A Oaxacan Carpenter's Smile

Frida is the Love of His Life

Oaxaca is a dream to visit. I first went for our honeymoon and then have been back a few times for research. Yes, the food, the mescal, the culture, the history, did I say food? … But like a lot of travel experiences, it often turns out that people are what sear into our memories. Here’s an excerpt from my journal during a 2015 trip:

**********

We were taking photos of street art when a man stepped out from his shop to greet us. Warm, friendly, with a big smile, he told us that Frida is the love of his life, and that the walls were his and he allows local artists to paint them.

His art was carpentry, re-using wood and other items that would have otherwise been trashed, turning it into furniture and household adornments.

“Frida stays, but I will soon have them paint some new murals over the other ones. These have been here two years.”

We talked more about Oaxaca, his home, and our understandings of the city as visitors. He didn’t focus on the hardships, instead having a positive outlook and offering, without knowing, his genuine smile that lifted me …