ADVENTURES OF A RETIRED NOMAD: 23 - 11 Another Thanksgiving & Christmas coming to Oaxaca

I had my last lunch at Santa Hierbe the day before my departure.

Power Bowl..Spinach, Avocado, Berries...really good.

Snack Buffet of Goodies and Toppings..Junk for sure.

Nice Health Food Store...next to Santa Hieba

Great Cubana Torta with Roast Port, Chorizo, Avocado, Cheeses ...more for $3.50!!!

Victor, my new "GO TO" Taxi driver is picked me up at 5:30 am for my flight to Tijuana.

So long Oaxaca....

Hello Tijuana..Yes Mr Taxi...take me to the Tram. Where you headed? LA . Oh Amtrak? Eventually. Sitting in back, checking phone messages. Five minutes look up to see expressway...$30 on the meter for $20 ride...duh...you said Tram not Trolly...he heard Train and was on his way to San Diego. If I turned around it would still cost my $50? So OK...Amtrak...$93...no tip. Trolley was $1.25 to Amtrak. Live and learn.

Amtrak Sante Fe Station in San Diego. A 1.5 mile walk to find a place to eat. Beet and Potato Hash Browns with Poached Eggs, Ham and Avocado....was very good for $20.

OK...I boarded the Amtrak for Chatsworth Station near my daughters home. $38. I was early boarder so got a seat...others...standing room only unless you reserve a seat. The views for the first 11/2 hour was nice but the last 2.5 hours wasn't.

Heather was a few minutes late...it was windy and cold with no depot to get sit but we made it home to nice Beef/Chicken Tacos.

Biggest Microwave I ever saw, recently installed with new Stove.

Ellis gave Gramps his room and slept in the garage.

Slept well...good to see Her and Allen's (her partner) family again.

Gramps Grounding to get those electrons from earth.

Read my mind Emmet...thanks.

Everyone of the family pitched in to arrange tables outdoors and clean up the house for Sunday Thanksgiving with a couple of guests arriving. A Ballerina named Holly and a Lawyer, named Keagan from Santa Monica. Both made a lovely couple. Well traveled.

The next day we drove out to a trail head, then hiked to the site where MASH, the TV Series was filmed. Fun day. Returning we stopped at a pleasant Plaza for a salad and some wine...for me.

It was time to get a Christmas Tree...$542 for the best.

Full Moon ...great day. Bed early.

Heather and I got tickets to see MAESTRO at the Grauman Egyptian Theater in Hollywood at Noon. We dined at a 5 Star Italian Restaurant after....OK. We had a great day though.

Long Day.

Amtrak in Chatsworth to San Diego then TROLLY to Tijuana where I took a Taxi to the airport, just in time for boarding my 4:15 flight to Oaxaca.

Arrived at the Santa Fe Amtrak Terminal in San Diego and didn't want to make the mistake of taking a taxi to Tijuana so asked this gentleman if he was going to Tijuana. He lived there! Yeah...so can you make sure I get the right TROLLY to there...he did me one better and bought me my ticket.

We passed a lot of homeless with everything they owned but no money or place to sleep.

I am not exaggerating to say I saw hundreds on the street or with tents. I was riding the Trolly to Tijuana and about 1/2 way there, I saw a Tent City full of homeless that took up 2 football fields.

A taxi took me from the Trolly to the Tijuana Airport. Easy peasy until I reached Security just before my Gate. They threw out my Almond Butter and MCT Oil from Trader Joes. I could have back tracked and checked my bag and that would have been OK BUT my plane was boarding . Some seat on Volaris Airlines! I couldn't move , except to get up to go the bathroom for the entire 4 hour flight.

I arrived and was at the Apartment in 20 minutes. Unpacked and went to bed around Midnight.

I got up at 7am and left for breakfast, then shopping to restock the refrigerator. Ate a wonderful meal at Santa Hierba, shopped next door and returned home to visit Gaby and see if she needed anything.