Most nights are pretty magical here. We often walk down to
El Centro. One night, as we were walking, we came across a group of teens.
About fifteen of them got up and came towards us. In the back of my mind I
thought of all of the warnings about how dangerous Mexico is, even though I
knew better. I was a bit embarrassed when they lined up facing each other and
started dancing the traditional dances of Oaxaca. We sat and watched them practice
for awhile. We saw this spontaneous dancing occur several times throughout our
stay here. The traditions are so important to them. 16 distinct languages are
spoken and they even have a huge fountain with statues of the 8 major old
religions practiced here. It’s a surprisingly diverse place, but the Virgin
Mary is everywhere. My favorite is the painting of her on a tree on a street
corner.
But let’s go back further in time to about 500 years before
Christ. A community of scientists and religious leaders began to form on the
top of a mountain in the valley of Oaxaca. They became incredibly powerful,
ruling from this complex city of 40,000 for 1,200 years. What drove them off
their mountaintop remains a mystery. I’m guessing it was drought. Now it is
called Monte Alban. As you approach the ruins the usual playing field is the
first stop. From there the city is barely visible, but it beckons to you. As
you step to the rim of this majestic man-made valley the history feels as though
it is surging upward and wrapping itself around you. The archeologists did a
good job of clearing the massive field where the market would have been. The palace
and the bizarre boat-shaped astrology building are beautifully preserved. Joe
and I sat under a thick tree in the shade and imagined the bustling community,
the light glittering off the glossy walls of the palace, the pyramid-like steps
leading up to the temples, and the ever present vendors set up on the grassy
fields. After climbing to the other rim we could look down on the humbler
dwellings of the surrounding city ruins.
Back at Oaxaca City we stayed at a small hotel with a pool
and air conditioning. We stayed in the pool or the room for 24 hours! A large
family from Puebla dominated one end of the pool, and we had the other end.
That didn’t last long. The family ring leader, a 4 year old little girl, named
Frida, came straight over to us and made the introductions. “That’s my cousin,
and that’s my other cousin, well they are all my cousins except my parents and
sisters.” She sat on Joe’s lap and petted his arm as she talked. Finally she
told him he was going to be her pony and made him turn around so she could
climb on. Her family was in hysterics. So after speaking Spanish to her for 30
minutes, she says “How come you don’t speak Spanish? Are you from China?” Ahh .
. . out of the mouths of babes. By Sunday evening we were refreshed and ready
to go again. Monday morning we were back to school to try to learn Spanish J 
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