Tuesday 20 March 2012

What Might Actually Be Happening


Amanecer en Monte Alban.
A particulary stunning view of the impressive Zapotec -  Mixtec
Arqueological Site of Monte Alban
El Gringo Viejo has led many, many groups here.   Most were larger
while some were small, exlusive parties.   Always pleasant here.
Even the diner in the administrative building is excellent.
   Restrooms are always clean.   A real joy to visit

     Concerning the Easter-tide Vacational of the Obama daughter, something occurs to what little is left of the "little grey cells" about what might actually be happening with this trip.   First of all, it is very, very unlikely that there is any security threat.   What goes on in the City of Oaxaca almost continuously are the dreary "Final Struggle March!   Thursday, Main Plaza, Unify, Occupy!!"    "March Against Roman Catholic Inquisitional Fascist Oppression!" "Unify in Solidarity with the Free Democracy of Cuba against Yanqui Imperialism".
      This goes on continously.  The know-it-all university students certainly do know that it is a lot easier to gather in the main plaza and rail against the "Machine"  for  an afternoon with a bunch of air-head, self-involved 20 year old girls who have an emotional maturity of a 10 year old.    For many of the "students" it also beats bathing.   It's also a chance to trade lice and fleas and bed-bugs with the European backpackers and exhange 4 minute handshakes of solidarity- with- Che people.
     But, there is another and much greater City of Oaxaca.   It is the kind of place where the  vendors have immaculate little stands in the 60 square block "walking downtown" of august buildings built with malacite lode. Even the streets are paved in many cases, especially downtown, with malacite/limestone slabs. The garbage cans (actually used by the people) have insects entering and leaving...one would reasonably think them to be flies... that turn out to be our friends, the bees. And the rule is to leave them alone. The people and the bees get along fine, each appreciating the clean environment. The quality of the goodies served by the stand-owners is excellent, along with the numerous tiny family owned restaurants, and the scores of first-class and deluxe dining spots. It is a cornucopia of culinary wonders.
The Valley of Oaxaca, center of Seven
MesoAmerican Cultures
      The City is ancient in colonial terms, dating back to the earliest days of Spanish colonisation.     It was long populated before the Time of Christ by the Zapotec and the Mixtec peoples, who had contact with the Toltec and Maya nations at the very earliest known times of the human occupation of this part of MesoAmerica. It has hundreds of archeological and historical sites that include Monte Alban and Mitla, plus scores and scores and scores of lesser known place of equal or even higher importance and interest.
     There is a relatively large and constant Gringo and foreign population.   Of the 500,000 people in the city,  there are probably 2,000 Americans who live in or within 10 miles of the center of the city.   There are probably 3,000 Europeans who live there as well.    There is a massive tourism presence.  People arrive there from all over the world.
     If one were ever to go the area, it is very, very highly advised to program NO LESS than 6 or 7 nights.    It is a place where one could easily spend the entirety of a three-week vacation in the City and its surroundings within 50 miles.   There would still not be enough time.   Americans especially are treated with neutral to very positive concern.   Prices range from moderate to really bargain level.   It is very modern and totally ancient.   The weather is likened to perpetual late Spring, being situated mid-way between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator.  The elevation is right at 5,000 fasl.    Even the shopping is tempting at times.

     So, what is the purpose of this trip beyond a pleasant sojourn in a pleasant and interesting place?   Like Guanajuato, there are numerous Indian, Spanish language, culture, culinary, crafts, and general studies schools.    Unlike Guanajuato's environment, however, there are a few of the  private academies in Oaxaca that are blatantly communist in their orientation and instructional perspective.   And yes, even the cooking and crafts places have a few in their number that are totally marxist.   Most of the really hard-Red places are dedicated more to language, culture, and history from a marxist perspective...but a person can fit in comfortably in two or three of the little academies to learn cooking styles under the watchful gaze of a Che or Fidel poster.   Right-wing Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende would tear down the posters.

     So, El Gringo Viejo thinks that this trip has been put together by someone with the Ayres family connection.  The Obama daughter was seen and photographed in Oaxaca City wearing a white T-shirt with a "peace symbol" on the front, a common way the "young, with-it commie-teens" express solidarity with fellow know-it-all adolescents who will solve all the problems tomorrow morning by taking all the money from all the rich people and giving the money to all the poor people and passing a law against bad things and war and everything and the Palestinians, and the children, and the women, and the homosexuals, and the animals, and the Indians.  (Whew!  I never thought of that!  It's so inspiring!)
 
El Gringo Viejo has had many groups
large and small eating on the 2nd floor
of the building on the left.   This is
a typical scene at the "Zocalo"
or Main Plaza
She is learning how to be the commie her parents are.   In Oaxaca City there are private academies that specialise in culture, Indian studies, Spanish, culinary arts, handcrafts, etc.   Some, wierdly, combined these studies with marxist precepts. (?)
The students in these "marxist convent schools" spend two weeks to two months studying how to make mole or speak Zapotec  while under the watchful eyes of Che and Fidel, who beam down from their posters, gathering dust on the wall.

 That is what is going on.   She is going into a "third world" environment to be shown and
to "experience" poverty and exploitation and to listen to a couple of 2 hours "seminars on fairness and social justice" rendered by kindly old "Auntie Commies".    It is almost like convent school, but aetheist driven.    They might go over to the Basilica de Santo Domingo to study the excess of investment of gold, silver, and artistic finery... "being wasted in a church that celebrates a god that does not exist when there are so many impoverished children who don't even have a cup of milk to assuage their hunger, who can barely exist."  (Yes, I've heard it all many times)
    
The interior of the Church of Santo Domingo
on edge of downtown Oaxaca.   When John Paul II
visited a few years ago, he declared, "Oh! My God!"
when he entered.



Thanks for your time and attention.
El Gringo Viejo