Upon Great Water

Huayapaum-4rth-Notes

Amongst the many jewels that surround the city of Oaxaca is the sparkling town of San Andres Huayapaum. Family circumstances had brought us to Mexico, to Oaxaca and ultimately to Huayapaum. We were looking for a house to rent. In order to better care for Bonnie’s mother, Doris, who suffered from stroke damage, we were looking for a particular combination of luxury, economy, culture and service. The luxury and service were for Doris. The culture and economy were for us. That this all came together in a little place less then 20 minutes outside of Oaxaca was a generous surprise. It was only the first of the many generous surprises that awaited us in Huayapaum.

Once of the most interesting things we learned about Huayapaum was from the cab drivers, shop keepers and street vendors who would ask us where we were staying. When we told them Huayapaum, everyone of them would say respectfully ” Ah Huayapaum, they have water”. It was said with the respect shone to a neighborhood who had a great and precious possession but who was willing to share. The municipal water trucks were a common site in Huayapaum and the arrangements and niceties of selling and sharing water with the surrounding towns and with the city indicated a practical generosity we were to experience many times over in the town.

We also mostly heard Huayapaum spoken of for it’s excellent texate. a delightful cold drink made from corn flour, cocoa beans, coconut, and mamey fruit seeds, all toasted first, then mixed with fresh water in huge green bowls called cazuelas verders. A respectful nod was always given to Huayapaum as having particularly good texate and a few cab drivers pointed out their favorite spots in back of the church

************************************************************************

Amongst the many small jewels that surround the city of Oaxaca is the sparkling town of San Andres Huayapaum. Family circumstances has brought us to Mexico, to Oaxaca and ultimately to Huayapaum. We were looking for a house to rent in order to better care for Bonnie’s mother Doris, who suffered from stroke damage. We were also looking for a particular combination of luxury, economy, culture and service. The luxury and service were for Doris. The culture and economy was for us. That it all came together in a little place less then 20 minutes outside of Oaxaca was at first a surprise. It turned out to be only one of many generous surprises that awaited us in Huayapaum. /* It is that generosity that makes us want to share our experiences in Huayapaum with you. */

We learned something significant about Huayapaum almost immediately from the cab drivers, shop keepers and street vendors around Oaxaca who would ask us where we were staying. When we told them Huayapaum, everyone of them would say respectfully ” Ah Huayapaum, they have water.” It sounded like they were speaking of a neighbor who had something precious but was willing to share. As we settled into Huayapaum we noticed the municipal water trucks were a common sight and the arrangements and niceties of selling and sharing water with the surrounding towns and with the city indicated a practical generosity we ourselves were to experience many times over in the town.

**************************************************************************

Among the many jewel like towns that surround the city of Oaxaca is the small but sparkling San Andres Huayapaum. Family circumstances has brought us to Mexico, to Oaxaca, and ultimately to Huayapaum. We were looking for a house to rent in order to better care for Bonnie’s mother Doris, who suffered from stroke damage and needed a great deal of care. We were looking of a particular combination of luxury, economy, culture, and service. The luxury and service were for Doris. The culture and economy was for us. That it all came together in a little place 20 minutes outside of Oaxaca was at first a surprise. As we came to see in generous, surprise laden Huayapaum, the education was constant. In the same spirit of generosity we would like to share some of what we have learned.

We found out something significant about Huayapaum almost immediately from the cab drivers, shopkeepers and street vendors around Oaxaca who would ask us where we were staying. When we told them Huayapaum, everyone of them would say respectfully “Ah Huayapaum, they have water.” It almost sounded like they speaking of a neighbor who had something precious but was willing to share. This kind of commercial but also familial type of exchange became familiar to us as we settled into Huayapaum for what we expected to be at least a year. We noticed the regular municipal water trucks and the niceties and arrangements of selling and sharing water with the surrounding towns and with the city had the practical generosity we would notice in many of the citizens of Huayapaum.v

/* Almost but you will have to try again */

Maybe because of the water, but whatever the reason we also began to hear Huayapaum spoken of because of it’s excellent texate. Texate is a delightful cold drink made from corn flour, cocoa beans, coconut, and mamey fruit seeds, all toasted first, then mixed with fresh water in huge green bowls, not surprising called cazuelas verdes. The cab drivers would point out their favorites spots for texate, many of which seemed to be just behind the church.

/* Okay this is becoming less of a draft and more of a collection of notes. The stiffness is so completely showing and you keep losing the people. You are actually going to lose Doris completely from the story until the end and that really won’t do. The house staff are not citizens of Huayapaum but they must be mention. Getting specialties from the tiendas for ourselves and for Doris is a much better connecting thread. */