A Few of My Favorite Things (and Some Not-so-Favorite)

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We had a fairly uneventful 7.5 hour bus trip back to Oaxaca, if you don't count the flat tire on the mountain road...and me feeling awful for awhile due to the twists and turns and the altitude....

Got back to the city in the late afternoon, checked into our old room, had another great $3.50 meal across the street, visited Susan in her bakery, walked to the market for gifts, strolled through the very active Zocalo (Semana Santa is rapidly approaching...and there are hundreds of vendors each night now), and are now packed and ready for bed...up at 5:30am tomorrow....

Saturday: First time I've had a flight attendant list the reasons why it will be a challenge for our plane to take off! Too heavy, mountains are close....carrying extra fuel... Did she want some us the run off the plane? We made it to Houston, with some bad turbulence....

We have one time passes to the United lounge here in Houston, so the six hour layover is bearable...

Thanks for following along on this trip,

Happy Travels, Lynn

Recommendations:

Expeditionnes del Sierra Norte for hiking

Hotel Aitana (except when the students are there, and avoid the desk clerk with the glasses)

Pan y Mas bakery on Bravo

The small basement restaurant across the street and a half block down Crespo from Hotel Aitana

Both mercados in Oaxaca (we heard they may tear down the smaller one near the zocalo..so visit while you can..)

Servicio Express to Puerto

Aqua Luna Hotel

Dan's Deluxe Cafe and Hotel

Playa Angelito for swimming





A few favorite things from this trip:

Walking in the warm morning air to my Spanish classes in Oaxaca as vendors set up in the streets

Diving into the smells, sights and sounds of the markets

The neon brightness of bougainvillea flowers

Drinking a shot of mezcal in a tiny general store high in the mountains with a few local people

Swimming in warm salt water

Running on warm, soft, clean sand

Watching a large flock of cormorants fly a few feet above the waves

The sun setting into the Pacific

Eating a mango that just fell from the tree

Soft, warm air at night

Geckos

Mountain butterflies, especially the large lime green ones

Waking up to sun every day

Won't Miss:

Sweating so much that it is dripping off my face

Noise

Tattoo covered bodies

Starving dogs

Hawkers

Paying to use a toilet (however, most were spotless...)

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Photos

Last day of swimming....
We had just eaten a delicious fish dinner on the beach after swimming and reading all afternoon and were walking back to town to get money before taking a taxi back to our hotel...

Bill, hotel dog, pool, computer
We came back from the beach, went for a swim in the pool to cool off, and stayed out in the chairs til dark...

Last Breakfast at Dan's Deluxe
Dan is Canadian and has been in PE for about 22 years...has a great hotel and cafe....

Waiting for the bus in PE
Unfortunately, the town itself has zero charm, except for the market....

Women waiting in line for some kind of voucher
Maybe like food stamps? People line up every morning, both here and in Oaxaca...

Glimpse of life in rural Oaxaca from the bus
Washing dishes and clothes outside....

Detail of door at "Pan y Mas"
Alex and Susana's bakery, just around the corner from our hotel.... Alex was born here!

Bill and Susan at the bakery
Susana's from the US and alex is from Oaxaca...they make wonderful bread, muffins, and much more in their tiny bakery....find them at M Bravo 408, Col. Centro in Oaxaca!