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2.5 fabuloso weeks in Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca!

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2.5 fabuloso weeks in Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca!

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Old Jun 22nd, 2024, 05:55 AM
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Thanks for the recipe! I am going to try it one of these days. And yes, the dish was on the El Mural de Los Poblanos menu — there was even a sign by the door — but it was not offered in April! Sigh.
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Old Jun 22nd, 2024, 04:30 PM
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BTW reddy, thanks for the awesome TR.
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Old Jun 23rd, 2024, 05:26 AM
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Glad you are enjoying it, bald0ne! A summary of our time in Oaxaca coming up soon!
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Old Jun 23rd, 2024, 09:55 AM
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Si si si. Waiting excitedly for Oaxaca.
I am done. the moles
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Old Jun 28th, 2024, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by reddy2go2
. . . our time in Oaxaca coming up soon!
Is it soon yet?

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Old Jul 3rd, 2024, 06:05 AM
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Thanks zebec and MmePerdu for waiting so patiently for the Oaxaca report. Glad you are following along.

It is time indeed, and here we go!
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Old Jul 3rd, 2024, 06:26 AM
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Oaxaca: Six days in paradise!

Our ADO bus departed Puebla’s main bus terminal at 8.25 am and the team at our hotel insisted we had a hot breakfast — delicious omelettes with avocado — even though it meant some of the staff had to come in earlier than usual. I cannot recommend PosadaXVII enough!

The bus ride is so beautiful — we sat on the driver’s side (thanks again bald0ne for the tip), and drank in the unspoiled countryside and the mountains for 5 hours. No Ubers in Oaxaca so we took a taxi from the busy bus station to La Casa Carlotta, a 10-minute walk to the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman and my Spanish school, Oaxaca Spanish Magic. The Casa was our home for 4 days — after that we moved to Hotel con Corazón just to sample a different part of the city.

We did so much in Oaxaca that I would need to write a book to capture it all in detail. We immediately fell in love with the colors of the buildings, the street art, the enchanting squares that seemed to be always full of dancers, the joie de vivre of the people, the markets, the mole and the mezcal.


Is this a street or a film set?


Dancing with joy!


Calle Alcala

Color and art everywhere!


Rather than a lengthy day by day account, I will describe some of the highlights.

Cooking up a storm!

We did a cooking class at Casa Crespo. A couple we had befriended at the Red Tree House was also going to be in Oaxaca at the same time as us, and when we told them of this class, they had immediately signed up. It was such fun to see them again in a different city!

We were a group of 15 from all over the world, including Denmark and England, and Oscar, our maestro, had us pick a couple of appetizers, the main dish and the dessert. Then we were off to the Mercado Sánchez Pascuas to buy the needed ingredients. Oscar was great at pointing out unique vegetables and spices, and introducing us to different vendors in this smaller market in case we wanted to come back again.


At the market!



Squash blossoms were an ingredient for a tortilla we made.







Back at the Casa, the staff had laid out a beautiful table and we set to work — guacamole with mango, 2 different salsas, a fiery chicken tostada, stuffed peppers, two different tortillas, and of course, mole de fiesta! Dessert was corn ice cream.

Together, we blasted tomatoes, soaked and charred a variety of chilies, chopped and stirred different ingredients for almost 2 hours until voila! we had created a delicious lunch. Beer and mezcal accompanied the complex food and the conversation. It was the most fun cooking class I have taken, and I actually cooked the entire feast for a very special party after returning home!

A quick note about the mole: Oscar showed us how to make and simmer the sauce, but since it takes hours to thicken, we sampled an earlier batch at lunch. It was a layered combination of heat, sweet and savory. Just amazing.

The class runs for about 4 hours and I would highly recommend it.
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Old Jul 3rd, 2024, 06:37 AM
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Highlight #2: A big birthday! The heart of the Old Town is anchored by the gothic majesty of the ornate Santo Domingo de Guzman church on one end, and the lively Zocalo on the other. It happened to be the town’s 492nd birthday, and we were treated to parades along the streets, and fireworks and performances in the Zocalo over the celebratory weekend. It was amazing to realize the town was founded in 1532, and has been witness to much history. As in Puebla, Oaxaca bestowed an unexpected and moving travel gift upon us.


Happy birthday Oaxaca!

Beautiful ballet at the Zocalo!



The streets were alive with parades! .


Highlight #3: The food!

We ate at several excellent restaurants in Mexico’s culinary capital.

After checking into the hotel we walked to El Popular and had tacos and an enormous pozole soup. I had to rush to my Spanish class so I fear I did not savor the meal, but it was substantial and delicious.

The tomato appetizer, the Moles de Mayordomía with two different moles and meats, wonderfully warm corn bread, and the chocolate desert at Levadura de Olla were all delicious and made even more fun because our new friends from Mexico City joined us for dinner. I don’t think I have ever had tomatoes so colorful and fresh.


Colorful tomatoes!

Mole!!!



Michelin-recommended Las Quince Letras was also a great restaurant. We were late and the place was buzzing, but they were able to find us a table. We had a delicate dish of poblano peppers stuffed with pork with a green sauce (my husband was mole-ed out by now, a salad and their famous flan the queso. This dinner was after the huge lunch at the cooking class, so even though we did not order a big meal, service was attentive and easy. They even gave me some mole to sample. Highly recommend.

Drinks at Sabina Sabe were interesting, although the choice of mezcal-based cocktails was limited. The small bar with an attached restaurant is clearly a favorite with tourists and American accents were ringing out from almost every table. We had a really good shrimp aguachile there too.

Boulenc was a place I was told I could not miss, and I can see why! After a hot afternoon of sightseeing, a late lunch in the cool open-air cafe was heaven, as were the almond croissant and pan au chocolate. The real star of the show, though, was the grilled cheese sandwich — sourdough bread, caramelized onions, tomatoes, and olives smothered in three cheeses. I still crave it!


Almond croissant oozing almond butter!

I dream of this.


Moogone, near Hotel con Corazón was a great find! It is a tiny restaurant run by Daniel and his brother. The food is delicious and wonderfully presented, and we enjoyed the ceviche and mole de Oaxaca we had there. Daniel also brought out some complimentary mezcal! The cocktails were excellent, the service perfect, and the prices reasonable.


Moogone’s terrace


Wonderful ceviche.


More highlights coming soon!

Last edited by reddy2go2; Jul 3rd, 2024 at 06:52 AM.
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Old Jul 3rd, 2024, 09:59 AM
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Red', an unexpected travel gift indeed!
Love your shot of that parade woman wearing red & black braids - hope that you get it enlarged, matted and framed on your wall.
I am done. the serendipity
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Old Jul 10th, 2024, 08:27 PM
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Is it soon yet?!
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Old Jul 11th, 2024, 06:06 AM
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Yes, mlgb it is!
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Old Jul 11th, 2024, 06:50 AM
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More highlights!

— A food tour!
Me Encanta Oaxaca, run by a brother and sister team, takes you on a 6-hour odyssey of the city’s markets and food stalls. Exuberant Betsaida guided our group of 14 and we sampled a dazzling array of dishes: empanadas, quesadillas, tacos, tlayudas, memelas, tamales, all with different meats, salads and moles! Then there was unusual fruit, like the deep pink tuna, the aguacate criollo, and the zapote negro. The forays into the Benito Juarez and 20 November markets brought mezcal tastings along with crunchy flying ants and chapulines. Just when we thought we could not eat another bite, Betsaida took us to an area of the Mercado 20 November where various stalls were grilling meats. Chorizo, tripe, pork and lamb slathered with different sauces and garnishes never tasted so good!






Monte Alban!

We spent a very hot afternoon at Monte Alban. The stunning ancient site, the main center of Zapotec culture for nearly a thousand years, was a 20-minute taxi ride from Oaxaca. It was hard to find an English-speaking guide as most had decamped for the day. We spent several hours walking amongst the magnificent ruins, trying to picture the rich megapolis and the lives of its inhabitants as Monte Alban thrived from 500 BC to about 500 AD.

There are signs in English, which helped us understand what the different buildings and spaces represented. The scale of the city was just mind boggling! There was no shade, and I am glad I had a hat and sunscreen on! As we walked back to the car park, we were lucky to catch one of the last buses back to the city as taxis were scarce at this late hour.





An all-day tour to amazing sights!
We took an all-day guided tour with Oaxaca by Locals to see the Tula Tree — the fattest in the world — Mitla, Hierve de Agua and the Reys distillery. Although it was not advertised, we also visited a carpet weaving store in Teotitlan. To do all this by ourselves would have meant renting a car or a taxi — and this option was far more efficient.

It was a 12-hour day but our guide Rodrigo keep us entertained with stories about the area, and gave us enough time at all the places we visited. The blockbuster sight for me was the petrified waterfall amid the red mountains, and the surrounding green pools that dotted the neighboring rocks. We spent almost two hours at Hierve de Agua — not enough time for us to walk down and get close to the “waterfall” — but it was mesmerizing all the same.


The petrified waterfall




Tule tree


Teotitlan was also very interesting — we learned how the brilliant colors of the carpets are made, and the threads woven into intricate patterns. We of course bought a carpet.

The mezcal distillery was a fun stop; a long bar was arrayed with mezcal bottles, along with small trays of roasted grasshoppers and another worm. We were given small but unlimited samples of reposado and ańejo mezcal, as well as a range of fruity liqueurs. No wonder everyone walked out with several bottles!


Carpet weaving

Mezcal!

Mitla


Handicrafts!

Oaxaca is bursting with artisanal stores selling amazing clothes, jewelry, pottery and so much more. But we were enchanted by the fantastical alebrijes and bought a few of the (small) wooden handcrafted whimsical carvings at the Mujeres Artesanas de las Regiones de Oaxaca. The store is a collective, offering many handicrafts from the area. The alebrijes grace my kitchen island now, and give me such joy every day!

A Sunday Market

On Sunday we walked to Periférico Bus Terminal from Hotel con Corazón and caught a bus to the Tlacolula market. The bus dropped us close to the sprawling veins of stalls selling everything under the sun, from food to fashion. Most vendors accepted only cash so the few ATMs had snaking lines of people impatient to make a withdrawal. Carts selling pulque and fruit jostled with pedestrians. The energy was glorious.


Carpets and handicrafts




The outdoor market springs up on Sundays but the coveted market close to the ornate church is a permanent one. We explored both and bought many gifts — handmade blouses, ceramics, an elegant table runner and some necklaces. And yes, another alebrijes!

The covered market is immense and organized into different sections — breads down one row, fruits, vegetables, meats and even shoes down others. We quickly found the barbacoa aisle and sampled the beef and lamb barbacoa at Juanita’s Barbacoa.


Indoor market


Barbacoa!

I found the beef and the accompanying stew too rich, but the lamb was great, piled on a warm tortilla and topped high with onions and salsa. Then we found the ice cream section and cooled down with a tamarind ice.

We caught the bus again to return to Oaxaca and as we were leaving the market, stopped at the church. I was completely taken aback by how ornate a church in such a small town could be. The chapel was covered in gold, and the chandeliers were immense.

But what I remember most is a young father teaching his toddler how to kneel by the alter. A tiny pew seemed to be designed for such training but the little fella was not holding still, and finally the dad gave up.



Father and son




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Old Jul 11th, 2024, 09:37 AM
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Loving it! I'll bet you enjoyed the mezcal tasting judging from your prior chapters.
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Old Jul 11th, 2024, 01:48 PM
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'The energy was glorious.'
As is your report, and a​​s are your fotos. Red'!
I am done. the wah-hakka
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Old Jul 11th, 2024, 09:38 PM
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I am loving this strip report Reddy2go2. We set off on our second trip to Mexico later this year and cant wait. Your photos are great and the foodie ones are making me yearn for the food. keep it coming
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Old Jul 12th, 2024, 01:35 PM
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Very interested in Oaxaca as that will be our next venture into Mexico. Great report. Thanks.
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Old Jul 17th, 2024, 09:31 AM
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Thank you all for your kind comments. I am glad you find the report useful. It certainly was a lot of fun to write as it brought back such great memories.

mlgb not sure mezcal will be my drink of choice, but it was great to try it in the country of its origin!




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Old Jul 17th, 2024, 01:59 PM
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A Few More Oaxaca highlights!

Fodors is not letting me add any photos, which is most annoying!

The Jardín Etnobotanico
The walled garden, situated very close to my Spanish school, was open only for a few hours in the morning and an hour in the evening. The English tour was at 11 a.m. but that did not mesh with our other activities, so we joined a Spanish guide at 5 one evening. We were very glad we did.

The garden looks small from the outside but is actually fairly big, and very lush. It was refreshing to be amidst trees, flowers and towering cacti native to the area. And I could actually understand some of what the guide said! We also had time to wander and take pictures of the varied flora and fauna. A beautiful oasis.


Back to School!
One of the reasons we stayed in Oaxaca for almost a week was because I had wanted to learn Spanish. I have been doing Duolingo for 3 years but had wanted some immersive learning. Oaxaca Spanish Magic, close to Santo Domingo de Guzman, offered private classes and I had signed up for two hours per weekday. I was taught in a classroom setting by a competent young teacher — who was about to visit the US for the summer to improve her English! — and got some great grounding in grammar. Given how packed our stay was, though, I am not sure that this is a good fit for first-time visitors to Oaxaca. I was always running to class from another activity or ducking out early, and a bit stressed about completing my homework. Next time, I will need to stay in Oaxaca for a month to study!

Our Hotels
As I mentioned, we stayed at Casa Carlota and Hotel de Corazón for 4 and 2 nights respectively.
The former was closer to the lively part of town. The B&B, with only 6 rooms, was quiet and had a nice roof top. After the massive food tour, we had a tamale and wine there for dinner one night. The rooms were big, and the breakfast adequate — Hotel Posada XVII in Puebla has definitely set the bar high! A drawback was that breakfast started only at 8 a.m., which was a tad late for some of the tours we took.

I had looked forward to our stay at Hotel con Corazón because of the glowing reviews on this and other forums, but was disappointed. The hotel is in a gritty, dimly-lit part of town and we hardly seemed to be in Oaxaca! Also, though it is well designed and modern, there are no elevators and it was a hike to our room on the second floor, especially with luggage. The walls are thin and we could hear our neighbors very clearly.

The noise drifting to our room from the lobby the first night was because of a staff party held to celebrate King’s Day — the hotel supports young local students in need, and that mission was started by a Dutch organization. How interestingly small our world is! The hotel’s redeeming factors were this mission and breakfast — it was beautifully presented and delicately cooked. I will not return to this hotel.


But I do want to return to Oaxaca soon and stay for a long time — there is the Day of the Dead, the radish festival, dancing in the Zocalo, another town birthday, and more moles and mezcal to sample. We had thought six days would be plenty for such a small town but we underestimated it, and its surroundings. We never made it to the textile museums, artist studios, and so much more.

But for now, we had to say goodbye and fly to Mexico City for four days. That would be the last leg of our amazing journey, with stays by the Zocalo, a trip back in history, and a lunch at Pujol.

More about that soon. I hope. Thanks for hanging with me, and for your patience.
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Old Jul 18th, 2024, 09:44 AM
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thanks so much for your trip report. I love, love, love Oaxaca. That's where I would live, if I could! One thing we have done twice is go on a tour with En Via Fundacion. they do tours outside of Oaxaca to places where women entrepreneurs are in the process of getting loans to start their business or keep their businesses going. It's a micro-finance arrangement . I went a long time ago and was so impressed with what they were doing that we went again about 5 yrs ago. We went to the women's homes and heard about what they hope to do--they just need capital!! The cost of the tour was $50 I think and that money goes to the loans. Your TR brought back so many memories!
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Old Jul 26th, 2024, 12:42 PM
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Hi christym907 thanks for adding another reason to return to Oaxaca! Glad you enjoyed the report.
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