La diosa de Tlacolula - The goddess of Tlacolula

The whole San Juan Guelavia adventure turned out to be less than expected.  The dancing was not scheduled for many hours, so....... The late afternoon sun was so beautiful and the countryside so lush, that they told us to take a joy ride to Tlacolula.  The market is always happening, but nothing like Sundays and we found the place to be wonderfully quiet and almost empty, relatively speaking.  Part of the lack of people is due to the major renovation project which will be done in a couple more months.  The displaced vendors now line the nearby zocalo.

The above is just one of the goddesses in the market.  She wears the traditional traje and dances with her heavy canasta on her head.  However, another goddess rules over the place, as well.

Esperanza is a magical presence, always smiling, as she puts in her twelve hour day with never a day off.  You may remember her from this blog as she has appeared here many times.  She was one of the dancers from the group representing Tlacolula in the guelaguetza a couple of years ago.

And she always plays me like a virtuoso. 

 

I swear she could make a stone smile or blush. 

And the barbacoa (BBQ) was delicious.