We arrived but it was not easy!

Oaxaca, Mexico - Day 1

Of course, the best part of travel are the things that go slightly goofy.  Oaxaca International is quieter than Pangborn, but all the Immigration and Customs, and security people were glad to have something to do, with the approximately 20 of us arriving on our Embraer 145 jet.  Nice flight.  Took about a half hour to get the car, and it is difficult to check for scratches and dings with a flashlight in the mostly dark and empty parking lot.
 

When leaving the airport I had forgotten about the propensity for huge (grande) topes.  When driving over them you need a crane to get all the car over the top.  When I came to the first one, I was really surprised, but fortunately I don’t think we left any car parts on the road.  The roads could use a lot of maintenance as you dodge the pot holes at 10 p.m. at night.  We thought we were only lost once on the carretara four lane road out to the glorietta and Benito Juarez monument.  We just had to go around the block and then found we were not lost, just poor signage.  We nearly missed the monument, but caught it at the last moment.
 

Then up the hill!  We did fine, until we came to the construction and had to detour.  We then got very lost.  Finally backtracked, and stopped at a corner store (just closing at 11 p.m.)  As Mary Ann could not get the cell phone to connect (too many area codes I guess) she had the Spanish speaking lady call Florencio.  He then came and rescued us, by taking us around back roads to the casa.  Hopefully the construction and detour is supposed to last only a week.  Florencio was getting a bit worried, not only about us, but his wife is expecting in two or three days.  He is a delightful young man.  We had a quick briefing last night about the casa and he is to be back this morning for the full treatment (or maybe he is at the hospital!).
 

The casa is beautiful, loaded with Oaxacan handicrafts and art.  Wood beam ceilings, tile floors and very tasteful.  We tested bedrooms last night, slept in one and moved this morning.  Something about storage Mary Ann says!  We enjoyed our first desayuno with fruit and rolls that Florencio had provided for us.  A wonderful start on the adventure.
   

The entrance to our casa!

Quirky Living Note

 

Mototaxis – These are three wheel covered vehicles that kind of resemble a golf cart with a top, side curtains and a back seat.  They are used to get around the neighborhoods and villages off the main highway.  They are colored to indicate the village and essentially take you to the next village where you can catch the next mototaxi.  In the afternoon you see a lot of them carrying school kids.  The closest vehicle I remember is the beachfront vehicles in Mazatlan.

 

The ever present neighborhood moto-taxi