¿Porque no? - More piñatas

It's an art!  What a glorious sight

These are the ceramic pots that serve as foundations for the decorations.  It would take a pretty good whack to break them.  Trump piñatas were big a while ago, but I guess they are passe.

Party on, Garth!

It's beginning to look like... Piñatas!

Look at the size of the big one.  I know some of the smaller ones have ceramic pots holding the goodies, but the big one... I dunno.

Noche de Los Rabanos - Early Edition

For over a century, on December 23rd, Oaxaca has celebrated La Noche de Los Rabanos, the Night of the Radishes.  Each year it's different and this year was no exception.  Unlike previous years, early viewing was available and the place was packed by late morning.  I always go early because the crowds later are well, way too crowded, bigger every year.  I am always amazed and impressed with the entrants' creativity and ingenuity.  And it's fun to take shots of the creations, but I always try to get shots of the creators, the people who make all these works of art. 

Some have participated for decades and there are always new entrants, so there is always a healthy mix of traditional images and the unexpected.

On a grand scale, the eagle with snake on a cactus, the symbol of Mexico....

In addition to radishes, corn husks and dried flowers are also used in different categories in the competition.  A detail....

And its creator.

Always so many interesting shots.

I was not alone...

As I said, the city is very crowded, but the vibe is perfect.

More in a bit...

Feria de Chocolate - Tlacolula

Today was the last day of the 2nd Annual Feria de Chocolate in Tlacolula and it was filled with lots of people sampling the many offerings.  I was there early and it was relatively quiet... for a feria in Tlacolula!

Always popular, chocolate with espuma, or whipped foam.

Not only chocolate, but lots of tamales, barbacoa and various taste treats.

And of course, music!

It's beginning to look like.... Rabanos!

Dec. 23, La noche de Rabanos in the zocalo!

Be there or be square.... and be early if you want to avoid the crowds.

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - Our patron saint

La Señora de la Soledad is the patron saint of Oaxaca and even though I was a day late and a peso short, I felt obligated to pay my respects along with many others.

Yesterday, December 18, was her official celebratory day and the cathedral and surrounding environs are filled with stalls and vendors.

¡Viva Oaxaca! - Always something special happening

The Last Dance... Teotitlan del Valle

It's over.  The three year commitment or promesa, for each of the remarkable danzantes de pluma from Teotitlan del Valle.  For the last time, they danced, basking in the light of a beautiful sunset,  a perfect touch to illuminate their finale. 

This was an exceptional group.  Their dancing, choreography and appearance earned them two(!) performances in the official guelaguetza. 

We all changed over the last three years.  It was fun to watch La Machine and Doña Marina, Quetzali Del Rayo Santiago Ruiz...

 And Elizabeth Hernandez Gutierrez as they grew and matured, both as dancers and young girls.

There were many standouts among the dancers.  Easily, one of the best Monctezumas I've ever seen, Sergio Gutierrez Bautista, always with his amazing and precise footwork.

Something to keep in mind, as to the level of commitment this takes, is that all the dancers lead normal multi-faceted lives. They have families. They have jobs or are in school. They are husbands, daughters and sons.  And for sure, life in Teotitlan comes with many responsibilities and obligations. They are weavers, artists, musicians, students, carpenters, campesinos.... and, now, former danzantes.

Now they can return full time to those lives.... but, ahhh, the memories.

Pride and tears - Los Danzantes de la Pluma de Teotitlan del Valle

And so ends the three year promesa or commitment of this wonderfully talented group of dancers from Teotitlan de Valle.  Blogger buddy, Shannon, and I were there from the very beginning until the very end.  And yes, I, like many others, had tears in my eyes and a heart filled with pride as we watched them dance for the last time as the village celebrated el Dia de Gaudalupe.  And there were so many people involved with these dancers, a real group effort. 

Wives,  parents, extended families and the committee in charge of organizing the entire cycle.  A special shout out to Javier Gutiérrez Hernández, whose choreography was so beautiful and creative.  

A former dancer himself and father of Sergio, this group's Monctezuma, here with two other stars of the show, the subalternos, Juan Bautista Ruiz and Florentino Martinez Ruiz.

It was an amazing finale as almost two thousand people, mostly family and friends, came together to share the moment with the dancers.  Much more to come....

No day at the beach...

"Gee, Chris, why no blog posts?"  I've been fighting some off/on illness that has laid me up to the point where I finally had to see a doctor, a first for me in my years of being in Oaxaca.  I do have a doc in Boston, where from where I just returned, but next available appt. was sometime in the distant future. 

I was struck by the difference here.  I called at 10 AM and got an appointment for 11:30.  Cost was $25 US and it was suggested that I get some tests done.  So I walked a couple of blocks and immediately was seen, a full range of tests was performed for about $100 US.  The results will be emailed to me on Monday.  I know from previous experience, that all of the above would have cost me about ten times more in the States where I am a self-pay.

Anyway, I feel better and am ready to face whatever gets thrown at me... yeah, right.

Our talk on the Danza de la Pluma

If you are in town, please join Shannon from Casita Colibri and me, with some special guests, as we present our annual talk on the Danza de la Pluma from Teotitlan del Valle at the Oaxacan Lending Library at 5 PM.

Last Time (You made me cry)

They're everywhere.....

The cashier at my supermarket is from India.  The lawn guys from Guatemala.  My bank manager is from the Middle East. The wait staff where I ate lunch are Chinese. The bus driver on the T is from Haiti.  My furnace guy is from Estonia..... This is a nation of immigrants and I am happy to have all these people in my life.  They make it better.

It musta been the lettuce...

There are certain things I always look forward to when I venture back into El Norte.  Things like dim sum in Chinatown, a Reuben sandwich, really good pizza and a nice fresh salad.  Flashback a couple of weeks at my local market, "Hey, where's the Romaine?"......

So I have been off my game, so to speak.  And all of it is pretty funny considering all the talk back and forth about lettuce, where to get it, whether to wash it or not, etc...  Never really a problem for me, because I grow my own and still wash it with bottled water and Microdyn.  So I come to the US and get sick on the food.  Lettuce pray....

I am so spoiled by the freshness and quality of most everything in Oaxaca.... and all the amazing cooks and their delicious dishes.

Still, I love it in New England (even though it has rain almost everyday except when it wasn't frigid) and there's still dim sum to enjoy.  Then.... Oaxaca!

In the belly of the beast...

Or maybe, just fat and sassy.  At any rate, after a couple of weeks of getting many necessary things done, I'm in New England just in time for frigid weather and the first snow.  Normally, I would be raking leaves, and I got a little done, but the leaves in the gutters blocked the rain that fell and then the whole mess froze solid.  I had to chip them out with a flat bar.  Oh well, the seasons in New England always provide a balance to those of Oaxaca.  I love them all.... and all that "dirty water."

All in a name - Xochitl

Congratulations to U.S. Representative-Elect Xochitl Torres Small.   I know several other Xochitls and I've always love the name.  It is a Nahuatl -- or Aztec -- floral name common here in Oaxaca.

Life (and Death) imitating art....

Or perhaps art imitating life (and death).  From Zaachila, a live rendition of this painted version from just down the same street.

The Muerteada in San Agustin Etla

Every year this famous muerteada in San Agustin Etla gets bigger and better.  It is crazy, but I love it and, once again, I placed myself in the middle of a few moments of total insanity, a Mexican version of a traditional mosh pit... or something like that.  I'll have more, but I wanted to share these shots of the outfits that the people wear.  This young man's cape, covered with mirrors, weighed forty kilos, 88 lbs.... and he was dancing like a maniac!

The other traditional outfit is one covered with bells.  The pants weigh more than the tops and I've worn one and it weighed 15 kilos, the pants 30.

They dance for over 12 hours, with breaks for food, beer and mezcal.  The music is fast and infectious.  You gotta move! Or.... just stand there.

I have video, but the is still more to do.... this is a marathon, not a sprint.