Waving Goodbye to Oaxaca

Bob bought  "Luxury" level tickets for our five hour bus ride from Oaxaca to Puebla. I think he knew the last 10 hour ride had just about done us in. We told the kids we were riding the "chicken bus" and so they were surprised at the large seats, nice bathrooms and leg room. Appreciation comes with a struggle.

There's so much excitement in the Mexican air at Christmas with families visiting from all over the country. In February, when we were last here, children were in school and parents working. We haven't yet met any tourists from Canada, the US or Europe.

The pics below are from our last day in Oaxaca. But I have to apologize for not including grasshoppers for your New Year's dinner. The ones below are flavoured with chile and I ate one! Maybe one day when we aren't eating beef and pork anymore, we'll be crunching on bugs. Yum.

      

               The legs kind of hang on your lips.

         

                              New Years in the air.

           

                               The  motley crew.

                       

                                    Hanging moon.

                      

             A spiffy roof to protect the government palace courtyard.

                     

                            

                          Getting all shined up for his lover.

                     

                                          How water is heated.

    

      

     

                     An intense game.

                   

                      Greenery  and colour everywhere.

               

   

   

The woman who was selling these flowers asked for money for the photo. I put a coin into the cup in her hand which turned out to be her cup of juice. I was a little embarrassed but also a little miffed that she'd asked for a handout.

                                          Feeding pigeons in the Zocalo.

               

                                           

                                                                      

          

           Always music in the park.

          Making tortillas.

           

         

                Mixing the corn flour.

         

                      Kneading it on an ancient stone.

                    

     

      The blue metal gadget flattens the dough.

           

                        Then it's cooked on a gas griddle.

                              

  The hotel we arrived at late last night, the one we'll thankfully leave tomorrow, is sketchy at best with a strong smell of sewer gas in the bathrooms and a few other unpleasant surprises. We kind of gulped when we saw it but since it was booked for two nights we made the most of our day outdoors. I said to Alan this morning. "How was the room?" "We didn't unpack," he said.

See you tomorrow in our new abode. Bob and I are staying in Puebla for six days. Sus and Alan for four.

Bye for now.