Teotitlan de Valle

This week, we've been given a couple of great opportunities to get outside of the classroom and enjoy the city. Thursday morning included a trip to the Oaxaca Textile Museum (which is WAY cooler than it might sound). They had wall hangings, rugs, and costumes from around the world on display in their beautiful new space. While I couldn't take pictures inside, here is a shot of one of the courtyards showcasing the amazing architecture (all done in textile patterns).

As I mentioned in my last blog, there are several Patron Saint Day celebrations taking place throughout the city this week. We happened upon a parade in the Zocalo on Thursday night where street performers, fireworks, enormous puppets, dancing ladies, and a large band made their way through the streets.

On Friday, we took a field trip to Teotitlan de Valle, a rural city located in the mountains just outside of Oaxaca. It was an incredible day surrounded by beautiful landscapes, warm people, and fantastic art and architecture. The picture below is one of 15-20 murals throughout the city done by 9th graders to promote public health, recycling, assistance against domestic violence, and other community issues.

This region is known for its handmade textiles, so we were treated to a demonstration on the art of spinning, weaving, and dying wool. It's fascinating to see how much time and energy goes into each piece, and what makes them all truly original.

The town was also celebrating its Patron Saint Day this week, so the local church was decked out for the event. Here are shots inside and out:

Hands down, one of the most fascinating parts of the church is the billboard located out front encouraging fathers to give up their un-Christian like behavior and rejoin the Catholic faith. To drive the point home, they've used a image of Homer Simpson as a drunken father wasting his life away, and by the end of the story show a reborn Homer after he's returned to the church. I know it's not the best picture, but I had to take it quickly.

Behind the church, in the municipal building, we happened upon workers building the fireworks for this weekend's festivities.

After our tour of the town, we made our way up the mountain to one of the largest haciendas I've ever seen. The house is owned by a friend of our directors, who is also a major art dealer in the area. We were treated to a special meal on the house's back patio with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. As you can see, I couldn't stop snapping photos of the incredible scenery.

On our way back down the mountain, we ran into another Patron Saint festival. I took these photos of the parade and community members lined up to watch:

All told, it's been another few days of amazing experiences. :)