Torture in Travel

Many years ago, we used this phrase to describe moving yourself by U-Haul.  I’ve decided that it applies equally well, if not more so, to 21st Century air travel.

Exhibit one: our return from Mexico.  It started in Oaxaca when the ticket agent wouldn’t let us take our carry-on bags loaded the way they were.  I will admit, they were a bit heavy, but anyway, we had to re-pack.  Fortunately, I’d brought my small duffel bag with me so in a few minutes we had unloaded enough to fill the duffel bag and pass inspection at the ticket counter.

They there was the usual security check.  This wasn't any worse than normal, and I didn't have to remove my boots or my belt.  Oaxaca is a small but very clean airport and ours was the only flight leaving at the time, so it was quiet too.  We even got to go outside and climb those old-fashioned stairs to the plane.  Just the way air travel used to be.

When we landed in Mexico City, our plane didn't go to a gate, but parked off to the side so we were ferried to the terminal by bus, only a couple of minutes, where we all joined a line to go through security again.  Don’t the security people at MEX trust the security people at OAX?

Then it was off to our departure gate where we had to get boarding passes, because they couldn't be provided at Oaxaca.  Not sure why, but there was a long lineup and it was taking a very long time to come up with passes for everyone.

Arriving at Salt Lake City, we, of course, had to go through Customs and Immigration.  It wasn't a problem other than there were 3 inspectors to process a plane load of people.  We had a short visit with the guy, joked about the roasted grasshoppers we were bringing back with us, collected our checked bag which joined us there, dropped it off in the belt to the cargo hold, and proceeded on to….yes… security once again.  This time I had to remove my boots and belt.  I do wonder what they think I might have picked up during the day, being airside in 2 other terminals, having passed through security twice already….  Maybe there is a competition to see if they can find something that the others missed.  I remain mystified about that one.

Fortunately, our flight plan allowed for enough time to do all this and find some food to eat.  Water from a drinking fountain that one could trust…. The usual amenities that one appreciates after a sojourn into the less over-developed regions of the world.

So, here we are, less than half an hour remaining in our flight to Spokane from SLC.  We’re back in the land of cool air.  It was refreshing to feel the lowered temperature as we exited our plane at SLC.  I understand it is just below freezing in Spokane.  That will be a mild shock.  So glad not to be returning to Saskatchewan where it has been in a polar vortex, from what I can gather.

But I still think this air travel thing has become a bit ridiculous.  My belt and my boots?  After being on a plane and going through security all day?  Seriously?  And what did their metal detector find?  One Canadian 25 cent piece.

Oaxaca - The 3-Week Perspective

As we close in on the end of our stay in Oaxaca, it's interesting to look back at some of the highlights and lowlights of our stay.

Oaxacans seem to spend an inordinate amount of time outside.  Even parts of their homes are outside with large, interior courtyards.  Then there are the parks, markets, the streets.  Everywhere you go, people are outside, walking, sitting, visiting street-side food stands, running in the parks, shopping in the markets.  And those are just the people who aren't working.  Working people are on the go from early light to well after dark.  There are people running small food stands on street corners.  Others ride or push bicycle-powered water delivery businesses.  A mechanic just down the street works on cars basically on the sidewalk.  His various repair projects sit, jacked up, at the side of the street.  Late in the evening, we hear a food vendor pass up our street using his loudspeaker to announce his presence.

There are dogs.  Everywhere.  Especially at night.  Like dogs elsewhere, they seem to sleep all day and then get on to their versions of canine Skype all night.  Eventually, you start to tune them out.

Vehicle traffic in Oaxaca is bad, especially in the old part of the city, the Centro area.  I can't understand why anyone would even think about driving.  There are so many streets at so many times of the day that are nearly at a standstill.  Horns beeping, as if that will change anything.  Walking has been fine.  We walk kilometers every day.  In Oaxaca "Centro", the old city center, all the streets are one way, so watching for traffic - cars, motorcycles and the large city buses - is easy.  You only need to look one way.  Cross anywhere.  Cars don't generally stop for pedestrians, although some will, but all you need to do is wait for a slight break and make your move.  It seems unlikely anyone will run you down, although I would NOT want to take a chance with those city buses.

Oaxacans seems to have a particular affection for fireworks.  Although it seems to have tapered off recently, when we first arrived, there were bangs and pops at any hour of the day or night.  It seemed more like the city was under shelling attack from mountain tribesmen.  As I write this, a loud bang goes off a few blocks to the south.  Looks like the tribesmen have renewed the offensive.

It's often cool in the morning.  Nice weather for Canadians, but cool.  Once the sun gets up, it warms quickly, but usually not to any extreme of temperature.  Just pleasant.  However, with the sun, it seems HOT.  You soon learn to move to the shady side of the street with everyone else.  It's possible that only "gringos" walk on the sunny side.

Oaxacans use their parks.  In the city center square, the "zocalo", there are numerous tents and stands.  This is an occupation of some sort.  A dispute over something we only vaguely understand - teachers?  some people who disappeared?  As they say in Spanish: es complicado.  It's been occupied since last July.  Another park has martial art lessons in the mornings, dance lessons and demonstrations, boys and girls from the local militia doing their exercises, a band or two, a market every Friday, runners and walkers going around and around the park block, shoeshine stalls going up every morning, couples spending some quiet time together.

Juice and drink vendors are everywhere, in parks, on street corners, in the markets.  Some drinks are from fresh fruit (oranges, mandarins, mangos) and others are from a most unusual collection of sources.  Jamaica (pronounced ha-my-i-ca) is a deep purple drink made from soaking hibiscus flowers in water.  Another drink, which is white in color, is made from rice, almonds and cinnamon.  Everything seems fresh and cold.

It seems obvious, perhaps, but we hear very little English being spoken.  In fact, almost all the interactions we've had with other people have been in Spanish.  Either they couldn't or wouldn't speak English.  Good if you're trying to learn the language, as we are.  There are some tourists, some gringos, but not all that many.

It's an interesting place.

[Update] - We've all seen the articles about how dangerous a place Mexico is to visit.  This short piece and the accompanying photo graphic puts some perspective on that matter.

Cultural Experiences

Being in a place where your own language is mostly useless is a cultural experience, but that's the daily routine around Oaxaca.

Last evening, however, we had an interesting cultural experience.  There was a free concert at the Teatro Macedonio Alcala, featuring a musical group called De Estudiantinas, who play traditional Mexican instruments and sing classical Mexican songs.

First, we sat through almost 2 hours of program of which we understood only a very few words.  The music was fun to listen to.  I even recognized a few tunes, including "Spanish Eyes" which I had only ever heard sung in English.

At the end, though, after singing their "last" song, they did another, apparently a crowd favourite, because everyone stood up.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't the national anthem of Mexico, but we stood too, just not really  too sure why.

A fun evening listening to mandolins, guitars and good vocalists.

This afternoon, I was sitting in the main Oaxaca Cathedral, hiding from the sun while waiting for Catherine, when a wedding started.  The most interesting part of this event was basically a mariachi band that was handling the music.  They'd play a bit, the priest would talk a bit, they'd play a bit more.

The other afternoon, while walking down a popular street, we could hear a band playing somewhere, but where was it?  We soon discovered a school band playing in the "street".  They were actually quite good and the audience appreciative.

A Day Exploring the Oaxaca Valley

On Thursday, we booked tickets for a tour of several locations in the Oaxaca valley south of Oaxaca.  Given the complexity of deciphering the local bus system, and given the distances involved, we decided that an arranged tour with a guide made the most sense.  So for 200 pesos each (less than $20 CDN), we had a van and driver for 10 hours, a guide who spoke passable English and was an interesting guy in the bargain ("My name is Dan.  You can call me Danny Boy"), visited 5 sites in the Valley and only had to follow where we were led.

We visited the village of Tule, the home of a cypress tree with the largest circumference of any tree in the world and about 2000+ years old, 

Teotitlan, where there was an artisan weaving demonstration, 

the village of Mitla, where there is a Miztec archaeological site also about 2000+ years old, 

a Mezcal "factory", where they cook, ferment and distill agave into the alcoholic beverage, 

and finally, Hierve el Agua.  Here, mineral deposits that have formed pools and waterfalls reminiscent of Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park in the USA. 

So, a good way to see a number of locations in one day.  We didn't get back to Oaxaca until after dark, hopping out of our van once we reached familiar territory and walking back to our apartment.

You Can Find Anything You Want....

Oaxacan markets, or Mercados, are, quite literally, everywhere.  There are permanent markets, temporary markets, specialty markets, large markets, small markets, but, taking them all into consideration, there is likely nothing that you can't find at one of the markets.

One of our favourites was the Friday market at Llano Park.  It was relatively small by market standards around here, but we also found it a great place to eat, trying out Arrechera (beef) and Chorizo (pork sausage) tacos on two different occasions as well as "chorros", basically a donut but extruded into a long, fluted length of fried dough with sugar.  A great dessert.

One, the Mercado Abasto, was huge.  I went to find it, but gave up trying to walk through it much.  Just far too big.  And busy.

A small one near our apartment handled mostly food items and was small enough to be quite manageable, even for a quick visit before supper to pick up some veggies and some meat.  

Two others, the Mercado Benito Juarez and the Mercado 20 Noviembre, were close to the city center and I visited them several times, just to wander through looking at all the "stuff" available: everything from clothes, meat, bread, fish, places to eat, chapulines (grasshoppers)... the list is endless.

The Mexican Food Experience III

Today, for a bit of a break from nachos, tacos, tostados, tlayduas and the like, we opted for Chinese Food.  Yes, Oaxaca has a small Chinese community and at least one Chinese "restaurant".  For essentially 70 pesos total, each of us had a plate piled high with rice and one choice from a buffet-style display.  It was actually quite good.  Not, perhaps, the best Chinese food I've had, but quite acceptable and a nice change from more traditional local fare.

Our mejor intersante comida de Mexicano was what we made at cooking class.  For a few hours on one Sunday, we joined with 5 others and our host, Oscar, the owner of Casa Crespo, to have an introduction to more traditional Mexican food.

First, we discussed the menu items.  Then, our host took us to a local market where he purchased the items we would need.  Then it was back to the kitchen where we all participated in preparing the meal.  Once finished, we were sent to the roof-top patio where we all had a drink and then invited back down to the dining room for our meal.

The Mexican Food Experience II

One of our favourite food was tacos.  They were a bit different compared to the kind we make at home, but were basically meat wrapped in 2 small flour tortillas.  We liked arrachera (beef) and chorizo (pork sausage) the best.  Plus lots of tomato and onion salsa on top with as much hot sauce as you could tolerate.  We would buy these at the markets, the best being the Friday market at Llano Park, not far from our school.  For under $1 CDN, you could have five tacos which was about all one needed.

I tried another street vendor food, the torta.  A Torta is essentially a sandwich, made in a bun.  Many options for the contents of the sandwich - chicken, chorizo, ham....  Usually grilled and best eaten warm.

En las montañas

A chance came up to join a group hike up into the Sierra Norte, the high mountain range near Oaxaca.

There is a group here called Hoofing it around Oaxaca.  They organize day hikes and overnight excursions around the local area.  So on the spur of the moment, we joined their trip to Benito Perez, an ecotourism location about 1.5 hours from the city.  A nice bus was provided which took us south through the Oaxaca Valley then up a narrow, windy road to the small puebla.

It was another clear blue sky day at 3000+ meters so after getting the rooms sorted, and a spot of lunch, we hiked up to the "mirador", a viewpoint pretty much straight up from the village.  Nice views and small farms along the way.  By the time we returned, I was ready for a nap and a rest.  We were slightly breathless from the altitude and effort.

Supper was trucha (trout)... With a salad.  Personally I would have preferred tacos or something.

With no lights in our cabins, I decided sleep was the best option, since I've been fighting a cold for a few days.  So that's what I'm doing.  Hiking in the morning is the plan.

After breakfast, 6 of us decided to walk along a dirt road near the crest of a nearby ridge towards another village.  Nice views.  By the time we returned, 13 km later, we were hot, dusty and thirsty. 

The trip back to Oaxaca was uneventful.  Cervesas came first, then a hot ducha, then some rest.

A good weekend.

Oaxaca - week one

We've been in Oaxaca for a week now.  Our apartment is very nice in a ho hum neighbourhood, but with great views from our third floor location out to the mountains surrounding the city.

Oaxaca has somewhere around half a million people and is supposedly in one of the poorer states in Mexico, but compared to Nepal, this place looks prosperous.  Streets are clean, there are plenty of relatively new vehicles around and I haven't seen any street beggars yet.  Stores are full of goods, the food is great, and I haven't been approached by anyone trying to sell me something.  Yet.

The city is rather noisy, though.  We arrived on a festival weekend and firecrackers and fireworks were common.  Some sirens, traffic noise and yappy dogs, but it's nice, at least the parts we've been in.

We have a half hour walk to school where we struggle with Spanish verb tenses and conversation for a few hours each day.  We visit markets and walk around, shop for food and generally expose ourselves to the culture and the language.  I'm quite enjoying it.  The picture is our class room.

Our experience is that almost no one speaks English.  Fine by us, but it's not what we had heard.  Some facility with the lingua franca is a real asset here.

Anyhow, estoy muy consado. Time for bed.

En el mercado

Warm climate countries like mexico and Nepal seem to be well known for their outdoor markets.  Here in Oaxaca, there are many, and our class visited one this afternoon.  Little tacos were the favourite in our group, filled with various meats such as chorizo.  Coveted with a fresh salsa called picodilla. Cooled down with a large glass of jugo de naranaja ...

Hablo Espanol

I was all set to talk about our experience in Spanish school but I've been surprised - this web page - my blog page - is entirely in Spanish and I think I'm only marginally ready for that......

In any case, it's been an interesting few days.  We left Canada on Friday, spent the night on Spokane and flew out Saturday morning, destination Oaxaca, Mexico.

All went well until about 2+ hours en route SLC to MEX, when there was some kind of medical emergency in first class.  This required a diversion to El Paso, TX, and by the time we finally reached Mexico City, we were too late for the connecting flight.  By the time we arrived in MEX, of course, they had already booked us on a new flight later that evening.  The only hitch was that the flight never did show a gate number and getting information about when it was actually leaving (or IF it was leaving), was difficult to determine.  

Eventually, the combined efforts of a few of us managed to discover that gate 73 was the place and sometime before 11 pm we actually did take off, arriving in Oaxaca somewhat before midnight.

Because of the hour, there was no one to collect us so we got a ticket on the shared taxi, called the colectivo.  It was cheap, quick and it dropped us off right at the door of our apartment, where we knocked on the door until our hosts came to let us in.  So, by 12:30 am, we were ready to crash.

The next day was Sunday.  We walked around, figured out where the main areas of the city were, where our school (escuela)  was, went to the supermercado to get some food supplies, and had an afternoon siesta.  By the end of the day, we were starting to feel somewhat normal.

Monday morning, we headed off to school, were placed in our respective groups and, 4 hours later, had finished our first lessons in Espanol.  Some walking around, then supper and lessons and sleep.

By Tuesday, we were into a routine.  Up, breakfast, walk to school, lessons for 4 hours, then back to the apartment or off to the supermercado for more food.  This afternoon, Catherine had managed to find a bridge game going on so I went in search of supper.  El pollo rostizado with vino blanco and uvas rojas for dessert.

Enough talk.  I need to get back to practicing so I can hold my own in class tomorrow.  Peer pressure is a great motivator!!