Well, maybe you know this village better by its proper name
Santa Maria Atzompa. This was our
destination for today. With the family
back in Seattle we did not want to have withdrawals for not having enough
activity. To start with though, we
definitely had to get the car washed. It
was getting to the point that we might have lost it because if was so similar
to the color of the ground.
Back on avenue Seminario there is a lava auto which looked
new and clean. Sebastian confirmed later
that they have only been open for a couple of weeks. So we drive in and are the first customer of
the day. For all I know, we were their
first customer ever. Julio (we all had
to meet each other and give our names) goes to work on the VW Jetta. Pressure wash, soap it, wash again, spray the
wheels, make them black, take out the floor mats and brush, dry the car,
re-wash the windows, vacuum it out and I thought this was going to turn into a
complete detailing, rather than a wash.
All the time he was working he was quizzing us about sports in
Seattle.
Finally his father comes by and does some finishing. We ask how much and it was 40 pesos
($3.14). They point out that we had a
scrape or paint on one of the headlights.
We figured that would be enough to have the car condemned when returning
it to the rental agency. They said they
would remove it for 20 pesos, bringing the total to 60 pesos ($4.72). The whole washing was a beautiful job and it
took 40 minutes. Mary Ann feels so
guilty about paying so little, when the locals work so hard, she paid a total
of 100 pesos. We expect super treatment
when we return.
So we wander off to Atzompa, taking a short cut, because
there is a big sign on the carretara. We
wander around the back streets of another village, the signs disappear, but I
know I am going in the general direction of the village. Soon, one of our travel miracles occurs and
we turn onto a street and a huge sign says “Bienvenidos a Santa Maria Atzompa”. Of course we have arrived just like I planned
it!
So why are we in Atzompa at all? Ah, you should know by now. This is another craft village of families
famous for a distinctive kind of pottery.
The Moon Oaxaca guide book (which we now have a download on our Kindle
and iPad, of course) says the modern Atzompans (as compared with the ancient
ones as this is on the edge of the Monte Albán archeological complex) are “busy
producing their distinctive pottery creations-fetching emerald green-glazed cooking
pots, bowls, baking dishes, plates and more-famous all over Mexico and the
world.”
Mary Ann thinks this is just super
and we wander the aisles of the Mercado de Artesanias. Now, this is not a
problem, as we are the only people there, other than staff. It is obviously a quiet Monday. And then we buy – wall pots, hanging dark
pottery things, etc. We end up spending
$18 and I think the bag weighs 18 pounds.
Hmmm, where is the shipping place?
"The" car wash
It no longer looks like dirt!
Mary Ann at the Atzompa mercado de artesanias
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