The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Thursday, November 17, 2011

San Dionisio

 This is one of my favorite drives, preferably starting with barbacoa in the market in Tlacolula and then heading towards Mitla.  Just before Mitla, the road heads south across mezcal country and what beautiful country it is.
Any road trip with Henry Wangeman from Amate Books is a good road trip.  Henry has forgotten more about Mexico than I will ever learn.  I have a post to do about our mezcal adventure, but before we made it that far, we stopped in San Dionisio Ocotepec to see the church.
San Dionisio is one of Henry's favorite saints.  He loves telling the story of St. Denis, who ended up being beheaded, catching his head and then walking quite a ways, all the while preaching.  So he is often pictured with his head in his hands.
Each church is different.  This one had clean lines and very little ornamentation on the outside.
It has a tropical feel with the palms and the white benches underneath.
Inside it was quite colorful and refined.
 San Dionisio is just above Jesus over the altar.
 The interior dome or cupola.
 A gold tabernacle that holds the Host and Chalice.
Here is Dionisio with head in hands.
A wonderful and peaceful setting.  Well worth the trip.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can you tell me more about the drive? How long is it? I have never driven in Oaxaca, always been a passenger in a car, or a rider in a bus. Are these roads marked well enough for me to make this loop without ending up in Chiapas?

I love these churches.

Joan

Christopher Stowens said...

The whole drive is about three hours, not pushing it. The roads are pretty good and there are good places to eat in Tlacolula and Ocotlan. It doesn't matter which way you go, but I like Tlacolula to start. Roads are well marked. It is really a pretty easy drive.