23 - 10 OCTOBER, OAXACA, MY BIRTHDAY (con't)

 October 1 departed Az and arrived in Oaxaca.

First stop Houston and the United Club for free wine and food.

                         Smell on a plane?

                         Oaxaca here I come!

   So much nicer than the view at Scottsdale Shadows. Before I left Arizona, I visited  the Scottsdale Contemporary Art Museum.

 

On arrival at my Casa Javier, I unpacked some and fixed a Chicken Tamale. The next day I finished unpacking. It was after 2 pm. Time for breakfast! Ayuk...here I come. Tenderloin Steak Breakfast.

Rito's...Best Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream in the world to take home for dessert. They also give classes on chocolate!

                 ...and a nice Moon to enjoy with it.

The next day I spent some time shopping for food and wine then installed two solar lights on the terrace.

Tuesday Maddie showed for our Domino game and she won again. We had fun and walked to Aquacate for Falafels and Beet Humus with salad on sourdough.

My H.S. Classmate Doug Sieg, we belonged to the Photo Club then, sent me some outstanding photos of the area he and his wife went camping in after the reunion.

        I miss my occasional "Leaf Peeper" trip in the Northeast. Thank you Doug!

Time to catch up on my pool game. I am taking YouTube lessons and now ready to get serious. Well I lost every game today BUT improved a bit! Allen and Finn are formidable players for our group. Finn just returned from Iceland, Norway, and Dakar, where he pulled his Achilles Tendon dancing. Didn't hurt his game!

I left to get breakfast at Casa Hidalgo. Swiss Chicken Enchiladas with a great Tomatillo Sauce. Then to get a haircut.

A Watch..eria? Oaxaca is so many small Mom and Pop businesses, I feel I went back into the 50's where people greet you with a smile and treat you fairly.

My Barber is a Luchia Wrestler. Not just, but an International Champion with the Belt and Trophy to prove it. He's a good barber but I wouldn't get in the ring with him!

I got on the computer today and noticed Birthday salutations. I forgot my Birthday! Great sunrise for it.

I had my breakfast smoothie and will go for a photo walk then a Birthday dinner. Not many photos today. I stopped at the library. The Hotel next door is remodeling...their high end expensive rooms didn't go over well. I ended up having Creme of Corn Soup and Roasted Chicken with Poblano Chili Sauce and Rice and Apple Strudel with Cheese for dessert while having coffee. All a for 90 Peso Comida.

Arrived back at Casa Javier at dusk and was settling in for an early bedtime when I heard music. 

Someone put on a Parade for my Birthday...How nice!

Pool today gave me my first victory, well one game, in a couple months. John, showed up to have lunch so I quit while ahead and we met his wife Carla and went to Casa Hidalgo. John had a Cheese casserole of sorts, I tried Shrimp Alfredo and Carla had the Peach Salad with 3 delicious Pork Tacos.

They braved a bus ride to Casa Javier's and got to see my view and the condo.  Later that evening I decided I would stop eating Pastas and stick with Japanese. I left for the close by expensive Sushi place but, like the Japanese, I had two small portions then returned home. They say Hara hachi bu (Everything in Moderation) before eating to remind themselves to stop when you are 80% full.

I slept well that evening and the next morning had a 1/2 of my normal Breakfast smoothie. Later that evening I took a Photo walk and visited Kintaro to keep with the Japanese food. They had a special menu now that is served every Thursday-Sunday with "Fresh Fish Specials" they fly in for those days every week. I loved the choices but had two items only and walked home.

Not what you expect at a Japanese restaurant but they have a gallery where exhibits change now and then.

OMG another Japanese Restaurant and on MY Calle! This is great and looks cheaper (Japanese food is more expensive and with good reason...ingredients difficult to find and also Chefs required special training). 

First Pink Sky I have seen here.  Then the Sun.

It's Sunday. A Japanese omelet and CBS Sunday Morning with news of another war in the Middle East now. Hector, mi amigo, is coming by for a visit and dinner. Hope he likes Japanese?

 Eric, the friend that visited me last month, and his wife Alice left last week for Portugal to walk the Northern Santiago Pilgrimage Trail to Spain. This is one of their blogs for those interested. I will put one in every now and then. Camino Portuguse :click then back button.

I forgot the earthquake at 11:07 pm. My Kingsize bed started vibrating and swaying a bit. Naked me got pants and shirt and headed for the door. No one else was outside but I waited for any aftershocks and checked the emergency line to find it was a 4.0 14 kilometers away in the Isthmus area south of Oaxaca so went back to bed. 

When Hector showed up today, he said it was a 6.2 and did some damage to churches in Oaxaca. Not the first time. He agreed to help me find a replacement for my sun shade. The rollers aren't working. We went for Aquacate for late lunch, then returned for some wine on the terrace. It was good to see him again. 

Residents in my neighborhood, creating their Wall Mural for their area.

        

            A Mexican Wine and Craft Beer Festival 

                           Aquacate's Lemonade

          Avocado Toast with Egg on Sourdough Bread 

Sushi Rice Bowl...no Seafood...all Vegetables and Rice

      Interesting Woodworking to create Novel Chairs

                  Hector:   Where is the food David?

Recently opened Almu Mexican Restaurant...very good

The next day, I couldn't wait to try Sakura? the Japanese Mom and Pop.  It has been there a while and now I know why I haven't heard of it...mediocre. They are trying to keep prices low but to do that you sacrifice quality. The essential to any good restaurant's  success.  

I won't return. My only recommendation is to raise prices and quality. Service was good and friendly.

I wandered 4 miles through back streets today. Wonderful. Lunch was a nice Tasty Vin Salad.

                   Up coming Mole Festival Preparation

          Very good Tasty Vin Salad with Apples

                         Another new one to try.

Walking through Llano Park I saw the beginnings of this weekends Mole Festival. It is a different Mole than seen in local restaurants. More like a Goat Soup made with goats that have been fed a lot of salt. They slaughter them then use the hind end and the spine to make the soup.  It comes from Northern Oaxaca on the border of Puebla. 

Potus greeted me with his toy. We played a bit then I retired and he wandered off mad.

Pool day, so I walked down and back stopping for Hot Chocolate on the way. 

I met Shannon, a fellow blogger today for lunch at Aquacate. First for her and she loved it. 

Good Morning Oaxaca...this one was great...

Met John at Liverpool Hall and we played separate from the others.  Give John a chance to get back in the game and me to practice. After, we me Carla in Llano park with intentions of trying out the Mole Festival.  But only VIP, others at 3:30...so I took some photos and returned home. Bought some new ceramic bowls and a large ceramic salad/soup bowl.

Stopped to Pray for a winning Pool game and to say hi

On the way, I passed a wall with a door at the end that was open. Curious to see what was behind the wall I discovered an abandoned large fallen down home.

I arrived at Casa Barro to purchase some bowls and had to go the bathroom. Which one would you pick?

Saturday I was going to return to the Mole Festival but ended up doing the laundry and relaxing. I did visit Almu for a Mexican Breakfast and bought the Best SourDough bread ever at Corizon Bakery in Xochimilco.

 

Shannon's recommendation for the Best Tamales in Oaxaca...turned out to be right. My Tamale lady will have to share now. Both are great but this one is closer, 

and I prefer her tamales for different reasons but will shop both Queens of the Tamale.

     Maddie's recommended Ritos Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream turned out to me highly addicting. It is the best Chocolate Ice Cream, I have ever had. Add the Tamales, and the SourDough Bread ...all goes well with Box Vino Tinto and Edam Cheese from Holland with Grapes. God this is wonderful.

Sunday I enjoyed Sunday Morning CBS with coffee and a fresh vegetable three eggs Omelet, then later

I went to the Mole/Goat festival and had a $15 bowl of Goat soup...with Squash cooked in something like Apple Cider with cinnamon. All was good and tasty.

       A Palm frond for a spoon. Very Ingenious.

Monday morning and rent is due. Weather has changed to cooler...yes...and little rain today. I will post this now and one at the end of the Month, which is the beginning of the Day of the Dead festivities.