VALENTINE'S DAY-THE END OF FEBRUARY OAXACA '19

       I spent my Sunday doing what I enjoy on a day of rest.  REST!  I watched my usual CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley.  Then read and played on the computer while Hector the owner was busy supervising the supervisor of a construction crew that worked extremely hard all day mixing concrete THEN carrying it up a spiral metal stairway in 5 gallon plastic buckets to the roof over his warehouse to build another storage area.   It was hot and there was a crew of 6 that did not stop the entire day. Adelina had a cooler for them with cold water.  

        That evening they brought in more sand to mix more concrete on Monday and continue the process.

        I left to drop off my laundry and let Adelina clean my room.  She explained she would have to do it the next day as there was so much dust and just general cleaning of the construction area to keep her busy that day.  I went on to the Taj Majal , an Indian restaurant near the laundry to request a type A or O blood donation that could only come from a Pakistani, Iranian, or Indian.  It was to save a 2 year old girl's life in Phoenix whose mother is a member of Active International group I belong to.  They had to be pure blood and special type blood.  They haven't got back to me yet so I assume they don't qualify.

         Shakukura with Kefir was my breakfast at Belanc.  I shared the table with some Mexicans and a lady from Ukraine who spoke excellent English and was so happy to be in Oaxaca.  She is thinking of moving here.  I don't know if Ukraine is part of the EU but if so might give her special travel rights.  

            Today I'm off to visit Zoe and maybe she will drive me to Prissa in Colonial Reforma for some liquor I have not been able to find.  It is an import store and I might find some specialty food items also. I treated her to breakfast at Chipeche for the convenience of the ride and for gas!   We had a great meal and service in the garden before stopping at Prissa for me to pick up some booze. 

I should have brought my list. I bought the wrong Vermouth and forgot the bitters. I will return. Zoe dropped me at my door after a wonderful morning.

          Adelina was just finishing up cleaning my condo, so nice.

         Today I went to the Pachote Market to have a Seafood lunch but forgot the Los Ramblas closes on Wednesday to give Market tours.  I took some photos of Deke's , our condo manager,   exhibit of Mexican hands working at trades that will soon be a lost art. 

I headed for Terranova to have lunch.  I was only going to have a snack since I was dining tonight with Tom at Mexita's.  Geraldo suggested the Daily Comida so I stuffed myself but enjoyed the view.

      It will be nice to see Tom again...been a month since we last took a night out.

       Perfect evening for dancing and dinner at Mixeta.  We met at the Zocalo while the Wednesday live band dance party was going on. 

Tomorrow in Valentine's Day but they always wear Red...it's traditional.   Got a taxi to an almost empty restaurant where we got our drink orders with Tom's being mixed by Mario, the owner.  I had my favorite Prosciutto and Melon appetizer while Tom went for a salad.  He ordered the Ricotta Raviolis so I requested any other Raviolis and Mario said he would prepare a Fresh Porcini Mushroom Raviolis so I accepted.   The entire meal was awesome....and I forgot the photos.  We had an after dinner drink and took our taxi's home.  Great dinner good time.

      Valentine's Day I did nothing.

Saturday I attended a Cello and Piano concert by Ben Larsen and Hyungjin Choi , both accomplished musicians, married and faculty members of the Music School of Westchester, N.Y.  

    The concert was very enjoyable but they said I hadn't paid though I thought I did.  I paid them and left for dinner with Michelle and her brother.  I share the casita in Teotitlan de Valle with her and will start going there after her weekly visit.  We had a great time catching up on things.  Her brother was very nice and had also stayed out at the Casita Compound and loved it.  Again...I forgot photos.  

     I did take a couple of the Oaxacan Tuna group being featured at the Zocalo.  I recognized Chris, one of the players I met two years ago.  He and the group have traveled all over Europe but he now lives in California but is from Oaxaca and returns each year...it's like a musical fraternity.

      Today I'm off for Dim Sum at Enid's home.  It's another fund raiser for another organization.  I attended it 2 years ago and enjoyed the food and company.  When I arrived everyone was just getting ready to eat.  I found my seat and enjoyed the company of 10 people at the table as well as 7-10 courses of Cabbage salad, Pork, Shrimp, Dim Sum, Short Ribs, Won Tons, etc....not many photos.  A few people had been to last years dinner with me.

    I walked to Cherdaui Market and did some shopping before taking a taxi home.

     Monday Adelina kicked me out so she could clean my place.  I met Don my friend and gave him plans for my new Computer stand he will build for me so I can type better....or click better.   I bought a couple of old...50's photos of Oaxaca before returning home.   I set 

my computer up when I returned and watched some PBS shows from Arizona and American Masters special about WW I.  Really enjoyed it.  I can watch live PBS News too...broadcast on to my Big Screen TV .  Just like home.

     Hector is coming this afternoon to play Dominoes.  I'm going to try and talk him into having lunch at my friends Las Ramblas del Mar restaurant so I don't have to fix something for myself.

      We had a quick few games then sat down at Las Ramblas for a great Shrimp Cocktail and Filet of Dorado with Rice and Vegetables.  It was a nice but hot afternoon.

     Wednesday I walked to Mexico's version of UPS and picked up my package of CBD Gummbies I ordered through Mercado Libre.   I was on my way to the Oaxacan Learning Center for another fund raiser, concert and free dinner I'd been invited to. On the way I met Pedro, a computer guru that wanted to practice his English, so I invited him in to meet some of the volunteers and find out about the school.

    He left for work and I headed for the Wine. The place was filling up with a lot of Gringos with money.  It was a nice crowd of do gooders.

      I talked to Mike, one of the volunteers and Peter, another friend showed up...we are having breakfast together on Monday.  Ben Watson, the Cellist started the concert after Robert gave a promo speech for money and introductions. 

It was an outstanding performance.  We were then ushered into the bar for Appetizers and Wine while they set up the dining area for the dinner buffet of Lasagna and Stuffed Chicken with Rice, Green Beans and Broccoli followed by a nice Chocolate Cake with Creme and Strawberries.  

      We had two couples at our table.  One from Boston that had lived on Commonwealth Ave in the 60's when the landlord decided to convert to condos.  They bought one and stayed there for 23 years.  They were taking a trip in 1968-9.  While visiting the library, a book on Mexico fell off the shelve and the wife brought it home to consider Mexico as the trip.  Mexico to a Bostonian was a remote , backwards country until they read the travel book and decided to go.  They loved it and kept returning every winter.  Oaxaca became their favorite and they settled into a year round place they visited in the winter.  That was 50 years ago.

        The other couple were from Central New York State and just bought a home up on the hill off of Calle de Crespo with a view of the Oaxaca.  They are located just down the street from Kurt and Lynn.   They had been coming here for over 12 years I think.  They were wonderful people and I enjoyed the conversation...what I understood with my hearing in a loud room. 

        I stopped at Importador in the Zocalo on my way home for a Tequila and just to contemplate my wonderful evening. The duo entertaining with there music was popular and people kept stopping to listen, record, and film them.

       It was late and the vendors were packing up their stalls and heading back to the village with their family.  There was a "Snow Moon" out.

           Thursday was another Dominoes game where I lost but met Kim and Robert who were visiting from Detroit on a Travel Special for a week to get out of the snow.  They had never played Mexican Dominoes but were brilliant at it.  She was a Spanish language teacher in Detroit who had been coming to Oaxaca for over 20 years...a week here and there.  We traded emails and they suggested some places I might like to visit in Detroit if I drove to NY this summer.

There was some event honoring different people from different villages for something. Good crowd. 

        I went to the butcher at Benito Juarez Mercado and bought a Kilo of smoked Pork Loin to season my Ukrainian Borscht I was making.  Turned out good but I added too much vinegar. 

       

          I am relaxing today and have an engagement at Distilerio Restaurant for Happy Hour with Virginia, the lady that used to live in my condo.  We had a nice conversation and it was nice to see her again.  On the way back I encountered a parade.

I have no idea what I did on Saturday and Sunday except watch a WWI documentary that was excellent on PBS.  I was supposed to meet Ginny, back from Rochester and her recent trip to SE Asia with Helen.  Helen stayed behind in Shanghai to visit a friend.  Ginny showed up but never replied to my invitation so I thought she didn't check her email and I stayed home.  Oh well , we are meeting for Happy Hour on Monday.

This morning, Adelina came to clean and I left for breakfast with my friend Peter who lives in the Berkshires and who I may visit this summer while he volunteers at Tanglewood and sees the best of entertainment from all over for FREE.  I arrived at his Hotel/Bungalow with him waiting outside with D , a new friend.   We chatted and I asked to see the hotel.  Very nice and convenient for Peter, with a kitchenette and outdoor pool to use.

     We headed for Chipeche Cafe where we enjoyed a great breakfast and nice conversation about travels. 

      We walked back to the library where I saw Bill.  I am giving him my computer for his friend Enrique's niece.  It is an old one but still good.  I said hi to all and bye to Peter and picked up some Organic Bacon, Spinach, and yogurt before taking the bus home.

         I met Ginny at Distilerio but they were closed on Monday so we walked over to Biznaga for a drink and snack.  A child selling gum conned me into taking her photo, then asked for 40 PESOS for posing. 

 I gave her 10 Pesos.  Then a wonderful lady charmed me into buying a purse for my granddaughter.    It was nice to see Ginny again but she wasn't feeling too well so I walked her home and called it a night.

      

                

The next day Helen arrived from Shanghai tired and jet lagged.  I bought a couple old black and white photos of the Zocalo and Market back in the early 50's and went to the locations to try and capture the same photo 70 years later.

         Wednesday Helen was rested so we met at Pachote Market in the neighborhood and took a taxi to Chipeche Cafe in Xochimilco for breakfast with Lynn.  

       Another wonderful meal at what is becoming thee place for morning get togethers .

We were supposed to go to a Concert that night but I was too tired so watched Park Ave a PBS expose on the 1% that control over half the wealth in the USA.  Hard to get to sleep after watching that.  I wanted to sell my house and move out of the country I grew up in.  Now, without ANY REPRESENTATION IN THE DIRECTION THE USA IS GOING, I NO LONGER FEEL A PART OF IT.  I realized after the Documentary that it was produced in 2012...before the birth of TRUMPLAND.  Now I really feel hopeless and disheartened.