Further Journeys

The next day Daniel had agreed to go along with my sketchy map and list of peublos I had written down to navigate a circuit of taxis and bus that might easily bring us full circle back to Tenancingo in a day.
I checked google earth for a route which had names of towns that didn't exist..as Daniel mentioned earlier.

After catching the first leg of the trip that took us past La Cumbre, where we were last night, we got off at San Nicholas, on the way down to Malinalco.  No more than 2 or 3 kms. into the second bus as I was thinking how nice it would be to come across some of that artistic grafitti I saw on an earlier bus ride into Tenancingo. Bang! There it was ...we jumped out at the most convenient spot to pullover ..as all buses usually do. The 7 pesos (40 cent) fare was well worth the forfeit.
A masterpiece of a mural that I must spend some time with, unfolded itself along my path.

This work of art is actually an official community of Malinalco announcement billboard with a graffiti style, written emergency number to call in case of a forest fire. The artist even left his signature on it!

While on the same topic of subject matter,  the other day I came across a group of sign painters/artists who were waiting for the OK from a home owner so they could to repaint a new billboard announcement along the front face of their high stone wall fence. Seems that this kind of community advertising is a common practice. There are many walls in Mexico,  the perfect medium for transfer of such messages and for a few pesos a sign, owners can rent out their wall space. Here I was, in the middle of discovering the art of practicing a legal business of graffiti and sign painting that is a common prolific form of street art in Mexico. It was a feast for my eyes and camera to watch these guys in action. ...only in Mexico.

Our next stop was the town El Picacho, perched on top of another ridge that we continued to climb from San Nicholas.  The ridge jutted outwards towards the vast Malinalco valley we left behind and was surrounded by the deep valley on both sides of the ridge. Geographically, the place is an excellent location known by paragliders and locals for the perfect thermals that rise up from the valley floor below. From the main road in town, the walk down to what looked like a good unobstructed vantage point to catch the  panoramic view was a good hike.

As we walk along the many field crops of corn, overabundant peas, beans and napoles (traditional mexican quisine) and maguey!...   Let me tell you about the maguey plant!!

Mezcal and Pulque are both made from this plant.
It is called a wonder plant and been used by the people since ancient times. Both are staples for the people and economy of Mexico. The large ones resemble those late night movie ...creatures with tentacles about to grab you by the leg!! Ha Ha ! If you're not fast enough to get away.

...back to the journey.
My thoughts about the possible existence of ancient ruins on this place was confirmed by Daniel. Most energetic places were situated strategically by nature's forces; also as  a vantage point and as a place of transition when moving or travelling. I must return with the intention of executing some twilight and dawn panoramics of the view. There is a perspective looking down the road that would make an interesting lead into the picture by streaking the automotive lights into infinity. I could only imagine the visibilty on a clear day/night after a summer rain.


This photo is a composite of 21 photos shot off the hip so to speak, strictly a documentation for the real McCoy so I can locate a more strategic spot on my return. I've also used some effects  it to cover up the hazy atmosphere.
 

For beginner paragliders especially, There is a gentle slope, set aside by the local farmer and paragliding schools that lease the spot, (so to speak) that is a very suitable area  to catch, feel the lift and play with the wind, for a stretch without crashing down a cliff below. Next time I return I want to feel the physical sensation of flying. Daniel has a paraglider.
I remember reading this story about some buddhist monks  that climbed up a steep chimney high in the Himalayas.  They tied each other, one at a time to a large kite while the others held onto a couple ropes  as they caught the winds that shot straight  upwards from a strategic rock. I always thought that to be a practice among the  daredevils  of the 21st century only, but also a practice by many before us.

After a hike back up to the main road to catch the next bus or taxi closer towards our adventurous dream, we got off in the next little busier town called Joquicingo. Our first little hike was to a powder baby  blue and white church that just glowed with angelic vibrations of the subdued blues and stark white paint against the pure blue midday sky.

Interestingly, I've noticed engraved prehispanic cornerstones embedded in the facade of most churches. Usually an aztec temple or ruins existed prior to the church of which most of the building materials for the structures of these thousands upon thousands of churches originated from existing ruins, temples and civilizations scattered out  in the vast countryside of valleys and mountains in Mexico.

The name of L'onantario  appears on the top stone which is probably hispanic but the flowery face below I have recognized at other churches and ruins.

I believe my friend Daniel had a conversation regarding the word and the blocks set in the cement.Hopefully D will comment directly below or may shed some light on this query.






 The rest of the town was painted in many tones of pure color. Here's a view looking back to the main church along the main road of Joquicingo deoicting the multi rainbow colors of concrete homes and businesses.

Our next stop was in San Francisco another 20 minutes further up the mountain towards Tenango where we will catch a bus back into Tenancingo. The first and most obvious place to visit in each village is the "Centro" part of town which usually houses activity at the main square, church, town hall and market all usually a stone's throw from the Centro. Chances of finding a taco or cervesa here are usually good.

Now the entrance gate to the main church of San Fransisco was dressed up to the nines..but unfortunatley, this time, fake flowers were used but certainly still a work of art and color. Many churches decorate with real flowers or even seeds to integrate  the customs and celebrations of the time of the year.

Looks like the Illuminatti was alive and strong 700 years ago in the reconstruction of the "New Mexico" by the spanish and the church just after the conquest of the Aztecs. Here's a closeup of the front facade of the above church.

Inside, the architecture and artwork is equally more impressive with a traditional cupola, intricate and sometimes pure gold foil designs. There are many stories regarding the safe keeping of the churches gold during the revolution.

and many larger than life murals of   Saint Francis of Assisi, a man of wealth taken to spiritual wanderings, founder of the Franciscan Order and who is the first recorded person to bear the wounds of Christs' passion. Saint Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment.

 Most churches in the small villages and towns of Mexico have an established saint dedicated to it. Hence the religious celebrations occur quite consistently from town to town. There's always a party for some and for others a glorious day to participate in celebrations in a more religious and spiritual way of prayer and devotion!

Journey into the Heart of Lightness

Le Cumbre

 I was taken to this place by my friend Daniel. Both Daniel and Juan accompanied by others, have witnessed these plasma balls before. Looking for something to do on a night of a full moon, we drove to the summit of the road pass where there is a chapel and picnic area. In the daytime, at the edge of the clearing, there is usually a taco stand and the odd vendor selling trinkets.   I have crossed this pass by taxi and the local public bus several times now, mostly to visit Martin who has given me and a few select others permission to photograph and blog about him and his work.

Passengers and drivers make the sign of the cross at this summit as they pass by. Daniel has mentioned Le Cumbre a few times before.

Daniel hid the truck in the small roadside parking area from view of  the main road and turned the engine off to an eerie sort of silence. We quietly walked around the area for a bit to familiarize ourselves with our new surroundings. Silently but with a quick pace we turned onto the pavement of the road and ran about 100 metres down the highway towards Malinalco below.  I was here earlier that morning and walked down the mountainside along the road to try and capture some of the magnificent views along the descent into the valley below. The hazy hot day was a bit disappointing for that reason alone.

Along the right side the road, was a steep cliff created by the road cut through the top of the pass probably a hundred years ago. Just downhill of it, a winding set of concrete steps with a wrought iron hand rail led straight upwards. The climb was steep and breathtaking as I had to stop a couple times to catch my breath. Perched on a rock outcrop well above the road below, was an old shrine, with a copy of the Virgin Guadalupe behind a glass enclosed sort of altar, built on concrete blocks with a back wall of  blocks. The shrine was painted in a zigzag pattern of the green, red and white Mexico colors. It was all decorated in worn and torn colors of ribbon and flowers hissing from their movement by the cool mountain pass breeze. There were many burned out candles on the altar ledge. Earlier that day, a couple of them were lit.

 

 Daniel broke our silence  ...whispering that the place had a classic haunting look and feel to it. Overhanging the side of the shrine was a creepy looking dead tree that was missing a couple crows or vultures to perfect that reflective mood of energy we both felt. Here is my daytime version looking night time that I shot in HDR earlier.

After a quick prayer and respectful pause to breathe in the essence of the place we continued upwards along a winding narrow path amongst the shrubs and trees that followed the ridge line. The hike required me to focus on the task at hand with a keen awareness of my surroundings. In some places alongside the path it  dropped dramatically out of sight.


The top photo was taken from La Cumbre (summit) between Tenancingo and Malinalco,  two small towns with well known ancient ruins amongst the mountains surrounding many more magical pueblos. Evidence of some surviving cultural knowledge amongst the remaining aztecas generations, since the conquest of Cortez, harmoniously blends itself amongst the deep rooted and very popular catholic blend of spanish and the indigenous peoples. I will discuss this topic further in another time but not necessarily another place.

Right behind me from where the top photo was taken, is the valley of Malinalco (in the photo below). The rock outcrop I used as a tripod was limited to get a panoramic view....the winding road from the view you see of Teneria  drops  some 2000 meters along the mountain side I am on. A knife edged ridge giving a 300 degree view of the valleys on both sides of the ridge. Both valleys have different climates! Avacados grow in Malinalco but not in Tenancingo being much higher and much cooler in temperature. By the way this is the direction looking towards Acapulco and Zihuatenago, 3 to 400 kms away ...and its all down hill ... to the ocean. Tenancingo is at 2000 metres.

La Cumbre is not a place to visit at night. By the way, these photos were taken under the  luminesence of a full moon. |Normally it is a superstitious place and where many of the police, cab drivers, and some locals have spotted plasma balls of light. Some moving and some still as a rock ...which I believe I have captured in this night time 5 minute full moon lit exposure of a beautiful valley below La Cumbre. This ridge is  known as  the place where the brujas gather.
I must mention that in Teneria there still exists a hanging tree from the days of the mexican revolution. Although people have tried to burn it down but it still grows today. There are also legends that talk of secret caves and tunnels that link churches to escape routes in the mountains.

For those of you having persevered through this post, the link below will take you to my website of the hi res image.  Zoom in on the far left mountain side facing you, a dark spot  that looks like a cave. Here you will see a red plasma ball.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/teneria-and-tenancingo-john-bartosik.html