WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO?
Oaxaca
The city
of Oaxaca, the capital of the state by the same name, is
located in the middle of a spectacular landscape dominated by four valleys and
a mountain chain and favors itself with a moderate climate of 18°C (64°F) that reigns in this city declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
After lodging down in one of its more traditional hotels, walk through the
streets of its historical center and discover the arquitectural
beauty of its main buildings: the Cathedral, the Templo y Ex Convento
de Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Church and Former Convent
of Saint Domingo of Guzmán) and the Basílica de la
Soledad. Hang around
awhile, in front of the vestibules that surround the main square, and you will
be surprised at the great quantity of handicrafts offered there.
Around
noontime, take one of the various tours that will take you to see the
archeological areas of Monte Albán and Mitla, ancient capitals of the pre-Hispanic cultures of Zapoteca and Mixteca; the famous Árbol del Tule (Tree of Tule) in the town of Santa María del Tule; and the spectacular stony cascades of Hierve el Agua, located just a few kilometers from the
city. The trip will surely make you
hungry, and so when you return to the capital, we recommend visiting any of the
restaurants that are located in the area of the vestibules. There you can enjoy
pollo con mole (chicken in a rich sauce of
spices, chocolate and chiles) accompanied by rice,
beans and quesillo (a stringy, mild cheese called Oaxaca). Also try some fried chapulines in a warm tortilla and
a cup of mezcal (an alcoholic beverage of the agave
plant). After tasting these dishes, stroll along the 6th Street of García Vigil, where you will find the Museo
Casa de Juárez (Museum Home of
Juárez);
in whose rooms you can admire personal objects of "Benemérito
de las Américas" as well as various documents from the era of Mexican
Independence, the Reforma (Reformation), and the
French Intervention.
