Oaxaca

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Oaxaca - Another lovely Colonial town!

We arrived late in the evening and rushed straight to the city square to get a quick orientation and some dinner. The town square was filled with people and music and, of course, the swarm of people trying to sell us their arts and crafts.

As we headed back to our hotel we noticed a procession coming down the street. It was from the Cathedral - fireworks, floats, bands, women in national dress with baskets of flowers on their heads, and people throwing lollies out to the crowds on the streets. People said to join them, so we did. We wandered the streets until 11.00pm and decided to ´drop out´of the procession once we found out that it was going to go on until 1.00am. After a day of hiking up ruins, this much walking was a bit too much for us.

I had thought that the procession was in some way related to the upcoming Day of the Dead and would end up at the local cemetary. But I found out today that it was purely a ´normal´religious procession they have all the time and would end up back at the cathedral.

The town is starting to gear up for the Day of the Dead - a celebration where people go to the cemetary, throw flowers as they walk back home, and have a big feast with their departed relatives (who have followed the line of flowers back to their home). I wish we were going to be here to enjoy it, but the celebration is set for 2nd of November.

All the stores and markets are filled with deadly decorations - everything in skeletal form - brides and grooms, punks, dogs, farmers, and any other kind of living creature you can think of.

On day 2, Merryn and I wandered around the markets and got to see (but were too squeemish to taste) chilli-coated grasshoppers. Yum. (not). We also visited the local museum which was pretty awesome.

This was followed by a folkloric show (not very exciting) then an evening of dancing at one of the local bars. Merryn was in her usual fine form and chatted up the bar´s owner, so we had a few rounds of free drinks.

Today was a day out on the road visiting the Mitlan ruins and a Mescal factory (Mescal is a drink similar to tequila).

We have a night bus to catch shortly - apparently the first 4 hours are meant to be horrid (windy) so we all have got our various drugs ready (anti-nausea, sleeping pills or whatever one will need to sleep through the rough ride).

And as you can probably tell by my poor spelling and grammar, my English is starting to go downhill (unfortunately my Spanish isn´t getting much better).

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Comments

[Liz Waldron]

Jealous!
Keep up the fine form Merryn! Sounds like you two are having a great time, not missing much here!

[Candace]

Not Too Long for Me.
Hey girls, sounds like you too are having fun enjoying the sights and sounds. I cant say I am jealous as I am all packed and ready to take off. Next monday we will be heading off. So this week will be my last week at work. You too take care and look after each other and I shall touch base with your vera upon my return which will be just in time for Christmas.