tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post5555666402054942777..comments2024-03-28T01:19:35.439-04:00Comments on Travel with Kevin and Ruth: Monte Alban Ruins and Oaxaca ProtestsKevin Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-89322587577689253912013-03-13T12:29:00.726-04:002013-03-13T12:29:00.726-04:00That's great! Glad to hear you enjoyed yoursel...That's great! Glad to hear you enjoyed yourselves anyways!Samuel Savardhttp://oxygenlover.com/horseback-riding.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-38311947507860962032013-03-07T22:49:50.470-05:002013-03-07T22:49:50.470-05:00You are certainly right on the children missing ye...You are certainly right on the children missing years of education. It is funny that is seems to be mostly Oaxaca City that has these protests!<br /><br />Our GPS (Tom-Tom) isn't very descriptive with Oaxaca City so it was better to use Google Maps for our journery to Monte Alban. We don't rely totally on the GPS. Kevin is pretty thorough with his research when we are traveling the local roads, we don't want any surprises especially if we are traveling with Sherman.Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-76291846790684912782013-03-07T16:53:40.506-05:002013-03-07T16:53:40.506-05:00Not sure exactly, but because of teachers striking...Not sure exactly, but because of teachers striking over the years, Oaxacan children have missed years of education. The culture in Oaxaca is very conflictive.<br /><br />What no GPS? I will send you my Tom-Tom for free including cable and software. It's a piece of mugre. I like Google and Mapquest best.living.boondockingmexicohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157433834193440923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-4081000984744076862013-03-07T09:14:56.395-05:002013-03-07T09:14:56.395-05:00You are correct on the the fact that there are two...You are correct on the the fact that there are two shifts of school per day and we are aware of that, however Oaxaca state has one of the lowest education rates in Mexico. Part of that is due to it being one of the poorer states and many children don't continue on with their education past primary school. The fact still remains that with the many school disruptions and days the schools are closed due to the strikes/protests the children are not getting the education that they should be getting. Many of the people in Oaxaca City are very tired of the protests and blockades that have been going on for years.Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-24994415236958786702013-03-06T22:35:04.883-05:002013-03-06T22:35:04.883-05:00The school situation in Mexico can be a little con...The school situation in Mexico can be a little confusing. Students go to school either in the morning or the afternoon. I thought morning shift was 7 - 12 but Susana may be correct that it is 8 - 12, Afternoon shift is the same number of hours in the afternoon. Teachers to have the option of choosing to teach the morning or afternoon shift, but get this, they can choose to teach BOTH shifts. It makes for a long day after they add the preparation time before each shift but they get double the pay and double the pension! I learned this from our friends Chris and Juan.<br /><br />Some tourists go home with the idea that Mexican kids do not have to go to school because there are always kids on the street. The morning/afternoon shift system explains this. <br /><br />So Susana is partly right. Teachers can turn their profession into a part time job by working only mornings (or afternoons) but they have the option to work much longer hours for much more money and future pension benefits.Crofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17634815881045387152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-89244295989786417152013-03-06T19:46:18.078-05:002013-03-06T19:46:18.078-05:00There were a few vendors inside but not many, just...There were a few vendors inside but not many, just a little annoying. There were definitely more at Teotihuacán but still nothing like Chichen Itza. The ruins at Chichen Itza are beautiful but the vendors and the hordes of tourists ruined the experience for me.<br /><br />We also climbed the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacán last year at just about this same time year. <a href="http://www.travelwithkevinandruth.com/2012/03/teotihuacan.html" rel="nofollow">www.travelwithkevinandruth.com/2012/03/teotihuacan.html</a>Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-86090839269255063662013-03-06T19:26:06.328-05:002013-03-06T19:26:06.328-05:00It was still a great day though, there was no snow...It was still a great day though, there was no snow and the sun was shinning and the temperature was wonderful!Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-68355074556671651242013-03-06T19:24:38.432-05:002013-03-06T19:24:38.432-05:00That is more or less what we are thinking too, She...That is more or less what we are thinking too, Sherry. The problem is that it isn't just "their" people but could very well be "our" people as well.<br /><br />We're not sure how they put up with all these closures and protests, there were more today! Oaxaca state is one of the lowest ranked states in Mexico for education and I am sure the strikes/protests aren't helping.<br /><br />Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-38538143950775479622013-03-06T19:13:34.673-05:002013-03-06T19:13:34.673-05:00It was actually pretty hot by the time we hit the ...It was actually pretty hot by the time we hit the blockade so we were happy to just go back to the apartment and relax for the rest of the afternoon.<br /><br />I think you could be correct there Bob, some people just don't respect stuff and they have now cost all of us the access to some of the more interesting places at the ruins. Or there was just too many people and they wanted to protect the sites better, who knows!Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-7373408527935500282013-03-06T19:07:34.973-05:002013-03-06T19:07:34.973-05:00No, we think the reason is that at certain times o...No, we think the reason is that at certain times of the year/month/week/ there are just so many people (some might be stupid people, who do stupid stuff!) that they are trying to protect the ruins the best they can. <br /><br />Yep, the protests and closures are a pain and we saw more of that today but that seems to be the way things go here so we just go with the flow.Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-57002519626423980022013-03-06T18:59:02.657-05:002013-03-06T18:59:02.657-05:00That is why we love this life!That is why we love this life!Kevin Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795747155781311686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-15686617776723746122013-03-06T16:29:46.351-05:002013-03-06T16:29:46.351-05:00At least you didn't have to run a gauntlet of ...At least you didn't have to run a gauntlet of vendors like the pyramids outside of Mexico City. And yes I climbed to the top of one. Too bad I can never remember how to spell the name, let alone pronounce it... ;c)<br /><br />Teirtnowme, Tirenwxso, tImoeTafe...the heck with it, you know what I mean! :cDPaul and Marti Dahlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17332654035718777839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-19602985576582390082013-03-06T15:25:25.541-05:002013-03-06T15:25:25.541-05:00I don't like it either when I can't explor...I don't like it either when I can't explore! Hopefully your day tomorrow will be more successful! No exploring, no convent, and no mexican Wall Mart, all in the same day!Samuel Savardhttp://oxygenlover.com/horseback-riding.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-60376955271971991492013-03-06T12:55:23.317-05:002013-03-06T12:55:23.317-05:00That's frustrating to have the ruins so restri...That's frustrating to have the ruins so restricted. But if their people are as careless and inconsiderate as ours, perhaps they fear the damage if people are allowed to run free. Those protests must be getting mighty tiring for you let alone for the people who live there all the time. How do their kids get an education if all the teachers are always on strike???Sherryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00328866430156879312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-57622295643555671102013-03-06T12:49:29.111-05:002013-03-06T12:49:29.111-05:00Well, it's not always "perfect". I...Well, it's not always "perfect". I'm reasonably sure the inconvenience of being side tracked by protesters or strikers is well made up for by the great weather. You can just choose to do very little.<br />Perhaps the gated areas are there to keep people from going in and doing unspeakable things. We won't speak of it.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523653271715366168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-55803855360223042852013-03-06T11:35:22.790-05:002013-03-06T11:35:22.790-05:00Perhaps the ruins are in need of major repairs and...Perhaps the ruins are in need of major repairs and that is why they were restricting access. What a pain with all the protests and closures.Contessa https://www.blogger.com/profile/01482663305121297253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171307653508307040.post-34031521329286235862013-03-06T09:29:08.079-05:002013-03-06T09:29:08.079-05:00You guys find the most interesting things!
~*~*~...You guys find the most interesting things! <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />Karen and Steve<br /> The USA Is Our Big Backyard<br /> http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.comKarenInTheWoodshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05884478307015605168noreply@blogger.com