Monte Alban

Tuesday we decide we will visit the great ancient elite Zapotec city of Monte Alban, about 10K west of the city. I was first here in 1984 at 19 years old on the way to Puerto Escondido. Now we hire a cab for 180 pesos an hour---roughly $10 bucks/hour. A luxury but honestly a bargain. Our driver shows up around 9am, cab # 855. He is Miguel. As always when I introduce myself down here, I get one of those looks. This gringo is really Michael. I often take out my drivers license and there is genuine surprise. Miguel and I are quickly compadres. The drive takes us northwest over the slightly dingy and somewhat intermittent river, through some of the more ramshackle neighborhoods of Oaxaca. There are little street eateries everywhere. I am fascinated by the small business culture here. Everyone is selling something. Some storefronts are modern, others archaic in nature. There are people everywhere, eating, working, walking, going to school, waiting for the bus....in all manner of dress...school uniforms, hipsters, Indians, salesmen, hawkers, street performers in whiteface juggling. Miguel does not speak a word of English but we do fine. Janet is getting good at Spanish. We begin to make our way up into the hills, if a bit slowly. Mexico is the land of the tope...a special kind of speedbump. They are everywhere and they sure do work. If you don't want to visit the shop you must almost come to a stop at every one. I want them on my street back home. The plan is to get to Monte Alban, Miguel will wait for us and we will possibly visit some other ruins and have him for the whole day. This will cost a max of 75$...cheaper than a rental, plus he is pleasant and funny and I don't have to drive. Miguel is from Oaxaca, but has also lived in Veracruz, Mexico City, and Puebla. He is like almost every Mexican I've ever known; agreeable, curious, honest to a fault, timely, patient, and hilarious. we pull into the parking lot of Monte Alban....strangely familiar to me...and Miguel will find some shade to park. We tell him we will be 2-3 hours at least. No problem. I will try to describe some of our experience soon, but I think some pictures will be the best way to convey our time here.