Apartments Ernestina Tamayo Oaxaca

... the ruins of Monte Alban, which date back to 100 BC.  They were really well preserved and beautiful.  Not to mention the amazing positive energy that reverberated through the area.

The next day we drove out of town to another market that was also substantial, but nothing compared to the Saturday market.  We made our first purchase for Wesley, a beautiful, hand-woven rug of reds and oranges.  Devin has been wanting a rug for awhile (we looked a lot in the ...

... primarily of calcium carbonate, are left behind. This is much the same process as forms stalactites and stalagmites in caves, but in this case takes place on the side of a mountain). Awesome. Then we carried on to a Spanish church built on the site of an Ancient Mayan Temple (a common place for them to build their churches, it turns out) but we skipped it and went to the quaint markets surrounding it. This is where we started out gift ...

... too, so we let him go off on his own for a while until I calmed down. The bus ride overnight to Palenque was great though, the bus had a cabin sealed and soundproofed with massive seats which reclined a long way and nearly a metre of legroom. It was dead quiet, people went straight to sleep but I read and Lucy watched two films with headphones on. Halfway though Hulk she screamed "DUCK" which woke everyone up, or at least my laughing did.

... left, a hunger strike, including people nailed to a cross, plus speeches and performances to protest against some injustice/commemorate an unlawful killing or diasappearance.

The posadas, put on by local families and institutions, to celebrate Xmas, as well as having a nativity parade calling at various houses in the neighbourhood and being refused a room, finished with food drink and the kids smashing a pinata.

These and other events, including weddings ...

... be along in about 4 hrs. i obviously didnt take this too well and created a minor scene. After about ten mins they put me on another bus which took me to meet the bus that i was supposed to take which they had made wait for me...allfun and games. There isnt much to say about Cuernavaca, it has a plaza, a cathedral and the wheathers quite nice. A bit dull really. From here i travelled up to Mexico City where i took theplane to fly to Peru.

... leader told us how people here feel they are united with their friends and family on La Dia De Los Mudertos", Ken commented - "That has a familiar ring. Most Sundays when I commune, I feel a deep connection with that 'communion of saints'". The congregation, about 20 of us, was led by a young Welsh woman, Jamie, with a most melodious, beautiful voice. She is married to a Mexican. They have lived in Oaxaca for about two ...

... scam so the driver didn't have to go far or indeed it had moved and was further into town. In the rain with 28 kilos each, we walked and we walked and we walked, no magic to be seen. By now we were wet, the streets were crowded and life wasn't that great... a new hostel to be found it was, the only one being on the other side of the city! Eventually though we made it, Ads looked at the room, said yes and upstairs we climbed... at this point I got a tiny bit disturbed in that ...

... it on ritz, it was so good! I am definitely making that when I get back home! After I woke up from my nap I went to this café with Rhonda where we could use their wi-fi. Oh! I don't have internet at my house anymore because Holiday Inn decided to put a password to get into the internet! So expect my blogs the next afternoon not the same, I'm pretty mad about it but oh well, nothing I can do, maybe I'll try to hack into it. After that I went and used Skype of course. I ...

... at least 2-3 hours to see the site and the museum displays. Hungry after all the walking and climbing we left Monte Alban for the village of San Martin Tilcajete famous for it's Wood Carvers. Getting from the west of Oaxaca to the highway heading south we took a few wrong turns and found ourselves heading back west. Finally we were on the right road. Road signs in Oaxaca are somewhat ambigious. We stopped for lunch along ...

... the same house as a family. It is a bakery and house combined with my apartment upstairs. It is set back a bit from the street and opens up to a courtyard area. The storefront is at the street. They are a lovely family -- grandmother Estella, Rosie and Fernando (parents) and two teenage sons....Juan 15 next week, and Gabrielle who is 12. They occupy the courtyard and downstairs area. I have a spacious two room ...