I haven't been sleeping well lately and that is not helping my mood or my balance. Last night I think I got a few hours sleep, but as soon as the restaurant started getting ready for breakfast I was constantly being woken up by noises, plates, talking, etc... I tried staying in bed as long as I could but when I finally got up for breakfast, most of the food was gone. I guess I have been really spoiled by Thailand where I can get a really nice hotel room with a great buffet breakfast that doesn't seem to run out. My hotel is actually rated number 6 on Trip Advisor, and from the search I did today, it looks like there are no other good options. So I will deal.
My head feels like it is going to explode, which means I'm in danger of having a meniere's attack. I think it's the combination of eating out and not getting sleep that is contributing. Today I took a meclizine and laid low just in case.
After breakfast I walked to the church of Santo Domingo, which is a beautiful church not too far from here. There was a market being set up outside of the church. I took a few pictures but have not really been inspired to take many photos. I'm not sure why. It could be that I already have a zillion photos from my first trip here and also that Oaxaca looks like so many other places that I have photos of - Puebla, Antigua, etc...
I walked to the zocolo and sat and watched people strolling by for a while. A young boy selling plastic things filled with air - balls, toys, balloons, etc., decided to set up shop right in front of me, which made it difficult for me to see. I then noticed that the tree also seemed to be pooping on me (I hope it was the tree), so I got up and walked a bit.
I found an artisan market and wasn't impressed (I remember finding a market on my first trip here that seemed very extensive - could this be the same place?) - across the street from it was a shop selling chocolate and mole. I decided I wanted a cup of hot chocolate, thinking it might help with my headache. But the store was only selling packages of chocolate and not actually making it.
From there I went to the market which was right across the street. They had no chocolate there either. Where is this famous Oaxacan chocolate I've heard tell of? I did find a stall selling mole (there were several) in the market. I asked how long it kept and was told 3 years. I was also told I don't have to refrigerate it. I will be buying some black mole and perhaps a few other colors. I need to get another suitcase too since I only brought my backpack which has no room for anything in it.
After the market, I returned to the zocolo, passing the place where I began my journey 28 years ago that got me lost. I so remember setting out from my hotel not even realizing I was a block away from the zocolo (I only realized that now) and walking without knowing where I was going only to realize I didn't know where I was. It's funny that that memory keeps coming up again and again for me here.
I went to a place called the Italian Coffee Company because they had some tables in one of the galleries that line the zocolo (and thus protected from tree poop) and it wasn't crowded. They also had hot chocolate, but I ordered a cold chocolate. It was a nice place to spend some time.
When I got hungry, I went to check out Terranova, a restaurant a few doors down, that Lonely Planet recommended. The menu did not look very good. I wonder about Lonely Planet's recommendations. I am finding that they are geared either to cheapskates or people who don't eat local food. I decided to walk and take my chances on finding a place.
After a few blocks I came across a tram type thing that was just boarding. I asked the driver how long and how much it was. He said 50 pesos for about 40 minutes. I figured my stomach could bear to wait 40 minutes and thought this tram would give me a good orientation to the city.
It was in fact, extremely boring and uninteresting. We didn't pass anything new that was of interest to me and it also had some stops on the route that were advertisements, such as an Argentine restaurant and another place that served some kind of regional food. I was glad when we got back.
I ended up going into a kind of nice restaurant that had some interesting food advertised on a board outside. I got chicken baked in banana leaf. It was okay, but I was able to use my credit card, so I might be going back there. I'm realizing I didn't really bring enough cash with me for the prices I'm encountering. Mexico apparently is no longer a bargain. Today's lunch was about $15 and it was nothing terribly special. Tonight I will be eating tacos again.
And that's been my day. I walked to a little park we passed on the tram and sat for a bit, enjoying the breeze, then walked through the market that has been set up for Christmas/New Year/3 Kings Day. There is this big fried piece of dough that looks very interesting that I see all over the place and I may have to try that, even though I'm sure it is one of the reasons the ladies who sell it are so fat. I came back to my room and was pleased to find they had opened the window that just opens to the hallway and so my room was not as stuffy as it was yesterday. I took a little nap, read a little and am now ready to go hunt for my evening meal.
I'm not having good luck finding tours or classes. There is some information in Lonely Planet, but it involves looking at the map and trying to figure out where these places are. The cooking classes are very expensive, so I think I will pass. I will definitely go to Monte Alban one of these days, there are tours everywhere that go there, but visiting the indigenous villages seems a little more challenging.
And that was Sunday in Oaxaca.
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