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.
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.
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.
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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.
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