Then another month in Mexico City. Smelly air, lots of traffic, surprising volcanoes, los Simpsons, sweets and excessive amounts of delicious/not-very-healthy food, art making.
I'm not born for the city. After a few weeks there I developed a horrible cough and a tiredness in my body that I couldn't kick. Let's get out! I said...
And we did. At (adopted) mom and dad's insistence we took a bus to Puebla, staying with Miguel, Omar's uncle. I immediately liked him for his jokes and generosity, especially when he pinned down Omar, letting me tickle him until he was about to explode. I wish we could have spent more time, but there's always the return trip.
From there we hitched to Oaxaca. A series of rides picked us up. The first, which only took us about 10 minutes up the highway to the toll booth, was a pair of women, one middle-aged, and one older. We chatted with them, carefree and excited about our trip, and when we get out the older woman handed us 100 pesos, wishing us well. Our angelito was with us, for sure. From there we got a couple more rides, one with a truck driver who proudly displayed a "Amo a mi gorda" bumper sticker on his dashboard, and another with a serious man who sells vaccines for chickens. The ride that actually got us into the city was with a Portuguese/Mexican couple who live in Spain and were also taking their first trip together. Nice folks, all of 'em.
Oaxaca is a city I love but never have adequate time to stay in. I had far too much desire in getting to the beach and so we only stayed one night, graciously accepted into the home of hard-working activists. Early the next morning, we talked with Diego, a friend of mine now for a couple of years, about community radio, conflicts, and hopes in Oaxaca. As always, I was impressed by the dedication of people there to create and improve and fight without ceasing.
We caught a ride to the beach in one swoop. We waited for about 5 minutes, decided we needed water, went to the store, waited another 15 seconds or so and boom! A ride straight to the beach! Though, straight isn't the most adequate word, because we wound 'round and 'round and up and down the Sierra de Oaxaca in the back of a pick-up for about 7 hours before feeling our skin start to get sticky, feeling the ocean breeze.
Again we were received in a way that makes me humbled to have such amazing friends. How does a gal get so lucky?
It was late when we got in, so my first thought in the morning was to see the sea. Finally. Months and months of dreaming didn't prepare me at all, I realized, when I saw the immensity of the ocean stretching out before me. We've been on the beach for 2 weeks now and I still feel the same way every time I see it.
