The Culture, continued
Big posters announced this concert for December 30, which was
either
postponed or encored because we saw it on January 10.
We found a vacant spot on a wall just off to the side, but behind
the
TV cameras. The concert was on TV the following Tuesday night.
Susana Harp is a big name in Mexico.
Her concerts feature children. I think she supports their
school.
A costume change. In spite of using a cane when she arrived,
Ms.
Harp performed a full 1 1/2 hours on her feet with no break.
Sexism is alive and well in Mexico, as shown on this sign at a
restaurant advertising
for a good looking female between 18 and 26.
The textile museum had a show of ikat from around the world,
including
Japan (kasuri).
The museum also teaches weaving.
The doctor is in, or rather outside this pharmacy on a Saturday
morning.
A highlight of the trip was a tour of the Ethnobotanical Garden
Every plant here is native and was, or still is, used by the
natives. Oaxaca state has more plants, animals and birds than
almost any other place on earth. It is second only to Brazil in
the number of cacti.
The corn was just being harvested.
Frangapini. Beautiful, but I do not remember its use.
Cactus makes a functional and attractive living fence.
The human gives scale to the cactus.
Pat shopping.
A weavers workshop.
Pablo Gonzalez was our guide. Here we are in the mountains
on our
birding day.
I could not photograph the many birds we saw, but this dusky
flycatcher
cooperated. We also saw orchids and bromeliads blooming.
Following my interest we located one knife sharpener at the
market,
and another in the park near our apartment. Unlike the
earlier
machine, this bicycle was still ridable.
Our B&B Apartment "Find"
We spent 10 wonderful days in Oaxaca city staying at
Casa Maye. We wanted a room with kitchenette for this longer stay
and
came across Casa Maye at www.mexonline.com
They have 5 one bedroom
apartments with varying sleeping arrangements for 2, 3 or 4 people
each. They are located on a quiet cross street just a block from
Llano
Park, 5 blocks from Santo Domingo and 12 blocks from the zocalo.
Several good restaurants are nearby. The walk to the zocalo is
mostly ton a pedestrian street lined with shops
and restaurants. The bus running by Llano took us to and from
downtown when we
were not up to the walk. The ICO is a block away if you are going
for
language or culture lessons. We were also near less touristy
sites
like Jardin Conzatti, Las Arquitos (the old aqueduct) and Pochote where
an organic market is held. There was also a small organic grocery
just 2 doors down the street.
Casa Maye is an apartment complex recently converted to a B&B.
Pat poses with Mrs. Maye and Juanita, the manager, cook, maid,
translator, guide and friend. Yes, it was cool in the mornings
and evenings.
Every trip is made worthwhile by seeing a smiling Pat across the
table.
By popular demand, another picture of me.
THE END
OTHER LINKS:
Our trip to Merida
see http://www.geocities.com/stevebottorff/Merida/
For more about the baroque organs in Oaxaca see
http://www.iohio.org/eng/home.htm
For more about San Jeronimo church see
http://si-oaxaca.com/Tlacochahuaya.htm
For a Oaxaca guidebook we recommend Viva Oaxaca
http://si-oaxaca.com/
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