Running of the Toritos in Taxco Mexico. My technique for not getting gored by the Toros? Take a knee as they ran passed and pray they didn’t choose to run me over and set me of fire. I love witnessing things like this in Mexico and Central America, events that would be outlawed before they ever stated in the United States. It reminds me of the Bolas de Furgo in Guatemala.

Last year I was in Guatemala for Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. November 1 and 2 marks a very important ritual throughout Guatemala, especially in the predominantly indigenous town of Santago Sacatepequez, where a unique kite-flying festival of the Katchiquel people integrate the Catholic feast of All Saints day with pre-Columbian Mayan practices of remembering the dead.

It also marks the end of the rainy season. I’d been in the area since the beginning of July, and as if someone flipped a switch, the daily pouring vanished and for the first time in months if felt the wind. Bamboo kites are made  as a way to communicate with the dead, symbolically attracting the spirits to earth to reunite the living and the dead.

I’ve always loved the traditions associated with Día de los Muertos because it’s about remembering and celebrating life, not fearing death.

I’m very pleased to announce the launch of a new company called Tortuga Photo Workshops.  Together with  Albuquerque Journal staff photographer Roberto Rosales, we created a company offering photo adventure workshops in Latin America. Our first workshop is scheduled for the remote island of Meanguera off the coast of El Salvador in mid March 2010.  Please have a look at our new website for more information. Also please follow us via our Facebook page.

I also want to take a second to send huge thanks to Ezra at Electrophonic Design, who put this new site together and designed all my web pages. I hope to get back to posting more on Vamos A Ver, now that Tortuga is off and running.