Oaxaca, Day 2 and back to Mexico City

We got up and found the hipster breakfast spot, Boulenc, in Oaxaca.  Who knew.  An open kitchen in the back with a few seats at the bar next to a large oven where they are baking pastries, Parisian style.

They bake and cook while their dogs hang out in front….and bark.  For a tranquil town the place is far from quiet.

Simple breakfast.

Stopped in Museo Casa Juarez.  An old building with an open garden in the middle of the home.

La Tiendita del Barro is a shop owned by a few women that sell local ceramics.

The selection is limiting but the area of town that it is in has large open streets where no cars roam.

Even a knitting club in this area.

Had to check out the church before leaving.  Around the square are a variety of shops.  I walked into Mole y Chocolate Calenda.  Tasted a few moles and got one and a jar of chilis.  There was a serious language issue between me and the woman who ran the store.  What she did was so smart.  She had me talk into her IPhone to ask questions and then it translated into Spanish so she knew what I was asking.  Loved that.

The church, Iglesia de Santa Domingo de Guzman, is the center of the town.  Old and beautiful.

All the school kids wandered around in groups in their uniforms.  They were getting some popsicles here.

Then it was time to get out of town and head to Dona Rosa, Casa de Barro located in San Bartolo Coyotepec.  There are three places to see and buy black pottery.  One is this one which own and operated by the Dona Rosa family for generations.

Their pots are very traditional.  We picked up this one.  Just to give you an idea of the cost…$12.50

The other spot is Galeria Muguel Fabian where they make more modern pieces.  Really great stuff here.  They are making some pieces that could fill an entire wall.  Smart entrepreneurs who are working with hotels, homes and designers.

We picked up this piece for $75.   Wrapping these pieces up and getting thru the airport is going to be interesting.  The other place is the market but these two places are much more interesting and legit.

We got a look at how they make the pieces here.  These are remnants of what works and what didn’t.

Everything is made by hand.  Here is what the pieces look like before going to the kiln.

The kiln is a two prong piece.  The square in the floor is where the heat comes from and underneath there is a hole that connects to the circle in the ground which is the kiln.  Old school stuff.

Here is our bag filled with ceramics and lots of bubble wrap!  We picked the bag up at the airport.

We shifted gears when we got back to Mexico City and had sushi.  The sake cart is a nice touch.  The restaurant is Tori Tori.

Hidden behind a black door that opens into a beautiful open garden with light shining up.

Nice to have a little sushi before returning to the tostados today.