, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 8, 2014| 6 Comments »

The “buildings in a bad state” in Oaxaca continue to multiply.

crumbling adobe wall with sign "precaución! inmueble en mal estado"

Where some see unsightly decay, others see opportunity…

Crumbling adoble & brick wall with graffiti, "This is a good spot"

including urban artist, SCOM.

Crumbling adobe wall with graffiti creature by SCOM

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My split second story

Posted in Celebrations, cell phones, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 30, 2014| 11 Comments »

“I dunno… not much… festival going on downtown… Yeah, food looks good… couple of bands… castillo tonight… So, ya wanna go?”

Young man leaning against blue wall talking on cell phone

Last Sunday on a quiet side street away from the chaos and cacophony of the festival honoring el Divino Señor del Calvario, in San Juan Bautista Coixtlahuaca, Oaxaca.  Of course, it’s probably not at all what was being said, not to mention the fact the conversation was most likely in Spanish or Mixtec.  But it’s my split second story.

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Not your Chicago Bulls

Posted in Animals, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on May 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Bulls, real…

Face of white bull

and imagined…

Face of bull painted on backboard of basketball hoop

… yesterday on the streets of San Juan Bautista Coixtlahuaca.

We were there for day four of the annual fiesta in honor of el Divino Señor del Calvario and to see the Templo y ExConvento de San Juan Bautista — another of the grand Dominican churches currently undergoing restoration.  More about both later.  No bull!

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Monos on the move

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on May 24, 2014| 6 Comments »

Yesterday, I was walking along calle de Flores Magón, and what to my wondering eyes did appear?

Pickup truck with 2 monos in back

Husband and wife?  Novia y novio??  “Just” friends???

Female mono laying in back of pickup gtruck

I’ve got to say, they looked rather stiff and not very comfortable.  Hope their trip was a short one!

Heads of male and female monos in back of truck

By the way, if you want to read a little about my journey to Oaxaca and expat life, Expat Blog recently published an interview with me, American Expat Living in Mexico – Interview with Shannon.  There is even a photo of a couple of monos supervising a banda.  Perhaps friends of the above???

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Eve of (mural) destruction

Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 18, 2014| 1 Comment »

Mexico has a long and important place in the history of communication through murals — from stories related by pre-Hispanic civilizations…

Maya fresco circa 790 C.E. - Bonampak, Chiapas

Maya fresco circa 790 C.E. – Bonampak, Chiapas.

through the world-renowned and influential Mexican muralists of the twentieth century:  Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros, and others.

History of Mexico by Diego Rivera, 1931 - National Palace, Mexico City.

History of Mexico by Diego Rivera, 1931 – National Palace, Mexico City.

And, as many of you know, murals on the walls of Oaxaca are part of the urban landscape, authorized or not, like them or not, they celebrate…

One of the murals in the pedestrian tunnel to the Guelaguetza auditorium.

One of several murals in the pedestrian tunnel to the Guelaguetza auditorium in Oaxaca city.

educate…

San Antonino Castillo Velasco, Oaxaca.

San Antonino Castillo Velasco, Oaxaca.

reveal past and present — and hopes and fears for the future.

Calle Tinoco y Palacios, between Vasconcelos and Niños Héroes.

Calle Tinoco y Palacios, between Vasconcelos and Niños Héroes, Oaxaca city.

Those found on the streets we expect to be ephemeral, but commissioned work, both inside and outside of buildings, we hope would have a longer and more permanent lifespan.  Of course, the Rockefeller family’s destruction of Diego Rivera’s Rockefeller Center mural showed differently.  And, more recently, my friend and artist, Mike Alewitz experienced the obliteration of his mural on the side of the Pathfinder Building, also in New York.  Both were instances of political differences and, while distressing, perhaps not too surprising.

However, today Mike is leading a battle in defense of his students’ murals.  According to NBC Connecticut:

Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) has built up one of the largest mural collections in the country since the program started in 2001. But Professor Mike Alewitz, who oversees CCSU’s mural painting program, said that collection is at risk.

The school has painted over six of the murals without notice and plans to do the same with another 12, Alewitz said Richard Bachoo, director of operations, confirmed. He said he hopes an appeal to the university and community support will protect the remaining murals.

“It made them feel part of the larger world, that they weren’t looking at blank walls inside an institution, but they were looking at the hopes and dreams of young people,” Alewitz said. “We found out that 18 murals were scheduled to be destroyed.”

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He says in the 14 years the mural program has existed, the policy has never been implemented in this way. Alewitz said in a statement that this is “the largest destruction of public art in recent history.” While administrators have removed murals in the past, they normally consult with the art department first, he said.

“The real policy has been that people love the murals, so when they’ve been painted, they’ve stayed up,” Alewitz said.

Oaxaca would lose much of her character and lessons would be lost, if we were to wake one morning and find all her murals disappeared.  The story is the same at CCSU.  For the full article, click HERE.  To send messages of protest and to see some of the amazing student murals that enliven the walls and stimulate thinking at CCSU but are slated for destruction, click HERE.  And, Why Bureaucrats Fear Art, is a letter to students and fellow artists, by Mike Alewitz.

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Shadows on the wall

Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on May 16, 2014| 4 Comments »

Everyday and everywhere there is something to see…

shadows from cactus & portico on orange wall

if we just open our eyes.

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Information please

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on May 13, 2014| 8 Comments »

These creatures began materializing around town a couple of months ago.  I wonder…

Creatures painted on wall

Who are they?

Creature painted on wall

Where did they come from?

Creatures painted on wall

What do they want?

Creatures painted on wall

Perhaps, I should ask here!

Creature painted on wall

The walls of Oaxaca… you have questions, they have answers.

Update:  The monsters sprang forth from the mind of SCOM.

h/t Jason Pfohl of Gorilla Glass.

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Feliz cumpleaños Oaxaca!

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on April 25, 2014| 2 Comments »

Today the City of Oaxaca celebrates 482 years as a colonial city.  (*** See below for a little history.)  The day began at 6 AM with the ringing of the Cathedral’s bells, the singing of Mañanitas Oaxaqueñas, and marimbas and tamales on the Alameda de León. Alas, that was a little early for me to be up, dressed, and downtown.  However, all I had to do was step out on my terrace to watch the next event of the day.

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Five Pilatus PC7 Mexican Air Force planes put on a  show over the city.

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They made several passes over the city.

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For their finale, contrails displayed the green, white, and red of the Mexican flag.

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And then they were gone.  I love how Noticias concludes their report,  “After 45 minutes, the ‘steel birds’ returned to their base, pending a new appeal to challenge gravity.”

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Celebrations continue through May 8 and a schedule of events can be found HERE.

*** In 1532 Spanish settlers (their bloody way paved by Hernán Cortés and his conquistadores) successfully petitioned the Queen of Spain for a land grant of 1 square league.  The colonists had already established their own town on the site of Huaxyacac, renamed it Antequera (after an old Roman city  in Spain) and received a Royal Charter from King Charles I of Spain. However, Cortés had successfully gotten the entire Valley of Oaxaca (hundreds of thousands of acres) declared as his own private marquisate and, his greed knowing no bounds, kept trying to evict the colonial townspeople.  By obtaining the queen’s charter, this end-run around Cortés insured the rights of the townspeople to the land.

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Portraits of Jesús

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Good Friday wasn’t all about Mary.  Viernes Santo processions present larger-than-life images of Jesús in all his piety and suffering.

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Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar
Do you think you’re what they say you are?

— Superstar, lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber

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Portraits of María

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 21, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Good Friday in Oaxaca… Jesús may be the one who they say was crucified and resurrected, but María is never far from his side.

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From frequent traveler to Oaxaca, Liza Bakewell’s book, Madre:  Perilous Journeys with a Spanish Noun:

One can travel all over Spain and its former viceroyalties and never see as many elaborately bedecked and bejeweled Virgins as one will see here in Mexico — neither in number, nor in glory.  Yes, in Peru there are many famously ornate ones.  In Colombia, too.  Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador have their share.  The Philippines is a runner-up.  But Mexico has all of them beat.  Marian devotion, the worship of the Virgin Mary in all her forms through song, prayer, writing painting, sculpture, and shrines, went wild in Mexico.  (p. 169)

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Holy blindfold, Batman!

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 18, 2014| 4 Comments »

Last night, fortified by tostadas, guacamole, and a little vino, a gal pal and I set out for the Jueves Santo (aka:  Holy Thursday and Maundy Thursday) tradition of visiting seven churches.  According to that fount of knowledge, Wikipedia, “The tradition of visiting seven churches on Holy Thursday is an ancient practice, probably originating in Rome.”

We purchased our bag of Pan Bendito (bread that had been blessed) and set off.  As always, the sidewalks were teeming with people in a combination of a semi-solemn pilgrimage, street festival, family night at the fair, and date night.  (Of course, there was canoodling.)  And, despite the “Entrada” and “Salida” signs on the doors of many of the churches, foot traffic was often gridlocked.  I didn’t help matters when I stopped short.  Jesus wearing a blindfold?

Blindfolded statue of Jesus

At another church, another blindfolded Jesus…

Blindfolded Jesus behind bars

And, another…

Blindfolded statue of Jesus behind bars

Holy Thursday, Batman, how could I have missed these blindfolded Jesus figures in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013???

(For those, like me, who are clueless where this blindfold business comes from:  According to the Gospels of Luke (22:64) and Mark (14:65), Jesus was blindfolded, mocked, and beaten following his trial and before his crucifixion.)

 

 

 

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Good Friday morning to you

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 18, 2014| 5 Comments »

And so, Viernes Santo began…

Procession

Processions from churches in the Historic District began at 7:00 AM.

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They converged at the Alameda, on the south side of the Cathedral,

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where “our Lord meets his most Holy Mother going towards Calvary.”

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The faithful, now as one, then proceeded east on Independencia…

People dragging wooden crosses

along with the images of Mary and Jesus…

Statues of Mary and Jesus

stopping along the way at Stations of the Cross.

Septima Estacion - altar on outside stairs

I left at 9:30 AM — they were still going.  Early this evening, all will again gather for the Procession of Silence.  No rest for the faithful or weary bloggers!

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Lord of the Little Burro

Posted in Animals, Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 14, 2014| 3 Comments »

San Antonino Castillo Velasco continues to enchant.  What’s not to like about a village known for growing flowers, decorating graves with designs created with flor inmortal (immortal flowers) during Día de los Muertos, and floral designs executed in exquisite embroidery?!!

Then there is Palm Sunday and the tradition of gathering at the panteón, loading El Señor del Burrito with locally grown bounty, blessing by the priest, an incense led procession carrying it to the church, and then selling it to raise money for a local orphanage.

It never ceases to amaze!  The produce loaded onto the Little Burro, along with the overflow, was fantastic — enormous cabbages, the whitest of white cauliflower, perfect roses, cacao beans, squash, fruits, and on and on…

Then there are the people… young and old, they are always gracious and welcoming. And this year, under temperatures threatening 90ºF, women were circulating throughout the gathering crowd, offering thirst quenching aguas to stave off dehydration.

Oh yes, there were also kids and animals — and sometimes together!  As I think I’ve mentioned before, children in these indigenous communities seem to always be included and when old enough (5 and up, I’m guessing), given responsibilities — joy and exuberance, along with patience and commitment, abound.

I loved watching the little boys wrangling the goats as the procession proceeded from the panteón to the church.

 

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Good Samaritans

Posted in Beverages, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2014| 4 Comments »

If you are in Oaxaca and it’s the fourth Friday of Lent, it must be Día de la Samaritana (AKA, el Día de las Aguas) — a uniquely Oaxacan celebration.  It is inspired by the Gospel of John story in the New Testament:  At noon, a tired and, apparently, thirsty Jesus, on his way to Galilee, asks a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in Sychar for some water.  His request was highly unusual because, according to the Old Testament, “Jews regarded the Samaritans as foreigners and their attitude was often hostile.”  The woman complied with his request and the rest is history.

By noon, this past Friday in Oaxaca, the thermometer had already reached 90º F in El Centro Histórico and people of all ages, from small children to abuelos, were already lined up at bougainvilla and palm decorated booths in front of churches, schools, and businesses for the traditional Día de la Samaritana free aguas.  It wasn’t just plain water they were waiting on, it was for divinely flavored aguas frescas made with fresh fruits and flowers — jamaica, horchata, chilacayota, tamarindo, sandia, and others.  However in front of the churches, prior to the offering of aguas, there was a reenactment of Jesus and the Samaritana, as well as a priestly blessing — and an article in Noticias reported that, given the blazing hot sun, some in the crowd became a little impatient.

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All were eventually served and the streets were filled with smiling people drinking a rainbow of aguas.  Within an hour the serving pots, pitchers, bowls, and buckets were empty and all that remained were garbage containers filled to overflowing with plastic cups.

By the way, talking to my friend Sam, who teaches at Universidad José Vasconcelos de Oaxaca, they had an aguas frescas contest — memorable combinations of watermelon with strawberries and lime; atole with tuna nieve; and coconut with strawberries.  However, I was informed the day’s winner was the piña colada — alas, minus the rum, I’m thinking.

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