22 - 6 GOODBYE AMSTERDAM -PHOENIX- HELLO OAXACA

 My dear friend Jeannette Kok died yesterday.  I was blessed to have had visits with her this last couple of weeks.  I visited her husband and daughter today to give my respects.  I pack tomorrow and depart the following day. Sanna had my invitation to the "Leaving Ceremony" already.

I had a nice visit with Peter. He was understandably shook up and sad.  I bid him farewell and decided to have a double Herring snack .  It was always a ritual when visiting Peter and Jeannette. I returned to Haarlem.

        The next day, notice came that a covid test was no longer necessary, but I didn't receive the official notice until the day my test was scheduled.  My packing day too.  I went early to the testing center and was told NO refunds if cancelled within 24 hours of scheduled test.  I emailed the company requesting credit for paying for nothing.  We all know how that goes. I went next door and had a Belgium Waffle and coffee for breakfast. 

      The bridge was closed on my way back.  Now I get to see how it works...the whole bridge twists out and to one side so boats have access to half the canal to pass through. 

I downloaded my boarding passes and packed peanut butter sandwiches along with space cake to eat the morning of departure. Then went to the Haarlem Social Club for dinner.  This place has over 160 wines to choose from and you pour your own...out of a computer of course and with your very own Credit Card they charge to your real credit card.   They have small food plates also.

                               

                               Brand...Price....then Size Just put card in Press button

When I returned, I tried to get a little sun on my roof.  But it was a bit windy and chilled so I got some photos.

      I went to bed around 7-8 pm with alarm set for 5:40 am. I slept with one hearing aide in and both connected to my phone so the alarm would go off in my ear unless the hearing aide fell out during the night.  I forgot one thing.  With the hearing aide in, I can hear everything.  People don't usually go to bed that early and Saturday night for sure.  I got new neighbors in the last couple day and they woke me a couple times that night.  I got up at 5:20 am ate some yogurt, dressed, etc and was out the door at about 6:05...I locked my key in the apartment with my spare key I made then threw it away. I took a shortcut over another bridge. 

                            

                                      Not a bad Selfie considering I'm still asleep. 

OCCUPYING NAZIS TOOK PEOPLE FROM HOMES IN HOLLAND TO DEATH CAMPS...THE

DUTCH PUT THESE PLAQUES IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES IN THEIR HONOR 

MEXICO HONORS SOME OF THEIR DEAD...WHERE THEY DIED

 

  I AM ON THE BUS

WHILE OTHERS STILL SLEEP.

 ARRIVAL

I was the only person I saw until I arrived about 3 minutes before the bus.  I was at the airport and through security at my gate by 7:30.  Plane leaves at 10 am...but didn't...more like almost 11 am.  Arrived at Philly at 1 pm after a 7 hour ride through 4 time zones, I think.  

 

    I PAID $5 TO HAVE THIS MAN WITH A WHEELCHAIR TAKE ME TO THE GATE AFTER WALKING OUTSIDE IN THE HEAT TRYING TO GET TO C TERMINAL IN PHILLY.

FRED?

        He answered and came over.  He asked if I was returning to Phoenix and I said I just came from Holland.  You know that place from your first wife?  He said...I think you are mistaken.  So I took a photo to show Fred and friends? Collects cars from the 50's ...sure looked like him!

This is when we got notice that there was no crew and we had to wait an hour and a half. These ladies sat next to me the return trip to Phoenix. Departure for 3:40 didn't leave until 5 so I arrived in Phoenix at 6:45 pm after a 5 hour ride. 

        I drove over to get a take out order for dinner then crashed about 8 pm and up at 7am for my doctor's appointment at 11 am.  We scheduled some tests , reviewed the year and then I got blood tests and stopped at Randy's for Breakfast...I had to fast for the tests.  I got home and started sorting out Meds to pack when Jeannie stopped over with the news that Saul...the former owner of her place, died on the same day as his wife did, 3 years earlier.  I know he was sad and didn't want to live after she passed away.  I was guilty of not visiting him more than twice.  Now I am sad and mad at myself. 10 days I'll be in Mexico and have lots to sort and pack still! More appointments and tomorrow 3 hours at the VA for testing to see if I should have  cochlear implants. 

    Sanna sent a link for the funeral.  I tried it but it was just a PDF file of the card she gave me before I left.  I wrote and she explained the link was on the card.   So I put it on the computer and it said to wait until the streaming starts but it didn't.  Sanna finally told me the funeral wasn't until this Friday. Oh duh.

I used the streaming link to watch the Leaving Ceremony. Basel, Jeannettes brother, Sanna, her daughter, Hester, her neighbor,Ron and Rudd, her friends, Peter her husband, and assorted friends and co-workers all paid her tribute with stories of her life. A singer sang to her, flowers were everywhere, pall bearers were Peter, Rudd, Ron, Sanna, a co-worker, and her grandson.  

You know I've been traveling all my life but didn't get serious until 1987 when I was free from my second marriage.  Just a good story about travel and why?

Tourists with Typewriters, published by the University of Michigan Press: “Travel literature is a polyvalent genre that alternates between ‘a semi-ethnographic, distanced, analytic mode’ and ‘an autobiographical, emotionally tangled mode.’” I can’t argue with any of that, mostly because I can’t understand any of it. I have to say that for me it is all much simpler than that. I travel because it brings me pleasure to do so. I especially love that sense of not knowing quite what is going on, of being in a place where mundane things—an advertisement at a bus shelter, a snack from a street stall, the giant insect that lands on your shirtsleeve and preens its luminous wings—become fascinating, alarming, delightful, amusing, or otherwise notable. Henry James put it very well more than a century ago when he wrote: “I can wish the traveler no better fortune than to stroll forth in the early evening with as large a reserve of ignorance as my own.” I entirely understand the feeling. Some years ago the London Times sent me to Japan during the soccer World Cup to write about the spectacle of the world’s greatest tournament from an outsider’s perspective, as someone who doesn’t follow soccer very closely. All I was expected to do was wander around and enjoy myself. I found I loved Japan, largely because I was never quite sure what was going on. I couldn’t read the signs. I couldn’t figure out the food. I couldn’t converse with anyone. I couldn’t even confidently operate the high-tech toilet in my hotel room. It was wonderful. On my next-to-last day in the country, I flew into Tokyo from Sapporo and needed to get to Tokyo’s main railroad station, called Shinjuku. I climbed into a taxi at the airport and said to the driver, “Shinjuku station, please.” He didn’t seem to have any idea what I meant. I repeated my request, as articulately as I could, and he looked at me as if I had asked him to take me to Boise. I pulled a map of Tokyo out and showed him Shinjuku station. He studied this with a look of great dissatisfaction, but at length put the car in gear and we set off. We drove for what seemed hours through the endless, numbing sprawl of Tokyo. Eventually we entered a long, deep tunnel—a kind of underground freeway, it seemed. About a mile along, the driver pulled into an emergency parking bay and stopped. He pointed to a metal door cut into the tunnel wall and indicated that I should get out and go through that door. “You want me to go through that door?” I said in disbelief. He nodded robustly and presented me with a bill for about a zillion yen. Everything was beginning to seem more than a touch surreal. He took my money, gave me several small bills in change, and encouraged me to depart, with a little shooing gesture. This was crazy. We were in a tunnel, for crying out loud. If I got out and he drove off, I would be hundreds of feet under Tokyo in a busy traffic tunnel with no sidewalk or other escape. You’ll understand when I say this didn’t feel entirely right. “Through that door there?” I said again, dubiously. He nodded and made another shooing gesture. I got out with my suitcase and went up three metal steps to the door and turned the handle. The door opened. I looked back at the driver. He nodded in encouragement. Ahead of me, lit with what seemed emergency lighting, was the longest flight of stairs I had ever seen. It took a very long while to climb them all. At the top I came to another door, exactly like the one at the bottom. I turned the handle and cautiously opened it, then stepped out onto the concourse of the world’s busiest railway station. I don’t know whether this is the way lots of people get to Shinjuku or whether I am the only person in history ever to have done so. But what I do know is this: it’s why I like to travel. Bill Bryson

Carol arrived from Texas for her Mexican Consulate Interview for Permanent Residency.  She passed and will complete the process when she returns to Mexico next week.  We attended a Marcia Ball concert at the Musical Instrument Museum.  Very nice.

 

The next evening we dined at Lure, a great Seafood Restaurant.

I arranged a late lunch at Taylor's Chowder House with Roman, my grandson, Bruce, a long time friend, Carol and I .  Don my ex-Chef of 40 years prepared an excellent lunch for all of us.  He said he is tired and will hopefully find someone to take over the end of this year. His lovely daughter waited on us. No photos. Better than Lure! 

       Carol departed for Texas and I spent the last couple days finishing the packing. Jeannie drove me to the airport and I was at the gate for a 2 hour wait within 10 minutes that it took to check my bags. We had to wait an hour for the flight crew.     I still had plenty of time so went to the Gate and just relaxed until they informed us there was another delay.  First they said they were working on the plane as it had some maintenance problems. Then they told us we had to go to Gate 1 at terminal D to board another plane instead.  That turned out to be a sting operation to catch someone transporting drugs.  We were unaware until stepping through the door to the plane we saw 4 Houston police with a dog that sniffed everyone and every bag.  Bad info as no one was busted.  I had a nice airline meal ,which surprised me, just before landing 2 hours late in Oaxaca.

The taxi service wouldn't allow me to take a Collectivo (Shared Van) because I had too much luggage....3 large suitcases.  I had to pay 3 times more but arrived quickly. Lulu and her son Daniel helped carrying the suitcase upstairs. I was moving them into the bedroom to unpack and noticed some brown sticky liquid oozing out of one.  Pomegranate Molasses had broken and was on everything in the suitcase.  I suspect it was from the trunk of the taxi to the condo is where it happened.  Two hours later I had washed everything except the suitcase with broken glass in it. It was 2 am and I went to bed. 

The next day I slept late then wandered around a bit to get back into Oaxaca. A couple of Chess games were taking place.

CLOWN ENTERTAINING

One of the enormous 100 year old trees was uprooted in a wind and rain storm.

I dined at Tres Bistro where Alfredo served me my Baja Oysters , Ceviche, and Salmon with Roasted Vegetables.

                      It felt good to be back home!

I left for a walk in the morning.  Hector, my landlord was packing cayenne pepper to take to different distribution points along with huge bags of Cheetos, Chips, Pretzels, and Popcorn.   

POPCORN?

                                 Teddy Bear Store opened while I was gone.

Carol and I decided to have our first dinner together at Humar.  Salma and Arnud's new location for their restaurant.  The meal and service was good.  We went upstairs to their rooftop bar for a fantastic drink afterwards.   

Ladies

Men

We walked our meal off visiting a "Dog Parade" and an Art Exhibit before stopping at Distilarado for some Guacamole and a Mescal Cocktail.

TRIPOD

 Our Breakfast Place started closing on Wednesday so we went back to our old standby Cielo.   It is also a great little outdoor Cafe that we have been going to for 8 years now.  

I scheduled an 11am massage with Eliz my guide and masseuse who gives an unbelievable massage that gets my circulation going!  She is also a wealth of information.  I told her about my broken Pomegranate Molasses that I brought from the states and she referred me to an Arabic store just up the street.  The lady will have it for me next week.

I heard the Boutique Hotel next to the library had finally opened for business so decided to see it and visit the library.  The rooms are $350 a night...DOLLARS.  I am taking a tour this coming week to see these rooms.  

LIBRARY WITH NICE NEW ENTRANCE

NEW HOTEL ON THE RIGHT-READY TO SERVE FOOD ON PATIO

Carol and I have made Tres Bistro our traditional restaurant to go to.  We went for our usual Wine and Salmon but treated ourselves to split a Chocolate Cake this time.

OH...WE ALSO HAVE OYSTERS FIRST

I still haven't shopped to stock my kitchen and needed my "Special" bread I get at the

Belanc Bakery.  I decided to have breakfast of Shaksura while there.  I was seated at a "share table" with a Mexican family.  The boy of 9 or 10 was busy reading a book in English and immediately started practicing his English skills on me.  He attends school in Florida where he lives with his father.  It is summer so he spends it with his mother in Oaxaca.  Very intelligent and well spoken boy. Got my bread and a wonderful Lebanese dish of two eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce with Lebanese Cheese and bread. 

Carol was also booked for a massage with Eliz and I was to meet her after so while she pampered herself I stopped in Cabuche for the daily "Comida" which is like a blue plate special.  Nice Salad and pork shank with mashed potatoes...coffee included $6.

I made my annual pilgrimage to Church also.  Better safe than sorry!  A few days later I accidently ran into an Arts Center while on my way to visit Carol and go out to dinner and a drink after.  

MY NEIGHBOR WORKING A HAT 

I met her and we dined on Grilled Tuna Steak , Mashed Potatoes, and Salad with Wine.  It was so good , I ate it all before taking a photo.  We left and had a cocktail at a very popular bar before returning home.  On the way, we encountered another Popular Festival where the participants come from all over this huge state of Oaxaca to show and explain their native dress.  All hand made.

Rave on Baby  and Boy Stout...two of my favorites.  Everyday you go out, Oaxaca opens up to you.  The next morning was Sunday, when the streets are empty and most shops closed.  I took the "Sunny Side" down the street to my home. So peaceful and quiet. Join me.

MY HOME

THE DRIVE BY FLORAL SHOP

A CUSTOMER

AN OPEN EMPTY RESTAURANT AWAITING THE CHURCH CROWDS

LOCAL BAR

MY CLOSED LAUNDRY

ANOTHER BUSINESS AWAITING THE CHURCH CROWD

Truly a great walk on a beautiful day in the World Heritage Site of Oaxaca City Mexico...tomorrow...have a wonderful 4th of July. That covers the last 12 days since my arrival. Thank you all for your patience and love.  

4th of July and the 2 week long Guelaguetza Celebration of Oaxaca's Culture....coming next post.