24 - 5 The Last Weeks of May

 I arrived early at the San Jose del Pacifica collectivo station and people started coming with suitcases backpacks..going to Oaxaca.

My schedule was 12:45 departure and it was just after 12 so I asked the ticket taker if mine was for this Van and they assured me it was so I took my assigned seat while others boarded but when it came time to leave they had one too many so did a roll call and my name was not on the list...the next van. 

     I sat on the outside waiting bench for the next Van to Oaxaca.  A German man named Lewis sat next to me and got talking. He is  on a 3 month trip around Mexico and S.A.  I asked if he did any mushrooms and if so what he thought of them and where did you get them. After a bit of no" really! "

     We discovered, he moved into my room the day I moved out and got some mushrooms from Miguel...the same for me.  He liked his mushrooms and Miguel showed them a small kitchen to cook coffee and soup. I didn't care for mine.

      Our van pulled up and I dumped my bag and went to get in and it was full when they opened the door.  They told be to sit up front...OK. Then a lady also wanted to so I got out for her to take the center seat and just as she said no, Lewis yelled, I will take it. So he sat in the center.  The journey was drop people, pick up people, and Collectivo.  We arrived and took a taxi to my place where Lewis agreed to stay. Later he treated me to dinner at Ayuk.

Chicken Huerta I think...my favorite. Mashed potatoes with cheese Topped with Fresh Green Beans . Chicken Breast stuffed with Squash Blossoms Spinach and cheese swimming in the Rich Avocado Sauce.

           This was a Chicken Dish in a nest of Italian Pasta.

 

Louis left around 9 am for his flight to Mexico City.  We enjoyed a beer on the terrace after our dinner which he graciously treated me.  

    I went out to get a haircut and discovered my bus was detoured so exited and walked through streets full of tents and tarps blocking access to the street and obstructing sidewalk passage. The Striking Teachers Union is on the march....again!

I stopped at Boulanc Bakery for Shakshuka and an Boulanc Breakfast Burger. 

Jamie Levin Masterful Art also more at One in Oaxaca in Jalaltco.

Teacher's back on Strike from all over the State of Oaxaca...worse ever, blocking roads and the whole Zocalo...many streets are closed...Elections coming up?

This is how I woke ... the first light of the Sun to start another turn of the Earth. This is how it ended... I got my haircut and bussed home.

The next day I didn't get out until around 4:30 and Lee was out to go eat too.  So we decided to return to Sur y Norte and enjoyed dinner.  Caught a flame dancer who is a regular lately. Great show. Lee said he was celebrating his 2nd Anniversary in Oaxaca...so I treated him to a Pastry to celebrate then ran into the Evening lady that greets all the passersby's.  She was buying some pastries off a cart and said for us to both grab one to take with us and she bought it. Mexico!

                      Mexican Movement Ballet

                                        

Lee sent me one of his photos he took of a checker board that we passed on the way. Mother and daughter? Sisters? Playing Checkers. He has a good eye and a nice camera.

       Today, Sunday was great.   

So Crystal Clear today...distant mountains came into view. It wasn't hot or cold just perfect the whole day. Ask anyone...did you think it was a bit warm...or cold today?

Nah...Perfect!! As was this incredible Sunrise...the whole Eastern Sky ! Never saw before.

                       Bruce and Leanne in Argentina & Uruguay

My friends Bruce and Leanne are visiting Argentina and Uruguay for 2 weeks and sent the photos...Bidet in hotel and food was for sure South America as was the Waterfalls and Flamingo.

I left for the Zocalo in hopes the teachers went back to work...fat chance.

                         Will you Marry me? He's thinking!

View of the Zocalo from Tres Bistro 2nd story window.

             Nice Moon tonight....slept well.

Yesterday I took my 4 Test results from 3 months ago to the Lab and request 4 more of the same. Last time they got it wrong and misunderstood so wanted to get it right. They got it wrong again, so I returned today and explained all over again and showed them the tests that I wanted repeated.  I went in for the blood draw and after realized one of the test were already done the day before and I had told her I did not need that one but she charged me.  I caught it before the test was taken so she had to refund me and acted insulted?? All the tests came out right and good health.  I then returned to Dr Jesse after 2 weeks treatment of my ankle cut that had NOT improved.  She recommended a different creme...I recommended a Dermatologist that my friend Bill Pumphreys recommended and made an appointment with him.

                                         Lab

                           Dr Jesse's waiting room.

I made the appointment with Dr Geraldo the Dermatologist then forced myself on a Photo walk to the Zocalo to counter recent sedentary habits.

 

Over 2 years now and still not completed this rebuild.

 

                             SINGHA AND 444?

Band in Llano Park because Zocalo is too Crowded

         Make America Great send Mexicans back...? Attitude is Everything.

       Finally tried a Bubble Tapioca Tea $5 1st & Last

Tacos

              

                 Trash...collectors can't get in to clean...

I tried to get a candid shot without them seeing me and was actually turned away in the other direction when I just took a random shot without looking. I failed.

I had breakfast at Ayuk then in the afternoon I went walking to my Dermatologist  Office for the appointment to check my 6 week unhealed cut on my ankle.

$6

I was told it was uphill and about 1/2 way I was asking myself why not Taxi! I flagged one and he took me to the Street...I noted the numbers and knew it was close so being early and on top of the mountain now, I exited and paid him. My GPS said I was 5 minutes away. I followed it while asking directions along the way. Everyone informed me that this was NOT the street Rio Nero but keep going downhill and round the corner. I did then the street went up the hill and was Rio Bamba or something....then I came to Rio Plaza...straight back up the mountain I just came down.  I was sweating, late, and tried to call but couldn't get through. Finally I made it at the exact time...45 minutes after leaving to be there early and covered in sweat. Air Conditioned office soothed me back to normal and shortly the Doctor popped in with "Welcome David" please come this way. He was very charismatic, 40's, spoke good English, and got out an Eye Piece and down on his knees on the floor to look at my wound. He took a photo and showed me what he saw, recommended a new creme AM/PM for 2 weeks and then return for possible laser treatment. $40 and I was on my way Downhill and home in 5 MINUTES, very pleased. 

                     View inside his Waiting Room

I took the bus to the Pharmacy, got caught in the rain, arrived home to a 40th Birthday Party of my Landlord's son, a full moon and slept right through the DJ's music and got up 10 hours later well rested.

 

Noticed all these individual merchandising hanging separate with threatening rain. Then it rained and rained while I got my Creme and when the rain stopped to the bus home.

Clouded Moon

I left for Breakfast at Ayuk and asked Sabino, our all around everything who was cleaning up the party mess, if they were serving any breakfast.  No, so Ayuk works.

Peter McCallion, my Massachusetts friend had told me that the library at San Pablo Cultural Center was Airconditioned and many people go to relax, read, play on the computer to cool down.  Great idea coupled with another Photo walk.  I grabbed my Kindle Paperwhite with MY library in it and left.

It was not air-conditioned but this 400 year old building was cool enough that I enjoyed 1/2 hour of relaxed reading then toured the Bird Exhibit in the Cultural Center.  Bird houses, Decor, Sculptures, and Ceramics Creations before going to Boulanc Bakery for Pita Sandwich with fresh Lamb and Hummus. Very good.  Home and a photo from Bruce enjoying a Cannabis Brownie with his Beer at a Cannabis Bar in Montevideo Uruguay, the first country to legalize it.

I suspect Twins celebrating their 15th Birthday, coming out party with friends by stopping for Bubble Tea.

                             Fermented Kavas

      

               Great Pita with Lamb...

      

        He looks like he is stoned already!

Sunday morning breakfast at the Mercado and dinner at Casa Celia...but forgot the photos at dinner.

She can't be 15 too??? Maybe...15th B-Day is a big deal So they dress like 21.

Babysitting Dog Botus...Breakfast at Ayuk..Dinner at Ayuk.

Elderly couple. She 4'8 He 4'9 lots of small Indigenous, wonderful people.

Dominos Day...long overdue.  I went to Maddie's for the first time.  Beautiful Family Run Hotel. She spent a lot of time in a Catskill Resort growing up so right at home with pool and A/C!!!  We had lunch next door after she beat me.  Then I went shopping at Cherdui in my old neighborhood.

Chainsaw Sculpture in Progress from a recent dead tree.

                            Hindu Restaurant

Gene, who visited from Brussels last year is now a Bee Keeper in her back yard!

This morning I prepared a Fresh Mushroom, Avocado, Spinach, and pickled Red Onion Sautee with Over Easy Eggs and a fresh Mandarin. So good. A cat spied on me through my Bedroom window. 

Today was a disaster.  I ordered a new Samsung large TV to replace the one I bought 10 years ago when I arrived.  It was a Memorial Day Special at about 10,ooo Pesos and I bought a Sound Bar to go with it for 3000 pesos.  Sound Bar arrived three days ago and the TV arrived yesterday.  When I got the call that it was to be delivered I took down and packed up the old one and gave it away to our Complex handyman and helped him put in storage until he could take it home.  Now I cleared the space and anxiously awaited my new treat to enjoy my TV viewing in my old age.  This would be my last TV and the best.  I watch maybe 1-2 hours in the evening.  It arrived and Sabino helped me get it into the house...it just fit the shelf perfectly after I managed to get it out of the box and assembled on the stand...BUT no remote to run it.  Then I realized it was not a new TV but a display and my purchase order at Sam's Club clearly stated that...BUT it was not the purchase order I paid 10,000 pesos for but was clearly stated DISPLAY and priced at 5000 peso.  I couldn't talk to anyone except a chat robot with computerized questions in Spanish I had to fill our first. Now I have to get an interpreter to accompany to the other end of town to demand they come and pack it back up, take it back, and return my money.  My friend suggest the phrase ...Mexico...The Beauty and the Beast.  That is now my description of Mexico! I will end this post of May on that note! Wish me well.

...from the Beauty and the Beast...David.