I think I've eaten potato chips or french fries every day this week.
The people who sell them on the street must sprinkle crack on them.
Tomorrow, I will not eat potato chips or french fries.
I will not.
And, I think I live here now...because there are two places in the city where people know me (and my preferences) by name. This morning, I walked into Cafe Brujula - I haven't been for like 4 or 5 days - and they all cheered.
I guess they missed me.
And then, this evening, when I walked into the taco place, the chef just looked at me and put 4 fingers in the air (as in "would you like 4 tacos?") and started making them. He even put fresh avocado in them.
I think that means I'm eating too many tacos.
But, a girl's gotta eat.
And I must live here, because I'm not afraid to talk to people in Spanish on the street. And because I know what's a fair price and what's a price gouge. And I bought a book in Spanish. And I have an apartment.
Yep, today, I got my own apartment - right near the Zocalo!
But before I secured a place to live for the next month, I had a super-fun day with Francis and Thora. We walked through a massive book festival in the Zocalo (which I was basically drooling over) and then I bought some potato chips and then we asked about 400 people for directions to a place to catch a bus to Monte Alban.
Eventually, and kind of by accident, we found the place and (after buying water and advil) made our way up there. The road to Monte Alban is ridiculous. It winds and curves and twists and narrows and makes you sick and scared and astonished all at once.
Think knight-bus from Harry Potter meets cat-bus from Totoro, and then put it in Mexico.
I would be terrified to drive here. It's really scary.
A few times, I was certain the vehicle would flip right over the mountain. Right over the edge.
Obviously, that didn't happen.
Instead, we made it up the mountain alive - and walked up a ways further - and passed all the street vendors (maybe we stopped to try on hats) - and made our way to the ticket counter where I tried to convince him to let us in for free (as we are all students at a school in Oaxaca, and students with ID get in free)....but we didn't have ID (because the school doesn't issue IDs).
So we bought our tickets and went in.
There is something about mountain air, and about getting out and away from the noise of the city...
Monte Alban (an archeological site that is said to be one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica --- about 500 BCish) is a beautiful place. Right now, because of the rainy season (which hasn't totally ended yet), everything is amazing and green. The view from the top of the mountain is - in a really cliche way - absolutely breathtaking.
Or maybe that's just the altitude reminding me I'm far above sea level (after climbing the steepest stairs ever).
And, not surprisingly, I found myself contemplating my own existence as I walked on the proof of others...and Thora and Francis and I engaged in a conversation about the current year/dating system (A.C. and B.C.) and existence and evidence and Stonehenge and Easter Island.
After ooh-ing and aww-ing and dodging one of my many new "friends" (I'm really good at making unsolicited friends wherever we go) we returned to our beloved city, bought french fries, ate tacos, hung out at Billy's house and went our separate ways for the evening.
I viewed an apartment.
Now, I'm contemplating the packing I should be doing...and wondering if I ought to take a taxi to my new place.
Oh, and I'm blowing my nose a lot because I have a terrible cold.
Booooo!
The people who sell them on the street must sprinkle crack on them.
Tomorrow, I will not eat potato chips or french fries.
I will not.
And, I think I live here now...because there are two places in the city where people know me (and my preferences) by name. This morning, I walked into Cafe Brujula - I haven't been for like 4 or 5 days - and they all cheered.
I guess they missed me.
And then, this evening, when I walked into the taco place, the chef just looked at me and put 4 fingers in the air (as in "would you like 4 tacos?") and started making them. He even put fresh avocado in them.
I think that means I'm eating too many tacos.
But, a girl's gotta eat.
And I must live here, because I'm not afraid to talk to people in Spanish on the street. And because I know what's a fair price and what's a price gouge. And I bought a book in Spanish. And I have an apartment.
Yep, today, I got my own apartment - right near the Zocalo!
But before I secured a place to live for the next month, I had a super-fun day with Francis and Thora. We walked through a massive book festival in the Zocalo (which I was basically drooling over) and then I bought some potato chips and then we asked about 400 people for directions to a place to catch a bus to Monte Alban.
Eventually, and kind of by accident, we found the place and (after buying water and advil) made our way up there. The road to Monte Alban is ridiculous. It winds and curves and twists and narrows and makes you sick and scared and astonished all at once.
Think knight-bus from Harry Potter meets cat-bus from Totoro, and then put it in Mexico.
I would be terrified to drive here. It's really scary.
A few times, I was certain the vehicle would flip right over the mountain. Right over the edge.
Obviously, that didn't happen.
Instead, we made it up the mountain alive - and walked up a ways further - and passed all the street vendors (maybe we stopped to try on hats) - and made our way to the ticket counter where I tried to convince him to let us in for free (as we are all students at a school in Oaxaca, and students with ID get in free)....but we didn't have ID (because the school doesn't issue IDs).
So we bought our tickets and went in.
There is something about mountain air, and about getting out and away from the noise of the city...
Monte Alban (an archeological site that is said to be one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica --- about 500 BCish) is a beautiful place. Right now, because of the rainy season (which hasn't totally ended yet), everything is amazing and green. The view from the top of the mountain is - in a really cliche way - absolutely breathtaking.
Or maybe that's just the altitude reminding me I'm far above sea level (after climbing the steepest stairs ever).
And, not surprisingly, I found myself contemplating my own existence as I walked on the proof of others...and Thora and Francis and I engaged in a conversation about the current year/dating system (A.C. and B.C.) and existence and evidence and Stonehenge and Easter Island.
After ooh-ing and aww-ing and dodging one of my many new "friends" (I'm really good at making unsolicited friends wherever we go) we returned to our beloved city, bought french fries, ate tacos, hung out at Billy's house and went our separate ways for the evening.
I viewed an apartment.
Now, I'm contemplating the packing I should be doing...and wondering if I ought to take a taxi to my new place.
Oh, and I'm blowing my nose a lot because I have a terrible cold.
Booooo!
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