Sunrise, Quinta Roo

Sunrise, Quinta Roo

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fin de Semana

So I think I mentioned the Salsa class I took on Friday?

Well I thought I could kinda move my hips but next to my expert Mexican ´Betty´I looked like an awkward 15 year old boy. I learnt the basic moves though, and apart from the fact that she made us change places when she realised that she was viewable through the gate, all was well.

I don´t usually see many buses on calle Juarez (street).. but for some reason this day half of OAxaca watched me attempt to dance Salsa, which what looked like by myself. And they ALL
looked, due to Betty´s enthusiastic stereo use.

After this I headed to the Cultural centre, former Nunery, at the famous Santo Domingo church. What a BEAUTIIFUL building! Apologies if I have written about this already... I never remember because I am always loading photos to Facebook, trying to listen to spanish lessons, and like on Friday - tryingto chat to people too... none of which I do particularly successfully.

The teacher on the online lessons is PARALEE WHITMORE, and like her name suggests, she is painfully irritating. She always says things like ¨I knooow you´ve been dyyyiinnngg to try the formal command¨ dragging all the words out. But I feel better about the trainwreck that is my SPanish learning when she´s me ¨maestra¨.

The cultural centre had a lot of cool stuff... including tonnes of items found in Monte Alban, now an arquelogical site, and old kitchen and theatre and costumes and machines... i found it funny that the Kitchen and machinery for weaving are still used today... doubt the average Mexican would find it interesting! There was an art display for the bicennential... I think kids painted them but I´m not sure. I was reading the Kids info boards in this Museum... we don´t go as far as learning the words for anicient wonders, art and history of Mexico.

After this I was passing by the Zocalo - square, as usual there was something going on......I was more interested than normal becuase it was different Indigenous dance groups... the first I saw were wearing massively-bright silk pants and dresses... I´ve noticed there is often little skill in some of the dances, but with huge frothing of the skirts and whipping them around in dramatic fashions. That was basically what the women did in this one, but the men did an impressive sword dance - even busting out the blindfolds, which the Mexican crowd goes nuts over.

In the next dance were Cowboys and Cowgirls (note: MEXICO, along with rest of North America... other note: Mexicans consider themselves North Americans... not central... anyway they originally had cowboys, or Charros, Mexico also originally had Texas which is technically was Tek=ass in pronouciation? and also New Mexico, explaining that name... and California ... explaining all the Mexican city names ..San Fran, LA; San Diego...

Where was I... the dance. The dance was an interesting new cross between Irish dancing and tap.
The next was the cutest kids dance I have ever seen. I think they were Zapatos, aka an opressed indigenous group who we watched a VIdeo on in Anthropology at Vic.
Anways, they had these dramatic costumes with alaborate headpieces that they, as 6 and 7 year olds, were all struggling. It was really cute though because all the dads were squatting beside the stage and jumping up to tighten the headgears and move them into position.
There was also a 4 year old and 5 year old in different costumes ¿horse masks§ were just pronouncing around in circles... not part of the official dance but obviously desperate to be included. It was funny because they just did about 30 minutes of the same thing over and over ¿they formed too vertical lines, would dance around the person opposite them, then the main boy would kind of skip=hop down all them and back again. While they had hand instuments too.

The lady compere thought it was coming to an end and tried to take reign of the mic but the teacher jumped up and started to tell a story and the whole thing was up and running again. There was also a cute part with two girls, one who was in an Indian costume similar to the boys and the other was a cowgirl SO CUTE ¿I m thinking she was representing the Rich Spanish, which Mexicans still dislike... they basically dance = chased each other for a while and then the indian on mock=killed the cowgirl... a bit political for a childs dance... but the weapon was only one of the horses mini=chairs......
Ít started to rain and the compere was trying to wrap it up... but the teacher was not having any of it...good on him I reckon, they had all put in a lot of time and he didnçt want the kids to be disappointed... especially because the little horses actually kind of had a dance... aka the others stayed in the vertical lines while the horses looped around them.. but the teacher was running after them with a microphone because they had rehearsed lines that he wanted everyone to hear.

The whole thing was very cute, but by the end it was only the families, the eldery and me left.. having watched these kids for over an hour ...

Extremely hungry, I headed back off to my Vege restaurant. Although this day the menu didnçt include the delicious stuffed=pear thing, I did have a very good corn soup... I never thought corn would work as a Creme... not a corn fan generally, but this soup was verrry good.
The main was lentil patties with cheese in that tomato soupy sauce which I have discovered they put with basically everything here... but it is very good. The waiter said something to me, which to my horror would be repeated, in some form of another, to me 3 other times this weekend... çWow, you sure do eat a lot for a girlÇ...
The 2nd was... Ahhh, a girl Overeating... good to see .........whhhhaaattt+...
The 3rd was ... I would bring you more bread but you have eaten the entire supply......AHHHHH

Returning to my house I purchased my first Milk in Mexico.... cartoned fake stuff. I figured it was about time I cracked into my Chocolate cornflakes .. also a first for me in Mexico... I always figured, why have choc cornflakes when there are CocoPops... plus I do not like normal cornflakes. In saying that though, I also do not like normal rice crispies...
Does chocolate make everything better§§ ¿insert Q mark... mexican keyboards do not show the sign that is printed on the keys....this is the reason for my overuse´of fullstops.
Oh I brought up Milk for a reason, that being it is now gone. For some reason all the people in the residence do not feel the need to buy food and drinks but are constantly taking mine.. my juices and now my milks do not last. I find this mostly frustrating because they do not ask, by Saturday morning it had been opened and half=depleated... especially when I have given the directions to the VERY close supermarket and even made plans to take people there... but when the weekend roles around this is not a fun trip for most.

For those of you who are wondering what this is all about, I am similar to Joey of Friends... YOU DONT TOUCH JOEYS FOODª

Conversation Saturday morning ¿after I got my two juices and milk and tied them in a bag+...
Ahhhh Maria ... Is this your milk¿
Yes.
I need some for my cereal ¿interesting concept... buying cereal but no milk?
Okay.
Can I use some.
Are you going to buy more¿
No.
Well, I need this milk for the week.
Ahh well, I dont know where the supermarket is... Dialogue in my head ´this is one who made plans with me to go last sat, then flitted off and was all Why didnt you take me to the Supermarket.... Ah, I went, you werent here ... Side note : She was at a farm .
Okay.
Ahhh welll yes, I suppose I will get some....
Good. Coz I need some.

Just thought i would fill this out because frustratingly, my loading photos have been stuck on çOne minute leftÇ for 15 minutes.

No, wow... I havençt mentioned Monte Alban...once again Ruins are not cool as a 2nd hand story but all I will say is that they are beautiful ruins, up on a hill where you cn see the whole of Monte Alban. I avoided the tour tourist trap and found the 2 dollar bus.
Coming back I thought I missed my bus because I reset my time on my clock instead of resetting my alarm... but that story is too long. Just realise that it was another Maria Misadventure.
My concept of time is SO bad, that I let myself believe that one and a half hours had passed in 15 minutes.... A puffing tourist running through the otherwise peaceful Monte Alban was a mood killer for some I am sure.

On Sunday, aka Y=day, I tripped into Town to meet my Japanese friend Emi, who left today.
She, unlike me, never changed to Mexican time so she has lunch at midday ¿which on a Sunday, is earlier than most >Mexicans breakfast?
I eat breakfast before school, then have my main meal around 3ish.. now... and just snack like crazy. However because midday is breakfast the resturants still were doing breakfast menus...something I had not laid my eyes on since 8am starts at McDonalds and when the fam visited Flapjacks ¿RIP? for my mums Canadian Pancakes... what a stereotype RA.
Anyways, I went for the Oaxacan Eggs and Beans... wow. Who knew eggs and beans could be so good ¿and hot chocolates so awful?... Once again they bust out that same tomate puree... and it was brill with my eggs=scramblyomlette and beans negro.... and tortillas.
The adds I saw in Australia for Breakfast burritos at Mcds or Bk... probably both.. actually put me OFF food.. how could that be good
Well, I had take back all what I thought about breakfast burritos coz these beans and eggs and tomato puree with tortillas is the best breakfast meal I have ever had .. NB = I have yet to try Blueberry Pancakes... a dream of mine for the last 3 years
They must come up with the fast food recipes in Mexico where, by the sounds of things, there are more Mexicans than men.

On to the important story. We were walking past the market when a man walked into me quite hard, grabbing at my hip. When I turned around and he hadnçt turned back to
apologise ¿perdon, perdon+ is commun... usually with both parties apologising ... I was on to him.

LADRON
aka
ROBBER.

I tried to warn EMi to keep an eye out for him, but our relationship consists of me practising my Spanish on her and her saying çSi, si, to all that I say.... I knew she didnçt know what I meant, and insisted we head into the market.
Problem. We tunred the corner and entered the market. After backtracking for Emi, I was staring, evily, the same guy right in the face. He had long, black ¿SUPRISE?, dirty hair and although I did not catch his footwear, it is very possible there wasnçt any. He was in lots of layers of black and grey.

I was watching over my back the whole time as Emi scuttled along, oblivious. I was scared he would run down another lane and pop up in front of me... but no, he wasnçt a clever stalker, and I saw him multiple times more before the final, when I spun on my heal to catch him jumping into a lane...I thought this guy would have backed off by my 5th evil glaredown ¿showing more confidence than I felt?, but this was the last straw so I grabbed Emi and hauled out of there.
She kept wanting to go back in, but she was obviously the easy target... being tiny and having bags and a camera hanging off her... that and, being completely unaware. She is one of those who thinks bad people do not exsist.

I now seemed bad in her eyes I think.. this guy made me sooo peeved. there are lots of really poor people here, but they are out proactively doing something about it.
I do not give money to those just sitting with cups, but most have products and instruments, they are helping themselves so they deserve help. Mexicans, or at least Oaxacans, are constantly supporting buskers and such, despite being poor themselves.
I think thatçs why they snack so much too, because they buy iceblocks from the men with trolleys and chips from the women with baskets on their heads ¿they make chips from scratch with potatos,.. then add hot sauce and lemon juice when you buy them?... and women with Churros.. my fave donughts too. These people are honest workers

Friday, September 24, 2010

Wondering what all the blaring behind me was...

Turns out it is a pimped out car driving in to park in the internet cafe. Now I really have seen all in these places.

3 days ago I played soccer, Mexican style. Basically that means a bunch of macho men all are trying to score... I donçt think it can be counted as a team sport. They mainly just do huge kicks from the other end of the field in the hopes that theyçll get it in. They never do, so instead the rest of us stand there watching the ball move.

My team was terrible at defense... coz they all wanted the glory of being the goal scorer. So every time it was me bouncing around, illegal takling a lot coz I could never see the ball... it moves to fast, and the goaly. The other guys NEVER came back to help, despite the fact that the ball hardly got near our goal. I did not say a word until a yelled in Spanglish:
Obviamente necesito defenza | which did not help. But everytime the other team scored, instead of taking it to half way, passing the ball back and then bringing it fwd towards the goal ..excuse the sport slang... I am just soooo sporty.... they just booted it as hard as they can again. They obviously just pray that it will succeed and never practise coz they just drop the ball into the other teams hands straight away.

I mentioned soccer because I am still in pain. I think my legs forgot that they can do something other then walk and sleep.
I took a Salsa class this afternoon.. impossible with the pain in my thighs, if I couldnçt move my hips before I definately could not now. It was cool though.. I liked it...even though I felt SO incredibly awkward, damn Mexicans dancing all smooth.

Watched kids dance for 2 hours today... cutest thing ever... Oh no = the internet cafe is trying to close and I am the only one here HASTA LUEGO

Grafiti, Protests and odd things in Internet Cafes.

I meant to write last week about the Internet cafe I was writing from. It was around the corner from my house, opposite the large graveyard, Panteon San Miguel y General.

All the businesses on my street and this street are for the graveyard.. either flowers or coffins or tombstones... and of course sculptures of Jesus and Saints. It is common for businesses to double up, I was entertained in Guadalajara with a Shoe store selling Nikes that also had a popcorn machine. The internet cafe I was in was a two stop shop - I was surrounded by angel statues as fortunatley, the tombstone business isn´t booming.

This one I am in now has chickens in it. I am not sure why.. especially since it is in the middle of the city and is very modern and clean... not that I mind the chickens.

This morning I was caught in a protest... don´t know what for, but it was hbundreds of Uni students.. I thought it was for fees but it is free here so my teacher thinks they just don´t want to study.
Uni´s here are different... they aren´t really Ünis but specialty schools.. there is a Tourism one, a Criminology one, A Law one... they have uniforms but it is just a polo top with a logo (the criminology one being similar to Te Papas fingerprint)´and jeans. They are in classes with only like 10 people and they are with the same teacher and students for 4 years.
They go for 3 or 4 hours a day generally, and there are different shifts - morning, afternoon or night. It is good because they can work and study... although it´s a big load it is kind of necessary for most here.

Yesterday I found myself at the Hospitality uni for the cooking class. Those students are doing a English for Tourism course, there are only 3 of them in the class but 2 of them work in hotels during the day and then study English in the tarde-noche (afternoon-night).
We made big Oaxacan pizzas (not official name) which is basically a large tortilla with some oil (they used pig.. not a fan), frijoles (beans) negro, cabbage, cheese and quacamole... So good!
I make my own mini pizzas efveryday, but in a pan.. they were really good folded over on the grill.

We went and got the foods from the market first.. the market is really neat... there are SO many herbs and spices available.. and I managed to avoid the meat section which is something I failed to do in Cambodia...seeing animal heads and such...

Too days ago when I was in the centre of town watching a salsa demo by elderly people (a great pastime), there were multiple small protests.. I have become used to seeing protests because I see at least one small one everyday here, but the first one were all ladies in a traditional form of dress... red with weaving so I think they are indigenous from a nearby town...
But the next one freaked me out, young guys wearing balaclavas with spraycans. One man next to me was yelling at them with quite a bit of agression.. I was nervous they were going to spray in his face. I didn´t see them spray anything until we visited the market the next day for the cooking class.

They defaced the large pictures that are in the square of the people important to the Independence! I couldn´t believe the nerve... I was actually upset. It was so rude... They also spraypainted on the countdown to the independence clock. They do the Anarchy sign.. I¨ve asked around and apparently they don´t have a cause. They are just younguns.
They also must of made their way around, becuase they got the maroon restaurant across from the school too - who quickly painted over it in white. I realised that they must write quite offensive things, hence the reason there are so many grafitis covered up in the wrong colours... the business owners want to get rid of it right away. It is so frustrating and sad.

I am waiting now for a Salsa class at my school, and then I am going to visit the Cultural Centre at the Santo Domingo Church... free with my ID card woooo.
I am planning to head to Monte Alban, the Arquelogical site tommorrow.. I am taking my umbrella, like a middle aged French Tourist, for the intense sun.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Hola

So, I cannot recall what I wrote last.

But I do want to tell ya´ll something odd. Last Thursday I was shocked to look up and see 2 lions in a truck. The next day I saw a leopard, in a VERY small space in the same truck. Then on the Saturday I saw 2 tigers in the truck. Apparently it is the local circus... I was appalled, especially because they spaces they were in were SMALL... I want to write an email to PETA or someone, although what help would it do?

We just started Book 3 yesterday, and I am already terrified! I have not yet grasped book 2 which was skimmed through in only 3 weeks... with the last week here in Oaxaca on only about 5 pages.

Oh, wow. I visited one ofthe vegetarian´ restaurants... for $5 I think I had the best 3 course meal of my life! Started with a Creme of Brocoli soup, then followed by a ´salad´which was a type of fried zuchinni different to ours in NZ but faboulous, then a kind of savour pear, filled with cheese and mushrooms and tomatos with bright orange tomate sauce.. oh boy, it was one of the best things Ive ever tried! I wish I had my camera with me,... but alas.
The thing about the restaurants here is that they have a 3course and juice and ´postre´which at this place was a sweet fig (I don´t know what fruit the juice was but it had cinammon in it.. yummmm) but they change the menu (which costs $3-8) everyday. I´ve got to have this pair thing again!

2 aussies from Brisbane entered and sat at the table next to me, I made them get the same thing.. they thought it was great too. I liked that the woman talked to be in Espanol and they got English straight of the bat... although I am still kind of faking my Spanish.

On Tuesday I headed into Zocalo with my crazy Japonese Emi, Mexican people are intrigued with her everywhere we go.. she´s so fun! She is always skuttling about and apologising. We went to the library which is in the centre of town but hardly ever open.. boy is it pretty! It´s interesting though, there are no leisure books. Only education books... people don´t leisure read here... only Magazines... it´s amazing what magazines you can buy here.. they have every theme. Unfortunately, not musical theatre.

Yesterday was supposed to be the Cooking lesson with the Uni students only in Classic mexican style, both chefs were off somewhere. But I am going soon which I am excited about. We are going to the markets to buy the food and then going to learn how to make it... it will be something full of beef, I bet.
Because we didn´t have the lesson I ended up hanging with a new Australian (although unfortunately she doesnçt have any Spanish yet), and her Mexi-Aussie boyf. They showed me the Art galleries of his aunty and cousin (right next dorr to each other), the aunties store I had actually already admired because the art is very bright and she does a lot of people... reminded me of some Samoan art. We went to the zocalo where they actually did the same routine that I saw on the first day... which the band and the officials and the flag, but this time it was more serious, it wasn´t with teens but instead with people in very serious police-esque costumes and the band was more than trumpets. I was amused because the man who was rubbing a stick on a bumpy, wooden thing (which I think the family-band at St Mary´s church has... but only becuas there are about 11 of them and they ran out of instruments) - actually has the starring role! I don´t know the official name,but he even had solos.

Speaking of music, I just past a busker on the corner who is playing a full drum set (not the regular busker instrument) and a saxaphone at the same time (kind of )!

I had another smoothie from the best smoothie (but expensive unfortunately)... I am telling you it coz it was interesting... strawberrys, peach and peanuts...??? I get the choc-peanut combo, but this one took me by suprise, it was actually really good. Flaw: weird texture, obviously that would be avoided with real peanut butter but if they used that here it would be impossible to make a profit.

I am now off to the cooking class, and hopefully the and tommorrow I will go to Monte Alban after school.. the other option is Sat but I think I would get roasted by the sun ...no muy bien. I bet in the arvo it´s good too. My English-learning uni students who I am going to go cook with now (please don´t cancel for the 3rd time!) took me to the place where you get Mexicanas tickets for the bus to get there so I can avoid a $30 tourist tour... and now I have a school ID so I am really living out my cheap-ness and lov,ing it.

In a further update, the 3rd American has been impressed with the fact that I speak English... since I´m from NZ and all..... reminds me of the Variety magazine review that bagged the movie ´Boy´because the culture wasn´t authentic (aka because the Maori boy was dancing to Michael Jackson and not doing the Haka).... My German friend here got asked by an American if she is a Nazi... honestly!

Today was a disfunctional learning day, learnt about closested Mexican Gay men and Unconvientional families in Japon... makes the Williams´ look normal-as.

Monday, September 20, 2010

El fin de Semana.

The weekend started off with me doing the regular mission into the city. The square is just such an interesting place to go.. I walk down a different street each time, especially when I have my camera because I take photos of ev.ery.thing. This time I was in luck because I stumbled across a book store... a BIG bookstore.. probably the size of Whitcoulls which for here, is big! I was so excited because I have only seen a few pokey bookstores in PV (mainly with learn to speak english, Religious and cooking books) or else stalls with books in the bus stations.

Anyways, I went upstairs where there was a GLORIOUS SALE (Note; my fave things to buy are books and bargains so there is no better combo)... the books they were trying to get rid of were mostly either crappy, damaged or from the 80s BUT, what do book stores here have that no one here wants? Learning-Spanish-books! The prices started from 40c, 90c-~1.40.
For like ~$4·80 I walked away with 7 Spanish learning books and a Lonely Planet for the Eastern states of Mexico. Awesome.

I wandered the streets again that night, the markets were full swing! I also found a nice English and Spanish book shop where I bought a small Spanish book in English - finally I will knoe what is going on!
I found a second-hand jewellery and silver shop which is my new favourite place. I am getting old pendents which I plan to make into earrings and necklaces. Silver is really goof here, because it is from here and the other state nextdoor is famous fro it, and apparently it is really cheap there. It is all by the gram.

On Saturday, you may recall, I was planning on heading to the Monte Alban, but in the morning it was raining... so instead I looked over the exam information (I am supposed to take an exam in November for Spanish but it is looking more and more unrealistic everyday...), then I headed for the North of town just to walk around and discover. I walked past 3 ´vegetarian´restauarants, either advertising carne, aka meat, or had a photo in the window with a huge beefy burger. I couldn´t understand why they weren´t understanding the name Vege but now I think they have to sell meat dishes just to survive... vegetarians are scarce here, I think they were just jumping on a tourist trend. Instead I got an incredible juice - these Oaxacans know their juices and smoothies, and the lady took all the fruit right of the display andjuiced it all infront of me.

I was walking in what I thought was the right direction, until I found myself on the highway, but the wrong part... I didn´t recognise anything around me. Turns out I had memorised the picture of the map in my head the wrong way, because the map is different ... what normally would be shown as north is actually east.. it is hard to explain but afterwards when I was studied the map, my confidence in my skill of always taking the right direction was restored.
But alas, i ended up in the south of the map, when I do live in the South, but on the map I live in the East.... confusing.
I walked on the highway for a while, on what I knew was the right direction, those cars go fast! I thought it was dificult to cross the roads in the crossroads near my house (which it is because they don´t have 4 roads, they have 8 plus!!), but crossing the highway is near impossible. I stumbled across a crosswalk at last, but it didn´t light up for a good 5 mins.. and I am not stepping out onto these highways... the cars here speed till the last second then slam on the breaks - I am suprised I haven´t seen any crashes.
Anyways when it started to rain I found shelter (well, it was more that I am really wanting Chickpeas, my staple food in PV.. and can´t find them anywere) in the BIGGEST and MOST CROWDED supermarket I have ever regretted stepping in - but it was actually an experience.. with so many people (odd i thought, for 8.30pm Saturday) it reminded me of the Warehouse on Boxing Day circa 2003, back before they were classy and you were just walkingg on clothes that were strewn on the ground... this wasn´t quite as bad but I did see flying rice, kids just eating the bakery products, nappies drop from the sky... wait - I saw something I have never seen in my life.. the Supermarket was selling clothes and baby products as well, and right next to the helmets - rifles. RIFLES! I couldn´t believe it.

Side note: The scariest thing to not happen in real life and not in my dreams (for a straight week I have had awful dreams, where people are getting murdered, buried alive and one where I was shot and stabbed twice... don´t ask me what this means for dream readers), was on my last night in PV - I don´t know if I wrote this in another blog but I was walking home from my teachers house and there was a truck with Policemen with guns in the back and one raised his gun directly at me : fright number one. That creeped me out, and then when I walked next to it (keeping my distance), the truck made a noise similar to a backfire.. i almost dropped to the ground.. I did experience what ¨Weak at the knees¨means.

On leaving the supermarket experience (while I was inside the light rain turned to POUR), I went to a bus ticket office and asked if the guy had a map of the area.. he didn´t. I asked if he knew my street - he didn´t (no suprise, no one does). I said it is near a Graveyard, he asked which one, I didn´t know. Both were far... we went on this way for about 10 mins until I realised that he had no idea where we are in comparison with anything!
I continued in the rain and got there eventually, after passing the craziest intersection of all times with all the crazy flooding and pitch blackness... I was so cold...

That is okay, because Sunday was adventure day... we started off with The Famous Arbol, in Santa MARIA, over 2000 years old and apparently has the widest trunk in the world... they thought it was the oldest in the world until some Californians ruined that for them, the French guy on the trip went Í bet they have older and bigger in NZ¨.. I think bigger is definately possible, I didn´t realise what we were looking at coz the tree looked pretty normal to me... it wasn´t tall but it is abnormally shaped. Next stop was a indigenous house/factory where they make traditionally weaved cloths.. .it is VERY cool, because they still use natural dyes, which I thouht HAD to be fake because of the bright colours but alas, todo natural!
The oranges come from flowers and the reds from the insides of bugs that feed on the cactus.. it was all so interesting! The wool comes from a plant that they rub with water and then work on these large brushes (Similar to Patsi´s cat brushes) to make it into wool (similiar to Patsi´s hair on the brushes) Increble! Then it is spun on an ol´spinner, so old I never learnt the word for it coz I think I have only seen one in Broadgreen house or Founder´s park, and they follow a pattern on the large ´machine´made from string and wood and controlled with their feet.

Next stop was a Mezcal ´factory´which was very different to the high-class Jose Cuervo plant in Tequila, this was where they burned the Agave plant in a hangi really, as opposed to the advanced ovens in Tequila. It was very small and local, I don´t know how they even managed to make all the Mezcal they were trying to sell... (Side note: Tequila is technically a type of Tequila, but is only produced in Tequila, and uses a different type of Agave plant to Tequila, ´Sword Agave´, as opposed to ´Blue Agave´... it also has a higher alcohol content to Tequila... Unlike Tequila, only made in one town, there are 4 or 5 states that produce Mezcal but Oaxaca makes 40%) You didn´t expect education did you? Back to the interesting information, like how I attempted to eat another bug. So, in Mezcal bottles it is tradition to but a live bug... don´t know what type.. they offered them for us to try, I guess it was a joke as they were creeped out when I was game, but they are impossible to chew. Similar to a liquid capusual of medicine that has punctured and the liquid has drained out. Very plasticy, nothing inside.

The weird thing about this whole tour is that their were LOTS of different tours at the same time, ALL going to the same places.. I thought it was ridiculous whn there were a lot of factories showing doing the weaving and lots of Mezcal factories.. and then couldn´t believe when all these same tourists showed up at the same restaurant.. all a big conspiracy... it must be the same company, and that restaurant must be the richest in Oaxaca because it´s the most expensive I´ve been to, and we didn´t have a choice! I couldn´t believe it - the tour guide said he ´recommends it´but I think that he gets to eat free and the company gets commission. But the buffet was fabulous...... I tried all the Moles and discovered my fave, although I can´t recall the name.. It must be the only one not named after colour!

After eating we headed to the beautiful town of Mitla. This has some ruins which were nice, but I´ve been to Cambodia so I don´t think I can me amazed again.. it is wise to leave Angkor to the Grand Finale in life... I don´t know if I want to visit new places now that I´ve been there... I only want to go back. What I like here, is that they don´t charge the huge prices that Angkor gets away with (I wonder where that money is spent... but don´t let me start on Cambodia). Anyways, Mitla was neat, the ruins were small but intricate.. what is interesting is that they have had a lot of earthquakes over time and the ruins have always sustained because they had information about building buildings to sustain that have only just come to light for engineers recently... about how the pieces of stone fit together, in the right direction with about 2 mm apart without glue (or other holding materials).
There is a few underground parts where people were buried but they were raided a long time ago because as the guide explained, the town was built right around the ruins so they have never been abandoned.

At this stage it awas about 4pm, I thought we were finished and heading home, but we stopped at a market. The market was very neat, they shut oen this whole other town for it each sunday, where people come from the mountains, villages and other towns to sell there goods. It was so neat and very interesting.. especially with the many different indigenous clothing that they wear. Althought I wish i I could take photos, it is hard to from afar (!) and I didn´t want to make anyone angry. Our guide said some people may think a photo of them takes their spirit... I wasn´t about to be the one with that on my shoulders!!!

Friday, September 17, 2010

200 years!

Well, it was fun! I befriended two Hollanda students, and we ended up talking about Cambodia most of the time .. they had recently visited.
Mexicans are known for having a lot of alcholics because Alcohol is so cheap, but also here they drink Mezcal, which is 45%!! It^is funny though, you never see drunk women....
I woke up with a very sore roof of my mouth because I spent all night snacking on the chips (typical Maria..) but they were REALLY hot (typical Mexican..) so my mouth was all cut up!

Newsflash; I don^t know what it is with young Germans but here, they are NOT friendly!!
I have never been made more uncomfortable in my life with their rude tones, their inability to smile and the constant staring. I yelled a once [Por Favor, Que es tu Problema?[ I was getting so infruiated ... my teacher said that Germans are known as the *Americans of Europe* which I thought was funny.. Americans are known here for being rude, but I think Americans are a lot friendlier than these girls were!
Obviously, it isn{t all Germans, but there were a good 10 of them!

The celebration is an interesting one, it was quite similar to New Years really... they pulled down a screen that broadcasted the parades and large fiestas in other city{s... Mexico City, France, London, Miami... it is a big deal for Mexicans all over the world. Then the TV showed the President do a march and then hang a flag... and when the bell rings they go [Viva Mexico!*.

Yesterday I woke up early and VERY hungry (those stank chips just didnñt cut it!), but the smokers at my residence had taken the lighters for the stove for their own benefits.. anyway, I am glad they did because I walked into town and into the best SMOOTHIE and Sandwhich (aka Torta) shop of my life! Yum, I{, going to go back now.. who knew of all things Mexicans would make INCREDIBLE sandwhiches! Well they do...you know people know how to make good sandwiches when they make a kick-ass Vegtarian one... Salsa, peppers, cheese, onion, avocado... more... anyways, the smoothie was a banana berry with honey and cinamon.. I played it safe but I want to try all the flavours! I hung around the same square again.. it{s just so neat there.
Then I went to the Cathedral - Santo Domingo. Boy, is it pretty! It is mostly gold. I don{t know if it is still a practising Caterdral but it isn{t actually that big so with A LOT of people in it, including Tours with Spanish, English and French - it was more of an attraction then a church.

Next door there is a cultural museum, which I want to visit. I need to get a school ID, and then all those Museums and attractions are free! I am visitng some of the most famous this weekend (unfortunately I don{t have an ID yet, I only found out on Wed that i have to go get a photo of myself printed in a store.. and all was closed y-day) anways, I will probably have to pay this weekend.. dang. But more importantly, tommorrow I am planning to go to Monte Alban, which is some stone ruins.. and then on Sunday I am going on a school excursion, and we are going to see a tree.. I think it is the oldest in Mexico? Not too sure... but it has an attraction! And then we are watching women weave quilts?? I am not actually sure, but I sign up for everything coz I am way over enthusiastic. Speaking of which, I was the only person at the party donning an eye mask, a light up flag, a small windmill and small studs all in the Mexican colours.. the actual Mexicans didn{t even make the effort!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Oaxaca.

So I arrived in Oaxaca at about 4 in the afternoon. I was quite tired from a mix of having weird sleep on the overnight bus and waking up like 6x a night... not sure why... anyways... the moral is that I wanted to sleep, but the ride was really pretty.. passed a lot of towns as we passed through a few states, when I did manage to nap - I awoke when we were coming up to a freakishly high bridge! It was quite terrifying, there was another aswell, which was a a mountain called ¨Bad Luck Point¨or something as horrible. It was connecting one mountain to another, I really wish I knew the esact distance so I could blow your mind! It was nerve wracking having just come from a place where bridges are dropping daily (not quite...).

Well, I am staying in a Bed and Breakfast type place that sometimes has students. The taxi driver had trouble finding it because the road is odd.. it is not parallel to the other roads.. it is on a slant, and you can´t see it from either of the main roads... there is also a road next dorr with the same name. Muy confundo!

I went for a walk, originally to find the supermarket, but as I said it is hard to find the main roads... I have never been so geographically challenged! So I ended up looking for the school, which is 1/2 way between mi casa and the centre of town, and I continued to the centre. The buildings are all colonial and STUNNING. The colours are amazing, the photos don´t do them justice. Wow I am getting real apostrophes! I wonder how.. I haven´t managed these this whole time in Mexico!

The city is actually a world heritage site, so I presume that the buildings can´t be changed... even the banks, Burger King and Sony store are all in small, old buildings... it´s great.
The heart of the city is a large Catedral or Zocalo. There are two town squares by this, one which people set up stalls in, and the other has a lot of benches and one of those covers where people play music... Don´t know what they are called... probably should... The 2nd one is surrounded by restaurants. There was actually a platform with speeches going on at this time, tonight is actually the main night of festivities of INDEPENDENCE from España/Spain.. but there were Government officials making speeches.. it kinda goes on all week.
I was really far away (and there were 100s of people), But everyone started to surge into the other square, so I followed suit. A Mexican equivilent of a marching band started to play and march, but the variety of instruments was small - There were 3 girls with drums and then about 17 guys with various trumpets. Some army cadets were carrying a very large Mexican flag. We marched around the sqaure, and as we were nearing the end I realised that almost everyone had dropped off from the march except the cadets, band, officials, a husband and wife pair - and me.
I moved away when they did the salute.. the couple didn´t though.. they were having a great time! But the salute wasn´t to the forehead, but the heart. But the hand was in salute position, not American-Anthem position. The cadets then had a quite long corregraphed routine with the flag,... folding and unfolding it... which was fun because the Red end of the flag when first, then the white in the middle, with the green end last - the cadets with the green end screwed it up everytime!!! It was actually funny, they were probs embarrassed but it didn´t matter, no one minded - this is Mexico!

I returned to the house, stopping at a whole-in-the-wall run by an italian for a huge slice of pizza. No, not very Oaxacan, but very delicious. I walked home a different route and once again found myself lost and confused because I was now at the main road (and I stopped in at the supermarket... it´s amazing what you can buy.. I got my food for the week for $12) but then it was a mission to find that hidden road .

The next day was my first at the school, the school is really pretty... in a building, but inside it has a roofless courtyard that is painted yellow. I met with the Head of all Solexicos, and he let me choose what class I was going to go in. Well actually, he asked me, I said and then he said ¨No, I think you should go in this one...¨. I wanted to redo work I had struggled with in PV but he said that class is going pretty slow... I hope I will be okay.
The class I am in though, I quite like, because the teacher explains what things were and what the new sentences are in ENGLISH aswell, we also move quite slow compared with PV.
At the moment we are doing ¨Para/Por¨which are both ¨For¨.. and when you use them. Exciting stuff.

My conversation class is hil.ar.i.ous. My teacher in the morning is a calm, middle aged man.. but my teacher in the arvo is quite young and we have the same sense of humor. The class consists of me, Regina - a middle-aged Swiss (I can´t escape the Swiss peeps here apparently) and an adorable Japanese girl Emi... adorable isn´t really necessary,... aren´t they all adorable?
Well, hear you don´t really learn anyhting in Convo class, you just converse.. the first day we were talking about Japan and the rest of us (and most the world ) thought that Geisha´s were prostitutes... Emi hardly ever knows what we are saying but always just nods furiously and says ¨Siiiii , si, si, siiiiii¨and laughs continuously. The conversation went on for ages with us asking about whether Geisha´s wear lots of clothes etc because despite her happy ¨Si¨s..we knew she didn´t know what we were talking about .. It ended up being a hilarious conversation coz she was saying how she wanted to be one etc.. wish I had it filmed! They are actually just traditional dancers (with a lot of Geisha education she said) but every answer she gave just made it more hilarious, it wasn´t until the last second of the class that she typed it into her fancy dictionary and was HORRIFIED! Classic.

The same thing happened the next day in class too, more geisha talk and when she was talking about Christmas she was explaining the presents that you give your friends in their bedrooms in a very bizarre way. I was crying I was laughing so hard, and our teacher Javier couldn´t breathe! Regina the Swiss also contributed too, when Javier asked ¨What is the first thing you are going to do when you return home?¨ and she answered, I was confused with what she said, but thought I misunderstood. Javier said ¨Are you sure? COz that´s not possible¨
She tried to say "I´m going to hug my husband", but instead said ¨I am going to IMPREGNATE my husband¨.

The director of the School Liz (and American), told me that I can take a tour in the afternoon, lead by students from the university. I had two hours before then so I headed back into the town square and got a whiteboard deal meal at one of the restaurants. It was a great place to people watch - Musicians, people selling arte and hammocks and rugs... really interesting.
The deal was Juice, Soup, Main and Fruit. I got this because one of the main options was Enchiladas Mole, which I had learned to make in Cooking class in PV, but it is the famous dish of this region. I didn´t really like it in PV, but I did like it here! I still can´t really work out what it is made from but it (Mole Negro, as I learnt - because it is only Mole in PV, but here their are 7 types) definately has Chocolate, lots of spices and Mezcal (which is the alch spirit of Oaxaca, like Tequila is to Jalisco, the state of PV) originally I thought it was red wine, until I realised there is no wine here!
It is rich and quite bizarre, I felt it was kind of similar with Lamb Shank sauce (not that I´ve had that in quite a while) but with more spices and choco.

The tour with the students was really great - ALthough I though they weren´t going to be able to speak English, they were actually studying it, so the aim is to give a tour in English to someone who can correct them. I would of rather been attempting to speak Spanish, but I didn´t mind too much. We passed churches and famous restaurants - and hit up the Market! It is just off one of the squares, but I never would have known about it otherwise! It was fabbulous.. a typical market really, but I tried different chocolates, chocolate milk, Moles, cheeses (Oaxaca is famous in Mex for it´s cheeses) and Grasshoppers. Yum, yum - big ones and small, flavoured with salt and spice and lemon. They were really hard to chew and swallow... but bugs are widely eaten here.

Yesterday afterschool I headed home, made myself an Enchilada (Mexican, not NZ), then headed back to town where I knew there would be more festivities. Entering the square I was went to take a picture of a busker (with a crowd of about 200), when he noticed me doing so, posed and then dragged me into the show. I was his assistant for a good 45 mins... providing some entertainment too when I was playing dumb to his tricks.. but Mexicans are easily entertained. It was fun though, something I always hoped I would get picked for but never have.. this time I didn´t even try - being tall and a foreigner was enough. It was the closest I got to being ¨on stage´´ for a while.
The crowd goes nuts at the smallest things, he getting them to count ´Uno, dos, tres´then in English (which is so cute with the kids´mexican accents) Waan, too, frree, and then Japanese (which I guess was a joke) and I was the lone ¨Ichi, Ni, San¨and the crowd went nuts - hooting and hollering and clapping... it was odd but cool. I hope I didn´t ruin the gag. The clown made me some balloons, which kids swarmed me for after and then popped their new toys virtually instantly. It was cool though because for the next few hours wandering the squares, markets and nearby streets people kept giving me huge grins and saying ¨Hola Maria!¨.
And boy, was town lively yesterday! People in the square buying Mexicana coloured items for fiestivities tonight, everyone decorates their homes and shops too. Lots of people from around the state have come into town too, there are lots of families sleeping in their cars.. I passed dozens this morning.

We just had a lecture on the history of Mexico, it was very intersante and very sad too. Like all stories of the indigenous are... Although many people´s lives didn´t change after the Independence from Spain (namely, the indigeous who were at the bottom of the caste system, and still remain there), it obviously did close a chapter in bad history where rich Europeans dominated. A man by the name of Hilgado knew about the Spanish plans to start are war (he was European-Mexican aka Mexitale?), where they killed all the Mexicans.. he told the Mexicans and they were prepared and defended themselves...that is a very short version but basically Independence came soon after .. 16th Septiembre 1810, and here we are 200 years later getting ready to fiesta!

There is a party at my school which is going to be great for mi Español!!




Monday, September 13, 2010

DON{t READ IF EASILY BORED!

Hola,

RANT ALERT!

So I am in Oaxaca!! A beautiful, colonial city in the South of Mexico.
I feel like that sounds really Exotic aka South of NZ or South of France.
It was a mission to get here, especailly because early last week it was looking like it would be impossible to get here.
As I posted a picture of previously, one of the two main bridges collapsed.. and people were
questioning the other because the remains of the destroyed one hit the remaining on the way down.
Also because of excessive rains last week there were multiple landslides. Between this, and a few more bridges dropping, they had to close the roads to and from Vallarta, meaning that the buses stopped and people couldn{t get in or out. They were only planning to open the roads again this morning, but luckily for me they opened up again on Friday night.
Although the last week was the most enjoyable so far in PV, I wanted out! I guess like a child I do what I{m told I can{t.

On Thursday I managed to load my photos off my cards for the first time in about a month, so I spent Saturday morning/arvo taking photos around the place of things that Isaw everyday, but would like to be able to show others. One of these stops included wanting to see Elizabeth Taylor{s house. I don{t really know why, but I googled it and it was on websites as an Attraction and lots of comments about how great it was.
Great it isn{t. It has been bulldozed! I don{t really know why because - people stayed at it (was a B&B) for the novelty of staying in Elizabeth{s house. Now, they are building a large mansion- hotl on the site but... it is no longer the same 50s house. It is a house circa 2010/2011 that just happens to be on the same site. .
Anyways, there is something cool that is still there. Richard Burton didn{t actually live in th house with her, he lived in a different house across the road and there was, and still is, a bridge connecting them! I thought this was ridick/awesome/stupid all in one. It looks like the new owners are turning Casa Burton into the lobby etc and the rooms are going to be across the bridge.

Wow, that was boring!
Anyways, on Friday night I went to the House of my Teacher Claudia, who lives with the Academic Head or something.. don{t know what his job is really, but he is a nice guy, Edgar.
So, I asked Claudia about her family the other day (because she is the only teacher who doesn{t talk about it lots) and she{s like [Yo tengo 2 hijas- Frida y Valentina* (I have 2 daughters, Frida and Valentina* and I{m all [But they are Edgar{s daughters?. Turns out they are married. 7 weeks later i discover.
Anyways, their house is bonita, traditionally Mexicana, upstairs on the main street, across from the town square. When we went they were having a beauty paegant in the square, because they need a girl wave in the paegent this week (Did I mention it is the Independence day on Thursday, a big one this year because it is the 200th year... I{m excited to buy Mexicana novelty jewels and crap).
Anways, I thought we were just going to farewell a student, but I should{ve known better because Mexicans can{t have small gatherings. Claudia had made a huge buffet, bought copias ammounts of pastries and made the special Mexican hot chocolate.. which I should know the name of. It was stupendous.
I am having trouble spelling, because the whole Spanish learning thing is getting my head confused! Apologies....

Oaxaca Mission! So. I woke early to depart the apartment I was living in and prepare for the long journey (which I had mass butterflies for because the biggest disaster days in my life have been when I have travelled... usually alone (because emy mum doesn{t pack for me and I don{t have my dad - traveller extrodiar (ejemplo of a word I know longer know how to spell)...and I don{t have Guy to boss me around, and I don{t have Paul to piss me off).
Anyways, I turned on the Tv, and what was starting at about 7am in the morning? The September 11 memorial. I can{t turn away from these types of broadcasts without huge guilt so as I packed and cleaned for 3 1/2 hous I listed to thousands of names being read out of the victims... ah those get me, especially because after each group one of the people who read out is a relative of the one of the people and it wsa sooo. sad. Especially the children.. I have never been bawling and crying at the same time.

Moving on, I know I am bad at actually writing about Mexico on this, and so I apologise.
Right, so I caught the bus at the bottom of the hill .. very difficult with a heavy bag, because all the pavement is VERY uneven (i have previously written about how pavement seems to be the responsibility of the house or business behind it) and the road is VERY cobblestonish (word Property of M.Williams, Trademarked). Anyways, It was sweltering hot, which made me unhappy, knowing that I was going to wear the same clothes for 2 days. On with it - the nice busdriver lifted my suitcase on and I slipped around in the aisle for a bit before a seat was availabe.. my audience of drivers were very entertained.

I got off at a stop that was supposedñy [NEAR[ the bus station, but again I found myself falling for the mexican [near[ and was hiking BESIDE the highway with a suitcase, yet again. I say yet again because of the worst 2 days I have ever had, where I lugged a bag ON the highway in Brisbane (Note: People kept stopping offering help.. including cops who said [I{ve only seen this on The Castle[ I was suprised with the Australians! Usually so brash...) the other time being on the new Auckland airport highway (where NZers, my own people, beeped at me and one yelled and pulled the fingers... Aucklanders, aye. It{s not like I wanted to be lost with 30 mins to my fight).

Anyways, the bus station was beautiful... for a bus station. And had it not been for me splitting my ankle open on my suitcase it would{ve been a great visit!
I couldn{t believe how easy it was, you buy a ticket.. only having to type in your name and passing the money, then you go through the gate, one man takes your bag and gives you a ticket, one lady gives you a food bag with water and your choice of fizzy can. The bus really was as great as people say. Defs better then a plane because the leg room is 3x as big and there isn{t the fear of falling out of the sky (or I can{t sleep when by the wall because I think my pressure will push the wall off... it could happen?). The chair does lean far back and there is a good leg rest.. I was a bit crumpled though because of my size... I think I was about half a foot too big.

We had a few stops along the way becausethere were still some landslides that they were cleaning up as we tried to pass through.. but it was a realitively quick 13 hour ride.. I managed to sleep. I was watching [My life in Ruins[ which I was actually enjoying to my suprise, but they cut the tv{s out with about 15 mins to go! I think I know what happened though, typical hollywood.
Mexico City ... wow. Well, technically I didnñt get into the city but I was in the north, and entering and leaving - I have never seen so many houses in my life! 100s of 1000s. Unfortunately most aren{t painted classic mexicana styles with the amazing colours, but I guess paint is a luxury there.

I must go now, but tommorrow or the next day I will post another about my time so far in Oaxaca... Included will be some interesting foods, about the school here and my DEBUT as a Buskers assistant. I couldn{t believe it! I always try hard to get picked.. the one time I don{t try I get roped in.. the joys of being a foreigner...

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

El Fin de Semana

I was in town trying to locate birthday cards for my two friends in Chch and one in Singapore when the earthquake hit Chch. Poor Chch!

Finding Birthday cards is a mission, people buy presents for EVERYONE they know here, and wrap them and present them in those gift bags (a booming business).. there are shops that only do gift wrapping and gift wrap options... or gift wrapping and paper, or gift wrap and piñatas. I saw two parents the other day leaving one of these stores with Woody, Jessie, BuzzLightyear and the Horse who{s name I can{t recall Huge Piñatas... that was one lucky birthday boy.

I had missed 4 calls and had a [urgent- text me* message on the cell. When my friend said [Did you hear what happened in NZ?* my heart dropped, but I am glad it wasn{t worse. It was one of the headlining stories on CNN news updates and local news too for a few days. The poor city is still feeling the aftershocks... at least no work and school??

On Saturday I planned to get up early to go to Mismaloya, the famous beach...
Side note: This is where the Richard Burton Film [Night of the Iguana[ was filmed. Before this film PV was not a tourist destination, and aparently there was only about 1/100th of what the city is now.
This beach is now dominated by one main resort, it is actually a very small beach. The river water once again takes away some of the beauty of the ocean. I wandered around a bit and there was a lot of deserted building over the left side.. I presume this is set left behind from the film.. but I haven{t seen it yet. The set looked so sad... you wonder what happened to these places... I guess it was just abandoned?= You can{t even walk around there, it has all been fenced off.
The ocean does, however, have the PERFECT temperature water for this place.. it{s got a chill to it, which is lake-ish, but perfect as 35* is cold here...

Yesterday there was the biggest rainfall I have been caught in... the weather is all extremes here - I have been woken up many a times by the vicious lightening and agressive thunder... it{s so strong you don{t feel safe in your house... it{s like the roof will split open.. anways, when it rains it REALLY rains.
With no drains streets become rushing rivers, the hill streets could sweep you away! At times I was up to my knees in water, and that{s before the buses go past making mini tsunamis. Between the river streets and water pouring off the roofs, walking around is like some kind of waterpark, like a river rapid with waterfalls or something. I wish I could{ve taken pictures, but I wouldn{t dare carry a camera that wasn{t waterproof and physically strapped to me out into that!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

The highlights of the week

Good:
- Annoying man in my class has been held back, while I am full steam ahead!
Translation: we are in different classes! At least for now, I think it may change after I return from Oaxaca....

- The town and city is getting all decorated and ready for the biggest day in the Fiesta calendar, 16th Sept which marks Mexicos independence.. this year it is 200 years!!! Bicentennial betches!

- Juan has put me in a flat under his house for a few weeks and I loving cooking and overeating there.

Negative...
- The class I have been in this week is really fast, really rushed and so I don{t know what is going on. Nothing is explained in English and it has been a train wreck basically! But I am going to try and work it out....

- All the activities have been cancelled this week! Wed cafe social was a blow coz it{s my real only speaking Spanish time and Thursdays cooking lesson too!
Basically we went from having a billion students to having 7. Next week 3 canadian teenager/siblings are leaving so we are going to be down to 4.
This is going to be interesting, because currently there are 3 classes : Beg, Inter and Advanced.. I am sitting in the intermediate, but whatever willl they do next week with 2 intermediates, 1 advanced and one Beginner (american man...)

- A bridge fell down... chaos.
This may potentially effect my bus plans to Oaxaca but I am not sure... time will tell.

-I{m also going to include the fact that I am addicted to these caramel covered peanuts from a [Traditional Aztec Candy Store* (gimmick?) anyways, all the nuts they cover in sweetness are amazing, but these are the cheapos so I have comfortably allowed myself to become addicted.
I do walk an extra 15 mins both ways to access them... so it{s healthly??

Random side note:
People ALWAYS rip me offf... I find it really hard to say no to people selling stuff on the street/beach. Last week a got a bangle for a friend who{s birthday is coming up (Emma Swad, if you{re reading this... send me your addy!), and I thought I got a reasonable deal.. until, I saw the shop prices - I bought it for 4x as much!! And 5x the price other vendors sell them for !! But now I know, so I was wiser next time.

A few days later another man was trying to sell the bangles and I was all [I know they aint worth that* ¨The other guy..* rah rah rah , but then I took pity on him because I started saying no GRACIAS with vicious force... and he looked stung. So then talked to him for ages and he kept lowering the price for a mass buy and I was all [I don{t have much money* (I gave him my whole weekly intended food money btw, but all is well coz I bought up big last week)... He was so desperate to sell, and the had made nothing all day (he showed me the wallet) and I believed him because there are NO tourists here at the moment.
It was after 4pm and he had been loitering around since 10. Anyways, I think I am made at these people because I know that I{m going to buy stuff! At the end of the day I end up viewing it as a donation towards his life... especially since I made him individually promise not to spend it on: drugs (this is mexico), Cigarettes ($3 for what is $15 in NZ... sick), Alcohol (tequila is next door so it cost like $4 for a bottle or something) anways, after he bust out his AA pin and told me about the day he stopped drinking, 15 months ago, and swore on his parents graves that he would only spend it on Food and essentials for his family... we had a deal.