ADVENTURES OF A RETIRED NOMAD: 24 - 11 WARMING IN OAXACA

The last of the Day of the Dead came and went. We did celebrate Halloween but that is not Mexican way. I journeyed across town and got lost looking for cookies to pass out. 1st place was closed so walked further into Reforma to a bakery and spent $15 on sugar cookies and muffins to offer. I was LOST and wandered around trying to follow my GPS instructions..turn left and head toward Calle Venus....turn left where here or next street and toward what street...never heard of. Not turn left on Calle Manuel then right on Calle Venus? I took a Taxi and discovered I had walking into a mountain and getting back with a taxi took over 30 minutes in bumper to bumper traffic....and I still had to walk home in the heat.

All done in colored sand as a tribute to this woman's life.

Closed Cookie Store

Open Bakery

Lunch

Halloween Decorations in our Complex. Only 2 children came.

Gaby dressed for the Trick or Treat and scared one away!

Breakfast at Ayuk..thought they were doing grace until I noted the phones.

This is how you get your face painted. Make up artists available.

More Sand paintings

Monarch Butterflys migrate to Mexico along with Monarch people.

Alters to honor and welcome the Dead with offerings of thier preferences are everywhere but mostly in the family home.

Ukelele Player earning Rent while Babysitting.

Teotongo's photo along his life story and who he is or was.

Lenore's breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese...one small slice added as an afterthought and some raw carrots with old
Sourdough dry bread and Green Juice. Eggs were served on cold marble and were cold.

Rain forcast at Sunset...but never arrived.

Day of the Dead is now over.

My vote is in with little problems thanks to Voting Abroads assistence to smooth the wrinkles. The weather is turning warmer but hopefully the "season" in Jan, Feb, and Mar will be normal. I would get A/C for my guest bedroom if the property manager allowed it. Off for my massage today. Briefer post this time. More photos.

I left out my visit to the Cemetary one afternoon.

Maddie and I attended a "Day of the Dead" play in the Opera House that was outstanding.

....with a live orchrestra...

Fresh Fish Veracruz

We had dinner at Cabuche prior to attending the play .

Now the festivites were over Lee and I took Gaby out to eat at Yuku, a Sushi Bar in the neighborhood. We ate there when they first opened months ago but the Sushi Master bought the place from the owners and then went to Japan for a month to learn more and returned last month. We had a wonderful meal.

My very special friend Michelle and her Mamacita were in Oaxaca from Chicago, to visit her brother in Teotitlan and invited me to her annual party with friends and music.

I had the good fortune of sharing this property way back, with Michelle for a year. When she was gone, I'd come out from Oaxaca de Juarez for a week or so and visa versa.

Mamacita Connie with Dr. Z's wife

Good friends with Michelle and Connie.

Many local friends from years of visiting were all present.

Singing "You can't always get what you want...but if you try sometime you find you get what you need!"

Fare thee well....a wonderful evening.

SUNRISE

This afternoon a Loud Marching Band with Dancer came through our gate to Celebrate the Owner's Grandson's Birthday...3 or 4? We all came out when we heard it to dance and share.

Later that evening I had a nice Soup and Salad at a new Oaxacan Restaurant in Casa Barro...very good!

The following week I challanged myself with an 8 Km hike 10,385 feet up in the Sierra Norte Mountains.

After an hour or so we arrived at the base to start the ride up.

.....and up some more

This is one of the 70 pueblos that run their own village with NO help from the Federales...this is their police station.

They derive some income from the Ecotourism they created and maintain. Everybody in town works together in all their endevors. Some other villages don't allow non-resident in their village.

Cold

Some resident is in charge of maintaining flowers and shrine

for one year...then it changes to another person when they elect another Mayor. Everybody has some task fpr the year.

I was fortunate to have a fellow hiker who was a Doctor!

Squatch...our leader on the right...Carlos was born in Mexico and grew up as a US Citizen has returned from Idaho with his wife to live here and volunteer at the library. He was wonderful and kept an eye on this old boy. A brain anyurism, a triple bypass, a lung removal, and 40 years of smoking...I did it!!! Thank God I managed to give up smoking and take up exercise.

One of 3 of our German Hikers.

He managed to get his head under the spring water! The day started out very cold but soon became warm.

One of two of our knowledgable, helpful, local guides.

MONDAY...20458 STEPS 8 Miles

It was hard for me but felt great the next day. Italian Chicken at Ayuk when I got back....the Ayuk community live in a Mountain village next to the mountain I hiked. I was asleep in bed right after I walked in the house.

One of our residents here at the compound plays in a band called the Geckos. A few of us went to visit them playing this Sunday. I went on a walk then had some Cochina pibel at a "Smoke house and Brewery" but dropped by before returning home.

I know I've posted this before but if you zoom in you will see it is all made up of figures of people to create this giant carrying a whole community on his shoulders.

My Canadian friends Pat and her brother Darcy who are permanant residents but Darcy became disabled and now lives back in Canada with family. Pat's husband Don, who was also a really good friend, had passed away just after they bought a house here. Her dogs passed away too so she just bought a puppy with sharp paws ...Darcy has scratches on his arm to match. He will return in a week after they take a trip to the beach and spend some time together.