I like this.

Inlet, originally uploaded by termeern.

Of all my pictures taken in Mexico, this is definitely one of my favorite. It's just got good color. What more can I say? It's nature. It's colorful. It's just good. I like it.

Back home to CA today!

n.tm

Catholicism in Mexico

Jesus, originally uploaded by termeern.

In my Mexican travels, I have learned a lot about the culture of the indigenous Mexicans and the Spaniards. The indigenous Mexicans, or indians, had a holy number of four which was represented by the cross. The four pointed symbol was a sign of the sun and its four movements during the day: morning, mid-day, afternoon, and night. When the Spaniards came to this native land, they originally thought that this land had been conquered due to the fact that they thought that Catholicism had already reached them.

In a land of people that fought for so long to keep their individuality against European cultures and religions, Catholicism is a major part of the current culture. When learning more about the indians and how they were conquered, it saddens me to think of how these Spaniards forced this onto the people and forced their culture onto a new people.

Diego Rivera was very indifferent about the Catholic Church and what it stood for in Mexico. Rivera's stance was that they raped the Indians of their belief system and forced their own upon them. Rivera thought that the Catholic Church was to blame for the downfall of Mexico. Rivera was a openly large supporter of the Socialist party, and he said that the corrupt Church was going to tear down the country as a whole. He thought that throughout the years, the Church has only brought turmoil over the land. It brought nothing but , tears, hurt, pain, separation, and death since Catholicism first came to this wonderful land.

If this is what some Mexicans see the Catholic Church as, why is it so loved? Just a thought...

n.tm

Courtyard

Courtyard
Originally uploaded by termeern

This is one of my favorite photos that I have taken while being in Mexico.

This photo captures everything that I wanted in a courtyard. It is an example of how the courtyard is a minimal structure and how it shouldn't be the focus of any picture but the courtyard frames the sky.

The is a photo of the ancient Mayan ruins. This was a very typical house in their culture. The climate where the ruins are is very nice with temperatures in the mid 70s all year around. When climbing the Pyramid of The Sun, it was very clear how important the sun and the sky was to these people. The Sun was a very important part of the lifestyle in this culture. They models their houses to have a central courtyard in which the sun would enter and you would be able to see the light.

When asked, "did theses houses have windows on the exterior?" the answer was simply, "no, they had no need. They always put a central courtyard".

In this photo, is it very easy to understand how this simple structure meets the sky and more importantly, how the sky meets the household.

n.tm

Mexico City

Eje Central, Downtown Mexico City, 2006.
Originally uploaded by Dante Busquets

Mexico City, here I come.

I have come to rest, relax, and learn.

Architecture posts and photos are soon to come.

Can You Come Home Now?

Katelyn Anne. Please.
Originally uploaded by termeern

Katelyn Anne.

Please come home now? Thanks.

n.tm

Mullhulland Drive

Mullhulland Drive, originally uploaded by termeern.

I love Los Angeles.

For those of you who don't know why I love L.A., I’ll tell you why right now. I love everything about Los Angeles. The weather. The people. The nightlife. The urban-ness. The dirtiness. The homeless. The smog (not so much). But everything about Los Angeles really fascinates me. The fact that so many people live in close proximity to each other, drive in such immense traffic, and deal with such air quality, why? For the weather? For their jobs?

There are jobs in other places with better jobs, air quality, weather (?) and sometimes better people, but why do so many people love to live in Los Angeles? It’s proven that sitting in traffic from Los Angeles to Riverside with the windows down is as bad for you as smoking a pack of cigarettes. A pack of cigarettes. Wow. All for a city that offers great weather and good people? If the people are so superficial, then why do so many people love them? If the smog is so bad, then why do so many people contribute to it? If the people are so arrogant, then why do so many people want to live here? Living in Boston, people often say, “The people are so fake” or “It’s so gross”, but if it is so gross, then why do so many people love it? If so many people hate it, why do so many people love it?

Anyways, this is one place in Los Angeles that I love. I love to look out, and watch as the busyness goes by as I sit and ponder about what is important. All seems quiet as the raging 101 freeway blows underneath. The quiet, empty Hollywood Bowl is waiting to entertain thousands for the night, as I sit and watch the empty bowl. Highland is packed with drivers, honking their horns, and getting frustrated at the Honda Civic in front of them, but as I sit here, everything seems to slow down. Everything seems to take a different pace. Life gets put into perspective. One person is this humongous mess. In this huge place that we call home: earth. You see yourself as one person who thinks; who takes the time; who wants to understand.

Life is put into perspective.

n.tm