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Post by lola on Nov 3, 2015 3:04:22 GMT
Bixa, I never can believe how good your dia del muerte collections are. Just wonderful. Those lovely people.
Kerouac, your darling grandmother. Thank you for that. Very touching.
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Post by lola on Nov 3, 2015 3:12:13 GMT
My grandmother's high school picture: Her motto, selected I suppose by the yearbook editors, was "Still waters run deep." This remained true as I knew her. She was a ruthless de-clutterer, and I only got this photo last month by stopping by my home town museum where they have a collection of old yearbooks. She was apparently on the vamp side in the 20's, not one of the nice churchgoing girls. Her only child was my father, who passed away this year, and I'd post a photo of him if I had one. Bless them both. There's a book there that I'll get around to after the statute of limitations expires. Well, a short story anyway.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2015 5:10:31 GMT
Music to my ears, Lugg -- thank you so much! Bjd, when you come here you have to eat at least one chapulín. They say if you do, you'll be sure to return to Oaxaca. They are quite tasty, although I admit I'll only eat the teensy ones, so I'm not noticing that they're bugs. Lola, so kind -- thank you! And many thanks for considering this thread worthy of your tributes to your grandmother and your father. Yes, your grandmother does seem to have had "It", and your description of her character makes me think your apple didn't fall far from her tree. =============================== So, retracing my steps back from the market, here I am on the alameda side of the zócalo ~I'm following a costumed group of young women, trying to get a good picture ~They pause to pose in front of the cathedral, as I'm not the only one wanting to snap them ~ On my way home, I see that this banana tree has hitched a ride ~ I went back out later in the afternoon, at the usual time my dogs get an outing. Not to make excuses for myself, but you all should know that the following pictures were not only taken in the gloaming, but also one-handed, with three little mutts pulling at their leashes from my other hand.
An altar in the superette backed up to its front window ~ As is usual during a festival time, there is a long pavilion set up near the northern end of the pedestrian street with regional crafts for sale. It is exceptionally nice this time, with other states represented along with Oaxaca ~ There were two small sand paintings on the midway ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2015 5:19:31 GMT
And out into the open air again ~The wall of the Graphic Arts Institute, commemorating the missing forty-three students ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2015 5:38:48 GMT
We were in an island of relative calm in front of Santo Domingo, but that didn't last. There were crowd sounds and music coming up the street, so I went to meet it.
It was one wave after another of little-kid schools' parades. The teachers (mothers?) leading the pack seem to be seriously reconsidering their career choices. Also, doesn't naming a school something that sounds like "dolt" seem like a bad idea? Poor Harley. He hates band music with trumpets. As yet another parade came along with its blaring music, he dug his little front feet in and refused to move. I picked him put and deposited him on a step, where he enjoyed having some kids pet him. All three dogs stayed pretty quiet as I videoed the parade, but ran out to investigate when a dog dressed as a tick went past. Try to imagine four solid days of this music and you'll have an idea of how the poor little pooch felt ~Enough is enough! I snapped these last few pictures, then took my little guys home ~
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2015 7:28:50 GMT
Françoise Dolto was the French "Dr. Spock".
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2015 9:52:37 GMT
As I admire all of the people strolling around in light apparel, I was wondering if it is ever unseasonally chilly for Muertos. This set of pictures makes it look like it is the perfect temperature.
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 3, 2015 12:55:09 GMT
Believe it or not we have a Mexican shop in our little town of Ware in Hertfordshire -
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Post by mossie on Nov 3, 2015 14:38:44 GMT
Having worked extensively in Herts during my varied career, nothing one sees there should surprise you.
Sorry Bixa, your thread is just soooo colourful.
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 3, 2015 14:51:27 GMT
Nowadays it's mostly charity shops and hairdressers.
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Post by lola on Nov 3, 2015 14:57:24 GMT
Laughter fights with tear in eye, really. Sometimes in the same photo.
I never knew about Catrina before. Looked it up and now I understand the hats and veils. I've never had a bucket list before, but suddenly I have one, with one item: descending upon bixa some late October. I'll help hold the dogs.
Bixa, I like to think that I'm a balanced blend of the Saints and Sinners branches of ancestry.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2015 18:17:05 GMT
I so enjoyed your reply Lola, and so agree with Bixa about the "apple not falling far from the tree..." (Ahem, when are we ever gong to hear of your Grandfather of whom you have made reference to for years now? Just a gentle prodding...)
This years report has so many singularly great shots. (Of course, having been there, I can appreciate it even more). The people shots in particular are refreshing despite the absence of narrative, which you have covered and reported so well in years past, allowing followers or not, to fully appreciate and or inquire of and then referred to previous links on this topic).
An intrepid reportage to be sure.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2015 19:26:10 GMT
Kerouac, I am a dolt not to have known that & to make childish fun. Re: "unseasonably chilly" -- The temperature often drops here right around the days of the dead. That happens so frequently that people refer to it as "el frio de los muertos". Last year it got quite cold during the festival, in fact I made whiny reference to it my last year's report. But it was perfect this year -- hot during the day and just right in the evening. Mick, you need to check that shop out. Some of the Mexican ceramics look really great in the garden. Thank you, Mossie! Lola, please please don't just think about it -- do it! Come alone, come with your family, or ~ ~ get on the bandwagon to encourage the anyporters to finally come and have the much-threatened pissup here. It's the perfect venue -- no weather extremes, small walkable city, special activities almost all year, and something for every taste: horticulturalists, foodies, shoppers, photographers, anthropologists, artists, etc. etc. Thank you very much, Casimira! More of everything coming right up. Strolling down Alcala, the pedestrian street, the next day, I snap the altar in the graphics institute. The sand painting in front is a commentary on the much-feared death of native corn, which is threatened by the gm stuff. It's always worth going into the institute because of their beautiful patios ~Oh boy oh boy oh boy ~ stilt walkers in front of Sto. Domingo!Mr. Showmanship there in front is ten years old. He told me he's been doing this since he was six. These boys are so beautiful that it bears repeating that the Zancudos are all males, and all young. They're evenly divided into male and female attire.
Those faces ~ could they be more adorable?!I checked out the beautiful skies, then went into the pavilion on the right for a look at the Festival of Pan y Molinillos (Bread and Whisks). I'll be back shortly to show all of that ~
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Post by lola on Nov 3, 2015 19:54:47 GMT
What big airport is nearby? I haven't been to a proper pissup in I don't know how long.
(Casimira, that grandfather's the one who married the flapper above. I just learned this year that the marriage was much to his family's consternation.)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2015 20:03:08 GMT
I think we change in Mexico City to get a flight to Oaxaca.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2015 21:20:13 GMT
Yeeessssss ~ let the planning begin!!!
Oaxaca has a dinky international airport. Its code letters are OAX. Just to make things confusing, sometimes when you reserve online you'll be asked if you want the Huatulco airport or the Xoxocotlán airport. You want Xoxocotlán. It's likely you would change in Mexico City, but there are direct flights from Houston to Oaxaca. There may be direct flights from other cities as well, but I could not find out by googling. Prepare to blanch when you find out what it costs to fly here.
Lola, that was the original plotline of Blondie and Dagwood -- she was a flapper and his family had reservations about his marrying her.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 4, 2015 3:32:49 GMT
Here we are admiring the pan de muertos -- a traditional, eggy bread that makes an appearance at other festival times, when it's simply called pan de yema (yolk). Since this kind of bread is generally served alongside hot chocolate, the molinillos (wooden beaters) for foaming the chocolate are sharing this mini-fair.Even the plainest of these beaters are impressive, since the whole thing -- including the loose wooden rings -- is carved from a single piece of wood. This man's stuff is exquisite. The tiny rings on the molinillo earrings are capped with silver. The hand on the large piece behind them holds a molinillo pen. The hand on the big piece in the following picture holds a Mexican flag ~I don't know what the story is on these people. They look as though they just got terrible news ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 4, 2015 4:01:21 GMT
This patio can be counted on for a different display for every holiday ~Moving on down the street, I see seasonal t-shirts and look in the large colonial foyer shared by la Hostería de Alcalá restaurant and Amate Books ~Heading back home, I see that the Zancudos are taking a break ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 4, 2015 4:32:53 GMT
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Post by questa on Nov 4, 2015 4:47:47 GMT
Your little dogs look like lions with their shiny manes...really sweet.
Do you know whet the wood the carver uses? it must be soft enough to carve so intricately, yet hard enough to not break up.
Once again, brilliant colours every where.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 4, 2015 4:59:09 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 4, 2015 6:34:50 GMT
So now in thread time it is November 1st -- All Saints Day.
I only took one daytime picture, admiring the sky for doing its yearly nice and moody Day of the Dead thing ~The plan was to go out that evening to photograph a Catrina contest. I never did find it, but had ample other stuff to look at ~I'm thrilled to find a castillo in front of Sto. Domingo. It turned out to be for the couple who were inside the church getting married. This is not one of the bigger ones, but if you've never seen a castillo, watch the video ~The entire crowd in the street in front of the church applauded the bride ~I plunge into the crowd ~I've had enough, so work my way out of there and go home ~ November 2nd, All Souls Day, is always very quiet. Businesses are closed and this is a day for families to go to the cemeteries. I enjoy the peace, only venturing out in the afternoon to take the dogs for their walk at the cruz de piedra park ~~ And that is that for Day of the Dead, 2015 ~
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 4, 2015 9:31:59 GMT
What a remarkable account Bixa - fantastic!
(and we have bought ceramics from the Mexican shop).
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Post by tod2 on Nov 4, 2015 10:20:04 GMT
Oh my Oh my!! Bixa - what a sensational account of the annual Day of The Dead. Just so overwhelmingly full of EVERYTHING ...like Mossie said, the colours are exceptional. The flowers, the people, the costumes - especially the doggie ones - all the little trinkets and food on sale make it a spectacle totally unsurpassed. Well, well done Bixa! It is going to take days of viewing but now that I am free for a short while I will be making the most of your thread.
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Post by mossie on Nov 4, 2015 15:38:51 GMT
I have to congratulate you on your stamina. And I bet your dogs were very pleased to get out of their costumes.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Nov 4, 2015 17:04:45 GMT
Glorious, fantastic and beautiful thread...thank you Bixa for bringing such colour, life and light into my wet and gloomy day. It is a joy to see people celebrating their ancestors in such a positive and fulfilling manner. The vibrant colours and intense activity leap out of the page. Wonderful. XXX
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Post by lola on Nov 4, 2015 18:42:16 GMT
Too fun, Bixa. Each one more so than the last.
Is a year enough time to brush up on high school Spanish and get time off from work, yet reasonable chance we potential pissuppers would still be on this side of the Great Dividing Line? Two years? I am finding $500 fares from here, 15 hrs total down with two changes, nine hours back, checking random days in Feb. Not all that bad. Kerouac and I could talk about Paris. (peace, brother!)
(However, I remember reading somewhere that Southerners urge you to visit, then are dismayed when you actually show up. I'm too much of a border stater to know if that's true. I am afraid we'd slow you down. On the other hand, those who didn't show up would just have to be out of luck.)
Ha, funny about the Bumsteads. Take that, disapproving families!
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Post by lola on Nov 6, 2015 4:40:44 GMT
Well, how about two years? Or one and a half? I forgot about a family reunion in Texas next summer, limited vacation time.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2015 6:05:04 GMT
I was so overwhelmed by the scope of this report that I forgot to comment about the nighttime portion. I love the castillo video, especially the fact that there are completely different phases of the display.
The skull faced bishop in green is a totally perfect photograph. I can't say the same for the clown in the doorway, which is just pure evil waiting to pounce.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 6, 2015 6:54:06 GMT
And I am overwhelmed, but hugely gratified by all your generous comments ~ thank you! Good going, Mick -- they probably makes the agaves grow better. So kind, Tod. I hope you get here one day. I think there are so many things you'd really enjoy. We even have a fabric museum. I appreciate that, Mossie. Darla was irritated by the flowers around her neck, but the boys seemed to be totally into channeling lions. Awwww ~ you are always so kindly enthusiastic about my efforts, Cheery. And I love how you get why I like it here so much. Lola, Lola, Lola ~ I have been URGING everyone to come here forever. I know we've discussed it one of my threads at least once before. Of course I would love to see you however & whenever you can get here, official gathering or not. But again, I think everyone coming at the same time would be the pissup di tutti pissups, whether during muertos or not. I'm talking about really making a big deal out of it, with people staying long enough to really see the area and of course to hang out together. I only have one extra double bed, but it was you, Lola, who suggested that a venue be found to house a group, for those who'd like to do it that way. Here is stuff that can be seen & done here: crafts villages, hiking, birding, pre-Columbian ruins, markets, eating, drinking (come on -- who wouldn't want to go to a real Mexican bar where you get a snack with each drink ordered and musicians come to your table? ), shopping, sightseeing, etc. So yes, this is not a meaningless "y'all come" invitation. It's a real, heartfelt, deeply desired invitation. Oh, thank you, thank you, Kerouac! Just think, that was a fairly dinky castillo. And I truly appreciate your picking out the bishop, as that is my favorite photo from the whole thread. I did think about putting the clown in a spoiler, but you coulrophobics are gonna have to come to terms with those fears when you visit here. Edited to add this, which is surely further incentive for visiting Oaxaca: uncorneredmarket.com/oaxaca-food/
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