An Interesting and Exciting visit to Ocotlan

Off we go in the van for a visit to the Friday market in Ocotlan, which is about 25 miles south of Oaxaca.  It takes about an hour and a half to get there. This is a grande market, and we did our usual wandering and buying of fruit and vegetables.  On one street was the poultry market, where men and women were standing on each side holding the live chickens, roosters, and turkeys by the neck or the legs and offering them to the passers-by for purchase.  There were also cardboard boxes that held the baby chicks and baby turkeys. In one conversation Katy found out that the roosters, at least in that area, were not for eating, but for cockfighting.  They were pretty expensive at 200 pesos ($15.70 U.S.) each.

In the regular Zócalo square the weavers, rug sellers, and clothes vendors were set up. Katy bought a very nice red rug which will look great in her condo.  The exciting part of the day, was that we think Amanda was targeted when leaving the ATM machine.  When in a crowded area she became surrounded by ladies admiring Eliza, and before she knew it, her bag had been slit and her billfold was stolen.  This happened even when Sebastian and Geoff were nearby.  Mary Ann, Katy and I were off on a separate walk-though, so we did not know it had happened until Sebastian met us at the meeting point and said that Amanda and Geoff were with the policia and trying to find a computer to notify the credit card people.  We have accomplished all that, notifying the credit and debit card companies by e-mail, and then calling them this evening.  While this was being done, Mary Ann, Katy, I and Eliza hung out in the very beautiful church which has been restored by the Rudolfo Morelos Foundation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodolfo_Morales).  Morales was a famous Oaxacan and Ocotlan painter who used his wealth for restoring many churches and other public buildings. Sebastian told us that at the time of the revolution the church was the local prison.  We left the church þ when the noon service began, and we found that the Foundation also bought a very good speaker system.

Getting everyone collected back together we headed to the textile village of Santo Tomás Jalieza which specialized in high quality purses, table runners, placemats, and much more.  It the open air square you can watch the weavers and find great items.  We of course needed a new purse for Amanda, a runner for Mary Ann, and a bag for Katy.  My, was this all in order to make Amanda feel better for her loss?  Next we stopped for lunch at a great restaurant called  Azucena Zapoteca (check it out on TripAdvisor), which is located near the wooden carving village of San Martin Tilcajete.  Great food and ambience and a playground and playhouse for Eliza.  Everyone was feeling much better after lunch!

Next on to view more alebrijes (exotic wooden animals) as each village has their own distinctive style.  We are soon to have a whole circus of them.  All the family participated in making selections and purchases.  The final craft experience of the day was in San Bartolo Coyotepec, where much of the black pottery is made.  That about shopped us out for the day, so back to the casa.

 

Ocotlan Church

 

Poultry in Ocotlan Market

 

Quirky Living Note

 

 Construction techniques – when driving up and down the roads of our neighborhood you spot piles of dirt and gravel piled in front of houses and partially obstructing the street.  In many places there is no way to get a dump truck into side yards or the back of the house, so if you need such materials, there they are, until you can use them.  Some disappear fast and others haven’t moved since our arrival.  Our favorite pile is the one that blocks the street to our casa requiring a several mile detour!

 

Gravel & Sand in the street!