Random Descriptions of My Travel Adventures

I checked out Blade Runner from the gringo founded and managed "Oaxaca Lending Library", a place that would require its own blog to explain. This morning when I was there returning a few other movies I had checked out, I was lucky enough to overhear a conversation amongst some of the retired crowd about a marvelous new hearing aid! Apparently someone had discovered a hearing aid for 42 bucks at Radio Shack and it seemed to work as well, if not better, than several other 1000 dollar hearing aids purchased elsewhere. The man responsible for this wonderful discovery had brought it in to the library to pass around for others to try. If they agreed that it was indeed marvelous he was offering to bring back a box full of them next time he went to the States. As the hearing aid is being passed around a small table of the retired expats you can imagine the conversation, and the volume levels necessary to keep it going. "Can you hear me?" "What?" "Turn the vol...

You Tube has now sucked me in....I can't get away. One more clip. I love Will Ferrel, especially when he imitates President Bush. This is one of my favorites.... Okay, one more, do you see how addicted I am! This one is about global warming...

A really cool song by the Mexican Institute of Sound, a group I discovered tonight while procrastinating. I don't understand everything they are saying either but it really doesn't matter, the song has a great beat and is so catchy! Take a whisten..... That is not a spelling error but rather a tribute to Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Love as Buckwheat promoting his album "Buh-Weet Sings", a classic! And I found the SNL Buh-Weet Sings commercial on You Tube!! Check it out...Wookin' Pa Nub is my favorite...

This photo is just outside the Big House looking up the road. This is the portion of the road that the high level bureaucrat had paved, though you cannot see his home in this picture. I like this picture because even though I live in this giant house, with all these fancy amenities, right outside my front gate exists a totally different way of life. Everyday when I walk to the bus I pass burros eating at the side of the road or running down the road being driven by some farmer leading them to greener pastures. No pun intended. Also in this photo are my two favorite dogs. I think they are strays although they don't actually look too skinny, they seem to be rather happy. They wag their tail at me as I walk by, so unlike many other strays in Mexico, they must not be used to being kicked with frequency. Anyway, these dogs tug at my heart strings so much and I want to adopt both of them, they are clearly a family. Must resist temptation...must resist...weakening.... As always click on ...

Yesterday as I was lying in bed reading I thought I felt an earthquake. Not a big one but just a little bit of shaking. One of the things I like to do is verify whether or not there was an actual earthquake or whether I'm apparently just inherently unstable. This morning I went to the USGS website to figure it out and sure enough, there was a 4.6 magnitude quake about 85 miles ESE of Oaxaca close to Tehuantepec. Check it out...

I was supposed to head out tonight to say goodbye to one of my friends from Spanish school but just about the time I was getting ready to walk to the bus it started raining. As much of the road to the bus is dirt, this of course then turns to mud when it rains, and makes it rather swampy to walk anywhere. Since it gets dark around 7:00pm, I either have to call a cab (which doesn't seem to work very well) or just stay in. So, I guess it is staying in for me. I wanted to post another picture of buildings subsiding around the Zocalo in Mexico City. Yes, I'm fascinated by this. I really like this picture because it shows the buildings at crazy angles, I enjoy the color of the building facades and the colonial architecture, and there is a market on the street that is just teeming with humanity. The photo sort of captures a lot of the things that make Mexico City so beautiful, chaotic, and out of balance. The thing that makes it really special however, are the" WC" signs di...

I'm ditching my Spanish class today and instead of studying grammar I'm sitting outside looking at the pool....tough life, I know. My neighbor appears to have a fondness for Barry White. Barry White played VERY loudly....not exactly what I was expecting from my neighbors. Kinda makes me want to get a glass of Courvoisier and turn the lights down real low...maybe light a candle or two.

A huge rainstorm right now at the big house. Thunder, lightening, all the bells and whistles. As I'm sitting at my computer, waiting for the power to go out as it usually does during a storm like this in Mexico, a small roach (quite small) climbs onto my keyboard and underneath the keys! Yes, the boundless joys of Mexico. Several moments later, as I began typing, he escaped out the side and trotted off over the desk. Nothing makes your fingers tap lightly on the keyboard and promotes wrist elevation like roaches underneath the QWERTY. Good times...good times....

ACT I: Mexican Airport Hell Because everything is not always sunshine and roses in Mexico as the pictures I post might lead one to believe, I thought I would relate the story of what happened to me on my return trip from Mexico City. I decided to leave Mexico City a day early, on Saturday as opposed to Sunday, because of sheer exhaustion after a week of traveling and imbibing with my friend. Saturday morning I booked a flight on the internet with Mexicana airlines to come home that evening at 6:00pm. I entered my credit card information and received a confirmation number so I assumed everything was hunky dory and proceeded to the Zocalo to be a major turista. I left the hotel around 4:15 and arrived at the airport at 5:00 and went to the check out line. When I reached the ticket agent she seemed to be having difficulties with my reservation and after consulting with another agent told me that my transaction online was only to HOLD a seat, I hadn't actually purchased it yet and I ...

Some images of Mexico City, I will write more later about my adventures, it has been a crazy weekend. This first picture is from our hotel room on the 18th floor in the Polanco area of Mexico City. It was a wonderful neighborhood! I went to Starbucks....yes, I'm admitting it publicly. I also bought coffee beans to bring back to Oaxaca, I have now fed the corporate beast. I took this picture to try and capture how bad the smog is....visibility is crappy to say the least. Then, only a few hours later there was a rain storm, look at the view now. Incredible isn't it? The pictures don't do it justice but hopefully the degree of air cleansing that occurs with rain is evident. This picture is the same view but I actually zoomed out (or however you say it, take notice of the glass building on the right)! There are now mountains in the background that weren't visible before? Pollution! These are pictures of buildings around the central Zocalo that are subsiding. Click on each ...