OAXACA - Part 1: INTRODUCTION

THE LONG & WINDING ROAD

Any traveller in eastern, southern or central México will be familiar with the logo of the ADO first-class bus system: comfortable, reliable, clean and affordable.  This is how we get from Puerto Escondido to the city of Oaxaca de Juárez (hereafter called Oaxaca).  This is about the route, not the bus.

The highway that once connected these two regions was infamous: a narrow, winding road of hairpin curves that could take seven to ten hours depending on conditions.  The opening of the Barranca Larga-Ventanilla highway changed everything, reducing travel time to roughly three hours.  it was widely celebrated as an engineering achievement and a long-awaited improvement.

As someone who was very motion-sick as a child and rarely am today, I carefully read about people's experiences, and they were quite positive, so Gravol stayed in the luggage.  Let's just say to not believe everything you read and that if your tendency is like mine - take that Gravol.  For me, that road was worse than the drive along the Amalfi Coast.  

The journey takes us from the heat and humidity of the coast to the drier and only slightly cooler mountain area and a completely different way of living.

We quickly discovered that Oaxaca could not be understood through a single attraction, museum, meal or village.  Everything seemed connected: food to agriculture, agriculture to mezcal, mezcal to villages, villages to Indigenous traditions and traditions to present-day life.

Rather than telling this story chronologically, we've organized it by theme. I have drafts of the following that will be posted when complete:

Oaxaca - Part 1: Introduction

Oaxaca Part 2: Museo de Culturas de Oaxaca, Monte Albán & Mitla

Oaxaca - Part 3: Mezcal, Visiting a Palenqué

Oaxaca - Part 4: Cocina Oaxaquena

Oaxaca - Part 5: Artisanal Oaxaquena

Oaxaca - Part 6: not yet named

Our plans changed, and for the first time, we are recognizing the need to respect our age and energy levels.  I would have three things planned for a day, and we were finding ourselves slowing down, doing one thing leisurely and more deeply appreciating the experience.  So there is a long list of things not seen/done, but many experiences that stay with us.

This journey finishes with a good bit of relaxing time in Huatulco for the final post.

ABOUT OAXACA

Oaxaca is older by about a decade than the other two historical cities that we have spent several months in: Merida and San Miguel de Allende.  

THE NAME: OAXACA de JUÁREZ

The city is named after Benito Juárez, Mexico's first indigenous (Zapotec) president, who was born in the state of Oaxaca and later started his political career in Oaxaca City.  He was loved for enacting liberal reforms and for leading the country through the French occupation of the 1860's.

We arrive on Saturday, April 25, and the city's birthday party is in full swing, celebrating four hundred and ninety-four years.  That was merely the year that it obtained official city status.  It was actually settled in pre-Hispanic times (1486), and again when the Spanish arrived (1529).

Celebrations seem to linger over several days, and the next evening we manage to catch some live music on a stage in Centro.

Oaxaca has been called many things and all ring true: The Soul of Mexico; The Culinary Capital of Mexico; Mexico's Cultural Capital; The Heart of Mezcal ... and probably many more.  It has captured our hearts, and hopefully in the next few posts, we hope it will stir you to visit. too.

OAXAQUENA/OAXAQUENO

This word carries immense weight throughout the state.  It refers to anything native to the city or state of Oaxaca ... a regional stamp of authenticity, and an expression of great cultural pride, identity and continuity.  It's evident everywhere in daily life and in celebrations, with traditions and recipes passed down through generations of families.  It is not only about doing things the old way, but includes honouring the traditional while adapting to the present.

So in this blog you will hear about the Cocina Oaxaquena referring to ingredients and ways of preparation traditional to this state; or about my Blusa Oaxaquena (traditionally embroidered huipil) from a specific town in the state, or Paul's Tatuajes Oaxaqueno (figures from the days of Monte Alban transformed into bright modern tattoos); Artesania Oaxquena such as in the alebrijis, green and black pottery and textiles specific to the state, and so on.

And, the Los Oaxaquinos themselves with their unbroken tie to the land, their history of fierce independence and their ancient Zapotec tradition of tequio - community service.

It's been a joy to be here and to experience some of the generosity of the people and their traditions.

OAXACA CITY - CENTRO

The UNESCO heart of the city (Old Town or Centro) is unique with it's locally quarried green-hued cantera stones used in the construction of many buildings (so the city is sometimes called La Verde Antequera); for the baroque architecture and copious use of gold leaf in the Templo de Santa Maria de Guzman (pictured above), and the adjacent Ethnobotanical Garden that has at least one of every plant native to the state, including enormous old-growth cactii.  Here too are the fabulous mercados: Benito Juarez and 20 de Noviembre. 

The Zocalo is the beating heart of Centro, where locals go with their families on Sundays and special occasions, and tourists go to feel this vibrant city.  It is a place of both relaxation and celebration. 

The photos below show just some of the gold leaf in the Templo

Photo below is part of the Ethnobotanical Garden taken from a museum window.

AN HISTORIC CHURCH WITH A MODERN INTERIOR              

TEMPLO y CONVENTO de NUESTRA SENORA de la MERCED

This church in Centro, with its rather plain-looking exterior, was built in the 17th century, but inside it looks modern and fresh.  It was closed in 2012 due to heavy damage from an earthquake.  Another quake in 2017 brought it to the brink of collapse, and so it was restored, including a new dome, and reopened in 2024.  

Another beautiful building in Centro is the Teatro Macedonio Alcala on Ave. de la Independencia - for all the performing arts and cultural events.  It is lauded for its French Baroque style and Louis XV decor.  We never seemed to be downtown at noon, when the tours begin, but one day an audience was leaving an event, and we were able to go in to see the entry.

GETTING AROUND

The city is so walkable that we don't use buses or taxis to get around.  The terrain is relatively flat.  In Centro you walk on smooth stone tile inlays (mosaic paving) or sidewalks - cobblestones are limited to some of the streets in older neighbourhoods, and even they may have concrete sidewalks in places.  The terrain is relatively flat.

When travelling to the Valley, colectivos paired with Moto-taxis are an easily understood system and far less expensive than private taxis or tour companies selling packaged trips.  The colectivos stop on the highway at the entrance to a town or village, and moto-taxis are waiting to take you the 1 - 3 km into town. There are two classes of colectivos - buses or shared taxis.  The taxis run more often and are a bit more expensive.  The driver may try to cram 4 passengers into the back seat and two or three into the front with him.     Neither has air conditioning.  We often prefer waiting for the bus because they are roomier. 

Fooling around while waiting by the side of a highway for a moto into town.

There are over forty defined neighbourhoods in the city.  We spend most of our time in four of them: staying in Jalatlaco, once a place of indigenous artisans and tanners, now known for street art, cafes, cobblestone streets and quiet; and wandering Centro for it's history, museums, mercados, restaurants serving traditional foods, and special events; in Xochimilco, the city's oldest neighbourhood we stroll the famous aquaduct area; and in Reforma to see this modern and affluent area, with its upscale restaurants and boutiques.  And if you want to enjoy mezcal, mezcalerias are everywhere, from upscale places specializing in mezcal cocktails to local cantinas.

The image below was generated for me by request of Gemini and published with permission.

Below are typical street photos that could be seen in either Jalatlaco or Xochimilco.  Note the brightly coloured colonial buildings, vibrant street art and joyous flags with a centerpiece that is lit in the evening.  Streets that are alive with people.

A Few Street Art Photos

The aqueduct in the Xochimilco neighbourhood was built from 1727 to 1751 by Dominican friars to supply fresh drinking water from the mountains to what was then downtown Oaxaca.  It remained in use until 1940.  Today, approximately three hundred meters survive, and the los arquitos (little arches) are now part of house entryways, shops, walking paths, and quiet places to sit.  It's a peaceful and beautiful part of the historic city.

We keep running into this figure as statues, toys, art, in gift shops and as decor in shops and homes. He is Tiliche and represents joy, spontaneity and community heritage.  He is known to dance through the streets, bringing energy and noise to festivals.  The name means: "worn out, small item, or even junk", thus the clothes made from second-hand rags.  He makes me smile.

As striking as all the beautiful flowering trees and bushes were in Puerto Escondido, we notice that Oaxaca seems to have the healthiest palms and cacti that we have ever seen.

A quick internet search tells us that this is not just an impression, but that the plants here are indeed strong and robust due to a combination of high altitude, mild semi-arid and sunny climate.  In addition, people give special attention to nopal and agave plants because of their cultural importance.  And finally, palms in several parts of Mexico are suffering from a fungal infection and climate stress.

Speaking of plants, I have no idea what flower is in the photo below.  We couldn't believe the size of this bloom and when I felt it, it was very heavy.

In Part 4 of this series you will see two unusual plants: 'Bishops' Balls' and the enormous and ancient El Arbol del Tule.  When we return to Puerto Escondido we see for the first time, starfruit ripening on trees.

DROUGHT

One of the first things we are made aware of on our arrival is the shortage of water here.  Accommodations have posters educating visitors about water usage and requesting minimal use; taps have almost no pressure and aging plumbing can give way, both in homes (as we experienced) and in the larger infrastructure.  Tap water is not drinkable and so water must be purchased and significantly impacts household budgets of many people. Some accommodations provide water for us, while others limit the supply of drinking water that they will pay for.

Consecutive years of drought leading to dropping water tables, rapid population growth, old infrastructure with leaking pipes all contribute to the problem.  We read that much water comes in from nearby communities, who themselves need their water, and so tensions lead to community protests and highway blockades.  The government in recent times has distributed free tinacos to households where the shortage is the greatest, is rehabilitating old wells, and, after studying the collection of rainwater, is beginning to trial initiatives to do so.

------------------

Oaxaca is also becoming internationally recognized for its approach to cultural preservation within urban development, including UNESCO-aligned frameworks that emphasize integration of tradition into modern city planning.

What stands out most, however, is not policy but continuity: Indigenous languages still spoken, textiles still dyed with natural pigments, recipes still passed through generations, and traditions still adapted rather than replaced.

It is a place where history is not preserved behind glass—it is lived.

RANDOM PHOTOS

Across the street from our accommodation, we often see two young women busy taking photos of and discussing an outfit that they've hung on the wall.  We wonder if one is working from home as a clothing designer, or a model selecting her outfits.  Each is lovely and includes a piece with traditional embroidery.

OAXACA STATE - A TWO MONTH VISIT TO THE LAND OF SEVEN MOLES (2026): Part 1: Puerto Escondido

With the USA/Israeli war against Iran cancelling our trip to Egypt, Jordan and Turkiye, it seemed like a good time to stay somewhat close to home and visit our former country of residence, Mexico, while travelling to a state that we had not visited in the past.

The journey looks like this: Playa Escondido - Oaxaca City - San Pablo Villa de Mitla - Santiago Matatlan - San Jose del Pacifico - Pluma Hidalgo - Hualtulco - San Agustinillo/Mazunta - Puerto Escondido

          

The simplest way there and back was in and out of Puerto Escondido, which considering that we haven't had a beach holiday for several years, seemed like a good idea.

At first it seemed counterintuitive to head to a tropical country as our Canadian spring approached, but on landing I realized how beautiful the end of a long dry season can be.  Many flowering trees and bushes are in full bloom and, with the leaves fallen away, their vivid colours paint the walkways.  There's the purple of jacaranda; the white, pink and yellow of plumeria; the lemon colour of golden showers; the brilliant orange-red of the well-named flamboyán tree; the oranage, red, white and yellow of hibiscus; yellow and pink trumpet flowers; the magnificent bougainvilleas with their vast array of colours; the purple and orange plumes of birds of paradise; the huge ceibas with pink and white flowers; the scented jasmine and gardenias; and others that I didn't recognize.

It's also mango season.  The tiendas and mercados have baskets and boxes full, marked 'especial' (in one place: 10 pesos for a kilo or CAD $0.78).  In a roadside eatery the other day, admiring an enormous mango tree on the property dripping with fruit, we were gifted fruit to take home.  Walking through a neighbourhood where the trees especially like to grow, and people stack mangoes free for the taking outside their gates; we passed an abandoned property with two big trees and hundreds of ripe mangoes on the ground.  We used as many as we could: in smoothies, salsa, tacos and fruit salad.  Mostly we see yellow mangoes but spot a couple of trees with the bigger red variety.

Fourteen days in Puerto Escondido was divided between two neighbourhoods, which allowed us to explore several beaches and communities.  

We started in the Playa Zicatela area, staying at the top of Las Brisas hill, near the highway.  It was an easy walk to the beach lined with restaurants, clubs and shops, and there was often free entertainment.  Inexpensive colectivos were just half a block away. 

At Mercado Zicatela, we enjoyed sitting at the back in the food stalls overlooking the beach, catching the cooling breeze while enjoying an antojito or cold cerveza.  With arts and crafts for sale and higher grocery prices, it felt more tourist-oriented than Mercado Benito Juarez in Centro.  The food stalls served reasonably priced meals, but still higher than in Centro. 

One favourite find: packets of roasted peanuts, mixed with dried and roasted garbanzo beans, garlic cloves and red chile pepper.

Freshly caught mahi mahi.  We are told that most of it will go from market to restaurants, but we can also buy fillets here to take home.

This (molino) mill in the market can grind for you - on the spot: corn, beans, coffee, oats, peanuts, chili, rice - and if that's not enough: dried grains.  He also sold many of these products.

These are just a few of the cut flowers available at the market.

                

Looking down on the beach from an eatery at Mercado de Zicatela

The down side to Las Brisas was the noise - traffic on the hill and highway, plus nearby venues playing music into the early hours. A friend-recommended spot - Casa de Dan, just a block or two off Las Brisas felt more peaceful.

                                                    Playa Punta to the south looking towards Zicatela

ZICATELA BEACH (AKA: The Mexican Pipeline)

The waves here seem huge to us, but later in May through to August is when they really roll in.  They are known as powerful, fast and dangerous - barreling tube waves reaching 10-15 meters in big swells.

                        People gather towards sunset every evening to await sunset & watch the end of the surfers for the day.

People on the beach were invited to come to a fashion show, set up on the sand with a runway  for the models and chairs for guests.  The sponsors were a Turistico department and a mezcal company.  The award-winning Oaxacan designer partners with an Italian designer.  She brings the Oaxacan needlework and patterns and he brings the flowing outline.  It was a lovely evening as each model was brought to the runway with a sax instrumental.  Attendees could purchase a mezcal cocktail, or a small bottle for 50 pesos.

                             

Above are just a few of the models and below are the young women who walked the beach, inviting people to come in.

The street along Zicatella is where we strolled in the evening as many of the night clubs, restaurants and stores are here.

To the south of Zicatela Lies Playa La Punta

The 'village' surrounding this beach had a bohemian feel with youthful energy, lots of eateries and bars, and a beginner-friendly surf.  The waves are still too strong for my comfort.

One day while relaxing at La Punta, a fellow came along, mezcal bottle in hand, introduced himself and hung out for a while.  He is Canadian, from BC, but has lived here for over a decade.   He tells us stories of children he has sired, surfing the big waves, while doing handstands, and of money gained and lost.  Taylor is the owner of the Pipeline Hostel on Zicatela.  

Later, I learned that he is well respected by the 'Big Wave' community here.  Known as both the "Handstand Surfer" and the "Night Surfer", heading out with only stars and far distant lights from shore to guide him and his board.  He is a man who lives dangerously.

He was captured on video by Dogtooth Media 

And to the North of Zicatela ...

The Los Manos statue at the north end of Zicatela beach, before it becomes Playa Marinaro, is a tribute to those lost at sea.

North again, is the busy Playa Principal where the marina and the fishermen are located.

One can of course go out fishing for a day, or just have a local take you out for dolphin or whale watching.  

Marlin, sailfish, mahi mahi and tuna are the big catches here, but red snapper, octopus, oysters and shrimp provide a steady income.

Our second stay was in the Rinconada neighbourhood, north of Playa Principal.  From there we had access via short walks -  and lots of steps - down to either Playa Manzanillo/Puerto Angelito or Playa Carrizalillo.  (We didn't make it as far north as Playa Coral or Bochocho.)

Our accommodation with a salt water infinity pool, was high above Playa Manzanillo and overlooked the Puerto Angelito.  The landscaping here was beautiful, and we enjoyed the two ginger cats, one of whom was a lap cat.

Sitting by the pool, under the stars we watched lights turning on one by one as the fishboats headed out for a night of work.

We went to Play Manzanillo only once.  It is very small, somewhat rocky, and quickly became crowded as every morning four to five big tour buses parked on the street to disgorge beach goers.

Our preferred beach required a walk to the main section of the Rinconada neighbourhood to descend the 160 steep stone steps to the sand at Playa Carrazalillo.  This beach has quiet, rolling waves, with lots of sand and no rocks.  It suits us and feels open and larger than it really is.

Everything for the restaurants and vendors had to be carried down those 100+ stairs.  One worker, making endless trips, did it while wearing a full-face luchador mask, singing as he worked.  He could carry three cases of 24 beer at a time or a huge bag of coconuts.

Rinconada is an interesting neighbourhood too, and is our new evening walk.

Our time here comes to a close.

Did we enjoy our time in Puerto Escondido?  More or less.  A week would have been sufficient. Would we return?  Not likely.  However, it is an immensely popular spot with many people that we read is growing rapidly.  We knew it was a surfer town when we came, so knew we wouldn't be in the water much, but really enjoyed the couple of beaches with gentler waves, and the warmth of the water.  We picked accommodation that had pools.

It's a place where you can either walk everywhere or catch an inexpensive colectivo to get where you need to go, and the taxis are reasonably priced.  The restaurants range from high- end to street food and everything in between.  

That said, we saw a surprising number of abandoned construction projects, and more men drinking on the streets and sleeping on the streets (perhaps after too much drink) than we've seen anywhere else in Mexico.

In general, we found the prices for accommodation to be quite high, considering what you get and that we were there in an off season.  We know we could rent beach loungers for a day at a seaside in Europe for less than what was being charged at several of the beaches here.

As always, the people of Mexico are kind, friendly and welcoming.

We are looking forward two weeks in our next stop: Oaxaca City.  

Just before leaving, I tripped on broken sidewalk and did a full frontal face plant, banging knees, wrists, and my head.   Here's hoping it won't interfere with all we want to do in the city.

RANDOM PHOTOS OF STREET ART IN PUERTO ESCONDIDO

MORE RANDOM PHOTOS

Angled roof-top with front & back legs of furniture cut at angles to keep you steady

Hasta Luego