Suggested tour routes for Oaxaca, Mexico

NOTE: The following are only suggested routes,				and the fortress high up the mountain from which
and are subject to revision, additions and deletions				one cannot help but be impressed by the
depending on the specific interests of the client.				gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains and
They have been designed to maximize the				valley;
diversity of your cultural experience while				NOTE: From the perspective of trying to impart a
economizing your time, with virtually no repeated				broad range of knowledge in terms of Oaxacan
traversing of highways to get to another site.				society past and present, and the diversity of
Certainly route changes can be made, but often				craft and other cultural traditions, while at the
this entails some backtracking. Tours are private				same time providing an opportunity for making
in nature, meaning that you, your partner, family				purchases, the foregoing are the two most
members and / or own small group decide which				important routes. However, there is much more,
sites to visit and for how long. Under no				as is exemplified by the following additional routes:
circumstances will you be paired with other				ROUTE THREE:
tourists. Transportation is by car, truck or large				Reference was made above to the availability of
van depending on the number in the group and				a full day's activity touring the tiny mountain
the route selected.				villages where the quaintest and most simple of
ROUTE ONE:				mezcal "factories" exist. Learn to discern the
*black pottery village of San Bartolo Coyotepec,				taste nuances as we sample from a few facilities.
with demonstration of the technique and its				Stop for comida along a secondary highway at a
history by (usually) Don Valente Nieto, son of the				combined "fabrica de mezcal" and roadside eatery.
late DoÃ±a Rosa who developed the method				This experience can (and certainly ought to be)
subsequently followed by other villagers; then, for				combined with a trip to Hierve el Agua and
those interested in unique hand-crafted jewelry				perhaps a couple of the other sites of your
pieces, for 30 years town resident Armando				choice along ROUTE TWO, making for probably
Lozano has been making one-of-a-kind brass				the most real Oaxacan experiences of your entire
pieces using attractive acid-induced accent shades				trip.
in green and aquamarine...his workshop is close to				ROUTE FOUR:
DoÃ±a Rosa's, and therefore well worth a				*beginning with a trip up the mountain just outside
brief stop;				of Oaxaca proper to Monte AlbÃ¡n, we
*San MartÃn Tilcajete, the village known for				connect you with a government authorized English
its wooden hand-carved and brilliantly painted				speaking Oaxacan guide who specializes in only
animals often generically referred to as alebrijes;				Monte AlbÃ¡n; the total cost of the guide is
visits to a number of workshops illustrating				deducted from your total price for the day... that's
differences in qualities and subject matter; for				only fair; the tour of the ruin usually takes a
those interested in collector-quality pieces,				couple of hours; there's also a small museum and
arrangements can be made to visit the workshop				gift shop in the main welcome center; before
of arguably the best in the state, Jacobo and				noon you would be ready to carry on with me
MarÃa Ã„ngeles, for a most fascinating				for the balance of the day's touring, after having
demonstration of the utility of natural pigments				regained your energy by relaxing and having a
for paints, the different uses of the male and				drink in the open air cafeteria at the site;
female copal tree including trunk, bark and sap,				*the green glazed pottery village of Atzompa is a
the importance of Zapotec designs for				fairly short drive from Monte AlbÃ¡n; the
symbolism, etc; if traveling with children,				marketplace has an incredible diversity of kitchen
arrangements can be made to visit another				items and utensils, sculptures, flower pots, hanging
workshop where they can select their favorite				ornaments and lamps, complete sets of dishes,
animal and paint a carving of it for a nominal				etc.; a lot of the work is in fact not the green
fee...just provide details in advance (and yes, we				glazed, but rather pottery in attractive pastel
have a car seat for the infants and toddlers);				colors and terra cotta; you can also visit some of
*cotton textile pueblito of Santo TomÃ¡s				the actual workshops, have a demonstration, etc;
Jalieza, where women weave table runners,				for those interested in "high end" collector pieces,
placements, purses and much more using a back				somewhat different from the work of most of
strap loom, and are quite adept at their clothing				the local craftspeople in the village, a visit to the
embroidering skills as well; there's also a factory				workshop of reknowned artist AngÃ©lica
which supplies high end hotels and restaurants				VÃ¡squez Cruz is a must. AngÃ©lica is
throughout the country with tablecloths,				featured in most of the books about the
bedspreads, draperies, etc, where you can place				country's popular folk art. Her home and
special orders...your choice of color and pattern,				workshop is at the end of an ascending rocky
100% cotton or a 90/10 blend for greater ease				road which during the rainy season is often best
of washing, size, and so on...or choose from a				negotiated on foot, but either way, the challenging
broad range of product on hand; you'll have a				climb is worth the effort. She's an extraordinary
fascinating demonstration of the steps in the				raconteur who will vividly relate her complex and
production process;				moving history to those interested, and proudly
*the homes and workshops of the Aguilar sisters				explain her intricate highest of quality ceramic
whose mother first began making brightly painted				pieces heavily influenced by indigenous legends and
clay figures at age 11, in the 1940s...now a fourth				Mexican history. She regularly wins national folk
generation is continuing the tradition; with the				art competitions and is honored by being asked to
passage of time the diversity of figurines and				give workshops in the US.
imagery has expanded to include representations				*the ruin of San JosÃ© el Mogote is one of
of Day of the Dead, Catholic religious themes,				the least touristed ruins in the region, and has a
whimsical figures with strong sexual images, and				serene feel to it; there's a wonderful small
townspeople at market and in traditional regional				museum alongside the ruin housed in a 16th
dress...fired in the most "primitive" of clay brick				century hacienda...the key to the museum must
hearths;				be tracked down from the townsperson then in
*the combined home and gallery of the late				charge of the museum; actual artifacts are
Maestro of contemporary Oaxacan art, Rodolfo				sometimes available from one family which lives
Morales, and his large fresco mural in the central				at the base of the ruin, on the "QT," though not
square (zÃ³calo) of the town of				at all endorsed by me because of the prohibition
OcotlÃ¡n...there's also a museum which includes				attached to their sale and removal from the
original art from the Conquest period and by the				country...but they do exist;
Maestro;				*on Wednesdays the Etla marketplace is held,
*the knifemaking workshop of Ãngel Aguilar,				smaller than those enumerated in the previous
second of three generations of craftsmen in the				routes, but nevertheless interesting, quaint and at
family; only recycled metals are used to produce				the same time bustling; there is also a traditional
the knives and other weapons, cutlery, and more;				chocolate factory where you can have your own
his oven is made of stone and clay; fascinating				chocolate made on the spot from the raw
demonstration of the techniques and materials				ingredients, usually cacao, sugar, cinnamon and
used in making both blades and handles, even for				sometimes almonds...tasting Oaxacan chocolate is
those with little or no interest in the subject				a must, whether here or in one of the downtown
matter; watch Ã„ngel engrave a piece with				facilities...if you prefer less sugar, more cinnamon,
a surname, rhyme or limerick;				etc, the option is yours;
*on Fridays, the marketplace of OcotlÃ¡n				*for those interested in sculpture, about 10
where locals from the hinterland come to buy				minutes up the road from the town of Etla is the
virtually all of their worldly needs...also a handicraft				village of Magdalena Etla known for its cantera
market;				stone quarries and the sculptors who work with
OPTIONAL (while none of the foregoing is etched				the stone in pink, yellow and green hues; Maestro
in stone, other sites can be visited as well subject				Adolfo Cruz will show you his facility used in
to time and particular interests such as):				making both stone and bronze pieces, and in fact
**16th Century church and monastery complex				he's the only one in the state, he boasts, with a
at Cuilapam noted for its expansiveness, and the				foundry; His daughter Nely, following in her
fact that construction ceased with escalation of a				father's footsteps, teaches at the College of Fine
dispute between The Church and the				Arts at the Benito Juarez University, and is a
CortÃ©s family; apart from some restoration				respected multi-media artist in her own right. She
in the 1950s, there has been no important				usually has delicate pendants and earrings available
modification since the 1580s;				for sale made out of the same cantera stone;
**cochineal ranch, museum and research station				OPTION 1: instead of visiting the foregoing after
where you'll learn the history and importance of				Monte AlbÃ¡n we can head in a different
this tiny bug which attaches itself to its host, the				direction to visit:
nopal cactus, and when harvested and dried				**the carved wooden animal village at Arrazola
produces the strongest and most brilliant natural				(similar to San MartÃn Tilcajete described in
red dye known to mankind...used today in dying				ROUTE ONE);
rugs from the region and in a diversity of				**the church and monastery complex at Cuilapam
products such as yoghurt, Campbell soup,				as described in ROUTE ONE;
campari, as well as makeup and lipsticks (also a				**on Thursdays the marketplace at Zaachila,
video explaining the historical importance of this				where there is also a ruin close to the middle of
Oaxacan industry from Conquest times through				town, with a tomb; the government employee at
the mid 19th century, for North America, Europe				the ruin will show you photos of treasures which
and the Far East)				were removed from the tomb and taken to
ROUTE TWO:				Mexico City where all but one piece remains
*Santa MarÃa del Tule, home to the famous				locked up in storage...because of the conflict
2,000 year old Tule or ahuehuete tree, the largest				between the archaeologists and the townspeople
tree in the world...beautifully kept grounds, with a				about what to do with the tomb's contents,
lovely church alongside the tree; "hire" a local child				excavation stopped and was never completed.
to take you on a tour around the tree, using a				OPTION 2: instead of visiting Monte AlbÃ¡n as
mirror to point out images in the trunk and				part of a full day organized tour, arrive there on
branches;				your own by bus or taxi, and spend the rest of
*the 16th century Dominican church at				the day back in Oaxaca; you can then spend an
Tlacochuhuaya noted for its original fresco painting				entire day on this route and add the following,
on the ceiling and walls by Zapotec artists, the				perhaps for those with particular fine arts and/or
three surrounding courtyard chapels, its exterior				architectural interests:
carved figures including the sculpture of Saint				**the combined Oaxaca Paper Factory and
Jerome, and the 17th century German organ on				Center for the Arts housed in a restored 19th
the second floor; a sundial still stands outside the				century textile mill makes for a fascinating stop
church;				out in the country at the end of a tiny
*the rug village of Teotitlan del Valle - visit one or				mountaintop town, San AgustÃn Etla;
more of the multitude of rug workshops where				regarding the former, founded in 1998 by Finnish
you can select any of a vast number of sizes,				paper makers and Oaxacan artists, it was
designs and colors (if you are so inclined) and see				conceived as an integrated space to produce
how the rugs are produced from the carding of				hand-made paper with natural fibers from the
wool of different colors, followed by its spinning,				region, and promote cultural activities in the
then the use of purely natural dyes of plant, fruit				community; it also involves a reforestation
and vegetable sources as well as the cochineal,				program and nursery; the former is a magnificent
and finally the hand weaving on traditional large				multi-level stone building incorporating natural
looms; learn how to detect rugs which are made				waterfalls and poolings of water both outside and
using synthetic dyes for coloration;				in the interior of the structure; there is a gallery
*if you've every been on a California or Niagara				with installations changing periodically, printmaking
wine tour, or traveled to Scotland to sample the				workshop and residences for visiting professors.
finest of single malt whiskies, you'll be struck by				**artistic hand blown glass has been a tradition in
the contrast in production techniques used in				Mexico for generations; a visit to Vidrio Artesanal
making Oaxaca's state drink, mezcal; this lesser				Xa-quixe, located only a couple of minutes from
known cousin to tequila is made with a much				the workshop of sculptor Adolfo Cruz, truly turns
purer and ancient technique using only the agave				this route, with Option 2, into a day in the country
plant without any fermenting agents whatsoever,				exploring fine art; The glass workshop produces
a deep in-ground pit for baking over firewood,				fine decorative pieces, lamps, bottles and more,
crushing by a multi-ton stone pulled by horse, pine				using 80% recycled glass. Tour the facility and
fermentation barrels and brick oven with a copper				brouse the offerings.
serpentine still...all natural and aged in oak barrels				IF TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN:
up to 8 years, with or without gusano worm, or				While each child and his particular interests,
as a sweet liqueur mixed with local exotic fruits;				attention span and level of patience is different,
tastings of all varieties (full day tours high up into				as a rule we have been extremely successful in
the mountains to see and sample from a selection				designing and recommending routes which address
of the smallest mom and pop production facilities				the needs youngsters while at the same time
are also available, with lunch at a quaint roadside				ensuring that parents are able to maximize their
eatery);				cultural experiences. Aside from arranging special
*On Sundays, the marketplace at Tlacolula, the				sessions in the carved animal village to which
largest of the regional markets apart from the				reference is made above, we have made
Abastos market in the city of Oaxaca;				arrangements with other village craftspeople along
*the ruin at Mitla known for the Spanish				a couple of the routes which include enabling
destruction of pre-conquest edifices and the				children to work with and paint clay figures, touch
conquerors' use of the stone in the construction				and learn about raw wool and how it's
of the church, the existing original painted codices				transformed into rugs and other products, in
on parts of what remains, the intricate stone				addition to swim in an environment that's
designs forming the walls of the ruin buildings with				breathtaking for parents, and even play on a
no mortar used in construction, and the tombs;				swing set at an open air restaurant so as to
also a large open handicraft marketplace known				enable mom and dad to have a relaxing meal.
for diversity of product and great prices;				NOTE: For those clients who will be visiting at least
OPTIONAL (as explained regarding ROUTE ONE):				one of the ruins with us and who are not staying
**Hierve el Agua, the natural bubbling springs, with				with us and therefore do not have the benefit of
two large poolings of water on the precipice of a				reviewing the literature about the ruins which we
cliff with spectacular vistas, suitable for swimming;				make available to our house guests, we provide a
hike to the large "waterfall" of petrified mineral				complimentary copy of what we consider to be
deposits;				the best book on the archaeological sites in the
**the ruins at Lambityeco, DainzÃº and / or				region, OAXACA...THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
Yagul; Yagul is noted for four things: the largest				RECORD, by reknowned archaeologist Marcus
ballcourt in the region and second largest in				Winter. This is but one aspect of the value added
Mesoamerica, its tombs, the labyrinth structure,				service we attempt to provide to all of our clients.

Hydrobat

Suggested tour routes for Oaxaca, Mexico