Oaxaca, Mexico. Land of Mole, Huaraches, and fried Grasshoppers

Oaxaca. In 2006, this city, the capital of the state of Oaxaca and the center of trade for the area, was crippled by a conflict that started when teachers, striking for higher wages and educational supplies, were attacked by over 3500 police and army troops. In the days that followed the initial barrage, the teachers were joined by citizens of Oaxaca, frustrated by the corruption of their government and the over-zealousness of the imported troops. What followed was a siege of this beautiful, peaceful-seeming city that culminated in the burning of many buses, the erection of barricades and the throwing of many molotov cocktails. In short, urban warfare.

But now, three years later, the city is calm again and the tourists are here, particularly for the Guelaguetza, a celebration of the cultures of the region that takes place in the amphitheater above town, and that occurs simultaneously as the Mezcal festival, which celebrates the beloved younger, smokier step-sibling of Tequila by providing a cheap way for thousands of people to get ridiculously drunk off of samples of the stuff.

So Catherine and I arrived in Oaxaca, midafternoon, after a dizzying ride through the mountains that left us both cramped and exhausted. We staked out a hostal that provided clean drinking water, and ditched our bags, then walked back to the Zocalo, the central park where we watched little kids play with the favorite toy of Oaxaca, six foot tall plastic bags with famous cartoon characters drawn on them which the kids blow up and bounce into the air. Mingling with these airborn treats were the light up helicopters being sold by vendors, and the effect, coupled with the backdrop of baroque, colonial churches, was fantastically whimsical and reminiscent of a scene in Alice and Wonderland (albeit one that was ommitted).

Walking through Catherine´s old haunts from a year ago, we stopped in at a Comedor selling tlayudas, the enormous bean and cheese filled street snacks that first made Catherine love Mexico (I think), and then we went to visit the feria de mezcal, where we were offered every kind of mescal thus far invented, and tried only a few before realizing we would be getting very drunk if we continued. All parents listening will be happy to know that we did not.

The following day we drifted into the museum of photography, where we looked through photographs from the occupation of Oaxaca by APPO and the battle with the military. It was hard to believe looking at the photographs, that this was the same city only three years later.

Next we stopped at the beautiful botanical garden attached to the former convent of Santo Domingo, which was first home to a massive convent under the Spanish, then home to the Mexican military (until 1996) during which time the walls of the building were used as target practice... And then it almost became an American style shopping mall, but was instead developed into a beautiful, conscientious garden of local flora from throughout Oaxaca. Cat and I listened intently to the Spanish tour, understanding almost all of what was said, and appreciating the incredible variety of plant life of the region.

The festive atmosphere of the day continued throughout the evening as fireworks lit the sky and we ran into two siblings from Israel who were out clubbing. Cat and I weren´t quite up to it and instead went out to a pub where we listened to Cuban love songs sung by a classy group of musicians, and drank micheladas. Today, we woke up to go up the hill to the ruins of Monte Alban, the third most important (in no order really) of the pre-colombian ruins in central america. Monte Alban was the center of Zapotec society influenced by the Teotihuacaños, and rivaling the distant city state of Tikal in size. The ruins span a huge area on top of the highest point in the valley of Oaxaca city, commanding a 360 degree view of all of the fertile volcanic land and the villages where people were extracted in tribute to the priestly class. We hiked up and down pyramids with our Israeli friends, Abad who lives outside of Mexico City and his sister (whose name I cannot recall) are very interesting and cool, and we had a good time talking about traveling, Israel and life in Mexico.

Afterwards we went to the market where catherine used to go to eat with Lydia, and we all ordered some banging food. Then Cat and I walked through the market, trying delicious cheeses and chocolates, and buying some mezcal, mole (three different types!!!) and some secret shoes... hint hint Craig, hope they had a big enough size.

Now we are checking internet while the band of Oaxaca plays Dixie outside (better than Simon and Garfunkel) and we are going to go Salsa dancing tonight before being whisked off via another night bus to Mexico City, where we are staying with cool dude Carlos and his family near the city center. ¡Viva Mexico!