(NOTE: This is a repost of a blog from two days ago. I am having problems with my subscription service, and I hope this solves the issue.)
This photo post covers explorations throughout my nine days in the city of Oaxaca, containing photos taken from September 30, 2012 up to October 8, 2012.
As usual, the photos in this post are thumbnail images. Please click on any photo to enlarge it. The thumbnails leave much to be desired as far as colors and resolution – plus the thumnails clip all of the edges. I use thumbnails for the post itself, because it gives people an opportunity to get a summary glimpse without downloading huge amounts of data for the high-res photos.
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE TO HIGH RESOLUTION
Oaxaca Zocalo (Town Square)
This first thirty-five photos are all taken in and about the central zocalo (or town square) of the city of Oaxaca. I spent a great deal of time hanging out here. I loved the local culture … and I loved the fact that I could never predict what I would find next. It is a fascinating place to watch and observe people.
Many of these photos are quite self-explanatory — for those, I will not bother with a caption.
This is a photo taken from the north, looking at the northwest corner of the plaza. it occupies an entire city block, and is abundant with huge trees to offer shade and ambience.
The base of the trees at the northwest corner. Right now, the plaza is quite empty.
If you look close, you can see lots of horizontal power lines with light bulbs on them. Apparently these were hung up for a festival just prior to my arrival. They took all these cords down while I was there.
One evening they had a dance. It was fun watching the local couples swirl and sway.
The town square is often teeming with street vendors. This young woman is selling caramel apples.
And musicians are common throughout the area.
This is an average crowd walking along the west side of the park.
The plaza is surrounded by many little restaurants. I didn’t eat much in these because they were more expensive than the food I was able to find elsewhere.
And lots of entertainment for children as well.
This is a raised pavilion in the center of the square. It has space up top for things like bands or speakers.
People watching.
Lots of ice chests filled with beverages for sale.
And many other types of snacks. This gentleman in the center had an interesting hat.
And shoe-shine booths like these were scattered everywhere.
And no park is complete without lots of pigeons.
Lots and lots of balloons.
These guys did some really fun “jamming” with their drums and guitar. Right now they are taking a break.
That is the side of the Oaxaca Cathedral in the background.
The top of a government building that occupies one side of the square. There is a small museum inside.
Vendors, musicians, and children … oh my.
This woman is selling ice cream.
These young women are selling gums and candies. The sales-pouch they are wearing is quite similar to one worn by a young girl that hit me up for food in a local fast food restaurant.
I’m not quite sure what she is selling.
Oh, and we can’t forget the cotton candy.
Oaxaca Cathedral
Adjacent to the zocalo is the main “Catedral de Oaxaca” or “Oaxaca Cathedral”. The next ten photos are all taken in and around the cathedral.
If I read this sign correctly (in Spanish), this cathedral is if the “baroque” style. Construction began in 1702, and it was inaugurated on Christmas, 1730.
The exterior at the main entrance.
Hotel And Rainstorm
For the first two or three nights, I stayed in a hotel located just a block to the west of the town square. I left because the street below was extremely noisy at night, there were tiny cockroaches in the bathroom, and it cost a little more than I really wanted to pay.
On my second night there (October 1, 2012), a huge thunderstorm drenched the area, turning the road below my balcony into a virtual river. I am glad I was not out and about during this storm.
This is taken from my balcony. The water is up on the sidewalks, and the curbs here are quite tall.
A passing police vehicle.
The sidewalk on my side of the street is completely under water.
I estimate that the road-river was about a foot deep in most places. It is almost covering the wheels of these cars below my balcony.
I went downstairs to take this photo. The little shop right across the street was nearly flooded.
Around Town And My Second Hotel
These next few photos show several street scenes near the center of town, including a few food items.
A very typical street.
And another.
The streets are mostly narrow, usually one-way, and lined with shops and vendors.
This street is about four blocks southwest of the town center. On this street, hidden in the buildings to the left are a couple of HUGE indoor markets.
This street, near the markets, is where I found my second hotel. It was much nicer, quieter, and only about 2/3 the cost.
This “Tlayuda” is a very typical dish, quite common in the state of Oaxaca. I ate many of them while spending a week in Mazunte (but none of them were quite this huge). This is one that I ordered at a tiny restaurant inside the huge indoor market. It is twice as big as I expected, with a chunk of tough steak on top, lots of avocado, tomato, lettuce, yummy local cheese, and a huge hard tortilla shell (plus many unnamed ingredients).
These are “chapulines” for sale at a street vendor. You see these all over this part of the city of Oaxaca. They are a common popular snack food in Oaxaca. Can you guess what they are?
They are grasshoppers of the “Sphenarium” genus. I thought about it several times, but could never quite get myself to try any of them.
More chapulines.
A slightly closer view.
The exterior of my second hotel.
A beautiful and very quiet inner courtyard. My room is upstairs on the back right.
Basic and simple, but no cockroaches.
Looking at the courtyard from my room.
The open door is the entrance to my room.
An Unexpected Cultural Parade
One day (October 6, 2012) as I was exploring the town square, I noticed a group of people in elaborate and colorful costumes, gathering in front of the Oaxaca Cathedral. I ran over and began to take lots of photos.
These next 32 photos are from that gathering. I was surprised when it suddenly turned into a parade that marched through several of the local streets in and around the central plaza. I will let most photos speak for themselves, adding comments only to a few.
Some of the initial people gathering by the cathedral.
I love the colorful costumes and the unique fruit baskets on top their heads.
Dancing up a storm.
Another costumed group as the parade began to take form.
This man’s costume was quite unique, including a carrot for a nose. It would be interesting to know the story behind these costumes.
Yes, that is a pineapple on her shoulder.
The parade has finally begun. Here they are marching on the pedestrian street just north of the plaza.
This man is wearing a black mask with small white tusks/horns. Perhaps he represents a bull?
If you look closely at the men in this photo, they are all about one foot in the air. Note their shadows. I somehow managed to obtain a perfectly-timed, perfectly-focused photo of them all jumping into the air at the same time.
I briefly followed the parade as it meandered down a few side streets, taking a few more photos. This street is leading north, leaving from the northeast corner of the plaza.
This concludes this photo post. There will be one more post with photos from Oaxaca. Those will be from two long walking tours that I followed.
Copyright © 2013 by Brenda Larsen, All Rights Reserved