Days 22 to 26: Oaxaca again

I'm back in the state capital, after another roller-coaster ride with a driver who thinks he's Lewis Hamilton. In the morning I ditch the huevos for a day and have a superbly healthy Herbalife breakfast. The evening meal is not so successful---chicken tikka masala, would you believe---and I resolve to go back to Mexican the next day. Which is a blow-out with chilaquiles---tortillas stuffed with chicken and cheese, not forgetting the picante sauce.

The never-ending circus in the Zocalo ramps up around sunset and tonight they invite dancers to take the floor to the sounds of mariachi (northern music with lots of strings and sometimes an accordion) and cumbia (a characteristic Afro-Latin beat imported from Colombia and very popular here). Carnival season is getting properly under way and while I had considered staying in Veracruz for its famous one, I'm getting to enjoy the more folksy processions elsewhere. Rather than performing on a large stage, the revellers parade the city streets to make you feel part of the jollifications rather than a spectator. The costumes are fantastic and many people wear masks, often representing death or the devil, to frighten evil spirits. Then those incredibly good people, the giant puppets, come on as late substitutes. It's been a satisfying day.Read more