Muertos, Oaxaca 2015

[lola]

Well, then, how about start talking it up and narrow down a time? Realistically Feb 2017 is my earliest best bet. Carnival? I don't think Muertos is necessary. House or compound or rentals in same general neighborhood.

[bixaorellana]

Yes, yes, yes, yes!

Let's see if anyone else chimes in here with corroboratory zeal &/or suggestions. Once a real level of interest is shown, we could start a planning thread.

The beauty of February is that it shouldn't be cold here -- certainly not as cold as where most people would be coming from. The city has no carnival celebration, but some pueblos just outside the city do. Of course, anyone would want to be here on Feb. 2 so as not to miss the dressed up baby Jesuses. Really, there is something to do here all the time, even when no special events are going on.

I have to say that the dry season (@oct/Nov -- April/May) is not as pretty because it's, you know, dry. However, coming during that part of the year means you won't get rained on. Weather info here and here.

You can find lots of information on Oaxaca online (after, of course, closely perusing my many threads on the city ), but the Wikipedia entry covers it quite well.

So ~ what do you say, Anyporters?

[Deleted]

Thinking cap on.

[lola]

With the proviso that what happens in Oaxaca stays in Oaxaca. (Negotiable.)

If it's more convenient for others to go ahead without me in October, I'd understand. But 2/17 will be here before we know it.

[mich64]

I had the opportunity today to give my full attention to this thread (I look forward to it every year!) I thoroughly enjoyed everything in each post. My favorite photo is in reply #51, the side portrait of the girl with the purple and white flowers. I loved all the market photos and was pretty sure I was seeing mounds of some sort of insects instead of peppers for which I gave a few seconds of possibility to.

I hope a gathering gets accomplished, I think Oaxaca would be an amazing experience.

[fumobici]

February was always my get south! month. When I had family in Phoenix, that was the perfect time for a desert escape when I could not take another cold, sideways rain, muddy, headlights on at noon day.

[bixaorellana]

Well, Kerouac is thinking, so maybe he has ideas on ways to corral us into pissup mode.

Lola, what could possibly happen that we'd have to keep under our caps? *cackles maniacally*
As far as others going ahead without you, I'm thinking if we wind up with two contingents of different schedules, there could be separate pissups. Of course, those in the first one would have so much fun, they'd wind up coming back for the second one.

Oh, Mich ~ I am so happy that you enjoyed it! The only editing I did to that photograph of the girl with the purple and white flowers was to darken out the extraneous stuff behind her. Her clothing really was that weird color of a black & white photograph.
You will love the markets when you get here -- they are colorful and interesting all year round, not just at special occasions.

Okay, Fumobici -- you're in! Putting you down for at least one of the pissups.

[bixaorellana]

As you all know, I suggested that this could be a memorial thread and am touched and honored by those of you who used it this way.

I've deliberately waited until November 11 to put a remembrance here, as the wonderful man who married my mother in 1985 remained proud of his service in WWII all of his life. Bill died in December of 2012, a few days after his 91st birthday. An architect, his school, library, and other buildings are to be seen in the town where he lived for over 60 years. He treated my mother like an empress and was a kind, steady, loving friend to all her children. Bill captained the landing craft USSLCF#9 at the Normandy Invasion and a Landing Ship Medium in the Pacific theater.
                                           

Also in loving memory of the other veterans in my family -- both grandfathers, my father, my uncle, and my husband.

[mossie]

I happened to be in a cafe this morning and was pleased that they observed the silence, even putting the radio on so we could hear Big Ben strike the hour and the Last Post, which always moves me. There are one or two I have to remember plus my father who saw active service in both wars.

[tod2]

Both my grandsons wore poppies at school today. They are 5 & 7 years old. I think their school teaches real values and what must be remembered even though they will only understand in years to come.

[bixaorellana]

That is most moving, Mossie. So horrible to realize that two world wars came so close together -- only a generation apart -- that a person would see active duty in both of them. Here's to your remembered ones.

Tod how we hope those sweet boys could come to adulthood in a world with no wars. Eventually the day must come when humans will consider war unthinkable. We can only hope.

I was born 34 years after the beginning of WWI and 9 years after the beginning of WWII. When our generation is gone, there will be no one who remembers veterans of that "war to end all wars" and a dwindling number to remember those of the war that followed it only 25 years later.

I'm surprised that we are the only three who remembered Veterans Day/Remembrance Day -- usually quite a few people mention it here.

[mich64]

Bixa, your stepfather sounds like a wonderful man, I could feel the pride in your words.

Mossie, were there many who served in both World Wars? I never thought about that being a possibility, but of course it was.

I got up early this morning to help my husband with his uniform before he left to march in the Parade today. I watched the ceremonies from Ottawa on television.

[htmb]

I think posting Bill's photo in this thread today was a perfect idea, Bixa. He has always sounded like a wonderful man when you've mentioned him. Please don't think that the lack of words from some of us here is an indication that others are not also remembering veterans. Many of us certainly are remembering in our own way.

Tod, hearing about your grandsons reminded me of the time my father and I encountered a gentleman standing outside a dime store. He was a veteran who was giving away hand made poppies in exchange for donations to the local veteran's organization. My father greated him warmly, bought a poppy for me, and as we walked away he used the moment to explain the importance of honoring our veterans. I was ten years old and I still remember that experience just like it was frozen in time.

[questa]

Nov 11, 2015 22:33:10 GMT bixaorellana said:

That is So horrible to realize that two world wars came so close together -- only a generation apart -- that a person would see active duty in both of them. Here's to your remembered one

I heard recently of Australian men enlisting in the African Wars in 1879, then hundreds in the Boer wars, WW1 where we lost 60,000 men (our population was 4-5million and 470,00 enlisted)
There have been Oz soldiers fighting in the troubles in Palestine, India and other colonial upheavals. Korea, Malaya, Konfrontasi in Indonesia then Vietnam. Various police actions and peacekeeping then off to Iraq and Afghanistan. Now our men are facing up to ISIS and whatever that may bring.

There was hardly a day when Oz young men weren't fighting "someone else's war" and usually wondering what the hell was going on.

[bixaorellana]

Thank you so much, Mich. It's lovely how you always understand the feelings of others.
And you must have felt pride helping your husband into his uniform. What branch, may I ask?

Aw, thank you, Htmb. Yes, he was a wonderful man.
Your memory of the veteran you & your father encountered made me remember the felt poppies of my childhood. Since the Korean "conflict" was going on when I was a child, the meaning of the poppies was fairly clear. I say fairly clear because at that time in my life I don't think death was quite real to me.

You are so right, Questa, that it just goes on and on. And really, unless you are fighting an invader into your own country, it's all "someone else's war", isn't it?
My maternal grandfather, who was proud of his service in WWI, always said that WWI was a war manufactured by politicians. Aren't they all?

[tod2]

Questa & others interested in this thread....You mention the Boer Wars with men enlisting outside South Africa.
Well, one of those men was Vincent van Gogh's brother, Cornelis van Gogh. Was just a supporter of the Boers.
Much has been written about Vincent van Gogh and his tempestuous relationship with his brother Theo. But few people know that there was a third Van Gogh brother, Cornelis, who was raised in the Netherlands, but worked, married and died in South Africa.
I have read he died in Bronkhorstspruit, but now see that he may have died in Pretoria.

So where are you Cornelis?? Are you in a bare open piece of South African veld in an unmaked grave?
Or, have you bee shipped back to Holland years ago and forgotten?

[bixaorellana]

That's extremely interesting, Tod!

Coincidentally, earlier today I posted about a man who tried to head off WWI by warning the powers that be of all the horrors that in fact ensued. He referenced the Boer war in his attempts to convince people of the carnage such a war would bring.
anyportinastorm.proboards.com/thread/7595/foreseeing-world-war

[mossie]

I think people must wake up to the fact that we are already fighting another war as evidenced by the news from Paris. Our politicians have been very weak and a very firm hand needs to be shown. We have some of our citizens going to Syria to help the Daesh and being allowed to return. That is ridiculous, they should be permanently barred from ever setting footie this country again. If the Uman Rights grasping lawyers wish to represent them, then they should be sent to join them so that they can get first hand evidence. And then given a thorough going over when they try to return. I note Putin is offering to help, perhaps some of his methods would suit the cause.

[lugg]

So enjoyed catching up on the rest of your thread Bixa, just wonderful. The dogs made me laugh especially the devil dog . I can imagine that I would probably want to escape the band too !

I for one would be keen to join a meet up if enough notice to give me time to plan and save especially at this time of year

edited to say - oops I missed page 3 somehow - any time of year would be good.

[questa]

Tod, very interesting story about Cornelis Van Gogh. Don't worry about where he was buried, but how about all the kids running around with his genes. Have you checked the phone numbers for any of that name...could have morphed into something like 'Vangoff'. Wouldn't it be fun to find a g-g-g-grand nephew or something.

[lola]

Bixa, your darling stepfather and touching tribute to him. Thank you.

[bixaorellana]

Mossie, I'm not ignoring your comment, but am truly unequipped to respond. I know almost nothing about British politics. As far as an immediate response to the tragedy in France, I can only concur with President Obama in his statement that "... it's best that we don't shoot first and aim later.”

Thank you SO much, Lugg! I dragged my feet and did not feel inspired when it was time to think about this year's DoD thread, but once I started, I felt as enthusiastic as ever. I will start a Oaxaca get-together thread sometime in the near future so everyone can bat around ideas and then firm up something long enough in advance for everyone to plan & save.

Good grief, Questa! Be careful what you say to Tod -- she's an intrepid little sleuth.

Oh, Lola ~ that means the world to me. Thank YOU!

[questa]

I can imagine Tod sleuthing through the archives as we speak.

[tod2]

No, not yet....too busy sleuthing the shopping malls for Xmas pressies for my boys. Seems I have all I need, so will be back to work as I have staff on holiday with their kids. Schools broke up for the holidays today...until about 20th January.

[nycgirl]

Bixa, I love you annual coverage of this event and how you always make it look wondrous and new. I also appreciate the loving tribute to your stepfather and the spirit of this thread. Thank you.

[nycgirl]

This is my Lola ("Grandmother" in her native language, Tagalog). She came to the U.S. from the Philippines after WWII and, after being abandoned by her husband, single-handedly raised seven kids with no family to help her. She was a strong, stubborn, fiercely loving woman.



I can't capture her in just a few words, but I will say she was very quirky and (quite literally) colorful. I'll always remember her this way.

[Deleted]

Those are great pictures, nycgirl.

[mossie]

She was entitled to be stubborn, quirky and colouful after all that.

Reminds me of my paternal grandma who was left with 5 and another on the way. Haven't got a picture but always remember the black Victorian dress with little buttons, hair in a tight bun and few smiles.

[htmb]

Her beautiful spirit shines through in the photos, Nycgirl.