¡hola!

Well, the past month has literally flown by. And now it's April 20th, and I'm back in Montreal after almost three weeks spent elsewhere: first Mexico City, then in our former home of Vermont for the opening of J.'s photography exhibition. In the meantime, spring has finally arrived in the northeast too, and not a moment too soon, because everyone was starting to go completely bonkers. On April 9th, we flew into Montreal looking down on fields covered with snow and a frozen river, but within a couple more days almost everything had melted. We're back on our bikes, and feeling hopeful.

I'm glad to be back here at The Cassandra Pages, too. Taking a break was a good idea; I've come back with stories and photos and ideas, and also some greater insight about my relationship to the online world: what's healthy for me, and what isn't. The blog definitely is, so I look forward to resuming the conversation.

This silly picture was taken at a photography show in Mexico City devoted to the art of a special group of street photographers who take photos of visitors at festivals and shrines - historically, they use large-format sheet-film cameras and deliver the finished photographic print to the subject within a short time. Often the photographer has some sort of backdrop or set-up -- like this painted airplane - which forms a souvenir record of the visit. We had seen such photographers and their set-ups at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe last year, (see below) but had no idea it was a genre with a long history in Mexico.

I love the kitsch-y quality of these photos and almost wish now that we'd had our pictures taken at this stand last year with the former Pope, a donkey and a sombrero, all those Mexican colors, and not one but two Virgins!

Actually, the black-and-white photographs exhibited were often poignant as well as amusing. There was even a full-sized white horse in the exhibition, waiting to smile over your shoulder. Who could resist?

 

 

 

Comments

[Martine]

You both looked tanned, happy and rested! Hâte de vous voir :)

[Kathy Hughes]

Love pics and seeing you two!!!!!! So good to see you both happy and healthy...XXOO
K

[Hattie]

Oh, cute. I see you really had fun. Now you can welcome in the spring!

[Rachel Barenblat]

It is good to hear your voice again in the blogosphere! And I love these photographs -- especially your smile on the faux airplane and the beautiful one of Jonathan.

[Marly Youmans]

Hah, hah--I'm glad you flew away and are back again.

[Natalie]

I love the photos too, you in the toy plane and Jonathan with the toy horse - terrific!

[Duchesse]

A delicious bite of the colour and richness. I appreciate silly and you do it so cheekily.