From Santo Domingo to Dogs

Santo Domingo Pictures

Another lovely day in Mexico. I spend the day downtown, doing a little exploration at the Santo Domingo Ex-Convent and Cultural Center.

First, let me say, “Wow.” Reconstructed using the original techniques (I know this as the person who ran the project stayed at my uncles B&B”) it is unexpectedly Baroque. The walls are white plaster with a dull sheen and many of the ceiling and doorways are gilded. I wondered the halls for a few hours, sometimes just sitting and enjoying. What is there about a hallway that stretched forever that simply pleases the eye and just makes you want to see what’s around the corner at the end?

In addition to being a beautiful example of architecture, the building houses a museum in its many rooms (they were one bedroom for the monks, I assume). While the artifacts span the range from Mayan to Spanish conquest, I am always more interested in the Mayan.

Finally, you meet interesting people at museums. A guard followed me but apparently he didn’t think I was a thief….he asked me out (I said no). And I met a lovely couple from Arizona who are road-tripping through Central America. Sara is a writer as well (YA) and Sara if you’re reading this….I meant it when I said to email me!

An another note, I was walking to market, stopped to pet the puppy next door, and it’s mother tried to pee on me.

So, there it is. The balance of ‘wow’ with WTF.

Gotta have both!

Chicken with Swords

So far, no new adventures involving large sticks and machetes. The rest of this week has been low key with me learning how to do basic things like buy food at the market and drop off laundry . Why are these seemingly simple tasks so hard you ask?

It’s the money factor. What is what, what are they asking for, etc. I feel like a five year old.

Granted, there are ways around this issue. Going to the ‘traditional’ grocery store is easy. The price rings up and you can see how much to pay. Still, other than produce I have no idea what I am purchasing unless I happen to recognize the packaging. I think about a friend of mine who told me that when he and his friends were in a Mexican grocery store, they were trying to decipher food and at one point came up with “Chicken with Swords”

It’s a lot like that.

But other than the ‘what the hell am I buying aspect’, it’s like shopping in the states. If I wanted that, I’d still live in Texas.

So, a few days ago, I braved the small, open market down the street and had a blast. Everyone was lovely—from the little old lade who sold fresh corn tortillas at the entrance to the young man (Alberto, if I remember right) who spoke as much English as I do Spanish and sold me my fruits and veggies.

And talk about patient! I stumble on my Spanish...resort to miming and praying that certain hand symbols are international and not an insult...and they smile and talk slower (not louder!). Heck, even passerby’s stop to help me.

Tomorrow, I’m going back and I think the key will be to visit the same people. At least they know what to expect.

Next experience...the bus to Monte Alban!

A Day of Opposites

I’m a day or so behind because my first few days here in Oaxaca have been a whirlwind! I spent my first days with Dolly and Choon (they left this morning) and they were wonderful about showing me around.

So far, Oaxaca has been about opposites (for me). Yesterday was an interesting combo of fear and utter contentment,

The Scary Bit

Right now, the teachers of the State of Oaxaca are on strike and during the strike, all 40,000 march to the Oaxaca city (where I now live). This happens every year. They barter for better wages and eventually strike a deal. This year, it’s different. There is a new governor, and instead of negotiating, he decided to tear gas them and burn their tents.

It was chaotic. People died (rumor has it).

Yesterday there was a peace march to show solidarity. And though the was no violence, people were prepared for it. We saw men with sticks, lead pipes and machetes, and I have to say that made me very nervous.

I’ve never been in anything like this before and the one thing that stood out was the anxious, expectant energy that surged through the crowd. The air rippled with it.

And the fact that is was so prevalent that it was tangible made me more nervous. People are good. Mobs can get very ugly very fast, even when peaceful. At one point, Dolly, Choon and I were on the WRONG SIDE of the barriers and the teachers were hesitant to let us through—driving home the fact that we not in a good place.

Luckily, they finally let us through. I have to say...I was a bit scared. When we walked away, I realized my heart was pounding!

The Contentment Bit

From the chaos, we took a taxi to get a massage. On a side note-- in the hour that we were in the hotel before the taxi came, the march had grown. Streets were blocked with dump trucks and where there was no barrier, there was a sea of people.

It was like being in a movie—the American’s driving through the street with people on either side.

Anyway, we arrived at the location. Lovely. It’s very inexpensive and for the first hour, you sweat in a kiva. And I mean SWEAT. A shamaness comes in to pray over you and tap you with sacred herbs. Very relaxing—even in the immense heat. And when you're finished, you know you've sweated out impurities and toxins.

From there, you go out to the massage area. This is not like the States. There are no tables. You lay on a mat and they are right there with you. They put more herbs down for you to inhale while they rub you down for an hour. When I was there, there was a thunderstorm. Think about it. Massage. Herbs. Music inside and rain on the tin roof.

It doesn’t get any better.

I love this place!

Life By The Throat--Moving to Oaxaca, Mexico

I’m forty –thousand feet above the globe and on my way to Oaxaca Mexico. To live. The past few weeks of my life have been chaos and a little sad (see the other blog for that drama). So, I decided it was time for a change. Not a do-over but a start-over.

Would you like to know the key to starting over (to me). MOVE! Call me crazy, but it’s almost impossible to reinvent yourself when you’re surrounded by people with preconceived expectations as to your behavior.

Hence, the sudden move. Or maybe not so sudden. It’s been in the making, but it was just last week that I said to myself, “Self, (I said) get the hell out of Texas.”

I bought the ticket on Thursday and left today (Tues). That should tell you the kind of person I am. Some might call it Reckless. Impulsive. A little cracked...

What do I think I am? A friend of mine named Cindy Dees (buy her books!) summed my attitude up and paid me a lovely compliment at the same time. She said that one of the things she loves about me is that “I grab life by the throat. So many people hem and haw and you (Sharron) just go do it.”

Life by the Throat. I like that. That’s what I want to be. That’s who I want to be.

So, here I am. New adventure. New life.

New me.