Friends don't let friends just go back to Oaxaca

It was just kind of pretty here in Cancun. Ancient ruins on the beach, no big deal.

It doesn't get much better than these kids. (And Chris!)

When you are heading back home to Oaxaca, after a really great month of wanderlusting though Guatemala, and your friends (who live in Alaska) text you and say “Come meet us in Cancun!” You hop on the 18 hour bus and go meet them. Duh. 

So that is what we did. Brian and I were just minding our own business in a really cool mountain  town called San Cristobal de Las Casas, when we switched out our bus ticket to Oaxaca for one in the opposite direction to Cancun to go meet our awesome friends, who were soaking up some sun on the Yucatan Peninsula. We were so excited that the 18 hour bus ride wasn't all that bad. Well, not that terrible with the handful of Benadryl and Dramamine that we swallowed. Who am I kidding? It was still pretty awful. 

But totally worth it. Tournaments of Farkel, beach lounging, cheep beer drinking, delicious food consuming, Cenote cave swimming, Mayan ruin exploring and lots of story-telling filled up a whirlwind of not even close to enough days before we all headed our separate ways. 

Short bus rides are fun!

Getting our taco on. I don't think I have ever seen as big of a plate of tacos as this!

I love the heck out of a cave. 

I love the heck out of a certain caveman too. 

Iguanas outnumbered the tourists at the Tulum Mayan Ruins! 

My and my sista-from-anotha-mista, Lee-Anne.

Brian makes friends where ever he goes. 

Very interesting, very dangerous looking Guatemalan pole dance. 

Bats are the coolest! And so important! 

Gearing up to swim in the Cenote. We know we look good.

EEK! Is that a cave monster?

Tree roots reaching down to get a little sip.

Behold Lee-Anne; one of the most amazing women in the whole universe. 

Sassy husband after he pushed me into the cave water. He is lucky to be smiling! 

Back in Oaxaca we found Peggy-O right where we left her in the Parqedero, looking as good and as dusty as ever. But our nights of sleeping in the van are officially over. We found a great apartment close in to El Centro. Though it is going to still take some getting used to looking out at the van from my apartment window, and not looking out from inside of the van. However, with the hot water showers, nicely equipped kitchen and bonus studio space with the perfect light for painting, I will get over my sentimental van-feelings soon. 

This week so far has been busy with initiating the acquaintance with our new Oaxacan life. We signed up for a few weeks of spanish lessons, found the only mircobrew bar in the city, joined the local hiking club by climbing nearby Picacho peak and made our first venture into one of the big mercados in town for some fresh produce and meat. A few friends have been made and we are starting to feel a little less lost while exploring the city. I think we are going to like it here. 

One room of our sweet apartment. 

Happy to be back in Oaxaca!

The Tule tree! 2,000 years old and its claim to fame is that it has the stoutest trunk in the world. This picture does not even begin to do it justice. 

Our first Oaxacan hike; Picacho Peak!