Center of Oaxaca

The State of Oaxaca is full of traditions, customs and crafts that are worthy of wonder. With an extensive vegetation and one of the most important archaeological sites of Mexico (Monte Alban). Oaxaca capital city, same name as the State, was the settlement of the Zapotec and Mixtec cultures, is a World Heritage, its streets adopt a rectangular grid pattern with blocks of 84 m on a side, its colonial colorful houses are a mirror of the city's soul.

The important religious monuments are: the Cathedral, built in 1535,  has a very baroque style made of green quarry and recontructed because of the earthquakes; the Temple and ex-convent of Santo Domingo, I think that is one of the most visited place, because of its beauty, built it at the beginning of XVII century is full of gorgeous baroque decoration and keep an excellent alterpiece, while the convent has an renaissance influence, and where is the "Museo Regional de Oaxaca" (Regional Museum of Oaxaca); San Filipo Neri, "La Soledad" and "La Compañía" with a mix of plateresque and baroque style; San Agustin, with a beautiful baroque front; San Francisco, a churrigueresque temple; Santa Catalina de Sena, a beautiful ex-convent from the XVI century that has become into hotel; 

An example of the old town houses: the "Casa de Cortés" where is also located the "Museo de Arte Contemponareo de Oaxaca" (Museum of Contemporary Art of Oaxaca);  Palacio de Gobierno at the zocalo (main square) with a neoclassic style; the ex-house of Pinelo y Lazo de la Vega (Macedónio de Alcalá street); the "Instituto de Artes Gráficas" (Graphic Art Institute), Morelos avenue; Rufino Tamayo Museum, and whole streets lined with other dwellings combine to create a harmonious cityscape, and reconstitute the image of a former colonial city whose monumental aspect has been kept intact. Solid and hardy front, patios, fountains and forged steel characterizes all this buildings.

Where to eat: The zocalo (main square) is surrounded by restaurants and coffees. Is highly advisable to go to the vivid "mercado" (popular market) Benito Juarez for breakfast or lunch, you will eat delicious traditional food and really cheap.

Getting there: To get to Oaxaca, buses leave from the "TAPO" and "Tasqueña" bus station from Mexico city , the fare for the ticket is around 450 pesos (45 dollars) per person. The journey time is 6 hours. from Méx-Oax. Oaxaca has an International airport, unfortunetaly I don't know with airlines arrived here.

Where to stay: There are a couple of really good and economic hostels in the historic center of Oaxaca. The fare is around 150 pesos (15 dollars) per person per night, of course it depends if you share room, have private bathroom or not, etc. Hostel Pochon is from 5 mininutes of the Church of Santo Domingo (Callejon Del Carmen 102) is the one I recommend, Paulina Hostel (Trujano 321) is the other one that I had recommended but I don't really know it.

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External Links: Oaxaca's Tourism Office, Wolrd Heritage (UNESCO), Wikipedia (Oaxaca), Mexico Desconocido 

Day of the Deaths

The "Día de Muertos" (day of the deaths) is a Mexican tradition inherited from the pre-hispanic times derived from the religious syncretism that occurred in the conquest between the original festivity and the imposition of the Catholic religion. It takes place on November 1st and  2nd and its main purpose is to remind the people that have died with the idea that in this days these loved ones come to visit their relatives. This tradition is considered within the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The "Catrin" and "Catrina" are very peculiar characters within these festivities, whose names are the personages of the Mexican draftsman and printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada, and whose pre-hispanic background refer to "Mictlantecuhtli" and "Mictecacíhuatl", Mister and Misses of "Mictlán" (Land of the Death ) place where people go when they have a natural death, people believed that depending on the type of death it was the place where their souls go.

There are records of this celebration since 3 thousand years in the major Mexican cultures: Mexica, Maya, Purépecha, Nahua, and Totonac. Since then the burials were accompanied with objects, a way of offering that the person who has died had used in life, in order to help him go through the path of the deaths until they arrived to "Mictlán", they were also buried with a dog which in theory it will guided them through the road, of course that the custom of the dog disappeared because of the mixture with Catholic beliefs introduced in the conquest. Now in the altars it is a custom to place food, drinks (maybe tequila), toys (for children) favorites of the deceased along with his picture.

The "calaveritas", another feature of the day of the death, are satirical verses dedicated to the living ones in which one mocks how the death "play" with the person to whom the calaverita is dedicated and usually refers to his death. The "pan de muerto" (bread of the death), the "calaveras" (skulls) of sugar and chocolates (specially the ones made in San  Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato), flowers of "cempasúchitl" (orange marigolds), chopped paper, the copal are also a fundamental part of this tradition and which undoubtedly you will see anywhere as a part of the offering.

The best places I know to see this vivid tradition are: Ocotepec, Morelos, where you can even share "tamales" and "atole" with the local people because is a tradition to give it to anyone who is passing by their house; Patzcuaro and Morelia, Michoacan, even if this festivity is used more as a tourist attraction to Patzcuaro you still can see part of the original tradition; and recommended but I have not had the opportunity to go is to Xantolo, in Hidalgo.

Getting there: Ocotepec, you have to go first to Cuernavaca, Morelos. you can take a bus in Mexico city from the bus station of the south called Tasqueña, you can arrived here by subway. In tasqueña the "Pullman de Morelos" take you to Cuernavaca, once here you can take a bus which head up to Tepoztlan and ask him to the driver that get you off in Ocotepec, or take a cab to Ocotepec. For Morelia, several buses takes you to Morelia, as Omnibus, "Primera plus", ETN. from the bus station "Observatorio" (you can get here by subway), once in Morelia you have to take other bus to Patzcuaro in the bus station of Morelia.

If you need more details like, places to stay or traditional food to taste, see the post of Cuernavaca and Morelia respectively.

External Links: "México Desconodido" (Xantolo), Wikipedia (Day of the Death), Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO)

Monte Alban

Monte Alban is located on a mountain 400 m above the Valley of Oaxaca, It was a ancient Zapotec-Mixtec civic-ceremonial center and it is estimated that only about 10% of the site has been uncovered but they have already found over 170 tombs, numerous ceremonial altars, stelae, pyramids, and palaces. Because Monte Alban was abandoned the original name remains unknown but a tentative suggestions came from a native Zapotec, “Danibaan”, that means Sacred Hill. At the entrance you could find the well worth museum, a shop with guidebooks to the ruins, a cafe, and a craft shop.

Tip:
* Inside of Monte Alban you will find vendors selling artifacts from the site, don't believe that are originals, you can buy some of this just as a souvenirs but nothing else.
* The tombs are not always open to the public but it's worth checking

Center of the Zapotec culture, Monte Albán was also influenced by other contemporary cultures. Olmec influence is evident in the early sculptures; masks and sculptures reflect contact with the Maya and borrowed architectural ideas from Teotihuacan. So you will see the creativity and quality with which the buildings was constructed. It is an architectural work worthy of admiration for the time when it was built (500 BC). The various structures of Monte Albán center on the "Gran Plaza" (Great Plaza) a large open space created by flattening the mountaintop aligned north to south. Some of the most important buildings here are: The Observatory, the Ball Game, Los Danzantes, Tomb 104 and Tomb 7.

The Observatory: Is located in the south of the Gran Plaza, is a not regular hexagonal edification like an arrow which was either used to see the stars or to celebrate victory in battle, the only building that is not aligned with the north-south axis, probably was aligned with the stars.

Mesoamerican Ball Game (Juego de Pelota): On the eastern side of the Gran Plaza is a ball court, slightly different from Maya ball courts in that there are no goal rings and the sides of the court slope. As usual, this ball game had ritual significance, winer were sacrificed as a offering to the gods and players had to play the ball using only hips, shoulders, knees and elbows. Over here was was discovered a tunnel that lead from the Palace to one of the building in the center, possibly used to appear "suddenly" from one site to the other.

South Platform: Here in some corners are still some staelae showing prisoners of war with their arms and legs bound. From the top of the temple you can get a good view of the surrounding area from here. Monte Alban created a grandiose architectural landscape which, like that of Machu Picchu, represents a unique artistic achievement.

Los Danzantes (Building of the Dancers): Located at the west side of the Gran Plaza. It is the earliest structure constructed here, is covered with large stone slabs with carvings of humans in strange tortured positions. The figures seems to represent some kind of dance, so they became known as the Danzantes (dancers). The distorted bodies and pained expressions might connote disease or suffering as dwarfism. Other experts believe they are prisoners of war. Over here is located the Tomb 104 that has a fabulous ceramic urn above the entrance, which depicts a figure seated on a jaguar throne, the image of Cocijo, the Zapotec rain god, appears in the center of the figure's headdress.

The North Platform: Is a large maze of temples and palaces linked with underground tunnels and sanctuaries. Some cemetery and tombs located in this platform contain magnificent glyphs, paintings, and stone carvings of gods, goddesses, birds, and serpents. The most famous is the Tomb 7, it yielded around 500 pieces of gold, amber, and turquoise jewelry, as well as silver, alabaster, and bone art objects displayed at the Regional Museum down in Oaxaca.

Getting there: You have to take the bus at the hotel called "Mesón del Angel", Mina #518 at Mier y Terán. The fare is 35 pesos (4 dollars) per person. The bus depart every half hour since 8 am. The ride takes 30 min to 45 min. depending on the traffic.
By car: take the street Trujado in order to leave the downtown, this one change its name and became Monte Alban street, no more than 10Km away from downtown is your destination. Admission to the ruins is 30 pesos (4 dollars). Licensed guides: 150 pesos (15 dollars) per person for a walking tour. Video camera: 50 pesos (5 pesos).

Where to stay: There are a couple of really good and economic hostels in the historic center of Oaxaca. The fare is around 150 pesos (15 dollars) per person per night, of course it depends if you share room, have private bathroom or not, etc. Hostel Pochon is from 2 mininutos of the Church of Santo Domingo (Callejon Del Carmen 102) is the one I recommend, Paulina Hostel is the other one that I had recommended but I don't really know it.

ROUTE: Oaxaca - Monte Albán - Cuilapan

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Related external links: Wikipedia:MonteAlban, Oaxaca's Tourism Office, Worl Heritage (UNESCO)

Oaxaca (Mitla's Route)

The route of Mitla, consists on the following towns:

Oaxaca - El Tule - Tlacochahaya - Dainzú - Teotitlán del Valle - Lambytieco - Tlacolula - Mitla.

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My advice is that you begin the route from Mitla and end it in Oaxaca visiting the towns that you want in the way.

Tip: you can always ask to the driver that warn you when you arrived to the place that you want to go.

* Mitla

Place that can be easily propose as World Heritage, maybe I am exaggerating but at least I liked this place a lot. Mitla means "Place of resting" in zapoteco, that was the culture that stablished here. There are several buildings where you can appreciate the wall's decorated with geometric mosaics that are very impressive when you see it at first sight.

The site is divided in five groups of building: Grupo del Norte (North's Gruop), Grupo de las Columnas (columns group), Grupo del Calvario (Church's group), Grupo del Arroyo (river's group) y Grupo del Sur (south's group). The Grupo de las Columnas consists of three large rooms set around by tombs and a courtyard. The Grupo del Calvario is centred around a colonial Catholic church, build it by rocks that once was part of Mitla, here few walls still retain their original red color. In the surroundings there are stores and a "mercado" (popular outdoor market) where you can buy clothes, potter, mezcal (popular liquor) and other crafts that are made in the area.

Getting there: From the second class bus station, in Oaxaca, leaves the buses that goes to Mitla, witch fare is of 16 pesos (1.5 dollars) per person. Or you can also take the bus at the "periferico" (that means like highway, but it's more like a street), that runs every 15 minutes aproximatly. The journey time from Oaxaca to Mitla is around 1:30 hours. (depending on traffic). Arriving at Mitla you will have to take a "mototaxis" (little motos that works like taxis) for 10 pesos (1 dollar) per person to bring you up to the arqueological site.


* Teotitlan del Valle

In this place are produced large woolen rugs on domestic looms, painted with natural dyes and traditional designs and, of course, some of them looks "modern". On its main street are most of the stores and workshop where the rugs are made, some of them very impressive cause their size. So you can walk from the entrance of the village to the mercado (handicrafts market) and watch or buy some of this rugs if you like.

Getting there: You can take a bus in Mitla that goes to Oaxaca and pass to Teotitlan, sometimes it takes too long to pass but be patience and you will save the money for the taxi, which sometimes are very expensive for a tourist. The bus cost less than 10 pesos (1 dollar) per person up to Teotitlan, it will leaves you in the intersection with the Teotitlán, where you will have to take another bus that goes to Benito Juarez and get off the bus in Teotitlan or you can walk 5 km. from the intersection to the town.


* Santa María el Tule

The Tule is a town where is a ahuehuete, a tree, 2000 years old! the height of the tree is 40 meters, with a perimeter of 42 mt.! the tree is really impressive, I could say that you can smells the "knowledge" from the bush, this ahuehuete is worthy of admiration.

Getting there: In Teotitlán you can take a "taxi" next to the church of Teotitlan, don't be surprise because you will share the taxi with other 4 or 5 people that goes to different places, but everyone will have to pay to the taxi driver independently. To "El Tule" is around 10 pesos (1 dollar) per person. From Teotitlan to El Tule is around 20 minutes.


* Other towns

The other towns of this route I don't know exactly what is its tourism, I just know that in "Tlacolula de Matamoros" there is a baroque temple of the XVII century and is considered one of the Maximum jewels of baroque art in Mexico, and unfortunately I couldn't visit it.


Where to stay: There are a couple of really good and economic hostels in the historic center of Oaxaca. The fare is around 150 pesos (15 dollars) per person per night, of course it depends if you share room, have private bathroom or not, etc. Hostel Pochon is from 2 mininutos of the Church of Santo Domingo (Callejon Del Carmen 102) is the one I recommend, Paulina Hostel is the other one that I had recommended but I don't really know it.

What to eat: I recommend to buy something before you leave from Oaxaca, or buy some food on the way like some "Tlayudas" or real Tamales.

Related external links: Oaxaca's Tourism Office, Wikipedia: Mitla, World Heritage: Oaxaca.

Oaxaca (OCOTLAN's Route)

The route of "OCOTLAN" in the state of Oaxaca is form by several beautiful little towns, I recommend to start the route from Ocotlan, which is the last town on the route, to Oaxaca passing through:

Oaxaca - Tlacochahuaya - Playa de Valle - San Bartolo Coyotepec - Sn Martín Tilcajete - St Tomás Jalieza - St- Ana Zegache - Sn Antonio - Ocotlán de Morelos

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* Ocotlán de Morelos

This is very nice town because there is a church and a Dominican convent, restored by a painter of this town named Rodolfo Morales. The detailed shadows in the fresco made it by this painter makes the church so beautiful and simple at the same time, the trip is worth just for the church.

You can also go to the "mercado" (popular market) that is almost in front of the church and where you can buy some food made by the local people. There are also a mill chocolate and a store of "mezcal" (a traditional sweet liqueur) near the main square where makes a very good chocolate and mezcal of different flavours respectively.

Getting there: Right in front of the "red cross" of Oaxaca there is a bus station whose destinations are the local towns, just ask directions in order to get to the red cross. The price per person for a one-round ticket is around 30 pesos (3 dollars).

Time: Leaving Oaxaca is approx. 1 hr. 15 min. (depending on traffic from downtown!)


* Santo Tomás Jalieza

It is a town where they work the loom waist. Here is where the can find cotton waist sashes, bags, tablecloths, belts, etc. adorned with eye-catching pretty animal or plant patterns. this kind of loom is very classic from Oaxaca.

Getting there: You can take a bus in the main square of Ocotlan which main destination is Oaxaca capital city, and get off at the intersection with Jalieza (you can tell the driver that warn you when you arrived there). The trip from Ocotlán to Jalieza takes less than 10 min. And you will have to walk from the intersection to the stores around 1/2 kilometers.


* San Martín Tilcajete

Products of woodcarving called "Alebrijes" is the hallmarks of these beautiful town. Walking around by the streets of this town you will find several handicraft shops where the alebrijes are made by hand by the artisans, you can go in the shop and see how are made it in their work place.

The prices for the alebrijes are from 30 pesos (3 dollars) for souvenirs to more than 1000 pesos (more than 100 dollars) for a real masterpiece of work.

Getting there: Walking down the main road is about 30 minutes from Jalieza to Tilcajete. Another way to get there is by taking the same bus in the intersection of Jalieza that goes to Oaxaca city and get off at intersection with Jalieza, that would take you about 5 min. to arrive to Jalieza. and you would have to walk approx. 10 min. in order to reach to the first workshop.


* San Bartolo Coyotepec

The town where the artisans made pottery with the traditional "barro negro" (black mud) characteristic of Oaxaca. There are several workshops where you can see how they worked it.
And there are tours where they can teach you how to do pots with the mud. There are many things in this town that you will love if you like this sort of handicraft or if you don't like it I bet you will considered after seeing all the pots, jars, plates, vases that are made here.

Getting there: Take the same bus that goes to Oaxaca on the main road at the intersection of Tilcajete, the ticket is approx. 5 pesos (less than a dollar) per person, is going to be form 15 to 20 minutes the trip to San Bartolo (you can always ask to the driver that warn you when you arrived)

* The other town ...
I do not have idea what they have in other towns, if you go by car you won't have a problem getting there, you can go to the office of the "secretaría del turismo" (tourism office) and ask for a map in order to know where you are. But I have no doubt that they are just as interesting as those I visited. Devote a full day on this route is more than enough if you do not have a car...

Where to stay: There are a couple of really good and economic hostels in the historic center of Oaxaca. The fare is around 150 pesos (15 dollars) per person per night, of course it depends if you share room, have private bathroom or not, etc. Hostel Pochon is from 2 mininutos of the Church of Santo Domingo (Callejon Del Carmen 102) is the one I recommend, Paulina Hostel is the other one that I had recommended but I don't really know.

Related External Links: Oaxaca's Tourism Office, Wikipedia:Ocotlan, World Heritage: Oaxaca.

Xochicalco

Xochicalco is considered Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is the fourth most visited archaeological site in Mexico. Place where wise men met from different cultures, because here appear Maya, Mixtec, Zapotec and Teotihuacan features in the constructions. There are 3 important construction: The Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl, The Ball game and the Observatory.

The Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl is the most important monument, completely decorated in relief, inside of this little pyramid are remnants of two previous substructures, Aztec culture used to do that as a symbol of reincarnation. The main reason why they constructed this building is to honor the feathered serpent god of the Toltec, Quetzalcoatl, one of the main Gods.

The observatory, you have to be careful with your own schedule because is not allowed to visit it after 14:00 hrs. It is a cave that was made only to have their own calendar, the solar calendar. This cave is completely illuminated when the sun is just at the zenith, this occurs two times every year, during the solstice, the sunlight pass barely through a narrow shaft in the ceiling. This culture can even predict solar and lunar eclipses just by watching the the sun, the moon and the stars.

The mesoamerican ball game, always representative of the Mexican prehispanic cultures, if you go to the Observatory you will have to go through this place, it was used most importantly for sacrificial purposes. The ball game, consisted of opposing teams whose objective was to hit a ball with their hips and try it to cross it through a small hole cut out of the middle of a stone pillar. The captain of the winner team would receive the ultimate reward which was the honor of being sacrificed to the gods. The ball game was also used as a means of ending domestic disputes within the community as the loser of the game was killed.

Localization: belonging to the state of Morelos, it's a little less than an hour by car on the road out of Cuernavaca, about 40 km from there. If you come from Mexico city, Cuernavaca is just 1 hrs away. See the map at the end for more detail.

Getting there:
By car: It's going to be difficult to get there by car if you don't know the zone, but if you take the risk and rent a car I recommend is to take the highway "Autopista del Sol", Cuernavaca-Acapulco. You will leave the highway at the Alpuyeca's exit (1.5 dlls or 20 pesos). You will have to pass through a housing area up to go out on the free road to Temixco, once you do that the road will leads you direct to Xochicalco.

By bus: If you are in Mexico city, you will have to go to Tasqueña, where "La central de autobuses del Sur" (The south bus station) is, from here the buses "Pullman de Morelos" takes you to Cuernava or to nearest town to Xochicalco that is Alpuyeca, it's up to you if your plan it's going first to Cuernavaca and the next day (To expend one day in Cuernavaca is enough) to Xochicalco or vice versa, I recommend the second option. You can always ask to the driver to tell you when you have arrived, if you are already in Alpuyeca, you can take a cab that would take you up to Xochicalco, I calculated to be around 50-80 pesos (5 to 8 dlls) the cost on average.

On the way ...
If you are in Alpuyeca I highly recommend to buy the famous Alpuyeca's ice cream, especially the one call "La güera" who are those with more tradition in the town. The ice cream flavour "mamey" it's my favorite!

Light and sound: There is a special event that start around March which is to provide colour light and sound to the place at night, after 21:00 hrs. It is quite good the event and the cost is approx. 150 pesos (15 dlls). The event is suspended when the rainy season begins, around June. Unfortunately in order to asist to this event you will have to have a car or buy a tourist pack that include it.

Where to stay: In Cuernavaca, are some hostels in the main square, I have never stayed there, but what I can see seems to be very safe and confortable, the two of them are: Casa de Huéspedes (Agustín Aragón y León No.13, Centro. Tel: (777) 3123712) and Hostal Posada Morelos (Clavijero No.26, Col. Centro Tel:(777) 314 60 11) Both of them have a fare of around 200 pesos (20 dollars) per person per night.

Tourist Route: Mexico - Cuernavaca - Tepoztlan - Xochicalco - (Tequesquitengo) - (National Park Cacahuamilpa's grotto) - Taxco - (National Park Alejandro Humbolt)

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External Related Links: Morelos Tourism Office, World Heritage:Xochicalco, Wikipedia:Xochicalco.