The Famous Hanging Shoes in Costa Rica

Next time you are traveling in Latin America, or practically any country nowadays for that matter, as you pass through some of the small towns or find yourself in the inner cities, take a good look up.  Chances are you will see a pair or pairs of the famous “hanging shoes” drapped over the power lines high above you.

What do they mean?  How do they get up there?  Good questions that curious people have been asking for many years.  Let’s explore some of the history and folklore behind the obiquitous “hanging shoes” and we’ll let you draw your own conclusions in the end.

Shoe tossing or “shoefiti” as it has come to be known in many International circles, is the worldwide phenomenon of throwing shoes whose laces have been tied together so that they hang from overhead power lines or telephone cables.

In some neighborhoods, shoes tied together and hanging from these power lines signify that someone has passed on and the shoes belong to the dead person.  Legend has it that the reason they are hanging is so that when the dead person’s spirit returns, it will walk high above the ground, meaning they will be that much closer to heaven.  Another superstition holds that the tossing of shoes over the power lines outside of a person’s house is a way to keep the home safe from ghosts. Some countries also believe that it signals someone is leaving the neighborhood and moving on to better opportunities.

There are a number of more sinister explanations for this shoe tossing practice. Some claim that shoes hanging from the wires advertise a locale where drugs are sold, while others claim that the shoes mark gang turf. These explanations may have developed over the years as inner city crime increased, but fail to explain why the practice occurs more often along relatively remote stretches of rural highways or throughout most Third World countries that are for the most part unlikely scenes for gang murders and drug dens.

Other random shoe tossing explanations include shoes that are flung to commemorate the end of a school year, or an upcoming marriage, or some claim it even signifies the loss of one’s virginity.  It has also been suggested that the shoe tossing custom may have originated with members of the military who are said to have thrown military boots over wires as a rite of passage upon completing basic training or upon leaving the service.

Perhaps the most likely reason for the practice of shoe tossing, at least in most rural areas, is simply the act of bullying, or as a practical joke played on your “amigos”.  Lastly, others simply say that shoe tossing is a fun way to get rid of shoes that are no longer wanted and pose great challenge and fun while attempting to get them in place on the high wires.

Naturally, only each individual “shoe-tosser” knows why his/her pair of shoes are hanging from the wires, but the practice has become a common one throughout Costa Rica and now just serves as another display of modern art or to many a form of environmental pollution, all depending on your own perspective or sense of humor!

Author:  Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years.  Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.  Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the  Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Endangered Squirrel Monkey in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Literally everyday I have the pleasure of being visited by one of the cutest little jungle creatures you will ever encounter……the friendly Titi or Squirrel Monkeys of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.  The particular species that swings through our trees, climbs on our roofs, and even occasionally gets in our houses are found ONLY in the Manuel Antonio area.  Our blessing, is this little monkeys curse though, as with continued development in the surrounding areas of Manuel Antonio & Quepos, these beautiful little animals have slowly been completely cutoff from their natural wildlife corredor, meaning the Titis of Manuel Antonio no longer have anywhere else to go!  This not only limits their ability to naturally flourish, but results in an elevated level of inbreeding, more sickness, and a weakening of the species over time, putting in danger this species´ long term existence. 

Easily recognized by their soft light brown body furr, adorable little white with black facial bigotes, long brown with bushy black tipped tails, and friendly incesant chatter, their tiny size and endearing faces draw oohs and ahhs from all that encounter them, making them clearly one of the main attractions in and around Manuel Antonio National Park, located on the Central Pacific Coast of tropical Costa Rica. 

In search of a way to minimize the negative impact that this situation has caused, several local community organizations have emerged to help in the protection of this special little monkey.  One of the most prominent in our area is www.kidssavingtherainforest.org.  Some of their many objectives, has been the creation of ¨monkey bridges¨ throughout the area.  These thick ropes are strategically placed where the monkeys naturally arrive to cross roads, highways or locations that have a large amount of electrical, phone, or other types of cables, or where the vegetation is not sufficient for monkeys to safely traverse.  This helps the monkeys avoid electrocution, or from the creatures having to come down from the trees to continue their journey, a move that would make them terribly susceptible to predators, as well as other modern environmental hazards.  This organization has also published an excellent list of 10 reasons why you should NOT feed the monkeys, which most hotels, restaurants and other businesses post in their establishments to help educate the community and the visiting tourists about the negative impact feeding the monkeys has.

Another excellent organization developed specifically for the protection of the Titi Monkey is www.titiconservationalliance.org.   Their mission is to work to protect Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region through Sustainable Development, Habitat Reforestation, and Environmental Education.  Started by local business owners and environmental and animal enthusiasts, this important group tirelessly fights for the protection of the Titi Monkeys and their habitat.

For those of you coming to Costa Rica, or if you have been trying to decide where to go on your next vacation, consider the Manuel Antonio area of this beautiful country, where not only will you have the opportunity to see these endangered little Squirrel Monkeys, but where many businesses will donate a portion of what you spend in our area directly for the Squirrel Monkey´s protection, so future generations will be able to enjoy the ¨Mono Titi¨ too! 

Author:  Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years.  Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.  Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the  Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

The delicious and filling "Casado" in Costa Rica.

If you are looking for one of the best and tasty deals to be found in Costa Rica, think about getting ¨married¨.  Wait, wait, wait, no need to run screaming, ¨married¨ is the English translation for the most popular dish in all of Costa Rica…..the ¨Casado¨, where rice and beans are ¨married¨, and served with other common local ingredients.

To be perfectly honest, Costa Rican cuisine is not a show stopper, in fact it can be downright plain for those that prefer to challenge their palate, but that doesn’t mean it is not good or that you will not enjoy eating like the locals do. In Costa Rica, rice and beans are the standard ¨Tico¨ fare, and they are generally consumed in some form or another in all three daily meals, and it is a great a nutritious option. 

Starting with the ubiquitous ¨Gallo Pinto¨ (painted rooster) served for breakfast, this delicious and filling mix of rice and beans, chopped cilantro, sweet chili, and onion is served almost every morning with sour cream and/or the famous ¨Lizano Salsa¨, along side eggs, tortillas, and perhaps a slice of cheese, and followed later in the day by the ¨Casado¨.

Served at almost any ¨Soda¨ be it the Pacific Coast, the Caribbean Coast or everywhere in between, the ¨Casado¨ is always your best bet while visiting Costa Rica.  Most commonly this popular ¨typical¨ dish consists of a chopped cabbage and tomato salad, fried sweet plantains, picadillo (a mix of chopped potatoes, carrots, green beans in a light tomato sauce), a choice of chicken, fish, or meat, often times a hard-boiled egg and/or a slice of fresh salty, slightly smelly white cheese, and of course…..don’t forget the rice and beans! 

For anyone thinking this does not sound particularly appetizing, you will be pleasantly surprised, as the ¨Casado¨ is not only delicious, but it is a plate load of food worthy of two appetites.  There are economic reasons for the creation of this ¨tipico¨ dish.  Though richer than some of its neighbors, Costa Rica is nonetheless still considered a poor country, and its native residents never had the money to develop a sophisticated cuisine or palate as their culinary tradition evolved over the decades.  Thus this cheap and nutritious marriage of rice and beans caught on as the typical ¨workman´s lunch¨.

For those of you who are worried about the safety of food in Costa Rica or their ¨Sodas¨, you needn’t be overly concerned. Costa Rica doesn’t have the risks that many other Central American countries are known for, but there are a couple of things that you should keep in mind while visiting.  Pesticide control is not as strict as the USA, so wash fruit and vegetables before eating them and if you’re eating something that’s peeled, it’s best if it was you that peeled it.  Also, when deciding to eat out, the fancier restaurants are not always the cleanest, so in fact, eating where the locals eat is often the safest way to go. 

So the next time you find yourself driving the back roads of Costa Rica (they all feel like back roads in Costa Rica), we highly recommend you try the ¨Casado¨ to not only fill your hungry belly, but to avoid putting a dent in your wallet, leaving more money to take home that famous Costa Rican coffee! 

The other ¨married¨ you were thinking of?…….Well we’ll just leave that decision up to you!

Author:  Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years.  Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.  Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the  Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

I have mentioned the pre- and post-colleague term before.  I thought I would elaborate a little regarding my colleagues and the kind work environment we have formed over the past couple of weeks.

At the end of September one of our branches was closed and we at the Hatfield office gain two consultants.  They form a part of what I call the post-October colleagues:

—————————————————

 POST-OCTOBER

—————————————————

  Meerkat  Apart from the obvious love for meerkatte (she has a couple at home and has recently started breeding with them).  She is also a busy as a meerkat.  In and out of the office, all the time.  Thankfully she isn’t quite as talkative as the rest of us, however this does make it kind of difficult to get to know her. 

What I do know however is that she is easily inspired and like me, her cooking ventures don’t always turn out as they are suppose to. 

—————————————————

Parrot  She talks a lot.  She’s exceptionally curious and asks whatever is on her mind, followed by “if you don’t mind me asking”.  Yet she is so sweet that you don’t mind telling her anything.

She is crazy about cooking and has promised us a chocolate cake (which is yet to be seen)

—————————————————

 PRE-OCTOBER

—————————————————

Chameleon:  A fan of Chris Chameleon.  She doesn’t want kids, accept if they come with fluff – like a cat or a dog of a llama.  Secretly she is love with her dance instructor, yet she thinks she is too dysfunctional to be loved.  She is weird and it is okay for me to write that – because she knows I think she is weird.

—————————————————

Grizzly Bear:  The man-colleague, the only man apart from the big boss.  Calm, gentle yet ready to attack for his female colleagues.  Unlike the bear – he doesn’t sleep at all at the moment as he is working around the clock to complete his degree.  Fantastic to have in the office with a great sense of humour.

—————————————————

 Edit to add:

So my Mango has taken the initiative to add me to the list of animal, this is what she had to say:

The Humming Bird: Needs to stay active in order to stay awake, once they stop what they are doing and they fall asleep. Once they are asleep no amount of coffee and regardless of how many times they will push the snooze button they will EVER wake them up. That is until something grabs their attention, like all their coffee being used by a 4 year old to make up a concoction in the kitchen.

They also fall under the category of ‘ Beauuutttiiifffuulll’

Logan never only says little bit, it’s always a little bit-a.  Which is precisely what I have been the past couple of days – a little bit-a busy!

Just like the days of the weeks says WTF, I had a bit of a WTF couple of days:

Yesterday (being the W) was a nightmare of note.  I was faced with two passengers traveling together for half their routing, while stopping in 13-16 cities.  Fun and games in general, accept yesterday I was still quoting and changing flights while it was their departure date as well.  To make a complicated story short and two the point – You work on a booking.  You double-check that what you are doing is right.  You ask them for the fare, the taxes, the fare calculation, the rules and the way they want them to be inserted in the booking.  You have it all in writing.  Then you try to issue.  The system doesn’t allow you, so you phone the airline. ONLY TO HEAR that you need to redo all of that!  All of this happened an hour before the client needed to check in for his flight.

Today (being the T) was better, much better, however all the work that was left on the backseat the day before was done today. 

Tomorrow (being the F) is Friday, finally.  

May it come and go swiftly.

A persimmon ripens in the World Heritage town of Gjirokaster, Albania.

When Leigh and I visited Albania in October, the two must-see stops on our list were Butrint and Gjirokaster, both designated as World Heritage sites by UNESCO.

Butrint is famed for well-preserved ruins from the Hellenistic, Roman and Venetian eras, but archaeologists have found signs of habitation going back far into the Stone Age. The layer-cake ruins stand on a wooded island in the middle of a lagoon. Rich meadowlands and marshes have provided a reliable food source for eons, and the city stands on the strategic straits of Corfu, guarding passage into the eastern Adriatic.

Extensive floor mosaics are left covered with sand to protect them from the elements, but visitors are welcome to brush the grains away to take a close look at the intricate stonework. The skeletons of Roman villas, baptistries and a grand basilica are easy to discern, even for non-experts.

Gjirokaster, in the Drinos River valley, is dominated by a castle towering over a well-preserved warren of Ottoman-style houses, many of them built in the 17th Century. Standing on the ramparts during a gloomy sunset, we found it easy to picture Ottoman ruler Ali Pasha surveying his domain in the stunning mountains of southern Albania.

Near the entrance to the Butrint World Heritage site, cars and buses load on to a ferry to proceed south along the coast.

The entrance to the World Heritage site of Butrint, Albania.

PHOTO BY LEIGH WADDEN. The start of the rainy season in southern Albania greened up the grass and helped nurture a bright carpet of wildflowers amidst the ruins of the Butrint World Heritage site.

Great stone walls, arches and wildflowers harmonize on the grounds of the Butrint World Heritage site in southern Albania. This gateway on the souteast side of Butrint was one of the main entrances into the city between the 3d century BC and the 14th century AD.

Leigh brushes away some sand in a corner of the 6th century basilica at Butrint to take a closer look at the floor mosaics. Extensive mosaics remain in some of the Butrint ruins, but they're left covered with sand to protect them from the elements.. Butrint was the bishop's seat for many centuries, and the great basilica was the physical manifestation of his authority in the area.

PHOTO BY LEIGH WADDEN. A close-up view of floor mosaics at the basilica in Butrint, Albania shows the characteristic patterns of the Nicopolis mosaicists. The floor was probably crafted by the same artisans who built the famed circular mosaic at the nearby baptistery.

A turtle rests on a sunny step near the great amphitheatre in Butrint.

The mosque in Gjirokaster outlined against the backdrop of steep mountains and a clearing storm.

Lights twinkle on in the World Heritage city of Gjirokaster, Albania as an evening thunderstorm clears out of the Drinos River valley.

The rooftops of Gjirokaster, a World Heritage town in the mountains of southern Albania.

Napoleon, the bartender at a pub deep in the bowels of the Gjirokaster castle, showed us how to warm up with raki. to make the Albanian-style hot toddy, he browned some sugar over a campstore, added water, then the raki, and served it to us in tiny mugs.

A brigher view of Gjirokaster, taken from the city's hilltop fortress.

It wasn't easy to find an open restaurant during the off-season in Gjirokaster, Albania, but when we did, Oh boy! With many menu items costing between $1 and $2, we enjoyed a kind of Albanian cheeseburger, made of spicy mince meat patties, layered on a bed of green pepper and whole wheat bread and topped with a hard goat cheese similar to feta. With a side of grilled sweet green peppers and washed down with a tasty Albanian Pilsner beer, it was a feast to remember.

An early season view from the summit of Keystone ski area, with man-made snow in the foreground. As a seasonal sport dependent on timely and abundant snowfall, skiing could take a big hit from global warming.

More powder is what every skier wants, but a changing climate poses a big risk to Colorado’s status as a winter sports Mecca.

That’s the message a group of activists want to send to the U.S. Senate when they rally Wednesday at the Blue River Plaza in downtown Breckenridge, Colorado.

County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier, Breckenridge resort environmental manager Dave November, and others will gather to call on the Senate to pass critically important global warming legislation.

The ski industry has sometimes been accused of greenwashing itself, but as a whole has been a leader in lobbying for laws to cut greenhouse gas emissions. With their Keep Winter Cool campaign, resorts have also focused on educating their customers about how they can take steps to reduce emissions by using public transit or carpooling to the mountains, for example.

Speakers will highlight the potential impacts to Colorado’s mountain communities and industries from failing to address global warming.

At the event, Environment Colorado will also release a new report showing that Colorado’s global warming pollution has risen faster than nearly any other state. The new report analyzes federal government data on trends in carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption.

“We just need to switch to cleaner energy,” Environment Colorado’s Dana Hoffman. She said the rise in Colorado emissions can be traced to continued electrification and the use of coal in the state, all tied to population growth.

I am prompted to write this blog post after receiving a comment from a recent Oaxaca traveler who asked his hotel to hire a taxi driver to take him to Teotitlan del Valle and other villages for an authentic shopping experience.  This person, on a previous trip to Oaxaca, had taken a company tour and said he was frustrated because the tour operators had a set schedule with brief, predetermined stops.  He suspected that the tour operator received a commission on rug prices that were inflated, and he was right.

What the traveler wasn’t aware of is that the hotel who pre-arranged the taxi driver during his recent Day of the Dead return visit to Oaxaca will likely have taken a share of the commission on any sales made during the day-long excursion, in addition to the fee charged for the taxi services.   This is standard practice in Oaxaca.  My best recommendation is to know where you want to go in advance and go out on the street, hail a taxi and negotiate the price.  Typical hourly rates are 120 pesos and you can engage a driver for the entire day.  When you go into your artisan’s workshop, ask the driver to stay in the taxi and wait for you.  Don’t pay until the day is over.

I hesitated to publish the traveler’s comments, afraid that this would constitute an endorsement by me of this hidden practice that few tourists are aware of, and does not support my commitment to Fair Trade.  Fair Trade means that the “middle man” is bypassed, kick-backs are nil, and that all tourist dollars land directly in the hands of the artisan who created the art.

Admittedly, even great artisans will participate in this commission scheme.  When the tour buses pull into the famous artisan’s restaurant and gallery, the driver and tour organizer will likely receive a commission.  So will the taxi drivers who bring prospective clients to the famed carver’s house/gallery in San Martin Tilcajete.  So will the taxi drivers who deliver customers to the big houses on Benito Juarez Ave. leading into Teotitlan del Valle to buy rugs.  Watch out of the corner of your eye when the driver hangs behind to negotiate the commission while the visitors are observing a natural dye or weaving demonstration.

Commissions in the Oaxaca valley can range from ten to forty percent.  This is a hefty chunk of change and many families depend on this system to keep their wives and children eating.  Yet, the artist who actually created the work will receive a fraction of what the visitor has spent on the purchase price.  Frequently, especially at the well-known “big houses,” rugs or carved animalitos are created by contract weavers who are paid by the piece.  If a rug sells for $350 USD, you can bet that the weaver may have been paid $90 for a week’s worth of labor.  Not every master artisan will participate in this system, preferring to have fewer sales than to give forty percent away.

If the system is going to change, then tourists need to do their homework and identify in advance the craftspeople they want to visit.  Visit museums and galleries and ask who are the best crafts people in each village.  Go into a village and ask around for the name of the artist and where s/he lives.  Ask the village moto-taxi driver or the convenience store clerk or at the crafts cooperative in the zocolo open-air market.

Put your pesos into the hands of the people who make the art.  Avoid paying middlemen, and don’t kid yourself if you hire a taxi driver recommended by your hotel.  If you do, then you can unwittingly become part of supporting the patronage system.

We all know that the growth in  web 2.0 has helped to shift power away from brands towards consumers but nothing demonstrates this more clearly than when you see customers using this platform to vent their anger and frustrations.  Whereas in the good ol’ days we’d have to brave the elements and take to the streets in order to be heard, nowadays we can protest from the comfort of our desks whilst sipping a cup of Horlicks. Far more civilised!

Here are a few amusing examples I’ve found but feel free to add to the list if you know any better ones.

Thrifty – a disgruntled customer galvinises support on Twitter.

South West Trains – a classic case of e-squatting where an aggrieved passenger for South West Trains registers the company name on Twitter and starts tweeting outlandish excuses as to why they provide such a shoddy service.  Makes for some amusing reading.

United Airlines – You’ve probably seen this one and bought the single already.  If not, this is what happened.

• Musician gets guitar smashed in transit.
• United Airlines ignore his complaints.
• He writes song about it.
• Result. 6 million views on YouTube.
• Moral of the story – ignore angry musicians at your peril.

Easyjet – no frills airline easyjet is renown for two things. Cheap flights and crap service.

KFC – nearly half a million KFC fans campaigning to get finger lickin’ food delivered to your door. They’ve just got one more fan!

Motrin – a spoof video in response to their controversial ad targeting Mums

Gordon Brown – I had high hopes for this amusing idea but with only 1 follower I think this may be the least of Gordon Brown’s worries.  It’s somewhat ironic though that his pseudo character on Twitter has a distinct lack of followers too!

It was going to be touch and go, I just knew it.  I could imagine the luggage I left back in Oaxaca, filled to the brim and getting heavier in my mind’s eye.  That’s why I decided to ask Talavera Armando to ship the three plates, bowl, and six small tiles I bought.  How much, I asked, would it be to send these by air freight.  Fifteen hundred pesos, she answered.  She pointed to the maestro who was in charge of shipping, saying that he does this every day.  Barbara pulled out her iPhone with the instant currency converter app and showed that the cost would be $123 USD.  We gulped.  Then, we thought about what it would mean to jam these things into our luggage, which was already at risk of being overweight, and decided to take the plunge.  Okay, we said and forked over our pesos.  It’ll arrive by Monday, she said, four days from now.

Back in North Carolina, I waited.  Then, we got a call from FedEx.  Talavera Armando had not transcribed my address correctly, even though I had printed it clearly enough.   My husband, who received the phone call, corrected the address and today, four days later, we received the package.

Gleefully, I just opened it only to find the poorest packaging possible, a bit of bubble wrap protecting the fragile contents, in a box much too small to safely cushion each piece.  In fact, the dishes were wrapped together with only a thin veneer of bubble between each of them, and there was no tape to keep the bubble wrap secured.   When I saw that, I was not surprised to see that the contents arrived broken.

Lots of things work in Mexico.  This didn’t.  I have filed my FedEx claim, but who knows?  Meanwhile, the $123 we paid for shipping and handling (most of which probably went to the “handling” or the “packaging” was a way for Talavera Armando to put a few extra dollars in their pocket.  I’ll know better the next time.

Meanwhile, everything I packed myself and shipped home in my suitcase came undamaged.  The safest bet is to use Mail Boxes Plus or Mail Boxes Etc.  They do a great job from their franchise in Oaxaca.

This convenience store in Corfu, Greece, doesn't sell any burgers, but is definitely trying to capitalize on the name and logo of a well-known brand.

More than a few people were lovin’ it in Iceland last month, as thousands lined up to enjoy one last Big Mac before McDonald’s closed its three franchises on the Atlantic island on Oct. 31.

Reuters reported that the fast-food joints were packed ever since the company announced that it would shut down its restaurants a few weeks previously. The owner of the three franchises told the news agency that sales “went turbo.”

Reportedly, the outlets were selling up to 10,000 burgers per day in the last few weeks.

McDonald’s pulled out of the country partly because of Iceland’s economic collapse. The weakness of the country’s currency was one contributing factor, as was the high cost of importing food, the company said when it announced its withdrawal.

Iceland now joins a select list of countries with no Golden Arches, including Jamaica, Albania, Madagascar and the Maldives. The entire list reads like a traveler’s dream of exotic and remote places.

According to the company’s corporate web site, you can get Quarter Pounders in 119 countries, but a Wikipedia list shows 97 countries. The difference may be due to the fact that McDonald’s counts some countries that don’t rank as independent political entities.

I looked at a variety of lists on this topic and can’t vouch for the accuracy of all or any of the numbers. But I did develop an appetite for a Big Mac (two McDonald’s here in Summit County, Colorado), as well a hankering to visit the rest of the countries on the
list. Four down (The Holy See, Jamaica, Belize, Albania) and about 95 to go!

Sheri picked us up in her white van at the pre-determined 9 a.m. hour, early by Oaxaca standards, though the streets were already abuzz with honking vehicles.  Our first stop was the ATM (exchange rate 13.12 pesos to the dollar) to stock up again for the day long adventure down the Ocotlan highway.  We passed the airport and headed south along the valley highway that leads to some incredible crafts villages, stopping for gas at Pemex the state-owned oil company.  The earlier the better along this road because the Ocotlan market attracts people from throughout the region whose motivations are to shop for the sheer pleasure of it or for survival needs of buying and selling everything from oilcloth table coverings, hammocks, woven baskets, pipes and gaskets, kitchen utensils, leather belts, children’s plastic shoes and everything else under the sun, including live turkeys raised for market, feet bound in twine so as not to escape.  The van boasted New Mexico license plates, a good fit for around these parts, although vehicles are brought down from every state in north America to be bought, sold and traded.

We circumvented the hubbub, stopping first at the three Aguilar sisters whose shops you might miss if you didn’t pay attention.  They are on the right side of the road heading into Ocotlan, about three blocks before arriving at the zocalo, market central.  This is true folk art at its best.  Josefina sits with legs tucked under her on a padded blanket in the courtyard of her home and sales area forming figures out of soft clay that will later be fired in a kiln that may not reach more than eight hundred degrees.  Grandchildren dart around playing with kittens.  Sons and daughters participate in the clay forming and painting.  Tourists from all corners of the earth stream in and out.  This is a famous stopping place for collecting Oaxaca art, yet the prices of the pieces match the humble working and living space:  smaller figures range in price from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty pesos.  That translates from about twelve to twenty dollars each.  Collectors and dealers buy, pack and resell these figures in the U.S. for triple or quadruple the cost.

Next door, sister Irene sculpts hot women of the night and paints their hair yellow, applying blue glitter to create a dress, bosom prominent, one arm on hip, the other akimbo sporting a cigarette, a snake boa wrapped to cover cleavage (just barely).  Imagination flies.  A muerta, not yet painted, bares her skeletal teeth and she flaunts a haughty lilt of the head topped with a wide-brimmed hat to shade her from the strong sun.  How will I get these home?  I ask myself as I consider a purchase.  Oh, don’t think about it, I answer silently.  Go for it anyway, and I do, and because of my magic packing suitcase, everything arrives undamaged.  My prize possession from Guillermina is a skeletal crone whose flowing dress is painted black.  The hem is adorned with cream colored skulls, a red spider crawls along the folds of her skirt, a black shawl frames the sinister face.  Dia de los Muertos is characterized by underworld forms.

Forgive me if I repeat myself.  The impressions of Oaxaca are continuous revelations in memory.   As we head back out of town, we make a left turn almost immediately onto the side road leading to San Antonino, where I want to relocate Don Jose Garcia, the blind potter.  We go down a ways, turn right, make an immediate left at the next street and look for the clay animals that hang over the door to the courtyard that signals we have arrived.  A dog barks.  The door is ajar.  We ring the bell and step inside to be welcomed by the family.  Life-size clay figures cluster around the patio, are tucked haphazardly into corners, are laying on their sides — humans, animals, children.  We are greeted by Don Jose and his wife who guide us into the workshop packed with more sculpture, wall to wall, like the clay soldiers of Xian, men, women, and children stand or kneel side by side, almost alive, waiting to be adopted and taken home.

These pieces are glorious, primitive, raw clay, unglazed.  Some are rough.  Some are polished.  Each with a unique expression that conveys individuality and personality, a special quality that Don Jose has breathed life into as he forms the clay, braids the hair, fashions the nose, tilts the neck, arches the brow or mustache.  These are heavy pieces, primitive.  To ship them would require a crate and an investment of hundreds of dollars.  We admire and take our leave.

Hungry, our next stop is at Azucena where Jacobo Angeles operates a fine restaurant that caters to tourists and tour buses, Elderhostel, and other forms of non-adventure travel.  This is good for San Martin Tilcajete business, since Jacobo represents many of the finest carvers in the village.  On this day, there is a special exhibition of regional folk art on the grounds of the restaurant and gallery, a perfect opportunity to pick up another carving, to eat and drink well, and to make a necessary bathroom stop.

We backtrack to Santo Tomas Jalieza to visit Abigail Mendoza and her family at Nicolas Bravo #1.  On backstrap looms, they weave fine cloth with intricate figures that are fashioned into handbags, belts, wrist bands, table runners, and placemats.  Abigail does the finish work for the rugs woven by Arnulfo Mendoza and Tito Mendoza.  This is among the finest quality backstrap loom weaving you will find anywhere in the Oaxaca valley.

By now, it is five o’clock in the afternoon and the light is beginning to wane.  We travel along the highway back to Oaxaca with a trunk full of goodies, ready for a fresh mango margarita and guacamole at La Olla.  Descanse.

We ate this for a late supper (cena) at El Mural de Los Poblanos restaurant in Puebla.  It was delicious.  The best I could do was identify the ingredients and try to recreate this at home.  The soup bowl came with the chewable ingredients mounded in the center, about 1 cup per bowl of broth.  Our server poured the steaming clear chicken broth into the bowl from a covered pitcher, designed so that the diner would be served the hottest soup possible.  I loved that idea.

Ingredients:

• Cubed queso fresco (the white, firm Oaxaca-style cheese)
• Baby zucchini cubes
• Diced green pepper
• Sliced mushrooms
• Fresh corn kernels (use frozen, then thawed,  if fresh is not available)
• Squash blossoms
• Bits of fresh spinach or chard
• Hot chicken broth, pre-seasoned with salt, pepper, a bit of ground chili for bite

Serve with hot, crusty french rolls and butter and a glass of chilled white wine.

Today, honeymoons are celebrated somewhere exotic or otherwise considered special and romantic .

Find the best choice of Honeymoon packages for your vacation within India. It can also be the first moments a newly-wed couple spend together, or the first holiday they spend together to celebrate their marriage. Honeymoon is important for unwinding after the stress of planning the wedding and a special time for just the two of you. If you plan it well in advance, giving yourself plenty of time to research the trip, chances are good your romantic vacation will be trouble-free.

Whether your Honeymoon lasts for 2 days or 2 weeks, we hope this is only the beginning of your happiness together! Celebrate the most beautiful moments of your life with your life partner in the ultimate romantic ambience of luxury heritage of Rajasthan on your holiday. Experience the royal comforts and pleasure while staying at enchanting palaces and splendid havelis of Rajasthan.

A romantic holiday just don’t happen, they have to be carefully planned. If you visit www.travelMarg.com you will find valuable information on different Honeymoon packages for various locations in India.  This site will give you honeymoon ideas and inspiration. A place to begin your research on honeymoon packages for various destinations such as Rajasthan, Manali, Kerala, Shimla, Goa, Andaman, Coorg, and Pondicherry. And many more places.

Honeymoons, Weddings and anniversaries are important events in ones life that call for special planning and celebrations. To make your honeymoon complete successes please visit our website www.travelmarg.com or please call us at 040-40020202 or 1800 425 6274(MARG) within India

Puebla is growing on me!  This is the third visit this year and each time, it is a new discovery, a new food to savor, and a return to favorite spots.  I am traveling with my sister who lives in the Bay Area and this is her first visit to Puebla, so I get to play tour guide!  I arranged our stay at Camino Real Puebla, booking online using HotelsDotCom.  The rack rate is about $250 USD per night and we paid approximately $85 per night based on a 13.1 exchange rate.  This hotel is a former convent located two blocks from the zocalo and around the corner from my favorite restaurant El Mural de los Poblanos.  We have a lovely room that was likely a cell for nuns who occupied the 17^th century space.  The décor is colonial with elements of the baroque.  The breakfast is an exceptional buffet.  This morning we had egg white omelets made to order stuffed with huitlachotle (mushrooms and organic corn) and cheese, fresh papaya, guava and orange juice mixed, delicious aromatic coffee,  chilaquiles with salsas verde and rojo, fork tender roasted pork, and black beans.  We started at 9 am and didn’t finish until close to 11 a.m.   Thank goodness this was going to be a walking day, and it turned out that we didn’t sit down to dinner until 5:30 p.m.

After visiting the Museo Amparo, that had an extensive exhibit on performance and political art, strong enough to bring us both to tears (artists expressing themselves about the disappeareds in Chile and Argentina, or the AIDS epidemic, or the environmental degradation of our planet), we hopped a cab needing lighter fare and made our way to Uriarte Talavera.  This was after we had spent a goodly amount of time ogling the beautiful work in Talavera de la Reyna shop that is part of the Museo Amparo.  Next, a taxi ride to the Exconvento Santa Rosa where the famed talavera kitchen is the last part of the hour-long guided tour.  The entry fee is 35 pesos each, and one cannot meander alone or take photos.  Today, our guide only spoke Spanish, so I’m not sure what would have happened if our understanding was more limited.

The Dominican nuns sequestered there in the 17^th century took vows of silence and participated in the rituals of mortification of the flesh.  The superior slept on a wood platform without a mattress dressed in heavy, rough homespun wool year round, and wore a crown of thorns during the day.  Life was interesting then.

Then, we hailed a cab to the area near the new convention center.  Our destination was La Purificadora hotel and restaurant, designed by the famed Mexico City architect Legoretta.  This is a stunning contemporary space amidst historic Renaissance and Baroque buildings, a punctuation mark in spectacular city resplendent in Moorish influences.  This is where we had a unique and innovative dinner:  a trio of appetizers that we shared – tiny squash blossoms stuffed with cheese and deep fried in tempura batter, octopus in a spicy tomato sauce on a homemade tortilla , and an organic mesclun salad with truffle oil dressing served with avocado, grilled tomato, and fresh grilled baby corn.  For the entrée, Barbara had this chef’s version of the same stewed goat in tomato broth that we had the night before at El Mural.  This version was definitely different.  (The great chefs in the city prepare this special dish, Huaxmole or Mole de Caderas, once a year in honor of an ancient pre-Hispanic tradition.)  My entrée with a sea bass steamed over corn husk, topped with onion slivers, chopped red pepper, fresh nopal cactus, and spinach bits.  The sauce was a golden delicate scent of fish broth and cream.

After all this, we decided to walk back in the chill of the evening, strolling in sisterly arm-in-arm, as you soon women do together in Mexican cities, comfortable in their relationship.  It was about ten blocks back to the zocalo and it was a perfect night for strolling, brisk, cool, a bit breezy.  Lots of people were on the street and we felt no sense of being at risk.  Tomorrow morning, we will get up early, take the bus to Oaxaca for our final evening in Mexico before flying home on Saturday.

10 Puebla Favorites:

1. Talavera de la Reyna (Museo Amparo or fabrica/factory in Cholula)
2. Ex Convento Santa Rosa and the Talavera tile kitchen
3. El Mural de los Poblanos restaurant
4. El Camino Real Hotel
5. La Purificadora Restaurant
6. Talavera Uriarte
7. Talavera Armando (request DO4 only)
8. Strolling Cinco de Mayo
9. Everything in the Zocalo, including the Templo Angelopolis
10. Capilla de la Virgen del Rosario (incredible gold leaf and Talavera)

High in the Rockies of Colorado, voters in the town of Breckenridge have decided to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

When you’re planning this winter’s ski trip to Breckenridge, Colorado, don’t forget to pack your stash along with skis, boots and boards.

Residents of the Summit County town recently voted to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, effective January 1, 2010. While pot possession is still illegal under state law, the town’s police chief said his department will be able to “exercise discretion,” according to Summit Daily News writer Robert Allen.

Read Allen’s reporting on the vote at here.

The vote was preceded by a lively local debate, and with any luck, if the Summit Daily web site is working properly, you should be able to find links to some of the preceding articles, as well as letters to the editor on the subject.

Backers of the measure said they think it will enable police to focus on more important issues, but in reality, the town’s law enforcement officers haven’t exactly been beating down doors to make pot busts in recent years.

According to Allen’s reporting, only 10 people were ticketed for possession in 2008, with another receiving citations for possessing paraphernalia. That’s not much, considering how ubiquitous pot smoking is in Breckenridge — and most other ski resort towns, for that matter.

Town officials said the vote won’t change laws prohibiting smoking in public, use by minors or driving under the influence, according to Allen’s reporting.

In other words, discretion is advised.

And don’t forget, Breckenridge ski area operates on national forest land and is subject to federal laws, not the town’s ordinances. In recent years, the ski area and the Forest Service have tried to crack down on pot smoking at the resorts by tearing down so-called smoke shacks hidden in the woods.

Read a story about the push to tear down the smoke shacks here.