25 Reasons We Love Oaxaca!

Adapted from Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, May 2006 by Laurie Kuntz

#1 ALTAR OF GOLD The ceiling of the 16th-century Santo Domingo church, five blocks north of the zocalo (town square), is covered with hundreds of plaster figures outlining the family tree of Domingo de Guzmán, founder of the Dominican order. Even more amazing is the church's over-the-top Virgin of Guadalupe altarpiece, gilded in 60,000 sheets of 23.5-carat gold leaf. An adjacent monastery houses the less flashy Oaxaca Cultural Center, which includes a regional museum, a walled garden of cacti from all over the state of Oaxaca, and a library dedicated to books on Oaxacan history.

Aldous Huxley called the church of Santo Domingo "one of the most extravagantly gorgeous churches in the world"

#2 COURTYARDS BY THE DOZEN Many of the city's old colonial villas have been beautifully restored and turned into boutique hotels. As at many of Oaxaca's restaurants, galleries, and hotels, the thick adobe walls manage to keep the bustle of street life at bay. Corridors around the hidden courtyard are usually painted a pale yellow and host faded frescoes as old as the 200-year-old house.

#3 CORNY FESTIVALS Nearly 40 percent of the state's population is indigenous, and the ancient languages are still heard in markets, especially in outlying villages. The Zapotecs, the most populous of the 16 native tribes in the valleys around Oaxaca city, are credited as the first people to celebrate Guelaguetza, a festival honoring Centeotl, goddess of corn. These days, Oaxaca city welcomes thousands of Indians from several tribes for traditional dancing and music during the festival, which falls on two Mondays in July. Hotel rooms should be booked three or more months in advance.

#4 A NEW OLD TOWN The city's zocalo has always been considered one of the prettiest in Mexico, so Oaxacans were understandably shocked last summer when city officials closed it without warning for a five-month renovation. Workers replaced cantera stone pavers, replanted flowerbeds, and painted cast-iron benches a shiny black. But not everyone's a fan of "progress." Protest banners and kids' drawings of 125-year-old laurel trees killed during the renovation covered a corrugated metal fence that enclosed the project site. Reviews of the new zocalo are mixed – critics say it's too perfect – but it hums again with roving balloon vendors, mariachis, and teenagers out for a paseo, or stroll.

#5 CHILI POWER Iliana de la Vega, a virtuoso of traditional Mexican cooking and a favorite of American celebrity chefs like Rick Bayless, teaches novices on Tuesdays and Thursdays at her top-rated restaurant, El Naranjo. Each cooking lesson varies, but students may learn to brew a tea flavored with hibiscus flowers, toast chilis and tomatoes on a comal (the clay griddle used to dry-roast ingredients and to make tortillas), and then use those chilis to make several salsas and a mole. After an educational walking tour of Mercado Benito Juaréz, a daily market, the class indulges in a late lunch of all the dishes created that morning. When the last bite of flan has been eaten, de la Vega sends students home with printed copies of the recipes she's taught them.

#6 LAUNDRY LIKE IT'S THE MIDDLE AGES Originally built as a convent in 1576 by Dominican monks, Camino Real has served as a government office, a jail, and a school over the years. Now it's a five-star hotel where doubles start at just under $300 a night. But you don't have to stay there to enjoy the two acres of grounds, planted with soft grass and bougainvillea. Check out Los Lavaderos, the 16th-century equivalent of a laundry room, in the northeast corner of the property. In a hexagonal stone gazebo, water flows from a large central fountain to a dozen stone basins that were once used by the nuns for washing.

#7 SWEATING LIKE AN OLDIE For a traditional temazcal steam bath, taken in a small adobe sweat lodge, a bouquet of herbs – eucalyptus, mugwort, rosemary – is placed on heated rocks, and water is poured over it. The scented steam has been clearing minds and purifying bodies since the days of the Aztecs. Shaman Mariana Emilia Arroyo Cabrera offers a two-hour treatment in her garden sanctuary 15 minutes from downtown Oaxaca. It includes an aromatherapy steam, a few gentle whacks with a juniper branch, and a massage.

#8 "STAIN THE TABLECLOTH" IS A FLAVOR Known as the Land of the Seven Moles, Oaxaca receives accolades for its complicated chili-based sauces, which often require chocolate among more than 20 ingredients and take many hours to prepare. You'll never find a consensus on exactly what the seven are, but many agree on negro (black, the richest and most complex), amarillo (yellow and very spicy), coloradito (rust-colored and medium hot), almendrado (mild, flavored with almonds), rojo (very red, quite spicy), verde (green, light, and full of herbs), and manchamantel (literally "stain the tablecloth", sweetened with fruit). Restaurant Los Pacos, with a rooftop dining area, offers a great three-mole sampler.

#9 STATE OF THE ARTS Some of Mexico's most famous contemporary painters, including Rufino Tamayo, Rodolfo Morales, and Francisco Toledo, were born in the state of Oaxaca, and museums and galleries crowd the city center. In terms of size, scope, and popularity, you can't beat the Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art and the Oaxacan Museum of Contemporary Art. But smaller treasures, like the Museo de Filatelia, which exhibits Mexican stamps from as early as the middle 19th century, are worth seeking out.

#10 WORM CHASERS Tequila is king in the state of Jalisco; Oaxacans prefer mescal (or mezcal). Both are made from agave (different species), and it's the processing that gives each its unique taste. Agave hearts are steamed for tequila and roasted in fire pits to make mescal. That's why mescal has an earthy, smoky flavor that tequila lacks, no matter how old or expensive it is. Mescal is traditionally served in small earthenware cups, with lime wedges and sal de gusanito, an orange-colored salt spiced with smoked, ground worms (the same kind that are found at the bottom of many bottles). Mezcal Benevá, in the nearby town of Mitla, offers free tastings and tours.


#11 UNDERGROUND MOVIES Back in the 18th century, Dominican monks built an aqueduct to bring water from the Sierra Madre mountains to Oaxaca's north end. In the neighborhood of Los Arquitos, restaurants, shops, and apartments have sprouted under the defunct structure's archways. Among them is El Pochote Cine Club, part of Oaxaca's Institute of Graphic Arts (IAGO). El Pochote screens classic and contemporary films from around the world – most dubbed or subtitled in Spanish. Schedules are in the English-language Oaxaca Times (a free, monthly newspaper).

#12 DOWN = SOUTH Oaxaca's streets slope gently downward from north to south toward the zocalo, where the city flattens out. Everything's within walking distance, and if you're ever turned around, just remember that north is uphill.

#13 OPEN-AIR PRAYER Construction on the Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol church began in 1535, but King Charles of Spain stopped footing the bills in 1550 after costs skyrocketed. What remains on the site in the small town of Cuilapam* de Guerrero (southwest of Oaxaca city) is an elaborate facade, with flying buttresses, arches, and frescoes – but no roof. A second-floor window frames a perfect view of the entire valley. (*Sometimes it is spelled as Cuilapan)

#14 DOORWAY TO HEAVEN Swing by Amate Books for its extraordinary selection of English titles on Oaxacan history and Mexican street art, but also for the one-of-a-kind doorway lined with a foot-wide border of dried red, orange, yellow, and white marigolds. It's sometimes guarded by a nattily dressed Day of the Dead skeleton.

#15 TRUNK SHOW Many day trips to the east of Oaxaca city begin with a stop in Santa María del Tule, a small village named for the massive 2,000-year-old cypress at its center. More than 130 feet tall, with a trunk that's 46 feet in diameter, El Tule is regularly described as the largest tree in Latin America. Local children dressed in green sweatpants are the official tour guides; they use pocket mirrors to reflect the sun at different knots that look like an elephant, lion, waterfall, King Kong, Jesus, or various body parts. One particular bump brings to mind a woman's backside, which your guide may say resembles that of anyone from Monica Lewinsky to J. Lo.

#16 SERENITY AND SPICE Named for the monoliths carved with dancing figures found at the famous ruins of Monte Albán, Los Danzantes is a hip restaurant set peacefully back from the street hubbub in Oaxaca city, just beyond a small koi pond. Two-story walls in various shades of ochre ring the restaurant's patio, and a long reflecting pool runs the length of one wall. The eclectic menu might feature roasted hierba santa (a wide leaf that tastes mildly of anise) stuffed with goat cheese and quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese) in a spicy tomatillo sauce, or duck enchiladas in green chili sauce. Hand-rolled organic cigars are for sale at the bar, where glass shelves are set into adobe.

#17 NOT EVERYTHING'S COLONIAL Though it occupies a historic villa, Casa Oaxaca is a hotel with a minimalist, contemporary design – a refreshing change. Local artists' abstract paintings, on load from a nearby gallery, dot whitewashed walls in the central courtyard and, in an adjoining garden, a blue-tiled pool makes a sharp contrast to bright red walls. Chef Alejandro Ruiz Olmedo runs the hotel's small, excellent restaurant. His nuevo-Mexican fare has proved so popular that Casa Oaxaca recently opened a restaurant (Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante) in town.

Alejandro teaches two cooking classes at this year's A Taste of Oaxaca special event.

#18 GRASSHOPPER POPPERS Men pushing what look like ice-cream carts hit the streets in late afternoon selling elotes: roasted corncobs topped with a dash of lime juice and chili powder. After a night on the town, Oaxacans head for their favorite tlayudera, a stand that sells giant crispy tortillas topped with bean paste, chopped spiced beef, and cheese. Chapulines (fried grasshoppers) are still considered a regional delicacy. They're sold at Mercado Juaréz, and can even be found on the menu at some of the city's best restaurants, such as El Refectorío at the Camino Real hotel.

#19 NO BIFOCALS NECESSARY At La biznaga, Mission-style wooden tables are arranged on a courtyard patio, and the menu is written on huge chalkboards that hang from the arches. Chef Fernando Lopez puts a modern twist on traditional mestizo cooking with a salad of watercress, pears, pistachios, and Roquefort in a mango dressing, and grilled fish marinated in a sauce of pineapple, onion, and cactus paddle. It's also a fine place to taste a variety of mescals. They're usually served with orange slices in place of lime.

#20 REALLY SUPER MARKETS No matter when you're visiting the region, it won't be difficult to find fantastic shopping opportunities. Vendors take over outdoor squares somewhere in the state of Oaxaca every day of the week: Mondays in the village of Ixtlán de Juaréz, Tuesdays in Atzompa, Wednesdays in Zimatlán, Thursdays in Zaachila, Fridays in Ocotlán and San Bartolo Coyoteppec, and Sundays in Tlacolula. Oaxaca's Abastos market, though open seven days a week, triples in size on Saturdays, with hundreds of stalls under a makeshift roof of plastic tarps. The pickings include exotic fruit such as cherimoya (with a white flesh that tastes like a tropical fruit smoothis), soursop (related to the cherimoya, but more bitter), and mamey (reminiscent of pumpkin pie). In other aisles, you'll wander past handmade pottery, burlap sacks overflowing with dried chilis and herbs, and veladoras (religious candles) stacked in colorful pyramids.

" To buy, to sell, to barter and exchange.
                  To exchange, above all things, human contact."

D.H. Lawrence – Market Day in Oaxaca

#21 HOME OF THE CLOUD PEOPLE Oaxaca's largest and best-preserved archaeological site, Monte Albán, is eight miles west of the city. It's easy to see why the Zapotecs built their fortress-city on a mesa more than 1,300 feet above the valley floor. The 360-degree view is ideal for spotting would-be intruders. In its heyday, around 800 A.D., 40,000 Zapotecs – known, not coincidentally, as the People of the Clouds – lived in Monte Albán. Surrounding the enormous grassy plaza are earthquake-resistant temples and tombs, built in perfect alignment with the sun and stars. There's very little shade, so go early to avoid the scorching sun (and the crowds). If you plan to visit the ruins and several towns in one trip, and don't want to be held to a schedule, you might think about hiring a car and driver.

#22 SERIOUSLY CRAFTY Of the state's 3 million people, about 160,000 are registered artisans. Every village specializes in a different craft: In San Antonio Arrazola, phantasmagoric animals called alebrijes are carved from the soft wood of the copal tree. They're then painted in bright colors with tiny brushstrokes, creating geometric designs. The town of Atzompa is known for green-glazed pottery; Ocotlán, for clay figurines; and San Agustín Etla, for hand-made paper. The Regional Association of Craftswomen of Oaxaca (or MARO) store in Oaxaca city sellls crafts from all over the state.

#23 LINGO FOR GRINGOS The Instituto de Comunicación y Cultura de Oaxaca (ICC) holds Spanish classes Mondays through Fridays, and a week's worth of instruction costs just $150. The institute also offers a popular immersion program, in which students live, eat, and play with oaxacan families.

#24 TOMB RAIDING Outside Oaxaca city, archaeological sites and villages are clumped together so you can see two or three in a day and not feel rushed. Mitla, 30 miles southeast of Oaxaca, is an ancient burial site for the Zapotecs and Mixtecs, with intricate stone mosaic fretwork covering the square tombs. In the nearby town of Teotitlán del Valle, weavers such as Demetrio Bautista Lazo creat much-coveted rugs with patterns that are inspired by the tomb designs.

#25 CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST! The art of Mexican chocolate-making has remained unchanged for centuries: Cacao beans are dried and cured, then toasted and ground by hand on a stone slab and mixed with cinnamon, sugar, and crushed almonds. The result is dry and chalky, but delicious. Oaxacans love their chocolate: they each consume an average of 5.5 pounds of it per year. Many start the day with hot chocolate, which is whisked until it froths like a cappuccino.

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