W Is For Will

“Mexico is a country which has experienced thousands of years of art and culture.”
– Carlos Slim

Alright, it’s been long enough since my last post that I feel I should get around to this debrief on the trip to Oaxaca from last year after we visited Mexico City. I woke up early, had my coffee, practiced my Spanish, and had more coffee, and when that coffee got cold I thought to myself I should write that debrief. So here we go, Oaxaca City.

Uhhh, William, it’s been, like, months since this trip and now you’re getting to the debrief? Don’t you know it’s been, like, 22 years in Covid time since that trip?

Of course, my internal timeline is completely screwed up thanks to Covid, what seemed like 2 years ago was actually only September 2021… shit that was over a year ago? I was looking through the album of photos to share and they looked ancient. So this really means I’m not late to the post, I’m actually trendy for waiting so long… right?

Ehhh, whatever, I lost focus reading this far down and decided to focus on bolded headers and pictures.

Exactly my little internal monologue, just sit back, skim if you want, read if you want, and look at the pretty pictures.

Centro Historica/Teotitlan del Valle – In Oaxaca City, we stayed in a gorgeous multi-story condo right in the middle of the historic center. Within walking distance to shops, galleries, restaurants, and the city center. While we rented a car from the tiniest international airport I have ever been to we only traveled outside the city for specific excursions. Everything that I could want in a single space was available in the historic center. Much like Mexico City, the city streets were clean, walkable, and certain sections of the city streets near the center were closed to vehicles so that we could walk the entire stretch of the street.

From our apartment, we were maybe a quarter-mile walk to the city center. Our buddy chose an excellent Airbnb location and the rooftop patio was the icing on the cake.

The only other places we traversed to the outside of the city were a handful of quiet hiking trails in the middle of nowhere and a Palenque called Mal de Amor.

This city center had a different vibe compared to Mexico City. The feeling I got from the Mexico City center was very elegant and regal. There oozed an almost silent sense of respect. Maybe that was due to the military being in town for their recruitment… I mean public presentation. This center felt more cultural and vibrant, there were more families and street stalls out and about. From the center we wandered into their gorgeous cathedral and walked the city streets.

I just remembered there was a second location that we visited on our final day in the area. Teotitlan del Valle was a small village outside of Oaxaca City known for their textiles. Our friend Julien, our translator and driver for the majority of the trip, wanted to go visit and I am glad we did. While Oaxaca City was bustling while Teotitlan was almost eerily quiet. We parked close to the center of town and walked on the mostly empty streets. The haciendas near the town square were lined with their textiles for sale, with a family in the back showcasing their looms and displaying their work.

Wow, you must have been starving the entire time?? Me want food!

Of course, Oaxaca is the land of Mole and I ate a ton of it.

Mercado 20 de Noviembre – Our first meal was lunch after settling in at the Airbnb. Just south of the city center was a huge open-air market. Panderias, juice bars, and an alley with meat vendors ready to throw things on the fire as soon as you order. The smoke billowing through the ceiling windows was quite a site and I will never forget the smell.

Grab a table in the meat alley and order a little bit of everything and a cerveza to wash it all down.

Casa Oaxaca el restaurante – Now, this was a great first-night restaurant. Rooftop dining with a view of the cathedral. An excellent meetup spot to plan the next few day’s adventures.

Oaxaca en una Taza – On top of delicious food, there was delicious chocolate. This was a perfect after-dinner stop. Grab a spiced hot chocolate and go admire the Templo de Santo Domingo next door.

Las Quince Letras Restaurante – Not much to say but mole three ways. Eat all the mole while you’re here. Not some… all. The ambiance was fantastic and the food was scrumptious.

Mal de Amor – This place was quite out of the city but it was worth it. We had made a trek early in the morning to a hiking trail that was a glorified back road into some valleys in the mountainside. It was exhausting but the views and activity were worth it! This place gave us the entire lowdown of the agave to mezcal process. Our tour guide was informative, spoke better English than most of us, and gave us a unique experience. If you have a chance to visit a palenque I would highly, and recommend it.

Sombreros Alberly Premium – “Uhh Will, this isn’t food…” – Correct, and I’ve never been a hat person. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this establishment. These were some of the most gorgeous hats I had ever seen before, handcrafted, unique, and individualized. Huge ceilings with hats going up as high as needing a pole and hook to grab ’em with. I found one that resonated with me and I took that as my souvenir to remember the trip.

Los Danzantes Oaxaca – This place is a stand out among fabulous restaurants in Oaxaca. The setting is comfortable yet romantic in a stunning courtyard. Tostadas, tladuyas, and mezcal, mmmm.

Pulquería Mayahuel – If you’re not drinking fermented agave sap from a bowl you are doing it wrong in Oaxaca. Pulque has been drunk for at least 2000 years, and its origins are the subject of various stories and myths. Most involve Mayahuel, the goddess of the maguey. The amount of things that can be created from the maguey displays how incredible this plant is. Stop at this local spot and try out the culture, if it’s been around for 2000 years its gotta be good or get you drunk, right?

That is the finale of our trip. Oaxaca is an incredible place and I highly recommend visiting. We’re already scheming ideas for where to go next, leave a comment if you have a place to share.

Try experiencing Oaxaca for yourself by grabbing a bottle of Mezcal.

Cheers
William