Please Sir, can I have some more?

A 6 hour bus ride turned in to 9 as we caught the second class bus to Oaxaca City. The road to Oaxaca wine its way back up the mountain with a stunning view and in some places quite frightening road where by it would be a sheer drop down the canyon without any barriers on the side of the road.

We get to our hostel at 10pm and they are fully booked up for the night. Arse, so the hostel suggested another hostel around the corner. Helen and I were both to tired to look for something else so we ended up there. I will say it was possibly the worse hostel I have stayed at. It wasn’t dirty but just a room with a few bunks and a toilet in the corner that was screened off by a bad wooden box DIY job. It was so bad the door couldn’t open up all the way as it would bang in to the toilet and there was no roof on it so when anyone went to the shit it would stink the room out. Needless to say that we packed our bags early in the morning and left for the other hostel.

Oaxaca is a magnificent town surrounded by blue hazy mountains, the air is hot and dusty and the sunlight is so bright I found myself darting in to the shadows of the buildings to escape. Its a rather large town, more like a small city with lots going on everywhere you look. Plenty of restaurants bars and galleries to keep one amused for weeks. It is also home to some of the best food in Mexico. Delights to try are Chile Grasshoppers, Oaxaca Chocolate and Mole Sauce (Chocolate and chile). Helen and I thought we would have ago at making a little video of out fine dining experience. Enjoy!

The next day we decided to go and have a look around the outside of the city. We headed over to Santa Maria del Tule to see one of the worlds oldest and largest trees. The tree dates back to over 2000 and the circumference is approximately 160 feet and it dwarfs the little church that is built next to it. A perfect comedy cock moment don’t you think?

After a bit of shopping, eating and drinking it was time to head on to my final destination of Mexico. The return to Mexico City, Another hellish 9 hour bus journey. it was 31 degrees outside and the windows didn’t open and the air conditioning didn’t work. It was so uncomfortable I couldn’t wait to get off the bus and enjoy the smoggy, dirty capital. The only thing that saved me from going completely mad was the was the view out of the window was forever changing. Canyons, mountains, huge volcanoes and the giant cartoon looking cactus line the side of the road. Mother Earth certainly shaped this part of Mexico over the years. The next time i come t Mexico, oh…. I will be back! One of the towns the bus stopped in was Puebla, it looked like a decent town for a launching pad to explore this region.

Making it to Mexico City we ended up back at Hostel Amigos where I stayed the last time, i knew the drill and I knew how much fun this place can get with all the partying that goes on. I warned Helen about the 80s throw back Chippendale that works behind the bar who took an instant shine to Helen using his smooth charms on her…. I don’t think she was very impressed. I know that he tries it on with every pretty girl that walks through the hostels door as the last time i was there he was on the lovely Nova’s case. The night ended in one massive party in the hostel with the 80s throwback pouring large amounts of Tequila in to our mouths whiles dancing around to Rage Against the Machine (I’m now having flashbacks of Christmas time).
The next day Helen and I were both feeling a little rough so we thought we would take it easy and head to the modern art museum. Again, another wonderful gallery of the world, this time loaded with the Mexican modern art movement which I’m not very familiar with. Still worth a visit if you ever are in Mexico City. Helen and I bought new Lucha Libre masks for presents for people back home and before we went out for my final dinner in Mexico we thought we would model them for everyone at the hostel. Thanks Helen for making my last two weeks in Mexico a memorable journey. I hope to see you again, stay safe.

That’s it people, my time in the unforgettable Mexico has come to a close. As from tomorrow I shall be flying back to New York for a spot of shopping and to drinking large amounts of Java Chip Frappuccino from Star Bucks before heading home. Mexico wasn’t even going to be a stop on my original itinerary but I’m glad that it was. I never thought of Mexico as a backpackers destination as all you here about is the resort of Cancun and how dangerous and drug fueled the country is. In reality, Mexico is so vast and interesting with such diverse culture with a landscape that is forever changing. An eye opener it was for me that a country so close to the worlds number one super power is still wrapped up in its ancient beliefs and practices. Mexicans are warm, friendly and know how to cook a decent meal. Will I come back to Mexico? Well does the Pope look like the Emperor from Star Wars? I think you know the answer to that.

The List for Mexico.
1. Copper Canyon – The last of the great rain rides of Mexico.
2. Beaches – From the picture postcard Caribbean to the wild unspoiled Pacific coast. Surely these must be some of the best beaches on our planet.
3. Food – No El Paso fajitas and crispy shell tacos. This is the real deal. My word it was my favourite place on this trip to eat.
4. Northern Mexico – Cowboys, cactuses and unspoiled. Its how I imagined Mexico to look like.
5. Lucha Libre – Any sport involving Midgets being thrown around and beaten up massive wrestlers is a sport worthy of watching.

One Response to “Please Sir, can I have some more?”

1. nova says:

   June 18, 2008 at 8:21 pm

   ahahaha i love reading this blog, it reminds me of some great and … quite odd times i had in mexico.
   a man in oaxaca tried as hard as he could to convince me to eat those grasshoppers, he even bought me a whole bag. i politely declined and told him i was vegetarian, to which he replied “yes, but grasshoppers are vegetables”

   and that bartender in hostal amigo … if i never hear rage against the machine while chugging tequila straight from the bottle with mr.chippendale thrusting his crotch in my face again, it will be too soon