February 28, 2010. Before continuing our journey from Puebla to Oaxaca, we took a short side trip to the town of Cholula. Cholula is the site of an enrmous but unexcavated pre-Columbian pyramid. They claim that the total volume of the pyramid exceeds that of the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
A colonial church now sits atop the pre-Columbian ruins, and from the church there are fine views of snow-capped volcanoes:
The smoking Popocatepetl (17,802 ft.) and its dormant companion Itzaccihuatl (17,342 ft.). 
Local artist Jesus Garcia demonstrating his popotillo (Mexican Straw Art) at the base of the pyramid.They say that there are 365 churches in Cholula--one for each day of the year--including this sweet little church designed and decorated entirely by indigenous artists.
A more elaborate church was preparing for a wedding with lots of fresh flowers.
The fast first-class bus had already left, so we booked on a slower second-class bus to Oaxaca. It offered no movies, so we were free to enjoy the spectacular scenery along the way. The sun was setting, and a big pale moon rose over the wild landscape. White mist floated over themountains. Far away, a luninous white church stood alone in the vast and somber land.
Late in the evening, after several stops, the bus finally dropped us at an unfamiliar station near the gritty Abastos Market in a poor area of Oaxaca. We collected our baggage and tried to get our bearings. A friendly shopkeeper gave us directions, and we walked through dark streets to our hotel near the Zocalo (not our usual hotel choice).
We arrived at the hotel just as a busload of Mexican tourists pulled in, and we were engulfed in the chaos (five young women complained of being assigned to a room with 2 beds). But, at last, the harried desk clerk got things sorted out, and we were shown to our modest lodgings. We had a good supper at Los Cuiles, and managed to get a little sleep despite the noise resonating in the stairwell for much of the night.
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