Atzompa--Pottery Town

 Yet another obsession realized today at Atzompa, a town lying near Monte Alban, and full of archaeological sites yet to be excavated.  The Monte Alban complex extended to what is now Atzompa, a small town on the edge of Oaxaca city.  The town's edge has begun to sprawl and blend into the city's outer limits, but we did not explore the town nor the ruins.  We did hunt for ceramics at the Mercado de Artesanias. Atzompa specializes in a green copper oxide glaze which is food safe, but they have expanded their makings recently to include other colored glazes and some unglazed pieces, too.  There are rows and rows of beautiful treasures.  Each artist has his/her own shelf with name and contact information if you care to reach out for more pieces.

We made our selections (very difficult to decide) before eating a delicious lunch at the neighboring Patio Restaurant.  We celebrated Penelope's feeling better and her first adventure out of the apartment since being sick.

Before taking the colectivo taxi to Atzompa, we wandered through the ever impressive and intriguing Abastos market, which really does sell just about everything.  The kids were allowed to pick out one toy each, and they sorted and sifted through boxes of various brightly colored plastic shapes that had been poured into molds of army figures, dolls, tea sets etc.  They're happy to have some new entertainment considering the recent demise of tablet.
 
We caught a bus back to Oaxaca, and I just soaked up our whizzing roller coaster ride.  One driver hangs out the door calling to passersby seeing if they are going in our direction.  Meanwhile the other is driving 240 weaving in and around cars.  Loud music thumps out of a cylindrical speaker which pumps and vibrates.  Coordinated with the base, blue lights flash rhythmically, blue fringe sways, and Juquila dangles from the rearview mirror.  A stuffed minion and a baby's sandal are extra ornamental charms. It's at moments like these with a sleeping child in my lap and the Oaxacan city blurring past in all of its glorious colors and textures, that I realize wow, I'm in Mexico.

Famous green oxidized pottery