This day marked the end of our first week.  It seems we have seen a lot and have enjoyed the pace of our sight-seeing but are glad we still have more time since there is just too much to enjoy in only one week.  We explored another famous barrio this morning called Xochimilco (pronounced "So-chee-MILK-oh") just north of the central part of the city. We had seen YouTube videos about it and had heard that it is where the cemetery Benito Juarez is located which is the focal point of Oaxaca's Day of the Dead festival (El Dia de los Muertos.). It was about a 30-minute walk from our apartment. In front of the church that leads to the cemetery, we met a very well-spoken native man who has lived in Oaxaca for forty years. His Spanish was so precise and clear that I had a wonderful time conversing with him. Often the vernacular is spoken at a 78 rpm speed, but his was definitely 33 and 1/3! 

    After enjoying another hot chocolate at the A.M. Siempre Cafe, where as the name suggests they serve breakfast all day until eight at night, we returned to the cemetery to spend time wandering among the sepulchers and burial sites. Now devoid of the "cempazuchitl" (marigold) flowers and other offerings to the "disfuntos" or dead souls, there were some that still had fresh flowers. We also appreciated more beautiful murals that are emblematic to the city.

    We had dinner at Humito Cocina y Foro, the place I mentioned in a previous post.  It was hands down the best restaurant we've eaten at here in Oaxaca. The food was a big notch above any other place. So nice, in fact, that we're coming back next Saturday, our last day here. Paula had a vegetarian lasagna and I had pork ribs garnished with a mezcal marinade and candied onions on top of candied sweet potatoes! Bon provecho! 

A plastic arts studio

"Welcome to Xochimilco"

Bougainvilleas (as ubiquitous as La Virgen)

"Here rests your body, your soul with God, and with us your memory."

"Living together in Xochimilco"

My pork ribs

Paula's lasagna

Bonita Senora