What did I notice?
To Oaxaca: Early on in our trip we were told that when Spanish explorer, Cortez, was asked to describe Mexico, he crumpled up a piece of paper, threw it on the table, and said, “That is New Spain.” Today’s bus ride from Puebla to Oaxaca confirmed Cortez’s description. I fell asleep as we left the tiled streets of Puebla and awoke to hills building their way into mountains on both sides of our bus. Smooth overlapping hills ran into rugged cactus filled mountains. Our road sliced through tree covered land and clay colored dirt.
We pulled into Oaxaca and began our exploration of this city known for its textiles, markets, and crafts. Since I’m not the biggest shopper, I was skeptical. However, walking through a pedestrian street filled with contemporary and ancient art combinations pulled me in. Vibrantly colored wooden animals and rows of woven blankets and rugs have already caught my eye. Sigh.
Our walk took us to Santo Domingo’s church and the Museo de Las Culturas that is connected to it. The thick walls, long hallways, and large arches of the former monastery provide a beautiful background for the historical time-line in the museum. I confess that I was drawn to one of the great windows looking out to the courtyard in front of the church. A parade of decorated women and larger than life puppets danced their way up to the courtyard bringing a band of musicians and a following of people with them. I spent a long time watching the celebration that is only the beginning of the upcoming celebration of solidarity.
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| Bibbed up for Oaxaca's famous mole sauce |
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| A view from the monastery museum |
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| A celebration in front of the Church |
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