Southwest to Oaxaca

Oaxaca (wah-hah-kah) is both the name of the state and the capital city within this state. The largest city of Mexico. Located 300 miles southwest of Mexico city and a 6 hour journey by bus for us. Nee problem for us fully induced bus travelling types. Isolated from other parts of the country by rank after rank of rugged mountains, these lands contain a traditional, mysterious, strongly indigenous influenced side to Mexican life that has almost vanished in more accessible regions. The region is famed for it's coffee, chocolate, chillies and sugar cane. Ah yeah, and protesting teachers! We've promised the girls back at the Mexico city hostel some chocolate, so we better get on and do some research so we can pick up a nice one! Once out of the seemingly never ending Mexico city, and prior to the twists and turns of the Sierra Norte ranges, we passed through some very flat, neat farm lands at the foot of these imposing mountain ranges. In the early morning sun most crops were being tended by hand. Field after field of folk bent over at right angles. Only the heavier stuff being carried out by horse or bull and cart. The sight of tractors and other 21 century farm machinery was a rarity. The age of the farm hands seemed to range from kids right up to the eldery.

At the state boarder we witnessed the first sighting of the protesting teachers. On each approach to the boarder entrance and exits teachers stood in line next to the shotgun weilding security personnel. The Oaxaca teachers are protesting about wages. We were informed that even in this relatively poor state teachers live a very comfortable life, way above the average Mexican with many teachers owning a couple of houses and cars and fequently holidaying overseas. On arrival in the city we were disappointed to see that the entire Oaxaca zocalo had been taken over by these unhappy teachers. This country is soooo like France. If they do not agree with a certain goverment policy they just take to the streets for either a march, or as we've experianced, a mass sit-in peaceful protest. The inner square and pedestrian areas looked more like a refugee camp than the normal sleepy zocalo we'd become accustomed to! So for now the city's cultural centre square was acting as a stand-in sleepy zocalo area. And not a bad alternative it was either. A space that felt totally different from the demostration area of the city. Students laze around in small groups chatting and playing the odd game of chess. Couples meet for lunch and share coffees and discuss morning activities. The great feeling within these plazas is that everyday seems to feel like a Sunday. It's great to see communities utilise these great comunial spaces that have been handed down through the generations.

Most nights there was either a band or some sort of local show where musicans normally entice people to get up and dance or just generally join and have fun. Culture square also brought to us the new taste sensation that is salty-chilli-popcorn. A possible snack for future pending "film-club" nights back @ 108?

Standing guard over this magnificant space was the church De Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman. Some serious bling in this place, more gold than Jimmy Saville! In 1993 it was decided that the church would be fully restored. Its highly decorated interior used no less than 60,000 sheets of 23.5 carat gold leaf!

Tonight the footie was on, Mexico vs New Zealand. Though we think it was only a friendly warm up game, this city was getting ready for the sport they adore. So we found a lovely little restaurant with a match deal on and got settled in. What was really funny as when Mexico were close to scoring a goal the cry of 'Si, Si, Si' would fill the air. Or even better when they scored out came the customary greatly extended gooooooooooooooaaaaaallllllll which everyone in the restaurant stopped whatever they were doing, staff and chef included, to join in the celebrations. We had a window seat and every now and then a chilly breeze trickled through the window! We have really noticed the difference in temperature from being in the mountains. The mornings and evenings have a wee nip! It felt great.