Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Tegucigalpa is a mountain city and has an old historic, thriving downtown with narrow streets. I was warned often of dangerous blocks and did not stay out late as it wasn't recommended. Too bad, as it has a good character for a city and the various urban zones seem well integrated with each other and easy to get from one to another. The above landscape near the market reminded me of El Greco's "Toledo".

Pictures of San Salvador, capital of El Salvador

I went up to the volcano on one side of San Salvador to hike, "el boqueron," the big mouth in english. I walked a long time through coffee cultivations and finally interesected with the main road. It started raining heavily and of course my shoes got soaked which is the worst part of rain. On the way down i discovered a garden around an electrical transfer tower and took the nature shots.

When I returned to downtown San Salvador I walked around and took the urban shots. The downtown area is packed with street stalls and has a bustling character. The surrounding suburbs are more upscale and packed with modern malls. Presumably, the downtown area is the most dangerous.

Sculptor in Puerto Vallarta

"I was at a sweaty little place in the jungle, the other gringos were drinking and pugnacious. I was rinsing warm hair dye off my head when I looked out past the palapas and saw him..."(click to enlarge)

Mission Dolores Park and Downtown San Francisco

Mission Dolores Park, San Francisco

Roque de Tlanepantla

Alfonso Galan

Alfonso en la Alameda Central el ano pasado. A friend from Mexico City.

Peregrinos (Pilgrims), Basilica de Guadalupe, December 12th, Mexico City

The current, modern style basilica is to the left in the photo and its predecessors in the back middle and right. Atop the hill in the distant background is another chapel.

Peregrinos en la esplanada de la Basilica de Guadalupe, 12 de Diciembre, Mexico D.F.

During the festival of Guadalupe the esplanade is jammed with people moving around, camping out and dancing. Many independent groups of dancers perform at the same time in their respective costumes.

Peregrinos en la esplanada de Basilica de Guadalupe, Mexico D.F.

Vast numbers of pilgrims come to the basilica to celebrate the appearance of the Virgen on December 12. Literally on foot and on bicycle from locations far from Mexico City. Many of them bring blankets and sleeping materials to camp out on the plaza during their stay.

Virgencita de Guadalupe, Basilica in background

La Basilica de Guadalupe, December 12 festival of the Virgen. Mexico City

This is the maximum religious site in Mexico. This building contains the painting of Guadalupe that appears on Don Diego's back at this spot, Tepeyac Hill. The event occurs on December 12 and thus it's the date of the annual festival and celebration of the Virgen of Guadalupe. The building is modern, it's predecessors are located near by. The entire complex is referred to by a mexican friend of mine as the "Little Vatican."

Retrato Familiar: Marido, Mujer y Escuincle. Family Portrait, Husband, Wife and child

Outside of Abastos Market, Oaxaca, Oaxaca.

Dos machos y un chamaco en El Mercado Abastos, Oaxaca, Oaxaca

Chamaco means child or boy child in spanish.

Cargadores en El Mercado de Los Abastos

Scenes from Mercado de Abastos, Oaxaca

The Mercado de Abastos is the biggest market complex in Oaxaca city and the state of Oaxaca. It's an exiciting place to be with an enormous variety of goods.

The market complex is bordered on one side by the Rio Atoyac, Oaxaca's river, although it now appears more of a creek.

In the mornings men wait for work on the east side of the complex.

Panteon San Fernando, Dia de Los Muertos

Cemetery San Fernando is home of many very important political figures from Mexican history, the most important, of course, is Benito Juarez, Mexico's Abraham Lincoln. As in all cemeteries, tombs are decorated with orange flowers during the holiday. In this case, though, it's not likely relatives of the deceased make the decorations and "ofrendas".

La Catrina, Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

La Catrina, a character popularized by printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posadas, at beginning of 20th century, is immensely popular as a costume during the Dia de Los Muertos holidays. The idea is elegant people, just like everybody else, are subject to death.

Domingo en La Alameda, Mexico D.F.

Sunday is busy in Alameda Park. Masses of people congregate to listen to music, dance, eat, shop and cruise each other. Generally, the crowd is of lower economic means, shorter in height, and more indigenous than the city at large. Probably many of these people have come to Mexico City from areas in central and south of the country seeking better opportunities. Cumbia style music is popular with this group.

Returning home late at night I spotted this "comedor" next to an entrance to Metro Bellas Artes.

Ron in Plaza Santo Domingo, Mexico City

Plaza Santa Domingo is where the illiterate used to go to have letters written. Today there are many small job printers as well as typists who are available for letters and forms. Ron is a friend of mine, originally from Fort Worth, Texas who has lived in Mexico City for ten years. We met at the Spanish Conversation Group held weekly at the Casa de Los Amigos, a Quaker Center and hostel near downtown. He says he swam the Rio Grande to get to Mexico.

Señora paseando por La Alameda Central, Mexico D.F.