Other than a trip to the zocalo, market, and corner store we were homebound today--each Sunday growing lazier than the last. The kids played in the courtyard, I finished a cardboard shrine (which is also doubly posted on my Pinwheel Anna blog), we cooked dinner, and completed a puzzle. I posted some pictures of our apartment which is very basic but very clean. Our kitchen is fully equipped except everything is smaller than we are used to. We even have two comales which are flat earthenware cooking surfaces that you would put on top of a charcoal or wood fire or in this case, a gas range. On top of the comal, you cook your tortillas, memelas, tlayudas, quesadillas etc. It's one of my favorite things to pass these comales on the edge of a small comedor or restaurant. Some of these establishments have as few as two tables and are always open. There is one across the street named for its main cook Gaby. I see her daily flipping tortillas on her comal. It's hard to not eat constantly while here.
Otherwise our apartment is nicely furnished with Oaxacan made things. We have hot water 24 hours a day. Our very own hot water heater perched above the service patio. I should say we have hot water in our shower. Our sinks are another story. I've been washing dishes in cold water all summer. I suppose I could heat water in a kettle, but I'm too lazy. Either Manuel or Tio brings us 5 gallon jugs of clean water for as little as 18 pesos which is roughly $1.50. Josefina cleans our apartment and changes sheets and towels weekly leaving it impossibly fresh, but she empties trash every day except Sundays which everyone has off. We are forbidden to hand wash clothes because of the persistent water shortage, but there is a lavanderia a couple blocks away, and it costs us less than $5.00 to have our families wash done. I'm very glad the hand washing is forbidden, to be honest.
We feel fortuante to be missing the heat and humidity of Chicago since it is a nice 80 degrees most days. We have had rain-more lately, and we never seem to have our packable rain jackets with us. You'd think we would learn. This is our last week in Oaxaca. We leave Saturday for San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas.
 |
| Shrine of Guadalupe, Soledad, and Juquila |
 |
| comales on the bottom |
 |
| rompecabeza! |
No comments:
Post a Comment