It's really hard to remember what day it is!

Actually, it is November 1, and we are having a great time here.  It is Thursday and I'll give you a rundown of our activities so far.  Let's see if I can remember.  Sunday, October 28th, we arrived in Oaxaca at about 8:15pm.  Our bus took us through the Sierras of southern Mexico and they are glorious.  Monday, October 29th, we had our wonderful cooking class with Nora and later meandered through town to get to our hotel. 
We made a trip out of Oaxaca City on Tuesday, October 30, with Victor.  He took us to Mitla, a beautiful town where the small, intimate market was full of people from the surrounding mountain communities getting ready for Dia de Los Muertos.  This means buying beautiful flowers to adorn the graves of loved ones, getting candles to light around the grave and items to put on the altar that most people have in their homes.  These items include the wonderful Dead Bread, that has a slight anise flavor and is decorated in many ways.  On Tuesday we also went to an archeological site called Yagul and climbed to the lookout area to see the full view of the Valley of Oaxaca. 
Wednesday, October 31, was the first real day of Dia de Los Muertos celebrations and festival making.  We went to two local markets in Oaxaca City to see the stalls selling flowers and candles and fruits.  It was all so amazing watching the buzz of activity. 
Our first trip to see a cemetary was at 1am on Wednesday morning.  The cemetary was in a town called Atzompa and a guide Nicholas was very helpful, telling us about the traditions of Dia de Los Muertos.  He said his understanding has evolved as he has become an adult.  When he was a child visiting the graves of his family, he thought it was all just a big party.  Now he says he understands more fully the deeper meaning of this celebration.  He pointed out a woman seated by a grave, "See" he said, "she is waiting for the spirit of her loved one, or reflecting on his life and revisiting memories of their life together."  "In this way," he added, "the dead are always with us."
The graves here were generally mounds of dirt, some more elaborate with Niches or short walls built around the graves.  Families were camped beside the graves, decorating them with the flowers and candles bought from the markets earlier in the day.  There was the smell and smoke from incense burning everywhere in the cemetary.  The scene was ethereal and haunting.  This feeling of calm and serenity was interrupted, with music played by a band featuring trumpets, drums and guitars.  This created a discord in some ways but maybe the loud music is to encourge the Dead to visit or at least keep family members awake.  They stay for the entire night...but we did not!
Today, Cate and I went to a wonderful art showing at a museum and art school located in a small town north of Oaxaca called San Agustin de Etla.  It was a much needed arena of calm and cool, mountain breezes.  We feel renewed and calmed.