Leaving the Land of Light and Color

It has been an invigorating, exhausting, surprise filled and sense stimulating vacation to this wonderful country of Mexico.  It certainly is a country of contrasts, of great troubles and great beauty, with a people who are generous, noble and who know how to make a beautiful rug or two. 

Hope you enjoy the pics and look at the older posts for earlier entries.  Buen dia!

My last day in Oaxaca

Cate left today, heading to Mexico City and then home.  I decided to do a walking tour of some of the churches in Oaxaca.  I popped in for short visits to several churches.  In one, a family was about to have a baptism for their daughter and preparations were being completed.  In that same church, a woman sat behind me, praying and crying softly, clearly needing the solace of the church's ornate and comforting surroundings.

The church pictured is the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzman and I got there just as wedding guests were releasing a flight of balloon doves.  I hung around, shopped around and then got to see the happy couple emerge from the church with all the spectacle of musicians, dancers and paper mache bride and groom leading a processional down the street.  All in a day!

Casa Colonial in Oaxaca

Cate and I stayed here at this lovely oasis in the city of Oaxaca.  The temperature inside seemed to be 10 degrees cooler because of the lush covering of greenery.  Jane told the story of how this property came to be hers after a family member became to elderly to care for it.  It is one of the oldest guest houses for travelers in Oaxaca and everyone seems to know of Jane and her husband Thorny who died about four years ago. 
Check it out at this site:  www.casa-colonial.com

Jane is a collector of art and crafts and Casa Colonial is filled with beautiful objects.  She also appears in art pieces and you can see her in the painting with Frida Khalo, Jane is on the right.  One of her favorite artists is Rodolfo Morales and there were some fabulous pieces in Jane's collection. 
See some of his art at www.indigoarts.com/gallery_oaxaca_morales1.html

There was a traditional Dio de Los Muertos altar set up for Thorny who is pictured in that altar. 

Thursday in Oaxaca and the Pantheon General

 This first shot is of the woman who made our lunch. Cate tried the tlayuda, a large, crunchy tortilla covered with beans, Oaxacan cheese, avocado, tomato and pretty much anything else around.
Find our more at:
www.comalberkeley.com/what-is-a-tlayuda/

Other shots are around the zocalo, the town center, and later at the Pantheon General, the city cemetary. This was such a beautiful place and my camera does not do it justice. That evening, Jane, the owner of Casa Colonial, where we stayed, had a party in honor of her husband who died about 4 years ago in a car accident. Her large community gathered at his gravesite in the Pantheon General, there was music, mezcal and tamales for all. There was such a show of support and care, the gathering honored her husband, his memory and those that still love and care for him and for Jane.