TravelStream™ news feed for member kellyjohn on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kellyjohn en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:20:30 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kellyjohn/1/1261147966/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kellyjohn/1/1261147966/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kellyjohn/1/1261147966/tpod.html Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:20:30 -0500 Fools' Paradise

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Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

UNESCO World Heritage Site, Monte Alban, is an impressive and vast complex. One of the oldest civilizations in Mesoamerica and the center of Zapotec culture, Monte Alban was inhabited from 500 B.C. to 1520 A.D, and was at its zenith between 600 A.D. and 900 A.D. In the Late Classic period, it began to decline and Zapotec culture began to disperse with the building of city states (like Yagul, Mitla, Zaachila) in surrounding areas.

The main plaza bordered by north and south platforms, is expansive and lent itself to spontaneous bouts of running (my intuitive response to big, open spaces). Numerous tombs, some of which have been excavated, have proffered artifacts now on display at Monte Alban's musuem and at the Oaxaca Cultural Center at Santo Domingo. Especially impressive were a turquoise mosaic deathmask, stone carved funerary urns and jade jewelry. Monte Alban also has many large stellas or stone hieroglyph carvings and two ballcourts (which seem to lend themselves more to a kind of racquetball game than the hoop style basketball courts of the Maya).

While less than 10 km west of the city, Monte Alban is far enough away to feel enveloped by the natural world - beautiful and strange trees, cacti, flowers and birds dot the landscape and provide a welcome relief from the crowded city below.

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Mitla, Oaxaca, Mexico

With John's mom in town, we finally managed to do a bit more sightseeing outside of Oaxaca de Juarez (the city). Today, we ventured eastward on a jam packed tour that included Hierve El Agua, Mitla, a mezcal factory, Teotitlan de Valle and El Tule. Combined, these sites comprise a popular, Eastern Valley of Oaxaca tour, characterized by beautiful mountains, cacti and (at least part of the way) the Pan American Highway (which stretches from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina).

Our first stop was Hierve El Agua, the site of several springs located in the mountains, whose waters, laden with sulphur, calcium carbinate and magnesium, have become petrified and created rock formations that mimic cascading waterfalls. The landscape was breathtakingly beautiful and after hearing that the springs were cool, not hot as the name, Hierve El Agua or boiling water implies, I wished I'd taken my bathing suit along. The day was warm and though we were 7,000+ ft above sea level, the prevailing tropical climate prevents snow from ever falling here. An interesting side note is the geopolitical aspect of Hierve El Agua. Before entering the park, we met a road block where we were required to pay 30 pesos each in order to enter. Land rights in rural Oaxaca are taken very seriously, and disputes between the surrounding villages and peoples of San Bartolo, San Isidro Roagui, and San Lorenzo Albarradas, have caused park closings and even violence in recent years. According to our guide, six people were recently killed when one community collected fees from tourists without sharing or telling another community. Thus, we paid the piper and all was well.

On our way back west, we stopped at Mitla, a fascinating Zapotec ruin constructed primarily for ceremonial purposes. This major religious center was constructed in 850 A.D., as Monte Alban (the largest Zapotec city) was declining. The decorative motifs at Mitla are unique in that they reflect Mixtec influence. Several tombs built for high ranking priests have been excavated, and one particular palace instillation is well preserved (apparently because it served as Pedro Alvarez's living quarters after the Spanish arrived), while the other structures were pillaged by the Spanish for building materials. A church, built in the post-Columbian era still stands a top the ancient Zapotec foundation from which it was adapted.

A quick stop at one of the many small Mezcal factories that scatter the Valley of Oaxaca was next. The Maguey cactus is cut up, laid over hot coals that surround a below ground fire, covered with cloth and allowed to smoke for 72 hours. It is then ground by a large stone whose circular path is guided by a horse. The maguey pulp is placed in large wooden tubs and allowed to ferment. The fermentation is then placed in a pot over a fire and the alcohol vapors rise through a pipe whereby distillation occurs. This process is repeated twice before half of the young, white mezcal is bottled and sold, and the other half reserved and left to age another year or multiple years. The older, the more rare, and therefore the better the price achieved at market. Cognac is born after three or more years.

Just across the road from the mezcal factory we visited, lay the town of Teotitlan de Valle, famous for its weaving and exquisite wool rugs. I was thrilled to catch a demonstration and amazed by the intricacy or the work and the diligence of the workers. All natural dies are used, cochineal red, also known as Oaxacan gold, being the most treasured. Cochineal is an insect that lays its eggs in the nopal cactus and afterward, dies. The very small, white insects are scraped off of the cactus, and when crushed, they produce a beautiful bright red color.

Our last stop before returning to Oaxaca was Santa Maria del Tule, a town whose entire local economy relies on a gigantic Tule Tree. Over 2,000 years old and 58 meters in diameter, it's definitely a remarkable specimen. Since the Pan American Highway was rerouted farther south (away from the tree) a few years ago, the Tule's foliage has regained its healthy green color, and appears to be thriving.

Naps all around upon our return home.






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Oaxaca, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico

Today is Sunday, officially bed day (meaning the option to spend all day in bed is permitted). However, the warmth of the sun and beauty of the garden, which lies in front of our apartment, beckoned with the sound of gentle breezes rustling through the branches of the tall avocado tree and glimpses of orange and black striped butterflies in transient flight. I ventured out mid morning, positioning myself in partial sunlight, underneath a poinsietta tree with book in hand, one I hadn't yet cracked open (except to read the opening page, as I always do, when determining whether or not to check out a book from the library). After spending a very pleasant hour or so with Haruki Murakami's "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle", my thoughts drifted to the numerous times when reading has, this year, while on this adventure, comforted, challenged, excited, pacified and nourished me.

Leaving Orlando with a box of books and accumulating several more en route, I soon discovered, to my dismay, that life on the road (especially when camping), simply didn't allow much time for reading (highway and river maps, excluded). Despite the limitations, I did find time to read when we stayed put for a while, and even now and then in the tent, when at the end of the day the artificial light of my Petzl headlamp would illuminate a page just long enough to induce the closing of heavy eyelids. Of course, now that our pace has slowed, everyday pleasure reading has returned along with regular rest and relaxation.

Reflecting on the last eleven months and the reading that I've done, I thought it might be fun to share a list of the books I can remember reading. Some of them, I'm only slightly ashamed to say, were partial reads due to the uncertainty of my days, a fading interest, or just plain lack of commitment. The selection is an eclectic and muddled one that reflects the sometimes erratic nature of both this journey and my own interests. Here 'tis:

Desolation Angels (Kerouac) - partial
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Marquez) - partial
Last Evenings on Earth (Bolano) -currently finishing
The Buddhist Bible (Goddard) - working my way through this compilation
Beloved (Morrison)
Pan (Ibsen)
The Places That Scare You (Chodron)
The Artist's Way (Cameron) - worked through 1st half in Nashville
Democracy in America (Tocqueville) - partial (intended to finish on road; too dry to return to now)
The Eight Gates of Zen (Loori)
Moon's: Oaxaca Guidebook
Let's Go: U.S.A. Guidebook
Appetites (Roth)
Essay's & English Traits (Emerson)
The Power of Compassion (Dalai Lama)
Spanish Stories/Cuentos Espanoles (Flores)
First There is a Mountain (Kadetsky)

Happy Reading!

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Oaxaca, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico

Arrived in Oaxaca via Houston late Wednesday night. With reservations for four nights at Hotel Las Golandrinas and contacts on the ground, I hoped we would find long-term accommodations within a few days, and we did. Given Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), one of the country's biggest festivals, is only one week away, I was a bit concerned about securing lodging. However, after visiting several apartments and responding to numerous advertisements, we settled on a modest but spacious apartment in San Jose La Noria (a middle class neighborhood in the south), which is conveniently located near a supermercado, lavanderias, a university, and is within a 20-30 minute walk to the Centro Historico.

We've already become members at a terrific lending library with a stellar selection of English books. I'm planning to begin studying Spanish and am still searching for opportunities to shadow or volunteer with American educated doctors at local clinics or hospitals. John is interested in taking some Oaxacan cooking classes, which should come in handy, as the markets offer a plethora of vegetables and fruits I've never seen before and certainly wouldn't know how to prepare. I'm also looking for Ashtanga yoga classes and have found a few facilities that offer a number of services including yoga, temazcal (traditional curative steambath), massage, etc. It's informative to look at the breakdown of things that lend themselves to my comfort (physical and mental).

There is definitely an ex-pat presence here, especially in the Centro Historico, but gringos are still a noticeable anomaly, especially in other neighborhoods. Through couchsurfing, we were fortunate to meet a great couple (half American, half Danish), who have been here nearly one year.

Since I've been busy trying to get settled, I haven't taken many photos yet; I hope to post more soon, hopefully capturing the upcoming festivities. Fireworks have already become a regular occurrence after dark, and the holidays are still a week away.





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Villa De Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico

We got a late start to Etla on Wednesday morning. By the time we'd caught a bus to the Abastos Market, hiked across the busy streets to the 2nd class bus terminal, were told that a bus would be leaving in 8 minutes, waited for 30 minutes before being redirected to a different bus on the other side of the terminal, and actually started rolling, it was noon. We had hoped to catch a direct bus, but the one we rode stopped at least two dozen times roundtrip. Each time we stopped, we idled and waited sometimes as long as four or five minutes, while a young man (who served as fare collector and official crier) hollered out our destination numerous times to make certain that no one missed their ride. As far as I know, this particular job function is non-existent in the U.S., but once I saw this "Collector/Crier" (who by the way executed his assigned tasks with great responsibility), quickly jump off the bus to assist the boarding of a small, indigenous woman with two small children and a very heavy bag, I wished his role to be re-created throughout the U.S., to create job growth, spur consumer spending, and simply boost moral in the human spirit. Okay, kinda sappy, but that's how I felt at the time.

Etla, a name that follows the title of many a village and town in the central valley of Oaxaca, is actually the moniker for Villa de Etla, located approximately ten miles north of the city, amidst a more rural setting than we've yet seen, and closer to the ever present mountains that watch over us here in the city, but seem a world away. Wednesday is Etla's big market day or tianguis. Its main street is closed off to automobile traffic, covered with tarps, and littered with abundant fruit and vegetable stands, bags of spices and chili peppers, pottery, white cheese, sugar cane, clothing, you name it. A large, indoor market area is connected, and houses many small cocinas (basically one woman kitchens that serve up authentic, country fare. After walking through the bustling market, we settled in for lunch at La Fonda, a cocina/restaurant located just outside the indoor market, which was highly recommended by "Moon's Oaxaca" guidebook. The food was great (I had a vegetarian plate consisting of black beans, fresh white cheese, and tomato, lettuce, avocado and lime; John had black mole with chicken; and we were served warm corn tortillas). The price, 80 pesos total, came to about $6. After lunch, we strolled a bit more, bought some of Etla's famous quesillo (white cheese similar to fresh buffalo mozzarella, but having a slightly different flavor), and some breads and postres.

While waiting on the corner for the bus to take us back to Oaxaca de Juarez, we were entertained by some stray dogs and an old man, who while annoyed by the dogs' persistent attention, gently brushed them aside with his walking stick, and humored them with conversation. While it's definitely best to keep one's distance from the stray dogs here, generally they are quite docile and scare off easily.

Hopefully, it won't be long before our next field trip outside the city.


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Oaxaca, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico

Never had an experience quite like this one! While minor festivities began a week prior to Dia de Los Muertos (November 1st), the celebrations really began October 31st. In the Zocolo (main square), sand paintings were created in front of the Cathedral, alters, prepared by most businesses, organizations and households, were displayed, costumed adults and children accompanied by bands heavy with brass, paraded and danced through the streets, Panteon General (the main cemetery), lavishly decorated with flowers and candles, served Oaxacaneon chocolate caliente and pan de muerto while crowds strolled amidst the tombs of the departed, and just outside the cemetery walls, through the carnival games, rides and food stalls set-up en masse. A truly surreal environment- in the face of death, life never pulsated more.

Perhaps the nicest surprise of all, was an invitation to join our host family (the
family who owns the apartment we're renting), for a traditional Dia de
Muertos desayuno (breakfast). Incredibly gracious hosts, Ruth (the
mother), Ruth (the daughter), Erik (the son), and his new bride engaged us
and our upstairs neighbor, Arene from Canada, with great conversation and laughs. We practiced our poor, but
improving Spanish (John's ability to communicate was actually quite impressive, and definitely helped me feel more at ease), and they helped us along with their infinite patience and accomplished English language skills.

Oaxaca is truly an international draw during this holiday as evidenced by the crowds of tourists we saw pour into the city; lots of Americans, Brits, Germans and Mexicans from other parts of the country. While I haven't been here long (a little less than two weeks) I witnessed the dramatic transformation of the city's face as foreign visitors multiplied, and though I'm one of them, I must say that I'm looking forward to a return to normalcy, here. But I wouldn't have wanted to miss the celebration for anything, and I certainly can't blame anyone else for wanting a piece of the contagious exuberance I sought.

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Orlando, Florida, United States

Back in the south, we visited family and friends in north Georgia and Orlando for a few weeks, and planned the next phase of our journey. Busy with preparations, I didn't take any photos (boo hoo!). Thanks to our parents who put us up while we figured out the next phase of our journey. We're off to Mexico-
Hasta Luego!

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Washington DC, District of Columbia, United States

During my first trip to Washington D.C., I squeezed in as much sightseeing and education as possible, and after four days, I was exhausted and hopefully, a bit more enlightened. Greenbelt National Park, located just 13 miles outside D.C. was where we pitched our tent. The convenient base enabled us to drive into the city early enough to obtain free parking around The Mall. And then, we walked and walked and walked the city. What's great about D.C. is the accessibility of its museums and other points of interest. By far, the cheapest urban visit we've made on this journey, most of the historic and cultural attractions are free of charge. Here's a sampling of how we spent our time:

Day 1: National Gallery W (Titian to Renoir, Dutch Masters to Hudson River School, Bosch to El Greco, Giotto to Early American Portraiture), Capitol Building, Supreme Court

Night at the movies! (Inglorious Bastards)

Day 2: Hirshhorn Museum, Smithsonian American Indian Museum, Holocaust Museum, Georgetown for dinner at Moby Dick's House of Kabob

Day 3: National Gallery E. (Jasper Johns, Willem De Kooning, Max Ernst, Calder, Picasso, Matisse, Giocometti, Marsden Hartley, Dubuffet, Rauschenberg, Magritte, Modigliani), Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, White House



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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Central New Jersey's Wharton National Forest gave us shelter on the way to the nation's original Capitol. Atsion Recreation Area is surrounded by farm land and great roadside produce markets, so I stocked up on fresh fruit for the rest of the road trip.

Once we made it to Philadelphia, we toured Independence Hall (site of the signing and first reading of The Declaration of Independence and later, signing of The U.S. Constitution), the Liberty Bell Exhibit, and Benjamin Franklin Museum. John got a tip from a security guard about authentic Philly Cheesesteaks at Campo's on Market St., and I ran into FORK, a great little bistro on Market St. between 3rd and 4th, for a veggie panini. We could have spent much more time exploring the nation's first capitol, but road weariness is setting in.

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New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Storms brewing in the Atlantic, led us to reroute our path southward, away from the peninsula of Cape Cod. Even so, wet and grey weather followed us through central Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The only stop we made prior to arrival in New Haven, was Mystic. The overcast gloom and drizzle couldn't tarnish the centuries old seaport and only enhanced my romantic notion of mariner life. Many shops and restaurants line the Main Street of Mystic. I briefly searched for the real "Mystic Pizza" (which is supposedly located on Main St.), but given the nasty weather and perhaps some impatience too, I gave up and decided to move on.

In New Haven, we lucked out with accommodations within one block of Yale University’s campus. Though I’ve always thought those tourist coupon booklets passed out at visitor centers were useless, much to my surprise, one such booklet provided us with $80 off the rack rate at a Courtyard Marriott. Given the great deal (and the wet and mucky weather), we were persuaded to stay two nights in what definitely qualified as great comfort and luxury for “the camping kind”. The predominantly Gothic architecture of Yale University is inspiring, and we split our time between walking the beautiful campus and vegging at the hotel.

Annie Le, Yale University graduate student, had been missing for 24 hours when we arrived in New Haven, and flyers were posted all around. I followed the story with interest, hoping that she was safe and would be found shortly. Somehow, being in the area of her disappearance made the national news story seem highly relevant and I felt connected to the ultimately, tragic outcome.

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