My last night in Oaxaca.
I headed to breakfast with Jane and Carla to a local, really lovely café, where I once again really enjoyed the weather and the surroundings. I am repeatedly and daily reminded what a lovely place this is. The colors of the buildings, the flowering blossoms and plant life, the whole feel of the place.
By the time we returned to the apartment, Rachel’s leg was hurting a little more, although not too bad, but she did not feel steady on her feet, and worried her leg wound buckle while walking. She and I walked together to the pharmacy, looking like a little old couple, Rachel with her walking stick and me supporting her while we walked (someone even asked if we wanted a photo).
After Rachel collected her prescription, we went to the November Market, lively as always, and perhaps especially on a Saturday, and walked home through, with the streets just teeming with life and community, as usual it seems. What a place this is.
By the time we got home, it was about 3:30, and soon after I left to take a walk to Marisa and Don’s, where Marisa had invited me for tea. They live near the central part of the city, and Marissa and I talked for a while before we set off to watch the outdoor Tuna bands celebration, by Santa Domingo. The derivation of the name isn’t clear, but it has nothing to do with fish. 😊 The Tuna bands have a long history in Mexican and Spain, dating back to medieval times, and are nowadays often university groups that dress in medieval clothing and play Mexican music using classic and medieval instruments, and several were here today in this lovely outdoor festival.
First, however, a junior Tuna choir and band, comprised of elementary school children, played, looking extremely cute in their robes and plush green berets. Very cute, with lots of very proud parents watching in the audience. Just great.
But that’s not all. Leaving Marisa and Don, and the Tuna festival, I headed south toward the Zócalo, in these colorful and festive streets, where I passed a wedding parade on the way, which I immediately headed for and shot a little video. What a place this is.
But even that’s not all. After leaving the wedding parade, I headed for the bustling Zócalo where another outdoor concert was underway. Wow. This was a concert by a student orchestra, followed by a concert performed by the Guardia Nacionale.
I strolled maybe 400 yards to where a loud but pretty decent rock and roll band was playing, entertaining yet another audience, and another few hundred from them a mime troupe in a public performance in front of the cathedral. By now, dusk was falling, and the lights of the restaurants and stores adding still more ambiance.
And all this is not for the benefit of tourists. This is Oaxaca on a Saturday night each every Saturday night. Tourists can enjoy it, but this is just plain Oaxaca, for the people. Incredible. I love this place.
I again loved walking these evening streets, the mile or so back to Rachel’s in Xochimilco, in this beautiful and now balmy weather. I’m sorry to be leaving tomorrow.
Carla and Jane were upstairs with Rachel when I arrived back around 7:30, and I made some spaghetti to go with the meat sauce Rachel had prepared. Muy bien. Rachel’s thigh was bothering her again and of some concern as she won’t have me around to help this week, or Jane and Carla who also leave in a couple of days.
Meantime, Carla’s hip is hurting her also, although not to the same degree, and Jane has been experiencing heart afib, for which she had ablation a year ago, but is now acting up again, and making Jane feel pretty anxious. Not to mention my shoulder, although is doing okay at the moment. I tell – old age!
After a while, I found myself alone, with everyone having hit the sack. And finally me. Buenas noches. Tomorrow I head home.