Oaxaca with Donzetta

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Hello All,

I am now back in the city of Oaxaca after a pretty spectacular trip to the coast. I did some volunteer work for E-Costa, a green organization that encourages the people of the area who cultivate to not use chemicals and to produce only organic products. On saturday the 19th I helped with a "Tiangas" in which people brought and sold organic products. At this event I met Lucy, one of the Afro-Mexicans from the coast. I spent monday night with her and her mother. On tuesday she took me to the beach at Chacagua, which is another Afro-Mexican community and we went through Azufre, which is another Afro-Mexican community. I am told that are many more but I had to get back to E-Costa do do at least some semblance of volunteering. When we went to the beach I did get to swim in the ocean. There were some Australians there because this area is excellent for surfing. Lucy was very surprised to see foreigners there since this is such an isolated area and populated only by the Afro-Mexicans. I have lots of pictures but I allowed one of the people at E-Costa to use my camera and to use another connector and now my connector does not work to upload pictures from the camera port to the computer. I am hoping for a miracle, but in the meantime I think there are pictures that I have not put in the blog. I am going to look for them and then post.

I do have pictures from my trip to Juquila on the 12th of May. This was to visit the church where the Virgin Mary is supposed to have appeared. Thousands of people arrive their daily to ask for favors and to promise visits to the church. I hope that this is not a duplication. I am so far behind in posting I have forgotten what is in and what is not. But as this is the last chance I will have to post before I leave for home, here goes!!

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Photos

La carretera a Juquila
This is a view along the highway to Juquila.

Abarrote y Restaurante
This is a grocery store and restaurant in one of the pueblos along the way.

El Chofer
This was the driver of the surburban that took us to Juquila, very nice man.

Los Mercados
These are some of the shops along the road to the church. The numbers of shops increase closer to the church.

La Entrada a la Iglesia
This is the entrance from the marketplace to the church courtyard.

La Iglesia de la Virgen de Juquila
This is the front of the church of the virgin of Juguila

Bienvenidos a Juquila
This is the place that the virgin Mary supposedly appeared. Thougsands of pilgrims come daily. It is in the mountains and there are thousands of curves. Not good for the stomach!

Arrondiente a Altar
Some of the pilgrims choose to walk on their knees to the altar to honor the virgin.

La Virgen de Juquila
Atop the altar in a white dress is the tiny virgin of Juquila...much smaller than I expected.

La Virgen
This is the virgin under the shroud. We were not allowed to take photos past a certain point.

Goya, Una Vendedora
I met this nice lady in the market. She told me where I could spend the night. I brought my Tlauluda here.

Una Amiga de Goya
This is a friend of Goya. I am going to send their pictures to her computer.

Comments

[LaVerne Elia]

waiting to see you again
What a fantastic trip you have had. So many memories and adventures. Can't wait to hear about them from you in person. You are going to be so busy when you return so I hope we get to chat. Such great photos you posted. Thanks for them. Love LaVerne Oh and our next book club is on June 27, a wednesday for a change. It is at Betty's. Hope to see you then. Come early with stories. Love LaVerne

[Donita]

I hope to see you again!
The unimaginable happened this morning. After managing to get all of my stuff to the airport I found out my flight was canceled and that I cannot get a "for sure" flight out until friday morning so I am back at the posada for 2 more nights for sure. But I get an opportunity to do some things that I was too busy to do before, like eat out at my favorite restaurants and just chill!