Oaxaca

O a x a c a

They say that the real Mexico doesn’t begin until you get to Oaxaca. Now that may be going a little bit far, especially when you consider that Oaxaca is one of Mexico’s most southernmost big cities – almost parallel to the Belize-Honduras border. Oaxaca is however, sort of a bridge, or more like a portal, between two worlds - north Mexico and the heavily indigenous infested south. It is also the beginning of the Central American region where the once great Mayan civilization once ruled.

Left:The stunning Monte Alban ruins overlook Oaxaca City.
Bottom:The Iglesia de Santo Domingo Cathedral

Getting to Oaxaca was not easy. There were no direct busses from Taxco so I had to do a rather roundabout Taxco – Cuernevaca – Puebla haul. Busses in Mexico – although quite comfortable – are never short on entertainment and I had to endure several screenings of Mel Gibson’s bloodbath The Passion on the way. Upon finally arriving in Oaxaca, I made my way to the “Magic Hostel” near the town center Zocalo where I met up with two Dutch friends I had met in Guadalajara, Mette and Iris, as well as a couple of jolly German guys.

Bottom: The zocalo is a great place to have a meal and be surrounded by the festivities.

Oaxaca is not quite as immediately impressive as the two previous cities I had been in: Guanajuato and Taxco. But Oaxaca’s splendor is not to be found in its landscape, its architecture, its ruins or its museums. Oaxaca is best enjoyed by just wandering around its streets, or sitting in the Zocalo, simply absorbing the culture and watching life go by. Talking about culture, Oaxaca State does have a distinctive culture that is different from the rest of Mexico. Of its three and a half million inhabitants, about half of those are indigenous, speaking their own languages and carrying their own traditions. The city of Oaxaca is a great place to get a taste of many of these traditions.

Bottom: A Semana Santa (Holy Week) procession

Oaxaca does have its not to be missed sites though. The nearby Monte Alban ruins are an ancient Zacotec city, perched high in the mountains majestically overlooking Oaxaca. While Monte Alban isn’t quite as impressive as either Teotihuacan or Tikal, it is has its own unique charm and has been very well kept. Within the city itself, the most impressive sites are the Iglesia de Santo Domingo Cathedral and the Zocalo and Alameda. The latter is a seemingly endless fiesta of arts and music and a great place to enjoy a meal while listening to Mariachis, Andean pipe music, classical music, etc.

Oaxaca is also an excellent place for shopping and there are colorful and vibrant markets all over the city. There are also lots of excellent nearby excursions within the Valles Centrales, where Oaxaca is located. There is always a market in a village somewhere in the valley everyday of the week and the one I went to was in Ocotlan, about 90 minutes drive from Oaxaca. Oaxaca is known for its food as well – especially the mole oaxaqueño (a dark chocolate spiced sauce). I even had the privilege to try the infamous chapulines, or grasshoppers, as they’re best known!

Questions or comments, email me @ glennaldo_sf@hotmail.com
Links