Kids' Choice

Augustinian Church

 Fearing mutiny, we allowed the kids a day to choose activities, food, and their pace.  Sundays are slower anyway with church goers, businesses closed, and families gathering, but it seemed our morning tip toed along with even the sun too timid to show itself before 11:00.  We ate hot cakes, hot chocolate, and fresh fruit for breakfast, and had a game of cribbage before making our way out of Villa Maria's.  The kids unanimously chose to begin in the zocalo which felt lazier than usual despite a couple of demonstrations, a band concert, and the presence of other families.  We didn't stray far for lunch, eating luxuriously at a restaurant flanking the zocalo.

I don't know if I've said enough about the food in Oaxaca.  We are learning just how delicious it is meal by meal and can't seem to make a poor choice.  Today's exploration entailed enmoladas and enfrijoladas which are both like enchiladas except instead of being smothered in a chile sauce, they are dipped in a mole sauce and a bean sauce respectively.  There are also entomatadas which require a tomato sauce.  The bean of choice hear is the black bean versus the pinto.  We were surprised that bread is served with meals and not totopos or corn chips as we are so often partnered with salasa in the US.  They have a type of cheese here that is sort of like mozarella in that is white and stringy.  They wrap it up in balls to sell.  We've been using it for quesadillas which really aren't a thing here.  Although they do appear on some menus; it seems to be for tourists' benefit.  Everything has been so filling that we tend to eat a light breakfast, our main meal around 1:00, and something simple (beans, tortillas, zucchini, rice) for dinner at home around 6:00.  Although our adventures in our little kitchen have been expanding.  We've gotten quite good at making our own limonada, and Pat has mastered the zucchini saute on a stove which seems to have only one setting (high) of gas.

After stopping at an English language bookstore which was closed, we had a long afternoon of resting and playing games. The kids are picking up cards well, and Penelope is really good at manufacturing custom rules.  Pen and I returned this evening from the corner store bearing ice cream treats to find that the kids' bedroom door locked.  It's one of those push locks that locks from the inside.  We've been trying all kinds of pointy devices trying to pick it, but we are poor burglars. Our apartment caretakers are off on Sundays.  So we'll have to find them tomorrow.  Until then, the kids are sleeping in a twin sized bed in our third bedroom.  They have refused to sleep apart this whole trip even though Abe complains that Pen is a kicker.  The young ones always are.

Enfrijoladas

band concert in the zocalo/cathedral area

I love these planters!