Our first order of business this morning, even before breakfast, was to ship Jane's surfeit of souvenirs back to Ohio. We went first to a UPS office several blocks down the avenue from our apartment. However, unlike our UPS Stores back in the United States, here they do not sell boxes. As we crossed the street we happened upon a DHL office. They do shipping and also supply boxes. Jane had wrapped her pieces of pottery and wood carvings very carefully with newspaper and bubble wrap. The lady at DHL also lined the box with more bubble wrap. The box was fully packed with very little room for movement during shipment, so we are hopeful that everything will arrive intact.
After successfully completing our mission, we then continued on for a late breakfast. We found a nice little place called Café Arabia not far away. Jane had "molletes" for the first time. "Molletes" are crusty rolls split open, and covered with "frijoles" and melted cheese. They are very tasty, and Jane enjoyed them.
After breakfast we did a bit more exploring in the city. We walked a few blocks to the neighborhood known as Jalatlaco. In colonial times it was the neighborhood for the indigenous Zapotec people... the Spanish did not want the natives living in the center of the city.
Like most neighborhoods, it is anchored by the parish church. The church of San Matías Jalatlaco dates back to the 17th century.
The neighborhood is quite picturesque. It is a traditional neighborhood with a small town atmosphere, especially on the quiet side streets. It also seems to be undergoing a bit of gentrification. Quite a few homes are very nicely maintained, and others are in the process of being "spiffed up". The are also a number of little cafés and restaurants that look rather nice.
Can you imagine the hue and cry if you painted your house these colors in most neighborhoods in the United States? But in Mexico it looks perfect!
Lots of bougainvillea were in bloom.
Well, that's all from Oaxaca. My next post will be from Mexico City.
¡Hasta luego!
Bright paint colors look better in Mexico than in most of the USA. I think it has something to do with the light. Here in Boston, an orange house would look perfectly ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteBuen Viaje!!
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where our own house is a fairly bright blue.
My house in Olmsted Falls is a boring white... however the bedroom is a very Mexican burnt orange and is filled with decorations from my trips to the Yucatán. I call it my "Mayan room."
DeleteSaludos,
Bill
The inside of my house is a riot of color. But the outside is a little more restrained, and done in a historic (though fairly bright) blue color with cream and maroon trim.
DeleteSaludos,
KG