Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 5/6

Day 50: The Illustrious Frida Kahlo’s House

Friday, February 20, 2015

Per usual we left for our first site at 9a.m. We spent a bit of time at Templo Mayor and its museum. Templo Mayor was a major capital in Tenochtitlan, the capital city for the Aztecs. The temple is said to be at the exact spot where Huitzilopochtli, a god of the Mexica people, placed an eagle on a nopal cactus with a snake in its mouth. This sign was how the Mexica people were to know that they had reached their promised land. Inside the museum were artifacts that had been excavated, including spear heads, jewelry, pots, pans, and other items.

We finally headed to one of the most anticipated sites of the entire study abroad quarter: Frida Kahlo’s house. Her house is located in Coyoacan. She was born in this home, lived in it, and died in it. For a few years she lived there with her husband, Diego Rivera. It is known as The Frida Kahlo Museum, or sometimes La Casa Azul, or The Blue House, for its blue facade.

the one and only Frida Kahlo’s House

The museum has a collection of work from Kahlo, her personal belongings and art that she and Rivera collected, as well as some of Rivera’s work and various pieces that have been created in her honor. There are various rooms in the house and each one has a different theme, including: some of her less popular works, her fashion, clothes inspired by her fashion, items that she used everyday, her home decor, modern art that was inspired by Kahlo, pre-Hispanic artifacts and other items that Kahlo valued, her kitchen, and her dining room. Outside is a courtyard with various structures and a screen for viewing documentaries about her life.

some of Frida Kahlo’s wardrobe on display

Frida Kahlo is very well known for her self portraits, and just about every room had one. In these portraits, and in her other works, are symbols and images that allude to some of her values. Fertility, Communism, indigenous Mexican cultures, and her health are all common themes in her paintings, dolls, home decor and even fashion.

Kahlo and Rivera hosted many people in their home, such as Leon Trotsky and other Communist thinkers, and photos from their visits are on display in the museum. Although Kahlo and Rivera shared many of the same political views, married twice, and constantly inspired and supported one another artistically, their marriage was not great. They both practiced infidelity and he was often mean and controlling. Yet they had a deeply intimate relationship and memoirs from their time together is also throughout the museum.

Her crutches and corsets, head bands, scarves, skirts, shoes and other clothing are also especially notable items on display. Having contracted polio at age six and been severely injured in a bus accident at age 18, Kahlo was left with uneven legs, the inability to give birth to children, and a lifetime of intense pain. She had to wear a brace and extra inches on one of shoes for most of her life. Kahlo used her incredible artistic ability to show her character and express herself the way she wanted to be presented, regardless of her physical condition. This is especially evident in her fashion as she used her own self as a canvas. Some of her most iconic style pieces include long skirts and scarves, corsets, floral head bands, and braided hair. Each of these items served a purpose. They highlighted some of the features she saw most prominently in herself-such as her face-and concealed her different sized shoes. The clothing had strong influences from the Tehuana culture, which she associated with her mother. A large collection of her clothing and personal belongings were released 50 years after her death, per the wishes of Rivera, and I had the opportunity to see many of the items up close and in person.

Today Kahlo is celebrated as a feminist, activist, and artist. Her biography, artistry, relationships, and political beliefs have all been heavily researched and documented. She continues to inspire people to this day and her influence is seen across a great number of artistic mediums.

“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?” -Frida Kahlo

Friday was our last day in the city with the university. Some students headed back to Oaxaca after this evening, but I decided to stay in a hostel and explore weekends in DF. The hostel experience was an…aventura.

But before we returned to the city, we explored Coyoacan a bit more. We ate at an ice cream parlor that was absolutely superb. Every flavor had real chunks of the pastry mixed in. I had a double scoop-cheesecake and oreo with a whole Oreo to top it off. It was so delicious.

We took the metro back to the hotel. (Trying to get a not so touristy-experience by using the public transit as opposed to a taxi. Also, 5 peso transportation beats 100 peso transportation every time.) We packed up our bags and headed to the hostel.

This was my first hostel experience. There were a number of travelers from all over the world and from all ages, although most people were in their 20’s. The building had pop culture decor, with brightly colored walls and furniture and a different theme for each of the four floors. We stayed on the Teotihuacan floor (as evidenced by the giant picture of the Pyramid of the Sun and a sign, though not much else.) Our rooms looked like an Ikea college dorm spread and were very comfortable. However the bathrooms were old and communal and that freaked me out a bit (by a bit I mean a lot and by a lot I mean I am cringing as I think about it) but we only stayed two nights, so it all worked out fine.

That night we went to a club that had a reputation for being really cool and exciting. A massive dance floors, crowds of fun people, tight security, and neon lights. We were pumped! And we got there and saw that the dance floor truly was massive-and it had two floors! In fact, the dance floor was so massive that large groups of people were able to create six large circles for people to dance in in the spotlight. The lights were awesome, too. They were neon and our white pants glowed in the dark.

The music was okay. It was 70’s night so they played songs from the that era that topped various charts around the world. And the people dancing in the circles were having dance battles. The battles were actually regulated, as only two people were allowed in each circle at a time. The dancers were really getting their groove on! You could tell people were in their element, and perhaps that was because the club was filled with 50 and 60 year olds! Now that was quite the surprise. Our first Friday night in Mexico City and we couldn’t dance in the club because we would be interrupting a disco dance party from the good ol’ days. That was such a silly night, but it made for a great story and it was fun to experience something new-in Mexico City nonetheless!

After that adventure we took taxis back the the hotel. The taxis in DF are so expensive compared to the 40 or 50 peso taxis in Oaxaca. The meter started at something like 50 pesos and almost ran past 200 pesos just to go a couple of blocks! We ended up walking a bit and got back to the hostel in time to rest up for Saturday in Mexico City!

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 4/6

Day 49: Running Up the Pyramids of Teotihuacan

Thursday, February 19, 2014

We spent all of Thursday at Teotihuacán. This gave us plenty of time to climb two pyramids, take a ton of photos, go on a tour, get lost, go to a mezcaleria, and buy souvenirs. Teotihuacán is huge, old, and hot. And for these very reasons and more it is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world.

The city was constructed around 100 B.C. and destroyed around the 7th or 8th century A.D. Many theories surround its collapse, but we do know that its destruction began around the Avenue of the Dead. As we walked along that part of the site, the reasoning behind its name (given by the Aztecs who found the site later on) became evident. The walk was long and completely separate from any shade, rest area, or water source. Tombs lined each side of the pathway. As we know, tombs were placed under pyramids, so the structures that were there destroyed were grand and held great significance for the people of Teotihuacan. At its peak, in 450 A.D., the city was home to around 125,000 people and was the largest Mesoamerican city we know of. So there were a lot of pyramids, a lot of tombs, and a lot of walking along that avenue.

During the tour we saw many of the things that we learned about in class. Walking across Teotihuacan, we noticed that the buildings, some of which had functioned as multi-level apartments to accommodate the city’s large population, were designed to mimic the serpent. Although generally constructed in straight lines, the levels of the walls varied so that passersby walked up and down the city, an effect that some believe was done in reverence of Quetzacoatl. The winged serpent’s temple is also in this city. It was called the Temple of the Feathered Serpent but renamed Citadel by the Spanish. This area was the religious and political center for people in the city and sat just off of the Avenue of the Dead. We climbed two pyramids at Teotihuacan. The first, Pyramid of the Sun, is one of the largest pyramids in the world, standing at 75 meters high and about 220 meters wide. It is located in the center of the city, and from its peak we saw a great view of Teotihuacan and Mexico City. Pyramid of the Moon is the second largest structure in Teotihuacan, and its purpose was for people to worship The Great Goddess. She is the mother of all creation and all life, including water and the earth. The climb up this mountain was significantly less strenuous, however we still got a great workout! All of the pyramids that we climbed have narrow, yet long and steep steps. Despite that fact that I am 5’8″, or 1.73 meters, and have quite long legs, each climb was a fun challenge. We know that people two thousand years ago were generally much shorter than people of today, so I am not quite sure who had to climb those pyramids and how often, but I am certain that they were in better shape than me!

climbed that.

At the end of the tour we ended up at a mezcaleria. No one is quite sure why our tour guide took us there since it was off of the Teotihuacan site, but there we were. I enjoyed it. At one point a couple of us got lost in Teotihuacan. We got distracted buying jewelry from vendors, and despite how ginormous the city is, the beautiful bracelet I got was worth it in my opinion. About 30 minutes later we caught up with the group and headed back to the hotel.

We passed a botanical garden that day. The gate was decorated with kids’ artwork. Most of the artists were under 12 years old, but their talent was incredible!

After a long day of exploring Teotihuacan we were exhausted, tan, and hungry (despite being filled with new knowledge and irreplaceable life experiences 😀 ). Mexico City has a Korea Town so some of us headed there for dinner. We took the metro there, which cost 5 pesos each way. Their Korea Town looked like a typical extension of the city until we started seeing signs in Korean and heard people speaking the language. A few restaurants along a block served Korean food. The menu was written in Korean with Spanish translations. We ordered a variety of meats to share among the table and dip in various sauces, along with a few soups. It was so delicious! My stomach has been so pleased with my experience in Mexico.

We headed back to the hotel on the metro and prepared for our final days of tours in the city.

All Around the World with…Street Art!

Check out photos of some of the world’s street art here:

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 3/6

Day 48: Still Running…

Wednesday, February 18, 2014

9 a.m. We boarded the bus and headed to Museo de Anthropología. This museum is ginormous in size, content, and significance. The building itself, designed by Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, embraces both the pre-Hispanic and post-Columbus histories of Mexico through its modern architectural style. Its metal roof is supported by a single column, which is meant to represent a tree, and has images of eagles and jaguars on its surface. These animals were important to Mesoamerican civilizations, as minimalist designs and metals have proven to be a symbol of modern innovation in present day times.

Olmec head in the Museum of Anthropology

The museum also offers a view into multiple different time periods and peoples. From hunter and gatherer people and animals to the people of Oaxaca today, each room showcases a different exhibit. Piedra del Sol, or the Aztec sun calendar, which dates back to the 1400s, is on display there. Olmec heads, a model of Moctezuma’s headdress, and a skeleton of extinct mammals are also in the museum. Visitors came from across the globe, as evident by the many different languages that were being spoken. We spent about three hours in the museum, which was easy considering how much content was on display.

the sole structure holding up the museum-symbols from Mesoamerican civilizations are on the pole

Our next stop was the Chapultepec Castle. This castle, located in the center of Chapultepec Park, is currently the Museo Nacional de Histora. Before that, it was an observatory, a presidential home, imperial home, military academy, and sacred space for the Aztecs. The word Chapultepec comes from a Nahuatl word meaning ‘at the grasshopper’s hill.’ We learned earlier in the program that hills were often times symbols of civilization and life for Mesoamerican people, so it comes as no surprise that this sight was sacred and sits on a hill.

 

the entrance to the castle

In 1847 the United States tried to siege the castle during the Mexican-American War. However six cadets between the ages of 13 and 19 sacrificed their lives to protect the castle. One cadet wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and jumped from the castle, to his death, so that the U.S. could not take the flag and claim Chapultepec for their own. These boys are known as the Niños Héroes, or the Boy Heroes. After exploring the castle, which featured beautiful architecture and remnants from post-Columbian Mexico, we stopped by the Niños Héroes monument in the park.

monument to the Child Heroes

That night we ate dinner at Sanborn’s. I really liked this restaurant because they made me the best burger I had eaten in a long time. The restaurant was not accessible from the street, but rather visitors had to go through two shops on the ground level, walk upstairs, enter through a door and then be seated. The dining area looked like a long, large, semi-casual dining hall, with gold accents and uniformed wait staff.

Ballet Folklorico was my next stop. The performance is held multiple times a week in Bellas Artes. Musicians and dancers take the stage to showcase the dance, music, dress, and culture of Mexico. The performances follow the history of Mexico from before the Spaniards’ arrival to present day. One dance, found here, especially stood out to me. The dance showed two hunters chasing and catching their prey in Mesoamerican times. The choreography of the piece and talent of the performers was so incredible! I felt as though I could really connect with the pain of the animal (that hamburger was still the bomb though) and also the hunger and final triumph of the hunters. In addition to Danzas, Mestizos and Bailes Regionales are other types of dance performed during these ballets. Enjoy some videos from the performance here and return to this blog soon to find out how the rest of our stay in Mexico City went!

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 2/6

Day 47 Part 2

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

In the classroom we learn about art, but I have also been blessed to able to see some of the greatest, most iconic art in the world in person. Not only am I seeing these works in person, but I am also experiencing them in the context of where they were created.

After Tlatelolco we visited Palacio de Bellas Arts, or the Palace of Fine Arts. The building is famous for its Rivera, Tamayo, and Siqueiros murals. It is also the home of Ballet Folklorico, which I saw during my time in DF and will recount here in a later post!

one of the murals

There is extensive literature written about the palace, including an impressively thorough Wikipedia page, however I will primarily focus on the murals. The artists challenged ideas such as capitalism and democracy, Mexican identity and national pride. In the 1920s, following the Mexican Revolution, Mexican murals were funded and supported by the Mexican government. They carried social and political messages. Three artists were particularly important for the mural movement: The Big Three. Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Siqueiros are known as ‘Los Tres Grandes.’ Some of their most famous works are featured in Bellas Artes.

Generally, the government supported free artistic expression and opening art to the public. Murals were painted on public buildings. However over time, the artists began adopting Marxist ideas and stressed the importance of indigenous heritage. Often times these ideas challenged the image of social order, capitalism, industrialization, and national pride that the government supported, and the muralists’ work became privatized, appearing more on the walls of private businesses than on government buildings.

The art itself can be characterized by its use of many colors and large, exaggerated depictions of people and symbols. Political messages never left the murals, and neither did cultural symbols.

After Bellas Artes, we went to the post office. The building could also function as a palace or museum. Its staircases and walls are covered in gold, and the main floor has relics from Mexico’s postal history.

inside the post office

For lunch our group went to Salon Corona. It was a pretty generic restaurant-people ordered tacos, memelitas, etc. I took advantage of the time between lunch and dinner to nap. Mexico City is about 573 square miles and holds a population of about 9 million people. We had been walking all over the city and many of us were exhausted! It felt great to lay down for a bit before heading to Hosteria Santo Domingo, a restaurant in the city that used Mexican paintings as decorations. I appreciate that large cities such as DF, Chicago, and Detroit incorporate their own history and art into so many public spaces. It really is beautiful and fascinating.

Our last adventure of the night was to taste pulque, a sticky alcoholic beverage made from fermented sap from the maguey plant. It was so gross in my opinion, but I’m sure someone likes it! I went to sleep shortly after to prepare for the next day’s adventures. Our first full day in Mexico City was busy, and that was just a preview of the rest of the week! Stay tuned for more…

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 1/6

Day 46: The Arrival

Monday, February 16, 2014

We met at ICO to leave for Mexico City at 9am. The bus was large and comfortable so I had no problem sleeping the entire six hour bus ride. There was a short rest stop about halfway through the ride, but other than that we rode the full six hours and arrived to the hotel on time. We walked around the center of Mexico City for about an hour before heading to a group dinner at Hostería de Santo Domingo. I ordered enchiladas con mole negro. The mole was a bit different from what I have eaten in Oaxaca. Although it was very rich, the chocolate taste was strong and covered the taste of the other ingredients. Compared to the home-grown, fresh fruits and vegetables my host mom uses to make all of her food, this mole was obviously mass produced and lacked that distinctive home made touch. I still enjoyed my enchiladas, though. There were filling and flavorful!

a park in Mexico City

Later that evening I walked around DF with a friend. Generally, Mexico (another name for Mexico City) is more expensive than Oaxaca. One churro cost 10 churros, as opposed to 8 pesos in Oaxaca, and was smaller! It was still delicious. DF is a major city and it is structured similarly to Chicago, Detroit, etc. Yet my friend and I still managed to get lost. Fortunately, there are many maps around the city. We also took the opportunity to practice our Spanish speaking skills by asking people for directions.

As we walked around the city throughout the day, I immediately noticed stores like Forever 21, MAC, and Krispy Kremes. Mexico City has many international businesses and its layout is very similar to other major cities that I have been to. The buildings are mostly connected and cover entire blocks. Over time, some buildings have built up. There is a mix of old and new architecture. Some areas of the city are blocked off for pedestrians and shoppers. The city reminded me of Barcelona, Spain, which I visited in 2011 with my high school Spanish class. Both Barce and DF have similar architectural styles, a mix of Spanish and English written on signs, and also have very diverse populations.

Day 47: Hit the Ground Running

Tuesday, February 17, 2014

For our first full day in DF we woke up early and prepared to leave the hotel at 9 a.m. Our tour guide, Dr. Staples, joined us on the bus and gave a brief overview of Mexico City. Although she is American, Dr. Staples has studied and worked in the city for about 60 years. During the bus ride to Tlatleloco, an archaeological site in the city, Dr. Staples told us that Mexico sinks about 1 centimeter every year. Again, my earth science skills fail me, but I do know that means that the city is sinking quite rapidly.

Tlatleloco is an archaeological site located in the middle of the city. Walk a couple of blocks in any directions and you’ll see a corporate chain like Starbucks. But the site is about 8,000 years removed from the coffee company, as it was built in the 13th century by a group of Mexica people that spoke Nahuatl. The main site for these people was Tenochtitlan, which was located farther south. However, in the 14th century Tlatelolca separated from the people Tenochca and followed a new leader. After about a century under various rulers, Tlatelolca fought a number of wars until they again were forced to rejoin Tenochtitlan in 1473.

Tlateloco

The Spanish took the city as a municipality of New Spain and founded their Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, the first college in the New World. Today it is located with Mexico City as an archaeological site. A cathedral overlooks the site.

A tragedy occurred at this site about 50 years ago. In 1968, in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas where Tlatelolco is located, the government used the police and military to suppress political protesters because they found their presence to be bad press for the 1968 Summer Olympics that were being held in the city that year. Over a thousand people were arrested and an unknown amount of people were murdered, although estimates say about 50 people. Dr. Staples was in Mexico at that time and she recalls seeing large tanks in the streets. After the military’s confrontation of the protesters, Tlatelolco was covered with blood and bodies. Everything was swiftly cleaned and the news never reported on the incident. This tragedy is memorialized by a stele. However a sense of distrust, anger, hate, and disgust persists.

That event was not an isolated incident, nor does it speak to the entirety of the relationship between Mexico and its people. In our third and final course of the quarter, we study the development of the Mexican government, Mexican institutions, organizations, and Mexican identities.

monument at Tlateloco

Stay tuned for part 2!

Detroit Institute of the Arts Features Mexican Rivera and Kahlo

Check out the DIA’s exhibit on the work of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo March 15-June 12. Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo were a power couple in the 20th century and their legacy continues to inspire artists and revolutionaries today. The DIA’s exhibit will recount the time that they spent in Detroit and their impact on the city and world.

I visited Frida Kahlo’s home and also saw many of Rivera’s paintings while in Mexico City during this trip. Stay tuned for my blog posts on those experiences…and photos!

More information on the exhibit may be found here:

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2015/03/detroit_captures_art_worlds_ey.html

Days 43-45: Work and Play

Per usual, we did not have classes on Friday. This was Week VI and we concluded our second course. That weekend I worked on my final essay, spent time with friends, and prepared for our week-long excursion to Mexico City.

I made new friends this weekend! One of the people I met at a birthday party earlier in the quarter invited my friends and I out to a bar and he brought along some of his friends, his friends’ friends, etc. We conversed in Spanish mostly. My language skills are definitely improving, however slang is still difficult. I’m not too pressed to learn curse words though.

At the first bar my friends and I tore the dance floor up! Most people sang loudly along with the song, but we let our 1, 2 step do the talking. In the bars I have been to so far, and also on the radio, it is common for American pop songs, Mexican pop songs, and Mexican ballads to be played consecutively. Check out this radio station that plays a variety of music in Oaxaca: http://www.beat1009.com.mx/beat/.

good times with nice people 🙂 

In addition to diverse music, the Oaxacan radio also has a lot of commercials. And typically competing stations will play their commercials or their music at the same time. It is also common for competing stations to play the same type of music at the same time. This isn’t too bad-I have my choice of «Chandelier» «Uptown Funk» and «Sugar» a few times a day. On Sunday nights, the radio stations stop playing music and instead feature students that talk about various issues.

That Saturday was Valentine’s Day, or Dia de San Valentin. Many buildings, and most restaurants, were decorated with red, pink, and white flowers or balloons. Some places gave out flowers to girls that entered the building. Roses were sold throughout the streets. Love was in the air and I loved every second of it!

Sunday was the day before we left for D.F., La Ciudad de Mexico, Distrito Federal. I packed and prepared for our week in Mexico!

Day 42: Capulálpam, Bachata

La Iglesia

The last Thursday of our second class we took an impromptu excursion to Capulálpam instead of class! This town is described as an area in the mountains that practices magical healing. Many businesses that practice healing ceremonies are run by indigenous peoples and blend Mesoamerican and Catholic rituals. We also visited a church and trout farm.

a view of the church from the courtyard

The first order of business for the day was to visit a church. (Try to hide your surprise here lol) This church, completed in the 17th century, is known for its many altars, many of which come from various parts of Mexico. Variations in the construction of the altars, as well as in the saints and figures that are represented in the altars, offer insights into the regional diversity throughout Mexico. The figures, mostly saints, that are in the altars usually speak to the history and value of different areas. For example, the story of Santa Lucia tells of a woman whose eyes were so beautiful that every man wanted her hand in marriage. However, she wanted to devote her entire life to Christ. She ripped out her eyes so that no man could see their beauty and she could be free to pursue a life completely dedicated to her faith. Santa Lucia del Camino is a municipality in the state of Oaxaca. Her image is present in nearly all of the churches we have visited either as a statue, in an altar, or in a painting. Standing in front of the church, I saw a phenomenal view of the sky that truly left me in awe.

view from the door of the church-Hi classmates!!!

La Limpia y masaje

After visiting the church, we went to a part of the town known for its limpias. Limpias are healing rituals that focus on cleaning the mind, body, and spirit. The cudanera, or woman that performs the healing, also has the ability to capture bad energies through the ceremony.

I walked into the room for my limpia and noticed an altar, a small, hard bed, and la cudanera. She spoke to me in Spanish, instructing me to sit down on the bed. I sat down and she asked me questions about my studies. Then she took an egg, dipped it in water, and rubbed it over my body while saying something I could not understand. This caught me off guard. But it was a hot day and I appreciated the coolness of the egg. Then, she gathered some branches and herbs with a strong aroma and brushed them over my body. Again, I was caught off guard. Finally, she cracked the egg and put the yolk in a cup of water, and identified about six air bubbles that the yolk and water created. From this, la cudanera told me that they signify jealous people in my life. She said that I have a good energy, but there are many individuals who wish ill upon me in my environment. After offering a prayer in the direction of the cross on the altar and then saying a prayer over me as well, la cudanera dismissed me and swept the floor of debris from the branches and herbs in preparation for the next person.

la limpia building

Many people in my program also got limpias and it turns out that we all had the same reading!

Next, I got a massage. The masseuse led me to a different small room with two twin beds, a large chest, and many blankets and massage lotions and oil. I was instructed to lay on the bed as she massaged my body with rose oil. (The rose oil was used quite liberally and I probably could have slid down la cierra if I tried after those 45 minutes!) The masseuse identified a dislocated bone in my left pinky finger that I had never felt before, but that does not bother me at all. She also noticed that we had been walking a lot in Oaxaca, due to the tightness of my calves. The massage itself was pretty standard, but it was cool to communicate in Spanish!

inside the healing center

La Tirolesa y las truchas

We ended our trip in Capulálpam at a restaurant high in the mountains with a trout farm, caves, and zip lining!!! The view was absolutely incredible, per usual. There was also a large, old bridge that mirrored pretty much any bridge in an old time fantasy story. The trout was delicious and oh so fresh! But the zipling. I went zipling! It was awesome! We put on our harnesses and then huffed and puffed climbed up the mountain for about 10 meters. I was connected to the zipline, given  a good push, and then soared from the tip of the mountain, past the bridge, through some trees, and over a river onto the platform on the opposite side. This was my first time using la tirolesa and it was the perfect speed, length, height, everything to ensure that I had a great time! This was by far the greatest excursion so far, in my opinion.

ZIPLINING!!!

the trout-filled river

Bachata

That evening I attended bachata classes at a local club. Our instructor taught in the Dominican style, which can be characterized by faster movements and footwork. Most of the people in the class only spoke Spanish and ages ranged from 18 to about 50. I really enjoyed meeting new people and learning a few Bachata steps. Some of the most famous Bachata artists are Prince Royce and Aventura. I linked two of their most popular songs/my favorites. The music is great, the dancing is fun, and these two song birds are also quite easy on the eyes… Check out some of their work!

Happy International Women’s Day!

Happy International Women’s Day from Oaxaca, Mexico! Check out Mare Advertencia Lirika, a hip-hop artist and feminist from Oaxaca. She incorporates a variety of musical styles into her raps and uses her art as a platform to speak for the rights of indigenous people and women. http://www.educaoaxaca.org/english/1523-oaxacan,-feminist-and-hip-hop-artist-mare-advertencia-lirika.html