Dias de los Muertos

Sorry its been a while since I have checked in. It is Day of the Dead season here in Mexico, and everyone is busy planning and celebrating. Things have been bustling in this city, and we haven't been able to get online! We visited a fiesta with all the local young adults. Their costumes were funny and scary and creative, only a few had actual store bought outfits.   Oscar was a "jefe" (Boss). He had his dress up shirt, a tie , and a briefcase with dog-uments in it, haha. Jay and I wore masks we had made. I will update this post later with pics, I forgot my camera today! Love and miss you!

Not the best pic, but I had to put it on here because I actually look like my mom, kinda, lol

Oscar was a Jefe (hef-ay), a boss. He had a polo shirt a tie and a briefcase with dog-uments in it!

Jay's mask that he made...and his scary face!

A better view of the mask I made

Jason's mask is made of palm tree leaves

On a more serious (but creative) note...

     There is a certain point of midmorning when the temperature in the 9x9 foot cabana reaches a waking point. The peaceful cycle of the waves are no longer lulling you to snooze. Instead their roar beckons you awake, tempting the hot, sticky, mosquito- bitten bodies out of their loose slung and only semi-affective bug- netted beds. The crystal water calls; its siren promises refreshment from the heat that is quickly encroaching comfort.  The population of hippies, so long here that English is more difficult than the Latin tongue, emerge with their scratching, sloppy, dogs trailing behind on the cooler portion of the sand.  Waves of locals, long awake by now, pass by with baskets of intricate, handmade, jewelry balanced on their heads, and hammocks drooping from their red over-tanned skinned. A few, mainly men, run by sweating off years of empanadas, queso, tlayudas, and cervezas. The fair skinned, toned females park their towels away from the crashing waves for quiet meditation, white buds in their ears reminding them how tranquil they or the world can be. Then those, who so often come for a three day excursion, yet still remain three weeks or three months later, tumble out from their beach side huts, laughing off the copius amounts of tequila still sloshing through their body from the night before. All of those, as am I, are pulled to the light blue crash accompanied by its salty perfect breeze. Such is Zipolite.

                The cabana from which I emerged, is charming, in a Swiss- Family- Robinson-sort of way. The dream of most childhoods in perfect gnarly form hides between stately palms and pavilions of twisted drift wood dripping with hammocks. A tiny kitchen sits half submerged in the sand, separating the private huts from the wide expanse of the beach. The ladder leading to the shared rickety terrace is awash with unneeded nails and rungs of unfortunate but strong driftwood at random intervals. The slats that create the floor are creaking through what looks like their third composition. Cabana is a pretentious name for this earthy hut perched precariously on stilts galore, of varying stages of development. Planks of palm tree wood, still wearing their palm straw on the edges, make the walls. The rusty key to the padlock chained door is tied to half of a dried coconut shell, cumbersome in its inability to fit in any pocket. A crude heavy window opens the top half of the front wall, facing the cool blue crashing water. It is menial accommodations. A small table in its second life is to the right, covered in the necessities of tropical life: empty water bottles, homemade candles in filmy glasses, mosquito coils and their predecessor’s ashes, Lonely Planet’s Guide to Mexico, cell phones that have been dead for days, half-used dried frijoles, Tylenol, presents wrapped tight to take to those in colder climates. The bed, not comfortable, yet not uncomfortable, stands in the middle. Its low slung mosquito net looks far more efficient than it actually is. Still wet bathing suits, pants which have been discarded for breezier attire and over used towels litter the creaky, uneven floor. Yet the practical, humble abode carries a freeness that is contagious; it reinvigorates its occupants, reminding them that they are nature as well. The hut reunites the human soul with the rest of the live world; not allowing respite from temperature, sound, light, humidity, insects, as so many modern bedrooms/caves can do. Peaceful is its truest adjective.

Sunsets galore!

Zipolite is paradise, and a perfect sunset spot. Here are some recent sunset pics, taken from my porch!!!

Ten things you must know before you come to Zipolite:

1. Bring small bills! If you are here when it is not busy season then most businesses do not have change. The closest ATM is a few towns away, and it only spits out 500$ bills. We have learned the hard way sometimes, by not being able to buy what we want! But a few times people lower their prices because we only had so much change!

2. Bring your hair conditioner! I have looked in every little store, it is nowhere to be found in this town! Thank goodness it is humid here!

3. Mosquito coils are essential if you wanna hang out outside after dark! We have bought them in bulk. And they actually smell ok too!

4. You don't have to bring shoes. Hardly anyone wears them!

5. Though they are volunteers, the life guards take their position seriously. If there is a red flag, do not go out above your waist, or they will whistle at you!! Someone drowns here every year!

6. Leave your watch at home! No one runs on any sort of time schedule. Posted open and close signs don't mean anything. Everyone here runs on their own time!!

7. Learn how to say "NO GRACIAS" firmly! There are many people here who sale their wares on the beach. They will come up to you and start pulling jewelry, blankets, hammocks, fish tacos, peices of cake, mezcal (out of gasoline jugs with a funnel), shirts, tortillas, etc out of their bags.Avoiding eye contact in the first place is a good start!

8. Pack light, there are cool cheap clothes here!

9.Wait til Mondays to buy your food! There is a giant market in Pochutla on Mondays where you can buy everything! Fruit, vegetables, fish, clothes, shoes, candy, lots of things! Its cheaper here than in small shops in Zipolite!

10. Bring a good spanish phrase book! While a lot of people here do speak English, many locals do not! Our phrase book is definitely our best purchase!

Here are a few more pics to leave you with! Miss you all!!

Loving life!

Working in paradise!

Tasting dinner!

Pic update

Oscar is usually seen with his tongue out these days. Everyone here loves him!

Chilling in the sun! The volunteer life guard station has an ATV...those aren't tracks from a beach cleaner!

A few pics from Zipolite! I'll type more later!!

Surf on a small day

Jason at lunch in town.

Me at lunch in town! Everyone is so casual here, no shoes no problem!

That's a happy dog!

Roco Blanca, the main street on a quiet day

The view from the second place we stayed, Chefi's

Oscar climbed out on the roof when they were fixing our door! Scared me to death!

The view from Chefi's at sunset

Our latest accommodations: the coolest beach cabana on stilts, 100 ft from the waves!

The beach from our cabana balcony

Coolest beach cabana for 50 pesos each!

The first meal I cooked here! Frijoles y Atun! Beans and Tuna, thats local string cheese on top! SO yummy!

Us at dinner on Jason's balcony!

Paradise

Our last night in Oaxaca was awesome! We had visited the Zocalo area before but not the central square. We hiked down the mountain, snagged a cab into the city and arrived at what looked like a festival. It was actually just a normal night in the Zocalo. People were everywhere, couples kissing on benches, kids running around playing with toys, street vendors hawking their wares, clowns performing comedy routines....all amidst an archaeological wonder. The ancient churches surrounding the square were beautiful. We walked around looking for a place to eat. Luckily we look foreign and an English speaking waiter grabbed a menu and invited us to dine with him! Holy moly! The food was delicious! I had a filet mignon shish-kabob and Jay had his new favorite, Mole Negro con Pollo (chicken with Mole sauce). Jay now refers to this as chocolate chicken; mole has chocolate, 7 peppers and lots of other yummy things in it! What a way to say goodbye to Oaxaca! Monday it was hard to say goodbye! We were spoiled at La Villada, but we grabbed a taxi to a microbus station in town. The microbuses are the way to get around. The trips are shorter because they can take roads that big buses can't take. They also will stop if you want or need to and they only hold about 15 people. The ride from Oaxaca only crossed about 150 miles but because it is through mountains 2 miles high, it took 6 hours to arrive. Though it was beautiful terrain, it was extremely curvy and speed limits do not exist. There are speed bumps everywhere, but the drivers make up for having to slow down at these spots by driving at break-neck speeds in between. Needless to say, our microbus stopped a few times for passengers to throw up! There were only 14 people on our bus, and I know at least 3 got sick! I almost succumbed to the nausea, but because we had to buy an extra seat for Oscar and he rode on the floor, I got to lay down! Thank goodness for Jay trying to keep me from puking, such a sweetheart! We arrived in Pochutla, the largest town near the beach. We called up a decent looking hostel, made arrangements for the night, and grabbed a taxi to the beach. Our excitement grew the closer we got. We arrived at Lyoban http://www.lyoban.com.mx/main.html . At first it looked a little sketchy, but its common for the entrances to these places to be on the beach side...we arrived at the back! We walked into an open air paradise! It is charming, tables in the sand, hammocks upstairs. Our room is one of the fancier ones, with a bathroom. Juan, from Argentina helps run the place. We were greeted with kisses and information! He is so very nice and helpful! This place is simple, rustic, and just our style. Oscar made friends with Pancho, the house dog, though Oscar seems to like Pancho more than Pancho likes Oscar. There are tons of dogs that live on this beach. They all seem friendly so far. We found a little place to eat last night called Sal Y Pimiento (Salt and Pepper). Grabbed some burgers, met some locals relocated from the states , sat on the hammock deck, ate and watched the waves .Morning brought glorious sights of the beach. We couldn't tell just how beautiful this place was at night. It is simply paradise!  We are going to look at places to rent this afternoon, and maybe take a swim! Chao!

Our last meal in Oaxaca. Chocolate Chicken and shish-kabob

Eating dinner

One of the churches around the square

Leaving Oaxaca

Looking down on clouds on our way to Zipo

Lyoban

Jay watching the surf

The upstairs hammock deck

Beach of Zipolite

Looking out from our hostel

Looking the other way down the beach

Giant Pufferfish on the beach, bigger than my head

Tables in the sand, looking out at the surf

Hammock deck upstairs

Zipolite from the hammock deck

Exploring!

Breakfast

Ball Court

Intricate Detail 3000 years ago

Drawing of the carving above, representing Monte Alban and their main deity, a rain god

Danzante. originally thought to be dancers, now believed to be tortured captives from other cultures, probably Olmecs (notice fat lips and obese figures). They have been castrated and mutilated.

Monte Alban

Secret tunnels lead underground then to the tops of the pyramid. These encouraged Zapotec mysticism, the noble would magically appear up top.

Now covered in grass, the ground and the buildings were all covered in stucco, and presumably painted red.

16th century monastery and church

Represents the 4 Dominicans who oversaw the Spanish conversion of the indians

The tour guide told me to strike a pose, then said I was a super model. Haha, we should have tipped him.

Roof and columns to the right fell during an earthquake. Also, roll tide!

No figures of a crucified Jesus, just crosses.

Recently uncovered in an archway, date unknown

Zapotec dates for start and completion of the church, though they aren't correct. Notice the day of the dead skull to the right, representing November.

It was extra to enter the monastery, so I snuck this picture through a barred window. There is a pool in the middle to the left.

Lunch buffet! Best pico de gallo in the world!

A peacock wandered by at lunch.

Courtyard at lunch. The band teased us with some riffs from the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.

Dona Rosa's grandson demonstrating the process of making the pottery. It was a short 20 min version of a process that takes weeks.

This pot will turn an opaque inky black color during firing.

Sunday morning, looking out our cabin door

On our unaided jaunt through the city, we came across this fountain today!

Hola! Yesterday was adventure day! Julieta (hoo-lee-wet-ah), whose family runs La Villada, hooked us up with a tour of Oaxaca. We had breakfast here at a Villada: fresh fruit  and toast!
     We started out at the ruins of Monte Alban, a once bustling city that was home to the most powerful Zapotecs for over a thousand years. Situated high on top of a mountain, we had some spectacular 360 degree views of Oaxaca. They have tons of pyramids and an ancient ball court. It was so cool! We were exploring a place where people lived 1000 years before Christ. We had a tiny little tour guide who told us all about the site, through broken English, but it was still so informative. They have no idea how the ball game was played, but they have found tons and tons of artifacts. This culture was eventually conquered by the Aztecs and and then by Cortez.
      After Monte Alban, our group visited Arrazola. It is a tiny village outside Oaxaca, where Zapotec indians still live. The Santiago family used to farm and live just like their ancestors, until modern day society made their efforts fruitless and they couldn't survive. The local government stepped in and assisted these farmers into turning their once leisurely practice of making carved wooden animals into a full-time job. I wish I could have taken pictures, but it wasn't allowed. These figures were intricately carved by the men, and painstakingly and patiently painted by the women. It was miraculous to watch them create these, each item being unique from the next. The colors and designs are the some of the most beautiful and creative decorations I have ever seen. Jay and I could have spent hours looking at everything, but the bus was leaving so we purchased a few things and rode to the next place.
     From there we moved on to Oaxaca in the middle ages. In the 1500's, the Spanish came over here and destroyed the indigenous culture in the name of God. They built a giant monastery/church and forced the indians to convert and then build this massive compound. It is called Cuilapan. It is interesting to see how the cultures mixed. There are crosses around the church, but none bear the image of Christ being crucified because the monks did not want to "scare" the Indians. My thoughts based on what we learned at Monte Alban: Zapotec culture believed in human sacrifice to please the gods. They couldn't comprehend a God being sacrificed for humans. So although the priests taught them that Jesus died to save them, an actual figure portraying this would lead the indians to associate Christ with normal human sacrifice. The church was amazing though, and pictures painted during its creation were recently uncovered when the arches were cleaned (picture below). The bells and architecture is all original from its creation.
     From there, our group traveled to a tiny hostel that serves a massive lunch buffet, cooked and served in an authentic manner. I grabbed a bunch of things that I had no clue what they were...and devoured ALL of it! These tortillas were in another league from anything in the states. We gorged ourselves on food, music, cervezas, and coke (its made from natural sugar in mexico, and so much yummier than US coke!). I took a picture of my plates, because it all looked so good!
     After lunch, we traveled to a small village where black ceramic pots were created. Only two places in the world make these (the other is in New Mexico with the Hopi Indians). This ancient technique of baking these ceramics turned the pots black. Back in ancient times they used a secret technique that made the pots shiny, but that technique had been forgotten over centuries. In 1952, Dona Rosa, a pot maker, rediscovered the technique to bring the shine to the pots. You rub them with a piece of quartz before firing. We watched a demonstration. I bought a bracelet for 10 pesos and Jay got a small turtle. We then traveled back to the Zocalo (the main square of Oaxaca), and flagged a taxi back to the hostel.
     We were still full from our buffet, so we snagged a malteada from the kitchen here, tried to figure out how to watch football online, and rested a bit. There is a bar here onsite that is open on weekends. It is kinda fancy, but Julieta makes a darn good mojito, so we hung out a bit and went to sleep.
     Our cabin is so cozy that we slept late today. Oscar loves it here. He keeps trying to play with the dog Miel (Honey), but she is shy. The staff thinks Oscar is the cutest, and welcomes him everywhere! We decided we would do some exploring on our own. Even though we are a mile out of town, Jay and I walked down to town. By down,  I mean about a 500 ft change in elevation. It was super easy to get around, we found what we needed to and had some coffee, and it looked like rain was rolling down the mountains so we decided to head back. Oh man! Walking back up the mountain was exhausting. What a trek! But it was cool being able to navigate this city on our own. So now we are chillin on the balcony under a blanket watching it rain in this beautiful city. We are moving on to Zipolite tomorrow. I'm excited, but sad to say goodbye to Oaxaca and La Villada! We are definitely gonna stop back by and stay at La Villada on our return. Hope all is well in the states. Jay says hi! We miss you all!