Oaxaca-licious..!

Oaxaca = cool

Yes I am here in Oaxaca. Its a reasonably sized city in mid/south Mexico. Its much more relaxed than places more North, and being here involves: napping in the Zocalo (central square), wondering through the brilliant mercados (markets), munching on dried grasshoppers (with lots of chilli and salt), drinking mezcal and 2for1 Coronas, and in my case, learning Spanish.

Becari spanish school is where Ive been going for this last week. Its been fun- 4hours a day, 2 of grammer, 2 of conversation. The thing I like is that the people also there are very varied; e.g. theres a german girl (whos at my hostel) there whos just older than me, but then theres also two 50 or so Americans, all of whom are sooo nice (...i never thought id be friends with a 50 year old (not that 50 is old Sue&Ralph..)), and it also makes it feel less like school. So yeah ive learnt some useful stuff which should help me until i get to another one in Guatemala.


Oaxaca is in a valley, and there are some coolcool things close in the mountains that you can do. On ...hmm ok I cant remember the day (everyone seems to lose track of what day and time it is here..probably because we´re all asleep in the Zocalo), ok sometime, I went up to Monte Alban (the Zapotec 500BC remains). Cool sights of the surrounding mountains and the pyramids were impressive. I met some really cool Californian girls there- one of which (heather) I went to a climbing centre with on monday, which was great fun but my arms are aching pretty bad still (jeez though these Oaxaqueña kids are worrying good at climbing)..!

I met some reallyreally cool English/Welsh and Japenese folk at the hostel, and on saturday (i think) we went to Hierve el Agua, which are these 'petrified waterfalls'. It was amazing. We had to get a 1.5hour bus (only $15, 75p) past field upon field of agave (tequila & mezcal plants) to a small town called Mitla, which had a good little market. We had the best pineapple juice possible in the world here (Ive tasted all of them, this is the best). Too good to put into words. Anyway then we had to get in the back of a crazy little pick-up truck up the mountains through the desert. There were insane winding mountain roads, nomadic famers and their cows,goats,donkeys and pretty sure we saw eagles as well. The place was amazing; there are pools which are full of volcanic water bubbling from the ground on the edge of the mountain (which we swam in), and because the water is so mineral rich, the precipitates built up down the side of the cliffs forming 'frozen waterfalls'. Of course cacti everywhere.




























Met many many cool people here (in fact tonight im cooking with 2 dutch folk and an american, well their cooking right now so I should proabaly go and help, and then going to 'la casa del Mezcal) and having a super time. Actually the American is insane. He has the best travel stories ever (like the time he got tied up by drug lords in the honduran rainforest, and chased by a Jaguar). The city (and hostel) is beautiful- brilliant colours and cool shops. Although it is obviously poor- Alistar (one of the english friends) knocked a Corona on floor in a restaurant and instantly kids run up and start trying to clean it up and then expect money. Its weird because you want to give and help them, but if you do literally 10 kids then run up and expect it as well. Oh well.
Tomorrow im going to head into the Sierra Norte (maybe with the American and some Germans)- the mountains north of Oaxaca city, covered with rain/cloudforests, loads of crazy animals (monkeys, jaguars..)& plants, and stay in a forest cabaña for a day or two (or five), then head down back through Oaxaca city to the Pacific coast (Puerto Escondidio etc) for some doing nothingness.

Its hot here but not too hot. I hear the weather in Europe is not too good...oh well.
Will update soon (although im pretty sure theres not internet in the cloudforests..)

Oh yeah, and heres a picture of a 'Oaxacan Pizza'...possibly the tastiest thing ive had in several years- its tortila, frijoles, chicken, avocado, Oaxacan cheese (like a cheese strings) and tomatoes.


Adios y Love to all
Simon