We are really happy and healthy. We are managing the subway quite well and getting around with ease.
We saw the famous Diego Rivera Rockefeller mural recreation today and in front of it was a really interesting guy from Canada. He was a leftist, but I don't know what sort, the only thing I could work out was that he was not a Stalinist. He knew everything about the mural and answered all our questions with relish. It was particularly wonderful to have just come from the Rockefeller Centre and know the context. We also saw a good deal of modern Mexican art. The murals are bigger and better than I can say, and everything is an adventure. I am trying to write quite a bit on the blog, just so I don't start to forget.
All of this and we are really just on the tourist trail. Very, very few people speak English, so it is hard to talk to anyone beyond the tour guide, the people who work at the hostel and other travellers. Much to my surprise, I am developing a bit of Spanish. The little bit of Italian that I have and few words of French are actually working for me. One guy today has been studying Spanish for a while and asked me how long I had been learning Spanish. I felt most flattered. They had a band at the hostel last night and Charles managed to befriend them, but none of them had any English, so it was communication through gesticulation.
This afternoon we hooked up with a two big Aussies (uncle and nephew team) and went to the bull fight. The older guy had spent 5 years travelling the world and spoke a little Spanish. It is really good for us to meet these people and moving around the city with a big bloke or two or three certainly has its comfort. While the bull fight was horrible, it was not quite as horrible as I thought and I managed to keep my eyes open most of the time. But never again. I won't describe it here, because I know that few people would want to know the details. Suffice to say that few people who were raised in this culture think bullfighting is okay. I am happy to eat beef, but not so happy when it is killed in this way.
Horrible as all of this is, the train trip remains the real horror. Terribly disabled, and deformed people pass though each carriage selling junk. Worst was the young guy laying on the seat next to me, not moving, eyes open, chest not going up and down- at least as far as I could tell. Too make matters worse another couple had a chuckle, pointed, then took photos with their mobile phones.
I also met a couple of women from Canada who live 6 months of the year in San Miguel de Allende (where we are going tomorrow) and they reassured us that it is the most wonderful friendly town, so I am feeling good about that decision too.
People are coming and going from Oaxaca and are all reporting that it is safe and wonderful for tourisits. Perhaps not so safe and wonderful for leftisits, workers and teachers though. Still, it is a 6 hour bus trip and I am more than happy to see a different colonial town.
Yesterday we tried to go to a pre-Spanish cafe for dinner because Charles wanted to eat an iguana. (The grasshoppers did not fill him up.) It was closed. Better luck next time. Questionable as to whether they are delicious when fried.
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