We relent and pick up a map from the hotel with the idea of just walking around Oaxaca City, finding our way. We notice on the map that there is a market on Fridays at a town around 35 Klms away so decide to ditch our plan of exploring the city, get the car and get driving.
It seems that Friday is also the day for demonstrations. El Grinch tells me that Mexico loves a demonstration, on Thursday in Mexico City it was the teachers. Today in Oaxaca it seems to be the farmers and they are blocking every major road out of the city with their protests. Our map is terrible and i will never understand how we managed to circumnavigate all the dusty back roads that have been made pretty much obsolete since the arrivals of the more modern roads. The businesses on these small roads must rub their hands with glee at the possible business that these protests bring in for them.
Th city quickly turns into farmland, donkeys grazing, chickens & kids running loose but the protests continue. Soon we are so far off the path we have no idea how we will get back on it. No signs anywhere, you just have to feel your way and ask the local Ranchito's that line the streets with their dusty stetson style hats. Luckily for me, i don't have to break out the Spanglish. El Grinch is the best chauffeur and translator a girl could ask for.
The landscape of the Oaxaca valleys is drier and browner than i expected especially for winter. I expected the sierra's to be more lush and greener but the mountains that surround Oaxaca & it's 500 plus municipalities (thanks El Grinch) are still very beautiful.
Just when we think we are free of road blockades (if you call 2 crates in a road and a single cop directing traffic from the shade of a tree a blockade) we off roading again following a tractor as it blows dust all over the place. These roads are narrow and very dusty, giant holes litter our path, a biker even bites the dust right in front of us (he was fine). I can't help but feel smug that i opted for the very pricey full insurance option!
The town we are in is called Octolan de Morelos. Known for it's market and being the birthplace of Rodolfo Morales, a Mexican painter whose house now serves as a museum and gallery of Mexican art and artifacts. We go here first and for a small donation to the foundation we wonder around his folklore style paintings.
The market completely overtakes the whole village. There are goats on a rope, turkeys being paraded around ( i had several brushed up against my legs, wearing a skirt. Not pleasant), and just about everything for sale. The market is a mix of modern junk with delicious food and vegetables and local arts & crafts. It is packed with locals, some in modern dress, others in traditional dress, women carrying their wares on their heads. A great place for photo's but many of the locals hate having their photo taken so i take them from the hip and have come up trumps with some fantastic shots.
I had promised El Grinch that i would try the Oaxacan delicacy of Chapulines. Chocolate covered Crickets to you and I. I take one look at the jumbo sized ones and balk. I will but not today.
Due to another blockade it takes us over two hours to get back to Oaxaca. 33 Klms in 2 hours. It's a pain in the ass but it's fun. I have no idea how we got back, certainly it is not the way we came. No road signs to anywhere, i am pretty sure these roads are not even on a map. When there is a sign it is spray painted on the side of a rundown building OAXACA and an arrow.
Just miles and miles of winding dirt roads many of which feel like we are passing through peoples back yards. Passing through the smallest of towns like La Cienega, many of these towns rely on the sale of their black pottery to survive. The funnest part is asking for directions. All look bemused at us even though El Grinch is technically a local, he is still foreign. Directions include 'Take a right at Benito's house', left at the school, go on pass the Jose's house and Jesus's house" Which one is Jesus's??? We have no idea and just keep trying different roads and it's fun. We are not in a rush for anything.
It's still only 3pm so we are going to take a walk around Oaxaca City as planned this morning. I see a siesta in my sights.
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