Adventures of a Retired Nomad

       Annalisa Bandalera is a very knowledgeable “foodie” who is an expert on foods from around the world and all the Open Markets throughout the State of Oaxaca.   I attended one of her “Market” lectures at the library and when this event was offered I immediately signed up.   She grew up in a small town in Maryland with parents from the Philippines and Italy. I assume that is where she learned her Spanish language.

Oax-Turquía Dinner

USD $15 or MXN $270 (both accepted)

January 23, 2016 7 p.m. (sold-out)

January 24, 2016 2 p.m.

Set Menu

Appetizer:

Turkish Mezze

Kuru Paltican Dolma – stuffed dried eggplant which I, lovingly, hand carried back from my last trip to Istanbul.

Gavurdağı Salatası – Salad of Criollo tomatoes finished with pomegranate syrup and pecans.  It is quite possible to make pomegranate syrup, but currently is not the season for the fruit, so another item from Istanbul.  Pomegranate syrup has been a life changer. 

Salatalık Maydanoz Salatası – Cucumber Parsley Salad

Labneh Balls – Herbed yogurt balls.  Not quite Turkish, but from the region, and this is fusion!  Yogurt plays a large part in Turkish cuisine and the meal would not be complete without a representation.

Mezze accompanied with pide – homemade Turkish flat bread

Main Course:

Izmir Köfte – pork meatballs served with potatoes, peppers and carrots.  Izmir is a region in Turkey that is well renowned for its gastronomy.  There are as many varieties of köfte as there are of mole, or as some say, as many varieties as grandmothers cooking them, respectively.

Barbunya Pilaki – Turkish Baked Beans spiced not spicy ayocote beans slow cooked in a traditional Oaxacan cazuela. 

Accompanied with Basmati Rice – Corn doesn’t quite go with the meal, so I’ll go with rice from outside the region, and call it artistic license.

Dessert:

Sütlaç – Rice pudding

Includes: Agua del día and Turkish tea (another item, lovingly, hand carried from Istanbul).  

Mexican craft beers and mineral water available for purchase.

Service not included. 

Note: 

The meal is gluten free apart from the Turkish Pide and meatballs, and there will be  gluten free options available.  Please advise in advance if you would like a gluten free menu.

Some menu items may change due to availability of criollo ingredients.  Additionally, the meat will be hormone and antibiotic free.

I was booked for the Saturday evening dinner.  I took the bus to Llano Park where I was impressed with a   Espresso-mobile Cafe on three wheels…very efficient but no time to try it out.

       Annalisa’s apartment was up on the hill above the Santo Domingo Plaza that was packed with young people doing their thing.  You remember that…don’t you?

ANNALISE EXPLAINING OUR APPETIZER’S INGREDIENTS SHE BROUGHT FROM TURKEY AND THE BREAD.          Just as our entree was being served, a chair broke that the lady next to me was sitting in.  I gave her mine and got a stool for the rest of the meal.  The ER Doctor immediately dispensed some medicine from a plastic bag he carried for emergencies.           The Chef, in her kitchen,  preparing to serve the Sutlac , rice pudding with chopped nuts.  It was a great meal and lots of fun.  I packed up what was left of my wine and caught a taxi back home and right to bed.  Full moon night would have been perfect except it was in the 50’s and has been the last few days…without heat it can be uncomfortable at times for us Arizonans!

        This  was the first time Halina and I have got together since last year. It was really nice to see Halina.   I met her and Sharon, an acquaintance I knew from last year, but Helen cancelled for some reason.  We walked all the way across town to the Abastos Market where the Collectives to the villages have a station next to it. We left right away and were in San Augustine Etla around 10:30 on what was to be a warm, sunny , and wonderful day.

      The village was on the side of a mountain overlooking the “Tuscan Hills of Oaxaca” .  It was truly breathtakingly beautiful.

      We walked to the Center, the site of one of two “paper mills” built by the Spanish toward the end of the 1800’s.  It closed when the workers started demanding age restrictions (very young children worked there) holidays, regular work week, decent wages, etc.  It was after the Mexican revolution, workers demanding anything before that might just disappear.  The company just left it and returned to Spain.  Eventually the workers tried to take it over themselves but didn’t have the money or the know all to maintain it and it was abandoned.

      Fairly recently a man named Toledo, the Federal and the State Government formed a partnership to convert  the one paper mill in San Augustine into a Center for Arts and restore the original structure.  This partnership has had it’s moments but the building provides a center for Art Projects and a gallery of sorts with a souvenir shop.

     We met Jeanne a friend of Sharon’s that I had met last year.  She returned but not finding a place readily in Oaxaca came to rent a room in a complex built within the last 20 years by an Mexican engineer that had been working and living in Vancouver with his family until he decided to return to Oaxaca and bought this property.  Here he built a this beautiful B & B called Amora and raised his children until his untimely death not long ago.  His wife manages the B & B while teaching at the University in Oaxaca City .Her daughter returned to Vancouver while her son works and attends the University in Mexico City.
      We did a self tour of the Center but no exhibitions were being held at this time.

 Jeanne had arranged for us to visit Amora and see her place then the owner was to have brunch ready for us at 1:00.  We had just enough time to visit an Artisan Paper Mill of sort called “Papal Oaxaca” run by Alberto Valenzuela a extremely talented intelligent artist who was an expert on the history and making of paper.

       We enjoyed a good hour of his presentation and company before taking our waiting taxi to Jeanne’s place for a fantastic brunch outdoors on the porch. Our host at ” El Rincon de San Agustin ” the official name of the complex, brought out some Bread just out of the oven that was heaven.

We had soup then an entree of fresh fish, salad, rice pilaf followed by some coffee and cookies….all fantastic!

 
      Our taxi returned at the appointed time and took us back to Oaxaca for 150 pesos..$9.  We paid $2.10 to get there by collectivo.  So ends another great day.  Tomorrow I was going to the Abastos Market in the morning for a tour of where the local farmers sell their daily harvests then attend two afternoon lectures by my Doctor Z and a local Dentist Dr Gomez.  I cancelled. Great Day!

       Helen, my old friend , made her annual pilgrimage to Oaxaca and arrived with her Granddaughter while I was in Zipolite.  We finally got together for dinner at Tres Bistro where I enjoyed another Salmon fillet with Vegetables.  We stopped briefly on the way back to listen to a little music at Importador.  She lives where I used to, just down from where I now live, so stopped by to see my new digs .  We may get together again on Thursday to visit the Cultural Center in San Agustin Etla with Halina joining us.

    I spent most of yesterday preparing for Chris’s arrival shortly.  Making arrangement for picking her up in Mexico City, staying over and going back and forth between Oaxaca and Mexico City turned out to be work.
            I stopped at unique little shop on the way to lunch.

SEE THROUGH SILK MESH WITH DEVILS

Comida at Sabors was delicious and $3.

        Today I’ll visit the bus station and get tickets then still have to get airfare tickets and hotel reservations.   I stopped by the Dentist’s office while it was convenient nearby the bus station. He set an appointment Monday to do an impression of my crown to make a replacement.  It is cracked.
          I picked up my bus tickets to meet Chris and to return to Mexico City after the visit.
 I was on the Walmart bus route so took the bus out and shopped a bit then took the taxi home.  100 Peso..ouch.  Most taxis are honest but some take advantage and get lost or make a wrong turn because you weren’t clear enough.  I should have asked before getting in the taxi!
       There was a recommendation for a China Buffet in Llano park so I decided to try lunch there. The Vice President of Mexico was visiting today and arrived this morning from the airport…oh there he is now…

HIS ARRIVAL CAVALCADE

The China Buffet was  awful so will write a COUNTERPOINT to the review.

      This morning I attended a Gay Breakfast that’s held every Wednesday at 100% Natural Restaurant in Llano Park.  I knew a couple of the men through the Men’s Happy Hour but didn’t know any of the women that showed up.  It was a nice gathering and good conversation. Breakfast was good too but I forgot my wallet. Peter paid.

      I returned home and got the wallet then to the Library to pay Peter back.  I walked to the Chicken Roasters and bought one  and then stopped at the Opera House to get a ticket for an upcoming opera.

Ho Jo’s

Tomorrow I meet Halina and Helen to take a collectivo to  the Etla Cultural Center and finalize Transportation for Chris and I for when she arrives February 1.

       The pain subsided so I headed for Tres Bistro and decided to treat myself to a nice dinner with wine…that should help my stomach feel better.  A BEAUTIFUL SALMON FILET AND VEGETABLES..melted in my mouth.  It was so good and Tres Bistro complimentary Chocolate (best in Oaxaca) and Coffee Liquor ended the best meal I’ve had since the last time I was there.

      Nice to be back.  It’s Friday and I’m feeling better, picked up my laundry and off to the Llano Market for some fresh vegetables, fruit and BBQ Chicken. Got so many vegetables I didn’t bother with the Chicken but after getting home and preparing the fruit and vegetables I headed for dinner at Biznaga instead.  I still have some stomach pain from my food poisoning when I arrived home so know I won’t get sick and the food in so healthy at Biznaga. I stopped at Olivos Bistro Gastronomic when I saw Vino y Tapas Feliz Hora.  The deal was 100 pesos for 4 tapas and one glass of wine.  Nice appetizer and pretty good but the wine sucked so I continued on to Biznaga for the Suave Sopas…Chicken Vegetable soup and good wine.

         That was better and came to less than 100 Peso including the tip.  Satisfied I took a taxi home but upon arrival I handed him 50 peso…and he looked at me…NO HAVE CHANGE!  Like I was suppose to have 40 pesos and he didn’t have 10 pesos change…I was pissed and determined to find change..but I was short so gave him the 50 pesos…after I thought I should have had him wait while I went inside looking for change like they do to you…keeping you waiting while they go business to business…NO one has change so always keep a stash.  A lesson I forgot.

     Deke, my new condo manager left a message that he would not be showing my place tomorrow morning as the people can’t make it until Monday.  It seems an upstairs apartment may be available.  The old manager is leaving in March of 2017 for sure and the other tenant may be leaving in three months…so I may be moving upstairs just before I leave!!!!  I’m excited.  So I slept late but after an hour and a half playing with my computer, I discovered my Internet was out when I awoke. I had a date with M for coffee.  We hadn’t got together in over a year since we met.  We kept making a breaking dates but finally were supposed to have coffee between M’s yoga class and her Spanish class.
       I stopped at an Antique Photo Gallery with cameras, photos, and tattoos.

THE OWNER

          We met at Cafe Volador and had a nice conversation.  She applied for and was one of 12 accepted for a “Curator” program of a famous photographer’s photos at the Cultural Center in San Agustin Etla…a place I’ve been wanting to visit.  She ran off and I returned home to do some computer work.
       I stopped into a shop on Fiallo, my Street, where they do advertising patches, hats, etc.  I wanted something that said “MEXICO”.   I live here because I like it so felt I should be proud and wear it.  She is designing my new Cap to wear and I will proof it Monday.  I arrived home but still no computer connection.  It appears the whole entire neighborhood is down and may not be up until Monday?
         I left for lunch at Isabella’s then to the library to work on the computer but forgot it closes at 2 on Saturday…so I’m doing this in Los Cuilas Cafe before I meet with Hector for dinner. I walked up to Quinque and stopped at a Wine, Mezcal, and Beer shop that was all Mexican and bought a bottle of wine for dinner as Quinque doesn’t have liquor.

          I was early and took a table when Hector arrived and we were looking at the menu.  They corked the wine and we ordered just as Peter from Boston showed up and joined us.  We all had a nice dinner and conversation but I forgot to take photos until we were departing.

CHEF AND PETER

         Hector and I walked to the Zocalo and ran into Deke, my complex Manager, who we exchanged introductions and as I passed Importador I noticed Green Bay and Arizona were playing in the finals for the Super Bowl.  I continued on but then told Hector I wanted to return to go the bathroom before walking home so we parted ways.

      When I came back there were three men watching the game and my friend Rolando a waiter greeted me. Then I noticed my favorite band was getting ready to play while the Tuna band was serenading the customers.  I returned to the street trying to catch Hector to return and hear the band but couldn’t find him so returned to watch the game and listen to the band.

           I sat next to the three amigos who I thought were Americans watching the game so intently…I told them that I came back to watch Arizona beat Green Bay.  They didn’t seem to care but the game took a turn just as I was finishing my glass of wine and getting ready to call it a night.  I couldn’t leave now so ordered what the three amigos were drinking…Don Julio Tequila …then the game went into overtime at 20/20 and

……I ordered another…when Arizona closed the game with a win before my drink arrived.

 When it did…I joined the 3 amigos to find out who they were and toast a drink to Arizona’s victory.  They were all from Monterrey Mexico…two were brothers and the other was a friend.  One married an American from Florida but lived in Austin Texas and bought property in Mexico then built low income housing for the workers and their families.  He was intelligent and prosperous.  When I asked why they choose to take a vacation in Oaxaca…just the three men…they asked if I had heard of San Jose del Pacifico.  I replied I just passed through there and they replied they came to take the Magic Mushrooms.  It wasn’t their first time and even before they traveled to South American to try the Arythia Root Tea …another psychedelic drug that alters your thought process and changes your outlook on life. I asked if it worked or helped him…how did it change him…he said completely.  His wife was religious and never drank or partook in any drugs but both became closer and more bonded than before.  He changed and was a better listener and she in turn understood him and loved him more.  He was 41.

NO PHOTO..WORKS ALL DAY AT THE MARKET TO SELL HER GARDEN..THEN WALKS THE ZOCALO TO SELL WHAT IS LEFT BEFORE TAKING THE BUS BACK TO HER VILLAGE

I bid them goodbye and took a taxi home.  When I came in the gate, signs of a birthday party was before me.

WILL HAPPEN TOMORROW

     I am beginning to feel like I’m in a movie or this is a dream…not real. I slept fairly well my first night in Brisas, had a breakfast Omelet at “Crepes” owned by an Italian man that makes a good Cappuccino. 

       Seems like I’ve been here a week at least.  My money is running short so on the long way back to the collectivo station to reserve a space and buy a ticket,  I stopped at the ATM only to discover it was empty after the weekend.

I reserved my space for Wednesday departure and bought a ticket that left me with about $18 for the next three days…today, Tuesday and Wednesday for the trip home. While returning to Brisas, I encountered two guys carrying their luggage as I did through the sand…they made it look effortless.

         When I returned to Brisas, Dan, the owner,  told me Hotel Nude had an ATM so that evening I discovered was void of available cash but they did accept credit cards for purchases.  It was early..around 4 pm so I had a drink

and read until around 5 pm then had a glass of wine with the flies.  I went to take a drink, only to discover 3 flies swimming in my wine.  I sent it back for a new refill and decided to sit at the bar where I kept a napkin on my drink while I continued to read. 

      I wanted  to eat since they accepted credit cards but wasn’t really hungry so ordered some fish soup with more bones then fish but it was tasty and I was satisfied so paid and left.

       I was hoping to find another restaurant that accepted credit so I could get an appetizer or something to make it through the evening in hopes the ATM’s would be filled back up on 
Tuesday.   I returned to a cold shower then went back out.  If it was 90% in Phoenix it would be nice weather…here it is suffocating.

    Still hungry I visited another restaurant for Hot Chocolate and Spaghetti Carbonara…filling…not healthy.  I did hear a nice bongo drummer and the meal was only   $5. Want to see a first run movie???

    The ATM was in business Tuesday morning so I got in line, paid a slight premium but was flush with cash.  I love Don Pablo’s Italian Cafe so had a Fruit Tart, Espresso and OJ…then visited another restaurant for fried eggs, ham and beans.  Most of the day was spent sitting in a hammock and reading my book. Oh…it’s Happy Hour….later!

Scarch My Tummy

   I visited another Italian Wine bar that served Tapas with their wine.  Nice menu of all types of cheese and meat platters but after two glasses of wine with Tapas I decided an Oriental dinner better.

More Rough Life

 “The Indie” was closed and didn’t open until 7 pm so walked to Sativa , had a drink and I returned later to find Dan dining on dinner.

 He invited me to join him but he never stopped talking about his 6th Burning Man Gathering he went to this year…his last.  Too organized and lost it’s charm.  He had a 22 foot Motor Home with everything and parked in the Center with all the entertainment and conveniences. Met a lady in distress so undistressed and undressed her at his Motor Home…then drove off with her and left Burning Man for the last time.  I still haven’t been able to read the menu…I ordered and Dan finished and left.  He is a landlord and had lots of property before selling out and buying in Mexico 12 years ago.  He loves it but goes back to visit the children.

 I had a wonderful dinner and left too.
     The next morning I took a taxi to the Collectivo station after breakfast on the beach.

I met a California man that was returning to Northern California via San Jose de Pacifico and Oaxaca.

 He got off in San Jose when we reached our half way point and food stop. It was cold in the clouds.

 He told me the Magic Mushrooms were great but I staid on the bus and arrived around the corner from my condo at 5:30.

 It was nice to get back. 
    That night I awoke with stomach pains and food poisoning from my own cheese I ate instead of throwing out.  I got up late after a bad nights sleep.  I took some Alka Seltzer that night along with some anti acid pills.  Still not feeling well I stayed in until around Noon when I tried a fruit platter after dropping off my laundry.  I decided to return home and stay until the pain went away.

         Thursday I attended a lecture at the library about Amaranth…a nutritious plant the Mayans and Aztecs cultivated until the Spanish arrived.  The Catholic priests didn’t like this worship of the plant so they chopped off the hands of any Indigenous person caught eating it and then ripped it all out and replaced it with wheat.  Now there is a movement on to bring it back in order to restore malnourished children and adults in the villages and throughout Mexico that weren’t eating properly or didn’t have access to a good diet.  It has lots of protein , vitamins, and minerals.  I use it in my “Nutola” for breakfast and mix it in with soups and other dishes…like sesame seeds.

Amaranth on my 3 Kings Cake…and I got one of the Baby Jesus’s

      I had lunch at Biznaga before picking up my laundry on the way home.

      This morning I packed for my trip to Zipolite Naturist Beach on the Pacific side of Oaxaca.  I take a Collectivo Van 6 hours through the Mountains to the shore.  They have been building a superhighway for years but the money disappeared and it was way over budget so now maybe two more years before the trip can be done in 3 hours on the new toll road.
      A nice couple gave a lecture at 5 pm at the library about what the Conquistador’s parents ate on the Iberian Peninsula in the late 1400’s early 1500’s.  They culled recipes from testimony given by witnesses and those accused of heresy during the Spanish Inquisition.  What they ate determined they were not Catholic…example Meat during Lent or Friday’s, no Pork (possibly Jews) etc.  So neighbors or cooks that worked for some would be called to testify.  They only found 6 cookbooks and three were Arabic.  All 6 had no measurements, or methods of cooking …only ingredients and that changed when the Food arrived from the New World.

     Today is Saturday and I’m off to catch my collectivo for Zipolite. I was there 15 minutes early as requested but we never left until 1/2 hour after the appointed 10:30 time.  The trip was OK but after stopping in San Jose…a quiet little “hippy”: village know for it’s magic mushrooms, we took on 5 new passenger hippies that filled the van…then a couple hitchhikers that were returning to repair their broken down car…so people were now sitting on each other’s laps.  Not mine.  San Jose was an attractive place and could have been Santa Cruz California in the 60’s.  Names like Sativa, Heven, Cloud Paradise, and nice Organic or Vegetarian Restaurants that gave it a nice comfortable friendly feel.  The hippies were all friendly too. One person with pink hair was being held by her lesbian friend with blue hair, to keep her upright.  I thought she had palsy but a bad trip on Mushrooms would be more like it…this was around 3 pm.  I thought of spending the night…next time.

      The trip to Zipolite was a different route than to Puerto Escondido with MORE sharp jagged mountains and switchbacks then I’ve ever experienced in my life.  I shouldn’t have ate the spicy Mexican bag of disgusting Chip-olitas…loaded with saturated fat, sugar and ????.  I was getting nauseated but finally arrived at the stop in Zipolite.  If my Spanish been better I would have stayed in the van while he drove the last passenger to the beach area where the hotels were.  I started walking with my bag in tow until I hit sand.  Then carrying my bag and suitcase I trudged through soft sand until my ankles hurt then stopped a while…about 6 times before hitting the beach areas with paved road again.

       Not having a reservation but being reassured by all those expats in Oaxaca that I would have no problem getting a place for 150 to 300 pesos top, I started knocking on doors.  I did have a reservation for an A/C room on the beach for 800 pesos a night…6400 for the 8 days $380 …more than my months rent…I thought I could do better.  1st place La Zipolita Playa, wanted 500 pesos with a fan…the sun was setting and so was I…I moved in for the night and started searching for another.

        I came to Brisas Marina and met the owner, Daniel Wiener, about my age with a daughter in Newport Beach. He showed me another room with a fan for 250 pesos. I paid for next day…cutting my expenses in half then had dinner.

 I walked down to the beach area where nudist were getting there morning sun.  No one was lounging on the beach…just strolling it.  I tried another hotel but again…800 pesos for A/C…I decided to leave in a couple days and plan the trip for December next year.  I noticed a bare breasted bald lady relaxing in one of the hammocks they have for guests.

        I paid Dan for 2 more nights.  He said they didn’t encourage nudity in the hotel but I could take a lounge chair down my the beach if I liked.  I then relaxed over coffee next door at “A Nice Place On The Beach”…really.   It was so comfortable I had some granola, fruit and yogurt while reading Bill Bryson’s fascinating book, the “Summer of ’27”. I was changing gears and enjoying it.  

     I decided it was time to get some sun and laid in an Adirondack chair and basked for 15 minutes then took a walk along the water’s edge down and back to the end of the beach. Few nude people were laying out or strolling down the beach…but not many. I came into the town and bought some water and mixer to take to my room where I took my fourth COLD shower in 24 hours.

I  can’t believe I’ve only been here a day…time slows down while counting the waves.  It was 4 pm and Happy Hour. I walked down to Sativa, an attractive secluded hotel just down from me.

Rough Life

Really Rough Life

 It appeared to be closed but a pleasant Mexican woman greeted me and gave me their facebook address as they had no business cards.  A room was 300 pesos but they had a nice bar and pleasant area with hammocks and lounge chairs.  I ordered a Bailly’s on the Rocks and read while watching the people go by and the surf come in.  The bartender was rolling a joint from the biggest bud I have ever seen.  He never flinched while the lady made the drink.  I asked if I could smoke mine there and he looked at me and replied…of course. 
      Later I saw a group of 4-5 guys sitting on the curb with everyone passing by…while they passed the pipe…then passed out on the sidewalk? I returned to be close to my place.
       Sitting here with my second XX beer y Mezcal listening to Reggie music  and  watching the pelicans dive for fish in the surf while the sun sets AND nude people strolling by on the sandy beach as the sun sets...reminds me of Cholla Bay in Puerto Penasco. And It is OK to smoke a joint! I am at “Nice Place On The Beach To Be” That is an appropriate name. 

      A nice restaurant across the street caught my attention with both a Continental menu and a Sushi Menu.  It was packed last night when I had Pescado Mediterranean at an Italian restaurant.

     I wanted to try the Hummus, Felafel’s, Sushi…but settled on the Pescado with Mushrooms in a wine sauce which was excellent.

    While having dinner in this outdoor cafe …they all are … two Mexican couples sat with a BIG black man.  Unusual to see that in Mexico…or any black man for that matter.  The couples were chatting and laughing in Mexican and he seemed bored…no drink or even coffee.  They would be looking at their cell and sharing but when he looked over , they didn’t offer to show him.  He didn’t talk to them but did laugh now and then…I just figured his Spanish was bad and he had no interest or understanding of what they said.  I understood that …so invited him to join me to be polite and have a conversation in English myself…he declined and said he was here to visit with his friends .  I asked where he was from …Chicago..of course.   One of my favorite cities.  I told him I was from Buffalo but living in Oaxaca when he admitted he was too and had coffee at the Zocalo .  I only go for wine in the evening but never saw him in Oaxaca…so will look for Ron to have a conversation with when I return.  He was a very friendly and nice man.  The others seemed to take offense for interrupting their gathering and I tried to apologize but their looks were not friendly. I think I insulted them.

        I am going to leave here soon though I am enjoying the open atmosphere of pot smoking in nudity…big mix of people from all over…lots of  French, Italian, Mexican, and us Gringos. 

…and the beach!

        The big day for the children has arrived.  Last year I picked a card off the Christmas tree at the library then bought a pair of shoes for a 12 year old boy in an orphanage that the library likes to support.  I never went to see where the orphanage was when the presents were passed out but this year I accompanied Marjorie to meet her girl she bought a gift for at the orphanage.

    This is the only day the children receive one gift from the Kings…like baby Jesus did.  They don’t have gifts under the tree and adults don’t buy gifts for each other on Christmas either.

      I returned to my new cafe, Barista, for coffee and had a sandwich for lunch.

Grasshoppers are rich in protein and add zest to Soups, Salads or eat as a snack.

MY CLINIC AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY CONDO           Richard was leaving Wednesday so I called to see if I could buy him a farewell drink .   After twisting his arm, he agreed so we went to the Casa Azul Rooftop around the corner from where he was staying. We shared Mushroom Tamales and I had some vegetables with goat cheese wrapped inside while Richard had some Black Bean Soup.   I stopped at the Women’s…er the Men’s room before I left…. Much nicer than the one earlier….

      I did nothing of note before meeting Richard at Viaja Lira Italian Restaurant for my first Pizza of the new year.  We stopped for dessert at Vino y Tapas then returned home.

    Sunday I met Marjorie at Tres Bistro to watch the Arizona Cardinal get trampled on 36 to 6…it was sad and disheartening.

 I ate some Ceviche and a Salad then visited the 3 Kings that were preparing to deliver gifts to the children of Oaxaca on Wednesday.

  An orchestra was setting up for a concert in the Zocalo.

 Then we joined Darcy and his sister Pat in the Zocalo for a Mezcal toast to the New Year and went home.

    Monday I visited the library to make a donation and reserve a seat for a food lecture on Friday. Then I met with Veronika, from Germany for lunch.

We stopped at the Graphic Arts Museum

and a Craft show  to buy some wood carvings for my Condo.

       I made it to the library to join the Fandango Card group.  Chuck had his car to transport us to Jane’s home in San Felipe for our weekly card game at 1:30pm.  Richard showed up but wasn’t feeling well. Bill and Enrique cancelled so me being a novice bowed out and returned  home for a nap.  4pm I rose , ran out to buy a whole cooked chicken with macaroni salad and returned to dinner.

      Today is New Year’s Eve Day.  I walked to the Nut House and restocked my shelves with nuts, lentils and cranberry raisins.  On the way home I stopped at the Oaxacan Coffee Company for a Cappuccino then picked up some Mezcal for a New Year’s Eve drink.  That evening I went on the roof at Midnight to see the fireworks.

 They were all day long but mostly just loud fireworks.   I saw a few rockets and colored ones that night but not a lot even though the noise went until 2:30 am.NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS IN OAXACA (Turn up your Volume)
     My toilet broke today but everything would be closed being New Year’s Day. I hope that is not a omen for the coming year. Tomorrow is Saturday maybe Monday I can get it fixed. I met Richard for Happy Hour on the roof near the Santa Domingo.

 We ate too then returned home.
    This morning Hector, the landlord, came and looked at the toilet and asked my maid, Adelina to repair it…she did and it works great.  It was a beautiful day so I took my afternoon bus to the Library but stopped at a new Cafe called Barista, a very intimate coffee shop run by a lovely Mexican couple.
I had a AeroPress Espresso with homemade Strudel.

I have been using AeroPress in Scottsdale and here for 4 years and couldn’t make an Espresso as good as that.  That convinced me to try Fresca Kiwi cold drink..which was out standing.  The library was closing when I arrived so walked to the Santa Domingo Plaza to have some files printed…then to the Zocalo to read and relax before returning home. There was “Another Wedding” going on..the time of year?

How old is she!!!….and HIM!!!

Is the Groom Crying?

Notice the photographer in the window?

Groom’s Pant’s fell Down

They all Dance the Whole Procession from the Church

Not everybody Dances

      I’m meeting Richard again tonight for a Pizza at Viajo Lira, a very nice Italian Restaurant that Richard hadn’t been to.