Oh, the humanity! - Samaritana....

Today was el Dia de la Samaritana, Good Samaritan's Day, and I have never seen the city so full of happy people.  How crowded was it?

This was on the Alcala, but crowds filled the streets all the way down to the zocalo. Good Samaritans, all! Oaxaca always embraces this celebration, which always falls on the fourth Friday of Lent.  People decorate stands and then offer drinks to any and all.

  Normally, it is aguas de jamaica, chilacayota, horchata and atole.

This year it was BYOC, Bring Your Own Cup, a vestige of the pandemic, but there were plenty of glasses available, too.  And the lines were crazy long.  As I said, Oaxaqueños keep these wonderful traditions going year after year by involving everyone, starting with the young. 

It really felt like after three years, everyone just wanted to share in the joy of the day. 

And maybe think a bit more about be a Good Samaritan, not just today, but every day.

They work hard for the money....

 

The Almaeda de Leon, the large walkway in front of the cathedral, leading into the zocalo, is getting a major overhaul.

I watched these workers for a while and marveled at their strength and craftsmanship. Those blocks have to weigh at least a hundred kilos or more. 

I can't imagine even lifting one, let alone doing it time after time, day after day. And this man is no youngster!  Just watching him made my back hurt.

One can see this kind of physical strength every day in many different ways here in Oaxaca.  Ladies carry serious weight balanced atop their heads.  Men unload trucks carrying crazy amounts of stuff on their backs or heads. 

This physical strength and the accompanying artistry are just two of the many different aspects of the wonder of life here.  ¡Viva Oaxaca!