Oaxaca 2020 Week 3

1/29/2020

Day 15 - Week 3

Oaxaca City

Yesterday we eased back a bit on walking and instead stayed close to home. We read, got caught up on email, some journaling, started another jigsaw puzzle, and visited with neighbors.

Our trip to the super mercado was interesting. We’d heard that on Super Bowl Sunday or maybe during Super Bowl weekend, most of the store’s stock of liquor is discounted 30%. When we arrived it was discounted 32% (what an odd number). We hadn’t expected to buy any today but couldn’t resist the markdown. Another bottle of Rum, a bottle of Merlot, and even a bottle of gin for Carol. Even went so far as to buy olives.

So after checking out and looking at the bill, there was no discount. ??? We inquired with at checkout who did not understand a word of English. We asked for a manager who arrived and but he didn’t speak English (with all the expats living in the area?). But eventually we got it sorted. Yes, it’s discounted. But only when purchased online. ????  We returned the goods (but kept the olives). Upside was we didn't to have to carry all that weight home.

This reminded us of the time we went to Kohls to buy some jeans on sale. There they were, on the shelf. BUT, it was only an online discount. After speaking to customer service I would have to go online and place an order for an in-store pickup. Then wait for a few hours before the order was put through and a sales person in the store would pickup the jeans - on the shelf I was standing next to when placing the order - and take them to customer service where I would then pick them up. No amount of arguing (politely) would change the situation. Right then and there we cancelled our Kohls credit card. Not that anyone cared but you know, it's the principle of the thing.

In order to get the discount for the liquor I’d have to go online (all of this in Spanish), find the items, put them in a virtual cart, submit all our credit card information, then make sure we asked for an in-store pickup at the correct store…well, that was a bit too much. We’ll pass on the discount and look for another store to buy booze, even at the regular price!

Early meal, more reading, then off to bed.

Day 16 - Week 3

Oaxaca City

Not wishing to be inactive today. Not only did we need to get out and walk, we literally needed to get out. Thursdays are the day our apartment is cleaned along with new linens on the bed, towels, etc.. Our appointed hour is at 11:30am (same time every week we learned). Up to that time we communicated information to our birding group, tweaked a few itinerary things with Field Guides, and some email catching up.

Some banking today. Change out USD for Pesos. We’d found a local cambio across the street from a CitiBank which gave us 17.50 Pesos for every USD. A bit less that what we got at the airport. Not unexpected because the airport remains the better place but we would have lost any by advantage paying transport to and from the airport.

We continued on to the Alcala to scout out more possible shopping venues that our birding tour group might appreciate. Carol scored a nice shirt from a street vender. Then we made our way over to the La Santisima Flor de Lupulo brewery.

The brunch menu was still in effect. We ordered a flight of beer consisting of an IPA, Pale Ale and a Porter. To eat I settled on a cheese, mushroom, and spinach omelette with local chocolate-mint stout. Songs from a BB King album played in the background (One Kind Favor album). Oh, yeah. Breakfast of champions.

Walking back toward the Alcala we bumped into a couple who we stopped to ask about the fellow’s brightly colored hummingbird design on his T-shirt. Turns out they were birders, and knew Laura and Dave Paulson, birders and fellow RVer’s we had met on the road and are now good friends. What a small world.

As we wound our way back to the apartment we discovered more interesting nooks and crannies displaying so many wonderful colors and textures. Happy hour with more spirited discussions about US politics then off to bed.

Day 17 - Week 3

Oaxaca City

Aside from following the dismal news of U.S. politics, we spent more time this morning organizing a few things in the apartment before departing for the other Chedraui supermarket that all our neighbors rave about.

Claire, one of our neighbors was returning to the store today and offered to take us with her. This Chedraui is about 2.5 miles away. Too far to walk like the closer Chedraui.  It would involve our first bus ride in Oaxaca and Claire was offering to show us the ropes - where to get on, which bus to get on, and where to get off.

The cost of a bus ride was $8 Pesos (roughly .45-cents per person). Today, however, there was one of the frequent “blockades”. These blockades are spontaneous protests about something - we weren’t sure what. But it caused a massive slow down in traffic as hundreds of parked dump trucks and collectivo taxis were clogged city streets. It made for a longer than usual bus ride as the driver was forced to find alternate routes.

Finally arriving at our drop off point, we still had about a three block walk to the store. Once inside we could easily see why our neighbors are so impressed and why taking the time to take a bus was a small price to pay. The store was much larger, cleaner, and had a lot more to offer than our local Chedraui.

Our goal today was to take advantage of the 30% discount on alcohol. Apparently the 32% discount we tried to get at the other Chedraui was a one day online only event. The 30% was not an online requirement and people were stocking up in droves.

We wound up with two bottles of red wine - one from Chile and the other from South Africa. A bottle of Tangueray for Carol’s martinis and two bottles of Jamaican rum (Appleton Speacial). The rum bottles were 950ml each. And a six-pack of Negro Modello. Total price in USD? $48. Given how much more was available at the store Carol would have loved to have lingered longer.

As it was, we had too much weight to carry back to the bus stop so opted to take a taxi. For the three of us the ride cost $70 Pesos. Roughly $3.70. All in all a very inexpensive but eye-opening trip.

At last night’s happy hour some of us agreed to make a night of it at a local restaurant, Biznaga. Neighbors Claire and Jim, Val and ourselves trekked to Biznaga’s, located at Calle Manuel García Vigil 512, one block west of Santa Domingo Church.

This was on a Friday night and the city was in full swing. Crowded streets, many pedestrians, and lots of celebrating. Even a small musical group (mainly percussionists) marching along one street.

The food is a ‘mestizo’ cuisine using typical ingredients of Oaxaca combined with those of the New World. Our beef was marinated with a mole sauce based on mezcal with mashed potatoes. The ‘negra sopa’ (black bean soup) was creamed black beans with a red wine sauce. We all had margaritas but instead of tequila, mezcal was the base.

A bit more pricey than we’re used to but a delightful meal with plenty of conversation. Interesting that they don’t do separate checks but when we took it upon ourselves to break the bill down, we could pay each portion with a credit card.

Walking in the evening certainly gave us a different perspective what with all the night life and lights. Familiar streets - streets we’ve walked on since arriving - seemed so much different.

Finally back at our apartment by 10:00pm, there was a note from Hector in Veracruz stating that he and his wife were in Oaxaca and would we want to get together on Saturday or Sunday? Sooner than we expected but we made a date to meet in front of Santa Domingo Church at 11:00am, Saturday morning, hoping that our translators on our iPhones will be up to the task!

Day 18 - Week 3

Oaxaca City - Hector Jaime

As Paul Harvey used to say, “and now the rest of the story”.

Thirty years ago while I was working at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, a German professor, Hans Ternes, hosted a music group he had found in Oaxaca, MX. The name of the group was Canto Nuevo. It was a mix of locals bonded by their love of Mexican, Central and South American folk songs - music of the people for the people.

They played a number of musical instruments including percussion, strings (guitar and vihuela), pan pipes, plus vocals. During their stay at Lawrence they performed a few concerts. They also performed in Madison.

As Director of Media Services I was tasked with recording some their music. At the time, technology was audio cassettes. And I supplied a number of copies for the group to take back. Unfortunately, as far as I am aware, none of the recordings still exist at Lawrence. But over their stay I got to know them well. I was included in dinner parties in their honor. And I helped one of the group, Raul, purchase a video recorder. I was presented with one of their colorful jackets.

At the end of their stay, they said, “If you are ever in Oaxaca, you have many friends. Please find us if you ever visit”.

Well. Here we are 30 years later. On the cusp of a visit. I had a copy of the original concert program (a copy is in fact in the LU archives) signed by all the members of the group. Facebook can be an amazing place at times. After a search I found who appeared to be one of the members, Héctor Jaime Gallegos García. I instigated a message containing my background and asking if he was indeed an original member of Canto Nuevo. It took a few weeks but he replied in the affirmative. Yes, indeed he was. And he remembered me.

We became friends on Facebook, exchanging messages about our upcoming visit and how we might meet. Hector and his wife live in Veracruz - that’s an eight bus trip away. But he said that they come to Oaxaca regularly. A few days ago they arrived for the weekend. We made plans to meet at the front doors of Santa Domingo Church yesterday at 11:00am. It was the first time in thirty years we saw each other. Antonia Ruiz Torres (“Toni”) commented: “What a beautiful reunion after 3 decades of absence. Neither the language nor the distance or time matter when friendship is true.”

Our morning coffee at Casa Mayordomo, Macedonio Alcalá 302, morphed into being driven by Hector and Toni to Matalan to sample mezcal and learn first hand of how mezcal is produced. The state of Oaxaca is famous for its mezcal production and as they say, when in Rome…

First of all mezcal is not tequila (although just a potent!). Tequila is only made from blue agave. Mezcal is distilled from any number of other species of agave.

Agave is harvested when around seven or eight years old. Once harvested, the spines are cut away. What remains is the heart, the piña, which is formed underground. A piña can weigh up to 220 pounds.

A fire is started in a deep pit. Stones are place on top. When the stones become red-hot, the piñas, which have been cut in half or quartered, are placed on top of the rocks then covered with fiber and straw mats and earth then left to roast for about four to five days.

When the roasted piñas are removed, the roasting brings out the natural sugars. Fresh roasted agave is very sweet and tastes a lot like a combination of grilled corn and singed tropical fruit - very smoky, too. We sampled some - chewing on a piece you “chew” the sweetness leaving the thin fibers of the plant behind.

The roasted piñas are crushed using a large grinding wheel milling process (usually a horse or mule turns the wheel) with a person using a pitchfork to turn the agave making sure it gets ground evenly.

Crushed agave is placed in large wooden barrels to ferment. Hot water is added to the barrel, then filled to the top with cold water and left to ferment for several days (the open barrels smelled amazing!). The exact period of fermentation depends on the weather - the hotter the weather the faster the fermentation.

Distillation of the mash comes next. The first distillation yields a low-grade alcohol. Fibers are removed from the still and a second distillation takes place. After the second distillation occurs, the mezcal is blended to obtain a consistent grade of alcohol. The resulting mezcal is either bottled right away - called joven or blanco. Or it is left to age further in oak barrels.

Mezcal is sold in various forms. Mezcal Blanco or Joven is not aged at all or may be aged up to two months. It’s tends to be the least “smooth” when sipped.

Mezcal Reposado is aged between 6 months to a year. Sometimes a Chinicuil (larva from inside the agave plant) is added. Only “mezcal reposado” has a worm. Some say the worm adds flavor. Others say it’s simply a marketing gimmick. I’d say it’s the latter.

Mezcal añejo is aged for at least a year. The longer it’s aged, the smoother is goes down. And the pricier it becomes. But don’t be fooled into thinking that joven isn’t worth having. Depending upon the species of agave, joven can be quite good and has a much lower price.

There is also “cremas de mezcal” which is sweetened and comes in a variety of flavors like coconut, coffee, and passionfruit. Think of it as a Bailey’s Irish Cream tase. For those who don’t relish the taste of pure mezcal, this is a wya to enjoy.

By now it was getting to be late afternoon. During our our drive back to Oaxaca we invited Héctor and Toni for an evening meal at La Rambra. But we had to hurry because they closed at 6:00pm. We arrived at 5:55pm. Carol and I rushed in to see if we were too late while Héctor parked the car. Selma, the owner said, “No - you are not too late. We usually stay about another hour to prepare for the next day.”  Whew! Had a wonderful meal of smoked Marling tacos, shrimp tacos while Toni had calamari. Afterwards we went to our apartment a block away to sit and talk. The mezcal tasting party was still going on. Obviously with Héctor and Toni arriving in town and our traveling with them, negated our being at the party.

Sitting in our apartment having beer and wine we put our phone translators to work. For over an hour we learned so much more about Héctor and Toni’s lives and how many similarities we shared.

They said they will be back in Oaxaca on Feb 23 - 25. We plan to get together again then. What a wonderful experience that had its roots in a chance meeting 30 years ago!

Day 19 - Week 3

Oaxaca City

Sunday morning. It’s when the informal local bird group meets but given our late night we opted to sleep in. Well, not so much sleep in. Just not feel like we had to rush out the door.

We spent time organizing our photos form the previous day, got caught up on Facebook contacts, then decide we might like some breakfast out so we headed over to La Rambra.

Speaking with Selma we learned that they are going to be moving. But not too far. Basically just about 40 feet to another spot in the collectivo, putting off plans to move to a spot on the Alcalá for a year owing to the fact that the busy tourist season will be winding down in a few months.

Seated at our table we noticed a group of three wearing 49’s team colors came in looking for a table. We had space at ours and invited them to join us. It was a husband wife from San Francisco who have been coming to Oaxaca for years. This time the wife’s sister had just joined them a few days earlier - her first visit. Given the outcome of the Superbowl, the 49er fans were finding themselves feeling like the Packer fans did a few weeks ago. And perhaps a bit less cocky.

We bantered back and forth a bit about the Packer-49er results but otherwise talked about Oaxaca and what we’ve all been doing.

Breakfast was as usual, wonderful. Poached eggs on a bed of toast and avocado along with potatoes and fruit. Coffee from the nearby coffee stand. Also purchased two raffle tickets to possibly win a dinner for two at La Rambra for Valentine Day. All proceeds to go to help local people in need.

With no particular purpose in mind other than to get some exercise, we headed out toward the Alcalá. making our way past the Zocala we stopped to listen to the local wind ensemble. Over and up several more streets we popped in and out of shops and museums. One small artist shop was “Tinglaography”, a mix of mostly old photos and posters updated with digital imagery. Then there was an exhibit by Daniela Edburg. A modern photographer who’s works included a wide range of portraiture and outdoor scenes evoking surreal imagery.

Lots of music coming from the plaza in front of Santa Domingo Church attracte dour attention. A group of musicians played music while people in costumes danced. We had also noticed that in the past week many dolls dressed in extravagant clothes were displayed in shop windows.

A bit of inquiry we learned that February 2nd is the day for the “Fiesta of the Virgin of Candelaria”. A special day when families dress up their baby Jesus figures and carry them to church to get blessed. Some dress them at home but while some go into the markets to have special vendors dress them (hence all the shops displaying the dolls and clothing). While the music and dancing was going on, many dolls were being taken into the church to be blessed.

Walking makes us thirsty so we stopped by the Berlina restaurant for a Coke and a beer. Guess who had what.

Where had the time flown? Already past 4:00 we returned to the apartment and happy hour. Another new neighbor, Nancy from Windsor, Ontario had arrived. Always a good time to catch up on what our neighbors have been up to on any given day.

Day 20 - Week 3

Oaxaca City

Monday morning. Post Super Bowl. We didn’t watch it nor did we catch the halftime show. Or any of the commercials. Did we feel left out? Not at all! Congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs, wherever they’re based. Besides, the Packers beat the Chiefs in game eight of the regular season, 31-24. If it hadn’t been for losing to the 49er’s…

Every day we try to get out for some regular exercise. Today, with no particular place to go, we headed north toward the lending library. After bumping into a couple of our neighbors, they pointed out where the “caha popular” was located. It’s the equivalent of our credit unions in the states. Supposed to be the best place to use an ATM with the least amount of service charge. We went down the street to locate the exact building and along the way stumbled into a courtyard belonging to a boutique hotel, NaNaVida. Nightly room rates started at $114.00 USD. A bit pricy for us but had a nice talk with one of the staff who showed us some of the soaps they make. We left with a nice piece of soap, gifted wrapped and gratis.

A stop at the library wound up chatting with a couple of birders originally from Minnesota who now live Silver City, NM. We informed them of the local bird group. A woman selling figs and blueberries attracted Carol’s attention. We left with a little of each.

Winding a corner we couldn’t help but notice a bakery and had to stop. Left with two churros, long ridged fried-dough pastry coated with sugar. There were churros filled with a chocolate cream but we opted for the plain, non-filled. This would be desert tonight.

By now we’re at Juarez Llano Park. As we walked the perimeter we decided to stop at Marco Polo Restaurant to try some shrimp cocktail which one of our neighbors raves about. Besides, Marco Polo was where we planned to being our birding group for breakfast on their free day. Might as well experience the service first hand.

Shrimp cocktail came in three sizes. Small, medium and large. We ordered the medium to share and some coffee. The server dropped off a bowl of crackers, thin tortas, and three sauces. When the shrimp arrived it was the largest size. Clearly the waiter had not understood “medium” even after I’d pointed to it on the menu.

The shrimp was excellent. And there was more than enough to share. In fact we almost couldn’t finish it. Compared to a “shrimp cocktail” in the states, this was an amazing amount for not very much money. Our group should be pleased with the restaurant and service. Just make sure to be explicit in asking for the correct portion.

Back through Llano, we strayed east toward the Alcalá, eventually stopping at Luiz Martinez’s rug shop. We wanted to make sure that he took credit cards (he does) and that they will ship rugs (for a price, they will).

When we arrived Luiz was napping on a low bed. We spoke with the other staff not wanting to wake him. But shortly he rose, fresh from his nap. Always hospitable, he invited us to sit and chat - and we did for over a half hour learning more about his staff.

As we talked Luiz saw an older man walking past carrying a colorful woven basket. Luiz beckoned the man inside to negotiate buying a basket to replace one he had that had, ver the years, become too worn. The upshot was he negotiated with the man to order a basket. And it was a lovely basket.

The heat of the day had begun as we worked our way back to the apartment. But not before stopping at a small shop to buy a couple of ‘copitas’, small clay vessels for sipping mezcal that we’d had our eye on. Originally we wanted to purchase a copita from a local artist, Vicente Hernández. But the man sitting at the desk in the small galeria had rebuffed our efforts, refusing to sell what appeared to be singles (not part of a set). Not once but also on an earlier visit. So we bought form another artist instead. Have to say that our experience in Vicente’s small shop was the exception to the rule of friendly artisans.

Back at the apartment we prepared for happy hour. This time, many of the neighbors brought mezcal to taste since we had missed the mezcal tasting party on Saturday evening. We brought our container of joven (young; un-aged) Minero mezcal which we had paid $80 Pesos for a one liter container. This would be considered undesirable by some who think paying much more results in a better mezcal. Most every very much enjoyed our young mezcal! So much so that during the tasing on Saturday, someone had brought the same mezcal which, out of 14 mezcals sampled, turned out to be rated in the top three!

Day 21 - Week 3

Oaxaca City

Closing in on our third week. More housekeeping today starting with a walk to Cheduai super mercado for food staples. Always a challenge for the walk back with loaded grocery bags.

Time for a lunch break then back out on the street again for more food staples from the mercado near the Zocala. Oh, and pickup some Coke for mixing with rum.

Down time for a brief nap, working on the jigsaw puzzle, some reading…a pretty lazy day.

4:30 time for a FaceTime with Jennie to wish her a happy birthday - turned 43. We won’t mention how how that makes us feel. Then another walk - a short one - to pick up our laundry. Then up to the roof for happy hour.

Not a terribly busy day but certainly restful (except the grocery bag lug).