Oaxaca: Me Gusta Pero Hasta Luego

It is our last full day in Oaxaca.  Tomorrow we take the bus back to the DF to catch our flight to Costa Rica early the following morning.

We have had days at the language school (I.C.O.) that remind us that we have a lot to learn but mostly our teacher is very good at teaching and positively reinforcing our skills.  I am able to have basic conversations and sometimes stretch into talking about politics and life in the US, I even get a joke from time to time.

In between swotting we have been able to get in some trips and adventures.  A couple of weekends ago we went to our friend Sheila’s house with a group of fellow students and spent the day hanging out, swapping tall stories, cooking, eating and generally having a fun time.  Sheila lives about 20 or 30 minutes by bus from the area wherein lies the school.  In reality it is probably about 3 or 4 miles over and up a bit, great view looking out over the city from her hammock…  The last bus back down the hill leaves sometime between 8 and 9 pm and when we heard it going up the hill to the last stop a few blocks from the house there was a mad scramble even though it was only 8:15pm.  It was very funny and we were lucky since it turned out it was the last bus.

The following day Sheila, Darcie and I went to a town, Mitla, 50km away that has some Zapotec ruins that were not destroyed much by the Spanish although the town church is built on top of the remains of one of the temples.

We took the local buses there and back which were fun, filled with locals coming or going to the market at Tlacolula.

I have a little cold, nothing major but feeling slow.  Slept the afternoon away yesterday after wasting two hours searching for Costa Rican dosh which is not available out here in the provinces.  We have some dollars so that should cover us if necessary until we find an ATM in San Jose. 

We spent the evening last night with our landlady who was having a party with her extended family which was fun, had a few beers which was probably the wrong thing but there you go.  What I should have had was some mezcal - good for what ails you.

Oaxaca is a really great place: vibrant, full of Mezcalarias and chapulines, loads of young people.  On the weekends we ran around and did touristy things like visiting the local Zapotec ruins, Monte Alban and Mitla, which are well preserved/restored and worth seeing or going to the local markets which are thronged with tiny brown old ladies sometimes almost as wide as they are tall, mountains of chiles, chapulines, meat everywhere - mostly identifiable but some things not even for me, snacks, quesillo, mole, mole and more mole. 

I learned to make several moles from scratch - the easy ones where a blender is all you need.  The complicated ones require a grinder to the job justice and while those are available here not so in the US.  Oaxacan chocolate I can take or leave, it has way too much sugar in it. 

Local food is somewhat bereft of veggies, but plenty of stodge so I have gained a few pounds despite my best efforts. 

Took salsa classes for a couple of hours a day for a couple of weeks - that was a lot of fun.  I need a lot more practice and more lessons.  The cooking class was fun but pretty low key for me.  The rest of group got a lot out of it it seemed since most of them didn't really cook that much at home.  Thanks to Juanito I can cook most of the dishes that we prepared or have a fair idea how to.

We went for a fantastic two day hike in the nearby mountains, 20ish miles at 8500ft plus (the highest climb was 10,500ft right at the start).  Stellar views, good digs in the villages, the guides were really knowledgeable about the local plants and customs and such, amazing scenery, views for days - the locals may be cash poor but their souls are rich.

You all need to come to Oaxaca.  Life is great, lots of things to do, the bar/restaurant scene is fun - you can easily meet locals, the mezcal is off the hook (I like a good tequila, but just about any mezcal is good and cheap), the weather is idyllic and well what can I say, you just have to come and experience for yourselves.