The Magic of the Cities.

Zen promotes the rediscovery of the obvious, which is so often lost in its familiarity and simplicity. It sees the miraculous in the common and magic in our everyday surroundings. When we are not rushed, and our minds are unclouded by conceptualizations, a veil will sometimes drop, introducing the viewer to a world unseen since childhood. ~ John Greer

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Entrance


Entrance in Cuernavaca.

Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

The Swing of Delight III



The Danza de los Voladores de Papantla (Dance of Papantla's flyers) is a ritualistic dance in Veracruz, Mexico performed by the Totonac Indians. Five men, each representing the five elements of the indigenous world climb atop a pole, one of them stays on the pole playing a flute and dancing while the remaining four descend the pole with a rope tied by one of their feet. The rope unwraps itself 13 times for each of the four flyers, symbolizing the 52 weeks of the year.
This dance is thought to be the vestige of a pre-Hispanic volador ritual common not only in ancient Veracruz but in western Mexico as well.
According to legend, a long drought covered the Earth so five men decided to send Xipe Totec, the God of fertility a message, asking them for the rain to return. They went to the forest and looked for the straightest tree, cut it, and took it back to their town. They removed all branches and placed it on the ground, then dressed themselves as feet/birds and descended flying attempting to grab their God's attention [Wiki].
El Juego del Volador es una tradición mexicana que, para algunos antiguos pueblos indígenas como los olmecas y totonacas, era un ritual sagrado con un gran significado astronómico y religioso. También se práctica en el occidente de Guatemala. Consiste en que cuatro personas (simbolizando los cuatro puntos cardinales) se atan a un tronco alto y giran colgados alrededor de él 13 veces cada quien, sumando en total 52 vueltas, que eran los años que duraba un siglo astronómico para los indígenas. Aunque se suele conocer como Danza de los Voladores de Papantla, la evidencia arqueológica ha demostrado que se trata de un ritual muy antiguo y no circunscrito a la cultura totonaca. Se conocen representaciones de cerámica procedentes de Nayarit que parecen probar que el ritual existía por lo menos desde el Período Preclásico de Mesoamérica. En la actualidad sigue siendo celebrado por los grupos nahuas y totonacos de la Sierra Norte de Puebla y el Totonacapan veracruzano. Algunos grupos de indígenas de esas regiones se han trasladado a diversos puntos de la República Mexicana, como el Museo Nacional de Antropología en la Ciudad de México, donde hacen una breve representación del ritual indígena. En la celebración acompañada de danzas y música se utiliza un tronco o "palo volador" donde se ajustan varias piezas: una pequeña base, una cruz, un pivote que unirá y posibilitará el giro, y una escalera. En los extremos de la cruz se colocan cuerdas que sujetan a los danzantes voladores simbolizando los puntos cardinales, norte, sur, este y oeste. A más de 12 metros en lo alto de la estructura, se sitúa el caporal, personaje que toca un tambor y una flauta, y coordina el ritual. Cada señal que el caporal hace es un tipo de acrobacia, en una de ellas cada danzante volador disfrazado de ave saltan al vacío y giran 13 veces cada uno de ellos, con un total de 52, que representa los años que representaba un ciclo indígena. Finaliza cuando los participantes empiezan a abrir el circulo hasta tocar el suelo.


Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Friday, July 4, 2008

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

July 2008 Theme Day: "No..." signs


No Parking signs. Parking problem, there is no more space in the city, thats why in almost house entrance you can see this kind of signs.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by freefalling, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Birmingham (AL), USA by VJ, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brantford (ON), Canada by Nancy, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Shantaram, Chennai, India by Ram N, Chesapeake (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Cincinnati, USA by Erik Laursen, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Corsicana (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Delta (CO), USA by Bill, Duluth (MN), USA by Sun Dog Press, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Folkestone, UK by Piskie, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Gaia, Portugal by m+p, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Hanoi, Vietnam by Jérôme, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jerusalem, Israel by Esther, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Lynchburg (VA), USA by Timothy, Mainz, Germany by JB, Melbourne, Australia by John, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Monroe (GA), USA by Tanya, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Munich, Germany by Troy, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, Newcastle, Australia by Julia, Newport News (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Oklahoma City (OK), USA by ananda.tashie, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Cheryl, Poplar Bluff (MO), USA by Tricia, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Posadas, Argentina by Lega, Pretoria, South Africa by Sam Ruth, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Norma, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Stratford, Canada by Barb, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Tel-Aviv, Israel by Olga, Tempe (AZ), USA by angie, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Toulouse, France by Julia, Trujillo, Peru by Giulianna, Turin, Italy by Livio, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine,

Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Tlalpan Ave.


Tlalpan Ave. going to the south side of the city, in the rush hour of the morning.

Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Fabrics


Fabrics for sale on the street.

Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Friday, June 20, 2008

Balloons


A nice couple of vendors in Texcoco, a little town near Mexico City.

Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Monday, June 16, 2008

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Flight

Flight

Just a Glance


Imaginad que la Tierra es de bronce
y que una golondrina, cada mil años,
la roza con un ala.
Cuando toda la Tierra se haya desgastado de este modo,
sólo entonces empezará la Eternidad.



Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Night and Day


Old wrought iron bench on A. Obregon Ave.

703th Post

Gracias por su visita / Thanks for visiting.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008