Puerto Escondido

September 2008
Puerto Escondido


Most of Puerto Escondido was slightly on the scruffy side, with raw sewage flowing through trenches as sewer mains were repaired, droves of friendly stray dogs (some healthier than others) and Fiat-eating potholes. Despite the scruff, Puerto was a friendly, cheap, laid back town with great food, plenty to do and many responsive tire repair shops.


We stayed off the beach overlooking Playa Carrizalillo.


Our hotel at Playa Carrizalillo, Villas Carrizalillo was nice, but missed some of the little touches (a common characteristic of the Oaxaca service industry). Nevertheless, the view was amazing the restaurant very reasonable and a short 168 stair step walk down to the beach for surfing dawn patrol on the gentle chest high rollers along the bay's rocky reef.

Villas Carrizalillo room:




Surfing:



Zicatella Beach featured consistent 15-foot ground shaking sets of pounding waves, good restaurants, a beautiful beach and a friendly atmosphere.

Sierra Madre Mountains

September 2008
Sierra Madre Mountains, Mexico

We rented a compact Fiat and shoved off from Oaxaca City to the Sierra Madre mountains via Highway 175. The Oaxaca Valley was a blur of agricultural country and road construction.




The Sierra Madre mountains rose sharply from the valley, and as the hill sides steepened and air cooled, cactus and corn were replaced by pine trees and agave.



At the crest of the Sierra Madre mountains lies San Jose del Pacifico, a quaint mountain town.


The finest restaurant in San Jose del Pacifico and Kate by the Fiat.


Cozy cabins are heated by fireplaces, especially welcome on cool nights at 9000 feet.



The mountain view from San Jose del Pacifico was amazing.


Mexican mountain roadside attractions:



Following a semi at 60 km/hr down Mexican mountain road is like following an icebreaker in the Arctic. Other cars, livestock, etc. scatter from it's path allowing those in the wake to pass with ease.

Monte Alban

September 2008
Monte Alban, Mexico

We caught a bus to nearby archeological site Monte Alban, overlooking modern Oaxaca city.



Monte Alban is a pre-Colonial city dating back to approximately 500-BC.








Los Dazantes (the dancers) are stone carvings which have been excavated around Monte Alban. Archeologists suggest that the glyphs are images of rulers of neighboring cities, shortly after ceremonial castration following defeat.




Tombs at Monte Alban have been unearthed and many of the skulls feature peculiar cranial excavations suggesting unusual historical medical practices. Me duele mi cabeza. Mucho.



Sun dial at Monte Alban:

Oaxaca City

September 2008
Oaxaca City, Mexico

We flew into Oaxaca City and caught a colectivo to our hotel on the zocalo, Maques Del Valle. The hotel offered a prime location, clean rooms and a good restaurant to sample the local mole. After settling in at our hotel, we hit the streets. The government building on the zocalo was decorated for Independence Day and the square was alive with music and lights.



Santo Domingo church is located a few blocks north of the zocalo and is reminiscent of extraordinary European cathedrals.


Inside the cathedral.



An Oaxaca historical museum is located in the monastery adjacent to the cathedral. The artifacts in the museum are impressive, such as this skull from pre-Colonial Monte Alban:



The architecture of the buildings is almost equally impressive.



From the monastery, there were views across the adjacent botanical gardens to the Sierra Madre mountains. In all, the Santo Domingo Cultural complex covers four city blocks.



Kate in the zocalo outside Santo Domingo.


The streets between zocalo and Santo Domingo were artsy and boutique with numerous cafes and galleries.


The city had a hip, modern, vibe with excellent coffee shops, bars and restaurants.



At the north end of the Zocalo, and adjacent to our hotel was the 18th century Oaxaca cathedral.


The zocalo never sleeps with music, marches, parades and speeches. We slept to the sound of chatter and music on the street and awoke to Mexican bands.


There are a series of markets south of the zocalo. You want pan (bread), there's a city block of markets for that. You want baby clothes, there's a city block of markets for that. You want meat or fish...?


We toured Oaxaca, including Monte Alban in one day. Given the chance, we could have spent another few days in Oaxaca City.