Cartoonish Figures

Nativity scenes in Mexico City range from those that are extremely lifelike to those such as these, that personify biblical events using almost cartoonish figures.  

Big Bear Little Lake

I have just returned from Los Angeles where I spent my Christmas vacation eating tamales, drinking champurrado and enjoying pumpkin pies.
While there I spent three nights in Big Bear, a mountain city where Angelenos go skiing during the winter, fishing during the spring and hiking during the summer. Although the skiing was great, getting down from the mountain proved to be a challenge because of the harsh winter weather Southern California was exposed to a couple weeks ago.

New Year Happy

I am currently in Southern California. I went skiing to Big Bear last week. The recent snow was great...although it made skiing down the mountain that more difficult! I will be driving shortly to El Paso, where I will switch co-pilots (my brother is only driving with me to Texas) and then head south to Mexico City. Happy New Year or a New Year Happy. Suerte.

Nativity Scenes

During the holiday season, nativity scenes abound in Mexico City. Some are as simple as a shoebox and figurines, while others, like this one in Pedregal del Lago, are elaborate masterpieces in their own right. Feliz Navidad. 

Esculpturas de Musica

Some of the sculpture work is particularly impressive. Here, these body instruments fit right in to the tone that is San Jacinto, a little bossa nova and a little bolero... 

San Jacinto reloaded

Today I stopped by San Jacinto in the Zona Sur. This plaza is always bursting with colors, traditional art and funky designs. I needed to breathe some cultura before heading back to California.  

Read This

The Festival de la Lectura is a new tradition to support literacy in Mexico City and the rest of the country. The selection is rich in history, contemporary and art.  

Festival de le Lectura

I accidentally stumbled upon the 4th annual Festival de la Lectura on Paseo de la Reforma. I was in the neighborhood to pick up my North Face jacket since I will be skiing over winter break in Big Bear, California.

I was very impressed with the selection of books and the level of specialty that the vendors mastered. This festival is from Dec 11 through the 19. It is on Paseo de la Reforma between the Angel monument and the Diana la Cazadora fountain.

This festival is indicative of how Mexico City is full of sorpresas.

Not A Black & White World

This is one of the many formal entrances to the center square in Coyoacan. The colorful nature of the items sold at this open air mercado is worth the trip alone. The weather in Mexico City is genuinely temperate and on a great day, Coyoacan is the place to be.  

Fountain of Vida

This is the Coyoacan fountain in the center of the main square. Coyoacan is a nahuatl word that represents the influence coyotes had on the description given by indigenous tribes to this part of the city. Today, the fountain is the centerpiece of an ongoing tradition that celebrates life through food, art and community.