Returning home from the trip to el norte, I discovered an animal crossing in the works near my local Pitico.
Thanks to the artist, Waffloide, it’s a jungle out there!
Now I can’t get The Lion Sleeps Tonight out of my head.
Posts Tagged ‘urban art’
Animal crossing
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Music, Signs, Travel & Tourism, tagged crossing sign, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, The Lion Sleeps Tonight (song), urban art, Waffloide (artist), wall art on June 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Street-side signing
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Language, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Braille, deaf artists, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, sign language, street art, urban art, wall art on May 10, 2022| 4 Comments »
The walls of Oaxaca always have a lot to say. Now you can learn the abecedario a señas (sign language alphabet) from a wall on 5 de mayo in Barrio de Jalatlaco.
In mid April, this new mural was unveiled. Organized by Maestro Rolando Sigüenza, deaf artists Jonatan Martínez, Juan Antonio García, Moisés Antonio Orozco, María Soledad Aguilar, Blanca Flor Pineda, Miguel Eduardo Mancera, Jesús Ariel Castellanos, Mitzi Scheherazada, Rebeca Casas, Susana Hernánez, Marcial Pérez, Emmanuel Ignacio, Cristhian Yépez, and Ángel Iván Torres painted a mural of the alphabet in sign language and braille.
The text below Benito Juárez explains, “On November 28, 1867, Benito Juárez founded the first school for deaf people in Mexico, which at that time was called the National School for the Deaf, despite the fact that the School was closed, the deaf continue to fight for our rights.”
The owner of the property, la señora Rosario Martínez, said she provided the space so these artists could show their work and to beautify the neighborhood.
Does anyone know what Benito Juárez and the danzante are signing?
My plan is to learn a new letter each time I walk by.
Jalatlaco house hunters
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Daniel Pinchbeck quote, House Hunters International (TV series), Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, The End of Tourism Podcast, urban art on April 29, 2022| 8 Comments »
Breaking news up here in el norte, relayed to me via email from friends in San Francisco and in a phone conversation with my BFF in Alaska: The most recent episode of House Hunters International took place in Oaxaca AND one of the houses featured was in my neighborhood, Barrio de Jalatlaco. My SF friends described the very distinctive building facade and I knew exactly where it was — and had taken several photographs of it.
According to the episode’s description, “A young couple decides to leave their home in Memphis and move sight unseen to Oaxaca, Mexico. They’re both fitness junkies who want a taste of the mountains and nature, and he wants a place on the outskirts, but she prefers to be near the city center.”
Sight unseen? In any case (spoiler alert), my friends informed me the young fitness junkies turned it down as it was too small and dark.
I haven’t seen the episode, but I have seen the show and it never ceases to amaze and dismay me that most of the time, the buyers and renters come to developing countries with highly developed expectations AND wanting it all for a fraction of the cost in their home countries.
The rent was $1100 (US) per month — low in most US cities but extremely high for most Oaxaqueños. Such is rental inflation wrought by, among other things, digital nomads willing to pay whatever their bank balances will bear, never mind the impact on the local economy, and the proliferation of apartments being turned into Airbnb rentals.
Something to think about from, The End of Tourism Podcast interview with Daniel Pinchbeck:
And many of the people that I know have become, you know, quote unquote “digital nomads.” So if they’re doing like lifestyle coaching or marketing or tech or whatever, they can basically do that from anywhere in the planet. And obviously because they’re wealthy and come with money to restaurants and buy goods, there’s desirability for them to make a second home someplace or whatever.
… I think that often we see in the world over the last decades kind of like homogenization, cultural homogenization.
… And so the tourism which ends up taking Western first world values and spreading them everywhere acts as kind of a larger imperialist, colonialist kind of project that can lead to the deterioration of the integrity of local cultures and very few countries and cultures have had the capacity to kind of build the defense structure, recognizing the danger of this.
I’ve just seen a face…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, tagged doors, I've Just Seen a Face (song), Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, stickers, street art, urban art, wall art on April 21, 2022| 2 Comments »
Is it just my imagination or is there a face hidden in this entry?
Now I can’t get The Beatles, I’ve Just Seen a Face out of my head. Oh, and now Traffic with Steve Winwood singing Smiling Phases. Yes, I know I’m dating myself, but we had some pretty unforgettable music back in the day!
Dancing on the cobblestone streets
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, dancers, Guelaguetza, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, street art, urban art, wall art on April 3, 2022| 4 Comments »
On the walls of Barrio de Jalatlaco, there is always dancing on the cobblestone streets.
And, it’s not just during La Guelaguetza that the sights and sounds of real life dancers can be heard and seen in the neighborhoods of Oaxaca, calendas (parades) celebrating festivals, weddings, graduations, and more are part of the life and soundtrack of Oaxaca.
Home is where the hummingbirds hover
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged colibrí, Colibríes de México y Norteamérica/ Hummingbirds of México and North America (book), hummingbirds, metal art, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, street art, textile arts, urban art, wall art, watercolor on March 23, 2022| 2 Comments »
Spring has sprung in the valley of Oaxaca and that means the hottest and driest months are upon us. Despite conventional wisdom, the temperatures actually cool down a little in the summer, when the afternoon/evening rains come. I confess, this time of year, when the thermometer hovers around 90º (Fahrenheit), by early afternoon my energy is sapped and motivation melts away. Hence, blog posts are few and far between. However, today is a little cooler and my blog’s namesake inspired me to let my fingers not just hover over keyboard, but actually type!
Colibríes in murals seen on walls around the city…
A few of the colibríes seen in the art and artesanía in my Casita Colibrí home…
Speaking of hovering, a little information from the book, Colibríes de México y Norteamérica/ Hummingbirds of México and North America to go along with the pretty pictures:
Hummingbirds are noted for their incredible ability to fly. They can hover suspended in the air and can fly in any direction, even sideways and backwards, allowing them to reach their food anywhere. Their powerful chest muscles are extremely developed (they can account for around 30% of their body mass) and this allows them to beat their wings very rapidly, from an incredible 80 wing beats per second, up to a staggering 200 wing beats per second when performing certain maneuvers during courtship. Their muscles also allow them to reach amazing speeds, ranging from 50 to 95 km/hr when diving in flight during courtship.
A .pdf of the book is free to download from the above link.
Girls have the power
Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged International Women's Day, Mad In, María Antonieta Chagoya Méndez, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on March 8, 2022| 2 Comments »
On International Women’s Day, a mural in Barrio de Jalatlaco…
Mural by the Mad In crew celebrating the life of María Antonieta Chagoya Méndez, a lawyer who, among many other notable activities, shared her legal knowledge with civil associations and founded the Rotary Center for Autism Intervention, which served children with special needs.
Artist at work
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, HAZHE IS, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, skeletons, street art, urban art, wall art, working artist on March 5, 2022| 4 Comments »
Three days ago, as I was walking up Calle 5 de mayo in Barrio de Jalatlaco to pay my cable TV bill, I came upon an artist at work.
This afternoon, I retraced my steps to see if the artist known as HAZHE IS had completed this newest mural in the neighborhood.
I don’t know if it’s finished, but I do know (IMHO) it is a welcome (and welcoming) addition to the view when departing the ADO bus station across the street. ¡Salud!
Watermelon homage to Rufino Tamayo
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged artist homage, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, public art, Rufino Tamayo, urban art, Watermelon Man (song) on February 20, 2022| 8 Comments »
Rufino Tamayo’s iconic sandía paintings and the thirtieth anniversary of the Oaxaca painter’s death, provided the inspiration for a tribute to the artist commissioned by promoter and curator, Nancy Mayagoitia. In an homage, thirty artists, all with connections to Oaxaca, interpreted large sculptural watermelon slices. The free public exhibition opened at the end of October 2021 in the Plaza de la Danza and then moved outside Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán adjacent to Oaxaca’s walking street, Macedonio Alcalá — where, as of a few of days ago, it continues to reside.
After working on this blog post, I can’t get “Watermelon Man” by Mongo Santamaria out of my head. The link is from their performance at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. If you want to watch something singularly special and significant, I highly recommend that you to check out Summer of Soul, a 2021 documentary that beautifully chronicles the festival.
From my heart…
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged Día del Amor y la Amistad, environmentalism, hearts, Mexico, Noel Gómez Lorenzo, Oaxaca, photos, plastic recycling, popular travel destinations, recycling hearts, saving the planet, street art, urban art, Valentine's Day on February 14, 2022| 4 Comments »
In Mexico, Valentine’s Day is known as Día del Amor y la Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship) — a sentiment that honors and celebrates more than just romantic love.
From my heart and home to yours, I wish all my blog readers, ¡Feliz Día del Amor y la Amistad!
Celebrating the place where you live
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Food, Markets, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged Almú restaurant, Don José Garcia Antonio, Empanada de Amarillo, murals, Ocotlán de Morelos, photos, popular travel destinations, Rodolfo Morales, San Antonino Castillo Velasco, San Martín Tilcajete, street art, Taller Manos Que Ven, urban art, wall art on February 8, 2022| 17 Comments »
Last Thursday my BFF took me on an out-of-the-city birthday excursion. She hired a by-the-hour driver, picked me up a little after 9:00 AM, and off we went. Our first stop was Ocotlán de Morelos and besides wandering through the mercado, we stopped at the Municipal Palace to take in the magnificent murals painted by Rodolfo Morales in 1955 celebrating the four hundredth anniversary of the founding of Ocotlán. The murals, which honor its beauty, bounty, and people take up the entire room, including the ceiling.
Next on the day’s agenda was San Antonino Castillo Velasco. As its murals remind one, this is a town famous for its floral embroidery and empanadas de amarillo. I should add, it is also known for Taller Manos Que Ven, the home and workshop of clay sculpture Don José Garcia Antonio (aka, the Blind Potter) and his lovely wife and inspiration, Doña Teresita de Jesús. We did a little clothes shopping (thank you, Miriam Campos), ate empanadas, and stopped in to say “hola” to the aforementioned, Don José and Doña Teresita — where we also made a couple of purchases.
Our final stop of the day was for comida at the new open air restaurant and vivero (nursery), Almú, set in a reforestation campo (field) in San Martín Tilcajete. Murals throughout the town reflect a village celebrated for its woodcarving and colorful painting of masks and alebrije and where moto taxis (tuk-tuks) are a common form of transportation for locals.
It was a delightful, delicious, and art filled day!
Out of destruction comes beauty
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Renovation, Travel & Tourism, tagged #MovimientoVecinal, Barrio de Jalatlaco, Mexico, murals, neighborhood pride, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on February 1, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Out of Mother Nature’s fury in August 2021…
comes neighborhood cooperation and beauty in January 2022.
On Calzada de la República, between the Barrio de Jalatlaco streets, Calle Hidalgo and 5 de mayo.
Farewell 2021, it’s been trip!
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged Año Nuevo, art exhibitions, bicycles, Mexico, Nacimiento de navidad, New Year's Eve, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, Templo y Convento de San Francisco de Asís Oaxaca, Teotitlán del Valle, trees, urban art, wall art on December 31, 2021| 14 Comments »
I’m bidding a fond, but with a hint of “good-riddance to bad rubbish,” farewell to 2021. In truth, I’m trying not to view the recent piles of basura (garbage) in the streets and bloqueos (blockades) by the garbage collectors as a metaphor for this past year of pandemic, fires, floods, and general pandemonium in the world.
Long walks around the city sufficed to fill my need to “travel” until the spring when my world expanded — with untold gratitude to scientists for their work in developing vaccines to help protect us from worst case Covid-19 scenarios. After fourteen months, armed with the vaccine, cubrebocas (face masks), caution, and excitement, I began venturing out of the city (even up to el norte twice), spending time with family and friends, and actually attending activities and events in person, not just via Zoom. It was almost, but not quite, like normal — and it was good!
Feliz año nuevo y muchisimas gracias to all my wonderful blog readers for “hanging in” and for your encouraging comments during these challenging times — it means the world to me! May 2022 be kinder to all and bring you peace, joy, and health.
Guadalupe is never far
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, Teotitlán del Valle, urban art, Virgen de Guadalupe, wall art on December 11, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Tomorrow may be Día de la Virgin de Guadalupe, but she is never far from sight no matter the day or place.
Hummingbirds in the ‘hood
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged artwork, Barrio de Jalatlaco, colibri, hummingbirds, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, painting, photos, Raul Baños (artist), street art, urban art, wall art, watercolor on December 2, 2021| 4 Comments »
It’s been a crazy busy visit to el norte gratefully sprinkled with some fun with family and friends. However, now I’m getting ready for my return to Oaxaca and the hummingbirds in my Jalatlaco ‘hood.
The last image is a commissioned watercolor by Raul Baños hanging in my living room. How many colibríes (hummingbirds) can you see?
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- Day in the land of red clay
- Father’s Day wishes
- Animal crossing
- Another Indian laurel falls
- Hurricane Agatha Hits Oaxaca
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- Street-side signing
- Good Friday in Jalatlaco
- Jalatlaco house hunters
- I’ve just seen a face…
- San Salvador rides again
- Celebrating Dolores
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- Return of the Samaritan
- Home is where the hummingbirds hover
- Sometimes in winter
- Making a statement?
- Girls have the power
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