Mexicoandme

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Mexican Markets offer a variety of entertainment!
Don’t miss the two-headed CAT
or the five-legged DOG!
Freaks of Nature and ME!
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- - - - - Bicycle vender selling CORN in the husks!
Mexican Markets are a wealth of flavors and aromas!
Steamed Corn and ME!
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- - - - - Sweets for the Sweetie!
Mexican Market vendor with his
wheelbarrow of honey, wax, pollen and bees!
Honey bees and ME!
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- - - - - Basket sellers stroll the streets of Oaxaca!
The Zocalo is one of their favorite areas!
Baskets and ME!
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- - - - - Officially Parque Juarez, the locals named it for the Golden statues!
But, don’t look for Parque Llano on the Map!
Golden Lions are at all four corners of the Park!
Parque Llano and ME!
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- - - - - Public Restrooms are in all Mexican Markets!
2 Pesos (or 18 cents) is standard price for restrooms!
A custom in Mexico is “Pay to Pee!”
Banos and ME!
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- - - - - The History of Oaxaca!
Often revealed in it’s walls!!
If this wall could only talk!

The wall and ME!
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- - - - - The Church in Etla!
About 15 miles from Oaxaca!!
(I am the one in red!)

Etla and ME!
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- - - - - In Oaxaca, Marimba players stroll around the Zócalo!
This is my favorite City Center in Mexico!
The players occasionally let me knock out a few tunes.
The Marimba and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - The studio/workshop/home of Josephina Aguilar!
The blue tarp over her patio makes a peaceful viewing area.
When I asked permission to photograph her,
she jumped at the chance, and starting arranging her collection.
Senora Aguilar and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Wednesday is Market day in Etla!
About 15 miles from Oaxaca!!
The church is the centerpiece of the village!

Etla and ME!
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- - - - - Friday is Market day in Ocotlan!
On a non-market day, Ocotlan is a quiet, Mexican village!!
Sugar cane sellers sit across from the bus stop!

Ocotlan, sugar cane and ME!
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- - - - - Lake Chapala, south of Guadalajara!
Summer rains and Mexican Government helped to fill the lake!
Boat dock in Chapala!

A full Lake Chapala and ME!
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- - - - - “Divan Azul” or “Blue Couch!” in Oaxaca!
Oaxacan Artist, Marga, turned this corner trash heap
into a work of art!
This concrete sculpture is built into the wall!

Blue couch, Travis and ME!
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- - - - - “Dos Gardenias Para Ti!” or “Two Gardenias for You!”
One of my favorite Mexico torch-songs!
Flavor your hotel room with these fragrant flowers!

Oaxacan Gardenias and ME!
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- - - - - Oaxaca has the most beautiful Zócalo in Mexico!
Sidewalk cafes line most of the tree-covered walkway!
Del Jardin, my favorite evening hang-out!

Zócalo and ME!
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- - - - - We were told not to miss the rodeo in Tlaquepaque!
This suburb of Guadalajara is one of my favorite collecting crafts!
I walked in a Gringo; and walked out El Vaquero, The Cowboy!

El Vaquero!
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- - - - - Cactus plants are scattered along the
Northern border of Oaxaca!
Pipe Organ Cactus and Cactus-trees mark the boundary!
Highway 135, with Oaxaca in background!

Quarter moon, cactus tree, Oaxaca and ME!
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- - - - - Arte PCF in Patzcuaro
Artist and carver!
Ponce Carter Fernando!

Pounce and ME!
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- - - - - Michoacan ICE CREAM!
"The Best in Mexico!"
Patzcuaro, on the Plaza Chica, or Small Plaza!

Ice Cream and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Afternoon Naps

Siesta time in Mexico !
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- - - - - Power of Woman!
Fuerza de Mujer
Sewing cooperative in Patzcuaro!
Sewing secrets are passed to the next generation!

THE Power of Women and ME!
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- - - - - Sign of the Times!
sometimes say it all!
Se Amable con El Turista
"Be nice to the tourist!"

Friendly Mexico and ME!
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- - - - - ROMEO Club
Patzcuaro's men's club meets for breakfast
every Tuesday morning!
Really Old Men Eating Out!

Patzcuaro's Men and ME!
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- - - - - Dance of the Little OLD Men!
Traditional men's dance in Patzcuaro!
These dancers are 6 and 8 year's old!!
And, the best I have seen!

Little Old Men and ME!
(I am the one in the middle!) - - - - -
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- - - - - Guadalajara's mid-town hotel,
Hotel San Francisco Plaza
One of several patio's inside Hotel!
Old style, colonial hotel
in the center of town.
Guadalajara and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - HIGH Fashion in Guadalajara!
So many outfits; So little TIME!

Fashion and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Relaxing in Tlaquepaque,
outside Guadalajara and near Lake Chapala area in Western Mexico!
The pedestrian Mall offers a unique shopping
and dining experience.
Tlaquepaque and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Tequila Plants!
Mexican Hiway #54 from Zacatecas to Guadalajara is the
AGAVE Capitol of Mexico!
These mature plants will soon be distilling into tequila!

Agaves and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - In the center of Saltillo is the
Catedral de Santiago!
This is one of the best examples of Churrigueresque facades in Mexico!

Saltillo and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - El Mirador, or, The Lookout, high above San Miguel de Allende
offers a great view of the
Parroquia, the pink "wedding cake" towers of the church.

San Miguel and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Old, mule train, Silver Trail from Guanajuato to San Miguel de Allende!
Route 110 follows the mountain ridges.
Panoramic Views in every direction.

Mexico, My Quest, and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Frida Kahlo's Blue House in Coyoacan, south of Mexico City!
Her home is now a Museum.
"NO CAMERAS Allowed" so I am in the entrance.

Blue House and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Hillside, above Oaxaca, and the Oaxacan Valley!
Hotel Victoria!
Don't miss the Breakfast Buffet.

Oaxaca and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Dancing in Margaretta-ville!

The Puppet and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - This Parakeet not only gives your Horoscope, but also your
Fortune, Winning numbers and Lucky letters.
The bird quickly picks four folded notes, one from each of the four boxes.
The parakeet is then given one grain of bird seed.

Fortune Teller and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - The Zocolo, in the city center of Oaxaca, is the workshop and subject matter for String Artist, Jaime.
He uses thin, sewing thread, with both short and long stitches.
His 3 feet by 4 feet canvas takes about a month of creation.

String Art and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Zocolo in Mexico City with Plaza de la Constitucion on left
and Cathedral Metropolitana behind me!
Roof-top restaurant at Hotel Majestic.

The Cathedral and ME! - - - - -
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- - - - - Day of the Dead brings out some interesting characters.
This one is playing "Hard to GET!"
The DEAD and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Water Falls, at the end of the Aqueduct!
Oaxaca City!
Aqueduct and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Teotitlan del Valle,
15 miles from Oaxaca City!
Only weaver in the village who makes PILLOWS!
Master Weaver and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Tianguis, or Market Stall in Oaxaca!
Artist travels around to area markets to sell his crafts.

Matte Paper paintings and Coconut Masks! - - - - -
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- - - - - Oaxaca's
Day of the Dead Celebration!
Ofrendas!
Offerings, in memory of loved ones!
Food, gifts and mementoes are offered. The Dead and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - A couple hundred miles from Patzcuaro,
is Lake Chapala area in Western Mexico,
and shop in Tonala and Tlaquepaque outside Guadalajara.
Tlaquepaque creches and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - El Asador Vasco Restaurant
Oaxaca, overlooking the Zocalo
Los Romanceros de Mexico
perform nightly at the restaurant.
A soloist accidentally gets between the German Chocolate cake and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Dia de los Muertos in
in Patzcuaro
Marigold Flowers
are brought in by the truck loads.
Marigolds and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - In Teotitlan del Valle,
dyed wool must be carded into yarn,
before it can be woven. Natural wool and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - In Teotitlan del Valle,
natural dyes are used in their textiles. Ground Cochineal and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - In downtown Jalapa, the mountain-side State capitol of Vera Cruz,
Juarez Park offers a great view of the volcano,
Cofre de Perote!
It is usually obscured by mist and clouds. (Just to the right of my face, and about 15 miles away, is the volcano.) Jalapa and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Trojes
were Indian homes build around Lake Patzcuaro
in Michoacan, Mexico! The troje and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Day of the Dead
in Oaxaca! I love celebrating!
And, I have found the perfect date! The Dead and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Tulum!
Ancient Mayan ruins! On the coast, About 110 miles south of Cancun!
Majestic cliff-top ruins overlooking pristine beaches! The Caribbean and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Panajachel, Guatemala! circa 1973!
A mountain village on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Highest, mountain lake in the Americas.
Middle of lake is a mountain, island! Lake Atitlan and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Ocotlan Friday's Market about 30 miles from Oaxaca City. "Once you eat grasshoppers, you will return to Oaxaca." ....ancient Indian proverb... "I will return to Oaxaca!" ...... ....says David Haun... A grasshopper and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Xcaret (say " shkar-ET")
(Say what?) Sea TURTLE Preserve
On the Caribbean Coast of Mexico!
45 miles south of Cancun
Now an "ecopark" with the largest "swim-within" aquarium in the world!
The jungle and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Zacatecas, State Capital and North of Guadalajara!
Famous for silver & gold mines!
Zacatecas and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Horseshoe Bay in Akumal! On the Caribbean Coast of Mexico!
90 miles south of Cancun
Famous home of the Sea Turtles
A little grass shack and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Wall of Skulls! 240 Stone Skulls!
City Center in Mexico City
Templo Mayor, exact spot where the Aztecs saw their symbolic
Eagle with a snake in its beak, perching on a cactus.
Another pretty face and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Museum House/Studio in San Angel!
Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo had separate, upstairs houses,
with an outside stairway connecting them.
Although this museum was in the movie, Frida,
cameras are now kept outside the museum fence.

Cactus fence and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Dona Rosa Studios in San Bartolo Coyotepec
This is where Dona Rosa worked.

Black pots and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Front Sign at entrance to Ken Edwards Studios in Tonola, Jalisco!
This sign is not easy to miss.

Ken Edwards and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Back workshop of El Porton Studios in Santa Clara de Cobre!
I could watch people WORK, all day.

Copper, chasers, and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Getting around the Friday Market in Ocotlan is easy with the Bike-Mobile.
It is also fastest way to visit the Aguilar Studios on the outskirts of the village.
Notice the near-life-size, ceramic figurines in front of their homes.
The Aguilar figurines, the Bike-mobile and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Oaxaca's is famous for Mariachi Music!
Mariachis and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Oaxaca's Zocalo, or City-Center Park
The balloon vendors add a lot of color to the park.
The Balloons and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Sunday Market in Tlacolula, about 30 miles west of Oaxaca
I prefer this style of metate and mano, a grinding slap and stone.
The Metate and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - San Martin Tilcajete, about 20 miles south of Oaxaca
I needed transportation that could carry my collection!
The Donkey and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Xochimilco, Floating Gardens, in Mexico City
On board a trajinera, a flower-painted, gondola-like boat!
The Floating Gardens and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Teotihuacan, outside Mexico City
Temple of the Moon
March 20, 2002, Spring Equinox
The Pyramid and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - In Mexico, machine cut, plastic, picadas are extremely popular.
Metal Cross designed by surrealist, Andre Breton.
At Church in Erongaricuaro, on Lake Patzcuaro.
The church, Picadas, Cross and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Los POSAS in Xilitla, San Luis Potosi!
Sir Edward James crafted a jungle of concrete flowers, and plants .
A giant, concrete, orchid and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Que Milagro! or "What a miracle!"
It was a miracle to find "El Milagro del Arte,"
on the Small Plaza in Patzcuaro!

Milagros and me!
I am sorry to announce that this studio has closed in Patzcuaro!
I am in contact with artist and will visit his home next October.
More information then! - - - - -
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- - - - - My eBay Mexican Crafts Sale will continue
every Christmas
since 2000.

eBay and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Downtown Oaxaca, New Years!
with first Margarita of 2003!

3 Wise Men and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Posada Nueva on shores of Lake Chapala
Ajijic, Mexico! (say "ahh, hee, HEEK!)
Garden Restaurant, Donald, and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Galloping in Chapultepec Park
Mexico City!
Wild animals, my friend, and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Los Posas in Xilitla, San Luis Potosi!
Sir Edward James, a wealthy eccentric, crafted a jungle
of concrete flowers, many, as tall as 4 to 6 stories.
I am the little dot in the center of the top, level platform!
Los Posas and little me! - - - - -
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- - - - - The BEST dollar (10 pesos) SPENT in Mexico,
is spent sitting down.
Oaxaca's Zocolo, El Limpiabota, and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Pinata Workshop in downtown Oaxaca City!
The pinatas and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - A French-fried Potato
at the night-time Food Market in Patzcuaro!
A potato on a stick is spiral-cut into one piece, and deep fried.
The chef, a spiraled potato and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Sunday Market in Tlacolula,
15 miles from Oaxaca City!
Market is surrounding one of the most beautiful Dominican churches in the Americas
The artists, their gourds and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Teotitlan del Valle,
15 miles from Oaxaca City!
Village is know for Weaving!
Me and the loom! - - - - -
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- - - - - Teotitlan del Valle,
15 miles from Oaxaca City!
village is know for Weaving!
The dry creek bed and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Oaxaca's
Monte Albon, Pyramids!
High in the mountains above Oaxaca City!
The rocks and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Oaxaca City's
Juarez Market, DOLLS from around the WORLD! ,
One block from the Zocolo , or "City-Center-Park."
The Dolls without me! - - - - -
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- - - - - A Oaxaca City's Department Store,
Sidewalk DISPLAY windows!
What planet are we on???? - - - - -
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- - - - - Oaxaca City's Main street!
Preparation for Christmas and the Feast of 3 Kings!
Christmas ornaments and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Dolores Olmedo Museum in Mexico City!
Largest ART collection of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera!
The Garden Cafe, a double espresso and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Cocoyoc Health Spa
near Cuernavaca, Mexico!
The tree and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Artist, carver, Eloy Santiago (right side of photo!)
from LA UNION!
Alebrijes, his Dad, Eloy and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Giant Puppets welcomed me to
Oaxaca City!!
Notice little boy's face peeking out from puppet's shirt!
The puppets and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Sunday market in Tlacolula
20 miles East of Oaxaca City!!

Molcajetes and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Frida Kahlo's home, The Blue House, is now a museum
and located in Coyoacan, a suburb of Mexico City!
Her park, Jardin Frida Kahlo, is near Frida's home!

Frida and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Hotel Victoria, overlooking
Taxco, Mexico
New Year's Day, 2001!

Taxco and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - A windy day in Oaxaca!
The Cathedral, next to Zocolo (Town Square)!
Oaxaca Times, a great way to know Oaxaca!

The Times and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Oaxaca, Mexico
Ruins of Monte Albon!

The ruins and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Mountain top above Virgin of Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City.
This is the site of the Virgin of Guadalupe's appearance to Saint Juan.

The Virgin, Saint Juan and me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Victor Leyva, tin craftsman

Oaxaca, Mexico
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- - - - - Oaxacan Collecting in San Martin Tilcajete!

Vicente Vasquez, his alebrijes, and me!
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- - - - - January 1, 2002
Tzintzuntzan, Michoacan
Next to the round pyramids!

Lake Patzcuaro and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Market Day in Tzintzuntzan!
I love to get lost walking in these ornaments!

The garlands and Me! - - - - -
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- - - - - Tzintzuntzan Market on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro!
I love to drape and surround myself with hundreds of reed garlands!

The Market and Me! - - - - -
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Fiesta Guelaguetza, consists of traditional dances with over 350 costumes. The villages of the seven different regions of Oaxaca present their traditional dances.

Pineapple Dance!
The dance of abundance!

The Famous Augular sisters, with their ceramic figurines, in Ocotlan.
Senora Josefina Aguilar
When I collect at the Friday Market in Ocotlan, outside Oaxaca,
I usually stop at the Three Aguilar Sisters home's.
Senora Aguilar's nativities are my favorite.
Her home is her studio with every member working somewhere.
Senora Aguilar's youngest granddaughter,about 5 years old, helped with wrapping and packaging.
I want it all!
One afternoon, we took a day-trip to the village of Capula where the famous Catrina ceramic dolls are created.

Pedro Arroyo Villegas and his Catrina dolls.
Ocumicho
We departed Patzcuaro, driving west on the old highway toward Guadalajara. In the Colonial Highlands in Central Mexico, just before Zamora, we turned directly south and spiraled-up a small mountain highway to San Juan Ocumicho.
Local Ocumicho woman at work!
This small, rural village on the side of a mountain is about 75 miles, about a two hour drive, from Patzcuaro and about 100 miles southeast of Guadalajara.
Market Day for the Ocumicho!
These Purempecha potters earliest work consisted of grotesque devils. Once considered to be devil worshipers, they later added symbols of suns, moons, and other animals. In the late 70's humor become a strong element in their designs with devils driving cabs, or playing sports.
They are deeply religious. CRUCIFIX!
The Ocumicho often use their religious icons in their crafts!
ABUELITA de las PLUMAS, Granny with the Pens
A visit to the Artist's Market in Oaxaca!
Abuelita with her handmade crafts.
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Visit Mexico, just for the fun of it! _________________________________________

MEXICO and ME!

El Estribo, just outside central Patzcuaro,

has a long stairway to top of mountain.

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El Estribo and me!