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.
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