Day Five- Ocotlan !!!

Today we hired a car and guide to take us to Ocotlan about a 30-45 minute
Drive from Oaxaca. It isn’t cheap to travel this way, but we found the guide
Eduardo to be priceless the last time we were here.

We learn so much more with him.
Our main goal today was to find the three Aguilar Sisters who create beautiful
clay sculptures. When we were here last time we took the public bus and then
had a hard time finding their houses. We did find them after we asked a lot
of people where they lived. However, their houses were shut and no one was home.
and it was very frustrating! Today they were home and

we did find and buy some gorgeous work. We’ll be
hand carrying them home!

Guillermina Aguilar one of the sisters.

We bought 4 of her pieces.

The photo below is a series of Caterina sculptures.

Caterina is associated with Day of the Dead

After that we went to the market-what a visual and olfactory treat. All the different
chilies fill the air with different spicy smells. There are dried bunches of spices,
and artistically displayed fruits and vegetables to entice the buyer.
Russell bought a clay bowl that has deep ridges in it to use in conjunction with a pestle.
We also bought the fresh fruit called Tuna that is the fruit of a cactus. We gave it to
our B and B hostess Aurora to use in the breakfast fruit plates.
We had a great day-full of new experiences and happy purchases.

Frieda Khalo of the Market


Turkeys for sale



Gorgeous fresh fruit...this market was very clean

Fresh veggies

The locals here can buy meat and then BBQ it on site

Thinly sliced meats.........


Photograph below is the Santo Domingo Cathedral

reconstructed with funds from the famous artist

Rudolfo Morales

Day Four in Oaxaca

Color. Everywhere . Colorful and delicious food . Colorful buildings.
Gorgeous colorful art. Even the graffiti can be artistic here………..
Today we wandered (of course) and found more shops and museums
open. We went to the Oaxaca Stamp and Money Museum. Fascinating.
We discovered the weaving studio where Arnulfo Mendoza works. He
is a fabulous artist. We were fortunate to be able to meet him and talk
for some time. Tomorrow we will go to Ocotlan to see the local market
there and to hopefully find the Three Sisters homes. They make wonderful
clay sculptures such as the Devil with Skulls seen here in a photograph.

Yesterdays lunch/dinner of mini tostados with

guacamole,lettuce,onion, Oaxacan sausage and

tomatoes. Quite tasty and filling!

.

Day Three-Monte Alban

We went to Monte Alban today. It’s the first day it has been open to the
Public since the beginning of the swine flu. Being our usual bumbling
Around the city travelers…it took us a bit of time to find the correct bus
Station…and it wasn’t a bus station! It was a bus company that takes
Tourists to Monte Alban….all the rest of the little buses only go part way
And then you either walk 2 kilometers up a steep hill or find a taxi to take
You the rest of the way…Anyhow we made it and thoroughly enjoyed
Wandering through the ruins and visualizing how it might have been so
May centuries ago. No one to this day knows why Monte Alban was
Abandoned. Russell had a great time talking with the vendors as they sell
“artifacts” supposedly dug up not at Monte Alban but nearby. Only a few
Admitted that they craft these artifacts themselves.

Russell bought some
Of course!
After we had been there for a few hours we took the bus back, had a beer
at the Zocolo, people watched and then went back to our B and B.
Tomorrow we will do a bit of souvenir shopping for our friends and family
And explore the northern part of the city-we’ll follow the old aqueduct
and see where we end up!
The photos are of our breakfast (cheese, squash blossom and mushroom
Quesadillas and delicious guacamole -but first we had fresh fruit,yogurt and
Granola with OJ), Monte Alban and a shot from the Zocolo showing one of
the hundreds of pigeons that fly all over and want to dine with you. I told
Russell that they could be the cause of the next flu…ick.

Day two in Oaxaca

It’s early morning and it seems that this is the only time I can
Peaceably blog away without others being online and slowing the
System to a snails pace.
We are enjoying Oaxaca, however it has changed just like anything else.
We see more graffiti, more empty storefronts and most importantly
The vendors here in the streets and in the markets are very aggressive
In attempting to make a sale. Unfortunately the prices are 3x what
They were four years ago. So, unless we find some art that we either
Cannot live without or can afford we just might go home without any
Treasures. Which would be a shame for everyone.
Here are a few pics - one of the grasshoppers used in local cooking and
Also as a dye for local textiles. And a pic of a Zocolo statue.

Day One in Oaxaca

Finally we are back in lovely Oaxaca. Land of 7 Moles!
Our flight down here was uneventful but tiresome what
With the 6 hour layover in Houston where nary a decent
drinkable beer was to be found in the airport. We could
Have left the airport in search of adventure, but what with
my new knee adding 15 or more minutes with excessive
wanding….we passed on that.
We are staying at Casa las Bugambilias. We stayed there
the last time and so enjoyed ourselves. Here are a few pics
from this morning….the host cat Tigre at our table and the
yummy chicken enchiladas……more later!

ps: no worries with the swine flu here......we see a few

people with masks on, but by and large by next Monday

all schools will be open and as of now everything is

back to business as usual....

Oaxaca ...here we come!

Travels in search of art and good food...

Painting purchased on the street

in Morelia, Michocan

November 2007.

Once again Russell and I are dragging out our little

suitcases and packing up for a trip to Mexico....

However this time is different what with the possible

health issues at this time. Swine flu? Pandemic?

So, rather than panic and run around trying to

cancel travel arrangements, we have secured the

recommended prescriptions for this specific flu.

Unless things really get worse we will be

leaving within the week for a 2 week stay

in the capitol city of Oaxaca. We will be traveling

to some little artisan villages, taking cooking classes

and generally enjoying this beautiful old colonial

and historical city. We were here once before and loved it.

I'll be taking our laptop with us and will attempt to blog daily

with a few photos. That way you can travel along with us!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaxaca,_Oaxaca

http://www.tomzap.com/coaxaca.html#near

Pig print purchased in the same city park

in Morelia, Michocan. On Sundays artists set up

their easels and finished work to sell in the

park outside the baroque cathedral in downtown Morelia.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Morelia

Our Sweet Kitty Muffy- Re-Posted for Aww Monday July 22, 2013

Spring 1994-January 15, 2009

Here's the last photo we have of Muffy.

I took it only a few hours before we

took her into the vets office.

She had been diagnosed with kidney

failure months ago and we did our

best to keep her comfortable until

last week. We could see how she was

failing fast and she was not comfortable

and had stopped eating.

We miss her as she was a nice kitty

and had a sweet little personality

that really wasn't evident until after

Larry and Mr Cat had died.

She was my loyal companion while I

recuperated from my knee surgery.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katheworsley/3071145243/

I know my recovery went better because she kept me cozy

and her presence was comforting.

We will eventually find another kitty...

or another kitty will find us.

But for now, we'll just miss Muffy ......

Meanwhile.....the raccoons and the squirrels

are making tracks on our deck....in search

of peanuts and other treats!
~~~~
This has been re-posted for Aww Monday
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