Death Match

This post is a bit of a potpourri.  I need to leave soon to catch the bus because I am meeting a couple in an hour who agreed to teach me how to make a hammock.  When we first arrived in Oaxaca, I met them at a crafts market that was set up for the holidays.  I said I would prefer to visit their workshop than buy a hammock at the market, so they gave me their number.  When I called on Tuesday to see about visiting, I asked if they could teach me how to make hammocks.  They said they would.  It will be interesting to see if they really plan to.

First item – a picture of our family at the Zócalo (central square) last Saturday.  Helen and Max are holding big arrow-shaped balloons we bought for them to play with.  You punch the balloon into the air and either catch it or practice Spanish by apologizing to the person it hits on the way down.

Second item – we still cannot believe how much we lucked out with this house.  By far the biggest perk of living here is the family that owns it.  They live in the main part of the house, so it is more of a co-living situation.  There is the mother and father, 6-year-old José Andres, plus their maid/babysitter and her 16-year daughter who are here most days.  There are so many nice things to say about all of them.  For now, I will just post this picture of Helen and José Andres, who are becoming good friends.  They play together every afternoon.  Helen took this picture herself.

For another look at Helen’s camera work, check out this video:  Helen Likes Mexico.  Someone suggested we send it to the Mexico Tourism Board, but first Helen needs to practice holding the camera steady.

Third item – Every day we have been making lunches for Max and Helen to take to school.  Yesterday we gave Max 50 pesos (about $5) to try the school cafeteria.  I bet you are thinking, “school cafeteria, not good.”  Here are three things I learned when I picked Max up from school:  (1)  The food is homemade and delicious.  Max had a tostada with fresh vegetables and grilled meat for lunch, and then he made me eat one when I picked him up to prove how good it was.  (But he ate most of it.)  (2)  Max is generous with his lunch money.  While we were waiting for the second tostada, a couple of his friends stopped by to thank him for buying Jello for them.  (3)  It is cheaper for us to give Max money for the school cafeteria than to pack him a lunch.  Looks like he will be eating at the cafeteria from now on.

Food from the school cafeteria never tasted so good!

Fourth, and last, item – Yesterday I visited the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban.  It served as the capital to a federation of villages and cities in the Oaxaca Valley from about 500 B.C. to 850 A.D.  I went on a tour with an archeologist, Robert Markens, organized by the Oaxaca Lending Library.  The theme was interpreting Zapotec hieroglyphs that appear at the site.  To be honest, I was not very excited to go, but I felt like I should see it since we are here and it was a good opportunity to learn about the site from an archeologist.  I was blown away.  The site is absolutely spectacular.  It is difficult to capture in a picture.

Monte Alban's Central Plaza

Toward the end of the tour, we passed the court where the inhabitants and/or their prisoners of war played a deadly ball game.  The game itself is not deadly, but it becomes deadly if you lose.  Losers often were sacrificed.

Ball Court at Monte Alban

Dr. Markens explained that these ball courts appear in the center of most ancient Meso-American cities.  On the one hand, it seems unusual that ball courts played such a prominent role.  But then again, is it so unusual?  You may want to wait until after Sunday to answer that question.  (Go Packers!)  --Harrison