Tuesday 17.02.2021.. time flies..
It is exactly 8:00 am and I am waiting in a parking lot for my carsharing ride. Joel was a bit late but he was nice. We both waited for the third passenger. Imagine this with me. A car with a couple came. The guy cmae first with the luggage while the girl stayed in the car. It seemed like masculine announcement of possession! Then he went back to the car to bring his lady, opened the door for her, she stepped off, and after a few steps walking together, he went on his knees to tie her shoes!! I am not sure if this is an act of gentlemanhood or if he simply didn’t want her to bend in public. I understand both motives, in a world where both being a gentleman /a proper lady are forgotten arts of living.
Four hours of driving in the desert among mountains, hills and valleys covered with dispersed cactus trees. Then we were in Oaxaca. The trip was paused here to watch the champions league games. I had both games playing simultaneously on two screens while I enjoyed a typical Oaxaqueño lunch. My afternoon was chilled afterwards. I met Chris from Couchsurfing. A half french, half finnish born in Sweden. He has been traveling Mexico for a year. We spend a few hours around the city eating mediocre cake, tasty street food and looking for some night-time action. We had no luck. Who parties on Tuesday?? Nobody in Oaxaca!
Wednesday 18.02.2021
Given the slow pandemic life, I decided to go with a guided tour, hoping to learn a thing or two, see a thing or two, and talk with person or two. It was evident from the beginning that I was the only non spanish-speaker. Our young guide was repeating everything in a bad English for me. I actually understood the same amount if he spoke English or Spanish. I told him to just go on in Spanish and I will be happy with whatever I get.
Our first stop was Monte Albany. A historical site with ruins dating around 300 BC. The ruins are not really magnificent in themselves. For me the stories around them are more interesting. I drifted with my imagination to how the normal life was in these times. Not hero’s or history makers. Just he regular hi!and like you and me who love, hate, fear and hope.
“Dear Rosa
I am sad I had to leave you in the small pyramid after our last kiss on the monkey day. I am even sadder that this might be our last kiss in case I win the flaming ball game tomorrow. As you know, it is a decisive game. If we win, we will be honored and sacrificed to the gods by our tribe. We will then be Immortal in the next life. If we lose, we will be enslaved by the opponents. It would be a shame. My heart, eternally loving you, is now ready to be placed on the sacred golden plate.
In either case, in glory or in chains, I love you till my last breath.
Yours, always,
Antonio”
***
The day included visits to a pottery workshops, a carpet workshop and a fabrique for Mezcal, a typical alcoholic beverage. I have been to similar workshops in many countries so my day in this aspect was not remarkable. Here and there I socialized with the group.specizlly a Columbian couple who lived in Austria and speaks German and a Chilean couple who happened to be doctors as well. For lunch we stopped at a local buffet for typical food. Giovanni told me he also does not eat pork because he gets an allergic reaction from it. We both ordered the same beef soup. It was delicious but I doubted that the pieces of fat swimming there might be pork fat. I just finished my soup and didn’t give the matter much attention. When we left the restaurant, Giovanni reacted allergically with red spots on his skin! My doubts were confirmed.
We also so a hug tree that is around 40m wide and also a similar height. Estimated to be 2000 years old, It is not the biggest, neither the oldest in the world. Still magnificent.
I concluded the day with a fine dinner in Zandunga restaurant. The consistency of the chicken was unmatchable in my experience. I felt peaceful and content. Tomorrow I fly to Chiapas!