We are determined to see what lies yonder, to explore the Oaxacan countryside, beyond the busy streets of the Oaxaca City neighborhood of Jalatlaco, where we have spent the past 3 weeks.
When we travel on our own, we mostly “wing it” and see what comes our way. But with the responsibility of sharing a good day’s adventure with our friends visiting from Chicago, we take some time to evaluate what, to them, would make for a good day trip…
What is the countryside like? What market foods will tempt us? What ethnic communities will we encounter? Will we be able to see anything of the Mayan ruins nearby?
And… What textiles will we find? Oaxaca is famous for its textiles, so we are on the hunt to find the source, the weavers and artisans themselves, not just the vendors at a textile market.
Let’s go exploring. This is where it’s it is a real advantage having one’s own car!
First stop, A UNESCO world heritage site candidate ~ El Arbol del Tule (the tree of Tule)
A UNESCO world heritage site candidate ~ the tree of Tule (arbol del Tule) has the widest tree trunk in the world with a circumference of 42 metres. It is so large that it was originally thought to be multiple trees but DNA tests have proven that it is only one tree. It is estimated to be over 1000 years old. Local Zapotec legend holds that the tree was planted 1400 years ago by a priest of the Aztec wind god. It is magnificent.This church in a small pueblo is closed unfortunately, due to Covid. The stone work however is impressive and we were hoping to see and hear the organ that it houses ~ one of the finest in the country, but it was not to be.Along the way, we experience a Covid checkpoint. A line of cars wait as everyone exits their vehicle only to have it sprayed inside and out with who knows what? Not thrilled to have the inside of our car sprayed with some chemicals…
The Pueblo of Teotiltan del Valle
Our destination is the small market in the pueblo of Teotiltan del Valle, where the weavers live and work. A small village 30 km from Oaxaca in the foothills of the Sierra Juarez mountains. Teotitlan in Nahuatl means “Land of the Gods”. One of the first towns founded by the Zapotec civilization around 1465 AD. The Zapotec believe that a god came from the heavens in the form of a bird, accompanied by a constellation of stars and that this god founded a temple here.
The people in this pueblo adhere to ancestral Zapotec traditions and speak the Zapotec language on a daily basis. It would be positively disrespectful to write about Oaxacan rural life without putting front and center cacao. Cacao and chocolate are imbedded in every day life in Oaxaca. Most mercados in Oaxaca have vendors selling fermented cacao, such as this Tejate.Tejate begins with a paste made from ground corn, ground cacao, mamey seeds and the cacao flower. The paste gets massaged for a few hours. The process of massaging allows the cocoa butter to be released and creates a whipped foam that is a Oaxacan delicacy. This drink is always made in a large clay pot which serves as a thermic vessel. Not to go – you drink in front of the vendor and return the bowl.All markets have an area for cooked foods and vendors who typically specialize in one or two local dishes. At this small market we taste the doblada, a homemade tortilla with mole and Oaxacan cheese ~ quesillo.
The village is famed for its textiles, in particular rugs woven on hand operated looms. One hundred and fifty families are involved in the rug making cottage industry. The wool is sheared from local sheep and dyed with natural dyes. Artisanal weaving in this village dates back to 500 AD.
An elder selling her baked goods in the shade of a large tree, with the textile shops in the background.
We drive away from the small market square, and are on the lookout for a weaving workshop so that we can observe the whole process start to finish. The midday heat is upon us when we drive past a building that has no sign but a few small rugs are hanging out in the front. This is the one.
In the courtyard, dogs lie in the sun, chickens mill around and we meet a family whose lives, for several generations, have revolved around the process of Oaxacan rug-making.
At six years old, the weaver’s daughter is already learning the basics of weaving on her own simple mini loom, made on the back of a chair, and proudly shows us her progress so far.Yarn is dyed using natural dyes obtained from plants and insects such as the needle-bush plant, the cochineal insect, pomegranate, marigold flower and indigo.
It’s good to have a pomegranate tree in the courtyard, bearing fruit ready to be used as dye for the yarn.
The father of the family, is using one of the large looms to weave a rug. On the left hand side is the spun natural yarn which is waiting to be dyed.Three generations, the grandmother, parents, girl (and son not pictured) are all involved in the family business. Everyone participates in all aspects of the trade from collecting insects for the dyes to spinning the yarn, creating designs and the actual weaving and selling. The grandmother’s rugs, which incorporate modern elements with traditional ones, invariably remain the best sellers. It is incredible how brightly coloured some of the rugs are, given that they are made with natural dyes.
San Jeronimo Tlacochahuaya
The Zapotec region is rich with expansive views of the valley and quite a few archaeological sites. We know the main sites are unfortunately closed due to Covid, but we spontaneously follow some signs on the highway to a random less visited site, in case we get lucky and can look around, which is exactly how things play out.
Muted pastels paint the landscape, due to it being the dry season. Shades of light ochre, olive, sage and deep greens, backed by the blue hued mountains on the horizon.This location was chosen for the construction of a Zapotec city about 1,000 years ago for its beauty and of that there is no doubt. From what we have read the Mayans‘ knowledge of astronomy, was a primary driver in the selection of locations for temples and cities. Not so here, as it is a Zapotec site and astronomy was not a factor in its placement.These cacti have round leaves and are the nopal which is used in many local dishes. San Jeronimo Tlacochahuaya is the site of a Zapotec compound that includes a few underground passageways, a number of rooms and a small pyramid which overlooks the valley and ancestral ball court. The name of this Zapotec city is Dianzu, which means “hill of the organ cactus” in Zapotec. Local historians explain that the site was occupied in very early times and thrived between 200 BC and 350 AD.
Tlacolula de Matamoros
The next day, we are ready to head out again from our home base in Jalatlaco, and explore the Oaxacan landscape. Today we are driving to the biggest market in the region in Tlacolula de Matamoros about an hour’s drive out of Oaxaca City. Markets are always our favorite places to get a feel for the local culture, the people, the economy and of course the variety of local fresh produce and gastronomy.
This vendor is selling her large handmade blue corn tortillas.
The specialty of Oaxacan markets is the grilled beef, tasajo, which is cut paper thin, and hangs in front of the meat stalls with sausages waiting to be selected for the grill. One buys beef from one stall, tortillas from the tortilla vendor and onions and vegetables from a third vendor. All of it comes together on the grill for a Oaxacan tasajo.
Step one make your selection of thinly sliced meat.The meat aisle was pretty popular with Aaron, a dedicated carnivore. Sausages with the appearance of an oversize beaded necklace.Step two: get it grilled on the bbq.
Step 3: Select your veggie accompaniments
Or one could try the seasonal Oaxacan specialty of chapolines, which are toasted and salted grasshoppers.
Very high in Vitamin B apparently, chapolines are a pre-hispanic food source and remain in Mayan cuisine and are found in tacos, guacamole and moles or eaten straight up like popcorn as a snack.Mexico has a strong panaderia (bakery) culture. The bread never replaces the tortilla, but it still holds an important place in the local diet, as do pastries.Dried chiles of all types are of course a constant in Oaxacan markets and a basic ingredient in many Oaxacan dishes.Fresh peppers ready to go although not sure we would want to wake up the vendor.Onions are essential to many Mexican dishes. Plus they look cool in a “bouquent of onions”.
As the market suddenly gets really crowded, we take our Covid cue as it becomes impossible to keep safe social distancing and head out to the church across the road, which is open.
The Capilla del Senor de Tlacolula with its brightly coloured entrance was built in the 1500’s.
We are surprised by this ornate golden ceiling and enjoyed the tromp l’oeil of this church compared with others in the region that we have seen which tend to be simpler.
Into the landscape
One last attempt for Sharon and Aaron to see an archaelogical site, so again we segue off the highway and into the Oaxacan landscape, which feels as though we are driving into a painting. This time we are met with a locked gate and a very definitive no entry sign, but no matter, as we would not have seen the majestic, expansive view towards the canyons.
And with this we bid hasta luego to our dear friends, Sharon and Aaron, who alas are heading back to Chicago. We will miss you guys!
This marks the end of the first chapter of our road trip which took us from Zipolite, Oaxaca on the Southern coast of Mexico, to the mountains of San Jose del Pacifico, to Oaxaca City.
Stay tuned for the next post to see where we head next!
Loved that incredibly ancient and yet seemingly still healthy tree. Looked it up, it’s a cypress tree.
Did you try the chapolines/grasshopper dish?
Did you buy that beautiful rug? Hard to resist.
Isn’t it amazing? SO huge. Apparently it is slowly dying which is sad to think about. Thanks for letting us know it is a Cypress tree.
Ben and Aaron tried the Chipolines/grasshopper dish. Neither of them liked it as primarily every time it was too salty and too acidic from the added lemon. Perhaps plain or as an ingredient in a dish they would be okay, but we never did see plain ones at the market.
Sharon brought that beautiful rug, as well as one for Dina and Mike. All of our possessions fit into our car and so we are doing our best to be as minimalist as possible, which makes life as nomads way easier for us.
You certainly had a good time with your friends. This is a trip they won’t forget. The scenery in the country is gorgeous. I would love to visit the family rug making enterprise. I meant to tell you, a friend of mine just published a book about a young girl from Oaxaca. I edited it for her and kept thinking where do I know this place and then recalled you were living there right now. Stay safe my friends.
We had a wonderful time with our friends! It could not have gone better.
Interesting Darlene that you edited a book with a Oaxacan theme. Look forward to reading it one day, let us know when it is available. Fiction or non fiction?
We spent a total of three weeks in Oaxaca City and then headed on the road when our friends left… more to come.
Thank you Judy for the compliment on that photo. Ben agrees with you that was my best portrait from the markets. The market was very small but the people there had very interesting faces.
We are still thinking book.. maybe an e book or self publishing, it’s just the time we need to put it together.
Beautiful. Your love for Oaxaca shines through, in living color. What an inspiration you two are! I do think you should get a couple of looms though, connect with the Zapotec in you?
Thank you Johnny and so glad you enjoyed this post. Ah yes, that’s what we need, a loom strapped to the top of our car! Haha. Fasten your seatbelt for the next few blog posts, you are gonna love ’em. Chockful.
So happy to be able to have a way to share our travels especially during Covid times when most people are unable to be doing any of their own travelling. Thanks for stopping by Ann.
Thanks Deb. Nothing like having quality time in a new place, new culture with good friends. So much more fun than just an evening together. We all get into our own rhythms and so enjoyed our time together. Also it has a lot to do with the character of friends that are able to “go with the flow”, be opportunistic and be so easy to be with.
We have some friends who live in Teotiltan and we always enjoy a visit there when we travel to Oaxaca. The textiles are truly works of art. With its varied history, culture, and landscape, Oaxaca is the gift the keeps on giving.
Ooh how lovely to have friends to visit in Teotitlan. Honestly the landscape was way more beautiful than any of us anticipated. And we only saw two days worth, just scratching the surface. Yes it really is the “gift that keeps on giving” totally agree. Come to Zipolite next time you are in Oaxaca!
Well you two are incredible hosts. How special to be your guests. A great tour you took them on. The photos of the scenery look like paintings. The close up portraits of some of the people are just beautiful. And then the car spraying. WHAT? Yet looks like many people don’t wear masks. So so different from here in the States.
Pam it was easy to be hosts to our friends, they just fit in so smoothly and were up for anything really. They had no fixed ideas going in, were just happy to be out of the States and spending time together, and then Oaxaca magic did the rest.
Yup that car spraying just made no sense. Especially as we had food in the front and of course had to toss it afterwards. In Oaxaca city most people were wearing masks, but then in the more rural places, not everyone does. And here where we are based, in Zipolite, almost NO ONE wears masks and there is NO social distancing. This was okay when we were a hermetic village with no new comers allowed in, but today is a totally different story with people coming in from Mexico City, Canada, UK, Israel….. So bizarre. We navigate as best we can, avoiding crowds and using back streets to get places. Of course all living is outdoors here, but still….
I wholeheartedly agree with Pam. You both are AWESOME hosts. What a wonderful adventure with incredible highlights. I’m not sure which one I liked the most. The tree was very hard to beat, as were those incredible rugs. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I think it was the combination of activities which gave us a really nice sampling of the countryside surrounding Oaxaca. Actually just driving off the highway yielded beautiful landscapes every time.
We were amazed by the tree. We had seen a tree that appeared similar to this one, but in India, however, it was not ONE tree, it was several that had joined together creating the appearance of one tree.
I was thinking I would really enjoy this day trip, until I got to the grasshoppers. Not sure I’d be game to try them. The rest looks so interesting, especially the textiles.
Well my perspective on the grasshoppers has evolved dramatically after traveling through Asia and realizing both that the range of edible fauna or flora is much larger than I had previously understood, as a Westerner.
And as well, that what is repellant to some is very much in the taste bud of the beholder and the cultural acceptance. Being French, eating for example, rabbit or snails or frog legs is a completely normal part of the diet. But in Viet Nam I had a funny strange reaction when presented with not just frogs legs, but the whole frog in my dish, and realized that my comfort zone with what is “acceptable” or not, is indeed totally arbitrary.
Personally I like to try local specialties even if my first reaction is to balk. As long as there is no ethical concern, I am in for at least one try. I had grasshoppers and other bugs in Cambodia and appreciated their popcorn like attributes.
So enjoyed all the wonderful memories this brought back, especially the Arbol del Tule (so huge, and I loved all the hundreds of birds making their homes in all the nooks and crannies of that enormous trunk) and Tlacolula market. I miss Mexico. I miss travelling 🙁 so thanks for this little trip to Oaxaca.
So glad to have rekindled those memories for you. We did not observe birds or nets in the Arbol del Tule, but then again, we could not actually go IN, as it was closed due to Covid, but could only see the tree from outside the railing so perhaps that is why.
We love Mexico and I can totally see why you would miss it if you have travelled here. So much more to come. We feel very privileged to have had a 10 week long road trip in Mexico while so much of the world has been in quarantine or lockdown. Really unbelievable. Surreal.
Your pictures are wonderful. We were in Oaxaca around this time two years ago. We saw the El Arbol del Tule and went to the market in Tlacolula de Matamoros. What an amazing market!
I’m assuming that Monte Albán was closed. So many ruins in Mexico though. I was so impressed with how organized the INAH is.
Oaxaca is number 1 on the list of places I’d like to return to in Mexico. Next time we need to check out the weavers and the mezcal makers.
Thanks for this taking me back to the beautiful place.
Thank you Duwan. Yes Monte Alban was closed, although we read that it opened the day after we left. However, all the ruins in the Yucatan were open and that is where we headed next and saw a total of 9 sites! All magnificent.
Hope you will check back in for the next few blog posts as we unveil ten weeks of travel and so many jewels that we discovered. There are so many places we went to that we would definitely love to return to once again.
How gross that they sprayed your car down!!
Beautiful photos as always. Oaxaca is high on my list to visit In Mexico. Glad you can do this now even amidst covid.
Yeah I was not thrilled about that and frankly it just made no sense. Not sure what they hope to achieve but I guess it makes em feel like they are doing “something”.
We feel extremely privileged to be travelling at a time when so many people globally are in quarantine or lockdown. As we moved from place to place we made selections based on the zoning for Covid, ie not going to any red spots where cases are high.
Oaxaca is a treat. I do hope you get here, and that we get to see you when you do. That would be great!
Really enjoyed this post on the Oaxacan landscape, Peta. So much natural abundance, so much space to roam about and take in – and be a part. Sounded like a good few days with your friends from Chicago and probably a trip of a lifetime for them.
The locals at the market in Teotiltan del Valle seem so down to earth and lovely local dishes are at front and centre here. Lovely you got a handmade tortilla made in front of you, fresh and you know it’s full of goodness and made with intention. The second market you mentioned also looks equally as entertaining – colourful all round and stunning architecture. Driving across San Jeronimo Tlacochahuaya is a sight to marvel. As you mentioned, that wilderness is a selection of muted pastel colours with mountains in the distance….like one of the most peaceful places on earth.
Like the other commentors said about car spraying, wow, they sprayed your car down. Hopefully you didn’t have food in there. Haven’t heard of car spraying because of COVID-19 over here. That is something new to me.Safe travels to the both of you.
Mabel thanks so much for all your comments and lovely feedback. Our friends were with us here in Mexico for a month which was a real treat. We started out by meeting them in the mountains nearby Oaxaca city and then we drove on together to Oaxaca City where we stayed put for three weeks. We snuck in these day trips just before they left, so it all worked out really well for all of us.
The car spraying was new to us too. I had no idea they were going to spray the inside, so we did have some snacks in the front which of course we had to toss afterwards. Still wondering what they hoped to achieve by the spraying, but oh well….
Peta and Ben, I know so little about Mexico so it is fascinating for me to learn more. Sounds like buying a car has been a very good decision and it has given you so much more freedom for exploring. Certainly great for taking your friends out and about, you guys are the perfect hosts.
Did you feel that traveling by car is quite safe in Mexico?
How lovely to learn about the 3 generations of weavers, working together as a family to create their colorful textiles.
Keep well guys 🙂
Gilda exactly right. Buying the second hand car was the best decision. Even though it has had a lot of mechanical issues as it is has needed repairs along the way, it has given us the freedom yes to move around but also the social distancing during the pandemic.
We felt 100 percent safe driving in Mexico. Except perhaps on one occasion and that was only because we found ourselves on the road at night and the roads were particularly bad, but more of that to come in the next post. We never got stopped once in two and a half months, by cops or anyone else. We only realized afterwards that we don’t even have our car registered correctly, but fortunately no one stopped us to check.
Also there was quite a significant military presence on the big highways and in small towns… maintaining high visibility of police plus military probably serves as a deterrent. Not once did we feel fear.
I’ve enjoyed reading about every little thing you did with your Chicago friends. A win-win for them and you guys to be able to spend time together in a season of so much social isolation. What a smorgasbord of cultural experiences you present here, from nature to religion to foods to rug-making to bizarre Covid practices! Being a nature lover, I was reeled in by the magnificent old tree and the other landscape scenes, but (this will sound weird), the photo that really grabbed my eye was the one of the onions! The larger, incredibly white ones in the foreground in their bouquets, all set into the smaller ones in the background piles, has some sort of Zen feeling to me – love it! 🙂
So nice to read you Lex. Thanks for your feedback.
I like that…. “smorgasbord” of cultural experiences…. We were a bit concerned when we left Asia that we would miss the multi dimensional cultural experience that is always a reality when one travels anywhere in Asia. What we did not realize is that Mexico’s long history, multiple overlapping civilizations and breadth of indigenous languages and cultures provides a similar level of fascinating cultural discovery.
Much as we learned so much about Buddhism, traveling in multiple parts of Asia, so now do we get to learn about the Zapotec and Mayan civilizations and see on the ground the descendants of these former empires.
Ben loves that photo of the onions as well. A forest of onions!! ~ Funny as I have to avoid eating onions because they give me headaches, but am fine taking photos of them, especially when they are displayed so beautifully.
Your friends must have been thrilled with their visit. I feel like my wanderlust ache is somewhat satisfied just reading about the journey and looking at your gorgeous photos. From the ancient tree to the weaving to exploring ancient sites. Wonderful how the young girl is learning and will be part of the family business.
Sue, they were thrilled, they really enjoyed the change of pace and having us make all the travel decisions… And they were open to going along which for us was a pleasure. Very easy guests.
Oh your wanderlust cannot be satisfied YET. We have so MUCH coming after this as our road trip continued on ward for weeks, each as full and interesting as the prior week. Stay tuned..
Yes, what is amazing is that it is much more than the family business being handed down from grandparents to grandchildren, it is the continuance of an ancestral Zapotec culture through its textiles. It really is about preserving a culture.
Thank you Anabel, so pleased to know you enjoyed and appreciated this post.
We felt so priviledged to be able to be on a road trip during this time. We were oh so conscious of what was happening globally and were aware that so many people were confined, or sick or suffering and we felt very lucky to be doing what we were doing. It was also interesting to see the different approaches to Covid depending where we were, but we were careful to select places that had the “green light” from the health authorities. For example, at one time we had considered driving North, but as soon as we found out that Mexico City was in “red” we shut down that option.
Another well-written post with gorgeous photos. I really appreciate the whole picture and feeling you always give of the regions and areas and people that you visit. I feel like I am there right along with you. Sorry to read that your friends are leaving…you have given them so many great memories and experiences to relive!
Thanks Deb, those are lovely compliments and kind words. We always appreciate acknowledgment of the writing. The desire we have to convey a multi dimensional “picture” tends to lead to long posts, but ti is the whole picture which paints the story.
Our friends had a wonderful time, and I know Sharon was regretful about having to leave and then wistful that she had not continued further.
So much beauty and cultural richness… I loved seeing the photos of the multi-generational family and their weavings. As you said, it’s remarkable that they are able to attain those brilliant colors using only natural pigments. Your portraits of the people are wonderful. Out of curiosity (because I love taking photos of people when we’re traveling, too,) do you ask before taking someone’s photo?
And the food! Those blue corn tortillas look fabulous, and the tortilla with the mole and vegetables—yum! Although I always like trying local specialties, I’d have to get beyond my squeamish reaction to eating grasshoppers and any other bugs. Obviously, it’s all a matter of what we’re accustomed to, because I know plenty of people who won’t eat raw oysters, and I adore them. Thanks for a great tour!
Thank you Laurel for the compliment on the portraits.
You ask an important question. Sometimes I ask people if instinctively I sense I need to, and other times, I chose a spot to stand for a while, so that I can somewhat blend into the environment and then take a bunch of photos and only keep the best ones. That way it is clear to most of the people around me that I am taking photos of the ongoings and of them. If they don’t want theirs taken they will usually shake a finger or indicate no, or after I have taken it, they might do so and then of course I delete it. I often show people the photos I take of them and they invariably enjoy that a lot. Some cultures are naturally more sensitive to photo taking then others. In Haiti for example, it was very frowned on by most people, or perhaps that was because it was just after the trauma and horrors of the earthquake. The indigienous women in some of the smaller villages in Chiapas also made it very clear that they did not want their photo taken. Of course then I just put my camera away.
I also enjoy trying local specialties but there are certain things I am not open to trying the way Ben does. Brains in Morocco, guinea pigs in Peru, whole frogs in Viet Nam. And then there are some things that neither of us will try, such as the bird foetus in Viet Nam or dog.
Not happening.
But definitely agree with you that what is normal to one is not to another.
So glad you enjoyed this post so much. There is way more to come from this road trip so stay tuned.
Such good fortune to have had the company – and artistic collaboration – with your two dear friends. And oh, that mobile gallery (but ugh, those chemicals sprayed inside… dios mio!), those mesmerizing landscapes and tantalizing dishes. Can’t wait to get over to Mexico.. soonish 😉
Amit, nice to read you here. It was great collaborating with Sharon on the car art gallery, we had a blast together.
The landscape just outside of Oaxaca was only the beginning of a pattern of beautiful landscapes and extreme variety of landscapes… All embedded in my memory bank of gorgeous landscapes.
It’s so nice to see that you had a good time with your friends and managed to do a bit of sightseeing in the Oaxaca countryside. The pottery and textiles looks lovely. It appears that the indigenous peoples and inhabitants of smaller Mexican villages don’t wear masks at all or care about social distancing with tourists, while at the markets vendors seem to be more Covid-aware.
In Baja it is a mixed bag. Similar to the US. Most people (also in the tourist sector) wear masks, but there are always a few around who don’t. We usually don’t buy from vendors who aren’t wearing a mask, but then again, who says they were wearing the mask when cooking the food? Nobody can tell…
This morning, I took a whale watching tour and wore two masks on top of each other. The boat driver wore a mask (but didn’t previously when playing cards) and stayed six feet away. But, three Mexican tourists who sat behind me and crowded me when whales were around, didn’t wear a mask. Should I not have gone on the tour? Should I have said something? Sigh. This adds to the cultural differences and barriers already in place.
Yes Liesbet that is the same observation we had after our eight week road trip. In rural areas masks were not being worn whereas in areas where there are tourists, for the most part, they were.
Here in Zipolite, just today, they finally issued some protocols with regards to mask wearing and hand washing. It has been a long time coming. Now of course, the odds are that everyone will ignore the rules, just as they ignored the cops on the beach almost a year ago telling everyone the beach was closed. It has been downright scary to think of the reality here where people are arriving every day from places like Canada and Mexico City where we know they all had to wear masks and yet here, no one does. We have had to do our own social distancing, and it has been fine till recently however, the population here has grown with Covid and winter escapees and as a result cases are up.
Liesbet these are good questions…. and observations. I think either if one feels awkward asking others to wear a mask, then perhaps yes, don’t go on the tour. But on the other hand I would be inclined to say… GO, and yes, request that the others please be so kind as to cover up. But on a boat tour, one doesn’t have the means of social distancing, so I think we all have to make the decision based on calculated risk.
Not sure asking others to wear a mask is a cultural thing any more… but anyone from Mexico City which is in the RED zone right now, knows full well that they should be wearing a mask.
Peta and Ben! First of all, for quite some time I was wondering if you had deactivated your blog because every time I tried to open it, an error message always appeared. But today I realized that I still do get notifications from your blog. Apparently, all this time I tried to open your dot com blog, not dot org (the funny thing is I’m quite sure that in the past I typed dot com to read your blog, but anyway).
I love all your photos from Oaxaca. It’s definitely a place in Mexico I don’t want to miss when I get the chance to travel to this country one day in the future. I read that it is the food capital of Mexico, and as you know I’m always curious about local food when I travel, so yea, Oaxaca is on the list. But I only realized how beautiful the landscape is from your photos, and the Arbol del Tule looks incredible!
Bama you are absolutely correct that our blog used to be dot.com and as well that it was offline for about 3-4 weeks. We came close to losing the whole thing and eventually we were able to save it (looong story) and had to change it to .org. Thanks for being patient and persistent.
The food is quite spectacular. Such a tremendous variety and so many unusual flavors. Given your extensive culinary experience, I think you would really enjoy discovering all the facets of Oaxacan cuisine.
Ahhh the landscape is too gorgeous. Such a lovely surprise for us both too.
Your portrait photos and also your landscape photos are absolutely fabulous. I agree with the commenter above that you should produce a book. Mexico is such a beautiful country. The images and stories here on your blog make me yearn to travel again. But we are limited to socializing only with members of our immediate household (although outdoor meetings with physical distancing are permitted), and we cannot travel outside our local area. Fortunately we have a local ski hill!
Thanks Jude for the lovely flattering comments. We have thought about a book but at this point in time, we just don’t have the bandwidth to tackle that. Maybe one day…
We realize how very lucky we are to be travelling and socializing in an almost normal way compared with so many all over the globe following so much stricter guidelines for the pandemic.
It’s good to have a pomegranate tree in the courtyard, bearing fruit ready to be used as dye for the yarn.
The father of the family, is using one of the large looms to weave a rug. On the left hand side is the spun natural yarn which is waiting to be dyed.
Loved that incredibly ancient and yet seemingly still healthy tree. Looked it up, it’s a cypress tree.
Did you try the chapolines/grasshopper dish?
Did you buy that beautiful rug? Hard to resist.
Isn’t it amazing? SO huge. Apparently it is slowly dying which is sad to think about. Thanks for letting us know it is a Cypress tree.
Ben and Aaron tried the Chipolines/grasshopper dish. Neither of them liked it as primarily every time it was too salty and too acidic from the added lemon. Perhaps plain or as an ingredient in a dish they would be okay, but we never did see plain ones at the market.
Sharon brought that beautiful rug, as well as one for Dina and Mike. All of our possessions fit into our car and so we are doing our best to be as minimalist as possible, which makes life as nomads way easier for us.
We resisted… Somehow 🙂
xoxo
Pete
You certainly had a good time with your friends. This is a trip they won’t forget. The scenery in the country is gorgeous. I would love to visit the family rug making enterprise. I meant to tell you, a friend of mine just published a book about a young girl from Oaxaca. I edited it for her and kept thinking where do I know this place and then recalled you were living there right now. Stay safe my friends.
We had a wonderful time with our friends! It could not have gone better.
Interesting Darlene that you edited a book with a Oaxacan theme. Look forward to reading it one day, let us know when it is available. Fiction or non fiction?
We spent a total of three weeks in Oaxaca City and then headed on the road when our friends left… more to come.
PK
It is fiction and is now available. https://www.amazon.com/Torn-Between-Worlds-illegal-immigrants-ebook/dp/B08QZRTRSS/ I look forward to reading about your road trip.
Fabulous photos – your next “gig” is a book. My favorite picture is the elderly lady with the blue scarf and cane. Marvelous photo.
Travel-on!
Thank you Judy for the compliment on that photo. Ben agrees with you that was my best portrait from the markets. The market was very small but the people there had very interesting faces.
We are still thinking book.. maybe an e book or self publishing, it’s just the time we need to put it together.
PK
Beautiful. Your love for Oaxaca shines through, in living color. What an inspiration you two are! I do think you should get a couple of looms though, connect with the Zapotec in you?
Thank you Johnny and so glad you enjoyed this post. Ah yes, that’s what we need, a loom strapped to the top of our car! Haha. Fasten your seatbelt for the next few blog posts, you are gonna love ’em. Chockful.
P & B
How beautiful! Your blog makes “armchair traveling” especially enjoyable.
So happy to be able to have a way to share our travels especially during Covid times when most people are unable to be doing any of their own travelling. Thanks for stopping by Ann.
PK
Wonderful pictures and stories. Friends make the experience even better.
Thanks Deb. Nothing like having quality time in a new place, new culture with good friends. So much more fun than just an evening together. We all get into our own rhythms and so enjoyed our time together. Also it has a lot to do with the character of friends that are able to “go with the flow”, be opportunistic and be so easy to be with.
P & B
We have some friends who live in Teotiltan and we always enjoy a visit there when we travel to Oaxaca. The textiles are truly works of art. With its varied history, culture, and landscape, Oaxaca is the gift the keeps on giving.
Ooh how lovely to have friends to visit in Teotitlan. Honestly the landscape was way more beautiful than any of us anticipated. And we only saw two days worth, just scratching the surface. Yes it really is the “gift that keeps on giving” totally agree. Come to Zipolite next time you are in Oaxaca!
P & B
Well you two are incredible hosts. How special to be your guests. A great tour you took them on. The photos of the scenery look like paintings. The close up portraits of some of the people are just beautiful. And then the car spraying. WHAT? Yet looks like many people don’t wear masks. So so different from here in the States.
Pam it was easy to be hosts to our friends, they just fit in so smoothly and were up for anything really. They had no fixed ideas going in, were just happy to be out of the States and spending time together, and then Oaxaca magic did the rest.
Yup that car spraying just made no sense. Especially as we had food in the front and of course had to toss it afterwards. In Oaxaca city most people were wearing masks, but then in the more rural places, not everyone does. And here where we are based, in Zipolite, almost NO ONE wears masks and there is NO social distancing. This was okay when we were a hermetic village with no new comers allowed in, but today is a totally different story with people coming in from Mexico City, Canada, UK, Israel….. So bizarre. We navigate as best we can, avoiding crowds and using back streets to get places. Of course all living is outdoors here, but still….
P& B
I wholeheartedly agree with Pam. You both are AWESOME hosts. What a wonderful adventure with incredible highlights. I’m not sure which one I liked the most. The tree was very hard to beat, as were those incredible rugs. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Well thank you Donna.
I think it was the combination of activities which gave us a really nice sampling of the countryside surrounding Oaxaca. Actually just driving off the highway yielded beautiful landscapes every time.
We were amazed by the tree. We had seen a tree that appeared similar to this one, but in India, however, it was not ONE tree, it was several that had joined together creating the appearance of one tree.
PK
I was thinking I would really enjoy this day trip, until I got to the grasshoppers. Not sure I’d be game to try them. The rest looks so interesting, especially the textiles.
Well my perspective on the grasshoppers has evolved dramatically after traveling through Asia and realizing both that the range of edible fauna or flora is much larger than I had previously understood, as a Westerner.
And as well, that what is repellant to some is very much in the taste bud of the beholder and the cultural acceptance. Being French, eating for example, rabbit or snails or frog legs is a completely normal part of the diet. But in Viet Nam I had a funny strange reaction when presented with not just frogs legs, but the whole frog in my dish, and realized that my comfort zone with what is “acceptable” or not, is indeed totally arbitrary.
Personally I like to try local specialties even if my first reaction is to balk. As long as there is no ethical concern, I am in for at least one try. I had grasshoppers and other bugs in Cambodia and appreciated their popcorn like attributes.
Peta
Ben
So enjoyed all the wonderful memories this brought back, especially the Arbol del Tule (so huge, and I loved all the hundreds of birds making their homes in all the nooks and crannies of that enormous trunk) and Tlacolula market. I miss Mexico. I miss travelling 🙁 so thanks for this little trip to Oaxaca.
So glad to have rekindled those memories for you. We did not observe birds or nets in the Arbol del Tule, but then again, we could not actually go IN, as it was closed due to Covid, but could only see the tree from outside the railing so perhaps that is why.
We love Mexico and I can totally see why you would miss it if you have travelled here. So much more to come. We feel very privileged to have had a 10 week long road trip in Mexico while so much of the world has been in quarantine or lockdown. Really unbelievable. Surreal.
Peta
Your pictures are wonderful. We were in Oaxaca around this time two years ago. We saw the El Arbol del Tule and went to the market in Tlacolula de Matamoros. What an amazing market!
I’m assuming that Monte Albán was closed. So many ruins in Mexico though. I was so impressed with how organized the INAH is.
Oaxaca is number 1 on the list of places I’d like to return to in Mexico. Next time we need to check out the weavers and the mezcal makers.
Thanks for this taking me back to the beautiful place.
Thank you Duwan. Yes Monte Alban was closed, although we read that it opened the day after we left. However, all the ruins in the Yucatan were open and that is where we headed next and saw a total of 9 sites! All magnificent.
Hope you will check back in for the next few blog posts as we unveil ten weeks of travel and so many jewels that we discovered. There are so many places we went to that we would definitely love to return to once again.
What an amazingly beautiful country Mexico is.
Peta
How gross that they sprayed your car down!!
Beautiful photos as always. Oaxaca is high on my list to visit In Mexico. Glad you can do this now even amidst covid.
Yeah I was not thrilled about that and frankly it just made no sense. Not sure what they hope to achieve but I guess it makes em feel like they are doing “something”.
We feel extremely privileged to be travelling at a time when so many people globally are in quarantine or lockdown. As we moved from place to place we made selections based on the zoning for Covid, ie not going to any red spots where cases are high.
Oaxaca is a treat. I do hope you get here, and that we get to see you when you do. That would be great!
Pete
xoxo
Really enjoyed this post on the Oaxacan landscape, Peta. So much natural abundance, so much space to roam about and take in – and be a part. Sounded like a good few days with your friends from Chicago and probably a trip of a lifetime for them.
The locals at the market in Teotiltan del Valle seem so down to earth and lovely local dishes are at front and centre here. Lovely you got a handmade tortilla made in front of you, fresh and you know it’s full of goodness and made with intention. The second market you mentioned also looks equally as entertaining – colourful all round and stunning architecture. Driving across San Jeronimo Tlacochahuaya is a sight to marvel. As you mentioned, that wilderness is a selection of muted pastel colours with mountains in the distance….like one of the most peaceful places on earth.
Like the other commentors said about car spraying, wow, they sprayed your car down. Hopefully you didn’t have food in there. Haven’t heard of car spraying because of COVID-19 over here. That is something new to me.Safe travels to the both of you.
Mabel thanks so much for all your comments and lovely feedback. Our friends were with us here in Mexico for a month which was a real treat. We started out by meeting them in the mountains nearby Oaxaca city and then we drove on together to Oaxaca City where we stayed put for three weeks. We snuck in these day trips just before they left, so it all worked out really well for all of us.
The car spraying was new to us too. I had no idea they were going to spray the inside, so we did have some snacks in the front which of course we had to toss afterwards. Still wondering what they hoped to achieve by the spraying, but oh well….
Peta
Peta and Ben, I know so little about Mexico so it is fascinating for me to learn more. Sounds like buying a car has been a very good decision and it has given you so much more freedom for exploring. Certainly great for taking your friends out and about, you guys are the perfect hosts.
Did you feel that traveling by car is quite safe in Mexico?
How lovely to learn about the 3 generations of weavers, working together as a family to create their colorful textiles.
Keep well guys 🙂
Gilda exactly right. Buying the second hand car was the best decision. Even though it has had a lot of mechanical issues as it is has needed repairs along the way, it has given us the freedom yes to move around but also the social distancing during the pandemic.
We felt 100 percent safe driving in Mexico. Except perhaps on one occasion and that was only because we found ourselves on the road at night and the roads were particularly bad, but more of that to come in the next post. We never got stopped once in two and a half months, by cops or anyone else. We only realized afterwards that we don’t even have our car registered correctly, but fortunately no one stopped us to check.
Also there was quite a significant military presence on the big highways and in small towns… maintaining high visibility of police plus military probably serves as a deterrent. Not once did we feel fear.
Peta & Ben
I’ve enjoyed reading about every little thing you did with your Chicago friends. A win-win for them and you guys to be able to spend time together in a season of so much social isolation. What a smorgasbord of cultural experiences you present here, from nature to religion to foods to rug-making to bizarre Covid practices! Being a nature lover, I was reeled in by the magnificent old tree and the other landscape scenes, but (this will sound weird), the photo that really grabbed my eye was the one of the onions! The larger, incredibly white ones in the foreground in their bouquets, all set into the smaller ones in the background piles, has some sort of Zen feeling to me – love it! 🙂
So nice to read you Lex. Thanks for your feedback.
I like that…. “smorgasbord” of cultural experiences…. We were a bit concerned when we left Asia that we would miss the multi dimensional cultural experience that is always a reality when one travels anywhere in Asia. What we did not realize is that Mexico’s long history, multiple overlapping civilizations and breadth of indigenous languages and cultures provides a similar level of fascinating cultural discovery.
Much as we learned so much about Buddhism, traveling in multiple parts of Asia, so now do we get to learn about the Zapotec and Mayan civilizations and see on the ground the descendants of these former empires.
Ben loves that photo of the onions as well. A forest of onions!! ~ Funny as I have to avoid eating onions because they give me headaches, but am fine taking photos of them, especially when they are displayed so beautifully.
Peta
Your friends must have been thrilled with their visit. I feel like my wanderlust ache is somewhat satisfied just reading about the journey and looking at your gorgeous photos. From the ancient tree to the weaving to exploring ancient sites. Wonderful how the young girl is learning and will be part of the family business.
Sue, they were thrilled, they really enjoyed the change of pace and having us make all the travel decisions… And they were open to going along which for us was a pleasure. Very easy guests.
Oh your wanderlust cannot be satisfied YET. We have so MUCH coming after this as our road trip continued on ward for weeks, each as full and interesting as the prior week. Stay tuned..
Yes, what is amazing is that it is much more than the family business being handed down from grandparents to grandchildren, it is the continuance of an ancestral Zapotec culture through its textiles. It really is about preserving a culture.
Peta
Gorgeous post! We are confined more or less to Glasgow at the moment, so it’s lovely to read about other places.
Thank you Anabel, so pleased to know you enjoyed and appreciated this post.
We felt so priviledged to be able to be on a road trip during this time. We were oh so conscious of what was happening globally and were aware that so many people were confined, or sick or suffering and we felt very lucky to be doing what we were doing. It was also interesting to see the different approaches to Covid depending where we were, but we were careful to select places that had the “green light” from the health authorities. For example, at one time we had considered driving North, but as soon as we found out that Mexico City was in “red” we shut down that option.
Peta
Another well-written post with gorgeous photos. I really appreciate the whole picture and feeling you always give of the regions and areas and people that you visit. I feel like I am there right along with you. Sorry to read that your friends are leaving…you have given them so many great memories and experiences to relive!
Deb
Thanks Deb, those are lovely compliments and kind words. We always appreciate acknowledgment of the writing. The desire we have to convey a multi dimensional “picture” tends to lead to long posts, but ti is the whole picture which paints the story.
Our friends had a wonderful time, and I know Sharon was regretful about having to leave and then wistful that she had not continued further.
Peta
So much beauty and cultural richness… I loved seeing the photos of the multi-generational family and their weavings. As you said, it’s remarkable that they are able to attain those brilliant colors using only natural pigments. Your portraits of the people are wonderful. Out of curiosity (because I love taking photos of people when we’re traveling, too,) do you ask before taking someone’s photo?
And the food! Those blue corn tortillas look fabulous, and the tortilla with the mole and vegetables—yum! Although I always like trying local specialties, I’d have to get beyond my squeamish reaction to eating grasshoppers and any other bugs. Obviously, it’s all a matter of what we’re accustomed to, because I know plenty of people who won’t eat raw oysters, and I adore them. Thanks for a great tour!
Thank you Laurel for the compliment on the portraits.
You ask an important question. Sometimes I ask people if instinctively I sense I need to, and other times, I chose a spot to stand for a while, so that I can somewhat blend into the environment and then take a bunch of photos and only keep the best ones. That way it is clear to most of the people around me that I am taking photos of the ongoings and of them. If they don’t want theirs taken they will usually shake a finger or indicate no, or after I have taken it, they might do so and then of course I delete it. I often show people the photos I take of them and they invariably enjoy that a lot. Some cultures are naturally more sensitive to photo taking then others. In Haiti for example, it was very frowned on by most people, or perhaps that was because it was just after the trauma and horrors of the earthquake. The indigienous women in some of the smaller villages in Chiapas also made it very clear that they did not want their photo taken. Of course then I just put my camera away.
I also enjoy trying local specialties but there are certain things I am not open to trying the way Ben does. Brains in Morocco, guinea pigs in Peru, whole frogs in Viet Nam. And then there are some things that neither of us will try, such as the bird foetus in Viet Nam or dog.
Not happening.
But definitely agree with you that what is normal to one is not to another.
So glad you enjoyed this post so much. There is way more to come from this road trip so stay tuned.
Peta
Such good fortune to have had the company – and artistic collaboration – with your two dear friends. And oh, that mobile gallery (but ugh, those chemicals sprayed inside… dios mio!), those mesmerizing landscapes and tantalizing dishes. Can’t wait to get over to Mexico.. soonish 😉
Amit, nice to read you here. It was great collaborating with Sharon on the car art gallery, we had a blast together.
The landscape just outside of Oaxaca was only the beginning of a pattern of beautiful landscapes and extreme variety of landscapes… All embedded in my memory bank of gorgeous landscapes.
Perhaps our paths will cross here in Mexico!
Peta
It’s so nice to see that you had a good time with your friends and managed to do a bit of sightseeing in the Oaxaca countryside. The pottery and textiles looks lovely. It appears that the indigenous peoples and inhabitants of smaller Mexican villages don’t wear masks at all or care about social distancing with tourists, while at the markets vendors seem to be more Covid-aware.
In Baja it is a mixed bag. Similar to the US. Most people (also in the tourist sector) wear masks, but there are always a few around who don’t. We usually don’t buy from vendors who aren’t wearing a mask, but then again, who says they were wearing the mask when cooking the food? Nobody can tell…
This morning, I took a whale watching tour and wore two masks on top of each other. The boat driver wore a mask (but didn’t previously when playing cards) and stayed six feet away. But, three Mexican tourists who sat behind me and crowded me when whales were around, didn’t wear a mask. Should I not have gone on the tour? Should I have said something? Sigh. This adds to the cultural differences and barriers already in place.
Yes Liesbet that is the same observation we had after our eight week road trip. In rural areas masks were not being worn whereas in areas where there are tourists, for the most part, they were.
Here in Zipolite, just today, they finally issued some protocols with regards to mask wearing and hand washing. It has been a long time coming. Now of course, the odds are that everyone will ignore the rules, just as they ignored the cops on the beach almost a year ago telling everyone the beach was closed. It has been downright scary to think of the reality here where people are arriving every day from places like Canada and Mexico City where we know they all had to wear masks and yet here, no one does. We have had to do our own social distancing, and it has been fine till recently however, the population here has grown with Covid and winter escapees and as a result cases are up.
Liesbet these are good questions…. and observations. I think either if one feels awkward asking others to wear a mask, then perhaps yes, don’t go on the tour. But on the other hand I would be inclined to say… GO, and yes, request that the others please be so kind as to cover up. But on a boat tour, one doesn’t have the means of social distancing, so I think we all have to make the decision based on calculated risk.
Not sure asking others to wear a mask is a cultural thing any more… but anyone from Mexico City which is in the RED zone right now, knows full well that they should be wearing a mask.
Thanks for your comments.
Peta & Ben
Peta and Ben! First of all, for quite some time I was wondering if you had deactivated your blog because every time I tried to open it, an error message always appeared. But today I realized that I still do get notifications from your blog. Apparently, all this time I tried to open your dot com blog, not dot org (the funny thing is I’m quite sure that in the past I typed dot com to read your blog, but anyway).
I love all your photos from Oaxaca. It’s definitely a place in Mexico I don’t want to miss when I get the chance to travel to this country one day in the future. I read that it is the food capital of Mexico, and as you know I’m always curious about local food when I travel, so yea, Oaxaca is on the list. But I only realized how beautiful the landscape is from your photos, and the Arbol del Tule looks incredible!
I hope you two stay healthy and safe!
Bama you are absolutely correct that our blog used to be dot.com and as well that it was offline for about 3-4 weeks. We came close to losing the whole thing and eventually we were able to save it (looong story) and had to change it to .org. Thanks for being patient and persistent.
The food is quite spectacular. Such a tremendous variety and so many unusual flavors. Given your extensive culinary experience, I think you would really enjoy discovering all the facets of Oaxacan cuisine.
Ahhh the landscape is too gorgeous. Such a lovely surprise for us both too.
Peta
Your portrait photos and also your landscape photos are absolutely fabulous. I agree with the commenter above that you should produce a book. Mexico is such a beautiful country. The images and stories here on your blog make me yearn to travel again. But we are limited to socializing only with members of our immediate household (although outdoor meetings with physical distancing are permitted), and we cannot travel outside our local area. Fortunately we have a local ski hill!
Jude
Thanks Jude for the lovely flattering comments. We have thought about a book but at this point in time, we just don’t have the bandwidth to tackle that. Maybe one day…
We realize how very lucky we are to be travelling and socializing in an almost normal way compared with so many all over the globe following so much stricter guidelines for the pandemic.
That is great that you can at least ski.
Peta