Oaxaca 2020 Week 8

3/4/2020

Day 50 - Week 8 Oaxaca City

The uneventful days continue as Carol still not up to snuff. Walked to buy groceries at Chedraui, cooked chili, finished what will be our last jigsaw puzzle, planned on Marge’s arrival on Thursday. Happy hour again without Carol who wanted to finish reading a book.3/5/2020

Day 51 - Week 8 Oaxaca City

Thursday. Cleaning day so we departed for the allotted time, at least two hours.

Walked to Boulenc for a bite to eat. Interesting interaction with one of the wait staff who didn’t seem eager to pay attention to our ordering. Also reinforced the notion that pizzas cannot be ordered anywhere in the city before 2:00 p.m.

Fortified with food we wandered back to the mercado to buy fruits and vegetables before heading back home.

Today is the day Marge arrived from WI. Taxied to the airport to meet her plane then a collectivo taxi back once she had changed her dollars into Pesos. 

Also met Pat McAfee’s in-laws who arrived on a slightly earlier flight. Plans to get together for coffee sometime on Monday to talk a bit.

Otherwise out the door in the morning for breakfast and begin Marge’s intro to Oaxaca.

Day 52 - Week 8 Oaxaca City

    By 9:00am we were having breakfast at La Rambla with Marge. Carol still is feeling a bit punk but after breakfast we did a slow walk up to Llan Park.

We walked our way over to the Alcala, poking heads into shops like Copal. Slowly worked our way down to the Zocalo then eventually back to the apartment.

Meanwhile made arrangements with Jorge to be picked up in the evening to go listen to Raúl at Bellissima Restaurant on Calle Luis Echeverria, across from the Instituto Technológico de Oaxaca (soccer field). Stayed for two sets. The second set included Jorge being invited to sing a few songs, one which he dedicated to me. Didn’t get back to the apartment until almost midnight.

Day 53 - Week 8 Oaxaca City

    Walked to the Mercado; stopped at a few shops, museums; coffee at a hotel; walked past Boulenc; a few more shops; stopped at Wearable Arts; visted Luiz; watched a wedding; lunch at Berlina’s; got caught up watching another wedding; mezcal tasting at the mercado; Choco mios, then back home. Only three of us at happy hour as some folks are sick while others are out with other plans.

Day 54 - Week 8 Oaxaca City

Another change of plans day. Initially we were to take a bus to Tlacolula, a large market day “Día de Plaza”. Local artisans and of course the smell and taste of the food was the draw.

Initially we were to travel with three of our neighbors but one by one, they dropped out. Two with conflicting travels plans and a third due to illness. And as it turne dout, one of the two with travel conflicts wound up breaking her wrist (shoulda gone to the market…)

Once learning that the bus ride would take an hour and a half - or a taxi ride costing $600 Pesos - we opted to instead attend the Sunday morning local bird walk. And as it turned out, we did a return trip to San Felipe where we again found a Oaxaca Sparrow plus added four more bird to our Oaxaca bird list.

Returning in early afternoon we stopped at Marco Polo for a bite to eat and margaritas to celebrate Marge getting three life birds. That turned out to be a mistake as we were overcharged for our food plus after having margaritas so early in the day really wiped us out. Naps all around. But we still made it to Happy Hour.

Day 55 - Week 8 Oaxaca City

This morning we agreed to meet Susanne and Charlie for coffee. Started out at 8:30 meeting in front of Santa Domingo then walked to the Nuevo Mundo Cafe for coffee. After Susanne and Charlie headed off, we stayed for breakfast. Also decided that instead of Marco Polo, we would bring the birding group to Nuevo Mundo where the food, service is better.

Spent the rest of the morning shopping and sightseeing with a little people watching in the Zocola thrown in before heading home.

Day 56 - Week 8 Oaxaca City

    At 8:00am we flagged a taxi for a ride out to Bosque el Tequio, a birding spot near the airport. Added four new birds to the Oaxaca list and got Marge some life birds as well.

Walked to the bus stop for a bus back to the apartment. Deciding on where ot eat lunch while Marge and Carol walk to Chedraui for a few food supplies.