Then death arrived in a seductive costume only to reveal a skeleton when she turned around. This city is huge yet manageable for the tourist, but I don't know what can solve the problems of size, pollution, inflation, crime, violence, and the sinking buildings from the Spanish past. March 19, Oaxaca On Monday we took a taxi from the Hotel Bristol to the airport for 20,000 and flew to Oaxaca in about 40 minutes, passing close to the top of one of the main volcanoes near the capital. Oaxaca sits in a valley that seems to be suffering from drought. There are bars and restaurants on the sidewalks on two sides of the square, and hunger strikers protesting some government actions opposite the city hall.
Local markets are nearby as are dozens of stalls full of handicrafts.
Other artisan shops are found to the north of the square. The people are very handsome, relaxed, and seem to take us tourists in stride. There are not the massive numbers that one finds in the big resorts, but we can be seen crossing the square at all hours, and there are even a few old hippies wandering around. So much activity on the square. It is one of the two best places in the world for people watching.