MARY MADSEN HALLOCK and her husband Doug never wanted to visit Mexico, but in 1960 her impetuous father and unsinkable mother insisted that they all meet for Christmas in the high-mountain city of Oaxaca de Juarez. Reluctantly the Hallocks agreed, never dreaming that at seventy-nine her parents would "retire" there -- then turn their six-bedroom Oaxaca home into a hotel to help pay the rent. This book is a lighthearted remembrance of Mary's adventures visiting, then leading tours, and eventually owning and running their little Casa Colonial in the center of the city. She falls in love with the people of Oaxaca, the climate, and the rich history of the valley -- the ancient ruins, colonial churches and monasteries, and villages where her friends still speak their own languages, wear their regional costumes with pride, and create splendid handcrafts. Many stories in this book are ruthlessly funny, others are poignant, but all of them will lead you on a fascinating journey through Mary Madsen Hallock's love affair with "her" Oaxaca.