Saturday is a happening time in Oaxaca. We started the day with a delicious breakfast at Casa Colonial our home away from home.

Welcome to Casa Colonial.

Breakfast was cut up fresh fruit, yogurt, and eggs any way you want or, on occasion, pancakes. Lovely way to start the day.

The well tended gardens include exotic plants, birds, and a koi fish tank. The staff is always there to keep things orderly and nice.

Here is Luz with Reggie, the dog, who once lived on the streets of Oaxaca. The street dogs of Oaxaca are amazing, resourceful, mostly nice, and smart.

Ola!

Amado is the general manager. He helped us plan the day. He told us that on Saturdays, there’s always something going on like a wedding or quinceanera.

This girl was celebrating her fiesta de quinceneros. The party is an extravagant affair that usually begins with a mass at church to give thanks for the girl making a transition to a young woman. The quincenera is celebrated when she turns 15.

This wedding parade through the streets which began after the ceremony in the church, included giant puppets, dancers, and musicians in elaborate costume.

With great hoopla, this huge quincenera pageant made its way through the streets.

They stopped to dance in the city square.

It was so nice to see the March in Support of the Mitla Public Schools, having visited that historic village. These women showed amazing endurance dancing in the sun’s heat.

After partaking in the festivities we sought shelter from the blazing heat in the Oaxaca Museum of Contemporary Arts. It has a beautiful collection focusing on Oaxaca’s rich modern artistic traditions.

L’Utima Pesadilla Azteca

Much of Oaxacan contemporary art is influenced by the two famous Zapotek artists, Frederico Toledo and Rufino Tamayo.

Rufino Tamayo

Frederico Toledo

The Oaxaca Botanical Gardens

In the evening we strolled around Centro City and enjoyed some excellent street theater.

This is a still from the video we took of this opera singer’s beautiful performance on the street. So talented and poised amid the noise of the city. A fitting end to a great day.