Chauffeur? That’s my job!

When there are six of us, a five passenger car, and even when it is an important visit to Monte Albán, the fun is for Katy and the Froh’s, not the chauffeur who has important responsibilities.  After dropping them off at the ruins, I headed to the Plaza Bella at the bottom of the hill to see if I could get the car washed.  Malls here seem to work on Mexican time so I hoped that the car wash guys would show up at 11 a.m.  When you have some unallocated time you always need to have a book along.  Thus, I took a seat in the food court and read my book and waited for the hopeful arrival of the car wash guys.

If you are a long time reader of my blogs and travel articles, you know I not only like to write about travel, but also read travel literature.  My book of choice at the moment is Last Call for the Dining Car, edited by Michael Kerr, and which is an anthology of great railway journeys as published in the London Telegraph over the last few decades.  It was published in 2009 and I picked it up at the Waterstone Book Store in London when we were there in November.  It is a good book for short reads as each story is from the newspaper travel sections and usually is only four or five pages long.

By 11:30 a.m. the car washing team had not shown up, so I abandoned the project and headed back up to the ruins to wait for the gang.  When waiting near the entrance/exit (reading of course) Amanda and three year old Eliza show up_.  For a three year old she did a good 1 ½ hours in the ruins, but it was really hot today (supposed to reach 91 degrees), and when she got an “owey” from a trip on the gravel it was time to head for the visitor center.  We had a delightful hour in the café enjoying apple juice and a sucker, and of course discussing how we would need to get some Band-Aids when we got back to the casa.

Geoff and Katy returned and joined our refreshment time.  Katy had to admit she bought a clay figurine from a vendor who helped them see some special areas of the ruins.  She is very proud of it and will take it as a gift to her friend and English student Delfino.  The vendor guaranteed it was handmade (maybe earlier this week!) and we all agree it will always be a Zapotec treasure from Oaxaca.

 

Never be caught without a book with you!

 

Katy's valuable Zapotec Monte Alban artifact

Check out that band-aid on Eliza's right knee.  Owey solved!

 

Quirky Living Note

 

Fireworks – There is a love affair between the Mexicans and fireworks.  The constant use of fireworks (the explosion kind) is not unique to Oaxaca.  With our visits to San Miguel de Allende the same phenomena was present.  It does not matter whether it is Constitution day or Dia de la Candelaria.  It is an excuse for setting off cherry bombs and other very loud explosions.  I am writing at 6 a.m. and I am hearing the fireworks and it is a nothing day.  Weddings, birthdays, new births, you name it and I am sure it will be celebrated.  Maybe it is because of the easy access to fireworks, although the source has not yet been revealed to me.