Home » Mexico » Oaxaca, Mexico, September 1995

The thing I like best about Oaxaca is the zocalo, the central plaza. It's a perfect place to sit, drink a cerveza and watch the people.

Oaxaca, Mexico, September 1995

Dougburnett
2003-11-22 11:32:41

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- he just looked at me, smiled and handed back the extra money) and in all cases they didn't cheat me. Most of my experience with Mexicans was from the five years I lived in California, where they are often recent immigrants and usually the underclass. In Mexico I found them to be proud and gracious host who were sincerely interested in what I thought of their country. And I told them honestly how much I liked it.

Back at the north bus station I jumped on the metro again. I wanted to see the murals on a library located at the university campus south of the city. The problem was I didn't know where the library was located - only that it was near the last metro stop. As I have already said, my Spanish is almost nonexistent but I did know the word for library. So when I arrived I started asking, "Biblioteca?" Everyone just pointed - and all in the same direction. "Well," I thought, "that was sure easy." But wait. When I got there, it was a library sure enough, but not the one I wanted. It's a big campus. And how big, I was about to find out - as I walked and asked, and walked and asked. Finally I found someone who spoke a little English, enough to tell me I was on the wrong side of the campus. So I did what any smart traveler does - I flagged down a taxi. I got in, said the magic word, "Biblioteca", and was there within five minutes - for only N$10.

The library itself was a little worn but the campus was interesting to see. The center is a huge open area with men playing soccer and groups of students chatting. And to my surprise there were a number of other muraled buildings to see. Getting back to the metro was a snap because there are only two stops in the area. "Metro?" I asked, and then just walked in the direction they pointed. By the way, if you are heading to the library get off at the next to last stop. It's closer.

Thursday morning, the day of my return to Detroit, I went for one last look around. As I was walking I noticed people running out of the office buildings and pointing back at them. I stopped to watch and noticed that the window curtains were swaying wildly. I also noticed that my legs were shaking - kind of like when you exercise too much. But it wasn't my legs, it was the ground that was shaking. We were having an earthquake! All the traffic stopped and everything was quiet until the shaking stopped. It turned out to be a five something quake centered in the area I had just left. Not much damage was done - just enough movement to remind me how temporary are the things we build. Later I got a taxi from my hotel back to the airport (N$30). The flight back home was uneventful although it was delayed because of downed phone line - earthquake damage.

A final note: I was surprised how few Mexicans speak English. It's a good idea to take a dictionary along.

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