Author: Lisa

It seemed innocent and calm at first… Beautiful blue costumes on the shepherds holding gorgeously decorated staffs.

 

As the shepherds danced in front of various villagers’ homes, the “devils” arrived!

 
Viejos marched in the streets, too!

 

Music and dancing throughout the village.

 
Everyone converged on the patio at the carguero’s home.  It was packed with people – watching, dancing, eating, and drinking!
So sweet – the hand of this devil on a boy’s shoulder.  Notice what’s in the devil’s other hand?  Tequila, of course!

The pastorela of Sevina differed greatly from the pushing, shoving, and whipping of the negritos in San Lorenzo!  Solemnly dressed in black suits with ornate masks and hats, Sevina’s negritos shared their version of the pastorela dance.

 

Our master mask-maker’s grandson showed us his dance skills!

San Lorenzo’s pastorela presented many surprising aspects.  When we arrived, mothers, grandmothers, and aunts were dressing up young men, primarily pre-teens or teenagers, in heavy costumes.  Often, the multiple layers of skirts weigh over 20 pound, so the boys hold onto a rope to balance themselves.  Their fathers fit the scarf and mask on the boy’s head.  During the festivity, the carguero and his family serve food and beverages.  Our entrance fee – at pretty much each pastorela?  A bottle of tequila!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the young men donned their heavy costumes, viejos (in costumes meant to make them seem old) “tormented” onlookers.

 

Arrival of the Virgin Mary.

 

Negritos, dressed in black masks, whipped, goosed and pushed people – all in good fun, of course!

 

 

The dance competition captured everyone’s attention!  Village leaders, who formerly participated as dancers, were pulled from the stands to compete with current dancers.

 

Earnestly watching the dance competition.

 

Can’t have dancing without music!

Our pastorela tour started – and ended – in Santa Fe de la Laguna.  After walking and driving around the village, we found the roving group of dancers and musicians.

 

Baby Jesus led the procession.

 

Children, dressed for the occasion, followed the dancers on their journey.

 
Musicians, wearing traditional Michoacán sombreros, performed in front of homes and businesses.

 

Lots of smiles!

 

Great introduction to pastorelas – music, dancing, and costumes.

This photo summarizes my reflections on this fabulous adventure!  Many thanks to Frank for capturing this moment.

What do I see in this photo?  I’m exploring a Purépechan village, on an organized tour with friends, while enjoying photography!

I didn’t know what to expect on this trip.  Tricia sent out the email; I responded.  End of story.  Right?  Wrong!  I had “technically” been to Mexico five previous times:  Tijuana with my family as a kid; Ensenada on a weekend cruise as a young adult; Guaymas in my twenties with Club Med; Loreto with Joel and Tricia just before the pandemic; and touching the cliffs across the Rio Grande on my cross country adventure.  (Hey, I said “technically!” 🙂 ) 

This trip, though, was completely different.  First, it was an organized tour, so I didn’t have to make any decisions about what to do or when to do it.  Given my frustration losing my wallet in Ghent, Belgium, when traveling solo in September, not having the stress of making decisions was a nice change! Second, we explored indigenous villages, showcasing Purépechan culture.  Having never been to any villages in Mexico, the people, customs, and crafts mesmerized me.  Third, this was a private tour with eight participants, all of whom I knew to at least some degree before the adventure began.  We got along really really well.  For example, in the van, we rotated seats.  I enjoyed having a new seat buddy on each journey; what a wonderful way to get to know each other better.

To say that I loved connecting with the Purépechan people I met would be an understatement!  I know – deep into my bones, into my very essence – that we are more alike than we are different.  That we all want the same things – health for our loved ones, a sense of community, some moments of joy.  I saw this. I experienced this.  I witnessed this.  Family, friends, togetherness.  Health, community, joy.  Add in some creativity, good food, lots to drink:  perfect!

I had a blast taking photos!  As shown in the photo above, I captured scenes from many angles.  Kneeling on the ground?  Climbing up walls?  Shooting through holes in gates?  Yep!  Going through my photos, especially to organize them for this blog, proved a challenge.  Some of my photos are typical tourist pics, which of course I want to help me remember this adventure.  Others, though, are more…creative.  I love taking pictures of and through windows, doors, and arches.  I tried to use composition techniques I learned in my photography class.  Sometimes they worked out; other times they did not.  Regardless, I had so much fun taking photos!  My favorites…hm…I culled through them and came up with these eight.  (I can’t believe I got it down to eight!)

I’m going to start with the one photo I have not posted elsewhere… This candid photo of Tricia, smiling and leaning against a wall, with a girl in front of her, smiling and also leaning against a wall, shows so much happiness, togetherness, and relaxation.  This is truly one of my very favorite photos – ever!

 

This photo tells a complete story of love, support, and tradition: the woman’s arms around her boy while he holds onto the rope to counterbalance the weight of the skirts his mother, grandmother, and aunts are putting on him.

 

The joy on this little girl’s face as she shows me the bottle caps she’s playing with!

 

A photo telling the story of the pastorela – mask, community, and tequila!

 

This photo guides the viewer’s eyes from the lines of the pyramid to the far-off lake, sharing the story of both the human-built pyramids of Tzintzuntzan and the natural waters of Lake Pátzcuaro.

 

Colors, textures, and a doorway:  I love it!

 

In this photo, the lines of the pews guide the viewer to look outside the doors.

Checking my email in Brugge, Belgium, last September, I received an email from my friend Tricia asking if I, along with Joel and other friends, would like to join her on a tour of Pastorela dances in Michaocán, Mexico.  Almost simultaneously, I forwarded the email to Joel, who was biking in Cappadocia, Turkey, asking if he was interested and he forwarded the email to me asking if I was interested.  That was the extent of our conversation!  We were IN!

Ultimately, our private group of eight – organized by tour guide extraordinaire Rick Hall of Zócalo Folk Arts Tours – experienced an amazing array of Pastorela dances, artisan displays, natural beauty, and cultural connections. What a phenomenal trip!

Details, reflections, and photos are organized into the following topics:

After spending a BUSY Chanukah with family and friends – eating lotsa latkes, lighting lotsa candles – I decided to RELAX today and take lotsa photos.  The LCD screen on my camera is in the shop for repair, so I’m practicing using my rental camera – same model but I had to re-set the settings…  This means, I have to re-learn what I’ve been practicing for nearly a year. 

With so many Christmas decorations out, I had a great focus to practice my…focus, aperture, shutter, ISO, etc!  With no time pressure to click the shutter, I returned to fully manual mode rather than aperture priority, as I’ve been shooting recently.  Nice to return to basics!

Here are my favorite captures from today’s photo walk (with no comments on the individual pics).

About an hour before sundown today, I grabbed my camera and walked the neighborhood.  It was a great opportunity to capture some images with end-of-sunlight colors.  Here are my favorites…

The golden light playing on the hills caught my attention.
Islay Hill

 

The hills framed by a bridge

 

Two windows reflecting the sunset.

 

 

Given it’s now December, many homes highlight the season with decorations.  Hanging from some trees – with a beautiful blue sky as background – are a couple of ornaments.

 

Yesterday, I combined two of my loves/avocations/hobbies/joys:  I hiked 15 miles and took photos along the way.

The hike:  For about ten years now, my friend Melanie and I walk a marathon each year.  When the pandemic arrived, we decided to create our own marathon since organized events were canceled.  With our combined schedules, it still makes sense for us to create our own challenge rather than participate in formal events.  This coming weekend (day depends on rain!), we will, once again, walk 26.2 miles.  To train, one weekend I made sure to walk 10 miles, the next weekend 15 miles, the following weekend 20 miles, and yesterday 15 miles.  I am SLOW – and I can do this!

The photos:  I’ve been frustrated lately with the quality of my photos, especially the lack of focus quality.  I re-read my camera’s manual, changed some settings, and captured photos during my 15 miler.  Culling through over 200 pictures, following are my 15 best attempts.  I figure one photo per mile – so 15 photos for 15 miles!

Heart hanging on a fence

 

While editing this photo of fall colors, I zoomed in and was surprised to find this bird perched in the tree

 

Bridges, such as this one, allow walkers to traverse creek beds while traveling on neighborhood trails

 

Although it is autumn, some leaves remain green throughout the year

 

Seen from the railroad trail linking my home to downtown SLO

 

Practicing focusing on moving subjects…bicyclist on the railroad trail approaching the Jennifer Street Bridge

 

Sculpture near the train station honoring railroad workers

 

 
Public art at the corner of Marsh and Higuera

 

The Marsh Street parking garage sports public art

 

Downtown San Luis Obispo Victorian home

 

View of the hills from the top of Cerro San Luis

 

Very dry Laguna Lake – WE NEED RAIN

 

I played around with Black & White – these three photos seemed to call for it!

View of the morros, Bishop Peak in the foreground, from the top of Cerro San Luis

 

Picnic table next to the railroad trail

 

The tunnel under the railroad tracks connecting two neighborhoods – when it rains (a lot), this tunnel is closed due to flooding

Today, being Thanksgiving, makes me think about GRATITUDE.  My personal values – Integrity, Gratitude, and Kindness – act as a compass to help guide me in the right direction.

For example, if I’m thinking about doing something or feeling a bit uncomfortable about an issue, I weigh it against my values.  Does the decision help me live with integrity – with wholeness, honesty, and completeness?  This is not to say that I meet this goal all of the time – I absolutely do not!  When I don’t, my stomach lurches and I know I’ve not acted with integrity.  When I pause before acting and consider my decision with integrity in mind, I most often make a much better choice.

Gratitude, the theme for Thanksgiving, is paramount in my mind right now.  I have so much to be grateful for.  My children are happy, independent, and kind adults.  (I used to say “young adults,” but at ages 28 and 31, I wonder if “young” still applies!)  I enjoy spending time with my partner; we have evolved to a warm, comfortable, caring, and fun point in our lives and our relationship.  His children and grandchildren add joy to my life.  I love being Nana Lisa to his three grandchildren; the third one arrived November 11!  I so appreciate the laughter, support, and fun of my friends.  With six kids in my family, my siblings add another layer of love, support, and humor to my amazing life.

In addition to the many people whom I love and appreciate, I am so grateful for my health and fitness.  I have the physical and, at times even more useful, mental ability to walk or hike many, many miles.  In preparation for Melanie’s and my annual walking marathon, I completed a 20 mile walk in the mountains three days ago.  In less than two weeks, it’ll be time for 26.2 (never forget the .2!) miles.

With my health and fitness, I am able to travel, explore photography, read, knit…such a full and wonderful life!  So much for me to appreciate!

Opening up my lens, however, makes me concerned for the world – elections, war, climate, diseases, … – there’s so much to be concerned about.

What makes me most grateful is being able to appreciate what IS good, what IS beautiful, what IS the best of humanity.  For all of the wonderful people, places, and pleasures that embellish my life, I am forever grateful.

Continuing my personal ritual of taking a long meditative walk on Yom Kippur, this morning I headed toward Morro Bay and Cayucos.  For me, the process involves eating lightly so I can walk without fainting, turning off electronics while walking (no podcasts or audiobooks to distract me or change my focus), and letting my mind wander to what inspires me.  Meandering while being surrounded by the natural rhythm of the ocean allows my mind to reflect on what nudges it.

Today, I felt a series of transitions.  San Luis Obispo was warm and sunny while Morro Bay was foggy and cool.  The sand changed from hot and soft to cold and wet.  The sounds vacillated between highway car noise and waves hitting the beach.

As I walked, my mind first focused on travel, the trips I’ve recently enjoyed and the upcoming adventures that await me.  Being the planner that I am, I already have a general idea of where I’d like to go in 2023.  🙂

Next, my mind wandered to photography and some creative projects I’m working on.  I mentally sketched out a few ideas and am anxious to get started on them.

While shuffling along the beach, I realized that the big recent transition in my life – retirement – allows me to travel more and stretch my creativity, hence my initial thoughts surrounding these two activities.  This big change in my life means there are times when my life is busy and other times when it is slow, times when I’m surrounded by family, friends, and community, and other times when I am alone, times when I feel accomplished and other times when I feel less fulfilled, times I believe I’m contributing and other times I wish I were doing more.

When I think of what fills my days as a retiree, I see a daily pattern of moving my body, doing some type of chore, and doing something fun and, often, social.  There are days when I give back to our community – for example, I usher at the Performing Arts Center and I donate blood (thank you, spinach!).  The “how can I make the world a better place” part of my life is still not what I want it to be.  From today’s Yom Kippur reflections, my biggest takeaway – my most important future task – is to figure out what I can do to help the greater good.  My hope is that during next year’s Yom Kippur walk, I’ll be able to reflect on how I contributed more to making our world a better place.  כן יהי רצון

Photo from April 2022 since I didn’t take any pictures today.

C Plan: Before this trip began, I knew – being a bit experienced with travel – that I would need to be adaptable. In the world even before covid, flexibility was key to enjoyable travel. Joel coined the term “Plan C” for traveling nowadays. My interpretation of Plan C revolves around planning for Covid, Climate, and Conveyances. This has definitely been a Plan C experience! Covid: Although I did not (as of writing this!) get Covid this trip, Astrid did. This meant flexibility on the part of her cousins and me while in Germany, so Astrid could recover. It also means that she and I must return – together – to Germany! Climate changed Joel’s and my barge&bike trip from exploring the Mosel and Saar rivers to meandering through South Holland and spending a couple of days in Amsterdam. I used many Conveyances this month: trains, planes, automobiles, buses, trams, barge, bikes, feet! Plan C for Conveyances resulted in two major changes: a different barge&bike trip; and a train strike in Amsterdam, necessitating a very long bus travel day.

Components: This trip had three components: Germany with Astrid and her cousins, the Netherlands with Joel, and solo travel in Luxembourg and Belgian. All three components exceeded my expectations, even with the necessary Plan C adjustments. As previously mentioned, although I missed having Astrid show me Germany, her cousins Jutta and Barbara did an amazing job sharing their country with me and allowing me to see Germany through their eyes. Cycling, on my e-bike, in the Dutch countryside, along canals, and on dikes with Joel coupled with the luxury of barge cruising make me excited for another boat and bike trip. Solo traveling – or “squirrel traveling” as I call it – presents unique challenges and opportunities. I enjoyed this component of my trip, especially the squirrels that delighted me – meeting and hanging out with interesting people.

Christine and Daniel: For the first two components of this month-long European adventure, I didn’t have to make any lodging decisions entirely on my own. For the third component, it was all on me. In Luxembourg, I stayed at a hotel…which seemed more like a dorm room. In Brussels, my AirBnB was comfortable yet on the third and fourth floors of an 1800s building without air conditioning – meaning it was HOT at night. Also, it was very noisy since I was in the city center with bars and restaurants right under my open windows. The owner was nice, but I met her only once. In Bruges, however, I stayed at Christine and Daniel’s B&B Stoega, my favorite lodging! As I mentioned in earlier posts, Christine and Daniel are phenomenal PEOPLE, not just great hosts. I know opening their home to guests is a type of business, and it felt more like staying with friends than being a paying customer. They are warm, helpful, kind, intelligent, talented… I could go on and on! I repeat what I’ve said before: WHEN you’re in Bruges, I STRONGLY suggest you stay with Christine and Daniel at B&B Stoega.  I look forward to keeping in touch with them and, hopefully, seeing them in California soon.

Conversations: This is why I travel!!! Yes, I love seeing new places, architecture, sculptures, gardens, museums, etc. Even more, though, I love talking to PEOPLE. I had so many engaging and enlightening conversations this trip. Jutta and Barbara, along with their husbands Hans-Juergen and Hermann Josef, helped me better understand Germany – not only the history of the Holocaust and the division of Germany and Berlin into East and West but also the modern country. My table companions on the barge were fun, kind, and interesting. In Bruges, I had a fabulous time sharing meals, sites, and conversations with Janet and Geerte – and, of course, I loved chatting with Daniel and Christine! I had a surprisingly fun time in Brussels hanging out with Steve and his pied piper group of travelers. Steve, a 41-year old married Australian man with three children, gathers people together whenever he travels. With his wife and kids in Germany visiting her family, he was solo in Brussels and joined my free walking tour. When the tour ended, he said whoever wants to get a beer and fries, follow him. About a dozen of us did – and revelry and chats ensued. Steve said he does this whenever he travels – he gathers people from tours, hostels, etc. – and creates an opportunity for everyone to socialize and talk. He said he feels this is what travel is really about: talking to a range of people. I completely agree!

Crowds vs. Value of Tourism: Okay, I get it. For many countries or communities, tourism adds significantly to their economies. Hey, I’m from San Luis Obispo where tourism helps our coffers. The challenge, though, is balancing the benefits of tourism with an overabundance of tourists. Especially following the lockdowns necessitated by the pandemic, I understand the urge to travel – the travel bug bites me, too! Nonetheless, I don’t enjoy crowds. For example in Bruges, where I stayed for four days, the first couple of days had minimal crowds. Then, the weekend arrived and, along with it, throngs of people often from cruise ships. Good thing I enjoy long walks in the country to small villages because that’s exactly what I did to remove myself from the hordes of tourists.

Cobblestones: I know cobblestones add ambience and help a city seem quaint. I love how they look and how they make me feel when wandering streets and alleys. However, walking on uneven stones or pulling a rolling suitcase going bumpity-bump can be a bit cumbersome and annoying. For some people who have turned an ankle (not me!) while walking on cobblestone, they can even be dangerous.

Cornering: Using a thesaurus, I tried to find a “C” word as a synonym for “aging.” Since I couldn’t find one, I’m using the word “cornering” instead. I feel like I’m turning the corner from young vibrant traveler to a bit older traveler. I like some of the comforts my age and privilege provide, such as barge travel and not counting every penny. (I remember my year in Israel… I had a journal and, in the back, kept track down of every cent I spent!) I also am, I would say, 5% slower than I was in 2019 BC (Before Covid). It takes me a bit longer to figure things out, to get moving, to find my groove. By my calculations, 5% per year would mean in 20 years, when I’m 82, I’ll have completely slowed down. I guess that’s okay!

Coin Purse: I’m sure it could have happened to me earlier before I “cornered” a bit as a traveler, but losing my focus causing me to forget my coin purse annoyed me. I could say it bummed me out, but although I’m not happy about the mishap, I’m not devastated. I hid my passport and extra credit cards in my luggage, so they weren’t lost. I wish I would have done the same with my cash… I use it so seldom… I should have kept, say, €50 in my purse and hid the remaining €100. Expensive lesson learned.

Conflicting Emotions: Whenever a trip ends, I have conflicting emotions. This trip is no different. I’m a bit tired and ready to be home. The stress of traveling, especially as I “corner,” tires me. I miss my family and friends. What will I do first? Hug Emmett, of course! I may even shower before I see him. 🤣 I love my home and my life at home. I look forward to relaxing in my own house, sleeping in my own bed, and spending time with my San Luis Obispo friends. Nonetheless, I love traveling! I love seeing new sites, exploring new locales, talking to new people! Another trip is on the horizon…after I recuperate from this one!

Germany

 

 

 

 

 

Holland Barge & Bike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amsterdam

 

 

 

 

Luxembourg

 

 

Bruges

 

 

 

 

 

Ghent

 

 

 

Brussels

 

 

 

 

For my last full day of my trip, tomorrow being a long and exhausting travel day, I hit some of Rick Steves’ hot spots:  City Museum, European Parliament, and Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.  Additionally, I returned to the Grand Place and, due to being frustrated with yesterday’s photo, Manneken-Pis.  Of course, I needed to round out my eating tour of Brussels with a waffle and chocolate!

Manneken-Pis:  Today, he’s wearing a costume!

 

Fun bicycle shop!

 

“Whoever saves one life, saves the entire universe.”  (The Talmud)
“In tribute to the ‘righteous’ of Belgium and to the citizens who, at the peril of their lives, came to the rescue of the Jews persecuted during the Nazi Occupation.”
Commemorative plaque, located next to this sculpture, inaugurated on May 8, 2007.

 

Several crosswalks in Brussels are painted rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ community.

 

The hemicycle of the European Parliament, where 705 members from 27 countries “represent people’s interests with regard to EU law-making and to make sure other EU institutions are working democratically.”  [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/about-parliament/en]

 

Sculpture through a round window in the European Parliament building.

 

I’m not a big fan of the “old masters,” especially because I find most of the paintings dark and dreary.  However, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium has restored several paintings by Rubens, including this “Portrait of D’Helene Fourment.”  The restoration removed the darkened glaze and brightened the original colors.

 

A gallery in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium shared some artwork with unclear provenances, most likely due to Nazis looting art from European Jews.  (See next photo for full explanation.)  This piece, Flowers by Lovis Corinth, was ultimately returned to the Mayer family.  (See below for the details.  This is too important for me to summarize in a sentence or two.)

 

“The problem of restitution of looted property…”

 

“In 2008, the RMFAB appealed to the general public…”

 

“Building art” across from the main train station.

 

CEILING artwork in the Belgian Comic Strip Center.

 

Not only do pedestrians need to watch out for cars, bicycles, and people, but there are a TON of scooters everywhere!

 

A daytime pano of Grand Place.