Music and hiking in Oaxaca

    Music is everywhere in Oaxaca.  You might think instantly of the loud music on some buses, but I'm going to tell you about other music.  This month is the 10th year of a concert series, "La Instrumenta".  Every night, in beautiful places like the Museo de Arte Oaxaca, and San Pablo we can see live performances, through the end of the November. 

Small groups of wind instruments or strings perform one or two pieces.   In about 2 minutes, another small group has moved in for another performance.  Classical European music, classical Mexican music, and new compositions.  It's been a treat to walk into these beautiful places, sit for a while, and go on to another venue for more.  At least two concerts each night at the MACO and San Pablo, and more in other places.  The State Band also plays a seven or eight piece program almost every Sunday afternoon, and I love that outdoor performance.  The list always includes classical pieces, at least one modern piece, and a couple of Mexican standards which brings out the local dancers.  The dancing style is very formal and elegant.

Last night Tere, Dan, Stuart and I had dinner at the Marquis de Valle, on the zocalo.   A very good guitar trio played Mexican romantic music while we ate.  We saw familiar locals dancing, and a man asked me to dance.  I think he was sorry afterwards he asked, but I told him I can't dance!  No matter, it was fun.

To end the evening, we walked over to the southwest corner of the zocalo, to hear the marimba band.  It's one of our favorite Friday night events.  There are at least two brothers anchoring the group, and the young men are probably sons or nephews.  The young man in the photo to the right is probably not morel than about 13 years old, and he's very good!

 

While we were listening to the marimba players, a stilt-walker came by.  He was dressed in a  black sack, with a white foam skeleton attached to the outside.  For a few coins, I had my photo taken with him.  He stooped under the arches, and came into the restaurant area, where he sang with the band, to everyone's delight!

Stilt walking is particularly done in Zachilla, and only by young men.  The stilts are lengths of wood like a 2 x 4, a block nailed to stand on, strapped to the legs of the men with webbing or rope or belts, or whatever they have on hand.  The costumes are particularly fabulous during the festivals.
















All this musical activity after we had hiked in the Tlalixtac valley.  A pretty hike, and the words of the day were, "It's so green!".  Normally, the landscape would be brown by now, but the summer rains have continued almost every afternoon.  Just a little shower, then back to blue skies.  We discovered about 2 hours into the hike we were on community property, and we turned back. Next time, a bus full of gringos will know to get a permit!  This man with his burros and dogs, was headed to the village on the other side of the mountain,and was moving much faster than our group.  We crossed the same little river about a dozen times, coming and going, stepping on the rocks to keep our feet dry.  It was a good hike, one that I'd like to do again without the big group.