[ Santo Domingo and Ethnobotany ]

Today we started by going to the National Palace! It used to be where the government was located until deadly riots erupted in 2006. Now, the government has moved to a different building and this is used more as a museum!

The largest Tlayuda in the world! Guinness Book of World
Records and Ripley's Believe It or Not both recognize it!

This is a mural by Arturo García Bustos.

There was an exhibition on regional wear in Oaxaca!

I think this is super nifty! :)

Afterwards we visited the Santo Domingo church again, but this time it was for the museum next to it!

This is an old Dominican library with the earliest book from 1496
(it was on Aristotle's philosophies).

Outside were the ethnobotanical gardens that we toured later in the day!

Many artifacts from Tomb 7 of Monte Albán were here!

These vessels are used for serving food.
Zapotecs believed that food was like the soul to the body,
making their statues even more meaningful.

There was also a beautiful courtyard!

We went back to the hotel for awhile to start the back of the Codex Nuttall. After about two hours of deciphering glyphs, we returned for a guided tour of the gardens. They were beautiful and very well maintained; there is an intricate water system that regulates itself and never requires more than rain water!

This cactus is around 500 years old!

My shoulders look like this copal tree. 

We were walking back to the hotel when we ran into a festival procession, so we just joined along!

They had a marching band too, and it was a ton of fun! A week from this Saturday, we leave. It's so weird to think about! Part of me is ready to be home, but I also love Oaxaca City a lot! It is hard not to buy everything--the blouses are colorful and they are famous for their chocolate! The weather is also beautiful. The weather is also beautiful. What more can you ask for? :) 

Paz y amor,

Abby