It's rainy season again here in Oaxaca. Unlike last year we are seeing consistent rainfall. All of the farmers that depend solely on rain for their crops are content. In some fields corn has already reached four feet in height.

Numerous crops are grown here but corn and beans remain the staples. Several acquaintances here don't understand how Beth and I get by without growing corn and beans. The answer is that we don't eat a lot of tortillas and beans are inexpensive to buy. The black bean rules here in Oaxaca. Growing up eating pintos we prefer them. There is a bayo bean that is very similar to the pinto but holds together better when cooked. We eat bayos more often now than pintos.

We did plant a crop of peanuts and watermelons. The peanuts are growing very slowly but the watermelons are doing extremely well. We're hoping it stays warm long enough to allow the watermelons to grow and become sweet.

People walk around here hawking newspapers. Often the paper is unfolded so potential buyers can see the whole front page. The photos can be very explicit. Decapitations and car wreck victims are common. I'm reminded of the newspaper business in the 20s when headlines were shouted out by sellers.

While on the subject of selling. It's almost impossible to go to Oaxaca and not be approached by someone wanting to wash your windshield usually at a stoplight. I pay between 40 and 80 cents. Not sure what locals pay but if it's close to what I pay these guys do alright. I love watching them clean. They do a great job and very quickly. Some men work in pairs each taking a side then splitting the money. There are still people who put combustible liquids in their mouth then spray it on a lighted torch. I imagine all sorts of liquids are used and who knows what these fellows are doing to their insides. Jugglers sometimes dressed as clowns juggle at red lights then quickly go from window to window for tips.

So many scenes here reflect life from a hundred to two hundred years ago: men plowing their fields with bulls, old adobe structures, women carrying their cargo on the top of their heads, and countless other images. A profound contrast to this old world is the cell phone industry. Everybody seems have one. There are stores everywhere that sell phones and saldo. I can also purchase saldo now over the internet. Not sure if I related the story of being in Mitla and walking past a woman talking on her cell phone. As I passed her I noticed that she was speaking Zapotec. It struck me as odd. She was speaking in a language from the past on the latest technology. The contrast between past and present is also obvious when I see women from one of the outlying pueblos dressed in traditional clothing talking on a cell.

A friend of ours from Union Zapata passed into the US a couple of months ago with his wife and kids. It's his second trip. He crossed over several years ago and made America his home for over ten years. In the states he married, had two children, bought a nice truck, and saved enough money to build a home and small store here in Oaxaca. Things didn't go well when he returned to Mexico. I think our friend wasn't ready to fit back into life here in Mexico. It was very difficult to make the adjustments needed to survive here. The decision to return to America was a tough one. His parents are getting older and there is the distinct possibility they won't be around when he returns to Mexico. He called me from the States yesterday. I could tell from his voice that he was relaxed and happy. The family crossed the border with a few clothes and nothing more. He was proud telling me that he'd gotten his old job back. His boss had allowed him to live in a house until rent could be paid. He told me quite enthusiastically how they were beginning to acquire a few things for their home. They'd recently just bought a car. His wife has found work in the evening and their son (from a previous marriage) also has found work. The family is living the American dream. He is a very hard worker. Their goal is to work a few years in the States then return to their country and take another stab at making it here. I think of them as a poster family for immigration. They started with nothing but understand that with work and determination their dreams will come true. I saw this photo posted on Facebook and thought of our friend when I saw it. Basically it says, what is important is the will to overcome. I can't help but wonder why this philosophy is lost on so many Americans. 

A new Walmart Superstore is being built on the east side of Oaxaca. This is great news for us as we won't actually have to enter Oaxaca to shop. Beth and I read and hear about how terrible Walmart is. They don't pay enough, they treat their employees badly and so on. We've always liked Walmart. They offer goods at a low price and provide work for unskilled people. I doubt you'd hear people complaining about Walmart here. Workers are thankful to be employed and prices are very competitive.

Beth and I tried to go to Sam's Club the other day but couldn't enter the store. The teachers were protesting and had blocked off the entrance. The store finally closed its doors probably to avoid any conflict. As I've said before I think the teachers are very selfish. It's summer now but we've heard that many villages are going to refuse teachers who miss school to participate in protests. In the past teachers would miss weeks protesting. Schools were closed and teachers still received their pay. The sacrifices parents make here to send their children to school is much different than in the US especially at the high school level. Books must be purchased, no free lunches, parents pay for transportation, and parents buy school uniforms. Many schools don't have a custodial staff. Parents clean the schools in the evenings. When a child graduates from high school here it is truly something to be celebrated. I had the opportunity to talk to a husband and wife who are both teachers. They told me that causing disruptions is the only way they know to get the attention of the Government. While I was sympathetic to their complaints I am still wary of their methods.

I've mentioned Cuajimoloya before. It's a little village about an hour and a half off the freeway towards Veracruz. We have a history there. Back in '94 we attempted to buy property. The seller was willing but the town was not. We drove up there again the other day.

Many of the valleys here are gorgeous.

We took Brownie who showed up at our house one day and decided to stay (we feed him well).

The entrance to Cuajimoloya. It must me about nine thousand feet elevation.

I wouldn't expect this hotel to cost more than twenty dollars a night.

The villages in the mountains are very different than the villages in the lowlands. The most obvious difference is the use of lumber which is very rare in the lowlands. I've always felt like life in the mountains is a slower paced life whether Zapotec or Mixe. Cuajimoloya is part of an Eco-tourism program here in Oaxaca. The influx of tourists has certainly seemed to help economically and I suspect tourism is responsible for a more progressive attitude.

I don't believe I've ever been to a town that didn't have a Catholic church. The surrounding area where we live is not religiously diverse. Almost everyone is Catholic. I can think of a few towns that have churches of other denominations but they are rare. There are Evangelical Churches, Seventh-Day Adventists, and Christian Churches. The Mormons have a new church in Tlacolula and we've seen several Mormon Churches in Oaxaca de Juarez which even has a Mormon Temple.

Cuajimoloya has some of the friendliest people we've ever encountered. It's changed a lot since '94. It's much more progressive now.

Those are pretty big Maguey plants.

This old cabin reminded me of the mountain men in the early west.

Picturesque scenery is everywhere.

There are cabin rentals with power and water.

There are lots of wild flowers now during the rainy season. It's great to see the ground covered with pine needles.

We ate at this restaurant. Don't know how they survive. It's in the middle of nowhere. There are a few log structures in Cuajimoloya. We love them.

On the way out of Cuajimoloya, we ran into these ladies waiting for a taxi. It could have been a long wait! We took them into Tlacolula. Turns out they were from Ireland. We got to chat for a while. They'd been hiking for a week in the mountains. Many Europeans are not real friendly to Americans. These women were an exception.

Beth showing off a quilt, a crocheted blanket and baby beanie that she just made for Chris and Danielle's soon to be daughter Alysandra.

Beto took us to a river by La Reforma which is on the way to Tehuantepec. We played in the water and Beto's uncle fished.

The River reminded me of Baker River in Washington.

Beth didn't stay dry for long.

We had grilled tasajo, tortillas, and black beans. Beth also made cookies for everyone. Naturally we tried and eventually purchased some of Beto's uncle's mezcal. Very strong, about 60%.

Thought this rock looked like wood.

Mickey and Yadira just spent two weeks with us. We had a great visit. They both like Oaxaca and I suppose they'll live here one day. Mickey bought a used motorcycle while he was here. It's out in the patio. Not sure if I'll ever have the nerve to use it. In 1994 motorcycles were rare. They're pretty common now especially in Oaxaca. Italika is the most popular. I believe there are Chinese and Mexican models.

Because it's so dry here rust on vehicles is rare. There are still cars from the sixties and seventies.  Nissan is by far the most popular name for trucks and cars. The majority of taxis are Nissan. Ford was popular back in ninety-four and you still see them frequently especially the big trucks. I don't know anyone who prefers an automatic to a standard. Many men have brought trucks with them back from the states. I'm always amazed to get in a truck and see that it's a standard. I wasn't even aware that standards were made for some models.