Friday, November 06, 2015
Oaxaca - Town of hidden treasures
Friday, November 06, 2015(My posts are all so backdated!) Oaxaca was 2 weeks back, with the other Singapore guys. We chose to go the weekend before day of the dead, ...
(My posts are all so backdated!) Oaxaca was 2 weeks back, with the other Singapore guys. We chose to go the weekend before day of the dead, so as to spend that weekend in Puebla instead (and it was so good! Gonna talk about it in the next post)
We left on Thursday night, took the overnight bus from CAPU, and arrived in the morning. We took ADO and the tickets were around $300+ pesos. It would have been half the price if we booked online, but none of our cards worked ): The journey was 6hrs long and there was no toilets on board, which was unbearable for the guys.
At 5-6am, we arrived in Oaxaca and the first step was the find a hotel/hostel, but nobody was open. We could knock on every hotel we find, but we didn't want to wake the reception just to ask how much it costs, and then reject them. In the end, we ended up wandering into a church, the only place alive and full of people at that hour, and it so happen that there was some celebration going on, and we even got free bread and coffee. Thanks for the wonderful welcome Oaxaca, it was much needed in the cold and dark morning.
Subsequently we found a place that had a room with 5 beds, that only costs $120 pesos a night. Was it cheap or what. And then the first stop was Monte Alban!
It didn't take the whole day unlike what we expected, so upon returning we went to check out the zocalo and the biggest museum in Oaxaca, Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca. We were in luck because there happened to be a wedding happening just outside the templo (linked to the museo) and we experienced the festivity and traditions of a wedding celebration. After the procession, we were more than ready to call it a day, and returned to the hotel.
Day 2 was spent with the local tour agency, to various sites around Oaxaca. First stop was the largest and widest tree in Oaxaca, followed by the Mitla, a site dedicated to the God of the Underworld. Next was a weaving tour, where we were shown and taught the dying and weaving process. This was followed by a Mezcal tour, and then ending off at Hierve de Agua. On the way back from the tour, we found the local chocolate store - Chocolates La Soledad and the chocolate making sites of Moyordomo as well.
Day 3 was a trip to a town Tlacolula, where there was a huge Sunday market. It was so crowded, and there was really alot to see and buy. There were people buying and selling turkeys and chickens, weaved goods, day of the dead flowers, chocolates, meat, etc. We went by cab and returned by bus. Bus tickets were just $20pesos, which was way more comfortable than our cab ride which costs $50 with 4 of us squeezing at the back. When we arrived back in Oaxaca downtown, we discovered another market beside the bus station and it was so fun to see all the ornaments and ofrendas (offerings) they were selling for day of the dead, and the halloween costumes. I visited a couple of museums after, before calling it a day.
On the last day, I visited the remaining museums left before doing some souvenir shopping. Oaxaca is probably the place where I purchased the most things, because its my last trip in the Southern parts of Mexico and I don't know if I will be able to find any of these goods back here in Puebla.
During my time spent in Oaxaca, I also got to meet some locals and made new friends! My first breakfast was at street side Tamales store, and there, I met the owner and his assistant, a happy old man. We started talking and I went back for my next 2 breakfast. Their negro mole tamales was spot on and so was the chocolate con leche (chocolate milk) drink. It was also fun to talk to them and the old man was so fun and cute.
Overall, Oaxaca is medium sized town that isn't very modernised, just like most states in the South, but it is full of art and culture and contains many hidden spots if one looks hard enough. Oaxaca is also famous for their indigenous villages (Los Pueblos Mancomunados), and there are tour available for one to visit, hike and live along side the villagers. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time, but it would be have been great.
The streets of Oaxaca. Reminds one of San Cristobal in Chiapas, no?
And there's a little Cuba vibe here
The beautiful valleys at Hierve el Agua
My own infinity pool, hehe
We left on Thursday night, took the overnight bus from CAPU, and arrived in the morning. We took ADO and the tickets were around $300+ pesos. It would have been half the price if we booked online, but none of our cards worked ): The journey was 6hrs long and there was no toilets on board, which was unbearable for the guys.
At 5-6am, we arrived in Oaxaca and the first step was the find a hotel/hostel, but nobody was open. We could knock on every hotel we find, but we didn't want to wake the reception just to ask how much it costs, and then reject them. In the end, we ended up wandering into a church, the only place alive and full of people at that hour, and it so happen that there was some celebration going on, and we even got free bread and coffee. Thanks for the wonderful welcome Oaxaca, it was much needed in the cold and dark morning.
The church was decorated with flowers on all its pillars and there were mariscos, singing and dancing <3
Subsequently we found a place that had a room with 5 beds, that only costs $120 pesos a night. Was it cheap or what. And then the first stop was Monte Alban!
There is a museum at the entrance, which didn't help much as always, because all the descriptions are in Spanish
Entry is free for students!
We spent the whole trip contemplating how life was like here, before the site was abandoned.
These plants are starting to grow all over the fields here in Puebla at this time, and paints the fields pink <3
It didn't take the whole day unlike what we expected, so upon returning we went to check out the zocalo and the biggest museum in Oaxaca, Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca. We were in luck because there happened to be a wedding happening just outside the templo (linked to the museo) and we experienced the festivity and traditions of a wedding celebration. After the procession, we were more than ready to call it a day, and returned to the hotel.
Lunch was Tlayudas, a dish famous in Oaxaca where the tortillas are huge and topped with toppings like this. We ate it like a pizza, only to realise that we were supposed to fold and it, after we have finished. Nonetheless, this + drink + soup was only $55 pesos, $5.50 SGD. Great deal!
The whole site had an old and abandoned vibe, which was adds to the atmosphere of the museum and exhibits.
The museum was situated next to the templo and in front of the templo was this cactus garden. It's the first time I see cactus/desert plants planted like a garden, and it was beautiful.
And I believe this is the wedding car. Isn't it pretty!
Inside the library of the museum
Check out the gold detailings. And it's all just gold paint!
There were never ending amounts of exhibits. It definitely didn't help that we spent the night on the bus and the whole morning walking in monte alban.
These windows are all over the corridors and it creates a frame from the landscape outside.
The reception for the wedding! The receptionists are all dressed up in traditional costumes and it contrasts so wonderfully with the desert plants in the background.
And the whole streets were filled with people wanting to see the celebrations. I don't know who are the invited guests, but it is great how the whole town is invited.
And it is the custom to carry this bull with sparklers shooting off at its tail. It looked fun, but I was so scared as the crowd that the sparklers would burn me, lol. And there were random flares lighted, which created lots of noise for the celebration
It costs $10 to enter and view the tree, but we are fine with just looking from outside, ahaha
Mitla! The red colours on the wall are original and still nicely preserved
And the geometric patterns made by stone is what's famous about the site. It's incredible but much of it is still intact!
The weaving plant came next, and this family are of Zapotepec origins, the people who built and lived in Monte Alban before the spaniards came. She spoke some Zapotepec on the request of the tour guide and it sounded alot like a vietnam, thai and spanish mix.
The explanation on how the different colours are derived, and it really ain't easy o.o
And Mezcal! It is made from cactus plants, similar to the ones that makes Tequila and Pulque. Here, we learnt all about the harvesting, crushing, fermenting, extracting process
And of course, we got to try lots of Mezcal!
The place is name Hierve el Agua, which directly translated to, boil the water, because water would bubble out from random sites here, but don't be misleaded, cos the water isn't hot!
The water that flows down the hill erodes at the limestone to create the beautiful cauldron feel
So I forgot to bring my swim top, and thus I'm only wearing the bottom, ahaha
Day 3 was a trip to a town Tlacolula, where there was a huge Sunday market. It was so crowded, and there was really alot to see and buy. There were people buying and selling turkeys and chickens, weaved goods, day of the dead flowers, chocolates, meat, etc. We went by cab and returned by bus. Bus tickets were just $20pesos, which was way more comfortable than our cab ride which costs $50 with 4 of us squeezing at the back. When we arrived back in Oaxaca downtown, we discovered another market beside the bus station and it was so fun to see all the ornaments and ofrendas (offerings) they were selling for day of the dead, and the halloween costumes. I visited a couple of museums after, before calling it a day.
The beginning of the market, reminds me alot of the street markets I visited in my mum's hometown in Malaysia was I was younger
The food market. Stalls were selling raw meat and just next to them were people selling BBQ meat. So so tempting.
Never judge a book by its appearance. The exterior and entry of the church doesn't look like much...
But this is where is gem is hidden! This is real baroque
Back at the market near the bus station, we see all these decorations that they put on the pan (bread). It's colourfully morbid.
Honey! Its normal to see bees stuck in the packaging or flying around the stall
First dried fish stall I've seen in Mexico
Coincidentally, the museum of popular art had an exhibit on the process of weaving as well, and it tied in so well with what I've learnt at the weaving plant the day before.
The dead bugs on these cactus are used to create the strong red dye. Had I not learnt this, I would have assumed these cactus are for decorative purposes
Photography museum
The house of Benito Juarez - really humble living space really
Ain't this beautiful, stamps can be an art piece too!
A nice cafe area in the stamps museum where they played the recording of Benito Juarez's speech about something - in Spanish as usual
This is so cool, apparently that's how stamps are stored and this is my first time seeing this <3
During my time spent in Oaxaca, I also got to meet some locals and made new friends! My first breakfast was at street side Tamales store, and there, I met the owner and his assistant, a happy old man. We started talking and I went back for my next 2 breakfast. Their negro mole tamales was spot on and so was the chocolate con leche (chocolate milk) drink. It was also fun to talk to them and the old man was so fun and cute.
We are now friends on facebook! (Not the old man though, ahaha)
Overall, Oaxaca is medium sized town that isn't very modernised, just like most states in the South, but it is full of art and culture and contains many hidden spots if one looks hard enough. Oaxaca is also famous for their indigenous villages (Los Pueblos Mancomunados), and there are tour available for one to visit, hike and live along side the villagers. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time, but it would be have been great.
