Temazcal

I spent this weekend in Oaxaca, and had a wonderful time. (Perhaps a little TOO much fun on Saturday night, if you know what I mean...) : )

Sunday was my friend Katharina's birthday, and as my birthday gift to her we both participated in a temazcal session. Temazcal comes from the Nahuatl word temazcalli, which means "house of heat." It's an indigenous tradition (used by the Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs), used as a therapeutic cleansing on all levels - physical, mental, spiritual. The basic idea is that you enter an igloo-shaped clay construction, where water is poured over super hot stones to make it like a sauna. There are many variations of the temazcal, involving combos of incense, herbs, teas, spices, mud... I will describe what my experience was.

Katharina set up the appointment thru her boyfriend's friend, Victor, whose mother has a temazcal structure behind her house. Victor picked us up and drove us about 45 minutes outside of the city of Oaxaca, to a beautiful and peaceful spot in the countryside. While we drank a mint concoction (for extra hydration), his mother walked us through everything, what order we needed to perform each step to get the maximum benefit, what to be careful of, etc. We changed into our bathing suits and took a quick cold shower, then entered the little igloo. I guess these structures can vary in size, this one had just enough room for maybe 4 people to sit on built-in circular benches, 2 on each side of a little grill where super hot stones were constantly being heated. A thick fabric flap was placed over the entrance, to keep in the heat and keep out the light. It was quite dark, and already very hot and aromatic, I have no idea what kinds of herbs were burning on the rocks. There was a large earthenware bowl filled with tea (again, I don't know what combo of herbs was used), and throughout our experience we ladled the tea over the rocks to increase the steam, heat, and herbal aromas.

Katharina and I were in the temazcal by ourselves, we didn't have her as our guide, so we had to remember all the steps and warnings. The first thing we were instructed to do was to dedicate the session, specific goals that we hoped to accomplish or a higher power that we wanted to call on for help. She said that people's experiences tend to be much better if some sort of personal dedication is made. As we were sitting quietly with our eyes closed, feeling the steam flow over our bodies, I could feel my pores starting to open, one by one. It was an incredible sensation. As the sweat started to flow, we continued with our tasks. There were long branches of herbs in a pile, we split them up and softly tapped our skin with the herbs (I don't know what they were), starting with our arms and legs (all sides), and we took turns doing each other's backs. Fortunately we're not holding any grudges or anything, so we survived each other's beatings unscathed! The idea is that the healing and cleansing powers of the herbs can enter our system once our pores are open and receptive.

Then we moved on to the bowl of fresh aloe, and gooped it on head to toe, even rubbing it into our scalp (although avoiding the areas around our eyes so that it didn't get into our eyes with all the sweat pouring off of us). We sat back and just let it soak in, adding more tea to the hot rocks to keep the temperature and the steam up. It was surprisingly relaxing, even as I felt my body working hard to push out the toxins (and with all the tequila from the night before, there were PLENTY of toxins to get out!!) I have never sweat so much in my life.

We then received a gentle reminder from outside to continue with our exercises, so we began the self-massage, going from head to feet, a special maneuver for each section of our body to increase the circulation and relaxation. When we knew we just had a few minutes left, we practiced the "laugh therapy" that we had been taught, beginning with "ha ha ha" and working our way through the vowels. Apparently each one (when done correctly, truly laughing and allowing the laugh to take over your whole body) works to heal a different body system, in addition to being excellent exercise because of how many muscles spring to action. If I'm remembering correctly, the HA was for head issues, mental stresses, etc. HE was for throat problems, HI for heart/emotional, HO for stomach and digestive issues, HU for sexual problems. She believes that you can "self-prescribe" depending on what issues you're having, so if you have a sore throat and stomach problems, you should laugh with a HE HO combo... Pretty interesting. And so Katharina and I worked our way through the vowels, with laughter as hearty as we could make it after having all of our energies sweating out of our bodies!!

At the end we came out and took a cold shower (introducing body parts to the cold water slowly, starting one foot at a time, then arms, and slowly working our way up to our heart center). There was fresh juice and fruit waiting for us, and then we lounged around for about an hour on cushions she laid out for us in the sun. It was amazingly restorative and restful. Like a new beginning. I highly recommend it, and I am definitely doing it again, the next time without the excessive drinking the night before!!

Getting gas and retaining water in Mexico

I've been thinking a lot about the differences between my life in the States and my life here in Mexico. The first month was full of so many transitions, it seemed like EVERYTHING was different and difficult. I'm feeling much more settled now, but every now and then it really hits me how many things I took for granted before...

Basic utilities, for example. For a little bit of background, my kitchen is made up of 2 areas. There's a small room where I have my refrigerator, a wooden counter/cutting-board type thing, and a small 2-burner gas stove (with a mini-oven underneath). Then there's an outdoor extension to the kitchen where I have 2 sinks, a water tank, and it's where I keep my perishable garbage. I've got a 20 kilo gas tank that connects to my water tank and the stove inside via an interesting network of hoses (in the pictures there's an aloe plant in front of it).

It's a pain to get a new gas tank (and relatively expensive), so I follow the gas-minimizing advice I was given by the person I took over the apartment from. Before I take a shower, I light the gas heater under the water tank, and wait about 30 minute (until I hear the tank "pop" off), then I can enjoy a wonderfully hot shower, although the pressure leaves something to be desired. I turn the water heater completely off when I'm done in the shower.

The little stove is also gas-operated (as in I am using a match every time), which isn't a big deal, but just makes things different when you're used to electric appliances. I will confess that I don't plan to use the little oven space, I'm a bit afraid of lighting it. And even though I'm cooking quite a bit more now (and making some nice concoctions!), baking and roasting are just not on my list of things to do.

This weekend I ran out of gas, for the first time. I knew it was going to happen soon, in fact I'd been expecting it for weeks. Sunday I went to light the water tank, following my usual custom and holding up the match while pushing down the button to release gas and get it all started, but no dice. The moment I had been dreading was finally here. There are 2 options here in Miahuatlán for getting a replacement gas tank. Trucks loaded with gas tanks are constantly winding their way along the roads, each company with a distinctive horn or jingle that plays repeatedly as they slowly pass by. Most people listen for the truck, and send someone out to the road to flag down the gas man and get the replacement. This doesn't work well for me, because my apartment is set back from the road (about 50 yards) and I'm on the 3rd floor. So it's not feasible for me to run down when I think I hear the truck approaching, or to hang out on the street waiting.

So I chose option numero deux and I called a specific gas man to let him know I'd like a tank delivered. I had been warned that when you call you can't be sure of when the gas will actually be delivered, and you have to physically be there to let him in so he can unhook the old tank and hook up the new one. I was hoping that because it was Sunday it would work well, as I could wait around in my apartment and I wasn't pressed for time. But I was told that his truck was out of order (which I believe is code for "we don't deliver gas on Sundays") and that they could come on Monday morning. I made sure they knew I had to leave for work by 8am (to make sure it was there by 8.30, my true departure time) and sure enough, at 7.30am I heard a beep outside. I stepped out on my balcony to see if it was for me (there are beeps at all hours of the day, most of which have nothing to do with me!), then went to open the door for the little old man who was effortfully heaving my gas tank (on his back) up the 2 flights of stairs. It was clear that every step was difficult, and he was gasping so much I wondered if he was going to make it... It was a bit of a process for him to unhook the old tank and get the new one up and running, and he waited for me to do a trial run lighting the stove to make sure it was all good. It was, and I paid him the 200 pesos and he went on his way.

It's a great feeling to have a fresh tank of gas, and know that I have at least one good month (possibly 2) without having to deal with getting another tank. It's nice to know I can cook dinner without wondering if the gas will run out in the middle of making rice!

Water is the other issue that I definitely took for granted in every other place I've lived. Of course the whole drinking water issue is a constant difference. Bottled water is clearly a necessity, and about once a week I buy a new 5-gallon bottle of water from the corner store and heft it back to my apartment.

But there are also issues with the regular water supply. I know that all over Oaxaca there is a shortage of water. Most of the buildings have large water tanks on the roof that supply the internal units with water. A few times a day I hear what I'm pretty sure is a master water pump turn on, and it refills the water tanks and toilet bowls in all the apartments. Every now and then there's no water (so I imagine the master water tank is empty), and someone notifies the landlord, who somehow gets the master tank filled again. I've only experienced a total lack of water 2 times, both times when I went to flush the toilet and nothing happened, but it was running again within a few hours.

At this point I feel pretty comfortable navigating the systems here, especially now that I've survived my first gas tank replacement. But buying the gas tank reminded me of so many things that are just plain easier in the States, things that are important but you don't even have to think about them. They're just functioning and there, no effort required. And even as I remember those things and miss how easy it all was, it makes me feel a bit proud to know that I can make things work here. : )

16 de Septiembre en Veracruz

In the early morning hours of September 16th, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo rang the church bell in his town of Dolores, and gave a speech rallying people to fight for the independence of Mexico from Spain. His speech is now referred to as the "Grito de Dolores," and is re-enacted in every town and city zócalo at 11pm on September 15th, the eve of Independence Day. Apparently the exact words of Hidalgo's original speech have been lost, but the main elements that are repeated are "¡¡Viva México!! !!Viva la independencia!!"



The bell that he rang in Dolores was brought to the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City, and that is where the President of Mexico reenacts el grito every year. It makes sense that the biggest celebration for Mexican Independence Day takes place in the capital city, but it's a big deal in every town and city.

I was in Veracruz for el grito, packed in with thousands of people in the main plaza. A bit like our celebrations for New Year's Eve, they had televised entertainment for a few hours leading up to the main event. The president of the city of Veracruz made his big appearance just before 11pm, and made the big speech. It culminated with him saying "¡Viva México!" 3 times, each time with the crown shouting back "¡¡Viva!!" and then he pulled a festive cord to ring the bell overhead, while people cheered and threw confetti and waved flags of all sizes and little kids made LOTS of noise with crazy noisemakers... Then the official city band played the Mexican national anthem and other patriotic songs, while the crowds attempted to disperse... The entire plaza was a madhouse for about 30 minutes as everyone pushed in different directions to get to their next destination (mine was my hotel room!)

Coatepec

I spent just a few hours in this small town, on my way from Xico back to Xalapa. It's known for its coffee, and I enjoyed many a cup along with an excellent breakfast. I then headed over to the Feria del Libro at the Universidad Veracruzana, yes, another book festival!! Then I hastily headed back to Xalapa to catch a bus back to Veracruz, for my final night of vacation...

Waterfalls in Xico

Just a few words to accompany the fotos... Xico (the X sounds like an H here) is a small town south of Xalapa. I walked about 2 km from the town center to the get to the cascadas, coming across a huge tarantula on my way. I got as close as I dared to take this foto, I was ridiculously scared that it was going to suddenly jump at me... : )

Museum of Anthropology

I was really impressed by this museum in Xalapa. As I was wandering thru the massive building, I was thinking to myself that I really feel at home in a good museum, I feel very peaceful and relaxed and just like my brain is calmly absorbing all sorts of good stuff.

For me, the highlights of the museum were the huge Olmec heads, between 2,000 and 3,000 years old and over 8 feet tall!! The pictures don't do them justice, they were really impressive.

Some of the exhibits (including a couple of the Olmec heads) were set in terraces with tropical plants and beautiful flowers. I tried to capture the amazing purple and orange flower in a foto, but it just doesn't even come close to how breathtaking it was...

You say Jalapa, I say Xalapa...

Sunday morning I took a bus to the capital of Veracruz, alternately spelled Xalapa or Jalapa. Something from this city would be called a xalapeño, or jalapeño, and so it should be no surprise that the famous peppers have their origins here. I had some SPICY foods all over Veracruz, giving a whole new meaning to enchiladas verdes, with a green sauce that teaches your mouth a lesson!

After the heat and humidity of Veracruz, Xalapa was a huge change. It was only a 2 hour bus trip, but when I got out I was in the mountains, and it was cool and rainy. After making a rapid wardrobe change (shorts and sandals were totally out of place here!), I went to check out the main plaza. I had an immediate sense of déjà vu; it reminded me of a very specific plaza that I had been in before... After about 10 minutes wandering around like an idiot, I realized that the layout of the plaza is strikingly similar to Perugia, in Italy. The city center is on a hillside, and the central park overlooks a valley. The big difference is that in Perugia the view consists of wooded hills with tiny churches and villages nestled in the trees, but in Xalapa you look out on a sprawling city. In one of the fotos, you can see (if you look really carefully) a snowcapped mountain peaking through the middle of the clouds...

I met up with 2 of my co-workers, who are from Xalapa, and had a traditional dinner of pozole at their family's home.

Hot and Sultry: Veracruz

As planned, I spent the 4-day weekend in the state of Veracruz. My first stop was the city of Veracruz, located on the Gulf coast. I arrived at 6am Saturday morning ("fresh" off the midnight bus from Oaxaca), and had the taxi drop me off in the zócalo, where I read while waiting for restaurants to open for breakfast. Even at 6am, it was obvious that it was going to be HOT, the air was heavy with moisture and it all felt refreshingly tropical. But by the middle of the afternoon, I was having flashbacks to summer in central Florida, and I felt very sluggish and lazy. I managed to take a long siesta (my specialty!!) and visit a great foto exhibit, but besides that I mostly just hung out in the zócalo. I believe I had at least one nieve (natural ice cream made from a water base) from every possible vendor. Mango was the flavor that won, melon was a close second.

Here are some random fotos from my time wandering in Veracruz. There was so much activity in the zócalo at night, excellent people-watching! Street performers, musicians, wandering vendors, and just crowds of people getting ready for the big festitivies on Monday night to commemorate Mexican Independence Day.

I took some fotos of the waterfront pretty close to the town center. Apparently there are some decent beaches much further south, but I didn't make it down to check them out. I'd heard mixed reviews of the Veracruz beaches, and since the most beautiful beaches are right here in Oaxaca, it didn't seem worth the trouble...

I've also included a random foto of one of the lions that is guarding the front of the post office. He seems unnecessarily surly to me!

I went to the Veracruz Aquarium, which was pretty impressive (and air-conditioned!!). It was cute to hear little kids around me pointing out the Dorys and Nemos in the fish tanks, apparently "Finding Nemo" was a big hit in its Spanish version, as well! I did my best reading all the informational signs in Spanish, many of them had the English name for the creature in addition to the latin name. One interesting factoid: a shiny fish called doncella arcoiris in Spanish, which translates to "rainbow damsel" in English, was listed with the English name "Slippery Dick." I'm not sure if that's an actual fish name, or if some Aquarium translator got a little bored, and decided to spice things up a bit. : )

My office (and the views out my window)

Views from my little balcony...

Two Months

Today marks 2 months since I left. (I've added the super-cool counter so I don't have to do the math!!) Things are starting to roll into a bit of a routine, which is my excuse for not posting an update lately. There hasn't been much to write!

This weekend we have a 4-day weekend, they call it a "puente" (bridge). Tuesday the 16th of September is Mexican Independence Day, and we have Monday off (in exchange for working the following Saturday, which kind of stinks). But I am very happy for 4 days off, it gives me enough time to visit someplace new. But it was tricky to decide where, given how long it takes to get to most places...

After much consideration, I've decided to go to the state of Veracruz, on the Gulf Coast. I'm leaving Friday night after work, taking the van to Oaxaca city and then a midnight bus to arrive in the city of Veracruz around 6am on Saturday. I have my hotel booked for 3 nights in Veracruz (the city), and I'm planning on a day trip to Xalapa, the capital of the state of Veracruz. The main touristy things I hope to see are the Museum of Anthropology in Xalapa, and the Aquarium in Veracruz. Besides that I'm excited to be in real cities, taste some different foods, maybe get a haircut...

Monday night is the big night for commemorating Mexican Independence with a reenactment of "el Grito," the shout of "¡Viva México!" given by Miguel Hidalgo in 1810 to begin the Mexican War of Independence. I think in most towns there will be big fiestas in the centers. Tuesday (from what I hear) there are more somber parades and military/political processions, nothing too exciting. But it will be interesting to check out.

I think I'm going to come back on a late night bus from Veracruz on Tuesday night, which means arriving in Oaxaca city around 5am on Wednesday, enough time to take the van and have a coffee and get to work. So I'll be pretty tired, but it will be worth it (I think!)...

In preparation for the trip, I'm finally buying a new camera this evening (I've been stealing other people's fotos since Guatemala!!). So when I come back on Wednesday I should have lots of good pics to share!

Mitla fotos