Blogs from Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico, North America - page 16

Guadalajara Bueno, se me acumuló un poco la cosa, asi que aca va el resúmen de nuestras siguientes paradas. Fern ya escribió uno en su blog: fernperkins.blogspot.com para que lo visiten. De nuestra corta parada en Zacatecas de dos noches, pasamos a Guadalajara, que aunque otra ciudad fue mucho mejor experiencia. En el hostal Beds and Travel fuimos los 4rtos huéspedes y estrenamos el cuarto #1 y hasta foto nos tomaron, asi que si pasan por ahi busquen nuestra foto en la pared. En Guadalajara la pasamos bien, la primera noche (viernes) llegamos al hostal en la tarde y en la noche fuimos a Tlaquepaque. En este pueblo la atracción era la plaza (zócalo como se le dice en Mexico) que estaba rodeada de restaurantes. Para llegar fue toda una peripecia, 3 buses (públicos), 45 minutos ... read more

Just like the trip from Mexico City to Puebla, the journey down to Oaxaca was on a modern, comfortable bus, again with the drop down TVs subjecting you to the films you don't want to watch. We feared that the Big snore, who had joined us on our trip from Mexico City, might follow us. But fortunately it was not to be. The drive down to Oaxaca is through a very green landscape (in August anyway) which includes amongst other things palm tree forests and a large cactus forest. These are in rolling hills, on a well maintained highway for some of the way, but as we approached Oaxaca city it became clear that road maintenance is less of a priority in Oaxaca state. On arrival in Oaxaca we quickly and easily transfered to a taxi. ... read more

Oaxaca Ciudad, Monte Alban, El Tule... read more

An early wakeup call shatters the silence. We take our time getting organised. No rush today. Breakfast is a piece of bread. Around 10:15 we walk down town to find the large toy store. It presents ok, two storeys and lots of stuff, but hard for the kids to get enthused when (a) they've spent all their $200 allowance for Mexico and (b) the stuff is all imported so as expensive as at home, and much the same stuff. So next we head into the main market, the "20 de Novembre". This is gradually coming to life. I have a yearning for a "jugo", a juice, but the lady says "media hora": half an hour. It's only 10:30, but there are lots of stalls open. I really like this market. Produce is sort of in sections ... read more

We are woken by loud bangs, which we'd heard intermittently last night and continue sporadically through the day. They seem to be fired like fireworks but just to let out a bang. Possibly related to the bicentennial celebrations happening across Mexico. As Alehandro had explained, in 1610 Cortez routed Emperor Moctezuma and exactly 200 years later the Priest Hidalgo started the revolution that gave Mexico its independence (from spanish rule). I'm still no better than yesterday , so we make do with a breakfast buffet at the in-house restaurant which is more expensive than the dinner at $160 each, although I don't partake. The boys had been keen to hop straight in the pool, but a bouncy castle in the room next to the restaurant distracts them. It's a bold move by the hotel as the ... read more