Let{s see, the flight was good into LA. We didn{t even have to look for a new terminal cuz i think it was the same plane from seattle to LA as it was from LA to Mexico City, so that was convenient.. We both got MAYBE a half hour sleep on the plane. It was only a 3 hour flight, and we jumped ahead 2 hours, so when we arrived at the biggest city i{ve ever been in, we were feeling like it was 4:30, and we were pooped. But some adrenaline kicked in and i found my voice. Im picking up right where i left off, it doesn{t feel like even half a year has passed. There were 3 authorized taxi companies trying to get our business so i had em guess what day i was born on and i went with the closest (actually with the only one who felt like playing the game and having an early morning laugh). The cost was a bit under $20 when converted to US. We could have gone across the street and payed less, but it wouldn{t have been as safe and secure, so we both felt fine with the fee.
As soon as we pulled out of the airport (it was JUST starting to get light out) , there were police everywhere and army trucks with gunner turrets . Crowds were gathered 50 meters away from the po-pos . I asked the driver what was happening and he informed us that it{s the teachers protesting the presidents' new bill. I guess he is raising taxes on a bunch of things and they're pissed.(I found the apostraphe button). So no one has gone to school this school year. They've come in from around the country and get to protesting very early in the morning, blocking the main arteries of the city.
We were lucky to make it through before they blocked the highway, and were dropped off where we asked to be: at the South Bus Terminal, about a half hour drive through what felt like any other big Latin American city I've been in; San Juan, Quito, Lima, Guayaguil etc. Unfortunately, the terminal was the 1st class bus terminal , and we weren't getting to Oaxaca for under $40 USdollars . . After checking prices on all 3 companies that drive to our planned destination, we bit the bullet and asked the next elderly lady walking by which bus was most comfortable.
*I think it should be said that I tried to negotiate terms with both the taxi companies, and the bus companies.. It's not like buying earings or sweaters though*
Anyway, the drive was beautiful and scenic (when we weren't catchin zzz's). It was a lot of dry mountains, with its' share of green trees that survive on the timely monsoons. Then when the bus would drop into the valleys, we were given views of corn field after corn field; each in its' own stage of growth. I favor this drive to the super arid dry sandy views that the Peruvian Coast offers west of the Andes, although I was wondering where the wildlife was; i only saw one bird the whole drive. Maybe there was a pack of coyotes slaying a fawn while i peacefully slept.
As for the buses and the roads in comparison to Ecuador and Peru: the 1st class bus isn't their most expensive option, but still cost 4x as much as Peru's cheap buses. It definitely ranks nicer than Ecuador's, but at 10x the price. And the road was fabulous. Four lanes throughout the whole drive almost, and they even put guardrails where you might go off a cliff!
....
Ok so around 3pm we arrived in Oaxaca City and felt much more comfortable. It is a cute medium size capitol city fit good n' snug in a big valley, with old colonial church buildings every couple kilometros .
We checked the times for the next bus to Puerto Escondido and found out that our only options were 9:30 and 11 pm, and again for a price that we were not ready to hear. . So outside we went, searching for a phone to call our hopeful landlord.
It took a couple tries dialing out, but with the help of the kind joven (young person) (everyone calls us joven) , I was able to get Stefan on the line. He had told me he owns a cafe in Oaxaca City , so we wanted to connect with him and maybe pay rent to him in person.. Well, he turns out to be a gringo from Colorado/Germany that speaks ok Spanish, and when he heard my refreshed spanish on the phone, he thought I was a salesman of some sort. So i found myself speaking with his Oaxacan girlfriend, and not quite realizing that he'd passed the phone off. (I thought Stefan was just a feminine sounding guy). So we agreed to meet outside our bus terminal in 10, and yet forgot to describe ourselves.
But that didn't really matter, because we stick out like sore thumbs with our huge backpacks and my old camera case around my neck. (and we aren't nearly as cafe as the rest of the people). .. So to my surprise , ten minutes later a white dude (not a fem. latin guy) has his head out the window hollaring ''NICO! '' , and gets out of the car to shake my hand and offer a friendly , ''Whats up?''
He called his caretaker in Puerto, (PE from now on), and in worse spanish than ive spoken in many months, communicated that we'd be there tomorrow and to let us in with the key, and that we've paid the first month. He and his friendly lady, Paulina, gave us a ride to one of the towns' most famous parks to kill some time, and watch live theater and music , before taking the 25 cent bus back to the ADO station where we now sit across the street from. We are both well fed after eating dinner consisting of soup, rice, and a big carne filled torta, along with fresh melon juice, and ready for our night passage to PE. Tomorrow we will settle into our new home, and go searching for boards, hopefully to find the right one in time for the upcoming swell this week :)
Thanks for loving and supporting us,
Cuidase
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