Radish Virgin (photo by Robert Bloomberg)

Thurs 23 December

This evening is the start of the Radish Festival, when the zocalo will be filled with nativities, historical tableaus, animals, harvest scenes, cathedrals -- all carved from giant radishes.

In recent years this festival has become so popular that you can wait hours in line before even reaching the entry to view the exhibits, so we will try to get a look this afternoon during set-up.

 

But first, SHOPPING!

Our friends from Texas, Robert and Linda, arrived last night, so today there are seven of us. We walk a few blocks south of the zocalo to the November 20 Market and the Artesanias Market -- great shopping (textiles, jewelry, hand crafts) and great photography (food!).

I buy a pair of earrings in the traditional Oaxacan style: 10k gold filigree with artificial rubies and tiny seed pearls (approximately US$45).

Between the shopping and the photography, it's impossible for us to all stay together, so we agree to meet back at the zocalo at 1:30 for lunch.

It's already crowded with people walking along to see the radish displays. Somehow Bob has gotten inside the police barricades and is happily photographing everything up close. (He claims the police let him in without any money changing hands.)

GOOD FOOD
Lunch at El Asador Vasco on a balcony overlooking the zocalo. A bit pricey, but very nice and excellent food. The bill is about $100 for 7 of us, most of whom had salads and soup, with a couple of margaritas thrown in.

After lunch we split up again. I cruise one side of the radish-filled zocalo, just to see what this Radish Festival is all about. Then Linda (who says she never wants to see another damn radish again) and I hit every shop up Alcalá and then over to García Vigil. I'm tired of all this stuff. I don't really want to look at another painted animal.

Back to the room to shower and change before dinner. The warm weather is holding -- no jacket needed tonight.

Dinner is delicious, Basque food, but the highlight of the evening is the strolling mariachi band. Robert gives them 100 pesos (about $9) to play 3 songs, but they are so good, especially the lead singer, that we tip them that much again. Our whole table is soon singing along to "Tu Solo Tu" and "Cielito Lindo." Peter's face looks like a kid in a candy shop. As a composer, he is analyzing the rhythms and the structure, as well as the technique.

(Hear the band for yourself in the video, above right. Check out the tambourine player!)

Meanwhile, the crowds are still strong. As we leave the restaurant to head home, we notice a tower in one corner of the zocalo, loaded with fireworks. Robert says we MUST see this, that the entire top ring comes off and pinwheels straight into the air.

There are firemen standing around in yellow firesuits, so we ask one when the show will begin. Eleven, he says, and it is only 10:20. We are too tired to stick around that long, so we head out. We haven't even gone a half block up Alcalá before the fireworks start!

We go running back to see the most phenomenal fireworks of my life. I'm sure I've seen more spectacular and elaborate displays, but I've never had them going off right over my head.

People were scattering as each new explosion boomed overhead and the lights rained out of the sky. And yes, that pinwheel did go straight up in the air, spinning and sparklering and hissing and spitting.

WOW!