EVERYBODY IS BETTER IN OAXACA...OH BABY

Well I returned to Oaxaca for the 6th winter...I keep a place year round and have spent a couple of great summers here also.  My youngest daughter Heather joined me for the first week of the New Year.  First time we shared time together without children, family, or work.  It was very special.  
      Then a cold snap came in and I dug out the long underwear.  There is NO heating or Air Conditioning except in plush hotels...it normally is not needed as the weather is so temperate here...like Shangri La..but waking to 36% INSIDE like a refrigerator is challenging.  Forecast is 5 more days then back to normal. 
       I went to a birthday party in Teotitlan del Valle, a textile village where every family owns a loom, last night.  There is a family there that lives in the same dwelling their ancestors did....over 1500 years ago! 

          The breeze throughout the open house chilled the atmosphere so a little mescal helped to revive it and we had a great meal, good time and a live band for this 72 year old to dance to.  I returned home early and expect to see snow on the ground this morning .

WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE MICHELLE

LAST TO EAT...OUR PHOTOGRAPHER ALLEN

THE RELIABLES

THE FANTASTIC "CHEAP SEATS"

MICHELLE'S MANTRA

        It was 39 % but the sun was up as usual and it should be a warm day...My grand daughter Taja, gave birth to my third great grand daughter two days ago.  Now I have 7 great grandchildren and 10 grandchildren along with 3 daughters to remember birthdays...etc.  Keeps my mind sharp.
        The whole day was spent inside posting old Travel Journals to my Blog.  I have over 20 years of them before I discovered Blogger and started posting my travel there.

        Gadi came today in an attempt to resurrect last year's Spanish she implanted in my brain.  It was coming back slowly as most things at this time in my life.  Adelina cleaned house while I dined on more Pizza while renewing my friendship with Hector over lunch at the Bakery.  I noticed my intermittent claudation in my legs was causing the pain to return since my daughter left.  I tried to think of diet, lack of water, medicines, ...what was it that had changed.  Today I discovered it was my Puma sports socks that were very much like compression socks.  People that have limited circulation in their legs or arterial blockage should not restrict the flow of blood with compression socks!!  I will give it a test run tomorrow.
     Helen arrived late last night with an urgent message from Ginny, her traveling companion.  My phone had been shut off but while resting to alleviate the pain in my legs on the way to lunch I turned it on and discovered she was seriously sick with possible pneumonia and at the very least a bad case of influenza.  I sent her Dr. Z's work and mobile number but she was already there.  Follow up appointment in two days to see if it has progressed into pneumonia or if her treatment  made her better.  I'll visit her then.
     Tomorrow will be another day of Posting the historical travel journal to my Blog...these posts are in chronological order.  If your interested in hearing about my trip to Southeast Asia...its 2008-9 on the posts.

OAXACA ANOTHER WINTER...DAUGHTER'S VISIT

 Jeannie my super neighbor dropped me at the airport New Year's Eve Day.  I flew into Mexico City and then after a 3 hour layover continued on to Oaxaca.  It was around 8 pm when I arrived at the Condo but had hid a key in the flower pot and now couldn't find it.  I got the landlord to search for his key and by 9 pm I was unpacking until 11:30 when I set my alarm for 4:30 am to meet my daughter who took the redeye flight from Tijuana to Oaxaca.  Then the fireworks began..surprise it's now 2018.  An hour and a half later the noise subsided and I finally fell asleep.
     
I was outside at 6 am and all the streets were deserted after the night's celebrations.  NO buses, cars...or TAXI.   Finally around 6:40 I flagged a taxi and headed for the airport.  I got there just after her plane landed and she was coming out of bag claim.

We returned to the condo and unpacked then took a walk trying to find something open.  It was like a bomb hit...nothing open and no one around.
We found the Importador at the Zocalo open so had breakfast and returned for a nap.

When we finally got rested and out of the house, everywhere was open and packed! Music, dancing, celebration on New Year's Day.  We had dinner at Tres Bistro and planned our next day to visit Monte Alban Ruins.

We woke and took a taxi to Monte Alban... a Zapotec Mayan ruin dating back around 2000 years.  We had a beautiful day with a cloud cover that enabled us to take some great photos and protect us from sunburn and heat exhaustion.

That evening we tried different Mescals, a liquor distilled from the Agave plant and famous in Oaxaca, the effects of which caused Heather to want to adopt a puppy and get her fortune told.

We had dinner from a street vendor...big greasy hamburger with cheese, pineapple, ham, lettuce, onion , tomato, and a hotdog all in a bun with ketchup.

Wednesday we met my Spanish teacher, Gadi Hernandez for lunch back at Tres Bistro.  We then toured the textile Museum

Gadi left for work and we went next door to the San Pablo Cultural Center.

There, among other things, was an exhibit of Oaxaca's famous woodcarvings and ceramic creations.

Thursday was an excursion via a "Collectivo", shared taxi, to Zacachila, another ancient village dating back 2000 years and an burial sites, one of which was that  of the ruler of the Zapotec nation. This is also one of the special places to visit the Cemetery during the Dias de la Muerta or Day of the Dead celebration from October 31 to November 2 every year.  Today was also Market Day.

That evening we attended a Concert and met my friend Richard.  We went out after for a Mescal drink with Chapulines...better know to us as Crickets.

Friday, after breakfast at the Organic Market, we wandered down to the
 Archaeological Museum, a part of the Santa Domingo Basilica, which was next on our tour.

We had lunch at the Organic Market then visited the Stamp Museum.

Heather had some bracelets made for her children.

 We wandered around then had an early dinner at Cabuche before returning home.

Saturday we wandered around doing a little shopping, sightseeing then later a pizza at the Boulanc Bakery.

 January 6 is when a gift (the only gifts passed out ...none at Christmas) is given to the children by the Three Kings.  Children from poor families, and orphans also are brought in or gifts taken to them in the villages by the Three Kings.

  After watching a wedding celebration, a ceremonial Corn Dance, we had dinner then went home to pack for an early morning departure on Sunday.

My daughter was departing today. The week was over and it was Sunday morning at 4:30 am when I rose to help her.   Feliciano our taxi driver was waiting to take us to the airport at 5:30 am. 

         We arrived and got in the end of a long line.  30 minutes later we checked her bag when the attendant informed her that her flight is tomorrow!!!!!!  Can't get a taxi out of the airport...have to take a collectivo but the ticket office was closed so I paid three times the price to return home.  Now I am sick with a cold not the flu...I hope.  She has no idea how the children will get to school on Monday and she was supposed to be at work.  We laughed as we both returned to bed after the best Avocado I ever ate.
     Yesterday as we were leaving our small complex and there was a vendor selling produce out of the trunk of his car with wife and child.  Got fresh dozen brown eggs, beautiful tomatoes, avocados and honey without ever leaving the compound.  More in my blog...got to get rest.   Lots of "stuff" to catch up on but got to get rid of this cold first.
      We did get an extra day so Heather took off on her own to explore and go have lunch.  She ended up at Tres Bistro, where the waiter recognized her and pointed out some friends of mine that he remembered from last year.  She introduced herself to Lynn and her companion and they invited her to sit with them. Nice coincidence.  I don't remember what we did that day but we did return to bed early and were all packed to depart again.  This time I didn't go with her but said goodbye when the Taxi took her off to the airport.  Great visit and one of the best times I've shared with my daughter.