Oaxaca City, Sunday

09:40. Didn't want to get up but I did. Stood outside hostel waiting to be picked up. Noticed SYTs eating so decided to grab a bit of breakfast about 9:34. Had a bread roll thing and a cup of coffee. Finished the roll and half the coffee when it appeared the same bus drove past three times, so I assumed it was mine being arsey and ditched the rest of the coffee. Don't think it was, there were two near identical buses up at the end of the street. My coffee has been taken away though so I am not waiting on the street. I would hope the fuckers would ring the bell but I am not that sure so I don't really want to go in and get another coffee and wait in there.

No water on me and just a couple of mouthfuls of soft drink left in a bottle I bought on Friday. There couldn't be a shop near enough to the hostel for me to have nipped into this morning, that would be too convenient. I assume I will be able to buy one somewhere today.

Precisely, I only started standing out here at 9:42. But that damn well ought to be OK - as I say, I think standard protocol is they do ring the doorbell. Might be here now.

09:50. Yeah, it had. Unmarked white minibus. I am first one on.

10:20. Looks like just two ppl incl me on tour.

11:45. OK, we saw El Tule then I got shunted off apart from the other guy to some other group. We just saw some demonstration of rug making. I must be losing it, I was vaguely tempted to buy one (the cheapest were MXN1000 and some of those were quite attractive). But I didn't. What would I do with the thing back home? And how would I get it back anyway? It did cross my mind to ask if they would post me one. But as I say, what would I do with it? I worry myself sometimes.

11:50. What the fuck? Guide just said we are going up a difficult road for 50 mins/1h to Hierve El Agua. So what happened to it being too dangerous? They fucking told me we weren't going there when I booked on Friday, not just when I enquired before that. I didn't bring any swimming gear either because I was told we weren't coming. Doubly not happy about this.

13:15. Been here about 15 mins. Road was indeed rather bad. Quite good views, and ditto from here. The waters apparently are not thermal, but they look like it as they bubble when they emerge. there are a few semi-natural looking swimming pools. It is annoying I can't go in because the tour company simply lied to me, but there you go.

I haven't put any suncream on today, we are here for an hour (45 mins now), I hope I am not going to burn. I have some in my bag but it's back in the bus. I am currently in the shadow on a small tree, but it's not enough. (It's quite pleasant as far as temperature goes as there is a breeze, I am just worried about burning.)

Oh, the big tree (El Tule? Or is that just part of the place name? Whatever) is indeed big. And yet curiously unimpressive in some sense, I don't know why.

15:50. Just finished lunch, milling about by the bus waiting for the others. Buffet at MXN130, I had two platefuls (I half intend not to go out tonight, and it will be nice if I don't have to dick around trying to find somewhere to eat) and feel rather stuffed. Not bad though and they took a 500 note without argument. (I had about 122 on me in other forms had they cut up rough.)

16:15. I think I have a bit of sunburn on the back of my neck. Oh well, serves me right for not dragging myself out of bed five minutes earlier this morning to put suncream on

The airconditioning on the minibus isn't up to much. It's not intolerable by any means but it could do with being a bit cooler.

16:30. Arriving at Mitla. 37 (sigh) pesos entrance fee. Apparently the archaeological site is small and we only need 30 mins here.

18:00. At the Mezcal factory. It's not the factory tour I half expected, we just got some free samples as the roadside shop. I suspect the tour company doesn't even pay them, they just do it on the offchance of sales. They seemed to suggest the way to drink it is to follow the drink with a bit of orange dipped in chilli powder. They had one which was some sort of cream version flavoured with peanuts which was interesting. Vaguely tempted to buy a small bottle for MXN80 but the idea of being stuck with even a small glass bottle in my luggage for the next four weeks just didn't appeal.

I tried the 5 and 8 year old 'straight' versions as well, not the younger clear stuff though since I wasn't buying anything and by that point I had guessed it wasn't actually being 'paid for' by the tour so I felt a bit of a freeloader.

Oh, the factory appears to be 'El Rey de Matatlan'.

Apparently the difference between mezcal and tequila is that the latter is made from blue agave while the former is made from from another kind. (I must say the agave plants we have seen today do lack that blue tint I remember seeing before.) Also tequila production is more industrialised while mezcal is more artesanal, although I wonder how true the latter is.

19:40. Call me a weak-willed git. Was half hoping not to drink today but have come to some bar in Zocalo. Got dropped off just off here about half an hour ago, a tree was down in one corner so I had to go round and I somehow got totally lost. I also needed to go to the only place I was sure I could buy a bottle of coke.

So many tiny but shit little reminders on my phone I keep sleeping on every fucking day. Oddly hacked off right now.

Still got to do my homework ready for tomorrow but it's just filling in some blanks on a text we went over in class but which I didn't fill in at the time. To be honest I am more confused than ever these days.

And I have to go to fucking Monte Alban after class tomorrow. Yay. I get to fuck around with buses to rush over there at 2pm when class finishes.

21:35. Just got back to hostel. Will charge laptop while I do the HW & sort out some of the little chores then maybe go surf on the terrace.

Saw a cockroach on the street on the way back, gave me a momentary start as I thought it was a spider. Must say I have seen few cockroaches lately, I would have expected them to be more common in this sort of climate. Not that I'm complaining...

00:23. Happy birthday Steve! Of course, it's been my birthday back in the UK for a while...

Oaxaca City, Saturday

11:15. Despite alarm going off about 10:30, I somehow managed to miss it later and woke up by sort of chance at 10:57. Legged it round and left the room about 11:13. Guy from reception noticed me and said my new room was already clean, so I am in now. He said it was free last night. Sort of wish I could have moved yesterday after school then, which would have avoided the need to be up this morning. It is a tiny bit more expensive though.

Odd that a double bed costs more than a twin, and even odder when you consider I actually had a triple to myself for the price of a double. Also odd that there is a set of lockers in the corner. I might have naively assumed if you're sharing a double bed with someone there is enough trust for that not to be necessary. :-)

I suppose it's the hostel equivalent of the hotel room safe though. (The analogy stretches up to and including 'a good idea but not always provided'.)

Was going to leg it off to Monte Alban and I guess I am still going to go, but will stupidly loiter here a few minutes first to relax after my rushing around since waking up.

19:30. Sigh. I just slept all day dressed on top of the bed. I did at least sort of half choose to do it rather than completely drift off by accident. Got up (though I was just dozing the last hour or two) about 6:30, managed to pick my laundry up and now at some just about acceptable restaurant on the southern bit of Alcala where it may not yet be called Alcala. Having a tasajo somethink which I hope will be like the one I had the other night, i.e. edible.

Was vaguely planning to stay in tonight but it's Saturday and since I had to come out for food anyway... I don't plan to be out late given the 9:40am pickup tomorrow but I also doubt I'll get to sleep that early after today. (Though maybe that just makes up for having been a bit short on sleep every day due to not going to bed that early and being up for the classes at 9.)

I might just go sit at a bar in the Zocalo but I think I will take a look at those bars last night which were too busy for me to try then.

20:10. Down at one of those bars. Fairly full (and small), perched at bar. Doorman (or just some guy loitering there) seriously goth. I wondered if it was going to be totally inappropriate for me, but the clientele aren't made up. I feel a bit conspicuous but we'll see. At least I came in. Almost too cheap at MXN15 a beer.

Place might be called Kabbalah but I could be wrong.

It occurs to me, reading the Mexico book, that it might be cool to do a complete coast-coast trip across the country. I started the overland portion in Cancun on the east coast and I am already half planning to go to Guadalajara via Guanajuato, which would get me to within a couple of hundred miles of the coast I think, possibly less. This may not happen but I note the thought down.

20:50. Developed a bit of a jitter in the last ten mins or so. Not sure why. Maybe a slight burst of concentrated homesickness, though that's not quite it. Odd as I am feeling less conspicuous here now, though still a little bit.

21:15. FWIW, the meal earlier was OK. Half decent thin steak, some mercifully warm frijoles negros in a sort of bowl made of a tortilla, rice and some sort of pastry covered in mole (I know there are different kinds of mole, but this seemed the sort I have encountered before - dark and sort of chocolatey.) Guacamole served only in a separate dish, yay!

21:55. Music quite good here. 'Another Brick In The Wall (part 2)' (clearly a cover, but not a bad one) just coming on, bit of Judas Priest earlier. I quite like the place, it's down at heel without being too threatening.

22:10. Fairly heaving now. Lots of people stood around. The place is tiny. I suspect I will leave when my bladder gives out (though it's OK now) as I won't have a seat after that and am not sure I'd feel comfortable standing around on my own. We shall see anyway.

There is a guy sat next to me at the bar. I have a horrible feeling he may try to talk to me. In some sense that would be cool but I am not sure I am up to it. It's moderately noisy and my confidence in my Spanish has taken serious knocks (not that it was that high anyway) from being back at school.

23:05. We just had a Spanish cover of 'Under pressure'. Ordered a michelada. Comes in an enormous glass but I saw the guy make it and it only contains one regular bottle of beer. Probably due to the enormous quanity of ice. Bit watery but OK.

Wow, we seem to have a live band on now. There is a tiny stage in the corner.

Man, first song is 'borracho y loco'... :-)

23:15. Place is heaving. I honestly think the entire bar is about the size of the living room in my old flat in Oval. Certainly approximately.

23:40. Maybe twice the size. Dunno. Excellent cover of 'Breaking the law' just then. Bladder holding out, if the band is on I may stay and stand once I am forced to give up my seat.

00:50. Just went for piss, wasn't busting. Seat amazingly still free on my return. Real fight through the crowd stuff getting there & back. Was feeling I might leave as the fun seemed to be draining away but post-piss feel like staying. Plus how can I ignore such a positive sign as my seat still being free? :-)

01:00. Short weight on this michelada as I saw the guy pour it from a litre bottle of Indio and it ran out just short of the top. Oh well.

"Seek and destroy" now...

Decor here is vaguely druidical. Two walls have sort of tree-ish god type chaps painted on, the nearest has a dryad (I think that's the right word, a naked leafy tree chick) on. Odd.

01:20. Band just went off. They'd been on for a while so fair play. Oh, an encore. I don't know if they are finishing after this but although I am slightly tempted to stay it is somehow not as fun as it was (I feel very sober somehow though) so given the tour tomorrow I will probably go when they finish. Given it seems like an encore I might expect they won't come back on anyway.

01:30. Just left. Band still on but it seemed time to go. Not a bad night all in though. I do feel almost ridiculously sober somehow. Not that I drank an insane amount - about 9 bottles - so I suppose it's not too surprising. I suspect earlier I confused fullish bladder feelings with being a bit drunk. :-)

Oaxaca City, Friday

14:35. Overslept (phone got turned to silent or I did it without meaning to) but not too bad.

Took laundry in, bought ticket for tour on Sunday (tho am far from convinced they know where my hostel is). Come to museo de las culturas de Oaxaca. Walked round the block before finding the entrance. Annoying fifty ONE peso entrance fee. Security check with one of those apparently undemanding metal detectors. They went through my fleece pocket (just one). They insisted I put my can of insect repellent in the cloakroom! What the fuck? If I was planning on doing any damage I don't need a stupid aerosol to do it. I guess at least they didn't confiscate it or charge me for the privilege of storing it.

17:55. Thunder & some lightning earlier and it's raining lightly now. At some pizza place near the museum. Had trouble getting out, I was going down the stairs to leave and some officious git waved me back incomprehensibly. I did a circuit of the museum and ended up in the same place. This time I was allowed out, officious git wasn't there.

Sounds like it's raining moderately heavily now.

Museum quite interesting though the building itself is probably the most impressive things. Views over the adjacent 'jardin etnobotanico' (?) are also very cool.

My feet were and are killing me. Odd as I haven't been on my feet an unusual amount today.

I don't believe it. It sounds like it is chucking it down and the ceiling leaks. I am getting quite a few spots of rain.

Just shifted to the next table. I think it is fractionally better but not much.

OK, moved to a too-tall table with a wobby stool under the first floor balcony, so I am at least staying dry.

18:50. Pizza pretty good. Spotted some bar apparently called Casanova at the back of the pizza place with no door direct to the street. Very small but seems to be just me and some staff. I hope I am not transgressing any unwritten rules by being here.

Slightly annoyingly the TV is on the bar sound system while the barmaid is watching a video of 'Hey Jude' on her Blackberry with sound on. I could handle either but the mix is not good. She's the barmaid, why doesn't she just turn the TV off?

Actually, 'Algo Mas' is playing under the noise of the TV. Stupid. At least the barmaid's video has finished.

Oh, there was a poster outside the museum advertising a free Chopin recital on Sunday at midday. While I might have struggled to get up, that might have been cool to go to, but it's not an option as I will be on the tour then.

20:55. Still here and still only customer, though I suspect a certain affiliation with the restaurant outside.

Picked up reading that 1910-ish book on Mexico again. It's odd to read some rather dodgily racist statements then a few paragraphs later on read stuff which would probably pass without causing a raised eyebrow even today. (For example, from memory, the author praised the pre-Hispanic civilisations - or at the very least admitted they had certain redeeming features, just as he slags off certain aspects of other modern civilsations - then shortly after tossed off some remark about the indians (essentially, the pure-blooded descents of those pre-Hispanic people) being an inferior sort (it was just possible he was referring to reality - see the next bit - rather than anything inherent, but that may be an overly sympathetic interpretation on my part), then later on acknowledges they are in a rather bad way socially and that naturally they therefore lack education (which strikes me as probably fair, or at worst incorrect but not racist, after all, I don't really know what Mexico was like i
n 1910)..

Both teachers talked to me today about the (public) teachers' strike. If what they tell me is true, the teachers and their union sound like a bunch of bastards. Roughly speaking I was told (subject to the inevitable 'Chinese whispers' mangling I might have imposed):
- the teachers do this every year (seriously)
- apart from working shorter hours than teachers anywhere else in Mexico, they work IIRC 20 days a year less than those other teachers because of all the strikes
- they get paid while they are on strike
- the union controls their pay and holidays (on an individual basis, not in the way a UK union might determine pay scales by collective bargaining or what have you) and uses these to 'encourage' them to turn up at strikes like this one in the zocalo
- the strike right now is because (I can hardly believe this) until very recently or maybe still now (not sure which), when a teacher retired, his or her children were automatically entitled to take over his job. This has been or is planned to be changed and they don't like it.
- the general population don't like the teachers but don't want any trouble so quietly tolerate them doing this
- the government tried to intervene three or four years ago and small scale 'warfare' (that phrase sticks in my head, probably as a kind of metaphor used by one of the teachers, but I am sure it would be fairer to say 'rioting') broke out
- at that time, because teachers have the appearance of doing valuable work etc regardless of this alleged reality, teachers' and other groups around the world rallied to the defence of the Oaxacan teachers

I suspect there is an element of bias here (although, and this could cut either way, my main teacher worked in a state school for 8 months about 10 years ago and left in part because he couldn't stand the political atmosphere - eg he was told not to work so hard as it would set a bad example and other teachers might then be expected to make a similar effort) but I can't help but wonder. If there is any truth in this business of 'inherited' jobs and the teachers being upset at that being taken away, I know I'm firmly on the side of the Mexican authorities on that question at least.

On a different note, I was also told that apparently there are no/few petrol refineries in Mexico. All or nearly all of Mexico's raw oil is apparently sent to Texas for refining.

I hope I didn't get the wrong end of the stick with any of this, but I think I'm reporting more or less what I was told.

21:30. Nearly finished my fourth beer. It is OK here if not great and I am wondering what I should do. I don't want to be too drunk (or 'at all' really) when I leave, but I am also disinclined to seek anywhere else at the moment. If nothing else, I suspect it's a little bit early. I think I might have one more then make the call.

I do sort of want to stay out a bit tonight. On the other hand, I have to check out by 11am because I have to change rooms, and if I can manage it I would like to be up earlyish to get the bus over to Monte Alban for a couple of hours before it gets too hot. Ideally I would get a 9am bus to be there for 9:30 when it opens. That may be pushing it of course.

Rambling generally, it is perhaps unfortunate that I probably gleaned more information from a short film about the various ruins in SE Mexico which alternated between Spanish and English - by sheer chance I caught the English version - than the rest of the museum. There were huge amounts of text which in an English-language museum I would have read easily and probably half remembered. I could get the gist of the Spanish text no problem, but there was so much of it and reading was such an effort that I couldn't take in all I read and just didn't have the willpower to read most of it. I wonder if this is how English-speaking but less fluid readers than me feel in some English-language museums. I don't like it, it makes me feel dumb. Maybe one day I will acquire sufficient Spanish abilities to be able to read it with as little effort as I read English.

21:50. Just got a fifth anyway. A few people are actually in here now. I suspect this bar is forming a kind of 'chill out' area from the pseudo-club atmosphere (the music is loud in here but it's clearly coming from there) in the restauranty area (clearly it is not just a restaurant).

Continuing to read the book, I am inclined to think - as I believe I have done before, I think - that a lot of what would at one time have been attributed to race and thus sounds wrong today could be fairly transparently recast in terms of cultures or at least 'certain shared beliefs and attitudes'. Of course you can't generalise too much in either system if you want to be fair, but if you have a wellish-defined group of people with a common culture, you can probably make strictly factual observations about them without attributing it to unchangeable factors. The incorrect implicit attribution of a statement like 'the indians are excessively suspicious and stupid' (a rough quote from memory) could be recast as 'the indian populations tend to be suspicious and lacking in formal education' and the latter might well be true (you could doubtless explain any suspicion as reasonable, even if at the same time you could potentially argue it was excessive). My point - insofar as I have one,
I am just rambling really - is that if you look over the slightly dodgy attitude implied (though I get the feeling the author in this particular case is probably someone you could cheerfully have a drink with, even if you were a native Mexican, it's just the viewpoint he was trained to), the observations are at least potentially still valid, even if the observed behaviour and attitudes are facilely attributed to 'racial tendencies'.

22:25. Nearly finished this one. Still torn. I am vaguely thinking I will have one more then force myself away, I will wander down towards B&W where I might hope for live music and if anything appeals on the way I will go there instead. I really don't think I am drunk - and I have eaten, and I am wolfing down the free popcorn they keep giving me (there is an enormous, and I mean enormous, container of the stuff over in one corner), which must help - so as long as a slight feeling of tipsiness doesn't steal over me during the next beer that should be cool.

22:40. Got another. Bar is suddenly crowded (I am sat here, partly due to slightly low tables) although no one is sitting. But I saw some people eating pizza earlier which encourages my belief this bar has some fairly strong connection with the restauranty bit. The music while a bit pounding is not that bad, I find myself jiggling my feet a little. However, I suspect I can do better and will probably try to be strong after this one. It would be nicer to be watching some live music than sitting here reading my book on the phone, for all the fact it is managing to grip me fairly well.

There is a woman sat at the other end of the bar showing strong symptoms of being drunkely knackered. Head on hands etc.

23:00. OK, nearly finished this one. Sorely tempted to stay but I will leave in search of greener pastures. I can always come back here some other night if I want.

Popped slightly out of my way to check out Nude. Some 'cheerleaderish' (ie not titty bar scanty) women on the pseudo-first floor stage, so I guess there's no chance of live music there.

The pizza place itself is apparently La Rustica. But the area I ate in earlier was very bar-like when I left.

23:15. Down at B&W. Some guy on the stage is fiddling (non audibly) with a guitar which bodes well. About three other groups here, hardly rammed but not deserted.

Saw a few other bar/club places off Alcala near Nude & Casanova but they were absolutely heaving in a way that made me disinclined to force my way in. I may give them a try tomorrow night, if I turn up 9 or 10ish I can see how the land lies and stake out a table or a section of the bar before it packs out. I am not saying I couldn't have got in, but there were small groups loitering outside in a slight 'overspill' way (they didn't even seem to be smoking, though I think a lot of the more bar-type places here allow smoking inside anyway, either way that doesn't really explain them loitering outside in the doorway) and it was far from clear I could even have snagged a seat at the bar.

Music right now is slightly crap (a dancey remix of that damn 'words to describe this girl' song, for example) but OK. Right now I would probably be better off back at Casanova (another time I might aim a table in the 'restaurant' as I call it, since it's clearly more than that at night, or a seat at the bar in there if there is one) but I think the change will prove to be a smart move in the longer term. Tables a bit wankily low here but not intolerably so.

Beer is cheaper here too, though I changed brands so it may not be fair (MXN25 for a Bohemia - which I think is slightly 'premium' - at Casanova vs MXN20 for a Victoria here).

It occurs to me I probably have an advantage being short on the lowish cuboidal stools here. My knees naturally form a right angle as I sit, I imagine it would be more annoying for someone taller.

Biggish group just turned up. I hope it doesn't get so rammed in here I will lose my table when I go to the bar.

23:30. Music turned off and we now have five guys on stage making 'testing' kinds of noise. So this looks promising.

I must say live music tends not only to be more fun (it's something to pay attention to, unlike even good sound system music) but generally more to my tastes - I guess because of a certain universal 'pub rock' quality about low-end live music, and in some sense because it's not easy to perform that kind of 'dancey'/RnBish music live in an amateur way.

They just started. It is vaguely Pink Floyd-esque. This looks like it could be good.

Misled by the intro. It's Spanish language rock/pop. Not bad tho. They are covering some 'dificil de creer' song I have heard before now.

23:55. "I'll fly tonight" (wish I could remember the exact song name) now.

00:25. I think I have reached that 'quietly a bit pissed' stage. It's cool but I don't seem to be slowing down naturally so I need to be careful.

00:30. Just got another. Felt a bit self-consciously drunk at the bar. Oh well. It's all good.

00:40. Band just off. I hope it's just a break.

Can't resist quoting this from the Mexico book, though I am not claiming it is true any more if it ever was (and insofar as my experience goes, this would be truer in Puno, Peru, than anywhere I've been in Mexico):

"Then I distribute some small largesse to the woman and her numerous progeny, for am I not an inglés, of that famous race whose pockets are ever lined with silver and who are known even throughout these remote regions?"

01:05. Band coming back on. I am taking it slowly and am not so much pissed as busting for a piss, which I will leave out of innate prudence til I finish this beer. Hence torn between drinking slowly and necking it. :-)

01:40. Got another but left the beer for a piss and it was OK. It's amazing how much better I feel after.

Band did three Beatles covers. I am not a big Beatles fan but maybe just because it was familiar music it was cool. Their 'Yesterday' was a bit truncated but their 'All my loving' rocked.

Don't understand what they are saying but guys at adjacent table are using the verb 'chingar'. I have heard a few people in the street say 'que padre' which is a phrase I learned from Zheyla.

01:50. They are covering Hombres G's "Venezia". Suck on that, Zheyla! Who says they're not cool? :-)

02:25. Band on third pretty uncontrived encore (nothing like that foul thing at big professional gigs where the band go off and come back on for a few more). Is a shame will be over soon really.

02:30. OK, it's over. I really should go - I mean, screw Monte Alban early, I have eight and a half hours till I have to check out. But I think I will have one more.

02:35. Yeah, got another. Feel oddly sober though I suspect am not. Must be second wind. My wallet is now empty except for the small wodge of 2 reais (sp?) notes which perpetually inhabit it. But I do have more cash on me and I may stay later depending how I feel. I know I can get up for 11 whatever if I have to, and I can go to Monte Alban tomorrow late or even after classes next week. (For that matter, I am here Saturday morning/afternoon next week depending how the buses on to Puebla work out. Tho the England-US world cup match takes place midday local time that Saturday and it would be oddly cool to watch it if I can.) It may be hot but it's not a complete killer. At least I won't be lugging a kilo of coffee around with me this time whatever happens. And maybe the thunderstorm today will result in lower temperatures. The school owner (the teacher who I spent an hour with today since my regular guy had to leave early) says it is not normally so hot every single day. To be fair, it
is undoubtedly hot and I am sweating like a bastard much of the time, but it is far from intolerably hot. I am sure I have felt worse elsewhere.

Oh, apart from seeing the claim when I booked, I overheard an American woman ask in English if reception was 24h the other day while surfing on the terrace, so apart from the checkout at 11am I have no real worries about the hostel.

To do justice to myself and the author of the Mexico book, I think the following quote both shows he is not some foaming at the mouth racist yet also shows that slightly antiquated attitude I have referred to:

"The humble peones arouse the foreigner's pity. Poor people! they are bound by centuries of class-distinction and priestly craft transplanted from an old-world monarchy. These people are generally affectionate and respectful; they will undergo hardship and toil to serve us if we have by justice and tolerance won their respect and sympathy; and with a faithfulness that is almost canine. Their feasts, ceremonies, griefs, are quaint and full of colour and the human touch. Their simple state of life and humble dress take nothing from their native courtesy."

Those may not be acceptable sentiments taken at face value these days (and I have to agree) but at the same time you can see the respect the guy has for those people despite the way he expresses it.

A male cover of "Me cuesta tanto olvidarte" on the sound system now. Quite cool.

03:05. Just got another. Don't feel that drunk but it is annoying about the 11am checkout tomorrow. I am not too fussed about Monte Alban - I want to go, but I can go late tomorrow or after class - but it is annoying I will be forced up tomorrow (well, this) morning and then be homeless for four hours. What can't be cured must be endured, I guess. "Hey Jude" just come on the sound system.

There is a slight after-hours feel. There are maybe 10-15 people here and the bar staff made no fuss about serving me but the music just went off and generally it feels a bit dead in a slightly cool way. (Teacher told me bars generally shut at 3am here. I can believe that given this, tho given I just got served it's probably not that strict. I guess I am not in somewhere as wankily strict as the UK.)

03:25. While I intend to check out on time, I wonder what they can do to me if I don't. The penalty would normally be an extra day's charge - but I am already staying there tomorrow night anyway. I suppose they could double charge me. I hope the issue won't come to the test.

03:30. Just got another. I must admit this is stupid, but although I feel decidedly drunk I am not off my face, and I have admitted on many previous occasions to my desire to see just how late I am allowed to stay out. However, I suspect it may be vaguely possible to get another after this, but I will probably not try it. Honour, such as it is, is satisfied by having pushed it this far.

03:35. It suddenly occurs to me - and while feeling drunk I am pleased to observe I can type well, so it can't be that bad - that the bar door may be awkwardly closed to prevent ingress. I have nasty visions of the semi-pissed tourist attracting far too much attention as he tries to leave.

03:40. Aha. Some guy just left with no door opening ceremony. He may have a key but I doubt it. So that is reassuring.

I can't help feeling I have not behaved overly sensibly tonight, but on the other hand I haven't made a twat of myself so except for feeling like shit tomorrow morning, it's all good.

03:50. Just left - no problem, the street door was shut but openable from inside. Am writing this to record that there are a few people up and about in the zocalo and an immense quantity of - I assume - teacher protestors sleeping in the street. There are tents and I saw them before, I assumed everyone would be sleeping in such accommodation, but no. As I write this I hear some guy breathing/snoring a couple of metres away. Odd. Though I suppose in this climate sleeping outdoors is not such a major hardship.

I am typing fluidly and while I wouldn't care to undergo a breathalyser test right now I feel pretty sober. Must be the night air. I left a couple of swigs in my last bottle of beer.

While I didn't stay because of that, in hindsight I might have hoped to have had a social encounter as a stray foreigner in the bar that late. Still, no big deal. It was cool no-one made a fuss, and seriously, maybe they just respected my privacy. I know in an analogous situation in London I would probably have done the same.

The impish thought occurs to me that I could scream my head off and wake the cunts up. But I am not that much of a bastard (if a local did it, I would be bang alongside him tho) and - truth, though it crush me - I would probably get the shit kicked out of me unless I could leg it fast enought.

Anyway, I need to get to bed instead of standing here in the zocalo blogging for the hell of it. But hey, love that live reportage feel. :-)

Oaxaca City, Thursday

20:05. At some restaurant (Casa Mayordomo) near Santo Domingo. Teacher described the area as having lots of bars. I beg to differ. I eventually found the one he recommended after doing a web search for the address, it was above a jewellery shop. I popped up and it didn't particularly appeal and didn't do any decent food so I left to come here. I may go back after eating. I suspect I am partly hacked off due to lack of food.

Tried some hostel recommended by the teacher after classes. No room tomorrow at least. Extended at my current hostel up to and including next Fri. Have to change rooms twice in that time but sod it. Slowly did homework and by then it was 5pm and I just didn't feel up to trekking over here to see the museum (no sign of the damn thing tonight anyway) for a few hours so I surfed on the terrace a bit then came out about 7/7:30.

Feeling a bit shit. I've spent a huge amount of money on the trip and I'm wondering if I've been a bit of a twat doing it.

20:40. Down some narrow bar which may be called Nude but is far from clear. It sucks a little bit but sod it. I am sat at the bar feeling a little conspicuous (it's fairly busy) solely because the tables are ultra low and have those flashy yet deeply uncomfortable cuboidal fake leather lumps round them to serve as seats.

20:50. Not sure if I should stay here or try to find somewhere else. (It's 'virtual' 21:50 as classes start at 8am tomorrow.) Feel a real lemon sat here at the bar, feels very conspicuous. No interest in (nor any likelihood of) meeting anyone, as I say I am only here as the tables suck. The bar is a bit too high for the stool though. (Yeah I'm short, but my legs are out of the picture here.)

Music OK if not great. ("Caught in a bad romance" song on now, as an attempt at describing the style.) The place said 'cantina' outside I think & I was advised not to go into those by the teacher (and implicitly by the guide book, though it never says it outright). I don't think this is a 'proper' cantina though, it's slightly wankily flash (eg the stupid low tables, laser disco-type lighting), so I suspect it's OK. I do have a sneaking suspicion I am the only tourist in here though.

Just noticed the cardboard boxes of Corona stacked behind the bar say 'imported from Mexico' on them (in English). How exotic! :-) Bit odd somehow.

Oh, this appears to be a UK style non-waiter service-at-the-bar place.

No, I am struggling to make eye contact with the bar staff and people who are clearly waiters keep coming up.

21:20. Still here. Some cunt was trying to take a group photo just behind me and kept banging into me without either apologising or asking me to move.

The whole place seems physically uncomfortable. You either get major spinal curvature hunching at the tables or sit at the bar with your arms held too high up. Despite that, I might stay a bit longer, then if I spot somewhere else nearby which looks any good I will go there otherwise go home.

22:00. Live band just started on some sort of first floor stage. Not brilliant but OK. Doesn't alter the height of the bar, tables or stools of course. :-)

The singer is apparently texting away during an instrumental part of the song.

22:30. Maybe it's the sweet brown liquor but the atmosphere feels nicer with the live band. I won't say I'm having a great time but 'not bad' is a step up from earlier. They did a cover of a song I've heard before earlier about "borracho y loco". Also some probably Mana song the band covered in the bar last night.

23:00. Band stopped, probably on a break. I got another beer even though it's virtual midnight.

Oh no, looks like they are packing up. Seems slightly odd but maybe I am wrong. I may not stay out to see, though but for the 8am class I would probably stay anyway. We will see. I was five mins late today due to stupidly surfing a little bit when I got back last night and thus not getting to bed that early and pushing it a bit stupidly for an extra 5 mins in bed this morning.

No, band very clearly packing up. Music in bar stopped for a few seconds a minute ago. I can hardly believe they are shutting but there is a decided exodus. I may be stuck as the last one here. Frankly surprised.

23:20. Seen someone get served and a few people seem to be drifting in. I suspect they are not closing and that was the post-band exodus. I am not staying of course. It's not that great - especially without the band - and of course I have an early start tomorrow. Nearly finished this beer and will leave in a minute.

Just left. I think the 'cantina' was next door, though looking in it is probably not a 'risky' low-end job (quite a few people in there).

Oaxaca City, Wednesday

15:30. Guess who's not a happy bunny?

As already blogged, my mum called Iberia yesterday, 140 quid approx for change to 6 Jul. But for wanky security reasons I had to call myself.

I just called. From a call centre. At MXN16 (or nearly a quid) a minute. Took nearly 10 to get to speak to anyone. Call as a whole cost MXN384. OR ABOUT TWENTY ONE FUCKING QUID. All because the person paying has to use a credit card which can be presented on check in.

Oh, and Jul 6 no longer an option. Nor any date not long before. So I am now flying very late on Jul 7. I get to London too late to get a train to Skegness early evening on Jul 8. That means I either get to drag my Dad over to Peterborough to pick me up or go over very early Jul 9. In either case I grab the suit and black shoes I hope I have there then hare it back down to London for the night of Jul 9.

Man this sucks. Yes it's my choice but that date just absolutely puts the fucking pressure on when I get back. I am tempted to rely on buying an off-the-peg suit in London on the Friday, but the chances of getting trousers short enough are slim. Oh, I could have paid 700 quid to upgrade to a different class and fly on Jul 4. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. It cost me a quid or two sat on the phone while the Iberia woman worked out that too.

Oh, and I have to present the credit card I paid with on check in. So if I lose the card or have it stolen, they just get to tell me to fuck off? I damn well hope not.

So although I got what I sort of wanted (more time for the trip at mininal financial cost) I am now fucking dreading the whole return to the UK. So hacked off about the fucking business - especially the call cost, but what could I do? - I have come for a beer.

My teacher said I could probably call from the school for free tomorrow but I didn't want to wait. Good job given a 24h period or so since my parents called I have already lost the half-decent Jul 6 date. Jul 7 is frankly pushing it and had it slipped to Jul 8 I think I would have been forced to return on my original planned date.

I do almost wonder if I could buy a suit here. I'd be stuck lugging it round and it might get a bit creased up but it might take the pressure off a bit.

Anyway, not happy.

Far from totally clear but I think it cost me 110 quid. In theory I am getting an e-mail with the new details but I am not optimistic, despite it being a googlemail.com address consisting of my first and second names which they already know.

15:40. Mental backlash about whether that was a smart thing to do coming on. Fucking hell. I just have to look at it that it's hardly an unendurable hell spending an extra two weeks in Mexico. While things are incredibly tight getting to the wedding, that is solely because my damn suit is in Skegness. (It might have been nice to get up there and see my parents and drop my suitcase off before the wedding anyway, but far from essential.) I suspect I could get something off the peg even if I had to bodge the trouser legs with safety pins or something. I guess I just need to apply my massive brain to other possible solutions. The idea of buying a suit here (especially if I did it here in Oaxaca City, where I am probably staying for more than a week from today, so plenty of time for alterations) is not totally unappealing. Especially if it was cheapish anyway. I could probably squash it into the case, there might be time to get it pressed at the hotel in London when I arrive and while I'd
rather not, better to turn up at the wedding in a crumpled suit than not be able to turn up at all.

20:45. At La Primavera in Zocalo. Walked miles and got lost briefly on the way. Went to try some bar/restaurant recommended by teacher today, Don Tomas Pescador or something like that. Finally found it. Didn't look appealing. V restauranty, waiter lurking on front door, antiseptic-looking white tiles on floor. When a waiter disappeared I sneaked in. People in there but lots of empty tables. Was about to sit down when a waiter approached me babbling incomprehensibly, but clearly I had done something wrong, so I just said 'disculpe' and left.

Then got lost trying to find Bar/Salon Central, as recommended in guide book and in class the other day. Finally found it and it clearly wasn't open. It has/is a converted cinema look. Potentially interesting but not much of a bar as far as I can see. May try it again another night.

On walk over to Zocalo from there heard tolerable cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (I think; my memory has gone) and rather bravely I thought popped down the passagelike hallway of the bar (Black & White). Live band playing or practicing but not a soul otherwise and no obvious waiters.

I am having something to eat here, will maybe have a beer or two then go see if B&W is properly open, for a bit of a change. It is not far off the Zocalo on Hidalgo (Central is on there too, but it's 3 blocks west and hence a bit more of a trek just on the offchance.)

Have ordered 'tasajo encebollado con champiñones' based on the English-language description and asking the waiter if it had sauce (he said no). Menu says it's thinly sliced beef with grilled onions and mushrooms. I can't quite believe any chef will be able to resist the temptation to create a mushroom sauce but we live in hope.

21:00. Just got it. Looks OK except for the near-mandatory and unadvertised dollop of guacamole on the side.

22:15. B&W was deserted, dark and despite being tiny had some horrible pseudo-club pounding music on. Two women walked in just ahead of me and pretty much walked straight out. I mused for five seconds and followed their example.

Now at Central. It's not very nice. Very dark as there is a film on (English with Spanish subtitles). No tables. Am perched at the bar. Film soundtrack is not excessively loud but loud enough and the 'you bitch! I should have aborted your fucking arse' or whatever dialogue is frankly annoying.

Maybe 10-20 people in here.

At least I didn't get charged to come in. I nearly didn't, thinking it was shut, except one of the staff loitering in the shabby 'alley' of an entrance opened the door onto the bar for me.

I don't know if I will have another here. I don't feel intimidated now I am in but I don't really like it. On the other hand, I also don't really want to go home after this one or want to go to some probably nearly closing bar in the Zocalo and start a fucking tab and have to tip afterwards etc. (It's UK style cash with each drink here. MXN26 a beer is not super cheap but no worse than the Zocalo, especially if you assume I won't leave a tip here.)

Purely for the record, the film appears to involve at least tangentinally some organisation called "Each One Teach One".

Although I can see the screen from the bar, I just noticed a curtained off area. I expect there are seats behind there for people who want to watch the film 'properly'.

23:50. Still here. I don't exactly like the place but there you go. Film just finished and I should probably go but am having one more.

Film was sort of cool in that slightly depressingly gritty way. I didn't see it all but I got the gist.

00:10. Very sober (I drank too much today, but three were this afternoon post phone call). Walked past B&W on way back & couldn't resist a look. Live band on and busy. So am having one here. Not pissed at all but hope won't be too tired tomorrow...

00:20. I suspect I am the only tourist in here. Which is slightly cool yet slightly disturbing. (The leftover drinkers at Central appeared in a large part to be SYT tourists.) Will have one more I think then tear myself away. (It's not bad here, but not great enough to super fuck myself over tomorrow morning. I may well come back eg Fri night, tho I will prob have a tour at 10am so even then have to be careful.)

00:50. Just got back. Zocalo surprisingly busy (tho FWIW no bars obviously open), I think the majority of people were the camping protesters and the myriad stallholders shutting up. Would have been slightly cool to stay out but it wasn't that great, as I already said. If I didn't have school at 9 tomorrow I would have stayed. (The band went off just before I left but I understood enough of what they said to know it was just a break.)

Anyway, super-quick shower and to bed...

Oaxaca City, Tuesday

14:26. Got up last minute of course. Come down to Terranova for a late lunch (at least one place wasn't open). Bit inconvenient really as I am burdened with carrier bag containing guide book, water, school notes. I want to go to see the murals at the governmental building but want to drop these off first. And then I need to do the admittedly small amount of homework as well. Honestly, if I didn't have to ask for the damn key every time going back to the hostel twice would not be such a big deal.

Anyway. Got some tourist advice from the teacher today. I need to go to Montealban in the morning before it gets hot, apparently, but he says I can shift classes to the afternoon one day to do that in the week, and apparently it's easy to get there and back on some special bus.

El Tule may be easily visitable on my own too.

Hiervas del Agua is according to the teacher possible without a tour but the connections sound a stretch. However, that seems moot. Despite - and I believe him - the teacher saying Oaxaca is pretty safe and that incident 50 miles away was in the middle of nowhere (the roads there are apparently terrible and it takes 9 or 10 hours to get there), two of the three tour operators I approached (the first, rather surly one was the exception) told me they aren't going there just now as there was some problem with the road (I have some vague idea of robbery risk but I could not swear to it - the word 'dangerous' was used). So I guess I'm not going, either on a tour or independently.

I almost didn't want to eat now but I sort of felt I ought to. I don't know. Too late now anyway.

14:55. Stuffed. Not bad food but didn't really want it in hindsight. Was going to have a single beer after. Turns out it's MXN26 a beer and they have a four for 50 promotion on. Semi-sigh. I was maybe going to have two and I couldn't turn that down.

15:15. The pigeons are fucking confident here. I just had four of the buggers on a plate of salted peanuts I got free with the drinks. I waved my hands, I even prodded one (must be the first time in my life I've touched a wild bird) and the fucker still wouldn't go. What with the squabbling among them and stuff they made a right mess. They've just brought me another plate. I nearly anticipated this and said I didn't want any, but I figured I might change my mind later.

Waitress farted around enormously covering the peanut plate with a napkin.

It's amusing rather than anything else (they didn't knock my beers over...) but it was little bit freaky all the same. I am genuinely innocent of provoking it, I hadn't fed the buggers the odd peanut on the sly first or anything like that. (That isn't a joke. I really hadn't.)

15:45. They are playing instrumental recordings of classic songs which sound like there's a live if slightly cheesy guy with a keyboard. "Girl from Ipanema" now, we had "My Way" a few minutes ago.

Oh no, I just squinted round a bit more than before and I think there is a guy there playing.

16:15. Two and a half beers later, I feel bloated as hell - I was already stuffed after the meal - and slightly drunk. I think I will finish these, trying to take it a bit slowly, then go back to the hostel. One way or another I doubt I am going to see those murals today. I feel amazingly pushed for time even though I have at least three and probably around ten more days here. I need to fight against that.

I think tomorrow I will have a snack during one of the breaks - as I did today - and then not eat til the evening, unless I actually feel hungry. I can drop my stuff off at the hostel after the classes, maybe do the homework straight away, then go back out and do a bit of local sightseeing.

Did learn the word 'fresa' today to describe stuck-up places, which was nice and may save me pushing my nose up with one finger to signify the concept, a habit I picked up from one of the teachers in Cuernavaca back in 2007.

I must say the breeze from a fluttering pigeon is quite refreshing. If they could be trained to fly in circles around people that would be nice...

17:15. Just got back to hostel. Guy I take to be owner or manager was on the desk. I asked him about Hierva del Agua (sp?), he said there has been fighting round there for the last three weeks, something to do with local farmers. At least I now have a better idea why. I am a bit disappointed this isn't on the F&CO website though.

Vague plan is to sort myself out for a few minutes then take the laptop down onto the terrace and surf for an hour or two while I sober up/de-bloat. Then I will take a look at the homework. It's not much but I do want to approach it seriously and not just knock it off while slightly drunk. Whether I go out tonight remains to be seen, though knowing me I probably will unless I am strong.

21:05. Down some bar in Zocalo. Feeling a bit dissatisfied and ill at ease in general. Did the HW, surfed (other way round). Asked my mum to call re flight changes, I can (could) get a flight on 6th Jul for an extra GBP140. Bit late but doable. Not very clear if any other dates possible, except my first choice of Sun 4th isn't. I will have to call in person anyway because I have to pay with my card as they may ask to see it when I check in. Security no doubt.

Had quick look re hostels for rest of time here in Oaxaca but didn't book. I guess I haven't absolutely committed to an extra week yet. Have this horrible feeling I am not making the most of my time (nothing really to do with staying an extra week). My current hostel shows pretty good availability, I may just speak to reception tomorrow afternoon and see what they say.

Am accidentally at the bar next to Terrenovo and the guy is still playing the keyboard. I half don't want the fucking noise right now, it's more intrusive than it was sat a a table next door earlier. I may move after this one.

He's singing now, which may in part account for the increased distraction.

Oh, had a reply from (apparently) the rip off hotel at CI. They say the guy at the desk should have (as he did) explained about these Mexican taxes they are obliged to add and it was clearly shown on my reservation that would be the case.

I beg to differ on the latter, and if the former, how come nowhere else has been obliged to do this? Maybe - gasp - they include the obligatory taxes in the quoted price to avoid being DECEPTIVE CUNTS? I may or may not reply. Clearly no one gives a fuck. If I reply it will be because I decide the pleasure of being midly sarcastic will outweigh the satisfaction of letting it drop with a measure of dignity. I am not happy with hostelworld.com but they are too useful and appear to be the only game in town (hostels.com or something exists, but I strongly suspect it's the same site in a different guise) for me to decide (quite realistically) that their bookings and prices can't be completely trusted and avoid hem. Because they act as a middleman they will just disclaim any responsibility if a ho(s)tel rips me off.

22:50. Still feeling a bit, not exactly down, but ill at ease. Will have one more then go and try not to get to bed too late.

Didn't sleep brilliantly last night. As far as my untrustworthy memory goes, I woke up three or four times from about 4am onwards. Piecing things together in hindsight, I was clearly having some pseudo-nightmare in which I was (thank fuck) not being ridden by the midnight hag, but was reading a story which touched on it (that was clearly not true in hindsight, I was reading Les Miserables on my phone, even though in my hazy half-awake state I seemed to be reading something else on the phone) and kept waking up uneasily and glancing at the foot of the bed. It wasn't a nightmare, there was none of that cold sweat business, but clearly a bit disturbing. I almost don't like writing this in case it makes a recurrence more likely, but I doubt it.

Oaxaca City, Monday

8:10. Woke up several times in the night with that 'oh shit, I bet I overslept, I can hardly bear to check the time' feeling. Alarms went off around 7:15-7:30 but I perhaps stupidly pushed it and didn't get up til 7:50.

Left bags in the room, depending on what happens they may kick up a fuss if they're still in there at 11 (check out time) but since they or hostelworld screwed up and I'm not actually checking out, sod it. The bags are packed so it's not a major effort for them to move them if it comes to it. I will try to pop back before 11 whatever happens.

Stood in the street outside my 'first choice' school, they are not open yet. Will hang around til at least half past eight before possibly wandering over to second choice. I had some vague idea even people already registered might have to turn up before the usual 9am start on the first Monday for testing/registration, but maybe that sort of thing takes place at 9am. I can't really remember what happened at the places I was at before.

I suppose at least there was no need to get up any earlier.

This didn't feel like such a great idea when I had to get up, but I didn't expect it to. Nothing seems like a great idea when I have to get up.

8:40. This bites. I am starting to wonder if they aren't on summer time here or whatever. (I am fairly sure this isn't a public holiday as I skimmed the list yesterday on the web, I know it is in the UK.) I mean, surely they must open soon for existing students who have classes at 9. It is annoying to think I may get screwed by hanging around here when I could be enrolling at the other one. But I do want to give this one a chance as they don't charge a registration fee, which is important when I might end up registering twice for two separate weeks.

09:40. At Amarantos, where I didn't tip last night. Different staff of course so won't go nuts just now. Having breakfast.

Woman turned up at 8:50, seemed OK, I am going back at 10:30 as that's when the other student at my level is turning up. Met one other new student, a near beginner. I suspect the school is half empty but I don't really care.

Popped out to wd some cash so I can pay, managed to find a shop where I could buy a notebook and some water and now nipped here for breakfast. Should arguably go back to the hostel but if they won't move two cases then sod them. I mean anyway, it's a dorm, ignoring the risk of theft there's no reason my cases can't sit in there even while they put someone else in there.

Signed up for a week (or will, rather) but I think there would be no problem doing two weeks.

16:40. Just got back to hostel and switched to new room. It's a triple even though I booked a double. Not too bad. But there is a sign above the sink saying "Please do not wash clothes in the sink. If you do, we'll charge you the service. If you like, we have a laundry service. Ask at the front desk. Charge: 50 pesos per load". Cheeky fuckers. I'm paying for the damn sink, why shouldn't I wash clothes in it if I want? 50 pesos a load doesn't sound too expensive, but no way am I giving them my clothes to wash now.

I was toying with staying here past Tuesday night if I can, the new room seeming a bit nicer and at least having a floor-standing fan, but that certainly puts me off.

19:30. OK, I decided I would stay here another two nights if possible. It saves hassle and I can still decide to change hostel on Friday night. I could only book Wed & Thu whatever as I don't know my plans for Friday night and the weekend until I talk to tour operators tomorrow afternoon to see if I can see the main out-of-town sights in the afternoons or I need to do them at the weekend. If I stay here two weeks in total I may want to go elsewhere for the weekend to add variety, leaving Friday afternoon and coming back Sunday. So it's all up in the air til tomorrow at least. The guy was pretty nice and charged me only MXN300 a night for the extra two nights (I had checked what I paid via hostelworld before going down to recepion and expected to pay 360) and I can keep this room.

Anyway, I might pop out for a few drinks now, being a weak-willed sort of chap.

Oh, a quick check of my itinerary on trailfinders.co.uk says I can change my return flight for EUR120 plus admin fees (what is the EUR120 if not an admin fee then?). So it ain't cheap but it's not cripplingly expensive, unless the difference in air fares booking much less far in advance makes the fare difference which I assume is included in the 'admin fee' enormous. I obviously need to make the change ASAP but I will drink/sleep on it at least another day.

(It is actually two flights home, since I connect in Madrid. I hope they don't sting me for two lots of EUR120. I think that would be unreasonable but this is an airline... I will have to make sure I check the price of a separately booked flight before I commit to anything.)

20:00. Just got to Del Jardin cafe in Zocalo. As pointed out by school owner earlier and witnessed during the odd break etc, there is some sort of (silent, which I find a bit odd) protest going on here. It is far from clear what just by looking but the school owner said it was the state teachers. There are loads of tents and people sat around on mats. This combined with the normal street stalls and people renders getting around a touch Piccadilly Circus.

I don't know if they are merely protesting by their presence and incidentally getting in the way, or if there is some deliberate intent to cause obstruction.

I don't think this is why the place looked busy last night, that looked more like normal activity.

Got my hair cut this afternoon after the class, I asked the teacher for somewhere nearby. Some old guy did a very thorough job for MXN50 (plus 10 for a hopefully generous tip).

Just had two kids come up to me asking for money. They clustered round looking at my phone in a way that raised suspicions this was a cunning pickpocketing attempt, though they were probably a bit too young for that. I don't think they got anything anyway.

20:25. The micheladas here are rather fierce, on a sample of one.

It was the other day that I read it, but it occurs to me that the phrase "What trousers! What energy!" in Les Miserables may be one of those short, strange phrases which had never been written before in the whole of human history.

Overhearing some guys at the next table talk about Y2K, my thoughts wandered to the 2038 problem. I realised I may well still be working then if I'm still alive. And from that I was led to observe that no one I have never worked with anyone that old. I somehow can't believe there is or was such total age discrimination. The oldest people I've worked with (well, at least IT kind of people) have been maybe 50. I suspect it's a combination of people that old either having made their money and retired or at least made enough money to not want to work in the sort of places I have mostly worked (pseudo-dot com, investment banks). BAE SYSTEMS seems less implausible, and although I don't think I worked with anyone that old there, it may well have been the case.

I can think of maybe one exception, Jill the technical author at Indicii Salus. Though she wasn't IT in the same sense I am, and she was probably 50ish at most.

23:10. Just ordered another which will be my last. Staff seem a bit overly keen to give me the bill instead this one and the last, though the place is far from deserted, if not rammed.

Mind wandering all over the place, in a fairly good way.

One or two mariachi groups wandering around. I haven't heard 'El Rey' yet though...

Waitress said they were going to close as she served me this one. Fair enough. I just hope there's no ill will here, if you didn't want to serve me you didn't have to. I couldn't have forced them to serve me even if I'd wanted to. I asked for the bill of course.

Vaguely hope to be up early enough to have breakfast 8ish before the classes (which after today, at my request) will run near continuously from 9-2 (I could have had an hour's break, but I wanted to leave as much afternoon free as possible). I doubt it will happen but no big deal either way, I can pick up a snack in a 10-15 min break and it's not like I didn't used to go to work and not eat til 1 or 2pm anyway.

Tipped fractionally under 10% due to lack of change. I hope that's OK. Skimming guide book earlier suggested 'US style' tipping of 15% IIRC was normal. But sod it. I have been tipping 10%ish with intermittent bursts of generosity so far all over Latin America so why change now.

I do hate the whole tipping business. Not - and I think I am almost quoting Bunny here - because I'm tight, just because of the uncertainty involved in whether it's acceptable or how much to give. (I wasn't sure if it was OK to tip the barber earlier. I mean, he set his own price to cut my hair. If he'd asked for 60 I wouldn't have said no. I get this doubt in the UK too, it's a lesser problem there but this isn't purely an 'unknown foreign culture' problem.) In a semi-ideal world the prices would be slightly higher, the staff would not need or expect tips and you'd tip only if the service was somehow better than expected (and almost by definition, you wouldn't tip most of the time). (I always have lurking at the back of my mind a quote from obscure TV novelisation "Travelling Man" where a Cantonese waiter - in Singapore? don't remember and it's fictional anyway) says "we don't accept tips, it's too demeaning".)

(My Dad, who picked the book up cheap when I was maybe 12ish and gave it to me, said I used to like the TV series. But I had and have no recollection of ever having watched it or even been aware of its existence. It only exists in my mind because of that novel.)

23:50. Back at hostel. Guy at reception is the first person I remember saying 'que descanses'.

Steve's pet hate of the day (I can't believe I haven't bitched about this before, I probably have and just don't remember): ho(s)tels which can't be bothered to label the shower taps. We are not talking linguistic confusion due to the hot tap being labelled 'C' here. I am probably just smart enough to catch on there. But so many places have the taps completely unlabelled and you end up messing around. Because of course even the hot tap runs cold for a minute or two before it warms up most of the time (plumbing sucks the world over). Ah well.

01:10. Stupidly listening to a bit of music instead of going to bed. Oh well. I am not that tired and I won't push it much more.

It is geekily cool to think that my laptop is sat next to me patiently grinding away at a 1GB upload to my PC sat 5000 miles away under a desk in my parents' hall in Skegness. In some sense obviously less cool than the fact I can talk to them (even with video if the net is in a good mood) at this distance, but in another sense somehow cooler. Yeah, I'm a geek, sue me.