La noche de los rábanos is not the only thing in Oaxaca

For Christmas, or la Navidad, we flew to the city of Oaxaca (located in the state of Oaxaca) with some family friends who were willing to satisfy my curiosity about the famous (in my mind) "Noche de los rábanos."  The Night of the Radishes has fascinated me every since I read Sandra Benítez's book Night of the Radishes. Hence, the trip to Oaxaca, which besides radishes has beautiful textiles, great food, and a rich Zapotec Indian heritage.  

       La noche de los rábanos is held the night of December

 23rd, and the carvers who turn the foot-long radishes into children, animals, stars, and fantastical creatures start growing their subjects several months before.  A huge display is set up in Oaxaca's zócalo, and an elevated platform wraps around the exhibits.  Starting at about 5 pm, a long line forms to access the walkway, which is heavily guarded by police.  To keep the radish creations fresh, the carvers spray them with water periodically 

during the evening, and even at 7 o'clock you can tell why the radish night is only one night: radishes just don't last that long!  

      Radish night having ended, we spent the rest of our time in Oaxaca visiting Monte Albán, a Zapotec ruin with an unusually small ball court and interesting carvings of genitally mutilated men, thought to be conquered leaders from other tribes (quite the way to assert your power!) Oaxaca's textiles are incredible, and the city of Oaxaca is like an art museum - everywhere you turn something beatifully woven, painted, or created out of ceramic, silver or gold beckons you....  On Christmas Eve, the churches were full for pre-midnight mass and midnight mass celebrations, and right around midnight the night sky erupted in fireworks and the whizzes and bangs of the all-too familiar cohetes, or rockets.  The next morning was very, very quiet as the locals slept off the effect of the late-night meal, traditionally turkey, eaten between midnight and 3 a.m.             

   Another Oaxaca Christmas tradition out is the eating of buñuelos and the breaking of their bowls.  Buñuelos, or fried dough served with sugar or syrup,  vary in form from place to place, but in Oaxaca they take the shape of a flattened disk, deep fried, served with a sweet red

sauce.  We were happy to share one between five people, since the one we had really tasted an awfully lot like the grease it was fried in. Here's John, sharing a piece: 

     The tradition is to then take the plate or bowl the buñuelo is served in and break it.  In this case, the buñuelero had erected a bin with a sheetrock back wall.  Breaking your dish is supposed to bring you good luck for the coming year.  Since mine bounced off the sheetrock, and only broke when it hit the other plates on the ground, I'm not sure what kind of luck I'll have this coming year: perhaps I'll just bouncing back from any set-back?