Oaxaca City: Dust, Mole, and a Whole Lotta Heat
okay, so. oaxaca city. where do i even begin? i’m still peeling the dust out of my ears, honestly. it’s…intense. like, a beautiful, chaotic, delicious intensity. i just checked and it’s hovering around thirty-two degrees celsius right now, feels like thirty-three. hope you like that kind of thing. because you’re gonna get it.
I stumbled into this place after a particularly brutal gig - touring with a band is…well, it’s a thing. needed a serious change of scenery, and someone, somewhere, mentioned mole. and that was that. booked a flight, packed light (mostly linen, thank god), and braced myself.
First thing you need to know: the colors. seriously. everywhere you look, it’s just a riot of pinks, blues, yellows…it’s almost overwhelming. and the smells! incense, roasting chiles, something sweet and yeasty…it’s a constant assault on the senses in the best possible way. I spent a good hour just wandering around the *Zócalo, people-watching and trying to decipher the conversations swirling around me.
I stayed in a little guesthouse near the Mercado 20 de Noviembre. It was…rustic. Let’s just say the plumbing had a personality of its own. But the owner, Doña Elena, was an absolute sweetheart. She kept feeding me tejate (a pre-Hispanic drink - seriously, try it!) and giving me cryptic advice about the local bus system.
“Don’t trust the orange buses after dark. They go where they please.”
I tried to be a responsible traveler, you know? Did the whole “support local artisans” thing. Found this amazing little shop selling hand-woven textiles. The woman running it, she was so patient explaining the different techniques. I ended up buying a ridiculously large shawl. Probably won’t fit in my suitcase, but who cares? It’s a memory. Check out some local artisan groups here: TripAdvisor Oaxaca Artisans.
Speaking of memories, the food. Oh. My. God. The mole. I ate mole every single day. Different kinds, of course. Mole negro, mole rojo, mole amarillo…each one was a revelation. I even took a cooking class! Turns out, making mole is a serious undertaking. Like, days-long kind of undertaking. I’m pretty sure I only scratched the surface. Yelp has some great cooking class reviews: Yelp Oaxaca Cooking Classes.
Someone told me that the best tlayudas (giant, crispy tortillas topped with everything delicious) are sold from street carts near the Benito Juárez Market. I can neither confirm nor deny this, because I ate approximately seven of them. No regrets.
I also spent an afternoon exploring Monte Albán, the ancient Zapotec city. It’s incredible. The views are breathtaking. It’s a bit of a trek to get there, but totally worth it. I overheard a tour guide saying something about a hidden tunnel system…that’s going on my list for next time. You can find more info on the official site: Monte Alban Official Website.
If you get bored, Huajuapan de León and Tlacolula are just a short drive away. I didn’t make it to either, but I heard they’re worth checking out. I spent most of my time just…being. Sipping coffee, wandering the streets, soaking up the atmosphere. It’s a place that gets under your skin.
I’m already planning my return trip. Next time, I’m learning more Spanish. And maybe investing in a better pair of walking shoes. And definitely packing more linen. Seriously, the heat…
Oh! And a local warned me about the stray dogs. Apparently, they’re pretty territorial around the Santo Domingo Church*. Just something to keep in mind. Check out this local forum for more tips: Oaxaca Travel Forum.
Okay, I think that’s everything. Or maybe not. My brain is still a little fried from the heat and the mole. Go to Oaxaca. Just…go. You won’t regret it.
You might also be interested in:
- https://votoris.com/post/cebu-where-the-heat-meets-the-hustle-and-sometimes-a-bad-wifi-signal
- https://votoris.com/post/mar-del-plata-fitness-gyms-yoga-and-the-sweat-youll-actually-want
- https://votoris.com/post/so-i-landed-in-this-random-place-called-140380-and-wow
- https://votoris.com/post/3444876-a-weird-trip-to-somewhere-i-cant-pronounce
- https://votoris.com/post/kagoshima-chaos-a-street-artists-messy-take-on-the-city