24 - ST PATRICK'S DAY AND SAN JOSE DE PACIFICA

 Pool hall today after I drop my taxes for Deek to mail on his return to the states. I went to his apartment. I lived in the same building for 7 years. The place had changed. I stopped for breakfast on the way to play pool after a few photos.

             MY OLD APARTMENT ABOVE THE STREET LIGHT

                                      Americano Breakfast

CLASSY

St. Patrick's Day a bit of a let down.  Deanna and I tried to celebrate it with her music and my Guinness and Jameson's. We had Cheese, Fruit, Crackers, Hummus and chips for snacks. Deanna brought Bob, a friend and resident of Oaxaca for 10 years. We had a nice time.

The day after I returned to EDO for dinner.

The following day I decided to try a fast food new neighborhood restaurant called Casablanca with Assorted Make your Own Ramen selections and some Thai food. I had Pad Thai and "Spring Rolls". Passable but not the FRIED EGG ROLLS.

            A photowalk day ended with dinner back at EDO

EASTER DECORATIONS ARE GOING UP EVERYWHERE

                                            CRUCIFICTION 

Maddie returned from her trip to London and Austin with her family after a wonderful time.  Then she beat me in our first game of Mexican Dominos.  We had a nice lunch after at Yogolie. I had a nice salad with Chicken.  Later that evening I went to Marie Bonita for a Hamburg.

TRY IT

REALLY NICE CHRIST RESURRECTION

YES IT RAINS IN OAXACA...BADLY NEEDED

                                       My neighbors at play.

Lunch at Maritos and Mogolies Cafe with Deanna but forgot photos.

Dinner at LHEA Bistro next door.  I thought they had closed. Still no menu...just what the Chef suggests. I had Octopus, Avocado and    Pickled radishes with a Banana in Mole sauce. All very good and nothing I would have tried but enjoyed it.

Massage day...my favorite. I returned to M & M for Serrano Ham on Tomato Sourdough Toast and a Flat White Cafe.

I am off for San Jose de Pacifica tomorrow morning. Magic Pueblo in the Clouds...same elevation as Machu Pichu. Some more Easter Decor first.

The 3 hour trip in a Collectivo Van went well. I had a Torta then took a MotoTaxi to the Cabana though it was only about a mile...uphill.

The altitude is almost the same as Machu Pichu, 8000 ft...2500 more than Oaxaca.  I had stayed in San Juan de Pacifica, famous for its Shrooms...though this was not yet the season, but the altitude never bothered me like this time. Just the walk from my Cabana to the Office stopped me 3 times to catch my breath and stop my heart from pounding. The air was much fresher and the water was DRINKABLE FROM THE TAP...only saw that once in San Miguel Allende.  It is spring water so clean and tasted so good. Haven't had water like that since the '50's in my home town. Almost worth the trip.  But of course the views are another reason. You will see a lot of the similar photos because I only went to town to buy my ticket back and to leave and was not up for hiking up or down hills. 

     After my wonderful Pozole and Mushroom Soup to warm me up, I was full and built a fire to stay warm when I returned.  NO heat or A/C in any of these cabanas or restaurants. The sun sat and clouds crept in but I was comfy in my warm room.

The fire died around 3 am and by 7 am I was freezing so relit it. Got warmly dressed and headed for my free daily breakfast.  Greeted by a Clown who was with a group that had stayed the night also. I read two books during the afternoons during my 5 night stay. Free breakfast was Continental with fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, oatmeal, toast, sweet rolls, coffee, but I ordered Huevos Rancheros off the menu, in addition.  I had some fruit, avocados, and peanut butter sandwiches I brought for snacks...and a bottle of wine of course.

 I returned to the Restaurant that I ate at the previous evening.  It had nothing to do with the Hotel whose restaurant closed at Noon.  I ordered a Hamburger to go and a glass of wine while I waited.  The restaurant was open on one side to the outdoors so was cold too.  It had warmed during the day so was a little better. I had a nice table with a view at my Cabana so after browsing around the stuff for sale and taking photos of the tabletops that featured Mushrooms I returned for an unbelievably great Hamburg stuffed with an excellent cheese but topped with Oaxacan cheese that I don't care for so discarded it along with the bun.  I like to keep my Carbs low. They added a salad with pineapple and Nopal...cactus frond.

An outdoor security camera filming everything that comes down the path leading toward the Cabanas. Being that they are private and away from each other in remote areas, I thought it a good idea.

STRUGGLING SUNSET

I requested it Rare and was very pleased. Mexico hamburgs usually come with Ham, pickles, cheese, and this one had a sweet/sour slightly picante sauce to accompany it. Slept well and added my long underwear! Another great breakfast and relaxing day in my Adirondack chair under the sun reading.  I forgot my hat!  It was so cool and the sun so warm I didn't think about Sun Burn but by the end of the day it reminded me.  I left for Pork Chops tonight that were delicious.

THIS BIRD WAS WET FROM SHOWERING IN THE SPRINKLER

Lots of Nature I had not seen or experienced in so long. I sleep better in nature with fresher air, cooler temperatures and a warm fire to comfort me while reading Nathaniel Hawthorne's short stories.

Spent another afternoon in the warm sun with my scarf to protect my head from further burn. Cooler and threatening rain.  My neighbors checked out and a bird tried to check in.Aggressive Bird  I heard this tapping and started filming it but after about 10 minutes I gave up. It was a while before it finally gave up a left. 

    I treated myself to a Skirt Steak dinner with a Mushroom Soup starter.

TABLE TOP

CRAZY ALICE CIGARS...CURIOUS BUT NO.

        

        THE 5:30 WOOD MAN REPLENISHING THE STOCK

The mushroom soup was a meal in itself.  Very good and slept well again.  Tomorrow is my last day.  I went to town to buy my ticket in advance so I wouldn't get left out.  Came right back in time for the rain.

                   HAD ANOTHER DOUBLE BREAKFAST

and guess who returned ....The Aggressive Bird  This time I checked my time.  The bird kept at it for 40 minutes and alternated between windows this time!!!

      The rain cleared and for my last meal I had a Mexican Stir Fry of sorts with peppers, mushrooms (of course), cheese, onions, etc with a tortilla and a side of refried beans. Excellent.

That is not a cloud coming in, but smoke from my chimney.  Another nice evening packing and relaxing.

    

I woke up for breakfast, and on the way back to get my suitcase, I noticed our bird friend... except he changed Cabanas, thinking he might get lucky.  Unlucky Birdie

   

I took a mototaxi to town...75 cents. Got a Torta to take on the trip. We left a half hour late, then had to take a detour across an agave field because of an accident. A field, not a road... with all the traffic, we were "off-road" for an hour and arrived in Oaxaca 4 hours later.

Goodbye, San Jose de Pacífica, and thanks for a wonderful time.  Did I have their mushrooms?  No... off-season...But I brought my own....heh heh!

Oaxaca is honoring Easter....next post.  Thank you all!