Since the June 6th, the rally to celebrate and add “Defund the Police” to the yellow “Black Lives Matter” on 16th street, DC has risen to the occasion. More peaceful protests, art on the boarded up windows, vigils and opportunities to take a knee, My neighborhood app – next door – with asks to help clean up the Georgetown areas – in solidarity.
Now the work, for whites, begins.
When I made the reservation for a month in Oaxaca it felt like the right thing to do. If JTEJ or AAJ could come after other parental visits it would be wonderful. That did not happen but my Knight in Shining Armor did come and explore the first week. We got bikes, we walked, explored, ate and I loved it. Then friends came! All below!
Cari Rudd and Cathy Carlson diligently went to Spanish class and afterwards we ate, explored, biked, hiked, talked, played, worked.
The natural wonders lured us to Hierve el Agua with hats in hand.
Corey reflected, learned and evolved with amazing soul healing and spiritually uplifting times.
He travels back and forth from his village, daily. I gave him dollars and the next day he came back to tell me that I had not done the conversion properly. I gave him pesos. He gave me a little bag as a gift. I bought more.
El Valle de Anton, an hour from the coast we found lodging at Crater Valley owned by 3 generations of women gardeners. Ellie found a magnificent playground where she could be the adventuresome, ebullient, muscular, fun loving Ellie.
J mastered the rope walk!
J fell asleep in my arms soon after this shot – nothing better. You feel so purposeful and get to look and cuddle to your heart’s content.
Breakfast unter the magnificent old tree next to the bird feeding area.
The rope walk was no prep for the hike to the waterfalls but J was nonetheless a pro. He walked and climbed and even scrambled up and down. Billy Goat Trail here we come.
J helping Gam up the steep part.
The two images above capture my love of Mexico, my long, long relationship with Mexico and the concept that threads can connect people over decades. What energy maintained the connection? A photograph. Familial “bonds.” Weird similarities. Bruno’s father was born in 1900 and had his son when he was in his 50’s. My father, born in 1902, had me when he was 56.
Don Bruno sold sarape’s at the VIlla Vera during the winter months and often brought his son Bruno. Isila, Isido, Papa and I drove to visit his family when I was 16ish. It was a long drive.
I reconnected with Bruno in 2019 when he responded to a letter I wrote, delivered by a distant cousin who was manning the cooperative in Aspen at the top of the Bells. Bob and I were riding bikes up and I stopped when I saw what looked like traidtional sarape’s blowing in thhe wind from the porch of a store at the top of the Bells.
Bruno’s Daughter lisabet and I via whatsapp coordinated meeting in Teotitlan once I arrived in Oaxaca. Once confirmed, Bruno and his second wife, Gina took the bus from San Jose de Chiltepec, Oaxaca.
Don Bruno was a cantor at the Preciosa Sangre de Cristo Church in Teotitlan del Valle singing parts of the mass in Latin. On this Sunday every alter was full of Lily’s because each alter has a committee that is in charge of it. Bruno and Gina sit in front of one of its 20+ alters.
Rosita, Bruno’s Sister in Law from his first marriage, has worked as a tour guide so she was able to share the rich history and current goings on in Teotitlan. Her daughter name, Donaje means beautiful soul in Zapotec.
As I looked around the magnificent church I thought of the pieces that Manual Parra must have brought from similar churches to the Casa Lisa. Manual introduced Don Bruno to CWR. Here Donaje stands in front of the patron saint of Oaxaca. The wax flowers, made by the alters committee, decorate every candle and every candle is lit during Sunday Mass.
Mexcal to begin, Cari had 4 and made best friends with Donaje. Rosita Jimenez (Bruno’s Sister in Law) and daughters Beti and Jisela prepared beautiful Mole, that Gina had made and brought from Chiltepec. The lunch was beautiful. The family, husbands and children of daughters were there.
Bruno is a Whewete or a holder of the customs and rituals of the community. He led a dance after lunch that Rosite explained is livelier than the the more rural dances but less expressive than those villages on the coast. Cari taught them “the bump”.
We ALL danced
Corey who took this picture, was perhaps the most amazed by the festivities. Missing is a picture of the blue pick up truck in which Cathy and I sat in front with Higinio, Rosita’s husband and everyone else in back upon chairs perched on the bed of the pick-up. Corey and Cari rode Bikes.
another glorious monday to friday with AAAA & J. We had lunch at Coral Bagels left, bought new shoes at Merrick, visited parks & neighbors, lots of great meals, saw Eugenie again and met Olivia!
Waking up with Anderson is magic. We ask if the sun has graced us again with rising and look expectantly under the window shade. The light streams in and we say YES! The sun is is there.
Anderson has tools.
Daddy has tools.
Mom has tools
Cari arrived Jan 15. A few days before Isila, Maria Elena and Mole left and before Cathy and Corey arrived. Today we climbed Bob’s prescribed route to the amphitheatre which apparently exists for the Guelaguetza “Fiesta de los Lunes del Cerro” . It was glorious to run, jog, walk, trot, talk, explore. Thank you Cari for joining me in Oaxaca!
Maria Elena and Isila left early to taste Mezcal and then explored Mitla, the primary religious center of the Zapotec. Aren’t they beautiful. My three friends, Isila, Molly or Mole #1, Isila came together in Oaxaca not knowing each other and found camaraderie, essence, and fun.
Maria Elena – responsible for finding all the great places to eat! The BEST bakery Boulenc. https://www.boulenc.com/
The bells from the many cathedrals and churches begin chiming at 5:30 ish. Calle de Xólotl 118B, a rough hewn marble/granite stone walking street usually has one or two dogs and half a dozen people using it to get to where they are going. The walls of the homes and businesses light up in the morning sun and young girls seem to think the doorways are beautiful backdrops for selfies. A music studio across the street has a white lab who fetches as well as Asti and Tigger.
The sounds of Calle Xolotl begin when with church bells when it is still dark. Doves, warblers and other (according to Carri) migratory birds fill early morning space. Then the early flights. Children walking to school, piano from a neighbors courtyard. Someone’s rolling suitcase clattering over the cantera squares of the pedestrian street. Voices, dogs, motorcycles.
Twinkle twinkle little star on the violin, does not emanate from the doors of the music school until later in the day. Last night they expanded the repertoire to When the Saints come Marching in. A welcome change. MIght have been accordion.
The sights of Calle Xolotl are different from the roof terrace verses from the dining room door. The roof terrace is low enough that you can have a conversation with someone below but when you are in the dining room, passerbyers seem to be compelled to walk in. They want to take a picture of the tiles, ask the prices of a room or ask you to be the madrina for their daughters confirmation. It really happened.
Bob, took this picture of me on the 3rd of 3 extraordinary rides. The first to up to Monte Alban, the second to San Felipe Del Agua and Libramente Norte. The path to the left enroute to Teotitlan del Valle. He navigated both countryside and city, found the rails to trails and stopped for color.
Before we found the train that used to run from Mexico City we stopped at the Mexican equivalent of a 7Eleven for Coca Light and nuts! The dogs were an extra.
The bike tour of street art, not the graffiti behind Bob but beautiful , political art pops up on the walls of Oaxaca. Many to be removed by the city but many stay.
Week 2 The Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca. Almost 1000 species indigenous to Oaxaca on 2.32 acres besides the Church of Santo Domingo, built by the Dominicans (inquisition), taken over Benito Juarez to initiate reforms and occupied by the military for 100 years.
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