The coronavirus is everywhere in Oaxaca and I seemed to have developed a case of it. Yes, Corona flows about as fast as the mezcal and a cold one tastes mighty good after finishing a hike in the Sierra Norte mountains.

Week four sped by (WOW, I’ve been here 4 weeks!) and was filled with a family birthday celebration for Margarita, la duena de mi hostel, a visit to the Museo de Cultura and Monte Alban (the Zapotec archeological site dating from 200ad). 

Rented biciclettas and rode to la pueblo de Tule, to view the largest tree en el mundo and spent a day hiking in the Sierra Norte from the pueblo Nerveia to the pueblo Latuvi with a group from the biblioteca. 

Was invited to a lovely evening gathering by a woman I met in Spanish school who was teaching a writing workshop in Oaxaca. A serendipitous meeting when she introduced herself my first day of class and told me I reminded her of a character, Eugenie, in one of her books. Another intriguing story and more new friends in Oaxaca.

Then there were more Spanish classes, wander abouts, food and mercados.

One of the most colorful ethnically and biodiverse states in Mexico, Oaxaca, offers up over 16 indigenous languages. Zapotec, the largest indigenous group, manifests 64 dialects. Touring the ethnobotanical jardin emphasized the biodiversity of the area including native varieties of squash, beans, avocados, maize and chilis plus a variety of new cactus similar to species around Tucson, such as the Oaxacan agave.

It was a dynamic week exploring La Galleria de Alebrijes, El Museo de Textiles, Mercado 20 de Noviembre, Mercado de Benito Juarez, Jardin Etnobotanico, savoring street food, enjoying the colorful activities and music of El Zocolo and daily wander abouts.

An invitation from a woman teaching a writing workshop in Oaxaca (met at Spanish school) to an evening reading of her student’s accomplishments rounded out the week and provided another opportunity to interact with expats and visitors.

Spanish Magic (http://www.oaxacaspanishmagic.com), celebrated their 15^th anniversary started by maestra, Flor, and it was a night of celebration.

Muscica, bailando, comida, conversacion, energia positivo y un buen tiempo. The women know how to party – I am definitely at the right school.

I feel quite safe wandering about solo. The bad sidewalks and topes seem to present the most danger. Oaxaca is a cash economy and toilet paper in non-negotiable – do not put it in the toilet. Y la familia who owns the hostel loves me so much they just lowered my weekly rate from 4500 pesos a week to 4000 (paid in cash of course). La vida es buena!

WOW – my first week in Oaxaca – bit of a blur as each day was filled with tasks, errands, school, wandering, finding my way about and figuring it out. Using English, Spanish and Spanglish I enrolled in la escuela de Espanol (Spanish Majic), 4 days/wk, 3 hrs/day and jumped in immediately on Tuesday. 

Upon searching the apartmento, hotel, hostel and bed and breakfast market I opted to stay at Hostel Yabanhi where I originally booked and negotiated a better price.

I have a private room and bath, includes a modest breakfast, is located 4 blocks from El Centro and the best aspect is the lovely rooftop terrace that overlooks Oaxaca, where the outdoor communal kitchen is located. It is owned and run by a lovely Mexican family whom I have developed a good relationship and I think want to adopt me. Hostels are a fascinating space for meeting the travelers of the world. This week I shared conversations and mezcal with a couple from France, a young women from Iceland and a lesbian couple, one from New Zealand and the other from South Africa (now that was an interesting back story).

Besides wandering the many barrios, finding a few fabulous, local restaurants, locating the bus station, I signed up for a class about mezcal, a Oaxcan cooking class, a walking tour of the city and registered at the English-speaking library (they offer lectures, tours, hikes, Spanish conversation get-togethers, books, CDs and more). I have also scoped out the gyms, yoga classes y la una piscina in la ciudad.

I’ve located the primary mercados, small mini mercados for basic groceries and perused the overwhelming street vendors, tiendas and mercados selling beautiful tapestries, clothing, pottery, art, y mas.

A productive week – No wonder I was tired when I woke up this morning!

Summertime….and the living is EZZZ. That sums up lake life in northern Michigan. The Hyatt family lake house (made entirely of Lake Huron stone) sits secluded and peacefully on the Straights of Mackinaw, the large body of water that connects Lake Michigan to Lake Huron.

Summertime north of the 45th parallel rewards us with long days to make up for the short summer season of July and August. Days are spent dipping and swimming in the cold, clear, fresh Straights of Mackinaw water –no sharks, jellyfish or salt water here.

Cycling (on trails or rural roads) kayaking, hiking, boating, sun bathing, and swimming prioritize each day. Grilling fresh fish from Stone Bay fishery or your favorite locally made Brat from Louie’s market along with an array of locally grown fresh produce is a frequent evening event.

The minimal rust belt town of Cheboygan boasts 4 stop lights, a brewery, several restaurants and shops, a yoga studio and farm market several days a week in the summertime. And there is so much more eye-popping scenery in the surrounding area –state parks, light houses, US Coast Guard cutter, stone churches, rural roads, beaches, marinas, massive buoys and lake freighters, inland lakes and rivers, fishing, wild flowers galore, driftwood, wild life and fresh berries.

The north country gems, the Mighty Mackinaw Bridge (one of the longest suspension bridges in the world) and Mackinaw Island (no cars allowed – bikes and horses only), attract thousands of tourists annually.

A slice of paradise – which is where I am heading today – Paradise, Michigan in the UP for the local blueberry festival and a bike ride out to the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, on the bay where the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in Lake Superior. Yup – summertime, and the living is EZZZZ.

Once the longest suspension bridge in the world, the Mackinaw Bridge is a powerful and iconic sight. Connecting the U.P. to the lower peninsula of Michigan the bridge spans 5 miles across the Straights of Mackinaw (which joins lake Michigan to lake Huron).

Now, the northern lower peninsula of Michigan is much different than the southern area of the state and the U.P. The north is deep woods, big water everywhere, lighthouses, marinas, large inland lakes and waterways, buoys and foghorns, shorelines and wetlands, ducks, geese and swans, insect hatches and great cycling and kayaking.

There are local fisheries (Stone Bay in Mackinaw City is my favorite) for fresh perch, walleye, whitefish, trout and lake salmon. Stone Bay also smokes a variety of local lake fish, offers up pickled fish and smoked fish sausage. Great for dinner on the grill.

Then there is the polish food! You wont be disappointed with a visit to the infamous Leggs Inn in Cross Village, overlooking lake Michigan. Farm markets dot the countryside along with stone churches, fields of sunflowers and Christmas tree farms.

Only 10 miles from the Mackinaw Bridge I reach my destination for the summer, The Hyatt Family Lake House located on the Straights of Mackinaw. Ahhh…journey completed.

The upper peninsula of Michigan, notably know as the U.P., is the land of Gitche Gumee – the big water of lake Superior – and home to big boats and Yoopers.

Yoopers, are those folks born and raised in the U.P. Now if you are a Yooper you spend a lot of time, hunting, fishing, snow shooing and splitting wood. You can become an honorary Yooper by marrying a real Yooper or relocating to the U.P.

Many Americans don’t even know where the U.P. is or that the state of Michigan is actually two separate peninsulas separated by the Straights of Mackinaw. If you reside in the lower peninsula you live in the mitt and are a Looper. When you meet a Michigander she will hold up a hand, in the shape of a mitt, and point to the exact location where she is from.

I love the iconic sights, sounds and tastes of Yooperlandia – white pines, timber logging, shoreline beaches, waysides, pasties, cranberry bogs, smoked whitefish, wild rice, fresh berry jam, lakeside cabins, lake freighters, ship wrecks and Tradeo on the radio.

“The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they called “Gitche Gumee.”
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
when the skies of November turn gloomy. ”
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Gordon Lightfoot – 1976

Bordering two of the great lakes, Superior and Michigan, I’m smelling big water as I enter Wisconsin. A land of big trees, swollen streams, inland lakes, gigantic mosquitos and Harley Davidsons.

Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers swell larger than life. I am in the midst of cheese heads and cheese curds – and I love those fresh dairy cheese curds. I’ll take a bag of the pepper jack curds please to snack on in camp tonight.

You’ll find Blatz, Miller, Schlitz, Old Milwaukee and Pabst plus a multitude of new craft beers in every little berg. And don’t forget the kringle, lefsa and fresh dairy products. A strong mix of German and Scandinavian heritage.

Departed early from camp in the morning as the mosquitos chased me away. Meandering through picturesque dairy farms on country roads listening to Sunday morning Graceful Gospel on the radio. A bit of local culture singing “I’m Holding Heaven in My Arms Tonight” followed by “I’m Getting Strong So Don’t do Me Wrong”.

I zipped through the southeast corner of South Dakota, completely missing Wall Drug and the Corn Palace, dang. Onto Minnesota, which starts out like South Dakota and Nebraska – corn, soy beans, wheat and cattle…

As I close in on St. Cloud, Minnesota I spot a stand of trees, and another, and another.

Driving further north I truly enter the land of fuel, food, fish bait, forests and 10,000 lakes. The radio forecasts the local fishing report and angler tips. Looks like the pink jib is working for the wide mouth bass and croppies this week.

Life is good in the land of lakes…and grass.