Every evening at 5:30, it happens…the aroma starts to waft through the streets of San Agustin Etla, my temporary home for a month. My olfactory senses take over, and I’m walking up the hill just so I can get a whiff of one of the best smells in the world. Bread. The little local bakery is hard at work, tempting everyone within nose-sniffing distance. You walk in the door, and they hand you a tray and tongs and point you in the back with a word – “Caliente.” It’s like the Willy Wonka of bread factories – stacks of trays everywhere, a huge oven, and a cast of smiley bakers watching us. I love 5:30.
I’m staying in the Wooden Box (yes – that’s the real name) via Airbnb in a small village in the hills outside of Oaxaca.
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I’m not alone, and am once again a 3rd wheel in a couple with blogging/business friends, Dalene and Pete, and I’m having a wonderful start to 2016. It’s not wonderful because I’m traveling to exotic places and seeing tons of new things, it’s wonderful because I’m traveling slow again. In fact I don’t even know if I can call it travel. Most days, I don’t even leave the ‘Wooden Box compound’ – I’m super happy just hanging out here with Dalene and Pete, writing, talking, laughing, playing cards, and heading out to the bakery occasionally.
Don’t get me wrong though – this isn’t some relaxing, ‘find yourself’ vacation; I’m working my ass off on writing and organizing my year of travel/projects/speaking/workshops and any other stuff I can dream up to make a living. Oh yes, and then there’s the book proposal I’m supposed to be working on. I am the worst procrastinator ever…the worst. The good news though is that I have a direction for the proposal, so now it’s a matter of thinking like an author as opposed to a blogger; which is harder then you might think.
The only bad thing about this whole idyllic situation is the evil, mean dog that lives next door and acts like he’s going to attack us every time we go up the road to the bakery or restaurant or to catch a collective (local taxi transport). I hate that dog. Hate. I hyperventilate every time I walk by the house. I have visions of the Wolf Mutts in Hunger Games – but I’m no Katniss Everdeen when it comes to dogs. In some ways though it’s good for me as it makes me stay in and work most days instead of going out playing. Maybe everyone needs a mean dog to make them do their work.
Check out this unique villa in Merida, Mexico
And what’s travel and living abroad if you don’t have a little quirkiness? Every morning around 7 AM, my village ‘alarm’ goes off, “Buenos Diasssssssss……..” echos throughout the hills, sort of like Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam. (Listen/View Dalene’s video of it here – I’m not exaggerating) Apparently, morning announcements are normal around here. I have no idea what the woman is saying, but it’s a lot of long, drawn-out Spanish that sounds sort of like a ring announcer at a boxing match and then also supplements the announcements with the occasional music. I can pick up maybe one word every 15 minutes – something about family and cheese normally. And yes, she can go on like this for over an hour.
Pete, Dalene and I have made it our quest to meet this woman…and hijack her morning ‘show’. We’ve heard that she takes requests for 10 pesos…we are going to rule this valley. Anyone have any requests? Leave them in the comments below…
Our village also has a beautiful basilica and an art center ( Arts Centre St. Augustine or CaSa). CaSa is used for training, creation, and artistic experimentation and is located in our tiny little village of San Agustin Etla. Pete and I have already spent a great deal of time there with our cameras as you’ll see in the Instagram photos below!
So this is my last couple of weeks in my little Mexican hill paradise…enjoy…
San Agustin Etla on My Instagram
Its headquarters is the former Spinning and Weaving Factory La Soledad, founded in 1883. In the 1980s the building was abandoned and in 2000 was acquired by Francisco Toledo in order to create the first center of ecological art in Latin America . The design of the building industry reform was led by architect Claudina Morales Lopez.
It’s a photographer’s playground!
By Liz Peterson February 5, 2016 - 8:27 am
Sherry, I stumbled upon your blog while researching for a trip to Belgium and then started digging a little deeper. I love it and love what you’re doing. Congratulations!
http://www.california2catalonia.com
By Sherry February 5, 2016 - 8:32 am
Thanks Liz! Glad you enjoyed it! And hopefully found some good info on Belgium too. It’s one of my favorite places in Europe – I adore Brussels – and waffles. 🙂 Eat a few for me if you go!
By Claudia February 7, 2016 - 6:59 am
Those morning announcements are very common throughout Central America – no big deal. In Leon, Nicaragua, there is an alarm that goes off every morning at 7 am and 12 pm (and possibly even in the evening, can’t remember). The first time I heard it I thought of a drill (war, natural disasters, etc all came to my mind), and that I should be hiding in a bunker. After a few days in town, I didn’t bother so much. After 2 weeks, I though: oh, it is 7 am! In any case, I’d wake up really early as the heat would make it impossible for me to walk around town after 12:00 pm 🙂
Then it’s also very common that little vendors walk around the street selling their stuff and calling people out. Hay mango papaya aguacate! LOL. I miss it!
By Izy berry February 10, 2016 - 6:56 pm
Omg I live all the pictures my favorite one is the one of the tree
By Sherry February 11, 2016 - 10:04 am
That’s my favorite one too!
By Leigh | Campfires & Concierges February 11, 2016 - 11:15 am
Oh, that pan dulce! This would be dangerous for me! Oaxaca looks like a lovely place to settle in and call home for a while. I’m hoping to get back to Mexico this year…maybe around Thanksgiving.