Day four in Oaxaca – my last full one. Yesterday was mostly packing up Janie’s condo and having a fantastic lunch out with folks who’ve been helping her through the broken ankle ordeal: her condo neighbors, her “home health” (of a sort) nurse, her doctor, her Spanish teacher and her fantastico driver/adopted son. I have to say, it’s not easy going out to lunch with several people you don’t know, in a loud restaurant, with multiple languages in play. But we did it. And it was outrageously fun!

See that lady on the left, in the black scrubs? That’s Patti. She’s been helping at the condo since Janie forst came home from the hospital. I thoroughly enjoyed conversing with her. She spoke to me in Spanish. I spoke to her in English. Somehow it worked.

After lunch, a bit of work for Rowan Tree Travel… No hardship, really. Janie, Alex and I went over to Hotel Conzatti to check the date, location and setup for a mini artisans market we’ll do for the group coming on a tour in July. What a lovely place. Small but sweet. Welcoming staff. In fact, Janie is so friendly with their staff after years of staying there with groups, her favorite bartender (and now friend, of course) joined us for drinks later that evening at the condo. But first, the hotel:

Janie and I also had a meeting with a husband and wife tour guide/artisan team with whom we’ll be working. But it was a bit rushed and I didn’t take any pictures. And shortly thereafter was the evening margarita session so… you know… I kind of lost track of what happened after that.

Okay, just kidding. Really we had a couple of margaritas and some nibbly food, I stayed up talking with one of the friends until only moderately late and then we all went to bed. I’m old, y’all.

(Can you tell I’ve been hanging out with former-Texan-but-now-New-Mexican-and-part-time-Oaxacan Janie…y’all?)

This morning began with me receiving my marching orders as soon as I got dressed. I know what you should do! If you’ve got one day left you must, must, must go down to the Museo de los Culturos Oaxaca!

I’ve learned. When Janie says I must do something in Oaxaca (like take two Pepto tablets preemptively and try that item of food she just ordered), I know to abandon all questions and just follow orders. It always turns out well for me. She says it. I do it.

I’m just going to share some images because there’s really too much to say about the place. In a word, it was spectacular.

I could post a billion pictures from here but I’ll save you from all that.

I met Janie and Gera for lunch at the organic market — whoops! Too hungry and excited to eat and so forgot to take pictures there. But later I also went to the Museum of Oaxacan Painters, just off the Zocalo (main square). A few things I saw:

And finally, by four-ish, we put Janie in a taxi to get home, Gera wandered off to buy some flowers and I worked my way back to the condo via one of the main pedestrian-only “walking streets”. I’ll admit to going in and out of a few shops. The textiles are endlessly fascinating to look at. I’ve never seen such intricate embroidery. So many different styles of garments, stitchery, shapes. It’s been a feast for the eyes, I tell ya.

Some last minute packing, sandwiches concocted from whatever food was left in the fridge and a final rooftop good ye to the city in the night air… Janie’s asleep now. I’m writing to you. Our 5:30 am pick up for the airport run is going to be here before I know it, so I’m signing off.

But before I go to bed, I’m going to create a separate post with just my favorite images of the day.

And there you have it. Oaxaca in a jiffy!

Hasta luego, amigos.

See you back in the Fe.