NOT ALL DAYS ARE GREAT

             I asked Courtney to assist me with changing my air reservation.  The non refundable ticket was close to being cancelled if I didn't do it NOW .  I brought my phone and flight info.  She managed to connect with the Call Center for Inter-Jet Air.  They changed the departure to match my connecting flight in Mexico City when I depart for home.  They couldn't change the return flight in November as it was too far in advance but said I could change it a few months after I returned in order to use the full value. That took Courtney over 30 minutes on the phone to accomplish.  I was happy.  

     Joy, a friend from Phoenix emailed me that she had arrived in town.  I thought she had came and left already so invited her to Biznaga for Happy Hour.  I checked my email and had not received a reply so ventured into La Noria area and on to Chedarui , a huge grocery store.  There was a Chinese Buffet in the Plaza so I had lunch and noticed the servers dish up the customer's request.

 A man will buy the buffet then walk around pointing to what he wants on his plate.  I saw this more then once while having my lunch.  The Hefe swaggered while barking his requests to the lady.
      When I was done shopping I took a bus home.  It was close to Happy Hour but I assumed Joy didn't get the message in time .  I arrived to find NO water or internet connection.  I telephoned Teresa and around 7 pm I had the internet connection and there was a message from Joy...where were you?  I apologized and tried to meet the next day but she was off for a tour. I had another message from Don in my condo that the replacement TV was delivered but when he called Direct TV to hook it up, they wanted $140.   It is now in my name so tomorrow I have to contact them and find out why they aren't honoring my initial order.  Not my fault the TV broke the day they came to install it.  The water came on around 10 pm. 

Carry Baby with a Shawl

       The following day I returned from another class on the Indigenous population of the state of Oaxaca.  It is the largest of all the Mexican states.  It just recently returned to the population it was prior to the Spaniards invasion.  over 500 years ago. When I arrived at the condo the water was off again...and the electricity.  The fuse was blown so I bedded down early and waited Saturday for Usi, the repairman to show.  He arrived just before lunch, replaced the fuses and left me some in case.  He was also there to fix the propane gas leak.  A week ago he shut off one , putting a note in English DO NOT OPEN, and hooked up the other tank. Usi was proud that he wrote the note and asked if it was correct and how to pronounce it.  The note was correct but the vowel O for Mexicans is pronounce differently than his note.  Each O in the note is different than the other so we practiced it until he could pronounce it correctly. Then he asked for money to replace the gas lines .  You could still smell gas.  He returned shortly and while replacing them, the Gas Company showed up and told him the regulator was the problem and if he came to there local store he could get one...more money and off he went.  Finally the whole job was completed but when I offered to tip him he only took $5 for gasoline for his motorbike.  I turn the receipts in to the landlady when I pay the rent and she reimburses me.

Art Classes for Children

          Sunday I met with Joy and we stopped by and got Helen and her friend Gil then took a taxi to Allen's home for a Thai dinner.  Allen's wife is Thai and with his adopted Mexican daughter Terri, they prepare and serve a Thai menu open to friends on Sunday's only.  It was quite nice and enjoyable eating on his porch with quite a few people that showed up...maybe 60-70 all day.  We took a bus home and I walked Joy to my bus stop and we set a date for Wednesday Happy Hour at Biznaga.  

Linda

      Tuesday I went on a enlightening Church tour with Linda, former resident of Cambridge Mass. and 4 years a costume designer for Harvard. She has been a long time resident of Oaxaca and is an artist.  Her tour was excellent with bits and pieces of Oaxaca trivia as well as information about the churches.
      D.H. Lawrence wrote a book while staying in Oaxaca across from the B and B my landlady owns.  He was here with his wife and mistress.  

     Graham Greene came here as a spy for the Vatican.  The Mexican government confiscation all church property then and the Christo War was on. Priest were being hunted down and not allowed to say Mass in public or wear their Vestments outside of church.  Greene wrote the book the Power and the Glory which became a best seller and a movie.

The Priest in Graham Greene's story

        Benito Juarez , former President of Mexico, was married to a Catholic beauty though he refused to marry inside the church.  They were married on the steps of the church.

Benito Juarez Married here.

 He later was the one responsible for confiscating all church property...to this day.  Incidentally Priests in Mexico can marry and have a family. Benito later brought King Maximilian with his wife Carlatta  to Mexico to take over as ruler when Mexico defaulted on European loans. A few failed years later it was suggested the King abdicate his throne and return to Europe but his mother was appalled and insisted his royal blood didn't allow him to tarnish the family name so he stayed and Juarez had him shot in front of a firing squad while the King requested the band to play La Paloma.  Maximilian wore a Sombrero and his last words were Viva Mexico!

       Cortez returned to Spain after his conquest and was given a choice of land for his reward by the King of Spain.  He choose Oaxaca because of it's gold and was given the title of Marquis of Oaxaca. He was disappointed he wasn't given the title of Viceroy..but Oaxaca is 1/4 the size of all of Spain..so he didn't fair too badly.

Please Jesus...bring my honey home.