Blogs from Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico, North America - page 19

Is been an interesting few days in Oaxaca (pronounced o-wack-a). Firstly, the noise: the Guelaguetza has been getting into full flow, and this mostly means, from our hostel where we have been getting in pretty knackered by about 9pm each night to sleep at 10pm, we start to hear the fireworks going off from about 10.05. When i say fireworks, I'm talking serious explosions here, that sound as though your garden has just been blown up. I imagine this is a little like what it must feel like to be living in a city under siege, but without the fear. Then the car alarms start, then the bank alarms go off, then Gigi and family get back from their celebrations and talk loudly until they go to bed. Safe in our little cocoons (Mum and Dad, ... read more

So, it was with a heavy heart that we spent our last day saying good bye to Mexico City. We all really loved it. There's so much to do there, we were tempted to extend our stay some more, but you could spend 6 months there and still have loads to do. Our last day was spent having a lazy morning (much needed after pyramid climbing!!) and then heading to the Mercado. This is the largest covered maket in latin America apparently and it is absolutely massive. We had heard there was great food stalls there and we weren't disappointed! Lots of amazing smells and fuit and veg stalls were there for us and we spent a few leisurely hours strolling through the rows and rows of stalls but didn't buy anything other than food. The ... read more

Oh, Oaxaca! There are no words. (i'm going to have to leave it that way)... read more

Day Three We are just taking it easy today after all the driving and checking out the historic center of Oaxaca which centers around the Zocolo, the main plaza. We are fortunate because today happens to be the 3rd anniversary of major protests here in favor of better pay for teachers. The protesters occupied the Zocolo for months hoping to force the governor of Oaxaca State to resign. They neither received the pay raise nor saw the governor leave office. What did happen though was a lot of violence and the deaths of 23 protesters—supposedly the biggest political protest that has occurred in Mexico in many years. We got to watch a protest march and a lot of leftist speech-making led by the teachers union. We also got to witness a lot of vandalism—political graffiti on ... read more

1/5/09 = A church and stormy day in Oaxaca :( Actually had a half decent nights sleep, only ruined by the bitten body I woke up to...my body that is! Been really lucky in Mexico so far; not even seen any mosquitoes, but they got me good and proper last night…arms...legs... back...everywhere! Curse my tasty blood! Skipped out for the tasty eggs and toast breakfast had seen advertised only to be brutally shot down when the lady announced it was ‘Mexican Breakfast’ day. What even is a Mexican breakfast? I’m sure it doesn’t involve anything by Kellogs! To this day, we don’t know for sure what was on that plate, only that it consisted of 3 things: 1) A dark, black and slightly sticky pot of coffee (yuk!) 2) The same sized pot, but this time ... read more