Food and fabrics in Oaxaca.

Yesterday we had a most interesting day although a bit non stop. And I am having to escape from the loud American woman at times! We began by visiting a weaving workshop.
We went to the village of Teotitlan del Valle where we visited a weaving family. This was a tradition of generations using traditional vegetable dyes  and we were shown the whole process. Complex designs are memorized and the children learn from when they are very young. The knowledge is passed through generations. The family were Zopaltec but the woman's spoke beautiful English. Their own language is completely different.

This is the one I wanted and at about £400 not expensive, but I knew it was too large for my wall.

We then moved on to a tasting of Mezcal (tequila) and I have to say it didn't press my buttons, except for the cream ones, but it was a fun experience. 

Back in Oaxaca we walked through the town and looked at various food stalls where I tried worms and grasshopper, heavily laced with chilli and garlic. Think whitebait , crunchy, crispy.

We then did a tour of two markets, the first was the fruit and vegetables where we saw herbs still widely used for medicine, cheeses, fruits and vegetables.

Then we visited the market where you eat. There are stalls with all kinds of freshly prepared meats, and the Mexicans eat every part. You chose your meat and then chose other elements and it is prepared and delivers to you. Our guide took us to a cafe which had a menu where I had a local dish, a tortilla with a tender strip of beef, avocado and salad. Delicious but I only managed half and with the stringy cheese it was very difficult to eat elegantly.

We had a further wander and some free time. I looked for Maragarita's blouse and was successful. I felt a little guilty as I told one young man I would come back tomorrow and his prices were goi 

, but most of them were dirty from the dust and where they had been folded on the stall. The second I couldnt  beat down in price, but when he said the hand embroidery took 3 days and it was 350 next dollars, about £15 I felt a bit churlish anyway,

I returned to the hotel via a few shops and sat by the pool and had a swim then prepared for an evening meal. We went as a group with our guide to Casa Oaxaca a beautiful local restaurant where we ate on the outside terrace. I had a nice glass of white wine, I haven't had much this trip, and a starter of taco with grasshoppers, hardly detectable, and rabbit which was exquisitely tender.

It was my most expensive meal at 500 next dollars but only about £20. I just wish the American could turn her volume down as I noticed other guests looking at times.

Today is free and I have my plans but the Australian who speaks no Spanish has asked to join me to go to the ethnobotanical garden.