Oaxaca 2020 Week 4

2/5/2020

Day 22 - Week 4 Oaxaca City

A very slow day for us as about all we accomplished was to walk to the Zocala, a bit further west to explore a few streets we’d not been on before, then a slow walk through the Mercado 20 de Noviembre. There we ran into a father and daughter from Portland sampling and buying mezcal from our favorite mezcal shop in the market. Marco, the young man at the counter is very personable and speaks English. Also very knowledgeable about all that he sells.

Picked up a small bag of trail mix, a small vial of honey and then headed home. Happy hour at 5:00 with a glorious sunset.

Day 23 - Week 4 Oaxaca City

Today’s quest, while our apartment was being cleaned, we headed east of the historic center of town to the Panteón General, or General Cemetery. While it houses the remains of many illustrious figures in the history of the region and nation (we couldn’t find a list so didn’t know where or who to locate), it is also a showcase for diverse and imaginative funeral architecture.

Older crypts and grave markers have given way to larger and more ornate mausolea. Many deploy neoclassical elements, with varied uses of pediments, architraves, pilasters, and columns to effect a dignified, formal aspect. Others adopt the clean lines and restrained ornamentation of Modernist design, particularly popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Still others experiment with highly expressive forms, materials, and colors, adding visual variety to the landscape. This of course made our walk through the cemetery all the more interesting.

Gravesites rest amid a lush landscape of orange, cedar, and pine trees, climbing vines, potted plants, and flower bouquets placed in vases. The pines and cedars make for good birdwatching. We were surprised at how many gravesites had fresh flowers. A crew of workers was busy cleaning, sweeping, watering, and pruning many gravesite plantings.

Oaxacan authorities established the Panteón General in 1829 on land that at the time lay on the town’s periphery, located between the Rio Jalatlaco and the sandstone quarries. The new cemetery was urgently needed to handle the overflow of bodies from a raging smallpox epidemic that killed a quarter of the population. Five years later, cholera swept through the town, killing hundreds more. Over the next two centuries, some 11,000 bodies would find rest in the necropolis.

Since its inception, the Panteón General has been an important site for the observance of “Día de Muertos” — Day of the Dead. Families bring food and drink for their departed loved ones, and the cemetery fills with thousands of candles, crepe paper streamers, painted signs, floral arrangements, and cempasúchil (Tagetes erecta, also known as Mexican marigold, used for rituals since pre-Columbian times and now representative of the holiday). Celebrations were canceled in 2017 after an earthquake damaged the cemetery’s sandstone gate. As of 2019, some of the damage has been repaired, though residents continue to report unsafe conditions of walls and gates. In any case, the cemetery has reopened, and once again plays its central role in the ritual life of Oaxaqueños.

There was an interesting structure in what was probably the original chapel. Clearly in a state of ruins, quite possibly an earthquake or fire years ago.

On our way back we tried stopping for lunch at Casa Taviche, recommend by Paul and Gloria. Alas, it opened it 1:00 and here we were, standing at their door at noon. So, on to our second choice, La Rambla. But when we arrived they were still closed, in the process of moving. Our third option was to try “Colectivo Gastronomico Cultural”, a small collective of 8 restaurants. Very inexpensive and the food was great - split a barbecue chicken sandwich and we each had fresh squeezed juice.

One small incident in the apartment. Changing out a roll of toilet paper, the ceramic holder broke loose from the wall and shattered on the floor. Immediately notified Manuel who surveyed the scene. Promised to be back the next day to repair the damage. It’s an old 50’s style blue holder matching the rest of the bathroom decor. They still make these?

Happy hour, evening meal then off to bed.

Day 24 - Week 4 Oaxaca City

Owing to an upset stomach - probably the papaya juice from the day before’s lunch (acted like a laxative), there was not much activity beyond the apartment.

As promised Manuel came to replace the toilet roll holder with, believe or not, a properly matched blue ceramic replacement.

We know Maria knows all that happens in the apartments but she still appreciated a note from us explaining what had happened which she greatly appreciated.

Otherwise, jigsaw puzzle, reading, and happy hour after feeling much better than in the morning.

Day 25 - Week 4 Oaxaca City

Finally a walk to one of the “caha popular”, an ATM associated with a Mexican credit union which is supposed to have the lowest transaction fee for withdrawing cash using our debit card. The touch screen was in both Spanish and English which made the transaction very simple.

The only blip was selecting $100 - which is the amount of money we wished to withdraw. Out popped a $100 Pesos. What we needed was to select $1,000 which of course was not the amount in USD but Pesos.

Once finished we walked around the Llano Park then headed to La Rambla to checkout their new location. Basically moved the kitchen about 40 feet.

Ordered breakfast and purchased a pound of fresh ground coffee from the small coffee shop immediately behind La Rambla. Locally grown organic coffee so the money went directly to the family.

Back to the apartment for me but Carol, who had discovered a textile sale wanted to go back and check it out. A few neighbors opted to go with her. Didn’t buy anything - just eye candy shopping.

More relaxing before happy hour, dinner and a movie (well, half of a movie - we split them into two nights), then bed.

Day 26 - Week 4 Oaxaca City

Sunday morning so we joined s small group of the local birding club meeting in Llano Park. The decision was made to travel to San Felipe where there’s a dirt track running through dry scrub.

Two of the regulars - Susan and Gale (Gale was the original organizer of the club), another couple from Canada and a woman from Manhattan rounded out the group.

Initially the plan was to take a bus but being early Sunday, buses were not running very often - yet. We flagged down two cabs which cost us roughly $35 Pesos each.

Walking the road for about three hours produced one life bird: Oaxaca Sparrow. Otherwise we enjoyed everyone’s company talking about birds and birding. The woman from NY was impressed with seeing so many new - for her - birds.

We managed to catch a bus for the return trip. Bus fares are even at $8 Pesos so it’s a pretty cheap proposition.

Dropped off again at Llano Park we circled over to the Alcalá and lunch at Berlina’s. Another shared meal of bratwurst with a wonderful apple strudel (with ice cream) for desert.

Back to the apartment for what turned out to be a couple of naps before happy hour. Not much of an appetite having a late lunch so just some tea, cookies, the rest of the movie then off to bed.

Day 27 - Week 4 Oaxaca City

Today on our way to Chedruai, the local supermarket, we found a Samsung phone in the street. While the face was cracked, the phone still functioned. What to do?

Two immediate problems. First, everything was in Spanish. And two, I’m unfamiliar with the Samsung operating system (although Samsung sure did copy the look of an iPhone).

We recalled the supermarket has a kiosk where one can buy a SIM card or refresh their SIM card, or buy a Samsung phone. It made sense, then, to bring the phone to the kiosk and ask the attendant if they could contact the owner. Of course every other time we’ve seen the kiosk there was always an attendant. But not today.

Carol tracked down a store security person who in turn sought help from another store employee. Between the four of us, and with the use of our Spanish translation software on our phones, the owner (or someone in the owner’s contact list) was contacted. He/she would arrive at the store’s Customer Service desk in about twenty minutes.

While Carol shopped, I waited. Twenty-five minutes later I was just about to turn the phone over to Customer Service when two men appeared inquiring about the phone. In the ensuing conversation, one of the men produced an ID card that matched the ID information on the back of the phone’s case. Not that some random person would coincidentally show up claiming the lost phone but it was nice to have the owner’s confirmation. The fellow was quite happy to be reunited with his phone and asked if “did he owe me any money?” which I took to mean was I seeking a reward.

“Absolutely not - the smile on your face is my reward”. He gestured toward the heavens then we profusely shook hands. He went on his way and I joined Carol in her shopping quest.

I know how I would have felt if I’d lost my phone so I know how happy the man must have felt - and how glad we were to have the story wind up with a satisfying ending.

Once back at the apartment we took a short break to unpack groceries, then headed out to the mercado in town to pick up a few bananas, tomatoes, and another bottle of Coke. We also stopped at a “Chocolate Mayordomo” store (a chain) to try one of their Choco Mio, a sweet chocolate milk shake for $30 Pesos. Very refreshing and quite addicting.

The rest of the day was spent at the apartment reading, working on a jigsaw puzzle, a short nap. Before we knew it, it was happy hour. It now seems that Carol has warmed to our bottle of Minero mezcal. Good things come to those who wait.

Today was Ava’s ninth birthday so we managed a quick FaceTime to wish her a happy birthday. Thank goodness for technology!

Day 28 - Week 4 Oaxaca City

Just sitting around doesn’t wear well with us so up and out the door to accomplish a few tasks.

First up was to buy a bracelet for Ava’s birthday which was on the 10th. We’d found bracelets at Copal, a shop featuring Oaxaca arts. There were several to choose from but knowing Ava’s penchant for either pink or purple helped narrow the search. We’ll be giving Ava her bracelet when we return to WI in May.

Carol has been interested in finding a ‘delantal para la cocina’, an ‘apron for the kitchen’ ever since seeing a wonderfully embroidered apron on a street vender. A stroll through many clothing shops lining part of the Zocala didn’t produce anything so we headed to the Oaxaca Artisan Shop which also didn’t have aprons - but it did have a top Carol liked. Talked the vender down from $450 Pesos to $300 Pesos ($16 USD).

A break for a ‘choco mio’, essentially a chilled hot cocoa drink, resulted in an explanation of how chocolate is made using a molinilla. The molinillo [moh-lee-NEE-yoh] is a Mexican chocolate "whisk" or “stirrer" made of "turned" wood. It’s used to froth warm drinks such as hot chocolate, atole, and champurrado. This tool is still handmade today using a wood lathe and it is still used for preparation of hot chocolate.

The tool was actually invented by the Spaniard colonists in Mexico around the 1700's to assist with the preparation of a hot chocolate like drink.  The chocolate that was made by the Aztecs was simply roasted beans, ground on a metate and added seeds and flavorings.  The resulting chocolate was thick, grainy, and had a nasty habit of separating.  Aztecs would keep pouring the mixture from one pot to another; to keep the chocolate mixed.  Today, chocolate includes emulsifiers that keep the chocolate from separating.

The Spaniards thought the whole business of all that pouring back and forth was quite uncivilized; thus the invention of the molinillo (stirrer).  Earliest versions had a simple ball or square at one end of a long handle.  Later they got more elaborate with rings and movable parts that helped the stirring process. The molinillos were made to fit into a container with the handle extending out of the top.   The molinillo was then rotated between the user’s two hands placed palm-sides together.  The twisting motion frothed the chocolate.

Back at the apartment more resting, relaxing before happy hour. The evening meal was lasagna using the persnickety gas oven which required constant supervision. However, it turned out to be quite tasty.

We’ve been watching movies streamed on my laptop while eating our evening meal. Typically we break the movie up into two or three parts over two or three evening meals. The dining room chairs simply are not like our sofa back home.