Oaxaca-The Year After: What a difference

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.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

What a difference - Cement edition

Almost all the houses and buildings in Oaxaca are made of cement. 10,000 earthquakes a year might be part of the reason. Yes, there are a few wooden structures, but they tend to be where there are trees for lumber... surprise. So needless to say, the people who work with cement can do almost anything with it. They are masters. And, as a typical guy and as one who still has an 1895 house in El Norte which needs constant maintenance, I am always watching and learning about all things house construction related in both countries.

I just love watching guys working with cement and in Oaxaca and it is all grunt work, hard and physical, like these guys unloading a truckload of 110 lbs bags of cement... on their heads.

Or these guys pouring a roof.

Well, things are a little different here. This is happening just down the street from me as they continue to tear down single family houses to put up newer and bigger ones. Here's how they pour the foundation. No grunt work at all.