Hotel Q Oaxaca

... as well as the world famous local black pottery were just a few of the stops on our itinerary.

And what better way to end the day than a "Blood of Jesus" parade? In case any of you are curious as to what that is, I'm referring to the once-a-month (?) congregation of brassband folks, dancers, and miscellaneous marchers leading a giant converted flatbed truck carrying a Mexican version (we’re talking real live Mexican man version) of Jesus hanging from a ...

... is good, they study you from distance and always reply to "hola" with a smile. the local Oaxacan favourite booze Mezcal should make ppl more careful than tequila.. after having it for couple of nights trying to see and feel if it really can be im conviced that it really does make your feet dancing and head standing still...and the mornings are not the brightest... it cant be anything else than the worm in the bottom of the bottle...maybe its different ...

... 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.

... drawn to the Zocolo in the evening. The Sound of Music - orchestras, walking guitar groups (grupos), singers, balloons, food, sidewalk vendors, flowers, clowns, shawls, - LIFE in its multi-colored and vibrant expressions! We really love the little group of people who gather for church each Sunday. Every service has been "lay-led" as no clerical personnel are available until December. So it feels like a real support group even though we haven't spent ...

... ended we were "almost fairly confident" that Jeff Merkley would be elected the new U.S. Senator from Oregon! Thanks to all of you who came to our house, (really Oscar and Mary Olson's) or to the Gettels for two of Jeff's fundraising events and many of you who continued working on his campaign! Perhaps my favorite response from a friend to the Obama win was: "What is this new feeling inside we have not felt for eight years?"

... donīt want it to happen here in Mexico. Itīs just that where Iīm staying is so comfy. I mean really, really freaking comfy- right down to the flannel sheets and bathroom acoustics for my pre-bedtime shower karaoke. How much Iīd like to make little cave out of my posada room, fill it with books, NPR podcasts, and tortas hawainas (officially my favorite food in Oaxaca), and just.... well, I donīt know. Welcome to exile ...

... to Mexico City to shop this weekend but I'm not going to go because I know it wont be any cheaper than Texas and plus I don't have any interest in Mexico City. Nathan has talked about going to the beach so who knows what will really happen though. After my nap I walked down to the ATM and then to use Skype. There was a English guy next to me and before I got up to leave he asked me what I was doing tonight so I told him I was going to watch my friends play ...

... only to the birth of his first son, which will be named Miguel Angel Barcia la unica ruta por la salvacion de nuestras almas. We were hanging in the Zocalo and a couple of little kids, the cutest little girl and her old brother came up and introduced themselves. The brother, say 10 years old, give or take, challenged Wolfe to a game of chess. Wolfe, in his fierce competetive spirit, proceeded to crush him in no more than 25 moves. It was all in good, fun ...

... last night to travel to Chiapas for two weeks with a "boy" she met and will be back to stay in Oaxaca for a few months afterwards. I look forward to hearing about her travels, and having a familar face around again. I wish I had more news than that this week, but I suspected it would be a lean week with school and all. I hope y`all are surviving "your" respective winters well. Thanks for tuning in.

... as Oaxaca is, I`m leaving after two nights. It`s really hot here, a dry heat that leaves me woozy by midafternoon. Also, it`s a bit too touristy for me. I don`t mind the backpacker/ bohemian types, but the tourists here are the suitcase/ pack-a-hairdryer type. And if that makes me sound like a snob, so be it. My apologies.

Question time! If you HAD to choose the following to eat, what would it be?
a) Menudo Soup
b) Cricket Quesadilla
c) Both a & b!