For those of you who use to drink here but are now afraid to come over or who just haven’t been here awhile, here are a few photos from the Mariscal, one block from Juarez avenue. They are promising renewal, but this is what we have now. Lots of people on both sides of the bordereeused to drink here-david sokolec
There are so many places where Juarez seems like a movie set. Here I was staring across the street one rainy night-david sokolec
Poor Baby
Anyone can just go and buy curtains
david sokolec
Instead of going to see Break: The Urban Spectacular at the Cultural Center, I went to the far more genteel affair celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Biblioteca Arturo Tolentino. It was lovely. Though there was no cake, there were loads of people, various dignitaries, local tv and newspaper crews and a string quartet (or was it quintet) from UACJ. Tonight the celebration will continue with two plays beginning at 6 pm called Nino con Luna and La Vibora inconforme by Grupo Teatro Esquilo Bajo under the direction of Guadalupe Fileto. Tomorrow at 10 am there will be a reading of children’s poetry by local author Osvaldo Ogaz, and Saturday at 6 pm there will be reading by local authors along with music. Last night’s affair was a worthy cause, much good feeling, though from the video in today’s Diario, I probably should have gone on the the Cultural Center to see the Break dancers. -david sokolec
I love this in a display window here in downtown Juarez-david sokolec
All weekend I was kept busy attending literature readings by accomplished poets from France, Norway, Argentina Mexico etc as well as going to a wonderful breakfast for the participants Sunday morning at the Ramada. Friday night I went to see Concha Buika, the amazing internationally famous singer from Majorca. This was all for the beginning of the Chihuahua festival, and the organizers gave out free tickets to the Concha Buika show as they will for all of the events which have a charge. In addition there are an enormous number of free events. But Buika’s concert was something extraordinary, and showed how you don’t need a huge production to leave lasting impression. (Are you listening Britney -among others?). With just her voice and a piano and hand drum, she mesmerized and transfixed the audience of 1700 in the theater. This is one of the important sides of Juarez people don’t always know about-david sokolec
I went to the ex-aduana museum last Saturday to see what proved a really good if difficult film called Olga, this was a brazilian film based on a book detailing a true story of World War 11 horrors. In any case, I arrived early and discovered the auditorium packed with children qand their parents who were watching a puppet theater production by a group called La Charca. It was fairly simple, funny, often interactive ( they were asked questions), and the kids seemed enthusiastically involved. Given the museum’s theme and that the celebration of the Mexican Independence is coming up the theme was patriotic, but by no means jingoistic. What I realized is how in an age of expensive video games, and movies with extraordinary computer generated effects, small kids and maybe big kids and adults can be every bit as entertained by good simple funny narrative. That’s all-tell me a story has always been what we want and I’m not sure that has ever changed, despite all the electronic drugs we’ve been force fed over the years.-david sokolec
One of the things I love about Juarez is the way people improvise and use whatever they can to get the job done. This is a city of one to two million, but you see horse drawn carts, burro drawn carts, bicycles turned into steam table conveyers, and people trudging on foot with huge carts carrying everything.-david sokolec
For the next three months, the State of Chihuahua is celebrating Juarez’s arrival here, back when this was the seat of his government, with parades, music and theatrical presentations in towns all over the State. Saturday was Cd Juarez’s day (along with the previous Thursday and one more time in October.). I was expecting a somewhat grander parade than occured. I was expecting perhaps a major parade with floats. In fact, what we were treated to was a carriage made to look like the original carriage, and someone who did look quite convincingly like Juarez along with others designed to resemble members of his cabinet. This carriage was drawn by two burros. Then there were three
people carrying flags and in front of them precisely 18 members of a local “prepa” 16 of whom were playing horns and drums and four of whom were carrying the Mexican flag. They marched with precision, and played well. There was also a police car in front and in back. This was good, because September 16th was not really blocked off and the parade was
a bit dwarfed by cars going by on the right and at one point somewhat frightening the burros. They spread it out enough so it actually looked longer than it was, and people watched with surprise. They were staring no,t I think because they had been anticipating this, but precisely because they had no idea what was coming down the streeet.
It made its way to the Municipal Palace where a really nice event was planned.
There were speeches, but also a group called Nawjiki played music of the period and dancers from the Autonomous University of Chihuahua were dressed in clothes of the era and both provided an exceptionally pleasant summer evening’s entertainment for those in attendance. It’s too bad the
parade wasn’t more of a major affair, but really the music was wonderful-david sokolec
This weekend was international indigenous day, and Voces Indigenous organized their annual festival, this time behind the ex-aduana (soon to be called the museo de Juarez, apparently). Not everyhting being sold was particularly indigenous (like the commercial shoes) although those selling the variety of products were. What was particularly appealing was watching the raramuri kids having a great time jumping on a trampoline not being particularly bothereed by their traditional lokg dresses, and of course, the food and entertainment.
There were traditional dances, but also much more contemporary interpretations like that made by this group:
They were here doing a folk dance while previously they seemed to be dancing to something a whole lot more contemporary.
But as always, the children steal the show as in this photo:
david sokolec
