Slow News Day in Oaxaca City

Oaxaca, Days 3 and 4

We've been sneaking out of our hotel for a few hours each day to see some sights in Oaxaca. We can't don too much on any given day because of rigorous nap scheduling and unstable gastrointestinal systems. We've seen the cathedral Santa Domingo, had dinner at Danzantes and Rory played in a fountain. Yesterday we visited the ruins of Monte Alban outside of the city. That was a big adventure for all of us and it gave Mira a chance to haggle over the purchase of colorful glass "jewelry." Today Robert finally found a liquor store where he found a bottle of Tequila for less than 100 pesos ($8). The Mescal that he loved so much during college and which sold then for about $1 a gallon has for some reason become the boutique sensation of Oaxaca. Bottles actually sell for $40!! Not a red worm to be seen.

Oaxaca, Day 2

Our second day in Oaxaca. Again a rather warm day, so we did not get too much done, but we're starting to relax a bit. We ate breakfast again at our inn with Mina and Navina, a mother and daughter pair from Pasadena. Then, it was off for a walk into town where Mira did some shopping for gifts and then to the mercado for a lunch.

During lunch Mira was able to convince a girl who was selling some things to give her a back massage instead. So Mira got a back massage during her lunch while Robert watched Rory play with the flexible pipes than run through the market carrying what he hopes is water.

After naps we met Serena, Mira's friend from Sonoma who has lived in Oaxaca for about five years. She is a very determined woman who Robert thinks can inspire Mira about living abroad. We had pallettas in a park while Rory ran and ran in circles. Then we stopped for coffee.

After leaving Serena, the Pierces strolled down the street to a shop selling Mescal. After a few sample shots Robert and Mira stumbled out for a good meal of soup, quesadillas and jugo. We found desert at a corner shop where Robert bought the family two bags of stale cacauates japonese.

After Mira went to sleep with Rory-post-overtired-meltdown, Robert snuck out with Mina and Lavina to the restaurant across the street to sample some barbequed meat folded into a tortilla. He's never had that before . . .

Oaxaca, Day 2

Oaxaca, Day 1

Today was our first day in Oaxaca, the city of Oaxaca. It was a pretty uneventful one. Last night we made a late night check-in at the Casa de los Sabores, which is a kind of bed and breakfast with a cooking school built in. Seems okay. Tidy and the people don't seem to mind our screaming kids. Mira seems interested in some cooking classes.

The weather here is great. About 90 degrees and blue skies. It is going to take time to get used to this, but we will.

We did manage to take a visit at lunchtime to the zocolo and the central market, where we had some lunch. Mira has not toughened here shell yet, and was convinced to purchase some wooden spoons with the name "Oaxaca" branded into their handles. Pehaps one lucky reader out there may receive one of these spoons come Christmas time. They do look like great stocking stuffers . . .

We had another pretty fancy dinner at La Olla restaurant. After a couple margaritas, everything went well. Rory is a real trooper. Waiting such a long time for dinner and staying up late. He's the superstar of this traveling troop.

Tomorrow we may climb a mountain.

Mexico City, Day 3

Day three in Mexico City was a Sunday. It is also the day that we needed to leave by bus for Oaxaca. We got up early looking forward to getting juice and breakfast on the street near our hotel. It had all looked good for the last couple days and we needed to break free of the Cafe Popular. Well, we were up so early that we beat all the street vendors. So we stopped into a large panaderia where Mira and Rory had Mexican Breakfast. Robert ate doughnuts.

Then we took a walk through the National Palace off the zocolo. Every visit to Mexico City needs to include a peek at the Diego Rivera mural of the history of Mexico in the stairway of the National Palace.

After the walk, it was back to the room for packing. We have about 1000 pounds of luggage on this trip, so most of it needs to stay in Mexico City while we are in Oaxaca for 10 days. So, we packed it all up and left it at the Hotel Zamora. Hope it will be there when we get back.

We took the 4 pm bus to Oaxaca ($40/seat), which took us a little less than 6 hours. The ride was comfortable. We saw The Hulk, another cartoon with a lot of fighting, and then a documentary about El Nino. Rory slept well after some fuss. Mira chatted up an 18 year old student sitting next to her while admiring the volcanoes that passed by her window.

Mexico City, Day 2

We got an earlier start today. First another breakfast at the Cafe Popular. Robert about starved to death waiting for one of the waitresses to stop cooing over Caedryn and take our order. But all was well after we had some pan dulce and cafe con leches.

Then it was on to the subway to the Coyoacan neighborhood for a tour of the Frida Kahlo Museum. Rory played in the garden with some other children. Robert went to the bank to pull out more cash. After the museum we ate at a rather lame restaurant at the central mercado. We have not yet settled into a routine where we consistently find good food.

Then, then onto the subway for the return ride home and some naps.

After naps it was off to the Opera Bar for an early extravagant dinner in celebration of cumpleano dos de Rory! A full meal it was. Taken in the very booth where Pancho Villa shot a hole in the ceiling. As seen above, the bullet hole remains above the booth. Rory was serenaded by the bar's string trio.

Then to bed way past our bedtimes.

Arrived

The Pierce family was reunited today in Mexico City! After being left behind in San Francisco, Robert got on a red-eye flight and to the hotel in the historic center of Mexico City where Mira, Rory and Caedryn spent the night. He got there at about 6 am, before anyone was awake.

With the family together, we had some breakfast at the Café Popular just steps from our hotel. Then a stroll through some shopping areas, a peak at the Palacio Bellas Artes, some time in the nearby park, and then more time in the Zocolo after a nap. We had dinner on the roof of the Holiday Inn overlooking the Zocolo while watching the sunset.

Mira had a conversation with some of the other couples at nearby tables. A middle-aged man who grew up in San Francisco and spent most of his life working overseas (Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Congo, and Ecuador) in the oil trade gave us encouraging impressions of our current adventure. A French couple with a boy 3 days older than Rory ate at the next table. They are also staying at our hotel and will leave for Oaxaca soon. Just like us.

You may see more photos here.

All's Well That . . .

The Pierce family had a rough morning. After about a week of preparation, it headed off to the San Francisco airport this morning at 3:30 am to catch a flight to Mexico City. Things went smoothly until Robert handed the ticket agent a stack of family passports that DID NOT include one for Robert Jr.. So, Mira, Rory and Caedryn got on the plane without dad, who will follow along tonight on a separate flight. Not to fear, things went well on the other side. Mira, kids and about a ton of luggage were picked up at the Mexico City airport and whisked away to the hotel where they await dad.

Las Vegas

Mira, Robert and Cadie recently took a quick trip to Las Vegas. Robert had business meetings. The highlight were some fancy dinners at Sushi Roku and Carne Vino in Ceasar's Palace and the Venetian hotels. We stayed at THEHotel, part of the Mandalay Bay complex. Las Vegas is pretty exciting when given the king's treatment. Rory stayed with his grandparents in Santa Rosa.

Some photos here.