Near the end of the second week already. Shit. Time flies. This week has been just as eventful as the last, and the more I think about it the more I realise I´m settling into the way of life of this place. Oaxaca's self-proclaimed motto stands true - it really is the place of enternal spring.
As I've been saying to Harry - I keep having these moments where I just have to stop, laugh and try and take in how insanely great this experience and this place has been and is continuing to be.
Two nights ago by a twist of fate our favourite little eatery was closed. We tramped for maybe - I dunno - twenty more metres and discovered one even better. Run by our new mate Octavio - an eccentric Mexican dude- it's as legit Mexican as you could hope for. Last night I had one of those moments descibed above.
Haz and I sitting on a wooden bench in the street; Octavio cooking his especial de la casa; some abuelo playing guitar and serenading the restaurant. I kicked my head back and laughed because at that moment I couldn't believe how fucking good everything was, if only for that moment. At the time I wanted my camera but in hindsight it wouldn't have done the experience justice - nor does it ever seem to. I guess a photo is an attempt to reinvigorate or initiate memories from times that were so damn good (or bad I guess). It wasn't the best moment of my trip by any means, but it was one of those moments of realisation.
Anyway, that was one of those moments where all you can do is laugh - and they are becoming all the more frequent.
Things I want to remember from this week:
- Last night, as I went to leave the house for some beers with everyone Andrea spots me. Puppy-dog-eyes-and-all: "Come over here. You have to watch the rest of this telenovela (soapie) with me or else." Who can argue with that?
- Our favourite bar (partly because it's across the road from my house) has, in the last week, been covered in slang in Russian, Korean, American English, Spanish and Polish. I´m yet to decide what to write in Aussie slang without it seeming to vulgar. Suggestions welcome.
- Once again, conversation hour was hilarious this week. I want to record the conversations, translate them to English and then give everyone a copy. It would seem so stupid. Today's was about love - and there were some pretty weird takes on it from some people I must admit.
- Joel is the man! (our maestro). Ali ran into him in the Zocalo and said he has an amazing looking girlfriend. No surprises there Mr. Mysterious.
- I mixed up the word casado (married) and the word cansando (tired). Made for some interesting interpretations and responses.
- Markets always seem better overseas than at home. Most of the time that's probably due to the fact that they are.
- Fuck vosotros
- A bar the other night had beers for 13 pesos. That's like 90 cents. What the?
- Yesterday (I'm pretty sure) was the first meal in my time in Mexico that didn't have meat. I don't think salads actually exist.
- Quesillo is better than queso.
- Good tequila does not, in fact, make you gag.
- There are a surprising amount of flavours of Mezcal. I counted (drank) 20 different types - which leads me to my next point:
- Apparently eating chocolate and sampling 20 flavours of Mezcal consitutes "cooking class"
- Don't get cocky about how improved your Spanish is - all you have to do is sit down at the family table for lunch and after 20 mins you still aren't sure what they are talking about. I thought the Spanish were the fast talkers?
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