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Anne and I had a sleep in and went to breakfast with all the Mexicans. Peak hour at 9.00am. A different experience to our usual early starts.

We decided to go to the Botanical Gardens though we had low expectations after a brief glimpse through the gate the day before. What a wonderful surprise it turned out to be. So much interesting information about Oaxaca and the plants. This state is one of the most biologically diverse in the world. It was here that wild maize was domesticated by the women and began to be developed into the many different types of corn today. Also the origin of cochineal which provides red pigments for dyeing food and clothes. We got to squash a few cochineal bugs!

Cochineal bugs provide red colour. Third most lucrative product after silver and gold in the 17 th and 18 th centuries.

Lunch was taken at a groovy little place called Boulenc Pan. We had to walk a fair few blocks but the city revealed more interesting buildings housing, art galleries, artisan clothing and goods, street art or cute bars. The food was contemporary with Mexican twist and satisfying. Peter couldn’t finish his baguette and without being asked they packed the uneaten and untouched remains into a takeaway box. We didn’t really want it but that was a good service. We gave it to a woman and child who were begging on the street.

Anne and I have been searching for painted hats we saw in Puebla but none have been as elegant. He who hesitates misses out! They were hand painted and gorgeous at a good price but because they were stiff we thought too awkward to continue with Dah! We could post them.

After lunch we visited the textile museum and while its exhibit was not of local indigenous weaving as we expected. There was a private collection of exquisite Japanese blue kimonos and jackets which had been donated by expat Americans who had settled here.

The other exhibits were of a local contemporary artist. Beautiful abstract work by Patricia Alvarez

We headed home for a swim and returned for dinner. The streets were thronged with locals and while searching for a silver jewellery store for Anne we discovered so many charming places. This city just keeps giving. It is the gourmet centre of Mexico and there are many places experimenting with developing modern interpretations of Mexican food as well as fusion of other cultures. We ended up at Cobarde roof top restaurant where the ambience was wonderful and the food was a fusion of Mexican and Asian. We only wanted light so Anne had Broccoli with honeycombe which was delicious and both Peter and I had Chicken Pho plus meszcatel cocktails.

This morning we visited a very special wood carving concern. Rosaria defied her father to become the first woman to carve. Women usually only paint. They use the copal tree which has male and female trees. The male is harder with a pink sap and fragrant while the female is white and soft. The timber pieces take a long time to cure and then are treated to protect against termites. Finally they are painted. This family do special spirit animals and so I decided to find out what was my spirit animal and my protector animal. I am a jaguar and iguana. They carve these beautiful wood into these imaginary mythical Alebrijes animals, and decorate with Zapotec symbols. I have ordered mine. It will take about 5 months!

Before she gave us the demonstration she had a smoking ceremony to purify our thoughts.

We later saw other examples of this woodcarving but we all believed her work really stands out. No one else does the spirit animals.

The rest of the day was spent exploring Oaxaca, getting hotter and hotter. We eventually ended up in the street art area and had the most delicious drinks. Mine was a local Tamarinde slushie. Totally reviving.

We explored the street art which was both humorous and charming. By the time it was four we grabbed a taxi to get back to the hotel. There had been an accident and the roads were clogged so our taxi driver took a diversion which brought us out to the road near the gates of the hotel but it was barricaded with police. He explained and they cleared the barricade for us.

Earlier in the day we had been held up by protesting taxi drivers and delivery scooters who were blocking traffic.

Back to the hotel for a quick refreshing swim and then back to town with Chris and Rob . We found a very cool place Hotel Indigo and enjoyed aperitifs until a light rain fell and they ushered us across the road to their roof top restaurant. Very contemporary food and atmosphere. Oaxaca continues to reveal many modern aspects. I am enjoying the experience.

Today was to be a huge ride over the Sierra Madre mountains, about 7 hours. Our first stop however was a church on the top of a hill on top of a pyramid. This pyramid is reported to be the largest base in pyramids in the world. It was a steep but steady climb up to the church of the Virgin of Healing to find a beautiful interior and extraordinary 360 degree view of Puebla and Cholula the area around the church. While ascending we heard fireworks continually. This is a local tradition for Saints days that happens at each church. Puebla is said to have 365 churches , one for every day of the year. From atop we could see so many dotted across the city we think it might be true! Inside there was holy water for sale in little plastic bags which I suggested Anne and Peter buy to heal their various ails. Surprisingly they were sceptical.

Next stop a local food market where we purchased with our guides help snacks for the long drive. The vender was very happy for us to taste prior to purchase. We all bought some interesting treats.

From here we started the long , bumpy, exciting drive to Oaxaca.

What we learned:

That the Mexicans use every bit of space. Down the middle of the major road was a divided bike track and walking track on what we would be lawn. It was fenced off from the traffic and included trees and chairs and gardens yet to reach their full potential. The highway was not really very wide but very busy.

That they have built an aerial gondola system so people can get from one side of the neighbourhood to the other or cross the highway without using cars.

That road rules and lines are indicative. Drivers overtake when it is safe not when the lines indicate. Trucks and cars pull over to the far right or left depending on the direction and let cars overtake. Oncoming traffic just make room!

The highway is pretty good but also very bumpy and if I dozed I was in danger of getting a bruise across my nose from my sunglasses landing back on my face.

A community group were towing their local ikon of Our Lady of the? to another town behind a motorbike for her birthday and a significant number of the community were travelling in the back of a semitrailer with the door open.

The Sierra Madre mountain range we were crossing is rugged, dry and covered in cactus. Very inhospitable.

There are numerous toll booths along the way and some are centres for toilets and snacks but I didn’t see any petrol stations. The trucks just pull over and line the roads. Lots of Guardia civil and people in the back of open utes.

What was noticeable was a lack of road rage. People seem to be courteous even when honking horns.

Our eventual arrival in Oaxaca was a pleasure as we all headed for a swim in the pool to loosen up and refresh before heading into town for dinner band a brief orientation.

We headed for the pyramids of the Sun, moon and the rain god. What a massive citadel. The main walk along the pyramids was called the avenue of the dead by the Aztecs because of all the skeletons they found along the way. The Aztecs came much later to this citadel and added their own features. This place had excavations revealing the layers below. Incredibly interesting but once again hard to absorb the millennia taken to build it. If the prehispanic civilisations it was the Mayans who lasted the longest. Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained the philosophy towards life and death. Life was beautiful and death was a transition. In Mexico death is still seen this way as evidenced by the day of the dead celebrations. Skulls are everywhere and the Catarina ( woman with skull) was made famous by Diego Riviera( Frida Kahlo’s husband) in his history mural. She is also around as ornament.

After Teotichucan we moved to our gorgeous hotel at Puebla. The Palacio Julio is a gracious old home converted to a modern hotel.

Walking around Puebla was very reminiscent of Seville. We lived the place. Ate well at a more up market restaurant Casa Barroca

Today was the beginning of the tour and we started at the Archeological Museum an impressive modern building. It was incredibly interesting but very busy due to free entry on Sundays for locals. I have to admit I have found the prehispanic civilisations Zapecs, Mixtecs, Aztecs and Mayans very hard to grasp. They are Mesoamericans generically but different at the same time. They were a sophisticated society and flourished for hundreds of years over similar periods as the Egyptians. Due to a vision they founded Mexico (city) on a lake! A bit too many magic mushrooms I think because the city is sinking.

This explains the deplorable footpaths( an OHS hazard) everywhere and the number of leaning buildings. Many have been damaged by the earthquake of 1985 and combined with the slow subsidence they are abandoned. This city has 22 million residents and the pollution is pretty bad as well as the traffic congestion but it rolls along fairly amiably. No road rage we could see.

The city closes the main thoroughfare to cars on Sundays so residents can exercise. With free entry to museums and the avenue the city was bursting.

After going up the En Torre Latino for a view of the city we had to rush back to the hotel because we were going to the Luche Libre wrestling.

We made a fatal mistake of hailing a taxi in the traffic when we couldn’t negotiate properly and paid way too much. Pete’s knee was causing a problem so walking back was out of the question. C’est la vie!

What a hoot the wrestling was. It is a show rather than real wrestling but is hugely supported like our football! the kids dress up as their favourites and even adults wear the masks. The audience hoot and holler and boo and were as entertaining as the wrestling.

It was over by 7pm and we had dinner and off to bed. Tomorrow we visit Teotihuacán, the citadel ruins and Puebla.

The internet at the hotel in our room is so slow that I am exasperated and have just deleted a whole post that has taken nearly two days to construct. I just have to be so brief or I can’t seem to get anything done. The photos take so long to load.

Anyway this day was a feast of light and colour. The floating gardens was a misnomer for canals surrounded by flower growing agriculture. Despite that the visit to Xochimilco was wonderful. The locals come in droves to cruise on colourful punts while partying. There were mariachi bands as well as food and drink sellers and souvenirs also on punts. People were singing for birthdays, or hens days or any excuse. We stopped also to see local animals , Mexican walking fish, snakes and lizards as well as a chameleon and tiny hedgehog.

We returned to the city and grabbed a bus tour of the historic centre.

At 6 pm we gathered in the foyer for the meet and greet of the rest of the tour group and our guide followed by dinner at a taqueria. Anne and i were pleased to discover we had chosen well the night before. Another delicious meal but this time I tried the prickly pear leaf. Crunchy and a little like capsicum, it was covered in pastor( pork off the gyro).

We had a bumpy flight of 15 hours roughly. Weird leaving at lunch time 12.00 pm and arriving at 8.30 am the same day.

The plane was only half full so we had a complete row each to stretch out and I actually slept for about 4 hours! One passenger I was talking with said he had been tempted to upgrade his seating but the flight attendant suggested it wouldn’t be necessary and he was very happy. The staff and service was friendly. Food okay but nothing gluten free. I watched Barbie ,Oppenheimer and Anatomy of a fall.

Anne was suffering with swollen feet and eventually was very uncomfortable . My dread of US immigration proved unnecessary as we cleared immigration with ease and the young man was very civil.

After yet another queue we discovered our connecting flight has been delayed 2 hours and we won’t arrive in Mexico City till 8.30 pm. I found a sunny spot to try and reset our body clocks .

The airport has lots of colourful art displayed on the walls and we have been enjoying exploring the terminal.

Now to stay awake till our next flight!

It has been awhile since I wrote about my travels, but with Mexico and Costa Rica my next destinations I couldn’t resist sharing the adventure. On Thursday this week my friend Anne and I fly via SanFrancisco to Mexico City. This country is completely new to me and I am very excited to brush up my Spanish as well as exploring a new destination. Even more exciting is the delight of having my elder brother Peter joining us on this trip too. This is an organised small group tour with Intrepid. Usually I am an independent traveller, that is, I start from a major city and take it from there with not a lot of solid bookings though a good idea of where I am going, and basically how I am getting there. Usually I am walking. This time it’s planned though with a fair amount of free time. I can’t wait. I have packed ( twice!) and I am really happy with the weight. I was a bit rusty when I went to Spain in 2022 and ended up with too much. This time I am better prepared. We have added a couple of extra days in Mexico City before the tour starts and have already booked the Frida Kahlo museum as a highlight. Lots to see and experience. As a corn based cuisine I am eager to try the local food without being anxious about my gluten sensitivity.

We arrived at Tullamarine in plenty of time and happened to meet up with Anne’s son in law Mark who was flying to Chicago for a trade fair. That killed some time pleasantly. Then it was our turn.

Although last night’s storm abated in the morning it wasn’t long before the village was shrouded in dense cloud and heavy rain again. It was fascinating watching the cloud roll up from the valley below and creep across the grass plain in front of our chalet. Out one window it was dense grey and out the other side it was clear. But not for long. Soon no other buildings could be seen at all.

We decided to light the fire and after our morning quiz test from the Age newspaper we all hunkered down with books, needlework and sudoku puzzles. The rain was really torrential, at times beating hard on the windows and the tin roof. We were all happy. The men poked and prodded the fire between reads and we just enjoyed the luxury of nothing to do but read ( and maybe eat!).

Kim had brought her travel watercolours and I demonstrated the techniques I had picked up at my workshop at Horsham in January.

Soon it was lunch and the clouds were lifting with the rain easing to mizzle. We noticed a few intrepid hikers but decided every track would be muddy and slippery and hardly enticing.

Kim, David and I opted for a short undulating walk around the village until the rain restarted. It was a refreshing break and meant we had walked everyday since we arrived.

Dinner at the Ramada restaurant that night was delicious and a suitable farewell celebration as we were leaving very early the next morning to be back for appointments in Melbourne.

We returned home, packed ready for a quick departure the next morning and fell into bed. It has been a wonderful circuit breaker for all of us. Fresh mountain air, time to really catch up and lots of laughs. I love this place- shame it is such a distance but perhaps that is the reason it is so peaceful!

Coming down the mountain this morning just as the sun started to wash over Mt Buffalo was spectacular. It was about two degrees!