Friday, January 4, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
The New Year
New Year's eve was spent with the some great people. We went to a Tasajo restaurant for dinner. Tasajo is a kind of meat, or a way to cook meat - thin juicy and delicious. This was after the visit to the gigantic aged tree and to the weavers -
Master weaver Fidel and Maria Luisa Cruz of Teotitlan, Oaxaca stay true to the old traditions of weaving. 100% all natural. Fidel has won awards for his Indigo dye which is made from the Anil plant in a process that takes 8 months total.
______________________________________
Canary Yellow comes from the pomegranate.
Other shades of Yellow come from Marigold seeds
Orange/Yellow from little red achoute (sp?) seeds
Red from Eagle Bark
Green from Lichen
Red from a parasite - Cochineal - grows on cactus
Making the dye
Making the yarn/thread/weaving stuffs
Dyeing the wool
Weaving -- They make such beautiful rugs. The cheapest was 400$ US. They wouldn't let us take pictures in the store though :(
After the demonstrations, the Cruz's fixed us a treat of fresh tortillas, guacamole, roasted pumpkin seeds and the traditional Oaxacan cheese - delicious, pulls apart like string cheese but tastes waaaay better.
So after dinner on the eve of '08, we ate our 12 unwashed seeded grapes, went back to pre-party at the hotel and then headed to the Zocalo. First we visited la maestra and the 5 students that chose a 440 peso 4 course dinner at a restaurant in the Zocalo for their evening festivities (we ended up spending maybe 100 each (10 bucks)). Then off to see the band...
There were fireworks. and by fireworks, i mean the biggest sparklers I've ever seen. And shaving cream fights. I don't know what it is about shaving cream to bring in the new year...
Durrell and Meredith. Oh so cool!
I have blackmail on this girl!!! ha ha. good times!!
We had a free day on the 1st and Kate (above) and I headed out to the markets to do some shopping. At night we went to La Cuevita del Pedimento - the site of offerings to the underworld. I didn't take any photos because I didn't feel it was appropriate...
Imagine this:
A group of 12 SMU students attending an ancient traditional Oaxacan ceremony. The Cruz's gave us all balloons, on which we wrote our wishes for the new year.
The event was held up in the hills from Teotitlan - the weaving village - but people come from all over to participate. Of course, it takes a bumpy dirt road to drive as close a possible. Walking up, you can see families camped out in the hills - in the bushes - just off the road. 12 SMU students walking up a hill carrying iridescent helium filled balloons. We stand in the line to the cave. Mexicans cut in front of us. A man that had left his family to make money in US speaks to us in fluent English. Reassures us it's OK for us to be there. We walk up to the first cave. That isn't really a cave at all. It's an indent in the hill, filled with icons, monetary offerings, and symbolic offerings. The people before us spent much time here. I look, I wonder, I keep my heart open and full, think of my family and friends. At the second one - it's a larger indent with a more elaborate scene, and more money. Next, you are to grab a stone and chip/break off a piece of the wall "cave" as a token of good luck for the new year. my bits and pieces are now in my wallet. There are bands playing, no one is dancing. People are talking, looking around, kids run around barefoot, dogs beg for food. We walk further up the hill. 
It's getting really dark out. Huge bonfires blaze. Torches torch. People play with a ball of fire. La maestra wouldn't let us participate in the fire ball game.
Up the hill, everyone makes in stones their own wish for the new year "earthworks." I can't tell you mine, but it was largely symbolic. Our tour guide wishes for a new bus. We light fireworks in the center of our stones -- sending it up to the gods. Then, let go of our balloons. Light sparklers and bottle rockets. People everywhere are messing up with fireworks and sending them into crowds of people. One student sends one shooting into a person's chest a few yards from us, another hits a truck. Leaving the top of the hill, the locals are entertaining the "dancing bull" and "dancing figures" They light a contraption held above their head and run in a straight line, barefoot, as fireworks shoot from it. It was amazing.
Master weaver Fidel and Maria Luisa Cruz of Teotitlan, Oaxaca stay true to the old traditions of weaving. 100% all natural. Fidel has won awards for his Indigo dye which is made from the Anil plant in a process that takes 8 months total.
______________________________________
Canary Yellow comes from the pomegranate.
Other shades of Yellow come from Marigold seeds
Orange/Yellow from little red achoute (sp?) seeds
Red from Eagle Bark
Green from Lichen
Red from a parasite - Cochineal - grows on cactus
Making the dye
Making the yarn/thread/weaving stuffs
Dyeing the wool
Weaving -- They make such beautiful rugs. The cheapest was 400$ US. They wouldn't let us take pictures in the store though :(
After the demonstrations, the Cruz's fixed us a treat of fresh tortillas, guacamole, roasted pumpkin seeds and the traditional Oaxacan cheese - delicious, pulls apart like string cheese but tastes waaaay better.So after dinner on the eve of '08, we ate our 12 unwashed seeded grapes, went back to pre-party at the hotel and then headed to the Zocalo. First we visited la maestra and the 5 students that chose a 440 peso 4 course dinner at a restaurant in the Zocalo for their evening festivities (we ended up spending maybe 100 each (10 bucks)). Then off to see the band...
There were fireworks. and by fireworks, i mean the biggest sparklers I've ever seen. And shaving cream fights. I don't know what it is about shaving cream to bring in the new year...
Durrell and Meredith. Oh so cool!
I have blackmail on this girl!!! ha ha. good times!!
We had a free day on the 1st and Kate (above) and I headed out to the markets to do some shopping. At night we went to La Cuevita del Pedimento - the site of offerings to the underworld. I didn't take any photos because I didn't feel it was appropriate...
Imagine this:
A group of 12 SMU students attending an ancient traditional Oaxacan ceremony. The Cruz's gave us all balloons, on which we wrote our wishes for the new year.
The event was held up in the hills from Teotitlan - the weaving village - but people come from all over to participate. Of course, it takes a bumpy dirt road to drive as close a possible. Walking up, you can see families camped out in the hills - in the bushes - just off the road. 12 SMU students walking up a hill carrying iridescent helium filled balloons. We stand in the line to the cave. Mexicans cut in front of us. A man that had left his family to make money in US speaks to us in fluent English. Reassures us it's OK for us to be there. We walk up to the first cave. That isn't really a cave at all. It's an indent in the hill, filled with icons, monetary offerings, and symbolic offerings. The people before us spent much time here. I look, I wonder, I keep my heart open and full, think of my family and friends. At the second one - it's a larger indent with a more elaborate scene, and more money. Next, you are to grab a stone and chip/break off a piece of the wall "cave" as a token of good luck for the new year. my bits and pieces are now in my wallet. There are bands playing, no one is dancing. People are talking, looking around, kids run around barefoot, dogs beg for food. We walk further up the hill. 
It's getting really dark out. Huge bonfires blaze. Torches torch. People play with a ball of fire. La maestra wouldn't let us participate in the fire ball game.Up the hill, everyone makes in stones their own wish for the new year "earthworks." I can't tell you mine, but it was largely symbolic. Our tour guide wishes for a new bus. We light fireworks in the center of our stones -- sending it up to the gods. Then, let go of our balloons. Light sparklers and bottle rockets. People everywhere are messing up with fireworks and sending them into crowds of people. One student sends one shooting into a person's chest a few yards from us, another hits a truck. Leaving the top of the hill, the locals are entertaining the "dancing bull" and "dancing figures" They light a contraption held above their head and run in a straight line, barefoot, as fireworks shoot from it. It was amazing.
Mitla & El Arbol de Tule
After the Hierve el Agua, we went to the archaeological site of Mitla.
this stuff dates back to 500 AD. the red comes from mercury.
the blocks of stone were cut with water and wood. i don't exactly understand how.
these obelisks are twice this size. they extend below the floor.
they built a drainage system
the walls are all decorated in these geometrical designs. This one is my favorite. The palace of Mitla is surrounded by mountains and was a huge city for everyone passing through. This design symbolizes their journey through the mountains.
This is what is left of their drawings. They repainted images for every quarter. It's all based in 4s - the cardinal directions, periods of life, movement of the sun and moon.
We followed up the ancient city with a trip to a Mezcal factory -- that's right, a liquor factory... Well, for school purposes, we were only there for lunch, but our tour guide was nice enough to show us how it's made.
This is the agave. It's roasted in a pit for a very long time.
Then ground up. Make sure you know that you can't get any ol ass to do this work. Gotta be horse power.
Yo yo.
El Arbol de Tule es 2,000 anos old. But they won't let you touch it, so how can I know?
This is what it looks like from far away:
This is as much as I can fit in the frame up close:
Hi Guys!
The limb action is awesome
This one is ONLY 1,000 years old.
this stuff dates back to 500 AD. the red comes from mercury.
the blocks of stone were cut with water and wood. i don't exactly understand how.
these obelisks are twice this size. they extend below the floor.
they built a drainage system
the walls are all decorated in these geometrical designs. This one is my favorite. The palace of Mitla is surrounded by mountains and was a huge city for everyone passing through. This design symbolizes their journey through the mountains.
This is what is left of their drawings. They repainted images for every quarter. It's all based in 4s - the cardinal directions, periods of life, movement of the sun and moon.We followed up the ancient city with a trip to a Mezcal factory -- that's right, a liquor factory... Well, for school purposes, we were only there for lunch, but our tour guide was nice enough to show us how it's made.
This is the agave. It's roasted in a pit for a very long time.
Then ground up. Make sure you know that you can't get any ol ass to do this work. Gotta be horse power.
Yo yo.
El Arbol de Tule es 2,000 anos old. But they won't let you touch it, so how can I know?
This is what it looks like from far away:
This is as much as I can fit in the frame up close:
Hi Guys!
The limb action is awesome
This one is ONLY 1,000 years old.
Oh the water! Hierve el Agua
SO called for. The van ride was awesome... Our first time driving through the mountains here and to a spring and petrified waterfall woohoo! the water is full of minerals, the hike was fun, but exhausting going back up with the altitude and all that swimming. so cool. take a look.
After you drive to a certain point, the road's blocked off and paying locals to drive you is a must. I'd hike if I did this alone.
um, just for fun. he was asking for it.
THE WATER BOILS!!!
I swam where this little waterway leads to, which is also the next two pics. The water was freezing but oh so nice. Goggles didn't help, the water was too murky.
SO called for. The van ride was awesome... Our first time driving through the mountains here and to a spring and petrified waterfall woohoo! the water is full of minerals, the hike was fun, but exhausting going back up with the altitude and all that swimming. so cool. take a look.
After you drive to a certain point, the road's blocked off and paying locals to drive you is a must. I'd hike if I did this alone.
um, just for fun. he was asking for it.
THE WATER BOILS!!!
I swam where this little waterway leads to, which is also the next two pics. The water was freezing but oh so nice. Goggles didn't help, the water was too murky.
On the first day to Oaxaca, we got stuck in Mexico City. The connecting Mexicana plane was too late - the airport in Oaxaca closes at 11pm. It's a small airport. They put us up in a fancy Holiday Inn with complimentary room service club sandwich. The club sandwich came at 2am and we left back to the Mexico City airport at 4am...
On the second day to Oaxaca, we arrived in Oaxaca. rested up, fueled up, then hit the streets.
First stop, the Church of Santo Domingo:
The white signs hanging from the doorway say something like - 'this is not the time for visitors and tourists, please do not enter now, services in progress.' Our tour guide took us in. There was a couple in white kneeling at the altar. It seems there's a wedding every day at every church and there are 4 immediately around our hotel.
The ceiling:
The convent attached to the church is now a Cultural Center. Supposedly there's much more to it than what we got to see. The walls are all shiny. I can't remember what they're made out of, something like cactus juice and stucco.
The Cultural Center has a library with books from the 18th and 19th century in cages and treasures from a tomb excavated in Monte Alban.
We walked through markets, explored the place we going to have dinner, and a couple girls and I got escorted by Moses (from the travel agency) through inner Oaxaca to a casa de cambio, to a liquor store to sample the famous Mezcal and he showed us all the late night hot spots :)
Dinner time was at the Hotel Camino Real - another ex convent. All-you-can-eat traditional Oaxacan food buffet style, my first taste of the fabulous margaritas they make here, followed by an amazing performance of traditional folk dances with live accompaniment.
Later that night, Kate, Durrell, Luke and I explored the Zocalo - the center square of the town - found a bar, and I danced my little heart out.
December 29th 2007 began with a van ride out to San Bartolo Coyotepec (just south of Oaxaca) for a workshop with Valente Nieto Real, son of the late Dona Rosa. The family is famous for their black pottery.
The late Pope placed a special request for one of Valente's pots, but this famous craftsman did not boast and it was our tour guide that pointed us towards the washed out picture on the wall.
Valente uses two stones on top of each other instead of a wheel, and because of this, he says, he has not and will never have pain in his hands or limbs.
After the workshop, we got to work with this clay -- all natural clay from the mountains. This is what I made:
We ate lunch at a cute little restaurant and had some Mezcal before we were drove to San Martin Tilcajete - a town famous for their wood carvings. The workshop, presented by Jabodo Angeles was great. He explained the natural paints they used to use (they now use acrylics) and the meanings of all the carvings. This family carves mainly real animals based on Zapotec religion. All carvings are from a solid piece of wood. The process of carving can take up to a year because as the wood dries out, it cracks. My protector animal is the armadillo and the year of my birth is something about a house -- supposedly I'm a rule breaker. Below are some of their artworks, done by hand. We each got to paint a carving. The family was very gracious to have us.
On the second day to Oaxaca, we arrived in Oaxaca. rested up, fueled up, then hit the streets.
First stop, the Church of Santo Domingo:
The white signs hanging from the doorway say something like - 'this is not the time for visitors and tourists, please do not enter now, services in progress.' Our tour guide took us in. There was a couple in white kneeling at the altar. It seems there's a wedding every day at every church and there are 4 immediately around our hotel.
The ceiling:
The convent attached to the church is now a Cultural Center. Supposedly there's much more to it than what we got to see. The walls are all shiny. I can't remember what they're made out of, something like cactus juice and stucco.
The Cultural Center has a library with books from the 18th and 19th century in cages and treasures from a tomb excavated in Monte Alban.
We walked through markets, explored the place we going to have dinner, and a couple girls and I got escorted by Moses (from the travel agency) through inner Oaxaca to a casa de cambio, to a liquor store to sample the famous Mezcal and he showed us all the late night hot spots :)
Dinner time was at the Hotel Camino Real - another ex convent. All-you-can-eat traditional Oaxacan food buffet style, my first taste of the fabulous margaritas they make here, followed by an amazing performance of traditional folk dances with live accompaniment.
Later that night, Kate, Durrell, Luke and I explored the Zocalo - the center square of the town - found a bar, and I danced my little heart out.
December 29th 2007 began with a van ride out to San Bartolo Coyotepec (just south of Oaxaca) for a workshop with Valente Nieto Real, son of the late Dona Rosa. The family is famous for their black pottery.
The late Pope placed a special request for one of Valente's pots, but this famous craftsman did not boast and it was our tour guide that pointed us towards the washed out picture on the wall.
Valente uses two stones on top of each other instead of a wheel, and because of this, he says, he has not and will never have pain in his hands or limbs.After the workshop, we got to work with this clay -- all natural clay from the mountains. This is what I made:
We ate lunch at a cute little restaurant and had some Mezcal before we were drove to San Martin Tilcajete - a town famous for their wood carvings. The workshop, presented by Jabodo Angeles was great. He explained the natural paints they used to use (they now use acrylics) and the meanings of all the carvings. This family carves mainly real animals based on Zapotec religion. All carvings are from a solid piece of wood. The process of carving can take up to a year because as the wood dries out, it cracks. My protector animal is the armadillo and the year of my birth is something about a house -- supposedly I'm a rule breaker. Below are some of their artworks, done by hand. We each got to paint a carving. The family was very gracious to have us.
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