Santo Domingo, Oaxaca
Ball court, Monte Alban
Monte Alban
Monte Alban
Monte Alban
On Sunday morning I got to the TAPO bus station in Mexico city to get a bus to Oaxaca. I couldn't get a bus until11.30. That would have to do although it mant I would arrive after sunset.
The bus, 1st class, was exteremly comfortable - reclining seats, TV, onboard toilet. With it being a 6 and 1/2 hour journey I thouhjt we would have a stop somewhere. However the driver stopped for about 10 min at one of the many tolls. The scenery was beautiful - we travelled up mountain passes and through valleys. Mostly it was exteremely dry and brown. There were cactuses galore, of all description, short ones and tall ones. We passed a number of small towns with small and densely packed housing. Now and again one saw sheep being herded. As we arrived in Oaxaca, on the outskirts were industrial areas and poor housing. I was surprised at how big the town (or city) is. The bus station was modern and had a tourist info stall. here I was provided with a map and names of hotels. I discovered I needed to buy a telephone card and then I could phone and book a hotel. I chose Posada del Cid, a 3 star hotel. I caught a taxi only to discover later that it was about a 5 min walk from the bus station. Itis a lovely little place - clean, bathroom en suite. It is a little further out from the Zocalo or main square than most of the hotels but it is quiter here, less crowded. Altho the traffic is nowhere near as bad as mexico city, there is still a lot. My first day here I spent wondering around the Zocalo and town. At the Zocalo is a large cathedral and a Government Palace. The Zocalo is decorated for Christmas and there is a carnival atmosphere. I have seen more foreign tourists here than in Mexico city but predominantly there are more mexican tourists/holiday makers.
There are also more indigent people here and one is more aware of poverty. There are beggars and there are children selling things. I did read that there is a loy of unemployment and a lot of teenagers leave school before getting a qualification; there are a lot of children that work.
I was speaking to a local teacher and he told me that although medical consultations are free, patients must pay for medication and other treatments. I wish more people would realise what a fantastic institution the NHS is and what a privilege it is to have it.
Yesterday I went to Monte Alban which was a city here during more or less the same time as teotihuacan ( first few centuries AD).. I caught a tourist bus up into the mountains along a steep and narrow road. It was peaceful walking around Monte Alban and I spent about 2 and a 1/2 hours just taking it all in. The sun was pretty hot and this is winter! I am not sure if temples here are as high as the pyramids in teotihuacan but one has a better sense here of a city with all the different buildings - temples, residences, a ball court and a massive central plaza.
I returned back to my hotel exhausted.
I am sorry I haven't been able to upload any pics. In lieu of that I will find you some links.
On sat 26 Dec I am catching a bus to San Cristobal - this will be a ten hour journey thru mountains.
Happy Christmas to all my friends and family.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaxaca_de_Juarez
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Alban
The bus, 1st class, was exteremly comfortable - reclining seats, TV, onboard toilet. With it being a 6 and 1/2 hour journey I thouhjt we would have a stop somewhere. However the driver stopped for about 10 min at one of the many tolls. The scenery was beautiful - we travelled up mountain passes and through valleys. Mostly it was exteremely dry and brown. There were cactuses galore, of all description, short ones and tall ones. We passed a number of small towns with small and densely packed housing. Now and again one saw sheep being herded. As we arrived in Oaxaca, on the outskirts were industrial areas and poor housing. I was surprised at how big the town (or city) is. The bus station was modern and had a tourist info stall. here I was provided with a map and names of hotels. I discovered I needed to buy a telephone card and then I could phone and book a hotel. I chose Posada del Cid, a 3 star hotel. I caught a taxi only to discover later that it was about a 5 min walk from the bus station. Itis a lovely little place - clean, bathroom en suite. It is a little further out from the Zocalo or main square than most of the hotels but it is quiter here, less crowded. Altho the traffic is nowhere near as bad as mexico city, there is still a lot. My first day here I spent wondering around the Zocalo and town. At the Zocalo is a large cathedral and a Government Palace. The Zocalo is decorated for Christmas and there is a carnival atmosphere. I have seen more foreign tourists here than in Mexico city but predominantly there are more mexican tourists/holiday makers.
There are also more indigent people here and one is more aware of poverty. There are beggars and there are children selling things. I did read that there is a loy of unemployment and a lot of teenagers leave school before getting a qualification; there are a lot of children that work.
I was speaking to a local teacher and he told me that although medical consultations are free, patients must pay for medication and other treatments. I wish more people would realise what a fantastic institution the NHS is and what a privilege it is to have it.
Yesterday I went to Monte Alban which was a city here during more or less the same time as teotihuacan ( first few centuries AD).. I caught a tourist bus up into the mountains along a steep and narrow road. It was peaceful walking around Monte Alban and I spent about 2 and a 1/2 hours just taking it all in. The sun was pretty hot and this is winter! I am not sure if temples here are as high as the pyramids in teotihuacan but one has a better sense here of a city with all the different buildings - temples, residences, a ball court and a massive central plaza.
I returned back to my hotel exhausted.
I am sorry I haven't been able to upload any pics. In lieu of that I will find you some links.
On sat 26 Dec I am catching a bus to San Cristobal - this will be a ten hour journey thru mountains.
Happy Christmas to all my friends and family.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaxaca_de_Juarez
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Alban
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