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 4, 2021

They work hard for the money...

"You want your house where?"  I keep thinking about this work site in Etla because it shows several things about the area.  I remember when I moved into my house, I noticed all the cantera stone and thought it must have been left over from construction.  But no, it is simply what is just under the soil.  And you can see just how prominent and deep it is.  "No problem, we'll just chop it out.  It's only five meters high." I wonder how much was done by hand.  Oaxaqueños got some serious work ethic!
It sure explains why so many structures, ancient, not so ancient (colonial) and new, are built with the stuff.  It is everywhere and Huitzo, just to the north is famous for its quarries,.  The stone can absorb air and water without expanding, so it is close to a perfect building material.  Guess what the Spanish word for quarry is....

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