Mount Alban, Wednesday 9th September

Despite having mezcal con gusano last night I got home in one piece but a little wet as it was still raining. However I passed the local market and had to go back to get a photo before breakfast. It looked interesting in the dark with lots of potential having visited other traditional markets but only the porticos were original.

 La Farola cocktail bar in the morning looked very non descript except I had a chance to see the whole building from the outside which took up the whole block although obviously very altered from its original plan. Although the thick walls and few windows were evident at upper storeys, many shop fronts and entrances had been knocked into the original.

 I passed the town hall facing the zocalo or plaza major and just under the portico to the left and on the band stand in the square opposite you can make out some tents. There was a student protest where 42 students disappeared and were subsequently found murdered. The teachers union has long had left leaning tendencies and are notorious for demonstrations and have been at the forefront of protests. After nearly a year this is the remnants of the protest. Down a side street nearby there is a temporary police station under canvas but I wasn't sure whether this was to protect the 'protesters' or to keep an eye on the 'radicals'.

 Our aim today was to visit the ancient Zapotec remains at Mount Alban. Whilst we waited to meet our guide we tried to take photos of the flag flying outside the museum and visitor centre. L to R Steve, John Tracey, Clare and Laurence.

 As luck would have it I got a decent picture first time.

On the terrace of the cafe where we were waiting for the guide we saw humming birds feeding on the flowers of the morning glory tree. I didn't get any photos although it was a great sight with their bright plumage blazing in the morning sun against a clear blue background as they hovered to get their long beaks into the flowers.

Leaving the cafe I at least got one photo of wild life...not of Laurence but above his head was a giant moth resting on the rafters.

 Our guide took us around the Mount Alban site and explained its various buildings and what was thought to have happened at each. The top of the mountain was reduced by up to 80m to provide a large wide platform for the important buildings and there is too much to explain but enjoy the photos.

 Looking down from the top of the highest building back towards all the other is the only building not in perfect alignment. It has five sides but lines up with astrologically important equinox lines. The acoustics are quite good and the small figure in the foreground is Steve and despite the distance we could clearly hear what he was saying...along the lines of 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears'..

 Last picture is of the pelota court where games were played, allegedly to make alliances, war and to settle disputes.

That afternoon I went for walk around the old centre of town and again more photos of the main square, the cathedral with its impressive west entrance and its less impressive north side.

 The Painters museum (shut).

The Temple of Santo Domingo and the monastery and the Museum of Cultural Oaxaca(all shut).

I walked past the Botanical Gardens but felt that the 50 pesos to get in to see a couple of trees in a space not much bigger than my back garden was a bit steep. Instead I did find the theatre that used to host opera and ballet productons. It was closed but it has an impressive arte noveau style outer facade dating from 1903. 

 By the time I got to the Contemporary Museum I was washed out with culture and although I am not that enamoured with contemporary art, it is housed in a splendid Spanish Colonial style building which I did want to see but I was ready to get back to the hotel. And just one last photo of some colourful back street houses.

Plus one of me that I have just received of me tasting tequila in La Americana Distillery in Tequilla, courtesy of Steve.