tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25076155015048561262024-03-05T03:50:08.899-08:00Joy en OaxacaGrumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-16024999713484906282016-12-17T21:10:00.000-08:002016-12-17T21:10:10.722-08:00Taking a vacation from our vacation, Part 2We spent a few days in San Miguel de Allende, the town we lived in for six months in 2010, when Indigo was 3 years old. San Miguel is packed full of retired Americans, and it seems like there are even more of them than there were 6 years ago. Certainly the whole city seems to cater to Americans even more than it used to -- every last store in the center of town seems to have become some sort of tourist shop. These shops are often full of beautiful things, but after living in Oaxaca it doesn't seem like a Mexican town to me. <br />
<br />
But it is beautiful, full of lovely buildings, fountains, and artesanias. Here's a beautiful carved door.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxwhfYTCZaTu5jE9UhWMqJhAiC3vjD8EyW7l4vIIS14XLAmb6Cn9kXs4gSRkGoIk3DPcYsXFmvhdt5I3CUW1_8q8qHpQDHpt2k8e7sI6TsLjkhDiMwpIhLZUoWgpZQRW65bcFlxBxt_A/s1600/20161202_112659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxwhfYTCZaTu5jE9UhWMqJhAiC3vjD8EyW7l4vIIS14XLAmb6Cn9kXs4gSRkGoIk3DPcYsXFmvhdt5I3CUW1_8q8qHpQDHpt2k8e7sI6TsLjkhDiMwpIhLZUoWgpZQRW65bcFlxBxt_A/s400/20161202_112659.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
And here's a shop that seems to specialize in wings. (Not the kind you dip in blue cheese dressing.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFYiU-0mOhzrXYbEFPx46-GAH_ZMeTgwUiTqJ51U7XwRBhF6m_1ErqihWdNhNMJ_zttymS4iPXVgdgYkQb99KzGwjG5BKb5mOO8PYIVLURNxxYGSLgksPB1DA-wZgl-xQtNerI2ewjFA/s1600/20161205_115444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFYiU-0mOhzrXYbEFPx46-GAH_ZMeTgwUiTqJ51U7XwRBhF6m_1ErqihWdNhNMJ_zttymS4iPXVgdgYkQb99KzGwjG5BKb5mOO8PYIVLURNxxYGSLgksPB1DA-wZgl-xQtNerI2ewjFA/s400/20161205_115444.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The main church in town is called the Parroquia. You can't really tell from this nighttime photo, but it is bright pink. Here it is with some giant puppets, which seem to have been made to celebrate someone's wedding.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnK0sTD8mrZ9ncMWVpr8egsojizHli8XUovypJjo8judAnjtuYfrvPdHHx883dz9acZlp8BbaDzVoFI_-19uX_XMCKkQJxD47Hk6P2T-KLk0u469tqdwHQ2TnkOJnddrAVWC9PCfj6eic/s1600/20161202_205455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnK0sTD8mrZ9ncMWVpr8egsojizHli8XUovypJjo8judAnjtuYfrvPdHHx883dz9acZlp8BbaDzVoFI_-19uX_XMCKkQJxD47Hk6P2T-KLk0u469tqdwHQ2TnkOJnddrAVWC9PCfj6eic/s400/20161202_205455.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
This guy made me think of the kid's book <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caps_for_Sale" target="_blank">Caps for Sale</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGG7gck0oowbDmJqt0yVtMXrVHkq_xyeDHwRUCtV0Q1LFrJ0POGhdWuzxizY0GozutoAwpEd8PcQE6IrPhGfaE7zrB96HZcwYwLqY8GyQHU5kEPQQXL3vYrJozGgfRUDMX0iHpnMPor0/s1600/20161202_205914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGG7gck0oowbDmJqt0yVtMXrVHkq_xyeDHwRUCtV0Q1LFrJ0POGhdWuzxizY0GozutoAwpEd8PcQE6IrPhGfaE7zrB96HZcwYwLqY8GyQHU5kEPQQXL3vYrJozGgfRUDMX0iHpnMPor0/s400/20161202_205914.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
The high point of our trip to San Miguel was a visit to <a href="http://www.lagrutaspa.com/" target="_blank">La Gruta</a>, where there are hot springs, with several pools of varying temperatures to swim in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJDquaY93jZkJToFNxyK4BQVDkFT8wMd3JTZg1Tcxr_TFDFF6SxvXFqPnPU-TGDfllB7JfJmU-gT34NCl8LY-hW75xrkSguOcW8d03gCQ9IS3lIo9x9vTCxzMrDvbjxjAkZBE7l9cjZ8/s1600/20161202_141158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJDquaY93jZkJToFNxyK4BQVDkFT8wMd3JTZg1Tcxr_TFDFF6SxvXFqPnPU-TGDfllB7JfJmU-gT34NCl8LY-hW75xrkSguOcW8d03gCQ9IS3lIo9x9vTCxzMrDvbjxjAkZBE7l9cjZ8/s400/20161202_141158.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
On the left you can (maybe) see the entrance to the cave where the hot water comes from. La Gruta is one of my favorite places in the world.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAZ3UjfRc1w1wq0sgjmxSsz9gZbe9SavJ8UFVQqZSUWorRnNwLU1ongvugmoJWoLaDLTdCNoDFh8j7KXe3-QQOTtSdZY8QoOi7xbJkCP686v5DIENLlsKAYgpSKk4xPgIiGVqaAKCXbQ/s1600/IMG_7618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAZ3UjfRc1w1wq0sgjmxSsz9gZbe9SavJ8UFVQqZSUWorRnNwLU1ongvugmoJWoLaDLTdCNoDFh8j7KXe3-QQOTtSdZY8QoOi7xbJkCP686v5DIENLlsKAYgpSKk4xPgIiGVqaAKCXbQ/s400/IMG_7618.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-38809339259328648092016-12-17T19:08:00.001-08:002016-12-17T19:08:09.223-08:00Taking a vacation from our vacation, Part 1It's been a busy month, so I haven't been blogging much. First, there was Thanksgiving -- we cooked a meal for about 15 people, including both Americans and Mexicans -- and then we went on a 10 day trip to Huatulco, San Miguel de Allende, and Mexico City.<br />
<br />
Huatulco is a beach resort town, but not horribly touristy like Cancun or Acapulco. It's only about 150 miles or so from Oaxaca, but since there's mountains between the two cities it's a six hour bus ride. Or, if you're a relatively rich and spoiled American, you can shell out $200 (for 3 people) and take a 40 minute plane flight, which of course is what we did<br />
<br />
So we spent a few days visiting various beaches or the hotel pool, swimming for a while, and then sitting in comfortable chairs while people brought us food and drinks. We also visited the turtle museum.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgishAU4dhxqxgxjzzlwv4j0JQSmWwYo65rY5WhGHxJyH-PSl4OiJAQl36oB_y0B8fL3bT65coxIEVrVQyyPPUti9d9s6pK5Mi1c97vkzgrWMUJBlg5i0hiPyGhM5ksUbWEPV29MOzsck0/s1600/20161130_14:0916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgishAU4dhxqxgxjzzlwv4j0JQSmWwYo65rY5WhGHxJyH-PSl4OiJAQl36oB_y0B8fL3bT65coxIEVrVQyyPPUti9d9s6pK5Mi1c97vkzgrWMUJBlg5i0hiPyGhM5ksUbWEPV29MOzsck0/s400/20161130_140916.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
When they feed the turtles, the local lizards drop by for lunch too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfj3MYWWGmtaPYuAh7kFOQnrRFXypIncMBUY5PqXbzkynNqFv-NET4Z9RAfMZuWBJVkbuz97rn0FeLTE9B9CoCGyIjKZDNRQNaxQuwjAzNpyrTtgkVGqLkwlj49mHLbwNbqzGd8sphBs/s1600/20161130_131108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfj3MYWWGmtaPYuAh7kFOQnrRFXypIncMBUY5PqXbzkynNqFv-NET4Z9RAfMZuWBJVkbuz97rn0FeLTE9B9CoCGyIjKZDNRQNaxQuwjAzNpyrTtgkVGqLkwlj49mHLbwNbqzGd8sphBs/s400/20161130_131108.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The water was beautiful and clear and fairly warm, considering it's December.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii975OTAPcfaWNgmQgy3-SvgIl1OEvjWpMw6H9kG73uyJ6OwgfRkYnniqjok-CvSMjS1UFADFqeoYQSN3gVyXcNg8us7C-XZYyBwaEKyqKSP8bQrAmXjPGq-Lm01osvnsj52CgI3QUqqg/s1600/20161129_123832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii975OTAPcfaWNgmQgy3-SvgIl1OEvjWpMw6H9kG73uyJ6OwgfRkYnniqjok-CvSMjS1UFADFqeoYQSN3gVyXcNg8us7C-XZYyBwaEKyqKSP8bQrAmXjPGq-Lm01osvnsj52CgI3QUqqg/s400/20161129_123832.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Indigo went snorkeling for the first time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojKgAPX53InfCVpP0UkwSSH8sJRUEKi3XZ-WmuyDmquza9IHqfWWPdt6lys1G2hw0KPq_0iFurhnWWd7b2oFKDSBDHBtPD5cs4JtEo21hIS5XUUhWbmFROnRYnan_fppnRnHlP6s11Lk/s1600/20161201_120700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojKgAPX53InfCVpP0UkwSSH8sJRUEKi3XZ-WmuyDmquza9IHqfWWPdt6lys1G2hw0KPq_0iFurhnWWd7b2oFKDSBDHBtPD5cs4JtEo21hIS5XUUhWbmFROnRYnan_fppnRnHlP6s11Lk/s400/20161201_120700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After swimming and snorkeling, there are coconuts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hXHI_13WGUzEkrijZqLx_SYw4n20w1PDmFw5fQwxBPlXyIAwhyphenhyphenbKF51sO1U7v5JhjA-PYfTEX7ReaKCKevTuwHkuIoAUCigZugVX9zpBvklOEimTxRAVborRHLeeGSzQeHFM4GIRX7w/s1600/20161129_113551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hXHI_13WGUzEkrijZqLx_SYw4n20w1PDmFw5fQwxBPlXyIAwhyphenhyphenbKF51sO1U7v5JhjA-PYfTEX7ReaKCKevTuwHkuIoAUCigZugVX9zpBvklOEimTxRAVborRHLeeGSzQeHFM4GIRX7w/s400/20161129_113551.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-49360662023439199772016-12-11T11:22:00.000-08:002016-12-11T11:22:52.248-08:00Then and now2010<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxMCPtOvJKv9NbmNohIjPRvVTWLVHGR3ZLbywWrd60yJCS0b_vNjTag7RPB_LPVfHWUtFiWApjk9g4dwXN7JRxQBlzGgcXEIH1mHSCswFwdTUKhePDon9rDNUppRXsJqO7jeYJuaFtpo/s1600/indigo+age+3+blue+house+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxMCPtOvJKv9NbmNohIjPRvVTWLVHGR3ZLbywWrd60yJCS0b_vNjTag7RPB_LPVfHWUtFiWApjk9g4dwXN7JRxQBlzGgcXEIH1mHSCswFwdTUKhePDon9rDNUppRXsJqO7jeYJuaFtpo/s320/indigo+age+3+blue+house+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
2016<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuHE6c-y5wF7xLSCqBwFbDepj8bBcM5sCiOSnkALHVZOFcTYMkYn-KEulbo8IwxJtzWW__dgIEmksRYyX0uWX1PD-nhswd7u6Tn2h8fJZhoM3EEyjia9ZGFJ9veWKWXotzkTHa_YLHXU/s1600/20161206_114118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuHE6c-y5wF7xLSCqBwFbDepj8bBcM5sCiOSnkALHVZOFcTYMkYn-KEulbo8IwxJtzWW__dgIEmksRYyX0uWX1PD-nhswd7u6Tn2h8fJZhoM3EEyjia9ZGFJ9veWKWXotzkTHa_YLHXU/s400/20161206_114118.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Museo Frida Kahlo, Mexico City. This is the blue house where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera lived. I make a pilgrimage there every time I'm in Mexico City.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcvK-vVj7QzpshpB1VzhePRgiTpjGhcPdcW43X9-tu5UnEoLnKjfEFGNVk3FtcbQt3PgDXZVhamQ4fOZWi7UP16z5FpvNabV8B_ODr8hISWmYYTDmeAN-GPzyazgXmLiCKY2QUaJRBPo/s1600/20161206_113539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcvK-vVj7QzpshpB1VzhePRgiTpjGhcPdcW43X9-tu5UnEoLnKjfEFGNVk3FtcbQt3PgDXZVhamQ4fOZWi7UP16z5FpvNabV8B_ODr8hISWmYYTDmeAN-GPzyazgXmLiCKY2QUaJRBPo/s320/20161206_113539.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-19929693167850407372016-11-11T23:03:00.000-08:002016-11-11T23:03:04.905-08:00Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">After my Spanish class this morning, I stopped by La Cosecha, an organic market, to see if they had anything good. I bought some lettuce and was wandering around the courtyard to see if there was anything else of interest when I passed by a table of obviously American women and heard one of them say, "How could it happen?" Not wanting to hear anyone pontificate on that for the 17 zillionth time in three days, I beat a hasty retreat and headed over to El Llano park, which has a big market on Fridays.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had some tacos de maciza (very tender, lean, roasted park leg), along with an agua de maracuya (passion fruit juice), which I ate with some of the challah I had bought at Pan Am bakery (it is surprisingly good bread; it's even braided and covered with sesame seeds). Then I bought some nieves de tejate. Nieves are ices or icies or sorbet or sherbet, depending on your interpretation and birthplace. Tejate is a Oaxacan drink made with corn, chocolate, coffee, cinnamon and who knows what else. Tejate-flavored ices are delicious, even better than the drink.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I walked around the park and noticed some big tents. Big tents, in Oaxaca, mean there's a fair of some sort going on. This one turned out to be a college fair, with rows of tables from all sorts of college programs. Not very interesting, but to liven things up they had a dance performance near the entrance. Different groups of dancers from different parts of the state were doing traditional folk dances, like they do during the Guelaguetza. I caught the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ayWukpciV8" target="_blank">Flor de Piña</a> dance, which is Indigo's favorite. They do this Rockettes sort of thing, only with pineapples:<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsoKXAA0ORG2TQWJMwGUwJrW0acnxSBv8kNQgBjmfyp18srEjtU-DdTaCPvdllQHxQ5LWTZYYXmQ15bezVSYkJRf9rdyRo5TDrL2PXmrtJgbeI5Z8LZXw9BzUM3VpF-Ke2Lk1FArnwF0/s1600/20161111_133653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsoKXAA0ORG2TQWJMwGUwJrW0acnxSBv8kNQgBjmfyp18srEjtU-DdTaCPvdllQHxQ5LWTZYYXmQ15bezVSYkJRf9rdyRo5TDrL2PXmrtJgbeI5Z8LZXw9BzUM3VpF-Ke2Lk1FArnwF0/s400/20161111_133653.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
It was so lovely -- the dance, the clothes, the dancers, the tradition. From the back you can see how they do their hair, and more of the details of the embroidery on their dresses: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8i-Bq8dXO19ss-PEpYzEy0C7oLUUg1QpHVJ2XnYu1kHifCBrvTi8utzqvBv_uo5lAHDa2_uMNdiu04Yv-1fjxBZ7z8SRSEPc5bMdnYjGTLMpqYu4DD5zwabK6cWh1PDdKrPEqTXi9wiY/s1600/20161111_133237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8i-Bq8dXO19ss-PEpYzEy0C7oLUUg1QpHVJ2XnYu1kHifCBrvTi8utzqvBv_uo5lAHDa2_uMNdiu04Yv-1fjxBZ7z8SRSEPc5bMdnYjGTLMpqYu4DD5zwabK6cWh1PDdKrPEqTXi9wiY/s400/20161111_133237.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
While I watched them I felt so overwhelmed with love for this city that I almost started to cry and had to leave. This place never stops being beautiful, fun, home.<br />
<br />
Since Amy and Indigo are away for a week, I get to stay out late. On Friday and Saturday nights there are always a lot of free cultural events. I spent a little bit of time at one of the museums, which was presenting their annual calendar project. I'm not real clear on what it is, except that it involves lots of really good photos of Oaxaca, which they were projecting on an enormous screen. Then I went to a symphony concert. I've never heard Oaxaca's orchestra before, and they were surprisingly good (although I have to say the violins were not always exactly in tune, especially on the high notes). They played a piece by a Mexican composer named Juan Leon Mariscal, the Sibelious violin concerto (with an excellent soloist), and then Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. It was so nice that I took a rare selfie, with the balconies of the beautiful <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teatro_Macedonio_Alcal%C3%A1" target="_blank">Teatro Macedonia Alcala</a> in the background:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL4WUDCjYhYCkVMYU4dVQ0ckZdNpQaPIuAlHVa4mM6E74iJeagKK3F9BuygAl_ha7xQ2VOIBoh2eGo1GdX_CldSrouRMOVXwpl-SzCudvZTQD6NBj2eCVAU4gGqIsFnAT7WG6F18NUdc/s1600/20161111_211053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL4WUDCjYhYCkVMYU4dVQ0ckZdNpQaPIuAlHVa4mM6E74iJeagKK3F9BuygAl_ha7xQ2VOIBoh2eGo1GdX_CldSrouRMOVXwpl-SzCudvZTQD6NBj2eCVAU4gGqIsFnAT7WG6F18NUdc/s400/20161111_211053.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We leave Oaxaca in less than six weeks. It's going to be like tearing out a piece of my heart to leave this city.<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-61443209612542937102016-11-07T15:54:00.003-08:002016-11-07T15:56:18.431-08:00Dia de los Muertos, Part 4I think today is a good day for some <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Calavera_Catrina" target="_blank">catrinas</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGz7n9u3Nq5tvXgNhV6TiojDiGyhih_rXWu35bN0d9MJoIOtDfqL6z8squ4H_d_B32ujmvLkEqyeIFkXCAnBMVqoWUdsCnUEDXlrXc94tciiBnWYlo-zqqeCIAnSqD626G6w4kprOgD8/s1600/20161030_091751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGz7n9u3Nq5tvXgNhV6TiojDiGyhih_rXWu35bN0d9MJoIOtDfqL6z8squ4H_d_B32ujmvLkEqyeIFkXCAnBMVqoWUdsCnUEDXlrXc94tciiBnWYlo-zqqeCIAnSqD626G6w4kprOgD8/s400/20161030_091751.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Here's a small army of them at the mercado.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoFapBu-Us1ZCMayjgpan7GLdbusYGQZEyd3nz6mbPyQfR8EA5kJnrA_DsIBJUmmPfJmb9BkIIsCMs32mwlC5aRQXM0Fw8qFZbhSGjPattYfkrtRdWSXN7aovkDTm0uAEE4AAI49QE_c/s1600/20161030_162159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoFapBu-Us1ZCMayjgpan7GLdbusYGQZEyd3nz6mbPyQfR8EA5kJnrA_DsIBJUmmPfJmb9BkIIsCMs32mwlC5aRQXM0Fw8qFZbhSGjPattYfkrtRdWSXN7aovkDTm0uAEE4AAI49QE_c/s400/20161030_162159.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
All the really fashionable catrinas wear feather boas.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDuQmvmjRgyQR735cffE_p_9XdsN_7rVwq82n7IkAxtx1DU2ldUeFHRbQLWfMDrXDYR_x85ZRp4S67T0pbIarfrinX1J2heNrAFuVyiewxyjpnObd0gISJnnxORCFZpzLgNup6Pb2aXo/s1600/20161030_104146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDuQmvmjRgyQR735cffE_p_9XdsN_7rVwq82n7IkAxtx1DU2ldUeFHRbQLWfMDrXDYR_x85ZRp4S67T0pbIarfrinX1J2heNrAFuVyiewxyjpnObd0gISJnnxORCFZpzLgNup6Pb2aXo/s400/20161030_104146.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Triplets?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_p9od1G69TKARMB3bAEvEn4cZ8HfWK3C1-bSigGgx6H6OiANXmDvHMLf6ScjHsyZDIsLlfyNlw3vCO0P452Ey2oMMhJB17ZO1blXeZOeuigvsphO8sMHfIiw62ntYF-K4uCqlk7efIw/s1600/20161024_211108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_p9od1G69TKARMB3bAEvEn4cZ8HfWK3C1-bSigGgx6H6OiANXmDvHMLf6ScjHsyZDIsLlfyNlw3vCO0P452Ey2oMMhJB17ZO1blXeZOeuigvsphO8sMHfIiw62ntYF-K4uCqlk7efIw/s400/20161024_211108.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Here's Amy with her new friend.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmtvi1G8bnzDUpsARyCptPD-Fd3ZVjETXsx_P0_U5JKDhAev7-Y0RD5FcVE-Y0JQnQ698yKDE3Do1AB3vBrSGwxzk33OOIhsNzyj8riT-PshmIvAXqB0DzGiXzIU9fODDHhrNRpgOIyM/s1600/20161029_163701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmtvi1G8bnzDUpsARyCptPD-Fd3ZVjETXsx_P0_U5JKDhAev7-Y0RD5FcVE-Y0JQnQ698yKDE3Do1AB3vBrSGwxzk33OOIhsNzyj8riT-PshmIvAXqB0DzGiXzIU9fODDHhrNRpgOIyM/s400/20161029_163701.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Even the money changing place has a resident Catrina, with a Halloween thingie too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgTOyLyprf19_RsEoJaZiGC2_1anfRlwvSwcpbTy8um4f0X9vJYsk5x_fb40nhw4_ucDKhcdnDqg84YdqWnStg4WARRUFXXtq0_vp83NQaNbyRRnK0RE5B6Nn4SR2pGcSWsyS44vjihU/s1600/20161029_154544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgTOyLyprf19_RsEoJaZiGC2_1anfRlwvSwcpbTy8um4f0X9vJYsk5x_fb40nhw4_ucDKhcdnDqg84YdqWnStg4WARRUFXXtq0_vp83NQaNbyRRnK0RE5B6Nn4SR2pGcSWsyS44vjihU/s400/20161029_154544.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
More of a country calavera than a catrin, but cute nonetheless.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EU2GV-V-tLv_cnNRqJznPurv6glmcaBlrLxuPXohk-zyo-PVCKmVslK2xLTnNAB9Mh6kQuznpDdlKH638yro_oHj72MNeIeuQ07DOEDJ7v2VQlGu9dVveLKdYI78a4_zIzdQoszju5g/s1600/20161029_163742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EU2GV-V-tLv_cnNRqJznPurv6glmcaBlrLxuPXohk-zyo-PVCKmVslK2xLTnNAB9Mh6kQuznpDdlKH638yro_oHj72MNeIeuQ07DOEDJ7v2VQlGu9dVveLKdYI78a4_zIzdQoszju5g/s400/20161029_163742.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Another hombre from the countryside, hanging out by an altar.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSikH_WXYteBkn7xZtWpFbZLh0gIBhgrwShqWl3DxBss5C4V4VgcATra0Joyta0Gingl1JAT8TXWegzSoL4Kp63Bv5BHzhwGHvF104m7SkRrSCw5R2kwOfCfYIt_B0GlCW8DFoB-oCDbU/s1600/20161030_162139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSikH_WXYteBkn7xZtWpFbZLh0gIBhgrwShqWl3DxBss5C4V4VgcATra0Joyta0Gingl1JAT8TXWegzSoL4Kp63Bv5BHzhwGHvF104m7SkRrSCw5R2kwOfCfYIt_B0GlCW8DFoB-oCDbU/s400/20161030_162139.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
She's kind of cool, in a missing-two-eyes kind of way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-46153262619747244632016-11-06T17:01:00.000-08:002016-11-06T17:03:39.165-08:00Puppies!As part of the Dia de los Muertos festivities, or maybe as part of Halloween, or something, there was a costume contest for dogs last week. It was one of the more bizarre things I've ever seen. We all know, and some of us have been, the kind of people who just <i>adore</i> their puppies, so it won't surprise you that some of these people went to great lengths to dress up the canine members of the family.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD-_7Sg6CMbCc4lKI2cv6eDV59oWD5pjX0iwsXf7R9uhm_GltwcXx4O7wlhpFbjwTgI52eirlaTAUTVBHPWI8zJTYVeM0gV4wDxyeSTndSY7X5Y_iX-ECRDvwko9JpCcKy29r5ZI6Q5s/s1600/20161028_175210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD-_7Sg6CMbCc4lKI2cv6eDV59oWD5pjX0iwsXf7R9uhm_GltwcXx4O7wlhpFbjwTgI52eirlaTAUTVBHPWI8zJTYVeM0gV4wDxyeSTndSY7X5Y_iX-ECRDvwko9JpCcKy29r5ZI6Q5s/s400/20161028_175210.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<br />
My personal favorite was this little chihuahua Harry Potter, who lost his scar somewhere (he did originally have one). Not sure what happened to his wand.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqMKMB4zKPNAGNcFJp-Z8Muk3hlU7hWBJaqnFuICVot450FK0FxVlHV-QMxGaG8k3SHBL4A2eMI1O4crScFWdNGasn0jDeXy5gYIgwmp_3qpyoofJIC4XEXEqU6HQzxyAA0uH8YOOPGE/s1600/20161028_174658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqMKMB4zKPNAGNcFJp-Z8Muk3hlU7hWBJaqnFuICVot450FK0FxVlHV-QMxGaG8k3SHBL4A2eMI1O4crScFWdNGasn0jDeXy5gYIgwmp_3qpyoofJIC4XEXEqU6HQzxyAA0uH8YOOPGE/s400/20161028_174658.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Pug minion was almost as amazing, and his proud owner is sweet.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFXl7MOsadjstIhyphenhyphenw7hc8QlCFW4b_P3wqLkW71uU5FBS1oDKTB8pn6bQtwsoE5XDDbonnp0Qq3nphhkbSQM05MNlWCqj-3yy-i4TFuweAbeEA5Oeh9mJlLZxlBwyhn2ieo1HR7kuT0ww/s1600/20161028_171141+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFXl7MOsadjstIhyphenhyphenw7hc8QlCFW4b_P3wqLkW71uU5FBS1oDKTB8pn6bQtwsoE5XDDbonnp0Qq3nphhkbSQM05MNlWCqj-3yy-i4TFuweAbeEA5Oeh9mJlLZxlBwyhn2ieo1HR7kuT0ww/s400/20161028_171141+%25282%2529.jpg" width="367" /></a></div>
<br />
This doggie won first prize for his alien and flying saucer costume. He was disabled -- his back legs don't work -- and he has a little doggie wheelchair. His human clearly built the costume around the wheels. It was awesome.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GutnKjYmtGULzYXRk4PxcYBn2HfRydbdS1pQ7k1b-GnHXtZ9B4lAL4hegwKR-JkQstiJ7kLJaHiQOgd4OCl5VlCTXijHRmd1x4jNbNS1NbWv6LPmAbtXws2u6aCen0YULm6HT3PGxt8/s1600/20161028_175316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GutnKjYmtGULzYXRk4PxcYBn2HfRydbdS1pQ7k1b-GnHXtZ9B4lAL4hegwKR-JkQstiJ7kLJaHiQOgd4OCl5VlCTXijHRmd1x4jNbNS1NbWv6LPmAbtXws2u6aCen0YULm6HT3PGxt8/s400/20161028_175316.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
In this view you can see how the flying saucer fits over the wheels. I think all the judges and the whole crowd were really impressed -- the woman talked about how she adopted the little guy and had someone make him a wheelchair.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywOEFw4ZCKNNDGu5I24QC1Ix5GY0mYLmvPLu7zbVDGTxcoTjyOhrbSRGNVzcylSCoqDezlHWSdknLjBUAlQxpigzDJKdgsm4B0W4TN7DD625Wq_Bb3s_z-tI60RobYG-b5f6s0yXn-qA/s1600/20161028_165729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywOEFw4ZCKNNDGu5I24QC1Ix5GY0mYLmvPLu7zbVDGTxcoTjyOhrbSRGNVzcylSCoqDezlHWSdknLjBUAlQxpigzDJKdgsm4B0W4TN7DD625Wq_Bb3s_z-tI60RobYG-b5f6s0yXn-qA/s400/20161028_165729.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This nutty woman and her dog were "butcher chefs." A lot of work went into their costumes, I'm sure, and they won second prize. You can see the judges' tables on either side of the runaway, and the typical Mexican chaos which includes children climbing all over everything.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJarl7_RE5ScFuBJdLRC85M2lw-C8I0YDoO79kux_BaWoS5FABhYAiPEqGWchstliXS7TyMa5eLuepx9jiSAP9_bqMgfcos7rEgjUfppUM_RxNgH8dKq_eEORVieRuYDjdeQ0QiryzOFo/s1600/20161028_163052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJarl7_RE5ScFuBJdLRC85M2lw-C8I0YDoO79kux_BaWoS5FABhYAiPEqGWchstliXS7TyMa5eLuepx9jiSAP9_bqMgfcos7rEgjUfppUM_RxNgH8dKq_eEORVieRuYDjdeQ0QiryzOFo/s320/20161028_163052.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Indigo got to hold Sullivan from Monsters, Inc. (Or Soo-lee-ban, as he's called here.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SQM8TkWbRXGZ8LgH_TI9fRwRxW9mXC9lHIUR7Ztsu_c5SDK26Mc-55hQkocTsrVKwVLeLVxPaYZjTSW6QxtAxl08LTb4pdK7jJ7-N8tgVARN8eZxzTUW_Yj0NE9K-DX6g1xMLqRb6hg/s1600/20161028_163208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SQM8TkWbRXGZ8LgH_TI9fRwRxW9mXC9lHIUR7Ztsu_c5SDK26Mc-55hQkocTsrVKwVLeLVxPaYZjTSW6QxtAxl08LTb4pdK7jJ7-N8tgVARN8eZxzTUW_Yj0NE9K-DX6g1xMLqRb6hg/s320/20161028_163208.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Batdog was another one of my favorites.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's a random selection of other cute pups:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_hSG49qstrU_tJCKGSLw5tjuTBH-Md0_eAqegYAmGT1-u1mZHY1XpEfKedA4kCQRVgP-M0mkL-MLAzafwrXGIRbBv3Uqh9easasePlUJnxy5qn9mxrUYRX0UizgY4VYeTh5VFsAiEWQ/s1600/20161028_162548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_hSG49qstrU_tJCKGSLw5tjuTBH-Md0_eAqegYAmGT1-u1mZHY1XpEfKedA4kCQRVgP-M0mkL-MLAzafwrXGIRbBv3Uqh9easasePlUJnxy5qn9mxrUYRX0UizgY4VYeTh5VFsAiEWQ/s320/20161028_162548.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This dog's owner told me he spent 2 weeks making the costume.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2DxKcMWgbKoI-2KbFaM259zY5GEx-ZFlNK10uBmAmcnLFGdQm_V7DYWjRGmebd0TnVhIE961aiF6zxe6nQ79DHJItSNdtr7PDWRppkQpg__ySTLsP7E2elxt29OpZH9YZt0x65g1XW8/s1600/20161028_163322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2DxKcMWgbKoI-2KbFaM259zY5GEx-ZFlNK10uBmAmcnLFGdQm_V7DYWjRGmebd0TnVhIE961aiF6zxe6nQ79DHJItSNdtr7PDWRppkQpg__ySTLsP7E2elxt29OpZH9YZt0x65g1XW8/s320/20161028_163322.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Orange puppy iguana<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4yWZmyOXONgOdgkhIOyzAADPkeWuEBQAWbstERmke3xMUzx03LAvIBQPL2lf2_ITAtiE_qYsV8gA-qO6AL8X6HlmYjvw8WxNv7RhsY7i_CDuIut2mPuAo75USGs9j1g-rLdsnr4GKJc/s1600/20161028_175121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4yWZmyOXONgOdgkhIOyzAADPkeWuEBQAWbstERmke3xMUzx03LAvIBQPL2lf2_ITAtiE_qYsV8gA-qO6AL8X6HlmYjvw8WxNv7RhsY7i_CDuIut2mPuAo75USGs9j1g-rLdsnr4GKJc/s320/20161028_175121.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Chucky. There were several of them. Apparently, it's a popular way to dress your dog.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e5xwE5JINp2LOeaNr06pVNryIrecX4EmNq-vUvwynn_iT5ABT6M69_osX5IDCQzynJIpiTHIL9yKbJ6dCHiwssuM3BHSOqLnleqrpg8F6k-9NRtymWpjkY5sQZcfTthfCTjQ8kRH810/s1600/20161028_172132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e5xwE5JINp2LOeaNr06pVNryIrecX4EmNq-vUvwynn_iT5ABT6M69_osX5IDCQzynJIpiTHIL9yKbJ6dCHiwssuM3BHSOqLnleqrpg8F6k-9NRtymWpjkY5sQZcfTthfCTjQ8kRH810/s320/20161028_172132.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This little puppy didn't have a costume, but he was so damn cute I just had to include him.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVgc4PhikzQb_FEUw2teiIJlIswrdPUd1Fv3UsSW-eVT0B6KwvOMyUCbZ4oOI84FzTsqRLhbmHrrvoVWyxRSwWEoxwTVszj47S932DqGbIOkFFg7fUH4Tu4MnbC3TzRIf1JCxdo7dmDk/s1600/20161028_163702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVgc4PhikzQb_FEUw2teiIJlIswrdPUd1Fv3UsSW-eVT0B6KwvOMyUCbZ4oOI84FzTsqRLhbmHrrvoVWyxRSwWEoxwTVszj47S932DqGbIOkFFg7fUH4Tu4MnbC3TzRIf1JCxdo7dmDk/s320/20161028_163702.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Cute little witch pooch, who managed to keep the hat on the whole time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xL7yHDOjaNHvTmB5MI24bRmOmVyMQ9CeEXB4bXvLiQ8ZY13XQ0Yjy1pVr_y_XGhy_E57mnTbgy4a2laFiGW6K1LpMJLZW5Oi2EVGCALPAF003bu91Uv7zgSNzPO0WhO7e58lsOxvmBE/s1600/20161028_174921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xL7yHDOjaNHvTmB5MI24bRmOmVyMQ9CeEXB4bXvLiQ8ZY13XQ0Yjy1pVr_y_XGhy_E57mnTbgy4a2laFiGW6K1LpMJLZW5Oi2EVGCALPAF003bu91Uv7zgSNzPO0WhO7e58lsOxvmBE/s320/20161028_174921.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Pope Puppy here was surprisingly popular in this very Catholic country. Apparently it's not considered irreverent.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLlB2Ws-4Jx1YCr7-hMLTt-JbvU3ofXNaYVDs5XQxyBMRd-w45m5A2O6qVdMwnyHjkdh_nqb7X9lb-0uaGIT7GFa8ENx3yFqgK9CpOX7NdjqQt3NaReYhWrdc-_0zdgWpBd32l-9e2kc/s1600/20161028_174759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLlB2Ws-4Jx1YCr7-hMLTt-JbvU3ofXNaYVDs5XQxyBMRd-w45m5A2O6qVdMwnyHjkdh_nqb7X9lb-0uaGIT7GFa8ENx3yFqgK9CpOX7NdjqQt3NaReYhWrdc-_0zdgWpBd32l-9e2kc/s320/20161028_174759.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A good-natured dinosaur dog, who must have been a hot dog in this costume. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-W7gaFBtXCw32EK3LvgKJqdZeYAi8Jx_qrvMpnBn2ck8t3PHhiMrCFY6GeNhL62R0lU2H0HhWYKLGCHlNjzjKVAXyctqrWkq-_3mmH9aSMlxMXIK1KdSQ9Q-s3SDmgeYNO0XhrITyQ4/s1600/20161028_162509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-W7gaFBtXCw32EK3LvgKJqdZeYAi8Jx_qrvMpnBn2ck8t3PHhiMrCFY6GeNhL62R0lU2H0HhWYKLGCHlNjzjKVAXyctqrWkq-_3mmH9aSMlxMXIK1KdSQ9Q-s3SDmgeYNO0XhrITyQ4/s320/20161028_162509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There were lots of spiders, but I liked this one the best.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-50194693980704874502016-11-05T22:44:00.000-07:002016-11-05T22:55:50.977-07:00Dia de los Muertos, Part 3One of the most important parts of Dia de los Muertos is making ofrendas, or altars, to honor the memory of your loved ones. Altars contain photos, food and other remembrances of the people who've died, but they also have some common elements, like marigolds, special bread called pan de muerto, calaveras and catrinas, and certain foods. If you have enough space, you're supposed to create an arch over the altar out of sugar cane or flowers.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06pqycHuVfDep2tHb99OXHhEAann0q_EKrotGNvFZbOAlC84nEMSXGLS8FU3LNmhZgRri0114G9HXIQVAK6mmlWNTNKPJodYU3QTFDtchhwpm3YqOV93u5kys7Bv9XKTK4K6yaBNec20/s1600/20161029_163354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06pqycHuVfDep2tHb99OXHhEAann0q_EKrotGNvFZbOAlC84nEMSXGLS8FU3LNmhZgRri0114G9HXIQVAK6mmlWNTNKPJodYU3QTFDtchhwpm3YqOV93u5kys7Bv9XKTK4K6yaBNec20/s400/20161029_163354.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
I especially like this one because the arch says "Long live our traditions."<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvm4KqjSeWBWFnLFZztY64Sq0equKvBNYi2YreOTzkqsjJtxV7LR-qin5uEBlZEdu2vGzCGWRKLD0fF3JmlRlclkuf9XMo0mo7PdCRYGzHaW-nHC2ZkR-EnJf7amAulP8xORB-SL55qA/s1600/20161029_153622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvm4KqjSeWBWFnLFZztY64Sq0equKvBNYi2YreOTzkqsjJtxV7LR-qin5uEBlZEdu2vGzCGWRKLD0fF3JmlRlclkuf9XMo0mo7PdCRYGzHaW-nHC2ZkR-EnJf7amAulP8xORB-SL55qA/s400/20161029_153622.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The altars are supposed to have three levels, and there's often flowers on the floor next to the altar as well, although sometimes the floor is part of the three levels. (The rules aren't strictly enforced, apparently.) I particularly liked this altar because of the calaveras (skeletons) and the way the squash and the bread and everything are so artfully placed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-97bDLwVOxk-YL4gNR_G9AAQpDDUQlvftf9xE5HRNc-omCBP3ejBPEhCgVU8FY9oalamN8Tx9zzc3wp5wgr1_Bv-01rqDcgGFowF_JYvE-SQr273WctvamIQupUG7mI4deZO1FYiIlw/s1600/20161030_102320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-97bDLwVOxk-YL4gNR_G9AAQpDDUQlvftf9xE5HRNc-omCBP3ejBPEhCgVU8FY9oalamN8Tx9zzc3wp5wgr1_Bv-01rqDcgGFowF_JYvE-SQr273WctvamIQupUG7mI4deZO1FYiIlw/s400/20161030_102320.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It seems like every building in Oaxaca has an altar, and every altar has dozens or sometimes hundreds of marigolds on it. As a result, there are people on every corner and in every market selling huge piles of them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TpjKB92VNrgohm6nX-KIRV4sHXdwXKTygIGurtePRJ8hjQ_AmqfSIet86HRTSo4T5Ggu_OhyphenhyphenWaILNgGvySXvd_0psgX7uzKbD9EUh_o6242mx7ghg4n1doXqdCLwqs4Wirm6zSPBraI/s1600/20161030_122232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TpjKB92VNrgohm6nX-KIRV4sHXdwXKTygIGurtePRJ8hjQ_AmqfSIet86HRTSo4T5Ggu_OhyphenhyphenWaILNgGvySXvd_0psgX7uzKbD9EUh_o6242mx7ghg4n1doXqdCLwqs4Wirm6zSPBraI/s400/20161030_122232.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
We bought three bunches and two pots of marigolds, plus some purple and red flowers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp6KdojB64F9ndErc90iT2nBp7ib8V_YcRN1dRc5VnrIru_xSUWWT4eIiAWJ-Fcp4F-w9YLlEtw_DwgUu72ZeHNpwLv4zV_iFzmOUoafrBOywWUsOaJFTbaZ0aaz5I0f7IJFLbNRDGlk/s1600/20161029_163518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp6KdojB64F9ndErc90iT2nBp7ib8V_YcRN1dRc5VnrIru_xSUWWT4eIiAWJ-Fcp4F-w9YLlEtw_DwgUu72ZeHNpwLv4zV_iFzmOUoafrBOywWUsOaJFTbaZ0aaz5I0f7IJFLbNRDGlk/s400/20161029_163518.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
A lot of altars have designs made out of flowers on the floor in front of them, usually, but not always, crosses.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH_xuESbZz3S-7kb8FFrTRBGGsdre6dDmS8tKT4Jg9kDd2znXp4r4dpSiCsUMdFWmLGAf1NyOgpRgn4MmwLK1EKXj0ktfanPB2vNw4JPp7Vbemw6RyFaLYmxtBLwWqULvQk9qfsKNll0/s1600/20161030_155641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH_xuESbZz3S-7kb8FFrTRBGGsdre6dDmS8tKT4Jg9kDd2znXp4r4dpSiCsUMdFWmLGAf1NyOgpRgn4MmwLK1EKXj0ktfanPB2vNw4JPp7Vbemw6RyFaLYmxtBLwWqULvQk9qfsKNll0/s400/20161030_155641.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This altar is at the San Pablo Cultural Center, hence the initials.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJ8GsX_DcY84QsYWGrBBBiHndUIfQRXergvWWxYurTm68YfdPVMEcXtJ7hrL_nq_Gegy9RnZAz5TzmOoCrQbltCvinTvB9a6KMfUlYCx0uIglMezUhHkELvsPye07NNr5zLjMu-WXxtk/s1600/20161030_190125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJ8GsX_DcY84QsYWGrBBBiHndUIfQRXergvWWxYurTm68YfdPVMEcXtJ7hrL_nq_Gegy9RnZAz5TzmOoCrQbltCvinTvB9a6KMfUlYCx0uIglMezUhHkELvsPye07NNr5zLjMu-WXxtk/s400/20161030_190125.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Sometimes people make these sand paintings in front of their altars, or nearby them. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh5xDRpdZcr1MwO6LO0Ru4AVM7aoKTISQNfa7ZcAiLhIl3caE6CpRCYfcC0T5dTsZrxJA_DxlLmvq_AB_AJt8FbnnPSlvmcePW8cysuxv5n6ifvyruevj4A0XEKUYJmfT98jWa1uvhzI/s1600/20161030_163008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh5xDRpdZcr1MwO6LO0Ru4AVM7aoKTISQNfa7ZcAiLhIl3caE6CpRCYfcC0T5dTsZrxJA_DxlLmvq_AB_AJt8FbnnPSlvmcePW8cysuxv5n6ifvyruevj4A0XEKUYJmfT98jWa1uvhzI/s400/20161030_163008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Indigo helped make this sand painting.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7uL5cSQLOnEcJCQwrHpXMBLG_ubq74TceeTD2eoffG-tCgQmOrr9VBnb4o9lTkZM-nAVQxd0PfgNdir9bHOGbXO-5t0bFDaAv6dA2gwoGAAtUy_iQ14LjaqdjfYBzGDzojzCfI_o4jU/s1600/20161030_154845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7uL5cSQLOnEcJCQwrHpXMBLG_ubq74TceeTD2eoffG-tCgQmOrr9VBnb4o9lTkZM-nAVQxd0PfgNdir9bHOGbXO-5t0bFDaAv6dA2gwoGAAtUy_iQ14LjaqdjfYBzGDzojzCfI_o4jU/s320/20161030_154845.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The stuff that goes on the altars varies with each one, but marigolds and pan de muerto is pretty much on all of them. The bread on this altar is particularly beautifully decorated.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W9BKD8VHTBeb343HeG5oGXczZDHfiQoxjuMe7GRSHYyo-L9tKPPpIb_a1Ws9jvx42SJics0ujn-uBv_5K6CjvsxXrs2RT14IiwWGd5A6E1t5ARoGARcGqCsPEpuNfPqZXt_JQqSGIrQ/s1600/20161030_154708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W9BKD8VHTBeb343HeG5oGXczZDHfiQoxjuMe7GRSHYyo-L9tKPPpIb_a1Ws9jvx42SJics0ujn-uBv_5K6CjvsxXrs2RT14IiwWGd5A6E1t5ARoGARcGqCsPEpuNfPqZXt_JQqSGIrQ/s320/20161030_154708.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Jicama, corn, platanos, peanuts and guavas are all pretty common. There are also beverages, mostly mescal (not surprisingly).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1u5eU0Y4YsmoYpHNBvjT3vD__e3l9f8dbweR8hD7Ilo8ULRxvH1DlNRhtFw7W43nFj9fNQGJl8-CKOvLKFmVpgRvDFSHB6Cs_1R3CNSFuoPtN4g_0IwOdHs5BOZgKZ5utlh-DvtpwMng/s1600/20161030_154717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1u5eU0Y4YsmoYpHNBvjT3vD__e3l9f8dbweR8hD7Ilo8ULRxvH1DlNRhtFw7W43nFj9fNQGJl8-CKOvLKFmVpgRvDFSHB6Cs_1R3CNSFuoPtN4g_0IwOdHs5BOZgKZ5utlh-DvtpwMng/s320/20161030_154717.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I love the big bowls of food on this altar. Grandma's favorite dishes, I suppose.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJr3Kg_W5fTY6oerqEuSU8bD8rNeux1rkFee0RhMxS_77FUiNPHhAyGp7gYO8C1zaAsaGRirq6rxPQuF6phJ-f81hw49eHHkzIkB6zvTk0aqSVZvyF-VaKA9RCnoWT-oVWMwxWp7_jw0/s1600/20161030_092103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJr3Kg_W5fTY6oerqEuSU8bD8rNeux1rkFee0RhMxS_77FUiNPHhAyGp7gYO8C1zaAsaGRirq6rxPQuF6phJ-f81hw49eHHkzIkB6zvTk0aqSVZvyF-VaKA9RCnoWT-oVWMwxWp7_jw0/s400/20161030_092103.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Remember those weird little painted pieces of pasta that I showed you in the post about the mercado? Well, we found out what they're for. They are used to decorate pan de muerto. Pan de muerto is the decorated version of pan de yema (a type of bread with eggs and sugar in it). The decorations are often just the little pasta thingies, which are called caritas (little faces), but also sometimes other stuff like seeds and something that looks like icing, in white or in bright colors.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDbJ3viLMAav_CEL2ZxitJYNX8EsPh9cF6ozI4UwZ2SPr-Qq-_6oCspqjzbxfUqi5d2Sv0Pxd3ACVo3SfIbulG6fqSxGOGetOl53icMWtQF9XnHy0kMsJq-Tf5RgtFHb8oLcZpL3UwVA/s1600/20161101_121657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDbJ3viLMAav_CEL2ZxitJYNX8EsPh9cF6ozI4UwZ2SPr-Qq-_6oCspqjzbxfUqi5d2Sv0Pxd3ACVo3SfIbulG6fqSxGOGetOl53icMWtQF9XnHy0kMsJq-Tf5RgtFHb8oLcZpL3UwVA/s400/20161101_121657.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
We made an altar in our house, with photos of our grandparents, cats, and others who've died. The path of marigold petals from the front door to the altar is supposed to help the souls of the deceased find their way into the house.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CUm6sBH3QCgxMPyDsUQVboJ8EmQd_d0SlcOipZ8x_KQOSVIReWwADRNw8TSNReRsh7CjyRUhEPIoJHlAcQnUUmKRuA7pituhkyfbKZfIhxha_dvdtRThdrXWCmadJfl5ZsE3vZC0tOw/s1600/20161101_121901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CUm6sBH3QCgxMPyDsUQVboJ8EmQd_d0SlcOipZ8x_KQOSVIReWwADRNw8TSNReRsh7CjyRUhEPIoJHlAcQnUUmKRuA7pituhkyfbKZfIhxha_dvdtRThdrXWCmadJfl5ZsE3vZC0tOw/s400/20161101_121901.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Because we are Unitarian Universalists, not Catholics, we made a chalice instead of a cross on our floor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kw3321kGufFwXXt4E8i0jbeNg0INoJ6f0J40_fmjEKX_nHC2T8c-uOBJlAtSVw7q-QmBCLViTOzaLxa3vpR7G_FOfr7sp_EWIayZFTH5jeAe5uf8DDg7FDUXBGlvMT_4GOwqNtMWJ9E/s1600/20161105_140840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kw3321kGufFwXXt4E8i0jbeNg0INoJ6f0J40_fmjEKX_nHC2T8c-uOBJlAtSVw7q-QmBCLViTOzaLxa3vpR7G_FOfr7sp_EWIayZFTH5jeAe5uf8DDg7FDUXBGlvMT_4GOwqNtMWJ9E/s400/20161105_140840.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's a close up of our altar. The box in between the catrina and the skull is tuna fish, for the cats.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-54872478419445862832016-11-01T22:02:00.001-07:002016-11-01T22:05:01.939-07:00Dia de los Muertos, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDQavZpxnQrT0v2Gom4qWPx4H1_LLbilrRJLeDZZCpm1xh21OSDXkfUKcMNWxVzHfrksBPEy412xpIwwnRP2L-Rvdf5mVSMeJZyvtsIWYocVkXe5ae9dacCHwQcAiZfpOaa7EPfdJRLo/s1600/20161101_140126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDQavZpxnQrT0v2Gom4qWPx4H1_LLbilrRJLeDZZCpm1xh21OSDXkfUKcMNWxVzHfrksBPEy412xpIwwnRP2L-Rvdf5mVSMeJZyvtsIWYocVkXe5ae9dacCHwQcAiZfpOaa7EPfdJRLo/s400/20161101_140126.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Today is Dia de los Muertos and everyone, including Indigo, is wearing creepy costumes. Well, not everyone, especially not me and Amy because we're slugs, but there's a lot of face paint around.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXlvju9jAp2qaPdVFS-W7yN_-rGuHQpViuXlEidlOCuBOLfxLxxbSnB63hQ80RqVK3spbWT5KWNKXy3DBCOY6RsFrrq5WUgHf3JPGb8lVeP5JnNj0TxZFKT9A16q-JraoZpGEC_-cQKE/s1600/20161101_130153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXlvju9jAp2qaPdVFS-W7yN_-rGuHQpViuXlEidlOCuBOLfxLxxbSnB63hQ80RqVK3spbWT5KWNKXy3DBCOY6RsFrrq5WUgHf3JPGb8lVeP5JnNj0TxZFKT9A16q-JraoZpGEC_-cQKE/s400/20161101_130153.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's the scene in the shop where we went to get Indigo's face painted.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAlu1FZyKMU28GGRGX2HpmV169DwKG3fFs4VDXbXax_f921C-A5ddihfg93JWfkhHRPFlETcFEuBWfczy9oYftGRQSMmccOrL8txLcUS53LzsE8jGuHwtAvTUDLwQLk67YkRR2QZbJ2c/s1600/20161101_131555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAlu1FZyKMU28GGRGX2HpmV169DwKG3fFs4VDXbXax_f921C-A5ddihfg93JWfkhHRPFlETcFEuBWfczy9oYftGRQSMmccOrL8txLcUS53LzsE8jGuHwtAvTUDLwQLk67YkRR2QZbJ2c/s400/20161101_131555.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
This guy was dressed to the nines. You can't see it in the picture but he was wearing black patent leather shoes that were very shiny.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lEG_69WAptsK852CjsJjukb0shlTos2ud4Vk5IHDABktrBOJ8P56OJnnfbud-4fnMa7yStDhv68Cv44Gnwv85zIVFPUfZJdPh_X9gqwzKGlbJuU9riQojDeav7px2niJiHQejllBlyY/s1600/20161101_144554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lEG_69WAptsK852CjsJjukb0shlTos2ud4Vk5IHDABktrBOJ8P56OJnnfbud-4fnMa7yStDhv68Cv44Gnwv85zIVFPUfZJdPh_X9gqwzKGlbJuU9riQojDeav7px2niJiHQejllBlyY/s400/20161101_144554.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's Indigo with a friend named John.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRTUPYetkmAGfcD5h9XmRMlXtkFaGYIORrP_PvVdsF6_tWrkYYQt7mmFEuF6-T7lUPgIz5_ne4AQYZq6CZ1Zv-sChp-6LZmPOTFNv3SmoUsV-gengriaMPVnOjrZ9i3MrCDwhxU2RzxU/s1600/20161101_171948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRTUPYetkmAGfcD5h9XmRMlXtkFaGYIORrP_PvVdsF6_tWrkYYQt7mmFEuF6-T7lUPgIz5_ne4AQYZq6CZ1Zv-sChp-6LZmPOTFNv3SmoUsV-gengriaMPVnOjrZ9i3MrCDwhxU2RzxU/s400/20161101_171948.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
There are lots of comparzas for the holiday. It's a kind of party/street fair/music/dance thing, of the type that seems to happen in Mexico for just about any reason at all. We went to one in the center of town in a very touristy area, and it was pretty dull; mostly people selling stuff. So, we went to another one in a neighborhood near our house where there are never many tourists, and it was a lot more fun.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9huuThzaeXwl7nzhZYN9VBG_rvKvtiPJzip2-P3EideTPUVAW2GtxQDy9v7H4pQKpIGl8GYLnl-ZpyDm2hYP6XMT2BdSQLXLQez8SbBd6qaHDzXOa0aRd0DRbih-3fCnozNHvOPs_s8g/s1600/20161101_173112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9huuThzaeXwl7nzhZYN9VBG_rvKvtiPJzip2-P3EideTPUVAW2GtxQDy9v7H4pQKpIGl8GYLnl-ZpyDm2hYP6XMT2BdSQLXLQez8SbBd6qaHDzXOa0aRd0DRbih-3fCnozNHvOPs_s8g/s400/20161101_173112.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
All the costumes were really creepy. We only saw one Elsa, and even she had Catrina facepaint (and she was about 5 years old). I don't know who this guy was supposed to be, but he was definitely scary, in a goofy kind of way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDFM7oXKL94Rd7StAEcv12M0NfSx4rGCj3Vap2HG3w3du_4FSRc7s_x1ZfYZUcSt3Cil7p7YbnU-MzyHTZghq6lSUwW0CON8HINFVyu0ZOJ_AjMRTXJ_5YhzvyJ0pliR5VVuVKKIdNgc/s1600/20161101_173214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDFM7oXKL94Rd7StAEcv12M0NfSx4rGCj3Vap2HG3w3du_4FSRc7s_x1ZfYZUcSt3Cil7p7YbnU-MzyHTZghq6lSUwW0CON8HINFVyu0ZOJ_AjMRTXJ_5YhzvyJ0pliR5VVuVKKIdNgc/s400/20161101_173214.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
This guy was mostly just goofy, though. In fact, maybe he is actually Goofy, or Dopey, or Sneezy or someone like that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtk7EcOAaaZD2PnZ0YT3V-WJSgYPVlT1Dxl_RzYPD1FMkeGDiImWyica4iYp3ajzLaZ_O0Pc-T8aTZ-iBiR_OwBQuubTQDXkd5ujRHw7cnFGDzfHx0KeWPwK5xUIiiP8FLn0wZl4LORU/s1600/20161101_174637+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtk7EcOAaaZD2PnZ0YT3V-WJSgYPVlT1Dxl_RzYPD1FMkeGDiImWyica4iYp3ajzLaZ_O0Pc-T8aTZ-iBiR_OwBQuubTQDXkd5ujRHw7cnFGDzfHx0KeWPwK5xUIiiP8FLn0wZl4LORU/s400/20161101_174637+%25282%2529.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
The comparza consisted of a parade through the neighborhood, which would come to a halt about every two blocks. Then, the band would set up, then play music for about 15 minutes while everyone danced. Jack is a good dancer; it took me a while to get this photo because he was really moving.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivq4Cy37NTF0Ods_Ige_Y09XfcXz-NvftJHfwl6KTbmIFqgvVoFaC2YsenXK1Esd7oDGIWAXz8zJNgcNRC2TDw1v-K5Vz7RZX2er_3lX1T0SfSMCXtKChuACpXSuUL4GaInLx_WZ88HLo/s1600/20161101_180758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivq4Cy37NTF0Ods_Ige_Y09XfcXz-NvftJHfwl6KTbmIFqgvVoFaC2YsenXK1Esd7oDGIWAXz8zJNgcNRC2TDw1v-K5Vz7RZX2er_3lX1T0SfSMCXtKChuACpXSuUL4GaInLx_WZ88HLo/s400/20161101_180758.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Hannibal Lector here kept terrorizing people by growling and trying to leap out of his chair. The cop and the nurse would pull him back. I saw them do this routine about 15 times and it didn't get old. Indigo wouldn't go near him.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqmP8XNrcjYoSvoBERnMwqOz_8-WjxO0gLNWCIeSUgi17A-IyiOGXIBkJZu1cR2a3IlAhd4snxSlQOWM7U0nGg9VQYNYeXXzc1AIil4JPH78NG2zG_nLfOswRY1SnT_duesoWJl5JTpU/s1600/20161101_175714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqmP8XNrcjYoSvoBERnMwqOz_8-WjxO0gLNWCIeSUgi17A-IyiOGXIBkJZu1cR2a3IlAhd4snxSlQOWM7U0nGg9VQYNYeXXzc1AIil4JPH78NG2zG_nLfOswRY1SnT_duesoWJl5JTpU/s400/20161101_175714.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
On the other hand, she liked these guys.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-25996118994902329632016-10-30T22:04:00.000-07:002016-11-01T08:56:51.292-07:00Dia de los Muertos, Part 1It's almost Dia de los Muertos, and all of Oaxaca has been getting ready, it seems, for weeks now. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Calavera_Catrina">Catrinas</a> have been popping up all over for the last month or so. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxepcMuEOPPgcL8Ov4XLEcEptssa4OM3BlaoyErCfejPwWkatKM94fCdLlZd_GE61m2A3FsjjTFm3ewNGeqSRGa6jpSd9aZu_xh7Rd3jySEgDawJJdMWjGi46oVqVBK2POcSAKNhoyaD8/s1600/20161026_204210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxepcMuEOPPgcL8Ov4XLEcEptssa4OM3BlaoyErCfejPwWkatKM94fCdLlZd_GE61m2A3FsjjTFm3ewNGeqSRGa6jpSd9aZu_xh7Rd3jySEgDawJJdMWjGi46oVqVBK2POcSAKNhoyaD8/s400/20161026_204210.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be this one.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcaxvPSMHkwTv4HA11_zrfBGHzOde4iJ3l10pXwOjDHgkvT4JMz5FB04VlCHwObjoWz5qEVmLHwHcSOcOUuBkSLOYaNTiiemR-N8fz3kHTUOHOCxRrA0qkryJFkZqRm7FbloJbT_DFuI/s1600/20161009_143357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcaxvPSMHkwTv4HA11_zrfBGHzOde4iJ3l10pXwOjDHgkvT4JMz5FB04VlCHwObjoWz5qEVmLHwHcSOcOUuBkSLOYaNTiiemR-N8fz3kHTUOHOCxRrA0qkryJFkZqRm7FbloJbT_DFuI/s400/20161009_143357.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This group is also quite attractive.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Kgc0yvVy-48RB4nOmTvRyuuJmh4v4Ttb-M2n-PEVlAaxJ5_GuWpQrMN2XBs4iKRVuhavrvjbj1fOhyZZWt1cJ7FFq53WtQR9JDo2TxQUtiQaR2OKQMwibGkc6ye0faNOaEYY9WqFqk/s1600/20161029_164623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Kgc0yvVy-48RB4nOmTvRyuuJmh4v4Ttb-M2n-PEVlAaxJ5_GuWpQrMN2XBs4iKRVuhavrvjbj1fOhyZZWt1cJ7FFq53WtQR9JDo2TxQUtiQaR2OKQMwibGkc6ye0faNOaEYY9WqFqk/s400/20161029_164623.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I like the way this one is casually hanging out between the tables of diners.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaobtsEnTtdcuZaMsup07Q0vgqD2ap41PA8WJSZ3N2m2LLMx5p8yqvqVXsmnoihpD9DYVtV6DYJLrLhrWc1pGVBsSTIoqv5_gUyBitMFt1oKlOMKGspV2BaXtDcgsLNRIiEyLQBgxqr84/s1600/20161022_105548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaobtsEnTtdcuZaMsup07Q0vgqD2ap41PA8WJSZ3N2m2LLMx5p8yqvqVXsmnoihpD9DYVtV6DYJLrLhrWc1pGVBsSTIoqv5_gUyBitMFt1oKlOMKGspV2BaXtDcgsLNRIiEyLQBgxqr84/s400/20161022_105548.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This bride seems to be waiting for a drink at the bar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRSGm29AP1f9sfGeO68RNB3JhgCPYmORVR7GgX7plVEmQD34YptFDK6JpHYycNyBCC70DERiHOcb_u15D3jRDu5dLPgRGU6OgPN5muRi8rmA9uTrmOqHqzSQ0CtX3-40sSVnBJVo9kMU/s1600/20161021_133747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRSGm29AP1f9sfGeO68RNB3JhgCPYmORVR7GgX7plVEmQD34YptFDK6JpHYycNyBCC70DERiHOcb_u15D3jRDu5dLPgRGU6OgPN5muRi8rmA9uTrmOqHqzSQ0CtX3-40sSVnBJVo9kMU/s400/20161021_133747.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calavera">calavera</a> seems to be having a pretty good time, but sadly when I visited him the day after I took this picture his glass of mescal had disappeared. Maybe he drank it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoOow_BN_9ODU2KASBhotKVKUe_LzbQc6uxiKX5t7mpAAapQMVMz_Qhb2tEJS-RGcgjQkp9iOUhXeNPnn3NMJg-16q2XOg0cyPdfPcTsyFweps_ogIKiS-oaqfwlpKq_1IM4pSf1ZZjY/s1600/20161018_170038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoOow_BN_9ODU2KASBhotKVKUe_LzbQc6uxiKX5t7mpAAapQMVMz_Qhb2tEJS-RGcgjQkp9iOUhXeNPnn3NMJg-16q2XOg0cyPdfPcTsyFweps_ogIKiS-oaqfwlpKq_1IM4pSf1ZZjY/s400/20161018_170038.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Other signs of the season include <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_de_muerto">Pan de Muerto</a>; <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJBmWW34FjQB4AJt-VfyVIj_bFKTiwyLx7QCzHSXn5RjFqdjgjp0Ojr9l7Ny6JVVDX0YYV9moG2lCD8hSOGLmyT1sL2ndyCZEkOISktMh4YBEoC-eogwMRvMiWUzoLBwgFCiAm3MXcj0/s1600/20161008_145949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJBmWW34FjQB4AJt-VfyVIj_bFKTiwyLx7QCzHSXn5RjFqdjgjp0Ojr9l7Ny6JVVDX0YYV9moG2lCD8hSOGLmyT1sL2ndyCZEkOISktMh4YBEoC-eogwMRvMiWUzoLBwgFCiAm3MXcj0/s400/20161008_145949.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Edible calveras made of all sorts of stuff, including amaranth;<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhDIXovwm6Rdn6U4HDSGO-QTeR-nNRV4V0J_9VmY0Ia6WBA_68WIXS-Y9t2qThzGBXc7gZ8RXtGyPkx_pKI2aoNbLBYmlWHJR4LrGKVt-iyxaJ124KFvDQcwL951nGM8dRIsaSn_JvRA/s1600/20161026_160605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhDIXovwm6Rdn6U4HDSGO-QTeR-nNRV4V0J_9VmY0Ia6WBA_68WIXS-Y9t2qThzGBXc7gZ8RXtGyPkx_pKI2aoNbLBYmlWHJR4LrGKVt-iyxaJ124KFvDQcwL951nGM8dRIsaSn_JvRA/s400/20161026_160605.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Kids dressed up;<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfAedsO4xt1voq1gbeMu7BRoEz03tVNE_SrcyamM2b5zDodPebbMC8PdmsiP6NBQ6dXOSp61Sesv0Fy_0ATNVOow1GD1-15yWZKbGTBDSWanDkq5Mx7ebsdt8pl7XyUOXIShD6IaRgEI/s1600/20161028_213020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfAedsO4xt1voq1gbeMu7BRoEz03tVNE_SrcyamM2b5zDodPebbMC8PdmsiP6NBQ6dXOSp61Sesv0Fy_0ATNVOow1GD1-15yWZKbGTBDSWanDkq5Mx7ebsdt8pl7XyUOXIShD6IaRgEI/s400/20161028_213020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papel_picado">Papel picado</a>;<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN_HAvf6DAFzuJsR2-mD8wb2wOjberzFPKH9u-IYozm-Zwj4Kjn_bks_9GRB5BtvmrQcalPSWDsFeXsKMC9XlRVFMtc5rTBaWqQzTwpqTVx3EB31DR692IyuA88gS_qzBSRd-kYtxu3Y/s1600/20161026_161445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN_HAvf6DAFzuJsR2-mD8wb2wOjberzFPKH9u-IYozm-Zwj4Kjn_bks_9GRB5BtvmrQcalPSWDsFeXsKMC9XlRVFMtc5rTBaWqQzTwpqTVx3EB31DR692IyuA88gS_qzBSRd-kYtxu3Y/s400/20161026_161445.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
And miscellaneous dead things.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Halloween is slowly making its presence known in Mexico. Some people find this to be a fun and harmless addition to tradition, others think it's cultural imperialism. I think it doesn't matter which one it is, because Halloween is fun, and fun is extremely highly valued in Mexico -- it's right up there with your family, Jesus Christ, and tortillas.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppaYv-sQ65XDcIZ0bxKuE24TtuaN1-yMuzhL9pC78gT8b9FHb4Thq90aJVbtmLDig1yNQFjyZDvvVXpaB1EGynF6HLZRrOzUjDhzOFayH4pW0G9sKK04dIuwy2Y7nRvpXHWeg_DGtmqY/s1600/20161028_182125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppaYv-sQ65XDcIZ0bxKuE24TtuaN1-yMuzhL9pC78gT8b9FHb4Thq90aJVbtmLDig1yNQFjyZDvvVXpaB1EGynF6HLZRrOzUjDhzOFayH4pW0G9sKK04dIuwy2Y7nRvpXHWeg_DGtmqY/s400/20161028_182125.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
So, you have ghosts instead of skeletons in some places. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmjK7HdrYTAD6W5OrrIoCr8Oyf0k3q_CEbeUZeZCl_ZMBxchtM2CrwrchNyl1aXlh10eezkUExeDeqN0iVf26eyAzlaWpv_JRzeA4EXJ0QziUwtP7uD1oKcWR7uYc9ZUb4GhT35IDGRk/s1600/20161029_124100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmjK7HdrYTAD6W5OrrIoCr8Oyf0k3q_CEbeUZeZCl_ZMBxchtM2CrwrchNyl1aXlh10eezkUExeDeqN0iVf26eyAzlaWpv_JRzeA4EXJ0QziUwtP7uD1oKcWR7uYc9ZUb4GhT35IDGRk/s400/20161029_124100.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
And whatever this is, in the supermarket (ok, maybe this is supposed to be a traditional calavera, but it looks like a sad vampire zombie thing to me);<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbCnQ5_wnBovgm6gKF2ZQzLSOL01gMcGE5NzYOKuax5p2Tc3Ghyai4edDVEAT7C18HufntzpAPwNkxQ861FcGmFGb5tSG9oZhLhkx7CXpIYLFxXOYaWhh-jok8vuUtHQmSZL-JB9EszI/s1600/20161026_164755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbCnQ5_wnBovgm6gKF2ZQzLSOL01gMcGE5NzYOKuax5p2Tc3Ghyai4edDVEAT7C18HufntzpAPwNkxQ861FcGmFGb5tSG9oZhLhkx7CXpIYLFxXOYaWhh-jok8vuUtHQmSZL-JB9EszI/s400/20161026_164755.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
More kids dressed up, including some in not exactly traditional Mexican style;<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjVEe0Whl_5o1q6yGVAkIzQXoLsnF1Mts58t2CYbvX8c2VuNE-DJ-Rk_4wke7173hfm0Gq-4OyoolNkFyPetvQ-RkKv8BibFBEMuwdHk_d66VsSqkAhh2OyWIztQ9J47ngH1xdXhWYt0/s1600/20161029_123119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjVEe0Whl_5o1q6yGVAkIzQXoLsnF1Mts58t2CYbvX8c2VuNE-DJ-Rk_4wke7173hfm0Gq-4OyoolNkFyPetvQ-RkKv8BibFBEMuwdHk_d66VsSqkAhh2OyWIztQ9J47ngH1xdXhWYt0/s400/20161029_123119.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
And Jack O'Lanterns, which you can only find made of plastic or ceramics, even though pumpkins do exist here.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-84407593569001810332016-10-17T23:05:00.000-07:002016-10-17T23:14:02.307-07:00FoodFood, in Oaxaca, is serious business. Like San Francisco, it's a foodie town, and everywhere you go, anytime of the day or night, you are surrounded by food. People set up comals on random street corners and fry up tortillas of varying shapes, thicknesses and sizes (each of which, confusingly, has a different name) with varying combinations of beans, meat, veggies and salsas. Women walk around with baskets of tamales, bags of fruit, and all kinds of tortillas. Men on bicycles and pushing carts sell ice cream, potato chips and scary-looking preserved things in big glass jars. There are taco stands everywhere -- street corners, parks, the edge of every parking lot, in the mercados.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKpacKZKTskNwcGNT8SD-nu5fOvSOv1pAEQyeHz2fDeRySa-obQ6t1aZhoq0SAQZzHgZw4yjIlOKHfy8LiAY2bb3B6xgFh4iv4MaxLkFxqhmeEP1SFoMQauDTM7QngMmwDDvyHD-FgMs/s1600/20161004_134044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKpacKZKTskNwcGNT8SD-nu5fOvSOv1pAEQyeHz2fDeRySa-obQ6t1aZhoq0SAQZzHgZw4yjIlOKHfy8LiAY2bb3B6xgFh4iv4MaxLkFxqhmeEP1SFoMQauDTM7QngMmwDDvyHD-FgMs/s320/20161004_134044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This stand is one of our favorites. Indigo and I both love carnitas -- braised pork -- which comes in about 10 different varieties. The kind we both like best is called maciza -- tender, tasty, lean bits of meat, served with 2 small tortillas, cilantro, onions and salsa.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMV_ydi8i1dH0Kb44luaqT-YPsyiy5jHuVg0PThEvH4h6LBr3IxFSr5ujx5WHID96M91hLvkR2FZ-q_U24pVEm2genRlTlmy3KBjWpfFZTFsnjDK4sez4oFeJSlNMB8tpBVh3mdqAGmc/s1600/20161006_140106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMV_ydi8i1dH0Kb44luaqT-YPsyiy5jHuVg0PThEvH4h6LBr3IxFSr5ujx5WHID96M91hLvkR2FZ-q_U24pVEm2genRlTlmy3KBjWpfFZTFsnjDK4sez4oFeJSlNMB8tpBVh3mdqAGmc/s320/20161006_140106.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In addition, of course, to the massive amount of street food, there are also a lot of good restaurants. One of our favorite casual places is called El Pochote. It's actually a large courtyard with a huge pochote tree in the middle of it, with a whole bunch of stands which serve mostly organic food of various types. They have beautiful and delicious salads, and a zillion different flavors of juice and licuados (milkshakes). You can see the corner of Indigo's favorite, mango licuado.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBJcJMrIosk2qNye5GYb7rcSQ8J6meAGzfSf4Iapje0b-d6r2Wb4zlVHlBNL8jnpnv1A0XQvwZG5sjViBk_4YOPelZr-Fmwlrj0QeNb8EyxeR-sr5seLY4w94W7mqfNDsReuoYvjItDc/s1600/20160916_143838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBJcJMrIosk2qNye5GYb7rcSQ8J6meAGzfSf4Iapje0b-d6r2Wb4zlVHlBNL8jnpnv1A0XQvwZG5sjViBk_4YOPelZr-Fmwlrj0QeNb8EyxeR-sr5seLY4w94W7mqfNDsReuoYvjItDc/s320/20160916_143838.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And then there's the fancy restaurants. It's nice to be able to afford to go to the best restaurants in town -- I think the most we've ever spent for a meal for the three of us is about $30. This is the tamarind shrimp with mole at a restaurant called Biznaga.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAo8EXYs9YY6THM5yG8X3MN-7gW4z2C86w2TgACb_dJQzY0mj4WS4A6wvcOxSHauW5ZCT5dqvoc2dAP7rEb85Yb2wSRIqecI3QA6c5MER0R4bLkZfNQ4rx8RkfUYp4W2nnSnXufI-p2Y/s1600/20161007_213459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAo8EXYs9YY6THM5yG8X3MN-7gW4z2C86w2TgACb_dJQzY0mj4WS4A6wvcOxSHauW5ZCT5dqvoc2dAP7rEb85Yb2wSRIqecI3QA6c5MER0R4bLkZfNQ4rx8RkfUYp4W2nnSnXufI-p2Y/s320/20161007_213459.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Probably the best restaurant we've eaten at is called La Catedral. Their food is basically fancied-up traditional dishes. Here are their shrimp tacos, which clearly have the same ancestry as your garden-variety street taco, yet whatever it is they do it is amazing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ENFjesQx2NORnD7F0Kf2WOfcj8C4DJfnH3d-dtKKMff9SPIW4o_by9gPKv_AAHLsBe9mR10rS2Ul6S3lY7vtI6H_F-vLPUlVkNMR6o8zcscrUfxDeXalhVPqGdi5IqZxRzjC-McaeQ8/s1600/20161007_220017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ENFjesQx2NORnD7F0Kf2WOfcj8C4DJfnH3d-dtKKMff9SPIW4o_by9gPKv_AAHLsBe9mR10rS2Ul6S3lY7vtI6H_F-vLPUlVkNMR6o8zcscrUfxDeXalhVPqGdi5IqZxRzjC-McaeQ8/s320/20161007_220017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For dessert I had tejate cream with mamey sorbet. Tejate is a local drink, made with corn, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee and who knows what else. It is sold in big huge vats and gets all foamy on the top, as you can see in the photo below. The drink is kind of grainy, but its descendant at La Catedral was some sort of soft, delicate, creamy, smooth, melt-in-your mouth foam with exactly the same delicious flavor as stuff you buy on the street. It was beautifully complemented by the slight sweet, slighty citrusy sorbet made from the mamey fruit. The thought of returning to the U.S. and not being able to go back to La Catedral and eat this whenever I want is making me want to cry.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9W3VmSEKrmzUfJNEPIT8f1YoP07aUgip3ssQOnRTD7Zey4eyCOnJpL2phFOEMSBdz6lNAL1tNjQmRTyhifAmCH0Lx1QY9RcPkX0Bw-wYt6AR7T3CggPkBz36RDlWGHgShixm_aWazuE/s1600/20160727_145609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9W3VmSEKrmzUfJNEPIT8f1YoP07aUgip3ssQOnRTD7Zey4eyCOnJpL2phFOEMSBdz6lNAL1tNjQmRTyhifAmCH0Lx1QY9RcPkX0Bw-wYt6AR7T3CggPkBz36RDlWGHgShixm_aWazuE/s320/20160727_145609.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>These women are selling tejate at a tejate and tamales fair that we went to a few months ago. They use those small bowls to scoop out some liquid and some foam into a cup. Sometimes they add sugar syrup separately.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2T_nGwEeyXc99Gq8f0baXJ0Nv7cAi5q4yFIrSNhmDQT81H0arBPYoyOXR4zijdJvJQXzZJEZktcnqUsF9eAXR2POxGiJ8pJEfurfAfEubDX1lUVRdkTU2v4oWHxRAJcIHI8yyb5-iWo/s1600/20161007_220004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2T_nGwEeyXc99Gq8f0baXJ0Nv7cAi5q4yFIrSNhmDQT81H0arBPYoyOXR4zijdJvJQXzZJEZktcnqUsF9eAXR2POxGiJ8pJEfurfAfEubDX1lUVRdkTU2v4oWHxRAJcIHI8yyb5-iWo/s320/20161007_220004.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>Another La Catedral dessert that was to die for was this chocolate concoction. In fact, here's Indigo protecting it with her life. It was some kind of chocolate pudding in a hard chocolate cake shell, with chocolate ice cream and various other bits of chocolately stuff. OMG this place is good. We're eating there again next weekend, because life is good.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBPaFMehxAxtKQc1rtNo-aXr3eEL7puuNhGrOp5vj9qgdEZWlA8juyI80FXxfwzkjkLXR0g5V7AJHzbqXehdKVluFZ2cfKje6fFHaUAU1PhpI9ccfWNfT9_q834TfCRcAegbYktCYIdY/s1600/20161014_211331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBPaFMehxAxtKQc1rtNo-aXr3eEL7puuNhGrOp5vj9qgdEZWlA8juyI80FXxfwzkjkLXR0g5V7AJHzbqXehdKVluFZ2cfKje6fFHaUAU1PhpI9ccfWNfT9_q834TfCRcAegbYktCYIdY/s320/20161014_211331.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>Another restaurant we like a lot is called Tres Bistros. This place is on the second floor of a building overlooking the Zocalo (Oaxaca's central square), and we always manage to get a window table even when it's crowded. This place plies you with food -- they bring out a big basket of homemade potato and sweet potato chips, and they keep coming around with six varieties of bread with herb butter, and they bring you some incredible little chocolates with your bill. Last time I was there, I had the Princess Donaji Crepe. Princess Donaji is a Oaxacan legend about a princess who saved her people and died heroically. She has absolutely nothing to do with crepes, or any other kind of food as far as I know, but I guess it sounds good. Anyway, this was a spinach crepe tied up in a cute little bundle with some sort of delicious vegetable mixture inside. I don't usually like vegetarian stuff, but I ordered it because it sounded good and it really exceeded my expectations. If all vegetarian food was this good I'd stop eating meat. Maybe.<br />
Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-33893807775248215112016-10-16T09:59:00.001-07:002016-10-16T10:02:32.473-07:00The Central de Abastos is the largest market in Oaxaca. It's an endless city of stalls, tents and random stuff. They sell everything here, I'm sure including some things that shouldn't be sold, and there's very little rhyme or reason or logic to where things are. You can wander for hours looking for the section with the shoestores or honey vendors or tools or chocolate or hats or pillows or chiles or, worse, the guy with the really high-quality fruit who you bought from last time who's around here somewhere I think wasn't he just right past the rotisserie chicken?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15q4R52vinH7N8v5AR69kA2MpekReR1MwbffDer2VbuzKDDibL07fK5VUyubGTRgyUwF1N3dptS0x3h5bTZv0wodb7IOwoxcTgGaeTKsXarBWdgDhxrrCU-91pAzd3DLRS34X-VyyQlY/s1600/20161001_153924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15q4R52vinH7N8v5AR69kA2MpekReR1MwbffDer2VbuzKDDibL07fK5VUyubGTRgyUwF1N3dptS0x3h5bTZv0wodb7IOwoxcTgGaeTKsXarBWdgDhxrrCU-91pAzd3DLRS34X-VyyQlY/s400/20161001_153924.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Mostly they sell ordinary stuff, but occasionally you come across something strange, like these small, painted pieces of pasta. They come in several sizes, and many varieties. I'm not sure what they're used for, never having seen them outside of Abastos. Nor am I sure what would possess someone to make these, but that's one of Mexico's many charms.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipV7LKZrwh8pWD4ffD4pTSs2wTA0zO5pCCGQLCWqnDykeEpvpoOW1x0ZefcHBuMhzzhd11Bm4Rs512mWY5WOcAfArrKcXzb2uqEeXcN95DhcXX9I1BLXcuE79VN1a0tFwi-lOOKmM0G_M/s1600/20161001_154120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipV7LKZrwh8pWD4ffD4pTSs2wTA0zO5pCCGQLCWqnDykeEpvpoOW1x0ZefcHBuMhzzhd11Bm4Rs512mWY5WOcAfArrKcXzb2uqEeXcN95DhcXX9I1BLXcuE79VN1a0tFwi-lOOKmM0G_M/s400/20161001_154120.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<br />
There are lots of different types of faces painted on these things, including of course lots of religious ones, like Jesus.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ohED0Tisv3BSt-0PqVuuq-9WWu47Bvt7AJYV-EreBCvwSvCDoaUpWZyu73Gtrm_HzOydMosZC6eEln0wRAa031nyJX-h_ywPTg6sKymbR_8m0tFolpWihAQaDzfaPRVdujn7VtyIXLI/s1600/20161001_153841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ohED0Tisv3BSt-0PqVuuq-9WWu47Bvt7AJYV-EreBCvwSvCDoaUpWZyu73Gtrm_HzOydMosZC6eEln0wRAa031nyJX-h_ywPTg6sKymbR_8m0tFolpWihAQaDzfaPRVdujn7VtyIXLI/s320/20161001_153841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I bought a bag of these tiny little ones. I'm not sure what to do with them, but I couldn't resist.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mvLtDR0G7LWJVPBz_W_zfSvR8EhpucQeaFj2PXpUk68rIHGz1Smkq_bh52S-DX4JGhuehfxYcfIN5nodLc32INPCPupBx2iNL1FzF2Qe2R2Z35DjfdvSwPBQ55eGyUbUOva8BUFzlhg/s1600/20161015_155151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mvLtDR0G7LWJVPBz_W_zfSvR8EhpucQeaFj2PXpUk68rIHGz1Smkq_bh52S-DX4JGhuehfxYcfIN5nodLc32INPCPupBx2iNL1FzF2Qe2R2Z35DjfdvSwPBQ55eGyUbUOva8BUFzlhg/s400/20161015_155151.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Oaxaca is famous for chapulines, which is a type of grasshopper, that all the natives eat. I tried a very small one. It was salty and crunchy. I don't have the courage to try the larger ones, which look a little too much like what they are to me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's some more photos of the different stuff I found for sale in the market:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXo0hyNfiF9Kvdmck3SasNLcRF1Gn6x8G-L4TnRHWudgQuF1X0s8z9kCsfE8mpD19C9CPKY4q1mFAgErjo85UpoqpzTAHz5LtmFgso95xKc-fKsoTn8hbQIiZPJLMxdrfuHRJVW98cDw/s1600/20161001_153624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXo0hyNfiF9Kvdmck3SasNLcRF1Gn6x8G-L4TnRHWudgQuF1X0s8z9kCsfE8mpD19C9CPKY4q1mFAgErjo85UpoqpzTAHz5LtmFgso95xKc-fKsoTn8hbQIiZPJLMxdrfuHRJVW98cDw/s400/20161001_153624.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlRNE-l_oW2R1X68h7BhRVYhJqrRUndGtJ6Ntq3dKeSGRorGj70dTjnKS1r7au5Y2pWDZXwhiCUHtj4b3mB-Gm5Rz7b14KpC5mrMaloHzJkM3Fc5BLUMcywEZzFCjrn7C4qYAwJ6Dfy0/s1600/20161001_152408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlRNE-l_oW2R1X68h7BhRVYhJqrRUndGtJ6Ntq3dKeSGRorGj70dTjnKS1r7au5Y2pWDZXwhiCUHtj4b3mB-Gm5Rz7b14KpC5mrMaloHzJkM3Fc5BLUMcywEZzFCjrn7C4qYAwJ6Dfy0/s400/20161001_152408.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfnBaMBY61NA7v43g4qT9zIHmqvh1dNpGPVKNJVQ4yfu28siZBJmempyQ-wAh0TtQfnND634jkNuwOkbdqddzXlKYm-S4Qwu8ZsWzSO_gnB4wKpOiQLODgpYdZ0WcXh3_vxIQqwVVRys/s1600/20161001_153451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfnBaMBY61NA7v43g4qT9zIHmqvh1dNpGPVKNJVQ4yfu28siZBJmempyQ-wAh0TtQfnND634jkNuwOkbdqddzXlKYm-S4Qwu8ZsWzSO_gnB4wKpOiQLODgpYdZ0WcXh3_vxIQqwVVRys/s400/20161001_153451.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxiSa1MSP-KsWGZksBjqfl3VaIHdFXD7cTzSWADG8ZTrIe0V3qwi9Y0OhLKtmrl7rOjGVDZhOgJ46FW3ksxbNvjycF-mlVNNr2QG0pCaOZx1GLXFAFmD8jsqulBb5qZP-bJaEolscAdc/s1600/20161001_154218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxiSa1MSP-KsWGZksBjqfl3VaIHdFXD7cTzSWADG8ZTrIe0V3qwi9Y0OhLKtmrl7rOjGVDZhOgJ46FW3ksxbNvjycF-mlVNNr2QG0pCaOZx1GLXFAFmD8jsqulBb5qZP-bJaEolscAdc/s400/20161001_154218.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzQ4gUzilm0mYeqaMFE4M99kTpHHHbZJgQPK8RcBpf9YGiv4hfS-Be7-MUtHG9Dix0Pk8ftyCa0bsNdTv5rUnq9dhLyImGlufppX5CIsFZgLcRh5yvYF1DIA34x9cKALm2aUCIC-9j6I/s1600/20161001_155635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzQ4gUzilm0mYeqaMFE4M99kTpHHHbZJgQPK8RcBpf9YGiv4hfS-Be7-MUtHG9Dix0Pk8ftyCa0bsNdTv5rUnq9dhLyImGlufppX5CIsFZgLcRh5yvYF1DIA34x9cKALm2aUCIC-9j6I/s400/20161001_155635.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VM45fLtMbgucHkasDk_x4KlVaU6iGQjdcLX0gDsL_lcvT27OVNMV8X8c_5wpMPTWY1YpsjOHufwD1eDVW6OLMwR7jJFyz4XiE5IsOpkOicNncA5TK1AwxafRsunp-3WbuKtzcEiUFRg/s1600/20161001_155445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VM45fLtMbgucHkasDk_x4KlVaU6iGQjdcLX0gDsL_lcvT27OVNMV8X8c_5wpMPTWY1YpsjOHufwD1eDVW6OLMwR7jJFyz4XiE5IsOpkOicNncA5TK1AwxafRsunp-3WbuKtzcEiUFRg/s400/20161001_155445.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMg29QdpHjYY0B2hyphenhyphen-v5FYbFImMQ3PaX2_ACq0Ex6dd-YWJNO6EBgV2Q8lpLQXndIgWsM6G7tcuHcniu9bKo8nwsmsgUILBYsF2TKTUQRo6Blgk3VYh6kGB9t_zv590k8-du6DLycPH5Y/s1600/20161001_152739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMg29QdpHjYY0B2hyphenhyphen-v5FYbFImMQ3PaX2_ACq0Ex6dd-YWJNO6EBgV2Q8lpLQXndIgWsM6G7tcuHcniu9bKo8nwsmsgUILBYsF2TKTUQRo6Blgk3VYh6kGB9t_zv590k8-du6DLycPH5Y/s400/20161001_152739.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJoQ9YmibiaHKcqrmAUSwYRl0ylZI4QdXJDgLtq1HpWOkE11jfquY5-3LJH76cUvAnzZQrA-DcPCUgbET02eJklszxXE2TQZWEHWzwDu-20BI8fQrZyNzOvw28qEQIi7j9Z-Iu4spaW4/s1600/20161001_153052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJoQ9YmibiaHKcqrmAUSwYRl0ylZI4QdXJDgLtq1HpWOkE11jfquY5-3LJH76cUvAnzZQrA-DcPCUgbET02eJklszxXE2TQZWEHWzwDu-20BI8fQrZyNzOvw28qEQIi7j9Z-Iu4spaW4/s400/20161001_153052.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieThjt0_33F5LejgA2eSoEuDmqZepGZioW84P4lUddUjaCLZOcsQIVNuSJg2NciR5tu3cJ6yXnUCk_tIPKO00GemTaqcvos6fodOumublXA12jqX9FFWzLUdYtuWphVVzAQunB8HxcCO4/s1600/20161015_153925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieThjt0_33F5LejgA2eSoEuDmqZepGZioW84P4lUddUjaCLZOcsQIVNuSJg2NciR5tu3cJ6yXnUCk_tIPKO00GemTaqcvos6fodOumublXA12jqX9FFWzLUdYtuWphVVzAQunB8HxcCO4/s400/20161015_153925.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-nc2J9e4k8dc2mjW0Qq6dP_tWtv_GdmXZ8Rj4nadkWis-o0QfdBZxR6P6qd1XgrxwP9GkmxHLAfsdNm1vGRsvwZVtK6sCU4Wq14WwRZDwEeqrWdlOc7u6WDLqhVjLhwg1QYfXIf1q0w/s1600/20161015_154320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-nc2J9e4k8dc2mjW0Qq6dP_tWtv_GdmXZ8Rj4nadkWis-o0QfdBZxR6P6qd1XgrxwP9GkmxHLAfsdNm1vGRsvwZVtK6sCU4Wq14WwRZDwEeqrWdlOc7u6WDLqhVjLhwg1QYfXIf1q0w/s400/20161015_154320.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ59L2Kah1ejn4p9YrJNptikpP7vgrOp8j03jfIIKYRT9T7P_QVOJ5YZLbq2tN4VuPYkeSCyfuE9_w8bpRW9IIuR54Q7OLlILttnRe_FFZUxF_uhdi2mm018uXtGnwhyphenhyphenAGj8Yj2oTofpc/s1600/20161015_155903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ59L2Kah1ejn4p9YrJNptikpP7vgrOp8j03jfIIKYRT9T7P_QVOJ5YZLbq2tN4VuPYkeSCyfuE9_w8bpRW9IIuR54Q7OLlILttnRe_FFZUxF_uhdi2mm018uXtGnwhyphenhyphenAGj8Yj2oTofpc/s400/20161015_155903.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-18782578998215956692016-09-20T22:16:00.001-07:002016-09-20T22:17:32.776-07:00Things on walls, Part 3Here's a random mural on a random corner. I can't quite make out the words.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLcFyhVIouheWEDOM6j1CcZ09UvP59WqSK3GjRNe7l4DAiCiAYvta9udc8Y1zSyOw5KOf1vPyTp8P4S-GBTuh50hr1qjUhimoDeIiVYBSl7eMFteoOWEeo7EtToFZktri9sXurgrhiD8/s1600/20160907_133235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLcFyhVIouheWEDOM6j1CcZ09UvP59WqSK3GjRNe7l4DAiCiAYvta9udc8Y1zSyOw5KOf1vPyTp8P4S-GBTuh50hr1qjUhimoDeIiVYBSl7eMFteoOWEeo7EtToFZktri9sXurgrhiD8/s400/20160907_133235.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is not actually <i>on </i>a wall, but rather hanging from a wall, to be precise. It's some sort of strange iron work that surrounds a small structure within an old factory that's been made into an arts center in a town called St. Agustin Etla. I'm just not going to speculate about what's going on here.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6TZjzT2cGxn2D4FPb5VE-fs0JGYjJtDkUhiEf5K9ZbawvlgUrL9l4kNsL9n7JEpgHiuJKLY3jY4oKXYtU3u9JU5jKQlPivKjL8eFtwH8B1f-DZeChanH3s60k7awBsW5_65NljJL-Eo/s1600/20160703_130030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6TZjzT2cGxn2D4FPb5VE-fs0JGYjJtDkUhiEf5K9ZbawvlgUrL9l4kNsL9n7JEpgHiuJKLY3jY4oKXYtU3u9JU5jKQlPivKjL8eFtwH8B1f-DZeChanH3s60k7awBsW5_65NljJL-Eo/s400/20160703_130030.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiwL6bskLR4oUgzqn_pgZJhPF8UFpUJPxmXZhp6dkc0PyNgOri4deq15nr1Mz6hxD9MBpFCdf2pooV7gfpGFK1QBwWzwIt8NgZHK0KvvOGIR3kyjxvpk0r9_K4xj4FO48P8JNUIf2e68/s1600/20160910_132426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiwL6bskLR4oUgzqn_pgZJhPF8UFpUJPxmXZhp6dkc0PyNgOri4deq15nr1Mz6hxD9MBpFCdf2pooV7gfpGFK1QBwWzwIt8NgZHK0KvvOGIR3kyjxvpk0r9_K4xj4FO48P8JNUIf2e68/s400/20160910_132426.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Another random street with a random mural. There are a lot of them.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6qHlFYiHdtkkq6VBcezkVV0eCxqjpwIGW3RJaW6eNuK1SZHutonqIMdT6K473fUbeUmgNRcOWQisqZ0TOQjTSU0rgot1gcqnNRGU-S0UefQ25jlJvRVWp99EHMh-ONUPs3FtbIhyphenhyphencNI/s1600/20160902_131614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6qHlFYiHdtkkq6VBcezkVV0eCxqjpwIGW3RJaW6eNuK1SZHutonqIMdT6K473fUbeUmgNRcOWQisqZ0TOQjTSU0rgot1gcqnNRGU-S0UefQ25jlJvRVWp99EHMh-ONUPs3FtbIhyphenhyphencNI/s400/20160902_131614.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Ok, technically this is on a window, not a wall, but it's one of my favorite quotes, by Pablo Picasso. "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YxEjZV8qVD6W9vqLnM1dcw1Vr9M0Yo8N49g9_QmuAlROSpFOSfbguUsA64hmhGqk6uQ_7SRR3X-7LYPjJAkTSIkX-EEbx71B4RrdJSobf-stLnaG0bS5u84N_nMoJzdPPYYZnSImKTk/s1600/20160916_154355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YxEjZV8qVD6W9vqLnM1dcw1Vr9M0Yo8N49g9_QmuAlROSpFOSfbguUsA64hmhGqk6uQ_7SRR3X-7LYPjJAkTSIkX-EEbx71B4RrdJSobf-stLnaG0bS5u84N_nMoJzdPPYYZnSImKTk/s400/20160916_154355.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
A mural inside a restaurant.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3AmEMTV04ZbR68l0vn9_lU6-fC2otyL4GMqYE0xHZLs62c1JiUqS9yVJWtsRC8OW6G-UsNVEPWNQKRqfbjwElNPq6yNxvAGsdjShV52Fgvv6EHnwm8Vi6f3IM8QwXmPU_w_INrHHfx0/s1600/1469057727840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3AmEMTV04ZbR68l0vn9_lU6-fC2otyL4GMqYE0xHZLs62c1JiUqS9yVJWtsRC8OW6G-UsNVEPWNQKRqfbjwElNPq6yNxvAGsdjShV52Fgvv6EHnwm8Vi6f3IM8QwXmPU_w_INrHHfx0/s400/1469057727840.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
And some political artwork -- "Her future is in your hands. No to the privatization of education!!"Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-57270000122882015342016-09-18T19:18:00.002-07:002016-09-18T19:18:29.189-07:00Things on walls, Part 2More walls, more things on them. Here's another one of IAGO's murals. This one is on the patio where I have my Spanish class.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeX2fTdLmiNy2y2oBPub6OrozxRnWid0FumrSGMneeae5Ss-JJ_KH1eAYzNjqsfb0ff52TtDgBg9dVi_ic8MiuDk0d7WlKKZi9kL8KdxvVPAVL-4cGimKDO8n08jal18z8E8EUwjb93C0/s1600/20160913_130340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeX2fTdLmiNy2y2oBPub6OrozxRnWid0FumrSGMneeae5Ss-JJ_KH1eAYzNjqsfb0ff52TtDgBg9dVi_ic8MiuDk0d7WlKKZi9kL8KdxvVPAVL-4cGimKDO8n08jal18z8E8EUwjb93C0/s640/20160913_130340.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNs-JGcC9YCOy-K7QMBr-CQzq9Y51-EgVu0LGXUqUOZQKopCe3AR4CJoACnJh6Unr9my4PEc-izbATnP-fMKglPAfiHJ5Px_As_9dTycuwk4Amf3JJovNH66O1wmUzafDfolw3gYJjO4I/s1600/20160914_152250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNs-JGcC9YCOy-K7QMBr-CQzq9Y51-EgVu0LGXUqUOZQKopCe3AR4CJoACnJh6Unr9my4PEc-izbATnP-fMKglPAfiHJ5Px_As_9dTycuwk4Amf3JJovNH66O1wmUzafDfolw3gYJjO4I/s320/20160914_152250.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's a wall with a political message for us all. I think you'd translate his as "To leave the struggle is to begin to die." Or, maybe "to stop struggling is to begin to die." Anyway, you get the idea.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBDdH2TnxJlKqHwzAPxqeuK0NmjTBuujJaQ32eQP3R5gJyaUxnHtEgPBDOjHJIdjw0AemoVww7Z-Qcr5utlfMTpS1V_mG_xkqf7RGVEqVxrtIUquQjPUym1wn7vYo3h9GYTdIJBL5Kto/s1600/20160728_130246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBDdH2TnxJlKqHwzAPxqeuK0NmjTBuujJaQ32eQP3R5gJyaUxnHtEgPBDOjHJIdjw0AemoVww7Z-Qcr5utlfMTpS1V_mG_xkqf7RGVEqVxrtIUquQjPUym1wn7vYo3h9GYTdIJBL5Kto/s400/20160728_130246.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
A print on a wall. Oaxaca is a center of printmaking. There are dozens of printmaking studios, and people like to share their work publicly. All three of us are learning printmaking, but more about that in another post.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag9oRPrvcM0TE2jeIwSnQYp1CKw-d9-dnjSUVLnbJvqVh5fjb3A14i0ZtBtHkttDT3VRsstO-ENCLajxAQNWkazZJBiA6GgkYKe99-sSeB6v9a8oB3TpajbFpE5lM2uyeCcGYrBvRixk/s1600/20160917_141944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag9oRPrvcM0TE2jeIwSnQYp1CKw-d9-dnjSUVLnbJvqVh5fjb3A14i0ZtBtHkttDT3VRsstO-ENCLajxAQNWkazZJBiA6GgkYKe99-sSeB6v9a8oB3TpajbFpE5lM2uyeCcGYrBvRixk/s320/20160917_141944.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I think Gil Scott-Heron would be happy to know that people still remember this song and have translated it into Spanish. The revolution will not be televised!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblstzC9WhjGdl5DBhUNDylVAy2gpScye28YhhK3T4DbzW-VA2rp97HXzBY9Bktkw4W0TAZRbUC9_piU4ASRxpC0-1tRynQcph81lqSHOy-zT1WWb14Lx1nsu3s_IvxJ0KQ33UJxlP_qc/s1600/1469311658151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblstzC9WhjGdl5DBhUNDylVAy2gpScye28YhhK3T4DbzW-VA2rp97HXzBY9Bktkw4W0TAZRbUC9_piU4ASRxpC0-1tRynQcph81lqSHOy-zT1WWb14Lx1nsu3s_IvxJ0KQ33UJxlP_qc/s320/1469311658151.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Just a ceramic sun on a street corner.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ilk8oFOZX_7Ib_1sS26R4mJ0O1Ulb8BUexYKU0-btMG-dbdCBBzS64Z4p26aFfZDlKFZpTH_1H-WbHqJIzr7w9BOv4rt2nF2HcvUmPXR7MWDYG9HRLbJ19DoZxizpJbr5xtkUisVF5g/s1600/20160907_134008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ilk8oFOZX_7Ib_1sS26R4mJ0O1Ulb8BUexYKU0-btMG-dbdCBBzS64Z4p26aFfZDlKFZpTH_1H-WbHqJIzr7w9BOv4rt2nF2HcvUmPXR7MWDYG9HRLbJ19DoZxizpJbr5xtkUisVF5g/s320/20160907_134008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And, just a nice design -- maybe Aztec, maybe Zapotec, but clearly a design that people have been drawing and painting for hundreds of years.<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-84634387720204741742016-09-17T20:17:00.003-07:002016-09-17T20:21:09.669-07:00Things on walls, Part 1There are lots of murals, posters, graffiti, and other kinds of stuff on the walls in Oaxaca. Here's a random selection:<br />
<br />
First, a great use of a crumbling wall.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NqYO1hcS3b3nnMYEnOoxfseqXJjVL_UBavVOxuEVKj8coZUaTl7szReidEHCdfzGB09ZPjOT8GNqJCOVkervx8EQVJx4pydF9vWr-fkTDS_pBKBwMpqLenX6Uiw-AO9BtGfs4jOfZdI/s1600/20160726_124052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NqYO1hcS3b3nnMYEnOoxfseqXJjVL_UBavVOxuEVKj8coZUaTl7szReidEHCdfzGB09ZPjOT8GNqJCOVkervx8EQVJx4pydF9vWr-fkTDS_pBKBwMpqLenX6Uiw-AO9BtGfs4jOfZdI/s640/20160726_124052.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3o97dmYqe_38W3u057x6hPdyocDx9mkDKH7vaLSPvf_YCGS3g7hBCSvjepK53kamc3Nf38ZmhzFhLYxZlZxchKgYYFY9uFi2XkPtHXY5n5yniG53k75Y09kP0GRCYnTzuVaT7TTajOY/s1600/20160808_131938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3o97dmYqe_38W3u057x6hPdyocDx9mkDKH7vaLSPvf_YCGS3g7hBCSvjepK53kamc3Nf38ZmhzFhLYxZlZxchKgYYFY9uFi2XkPtHXY5n5yniG53k75Y09kP0GRCYnTzuVaT7TTajOY/s400/20160808_131938.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This graffiti is the famous Marx quote "Religion is the opiate of the people," but when I first saw it I thought that the last word of the top line was "apio," not "opio," which would translate as "Religion is the celery of the people." I think this is a great slogan, but so far no one outside my family likes it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWKNd6weXwHmgYBU9K9UdlY7Ta3QI2_7YmFViK0zct22rf77YJXe5GrXygqczgEnw4faLQP287xgyZd74U3BBuCo_H_JTCA66xc_A27tfrz7sVlrbM307tvd6piVfZPThQxjSv7VF5Pg/s1600/20160907_134051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWKNd6weXwHmgYBU9K9UdlY7Ta3QI2_7YmFViK0zct22rf77YJXe5GrXygqczgEnw4faLQP287xgyZd74U3BBuCo_H_JTCA66xc_A27tfrz7sVlrbM307tvd6piVfZPThQxjSv7VF5Pg/s400/20160907_134051.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Just a nice tile on someone's house.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://institutodeartesgraficasdeoaxaca.blogspot.mx/" target="_blank">IAGO</a>, the graphics arts institute, has amazing murals on its walls.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdqnkcgJiIvtTqciyyGqiQhChmMHbuntNIj1AZrDdk-ETw1XDnvsBGn208HqVo0ergXq6oz4N6lsrcDbzHhk23udt_ngH9lZqdy-o_iL2KegwNPjW4bFbsdNOHogoekXCTVMQWtOY9jA/s1600/20160913_130656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdqnkcgJiIvtTqciyyGqiQhChmMHbuntNIj1AZrDdk-ETw1XDnvsBGn208HqVo0ergXq6oz4N6lsrcDbzHhk23udt_ngH9lZqdy-o_iL2KegwNPjW4bFbsdNOHogoekXCTVMQWtOY9jA/s640/20160913_130656.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHgQM65D1eCcjTmB3kYT3lbv6PnXV0iv06uW_cyeyKmGmxZmWUKf7zZ-yeZUuUjhfHdgXq9uY9J1Jx3Ey1ezkn4RgPcUZEC1Ze-2pUA8B1OaCI6XMZSz_YRYVdCPMK5IugjP3palnEFE/s1600/1469302355823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHgQM65D1eCcjTmB3kYT3lbv6PnXV0iv06uW_cyeyKmGmxZmWUKf7zZ-yeZUuUjhfHdgXq9uY9J1Jx3Ey1ezkn4RgPcUZEC1Ze-2pUA8B1OaCI6XMZSz_YRYVdCPMK5IugjP3palnEFE/s400/1469302355823.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Nice juxtaposition of prints.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQ31pWe1RXZySEUsuyDDoTAioB3AvSUf3A2PNpQHn-a6uztSQFzvYJ_QpmkE74Ig2NNEGU8EtXXbph2QzWGxkfVHwVF5aN532rAKJVAmkn6brFxCpGgFZNB8r7DWZBJRT2fUDFaPCj18/s1600/1469221820184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQ31pWe1RXZySEUsuyDDoTAioB3AvSUf3A2PNpQHn-a6uztSQFzvYJ_QpmkE74Ig2NNEGU8EtXXbph2QzWGxkfVHwVF5aN532rAKJVAmkn6brFxCpGgFZNB8r7DWZBJRT2fUDFaPCj18/s400/1469221820184.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Last, and definitely least, is this Chinese restaurant. The food was not very good (sadly, like all the Chinese food in Oaxaca) but it did have this bizarrely-leftover photo of Mao on the wall.Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-39044226830486234982016-09-06T10:20:00.001-07:002016-09-06T10:23:10.266-07:00Wandering around town...Wandering around the streets of Oaxaca, you come across strange and interesting and beautiful things. Mexico always seems to me to be the land of the unexpected. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCO7D2cS7-YkHNdArnj2vanPQM5Ty5oVDuJnvccR37v7zCVXmwI8q-beUu5ToE70jqSpPW7BrXsyWyR8i9trqW3JgYwsJwOE9eBhmGkVaZurkCOeYWPLQrO46u5sPfCWCm2a2RBxyl-8/s1600/1469302937598+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCO7D2cS7-YkHNdArnj2vanPQM5Ty5oVDuJnvccR37v7zCVXmwI8q-beUu5ToE70jqSpPW7BrXsyWyR8i9trqW3JgYwsJwOE9eBhmGkVaZurkCOeYWPLQrO46u5sPfCWCm2a2RBxyl-8/s320/1469302937598+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's a guy who makes beautiful paintings out of string. (Look closely.) When we asked to take his picture, he insisted that my daughter pose with him.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMTmsMLfsOsFNO4Iv3yj2nbKL8sp65jV0kfljEZXlEw7kCn6fsW3ajytnQBAwEr5NC6DECFYCQw3YG74H94ljXxukj3LSiR-UcfZdp0EiQrt8ZuzvYgAZOjKEb4yFJnaTxk4PiosafS8/s1600/20160625_165757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMTmsMLfsOsFNO4Iv3yj2nbKL8sp65jV0kfljEZXlEw7kCn6fsW3ajytnQBAwEr5NC6DECFYCQw3YG74H94ljXxukj3LSiR-UcfZdp0EiQrt8ZuzvYgAZOjKEb4yFJnaTxk4PiosafS8/s320/20160625_165757.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There are a lot of words badly-translated from English, but this variation on "crunchy" seemed particularly apt.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQqW4DggGaKa2bHUmkQgHC2UV4fpLr3ok5n6_lCMYhTwEHqI_z2JowJdoJ2l7PSXWVzYQxRZz8Lqj8n7GKUbnbckYtRJSRZvuQRydADJV2mJ5mQ4vpPfy3kyrpqxJtNxfwhuNtiBgkAk/s1600/20160810_130357+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQqW4DggGaKa2bHUmkQgHC2UV4fpLr3ok5n6_lCMYhTwEHqI_z2JowJdoJ2l7PSXWVzYQxRZz8Lqj8n7GKUbnbckYtRJSRZvuQRydADJV2mJ5mQ4vpPfy3kyrpqxJtNxfwhuNtiBgkAk/s320/20160810_130357+%25282%2529.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
There's a band called "La Seductora." It seems that they will help you propose to your beloved. And there they were, in the center of town, helping the guy in the light blue shirt propose to the woman in the dark blue shirt, who looked as if she wished she were anywhere on Earth but there. I watched for 10 minutes, as the band played on and on...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvRTNgfLK0_uQK8e_LJA2-kTFS1VNvsoFWtTJL9UkLl34tm5Fyh3cA11saF0iJoOXE0zS2FGF9Yq9ZRZYlWmJmRBR2HcJvqoBZGab8BsN3PiCkLAZjdpXSNllc3s6kZBzxzBqFkT9mCc/s1600/20160810_130509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvRTNgfLK0_uQK8e_LJA2-kTFS1VNvsoFWtTJL9UkLl34tm5Fyh3cA11saF0iJoOXE0zS2FGF9Yq9ZRZYlWmJmRBR2HcJvqoBZGab8BsN3PiCkLAZjdpXSNllc3s6kZBzxzBqFkT9mCc/s320/20160810_130509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
...the prospective groom crooned to his prospective bride, the clearly hired-for-the-occasion photographer (in the white shirt) took a zillion photos, dozens of people watched and laughed and applauded, and the prospective bride looked more and more miserable.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I had to leave before the wooing was over, but I can't helping hoping she said no. Seriously, girlfriend, he just doesn't get you.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4U53WyS3ztDd-HB6UpJaMal_Z17duHX-iCCySV1fJ7OLpbJMSywWGMe-JWaJaRapIDdRKFPJcndMkTu4bKEeV3EKx2owEL5rc7MPH-9hoRhUCb7xom8QEftER0b66n_It_wLOdkYhQU/s1600/20160727_151228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4U53WyS3ztDd-HB6UpJaMal_Z17duHX-iCCySV1fJ7OLpbJMSywWGMe-JWaJaRapIDdRKFPJcndMkTu4bKEeV3EKx2owEL5rc7MPH-9hoRhUCb7xom8QEftER0b66n_It_wLOdkYhQU/s320/20160727_151228.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There's lots and lots of ice cream here, and it often comes in a zillion flavors. The flavors available at this place are mostly fruity, but sometimes they're really strange and have things like grasshoppers and ground-up worms and a variety of vegetables in them.<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-87353111698500876762016-09-04T14:07:00.002-07:002016-09-04T14:14:24.387-07:00We've been to the village of Teotitlan de Valle twice. This village is famous for its weaving, which is sold all over Oaxaca. Here's a particularly nice example:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aFzlu2Ujtm0iW2JjnuqkroGQvRO1xPTumNVmlsOoV3_gcbfuLOWnU8bI8foYw9-nebb6BZRR7sCicrid7zAT5Nv4Y6ruE1_6RY6XiwItSi0xU-Chn_2QNCDWwjCXhbN0L4t5_EM2xDE/s1600/20160807_132023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aFzlu2Ujtm0iW2JjnuqkroGQvRO1xPTumNVmlsOoV3_gcbfuLOWnU8bI8foYw9-nebb6BZRR7sCicrid7zAT5Nv4Y6ruE1_6RY6XiwItSi0xU-Chn_2QNCDWwjCXhbN0L4t5_EM2xDE/s400/20160807_132023.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Our first visit was in early July, when we went to visit Indigo's second grade teacher, who was visiting her family there. We saw a Guelaguetza parade, which I previously posted some video of. (I'd link to it if I could, but instead you'll just have to scroll down.) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyP26iWWvnK3lvWdfrmHluMuGHmSrVFmTdQ1bw1VdDSiEMfuvvTocYXaNnQBK1Gl9nevsMHqgu453-Y4N9zzy1_xoVzFl4XewKACneoM4uVrYrBokYcscsi3pXAW1tPpzPYHP0TQLbWk/s1600/20160704_174432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyP26iWWvnK3lvWdfrmHluMuGHmSrVFmTdQ1bw1VdDSiEMfuvvTocYXaNnQBK1Gl9nevsMHqgu453-Y4N9zzy1_xoVzFl4XewKACneoM4uVrYrBokYcscsi3pXAW1tPpzPYHP0TQLbWk/s320/20160704_174432.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
The Guelaguetza festival consists of dancers from each of the different regions of the state of Oaxaca, representing different indigenous groups and traditions of dance. Teotitlan's traditional dance is Danza de las Plumas, which consists of these guys dancing with these huge round things on their heads, like in the video.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml4hDxzfyD-bEEIxry4ZODUYUi4bR1nBY4EnLfTMcTnIKqxThIr7HDg4hPNvRC8btwukutDDA4ArY_x-4F5iKy-iwrPQwnAZsMSscf2LsYhJ50Hmg_hBjrhcg9DIJdqi5DhTv7waMZus/s1600/20160704_174020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml4hDxzfyD-bEEIxry4ZODUYUi4bR1nBY4EnLfTMcTnIKqxThIr7HDg4hPNvRC8btwukutDDA4ArY_x-4F5iKy-iwrPQwnAZsMSscf2LsYhJ50Hmg_hBjrhcg9DIJdqi5DhTv7waMZus/s320/20160704_174020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The women march with various types of religious artworks on their heads. It's interesting how, when you go to these parades and festivals in the villages, they all start at the church and involve a lot of religious symbolism, but the big parades and performances in the city of Oaxaca focused only on the dancing, without the religious elements. The role of the church in Mexican life is complicated.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeK5UNXiEL0LbsrPqwKvynoHYsP8VbyTViWTfRDGyjj9vxQzvR1Ajp-G_Th1HQuJYyKSkL9uW3IaYQ9lRpIVlO0oy0V_dAXseYkjdPmN4F4zfEunoFQuWLD1AIb_acGAW5IAf41ija3s/s1600/20160704_174108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeK5UNXiEL0LbsrPqwKvynoHYsP8VbyTViWTfRDGyjj9vxQzvR1Ajp-G_Th1HQuJYyKSkL9uW3IaYQ9lRpIVlO0oy0V_dAXseYkjdPmN4F4zfEunoFQuWLD1AIb_acGAW5IAf41ija3s/s320/20160704_174108.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
The little girls also get into the act, but with smaller displays on their smaller heads.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxKRNV-olU7FPqciTjRglri_WmzEmpO4C8detUu6VaPAQ6F6ItdtLoRoBn8EfdIT7hYlsrsoDoz_xj-1lHJXUlAmX9jMRFTGKsnKvTFpfXCsU3HMro6c8Q9zN841W9q9v1nBbolEHGUY/s1600/20160704_174336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxKRNV-olU7FPqciTjRglri_WmzEmpO4C8detUu6VaPAQ6F6ItdtLoRoBn8EfdIT7hYlsrsoDoz_xj-1lHJXUlAmX9jMRFTGKsnKvTFpfXCsU3HMro6c8Q9zN841W9q9v1nBbolEHGUY/s320/20160704_174336.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Globos -- balloons, but in this case made from cloth -- were featured in all the Guelaguetza festivities we went to. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnNxyShjIFEdN6EyLfvhfeagkUXHn2C5PTzpqMIW_UyZaSwAVA-mwf-i9x3iGRFDLrFGdhggDvNQc3fFOVLEE7QcgK2Pdz-QC5anjOwadiIq6g6_uJhNKZK7XJmVdpuXo_35VyTo8KL0/s1600/20160704_173847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnNxyShjIFEdN6EyLfvhfeagkUXHn2C5PTzpqMIW_UyZaSwAVA-mwf-i9x3iGRFDLrFGdhggDvNQc3fFOVLEE7QcgK2Pdz-QC5anjOwadiIq6g6_uJhNKZK7XJmVdpuXo_35VyTo8KL0/s320/20160704_173847.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Everyone in town, it seems, had made something or other to parade with.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1npRSeAKgqqaZRe1n8UOS4XEPv5CU8Gn2DFNCWh8XQyZWRLzqfZpuEAN7XCfXPiKCkgReNVnss7oW_11fRJJbUQBdrE4xvj6aZ4RUl2D6Vr5c2o7g8-HsBd0nKiY0p2kN5D8qSuYbkE0/s1600/20160704_172140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1npRSeAKgqqaZRe1n8UOS4XEPv5CU8Gn2DFNCWh8XQyZWRLzqfZpuEAN7XCfXPiKCkgReNVnss7oW_11fRJJbUQBdrE4xvj6aZ4RUl2D6Vr5c2o7g8-HsBd0nKiY0p2kN5D8qSuYbkE0/s200/20160704_172140.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Indigo spent some time hanging out with some cousins of the friend we were visiting, watching the parade.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Our second trip to Teotilan was in mid-August. We went particularly because they were having a fair and we wanted to buy some tapetes -- the woven wool rugs that Teotitlan is famous for.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJVYxXb3CxsB0sBWC63585Y24RPF_gNc4QVRumk8uNWbRGy4vi8GmbjI2R7jgw12QHEEZU0GcRZZKHcV5OhDGvgTvoqN5XWzeFZLVK4zlH4h3Hn5BN8mg2PIJYcOatJnUpQGp8ILdWR8/s1600/20160904_152959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJVYxXb3CxsB0sBWC63585Y24RPF_gNc4QVRumk8uNWbRGy4vi8GmbjI2R7jgw12QHEEZU0GcRZZKHcV5OhDGvgTvoqN5XWzeFZLVK4zlH4h3Hn5BN8mg2PIJYcOatJnUpQGp8ILdWR8/s320/20160904_152959.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
We bought this tapete for Indigo -- it's an "Arbol de Vida," or Tree of Life, a very common image. She liked this one because it has lots of animals, including deer. All of the traditional patterns symbolize something.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-EVoDxPUg1UGhrXtYzasJy9BX0j4B1EABZ-_k1fxvvw1qM4mp5CSw-N3cy321dfr-tC2SNrUWIoIu1s0LQ3XbLRvEc1k0x-RZeshlj4YqXKOTa8PG1av5m-YRcT0vNAE3nFI5Ui_PP8/s1600/20160904_153507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-EVoDxPUg1UGhrXtYzasJy9BX0j4B1EABZ-_k1fxvvw1qM4mp5CSw-N3cy321dfr-tC2SNrUWIoIu1s0LQ3XbLRvEc1k0x-RZeshlj4YqXKOTa8PG1av5m-YRcT0vNAE3nFI5Ui_PP8/s320/20160904_153507.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
For example, this is the one we bought, and there is a complicated story about this design. Each step symbolizes a stage of life and then reincarnation (because each spiral leads into another, or something like that). I know this only because the store where we bought it, like most of the places where they sell stuff outside the central market, is not only a store but also the home and workshop of a family, all of whom are involved in making stuff. When we went to buy this tapete, the family invited us to see their looms. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZkIKXkA3CrLTFN5hx2ZYfiuZjmWFnd72NUy54kBVM6tYbnGWLTe49K-03QAfHLWnB20GeWC2eUhn6fvO-AMEVo8-TtzzXZRO8hiUMHA0jxtrrUqXUmqasg8FJFnpdUkNTFZFhhOF6X4/s1600/20160807_133258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZkIKXkA3CrLTFN5hx2ZYfiuZjmWFnd72NUy54kBVM6tYbnGWLTe49K-03QAfHLWnB20GeWC2eUhn6fvO-AMEVo8-TtzzXZRO8hiUMHA0jxtrrUqXUmqasg8FJFnpdUkNTFZFhhOF6X4/s320/20160807_133258.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The young man who made this tapete asked Indigo if she'd like to try to weave, and of course she did. He spent almost an hour weaving with her, while Amy and I talked to his brother, who showed us different tapetes and explained the story behind the pattern on each one.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAom5od85VHskMsR7ccNMzRuqsvk3Mo0ai-iVN8iAxirWJQ-rS23HGQg8jPNdUMrfhKw61Mopkq8N2Ny9C2yzU1ha4S1-sVCaVG0CxVYsX6g48qJDJKMNY-hZttBNTScRPv6bkTDbsas/s1600/20160807_141827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAom5od85VHskMsR7ccNMzRuqsvk3Mo0ai-iVN8iAxirWJQ-rS23HGQg8jPNdUMrfhKw61Mopkq8N2Ny9C2yzU1ha4S1-sVCaVG0CxVYsX6g48qJDJKMNY-hZttBNTScRPv6bkTDbsas/s320/20160807_141827.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
My favorites were the star patterns. He explained that his grandmother always knew what time it was, even though she never owned a watch or clock. She told time by the position of the sun during the day and the stars at night. He said he was always amazed when he came home late and she would yell at him, "you were supposed to be home by 11 pm, and it’s almost 2 in the morning."Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-48401688713087174652016-08-22T21:18:00.001-07:002016-08-23T10:13:29.738-07:00Things that are different about the U.S. and MexicoIn Mexico there are a lot of stray dogs living on the streets. They are often (but not always) very thin, sickly-looking, and usually scared of people. In the U.S. there are very few stray dogs. There are a lot of animal shelters and if someone finds a stray dog, they usually take it to one.<br />
<br />
In the U.S. there are a lot of people living on the streets. They are often (but not always) sickly-looking, and either mentally ill or substance abusers. In Mexico there are few (if any)* people living on the streets. If someone is mentally ill or a substance abuser their family generally takes care of them. If someone is too poor to rent an apartment, they can find some unused bit of land somewhere and build a house out of scrap wood.<br />
<br />
In the U.S. you can buy food in supermarkets, farmer's markets, and small stores which are usually crappy and/or expensive. In Mexico you can buy food in supermarkets, mercados (which are kind of like farmer's markets except that they're more permanent and usually much bigger), tianguis (large mercados that happen once a week in a particular area), and small stores which are usually crappy and/or expensive.<br />
<br />
In Mexico, the infrastructure (garbage collection, water delivery, etc.) is based on the assumption that someone (usually grandma) will always be home, so nothing needs to be scheduled for an exact time. In U.S. the infrastructure is based on the assumption that no one will be home unless specific arrangements are made.<br />
<br />
*I've been in Oaxaca for two months and have yet to see anyone who is homeless. I have seen a few homeless people in other parts of Mexico.<br />
<br />
And here's a photo, just because every blog entry should have a photo. This is a tapete, a hand-woven wool rug.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lMGMAc7dZ4F1aHNKCugWgHhXyWa43qhkIbxW-OjYMQOlpUt2TepzVLRK5TyW99SbO4EknJJCoAtUJ16QD6WwXaH9dxUbpBCNn__HM0xKnImVDYk7k_IZWqG0olcjkEKDTvVaIHxlabc/s1600/tapete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lMGMAc7dZ4F1aHNKCugWgHhXyWa43qhkIbxW-OjYMQOlpUt2TepzVLRK5TyW99SbO4EknJJCoAtUJ16QD6WwXaH9dxUbpBCNn__HM0xKnImVDYk7k_IZWqG0olcjkEKDTvVaIHxlabc/s640/tapete.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-26798078299085889312016-08-08T22:01:00.000-07:002016-08-08T22:01:56.640-07:00Random strange Oaxacan thingsJust some random images from around town:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeYDDerAbVV9yyfLia1PHaRItIuf-nMHslx6PMZtoJnPa_MUmPCOihgu_ViTExExMINxXvgveLBC9Ujn1VWOYt6uTn7EkE7sG8pSzB7T6Xi1PliXzIkeoGbXs80HPM-V58IORv74_l5Q/s1600/20160805_185855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeYDDerAbVV9yyfLia1PHaRItIuf-nMHslx6PMZtoJnPa_MUmPCOihgu_ViTExExMINxXvgveLBC9Ujn1VWOYt6uTn7EkE7sG8pSzB7T6Xi1PliXzIkeoGbXs80HPM-V58IORv74_l5Q/s400/20160805_185855.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure that this is where Snape gets his Potions class supplies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGDgOkQBF7d_tAIBluJh3s_fWeezunno86vMjtgML00af4NoN_kAJpWp_6naHqFBwnKEON0oBuC7nwqa4ryskwVc5k2lXGo5U8nVFj3cUdDCvSIAqiCBLEdwaDblU1QztEdDiDHxGhVM/s1600/20160807_132741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGDgOkQBF7d_tAIBluJh3s_fWeezunno86vMjtgML00af4NoN_kAJpWp_6naHqFBwnKEON0oBuC7nwqa4ryskwVc5k2lXGo5U8nVFj3cUdDCvSIAqiCBLEdwaDblU1QztEdDiDHxGhVM/s320/20160807_132741.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This store, "Oregano and More," was not open when we passed by. I'm not sure what they sell there or why anyone thought this was a good name for a store.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmRfn_idJtFOkBKBO7gJwkUqTnZPLy8qbyVm7qr9Ch2a0Yk1Ve8evx2Cp2_jNEtjqVajAhVhJ6UPI8FLafN7l8TXjf9LDtapbwTbxtHKTRl4wSHVL_pl4n7YasedcwJ6XJ2POKzDrqkc/s1600/20160805_141702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmRfn_idJtFOkBKBO7gJwkUqTnZPLy8qbyVm7qr9Ch2a0Yk1Ve8evx2Cp2_jNEtjqVajAhVhJ6UPI8FLafN7l8TXjf9LDtapbwTbxtHKTRl4wSHVL_pl4n7YasedcwJ6XJ2POKzDrqkc/s320/20160805_141702.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Someone pulled up this interesting tree root and left it on the sidewalk.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0kEY78iPU9OjM6-J7lDLlT0i4fHA7TFrMlz6kQ0THoT_mIoUpm34ljPl_ERe9_eYpCZhNIxEx6EP1SV50XnYxjHhGmtwmNENkOqemq4KNz8PLjjHokVS1qlAf_N4O7BJVUlvc5PvVug/s1600/20160805_210653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0kEY78iPU9OjM6-J7lDLlT0i4fHA7TFrMlz6kQ0THoT_mIoUpm34ljPl_ERe9_eYpCZhNIxEx6EP1SV50XnYxjHhGmtwmNENkOqemq4KNz8PLjjHokVS1qlAf_N4O7BJVUlvc5PvVug/s400/20160805_210653.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
This shirt is for sale in the supermarket near our house. I'm not clear why some of the letters are upside down, or why it does not actually have any photos of the Brooklyn Bridge.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A1qYsC97_i39wVI6-kNh02HRX7r1698ZerLBKtAqEVhDav3dhDlewoAaB-mem9WkCjBYLYwCXqJTOt8C5BhRup5-ChaVv1Vg9Gf8tqqzB_eO7D5XexqUpV3InzDVogTWkgP5aCHVx_E/s1600/20160702_113657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A1qYsC97_i39wVI6-kNh02HRX7r1698ZerLBKtAqEVhDav3dhDlewoAaB-mem9WkCjBYLYwCXqJTOt8C5BhRup5-ChaVv1Vg9Gf8tqqzB_eO7D5XexqUpV3InzDVogTWkgP5aCHVx_E/s400/20160702_113657.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This is an old tree stump that someone carved.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SrMUSH5gAdjc5ETG2z8bhBUY1m7t40-1VT_ZN5VTYyY_LjBcgyBoeenbd66NPtNJuso6AKP_j-a29F2Ik0RZK2FU1srVMAdZqtWQvx8zpcAGr9BwFNQQGazoBsPO_xVHAMlR98pSj0w/s1600/20160730_191445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SrMUSH5gAdjc5ETG2z8bhBUY1m7t40-1VT_ZN5VTYyY_LjBcgyBoeenbd66NPtNJuso6AKP_j-a29F2Ik0RZK2FU1srVMAdZqtWQvx8zpcAGr9BwFNQQGazoBsPO_xVHAMlR98pSj0w/s320/20160730_191445.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nice misspelling.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRTr7PxWdqRoo77Ua80qGOcVu-qwJ-7xdGhzR26YNZ5zTBqwWfhVzRd1GuiI9PZiQLHNe93UMwIY2VKx-2v-w4SB-yIKpe4b1h4GdTxf2RM0-GnwbozJOuJRjG4KKNxSSc5pK2lpde-k/s1600/20160728_122321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRTr7PxWdqRoo77Ua80qGOcVu-qwJ-7xdGhzR26YNZ5zTBqwWfhVzRd1GuiI9PZiQLHNe93UMwIY2VKx-2v-w4SB-yIKpe4b1h4GdTxf2RM0-GnwbozJOuJRjG4KKNxSSc5pK2lpde-k/s320/20160728_122321.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
You see a lot of beautiful, skilled, elaborate ironwork here, but I'm not sure why anyone thought this was worth the effort.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4v3_HQrxm6iFmTnEP3A9DJKiWBgAl7UM3H70ICCVooFN45A8_jCm0MVShyphenhyphenHZKyTbMOOKURFxuIkgz9udthzqhWb3JLJPHrHfi8t7jRk1tm6_Y78gSa58DaViVLutWZNmL0Xteqn25g30/s1600/20160727_165230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4v3_HQrxm6iFmTnEP3A9DJKiWBgAl7UM3H70ICCVooFN45A8_jCm0MVShyphenhyphenHZKyTbMOOKURFxuIkgz9udthzqhWb3JLJPHrHfi8t7jRk1tm6_Y78gSa58DaViVLutWZNmL0Xteqn25g30/s400/20160727_165230.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Bird sculptures flying above the street, just because.<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-18263760807701582662016-07-23T20:50:00.003-07:002016-07-23T20:54:29.351-07:00A few weeks ago we went to Teotitlan de Valle, a village known for weaving. We were there to see two things: Indigo's second grade teacher (a wonderful woman and teacher who has, sadly and like so many others, left San Francisco because of the cost of living) who was visiting her family there, and the opening celebration of Teotitlan's Guelaguetza festival. I shot this video (there's a guest appearance by Indigo towards the end):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uFqV7f6u1AI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uFqV7f6u1AI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div><br />
<br />
Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-68222757160538279622016-07-19T20:15:00.002-07:002016-07-19T20:15:43.357-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYo8k6qQOWiqkudhM3L64BdY1L6-nH6-Ki6ip1i-sWULgAkDYlzj91vJFIBoG9RzSvJWfwVKwbJ4C-__TD4HgSTStpazv4Rn9aIqsCww40PP4928KGiDbpRVP1pwfCKDvb5c6ii5sjTQ/s1600/stamp+museum+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYo8k6qQOWiqkudhM3L64BdY1L6-nH6-Ki6ip1i-sWULgAkDYlzj91vJFIBoG9RzSvJWfwVKwbJ4C-__TD4HgSTStpazv4Rn9aIqsCww40PP4928KGiDbpRVP1pwfCKDvb5c6ii5sjTQ/s320/stamp+museum+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We went with our friend J. to the Museo de la Filatelia (i.e., the Stamp Museum). It was surprisingly interesting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBNukO814KSm0x35hKWlPLMr1C_jCga47hgqpTp9Q5TXZSXEwOB_4q3AlALPNQlJFUvsfZ8WpXamHstCqbUjSvBeFZ8E2iiBisrckcZ-YIk-3q0CHPnU9dbTEZ2tECw8gzO5jpgNGdLI/s1600/stamp+museum+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBNukO814KSm0x35hKWlPLMr1C_jCga47hgqpTp9Q5TXZSXEwOB_4q3AlALPNQlJFUvsfZ8WpXamHstCqbUjSvBeFZ8E2iiBisrckcZ-YIk-3q0CHPnU9dbTEZ2tECw8gzO5jpgNGdLI/s320/stamp+museum+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It was mostly impossible to take pictures, since most of the exhibits were behind glass, but I got a nice shot of these corn husk dolls. (Don't ask me what corn husk dolls have to do with stamps.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm130EsgkWBWtIVfwf-00igg5fro3agCS8P98JMci7uZFTNFea31SLYyzuijiba-9Rjqdun08MU1ERbcUOI3FRfWIKH2aJ7c4ihXuG-A-R2zLXvKdoTyhNk7pkzCDaP3virHKzVcIzNKM/s1600/stamp+museum+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm130EsgkWBWtIVfwf-00igg5fro3agCS8P98JMci7uZFTNFea31SLYyzuijiba-9Rjqdun08MU1ERbcUOI3FRfWIKH2aJ7c4ihXuG-A-R2zLXvKdoTyhNk7pkzCDaP3virHKzVcIzNKM/s320/stamp+museum+1.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
The best part of the museum were these giant stamps, just the right size to pose in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEW6a058nB4DVrH_IwzMgVeWGVT9oCbJOfgn_50B8x9cLBGESph7IMjP0zLzcdCszzuKtQbQyFojdiZZFUXUb5Ww66xYPgwzgoAj02db040R99xZ1dawqJ9fTGzM5vg_eG9oADqoGnZo/s1600/stamp+museum+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEW6a058nB4DVrH_IwzMgVeWGVT9oCbJOfgn_50B8x9cLBGESph7IMjP0zLzcdCszzuKtQbQyFojdiZZFUXUb5Ww66xYPgwzgoAj02db040R99xZ1dawqJ9fTGzM5vg_eG9oADqoGnZo/s320/stamp+museum+4.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtnJTErrul8LGCxgApGqY0NBFBbnQAJ0OEnTQ_LqJcGrajecfvFCkpmhELohKkKEcMqvdEDlpDTWZCfFpQDytvQmW-geqbFpJR0wJSVwHp-fzNkPxcjsfCDCqUIl5AkYRgvAvOvRrccs/s1600/stamp+museum+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtnJTErrul8LGCxgApGqY0NBFBbnQAJ0OEnTQ_LqJcGrajecfvFCkpmhELohKkKEcMqvdEDlpDTWZCfFpQDytvQmW-geqbFpJR0wJSVwHp-fzNkPxcjsfCDCqUIl5AkYRgvAvOvRrccs/s320/stamp+museum+5.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-31616550625668802302016-07-18T15:20:00.002-07:002016-07-18T15:20:51.747-07:00One of the things I love most about Mexico is the way the walls and doors are so unintentionally beautiful. They are full of color, pattern, and texture. Here's a few I've collected in the last month:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcglouwRGXHELU193d1zzFaf0SzOlmo4qGub1xXj0k12RY_K1WKdVNA56KcCh5L_nJToKjMUbeKmZOiSXK5f-MEnewE5bhDn-t7ZAF0zmSbEyg4zq0Kcltf8luRyB0a482CXubYTPE1hY/s1600/walls6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcglouwRGXHELU193d1zzFaf0SzOlmo4qGub1xXj0k12RY_K1WKdVNA56KcCh5L_nJToKjMUbeKmZOiSXK5f-MEnewE5bhDn-t7ZAF0zmSbEyg4zq0Kcltf8luRyB0a482CXubYTPE1hY/s640/walls6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmFqDEgZbvZSszqegnppRel65U89Yph1S1-61HHRXmvUxrZ4FQ_X6DDre9SF9XERCKTeabCZEljJsertexTQ5aal9YZ721NFwnwgodmETjWDvnBQbbAOekNKlDkaY4VIY6HgazrRJw5g/s1600/walls4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmFqDEgZbvZSszqegnppRel65U89Yph1S1-61HHRXmvUxrZ4FQ_X6DDre9SF9XERCKTeabCZEljJsertexTQ5aal9YZ721NFwnwgodmETjWDvnBQbbAOekNKlDkaY4VIY6HgazrRJw5g/s640/walls4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbM2aYoiGVUIM51ciEBuZ2_CRo63EzJdcg00pCTYAhZoBYS9fHsz9GOsKTxFL1BpnP4c-HXz_f4uIxYM9eSVRLibY4P9Tye-ajXUXLMRBNz4fwDHBoGBKiX3bn6amG1rSgb5AFfl6WMOQ/s1600/walls10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbM2aYoiGVUIM51ciEBuZ2_CRo63EzJdcg00pCTYAhZoBYS9fHsz9GOsKTxFL1BpnP4c-HXz_f4uIxYM9eSVRLibY4P9Tye-ajXUXLMRBNz4fwDHBoGBKiX3bn6amG1rSgb5AFfl6WMOQ/s640/walls10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aQLOwHFFbn5T0z0F9oLJTet21Iir0RMnxYBW9WRQHAtVX2dqPw7qFyrkZaCz5D89OkgvwoKCQ2fco3cHb-UaxxAW1nkJ8MID5gGLXl6mAcBsWSuL-8lrWNsuhzaHDTlwLMokEUmf_y0/s1600/walls7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aQLOwHFFbn5T0z0F9oLJTet21Iir0RMnxYBW9WRQHAtVX2dqPw7qFyrkZaCz5D89OkgvwoKCQ2fco3cHb-UaxxAW1nkJ8MID5gGLXl6mAcBsWSuL-8lrWNsuhzaHDTlwLMokEUmf_y0/s640/walls7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmbnEaYQQTrYMXw78Hp0oy_6DlKJ-QwEBCemI4BQW-6HowBbsP0UZrhzvLSlKxXbu7Tskw6z7uQHKVmph5UxHj-lLBL-f-ajn-jL0RDxrumFd8dsZa5nAPPij-VcRz4sJMVp130GbjzE/s1600/walls9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmbnEaYQQTrYMXw78Hp0oy_6DlKJ-QwEBCemI4BQW-6HowBbsP0UZrhzvLSlKxXbu7Tskw6z7uQHKVmph5UxHj-lLBL-f-ajn-jL0RDxrumFd8dsZa5nAPPij-VcRz4sJMVp130GbjzE/s640/walls9.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71TrRFC4xKw9uEJ5tbSKP_o_XFC0lKP1ftLsOKeZkfTFz6TiJjKWaHUALld15ca_3XhDZyiGrErKOX1j54SlGFWIXcUNhaJOdxE-tcM3ORih899Aefhs5Mmih9rlTAOpKKgjlcV70oQQ/s1600/walls8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71TrRFC4xKw9uEJ5tbSKP_o_XFC0lKP1ftLsOKeZkfTFz6TiJjKWaHUALld15ca_3XhDZyiGrErKOX1j54SlGFWIXcUNhaJOdxE-tcM3ORih899Aefhs5Mmih9rlTAOpKKgjlcV70oQQ/s640/walls8.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-4100779030600920902016-07-17T10:35:00.001-07:002016-07-17T10:35:34.473-07:00Just a few more things I have to tell you about Mitla. There are ruins there, of a Zapotec city which was built sometime between 950 and 1500. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yrdNOHrJsyqahQFwpTYSUmec_qXm9xUEtl_RS3Tj-w0t0r1GdH4soezT5av35lneg8mseYTFLK4jT0f2DZ8L_uEXN3SRnfM6V6MxQUml6EGVQlOGvS4CgRY9xT31h5acM6Y7EHDkaE4/s1600/mitla+ruins+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yrdNOHrJsyqahQFwpTYSUmec_qXm9xUEtl_RS3Tj-w0t0r1GdH4soezT5av35lneg8mseYTFLK4jT0f2DZ8L_uEXN3SRnfM6V6MxQUml6EGVQlOGvS4CgRY9xT31h5acM6Y7EHDkaE4/s320/mitla+ruins+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Spanish built a church right on top of the center of the city, as they did everywhere they conquered, but the ruins were subsequently dug up and reconstructed. You can see the beautiful patterns carved into the stone.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSyuOEH-0xIYDhTrFJLUC7bc39ecXMhMn6zQtxLuIzSc7ZFWL9quIepKzGJUOHZ5G2jD-LWPiya1DETsqRB7eWI2a0kfJ4EEpt-XFwNxPWbvtj5FK7XFBQnqxBHi9F_In1qILA07mBU8/s1600/mitla+street+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSyuOEH-0xIYDhTrFJLUC7bc39ecXMhMn6zQtxLuIzSc7ZFWL9quIepKzGJUOHZ5G2jD-LWPiya1DETsqRB7eWI2a0kfJ4EEpt-XFwNxPWbvtj5FK7XFBQnqxBHi9F_In1qILA07mBU8/s320/mitla+street+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We came across a Guelaguetza parade. This one, like the one we saw in Teotilan de Valle (more about that village later) was much more religious and much less professional than the parade in Oaxaca. Some of the people were carrying religious icons, but most seemed to be carrying large letters of the alphabet made of flowers. The letters did not seem to spell out any possible words I could think of -- not Mitla, not Guelaguetza, not even Jesus.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTPBEJtV2xQw_9MXrmnXOVk8KCz4vRfv756J64GUCIjTlrPus_jNqB28Cf-VOHceEJ3ONOqh0uxA8IvzXrzrqU5i4fk7y6M0f4tFmbl-0HnI5eYIRW1LFAlEAAiNTTy2ZkhZ2DljwEOg/s1600/mitla+street+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTPBEJtV2xQw_9MXrmnXOVk8KCz4vRfv756J64GUCIjTlrPus_jNqB28Cf-VOHceEJ3ONOqh0uxA8IvzXrzrqU5i4fk7y6M0f4tFmbl-0HnI5eYIRW1LFAlEAAiNTTy2ZkhZ2DljwEOg/s320/mitla+street+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The parade also included a slice of watermelon, and a truck where a woman representing the Virgin Mary, and 2 girls dressed as angels, were sitting. You can see them on the left in this photo, with the ominous-looking black cloths above them.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszL_ThlfDfTvjsSi7G2zkipkbj9fD-W-2eVDHIrU297tD2wxCG75hrMr3Pzx3uzlovmIdHEKYxJ8bpCeAKTfFmVGhs9zxbOdF9OewT4p-6tmJczDbkHOjJWiK-HnC68VbzWjTpsg8E_Y/s1600/mitla+street+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszL_ThlfDfTvjsSi7G2zkipkbj9fD-W-2eVDHIrU297tD2wxCG75hrMr3Pzx3uzlovmIdHEKYxJ8bpCeAKTfFmVGhs9zxbOdF9OewT4p-6tmJczDbkHOjJWiK-HnC68VbzWjTpsg8E_Y/s320/mitla+street+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A couple of days letter we saw a religious procession, of which there are many in Mexico, which I don't think had anything to do with the Guelaguetza.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-7535772120853257452016-07-16T13:32:00.002-07:002016-07-16T13:32:57.609-07:00We are back in Oaxaca, but I have to do a quick advertisement for the hotel we stayed at in Mitla. It's called <a href="http://www.hoteldoncenobio.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Don Cenobio</a>. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0F9Drq8min699IdXutAod29jsVhSs97F3mZm3Q1TZBdOFSDuyF8_ce-CWdNrDO5_Gu1PIfOs4NE3Xt2APpYvGdMHYy64LbfNeBGX-syZaqYyd8PqnuScTCZ_yMaCLD3Giw42R8ZJt1M/s1600/mitla+hotel+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0F9Drq8min699IdXutAod29jsVhSs97F3mZm3Q1TZBdOFSDuyF8_ce-CWdNrDO5_Gu1PIfOs4NE3Xt2APpYvGdMHYy64LbfNeBGX-syZaqYyd8PqnuScTCZ_yMaCLD3Giw42R8ZJt1M/s320/mitla+hotel+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Like most fancy hotels in Mexico, it has a beautiful courtyard with lots of flowers, a swimming pool, and a fountain. That's our balcony on the lower right.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HgGClrs6RhNvRduYfECOMaN2pOt3Hp7qVN6iYcriw0dgVqNY7cSOZYe1EmE9wRgJkfPDTb1RH09YG6WdCfPgJvd1IvTRG2aNCuTFq8tBhdAP7JWY9qrcdXHzQ61XMgeKYC6j6OErPhI/s1600/mitla+hotel+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HgGClrs6RhNvRduYfECOMaN2pOt3Hp7qVN6iYcriw0dgVqNY7cSOZYe1EmE9wRgJkfPDTb1RH09YG6WdCfPgJvd1IvTRG2aNCuTFq8tBhdAP7JWY9qrcdXHzQ61XMgeKYC6j6OErPhI/s320/mitla+hotel+2.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
What's interesting about this hotel is that each room has a name, and the furniture is carved and painted according to the name of the room. Our room was called girasoles (sunflowers).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoKOR3JGRS0m0HtE05D1Art3uQuZ30amtgIi_cdiAhQL1szG0BVGUZTQDzJHhY9pnQAoTu-YOuuAHnuRKpFB_cPU0B1Amjie_RN2kekn7qhhd7rpO9ai3vNxC2dxP0FshZg9b-c-MOsM/s1600/mitla+hotel+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoKOR3JGRS0m0HtE05D1Art3uQuZ30amtgIi_cdiAhQL1szG0BVGUZTQDzJHhY9pnQAoTu-YOuuAHnuRKpFB_cPU0B1Amjie_RN2kekn7qhhd7rpO9ai3vNxC2dxP0FshZg9b-c-MOsM/s320/mitla+hotel+1.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Other rooms included colibri (hummingbird)...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwELOhV_yr2rqGeWEwd4-z_2_XFvPqNOC2_NvFQD8xwPxtM8Peh4zJTO8dHsaU1NMnd2PyYVR63rrX3h5UHRoFERt560a9kVJl27vHENXla_i0-iCCCYam2Sn47kP0AfBEzxuUNTxc_KU/s1600/mitla+hotel+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwELOhV_yr2rqGeWEwd4-z_2_XFvPqNOC2_NvFQD8xwPxtM8Peh4zJTO8dHsaU1NMnd2PyYVR63rrX3h5UHRoFERt560a9kVJl27vHENXla_i0-iCCCYam2Sn47kP0AfBEzxuUNTxc_KU/s320/mitla+hotel+3.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
toucan...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKgte_LfMyQ7vGvWOvI6G5_SoFtk-cVFn5N2HfU5Azbz3IKOU8wM-0naNOePGy-m2eHeThb6TaDVV4_hpFicCYMt2OQaek8NgabeJBUvpVUEFehMsslxCXz9wTZHOGMQ7O3W9zRfq40Y/s1600/mitla+hotel+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKgte_LfMyQ7vGvWOvI6G5_SoFtk-cVFn5N2HfU5Azbz3IKOU8wM-0naNOePGy-m2eHeThb6TaDVV4_hpFicCYMt2OQaek8NgabeJBUvpVUEFehMsslxCXz9wTZHOGMQ7O3W9zRfq40Y/s320/mitla+hotel+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
alcatraces (calla lilies)...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WFOd6wk2Y1j-jvrf6FCcigPwmxkr-MNd3kij0XN0GL-GDUpUxToE8FMklGvtKbliq1z1kcSZUBLiVmRUbQHQt-_Jeu9PL7O6n1L1CtWHvzeqib5zdFN5tQg0IDTY6LAtLaHbWa7NYt8/s1600/mitla+hotel+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WFOd6wk2Y1j-jvrf6FCcigPwmxkr-MNd3kij0XN0GL-GDUpUxToE8FMklGvtKbliq1z1kcSZUBLiVmRUbQHQt-_Jeu9PL7O6n1L1CtWHvzeqib5zdFN5tQg0IDTY6LAtLaHbWa7NYt8/s320/mitla+hotel+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
and acuaria (aquarium). There were lots more, but you'll just have to go to Mitla and see for yourself. While you're there, buy some beautiful embroidered tablecloths, curtains, shirts and bedspreads.Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-1808390711200559252016-07-15T18:05:00.000-07:002016-07-15T18:21:02.441-07:00Our apartment is being painted, so we figured it was a good time for a trip. We are spending two nights in the city of Mitla, where the dominant craft (every town in Oaxaca, as far as I can tell, has a dominant craft) is embroidery. We are in the market for tablecloths, napkins and possibly curtains for the apartment, so it seemed like a good time to visit Mitla. There are also ruins here, and it's not far from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierve_el_Agua" target="_blank">Hierve el Agua</a>, which we've been wanting to visit. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Wb3q074cGxS40UiC8ygSdWzhwRGQBE9d9g7fQw9xqsmMSQPPh27Tl4gKsblEx3pgsKUxfoMX9t9NpJsdlmnKGpSqMYGKLWwCJYPjhx4Nd9EOUKaxaTF4ldtNsdlfzIg9BhJk1UJfZg0/s1600/hierve+el+agua+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Wb3q074cGxS40UiC8ygSdWzhwRGQBE9d9g7fQw9xqsmMSQPPh27Tl4gKsblEx3pgsKUxfoMX9t9NpJsdlmnKGpSqMYGKLWwCJYPjhx4Nd9EOUKaxaTF4ldtNsdlfzIg9BhJk1UJfZg0/s320/hierve+el+agua+3.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
This is what the cliffs look like. That's not water -- it's some sort of mineral deposit.<br />
<br />
Getting to Hierve el Agua is pretty hellish. You can take a taxi from Mitla, which goes on a road which is a series of hairpin turns which your taxi driver, if he's anything like ours (and he almost certainly will be) takes at about 60 mph. On the way back we took a collectivo instead, which is a collective taxi, so instead of a car it's a pickup truck with a metal frame and a few benches in the back. We refused to ride in the back (we had visions of hitting a bump and flying right off the bench and straight out the back of the truck) so we had to wait awhile for one that had the front seats available. The collectivo takes a much shorter route than the taxi, since trucks can handle the dirt road that goes straight up and down the hill between Mitla and Hierve el Agua. It takes almost as long, though, because the road is so rough and steep that they can't go more than about 20 or 30 mph. It's still pretty harrowing, since the road is steep and narrow and also full of hairpin turns. Just to make the experience even more exciting, the collectivo driver had a tablet next to his seat running a movie which he occasionally glanced at, and twice he took out his cell phone and dialed a number. When we told him that we were getting very nervous because he was watching television, he said, "Don't worry, I've been doing this for 10 years." Ah, Mexico.<br />
<br />
Once you get there, after pausing a minute to thank your favorite deity for arriving in one piece, you have to hike for about 10 minutes down a rocky trail to get your view of the above rock formation, and to the place where water bubbles up from a spring and you can go swimming.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4fS1ObHGHLl0MO2wKbfl7q6y8b-LIio2Pi-SHIIeMqiSX65RxhVDjy32qZFcybbqLOby5AiQOX0dG5gxp3hCT6nwJVtCVMUl0Celtt663ygYNQjd5s4lYD0ZToSco6AiDDeM3L8W_2w/s1600/hierve+el+agua+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4fS1ObHGHLl0MO2wKbfl7q6y8b-LIio2Pi-SHIIeMqiSX65RxhVDjy32qZFcybbqLOby5AiQOX0dG5gxp3hCT6nwJVtCVMUl0Celtt663ygYNQjd5s4lYD0ZToSco6AiDDeM3L8W_2w/s320/hierve+el+agua+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's Indigo in one of the pools. Notice the sheer drop-off at the edge. It's not as dangerous as it looks -- there's a wall at the edge, and even if you fell off it you'd land just a few feet down, although you'd land on a slippery wet rock, and then probably slide to your doom.<br />
<br />
It kind of exemplifies the difference between Mexico and the U.S. In the U.S., this pool would be fenced off and there would be "Danger Keep Out" signs everywhere, but every year or two someone would sneak in and go for a swim at night while drunk and fall off and die. In Mexico, they just put up a couple of "Be Careful" signs, let people do what they want, and every year or two someone probably does something careless and falls off and dies. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAsjrKaxuM2-YDzW5cEA31cfPF3-Ft3xqy7o8Np3jb_wHrEykHbqD_p4fRtEae0YMjfZT96h-0Htfg7Xae7Htow5wrc6-J9_pvcTQVG-XwpHXZUdzkNF5WOMojN7SOXFSl0GBD-MFVa0/s1600/hierve+el+agua+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAsjrKaxuM2-YDzW5cEA31cfPF3-Ft3xqy7o8Np3jb_wHrEykHbqD_p4fRtEae0YMjfZT96h-0Htfg7Xae7Htow5wrc6-J9_pvcTQVG-XwpHXZUdzkNF5WOMojN7SOXFSl0GBD-MFVa0/s320/hierve+el+agua+4.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
The water has created some beautiful patterns in the rock, and the whole area near the pools looks like this...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtQkR5DX77zgyCvNtNdojyFuTTqwg0-dkK1PSj0egfmQwNgkLbVldznVKd-i3P6aF30HYJxLVfz0EJch9SqQOwdN2vaNGpe5ppya9u2uD8LQCWW3Vn3YcGFgxV8UY6ZR0nZKNOPtgDyk/s1600/hierve+el+agua+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtQkR5DX77zgyCvNtNdojyFuTTqwg0-dkK1PSj0egfmQwNgkLbVldznVKd-i3P6aF30HYJxLVfz0EJch9SqQOwdN2vaNGpe5ppya9u2uD8LQCWW3Vn3YcGFgxV8UY6ZR0nZKNOPtgDyk/s400/hierve+el+agua+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
...and like this.Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507615501504856126.post-42817688304229059872016-07-13T12:29:00.002-07:002016-07-13T12:29:22.514-07:00Oaxaca's annual dance festival, called the Guelaguetza, doesn't officially start until towards the end of the month, but there seem to be all sort of events leading up to it, starting in early July. The first event that we came across was a parade one evening in the center of town.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqiJbdNFCDNLShmdbgsYwpeOLESEdLwERW8H0KjNSws5lea7TlhB1AxEsZ8Kq892RLl1t_uMENuPMSJ28-jlKT0Io31TkCo4He54ed0xgaEfKfi4yNh0K2BiGq0X_LhAbXQgwoIsS9Qc/s1600/gg+desfile+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqiJbdNFCDNLShmdbgsYwpeOLESEdLwERW8H0KjNSws5lea7TlhB1AxEsZ8Kq892RLl1t_uMENuPMSJ28-jlKT0Io31TkCo4He54ed0xgaEfKfi4yNh0K2BiGq0X_LhAbXQgwoIsS9Qc/s320/gg+desfile+3.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div><br />
These huge balloon-like things seem to be made of cloth, and people dance and spin them around at the same time. They look heavy, and I heard that these parades can go on for miles, so it's definitely a feat of endurance. In fact, everything about this style of dancing seems to involve carrying heavy things, mostly on your head, while you dance. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oMj_mnQUJ7AdqInPr4-XC22ow5phE6cH0vC4Xv_IwX6zkNErFBWjZzNWj-_4457iFE9H4-J6VCS97SoIvXfmH5Vl4tAVQio-2x90Nl9OGqcv9Co-7XTngRzedLBA8hyphenhyphenT6H7emmU4ejI/s1600/gg+desfile+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oMj_mnQUJ7AdqInPr4-XC22ow5phE6cH0vC4Xv_IwX6zkNErFBWjZzNWj-_4457iFE9H4-J6VCS97SoIvXfmH5Vl4tAVQio-2x90Nl9OGqcv9Co-7XTngRzedLBA8hyphenhyphenT6H7emmU4ejI/s320/gg+desfile+2.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>There were also lots of these huge papier-mache (I think) puppets, whose faces undoubtedly represent specific people -- possibly historic figures, or maybe fictional ones. The people inside them spin around and around.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVRPjMGnUkXnxaGPXTtJhunBzxgNPvjLhQpDflg_70bb9KPh-7DmhKCjGJu1VGzpyY_aHdrXERNqsM3GIMLJEHlq69aNIAHsV9E7WmggM5_kb_XHqfbjArmG9fyfFtJLtzs6JaJAdR2A/s1600/gg+desfile+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVRPjMGnUkXnxaGPXTtJhunBzxgNPvjLhQpDflg_70bb9KPh-7DmhKCjGJu1VGzpyY_aHdrXERNqsM3GIMLJEHlq69aNIAHsV9E7WmggM5_kb_XHqfbjArmG9fyfFtJLtzs6JaJAdR2A/s320/gg+desfile+1.jpg" width="180" height="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's a puppet dancer and a balloon dancer together. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfupLCicODWU7ZfyLpFJiyuJpzTZbzFYS6nm7vCDMg3UJ3dCmT76HFgFF_88xmdXm0740EtUfwMi4vEusiylSXKKlGouo3Ku1WOdA-gxnF21xXsx1xi7OsxvotW17Sqk1tfC3va8jwV4/s1600/gg+desfile+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfupLCicODWU7ZfyLpFJiyuJpzTZbzFYS6nm7vCDMg3UJ3dCmT76HFgFF_88xmdXm0740EtUfwMi4vEusiylSXKKlGouo3Ku1WOdA-gxnF21xXsx1xi7OsxvotW17Sqk1tfC3va8jwV4/s320/gg+desfile+5.jpg" width="180" height="320" /></a></div>There are also rows and rows of dancers in all sorts of different traditional costumes. The women wear these huge, beautifully embroidered skirts, and spend a lot of time twirling them around while they also balance those baskets on their heads.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNks_8vieuv5bCdVVg5hvt1yG2-4fMS3Ds9GCUM5LnrUia4JjdXm9L8_btRQCSWYn4Ymso5T5siDsQrjX7rxqjKyRDQ28OcUSAmknnXdbcTGkdWXURiwmk6Etq0ME85lMaFnT9jlJqrxg/s1600/gg+desfile+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNks_8vieuv5bCdVVg5hvt1yG2-4fMS3Ds9GCUM5LnrUia4JjdXm9L8_btRQCSWYn4Ymso5T5siDsQrjX7rxqjKyRDQ28OcUSAmknnXdbcTGkdWXURiwmk6Etq0ME85lMaFnT9jlJqrxg/s320/gg+desfile+4.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>There were also a few of these puppet-on-a-stick things. This one is a chapuline -- a type of grasshopper -- which is a local delicacy. You see a lot of women in traditional dress selling baskets full of fried chapulines. They always give free tastes, which I took advantage of the other day, much to the disgust of the rest of my family. They were very salty, and quite crunchy. I didn't buy any.<br />
Grumpyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905226822738634392noreply@blogger.com2