27 June 2012

observation: laundry

When I first arrived in El Salvador I lived with a host family who in the first week washed my clothes for me and then folded it and placed it nicely in my room. I noticed though something was a bit different. All the clothes was inside out.... perhaps its because I put it in the dirty pile this way... So when I started to hand wash, and hang to dry I would turn my clothes right side out and fold it this way as well...
One day when my host mother was folding the children's clothes and watching her nightly spanish soap I went into "bond" by helping her fold and watch the soap. I of course started to turn all the clothes right side out and then fold them. She stopped me quickly and said no no no.
She explained that they keep them inside out because they will not get dirty in this way. My confusion was obvious and she continued by pointing to a small piece of ash on the floor.
OOOOOH (on comes the light bulb). During this part of the year when the sugar cane is being harvested the remaining stalks are slashed and burned... causing chunks of black ash to rain from the sky and sneak into every possible nook and cranny.
From then on... it was inside out for my clothes as well.

Today I'm grateful for the washer and dryer at my mom's house, and can't help but think back to my first weeks in El Salvador learning to hand wash, hang out to dry, and fold inside out.

:)

19 June 2012

Home is where my backpack is. Gordon's house.

Gordon.
He looks so much like Lantis except much fatter and the other sex.

I arrived in Denver aroudn 3pm, after jerky stop and go in the rental car lot I was on my way
First stop, Gordon's house... where my friend Matt also lives.

Within hours I was on the road again
This time heading to Fort Collins, and no longer behind the wheel.

On the Road.
Matt has great on the road music but they are all on CDs.
Keeping it old school.

Arrive early to the East Coast Bar in Fort Collins to set up


This is an Alley in fort Collins, the old town is beautiful.
no worries about getting robbed in this alley.

Time to Set up,
My first experience as a roady and I'm already respecting them much more



Enjoying the "Easy Street" local brew while Matt connects everything

Fort Collins Pedestrian Mall at dusk

Funkmaster sound check at East Coast Bar


Late night eats on the drive back to Denver from Fort Collins


15 June 2012

enough

“If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.” ~Lau Tzu

07 June 2012

Tepoztlan Mexico

Plastic Baseball bats = Serious Weapons of mass flower destruction






Little Nap on the way to Tepoztlan


Tepoztlán, a popular tourist destination near Mexico City and its name is derived from Nahuatl and means "place of abundant copper" or "place of the broken rocks." 
  The town is famous for the remains of a temple built on top of the nearby Tepozteco mountain, as well as for the exotic ice cream flavors prepared by the townspeople.


Lil tid bit: Indie musician Conor Oberst recorded his eponymous self-titled album in the City in 2008. Although in the sleeve the city is misspelt Tepotzlan.






"Tepoztlan NO SE VENDE"


SUPER awesome rock formations seen while walking the streets


El Ciruelo Restaurant has the best view and tasty food.
Yuuuum.


And Live music!






Alex choosing his bow and arrows...




Famous Ice Cream store in town
Known for all its exotic homemade flavors.




Serious ice cream business


and the Water Closet is Way Way in the back, until the garden...

06 June 2012

B-ball in Mexico and the Venice of Mexico


 My Cousin Patricio aka Pato 
Killing it on the b-ball court






Lunch on the Lancha


The Mexican Venice




Interested in some plants?

Another vender selling yummies

Please note the perfect posing of my cousin Mariana
While my lil cuz Alex gets silly





03 June 2012

Chapultepec


Mexico's National Museum of Anthropology

The museum complex is 45,000 square meters, encompassing 25 galleries, workshops, laboratories, research facilities, a library and archives, a theater, a cafeteria, and two gift shops




STONE OF THE SUN
"The one sculpture which identifies the Mexicans above all others is the Stone of the Sun, discovered in December, 1790, in the Plaza Mayor of the capital of New Spain. Because of its symbolic content, with the names of the days and the cosmogonic suns, it was incorrectly identified as the Aztec Calendar."  


 Chapultepec Park is the largest city park in Latin America
The park area has been inhabited and held as special since the pre-Hispanic period, when it became a retreat for Aztec rulers.

Overlooking the Lago Menor towards Polanco in Chapultepec park



Voladores de Papantla

  the Flying Men of Papantla, 
slowly spinning headfirst to the ground every 20 minutes.