Mitla Valley

We intended to get up early this morning and make our way to Monte Alban before the sun got too hot and the crowds got too thick.  We (I) slept in a little and we lingered over breakfast with our tablemates and didn't leave the house until almost 9:30.  Seemed like there was some fishing going on at breakfast for car sharing, thank goodness I didn't bite, because 5 minutes en route to the hot and dusty pyramids, we flipped a U-turn and drove to the Mitla Valley to spend the day instead.  It's the part of Oaxaca known for it's textiles, and on our way back I commented to Ev what a wonderful day it had been and he said, "of course it was, we got loot."

I have a picture of myself standing in front of this giant Tule tree as a kid-back in the day you could stand on it's roots.  The clever little kid was using a mirror to reflect light, pointing out tree parts resembling squirrel tails, cobra heads and the like.

We took a detour off the main road to check out a little town with a little church with a little interesting history.  Met this delightful guy who studies in Mexico DF and is repainting the inside of the church.  The tints are are natural pigments made from the very same things that are used to dye the rugs.  Each of the angel faces on the ceiling of this church are different.  Click on the pics to enjoy them in their full glory.

Thank you, Roman Catholics, for the ostentatious and slightly scary displays of goodness.

So, we wended our way into Teotitlan, a little village known for it's wool arts.  As we drove through the town, Ev kept saying, "wow, this sure is a quiet place."  It turns out, the entire village was on the church grounds celebrating something having to do with a bloody Jesus and free horchata for all in plastic cups that were reused over and over again.  The wool museum that I was wanting to see was closed, but we were befriended by a lady who took us to her home to show us in real life how the wool is cleaned, carded, spun, dyed and woven into the most vibrant rugs you've ever seen.  It was a remarkable experience and we thanked her by overpaying for two of her rugs.  Didn't figure it out until halfway through nap time this afternoon.  A little slow on the uptake, we are.

It's Friday night and I hear fireworks going off on the zocalo, discussing now what our appetizer will be.  Missed a mole opportunity today in favor of a regrettable chile relleno on our field trip today.  Have to make up for it tonight.

Beach tomorrow!