This is the first in a series of travel articles that
originally appeared on Dave's Travel Corner about cities in Mexico. The four articles
are
Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Colima, and
Manzanillo. An article about Xcalak
in the Yucatan Peninsula is also available. We first visited the city of Oaxaca in December, during the
dry season so some of the things we mention below may be true only during this time of
year. For example, some of the fruits we saw in the markets may have been only ripe during
this time of year, and some of the festivals we experienced certainly only occurred during
December.
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This article is about the city of Oaxaca in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. The
city of Oaxaca at an elevation of 5,084 feet has about 240,000 people, mostly composed of
16 different tribes who inhabit the area. There are also people from Spanish ancestry who
live here. If you live here or often travel here you would be able to distinguish
the various tribes. Oaxaca is situated in the middle of three valleys, the
Valle de Tlacolula, the Valle de Zimatlan, and the Valle de Etla in the north. The early
people who inhabited this area were among the earliest in North America to develop
astronomy and systems of writing. |
The city of Oaxaca is a wonderful place to relax, shop and meet the local people. The town
revolves around their main square or zocalo. As in most Mexican towns the zocalo is
composed of a large open square located in the heart of the city. There are many plants
and trees that grow in the zocalo. Like several other Mexican towns of similar population
size Oaxaca has a second smaller plaza area located right next to the central
zocalo. Both
areas are surrounded by 1st and 2nd story restaurants, hotels, and many shops. In the main
plaza there is a large church that towers above the town. This church as built in the
1800's and you will be impressed with a look inside.
The zocalo is also an area where processions, gatherings, and religious events begin and
end. A great time of year to witness a lot of activity is during December. Almost everyday
there are large gatherings of people, usually at all hours of the day and
into the night. The zocalo is a great place to shop. Local vendors will have their wares spread out on the
side walks and in the streets. The 4 city streets that surround the zocalo are closed to
traffic. This really aids those who are walking around the plaza. This was the only city
in Mexico that I visited that had this arrangement. All of the other zocalos were open to
automobiles and this completely changed the flavor of the towns.
The fancy shops are not located directly on the zocalo. For these you will need to travel
a few blocks north of town. One thing that I learned from Oaxaca and other Mexican cities
is that fancy and nice shops are located in what appear to be crumbling and dilapidated
buildings. You can never tell what sort of merchandise will be inside the store unless you
can actually see inside. To tell which direction is north in Oaxaca you just need to face
the tallest mountains that you can see, and that is the north direction.
Oaxaca, unlike non touristy towns has really changed in the recent years. In certain
areas and parts of the markets bargaining is much harder. The peso is stronger now and the
economy is better then it was several years ago. People have told me that several years
ago cars were much older and more dilapidated then they are today. More luxurious shops
have settled near the zocalo then were there a few years ago. Oaxaca, as a tourist
destination began to leak out in the last few years and tourism has slowly changed the
city in these ways mentioned above.
Transportation around Oaxaca can be conducted in a variety of ways. Walking is definitely the
best way to see the zocalo area and the markets. Taxis are a good way to get to several
attractions in and around the city of Oaxaca. I found that hiring a private tour guide
through a reputable tour company was probably the most ideal way to get to attractions
quickly. Granted, it was a little more expensive then a taxi, but you could be more
flexible. If you wanted to stop and see something on the way, you were able to tell the tour
guide. They were quite flexible. Unlike most of the taxi drivers they waited around while
I took pictures and toured through sites. They were also quite knowledgeable about the
local history, architecture and indigenous peoples.
The weather in Oaxaca can be summed up by one word, mild. This is because of the rather
high altitude. If you were to travel elsewhere in the state of Oaxaca you would find
rather humid tropical conditions. Throughout the year temperatures average in the 70's and
80s during the day and at night the temperature is usually in the 50's and 60's. The rainy
season is from June through September. This precipitation usually falls in the afternoon,
however the months of July and August often produce torrential downpours at any hour of
the day or night. If you are visiting in the winter from a country that actually
experiences a winter, be prepared for the strong sun. Because of the rather southern latitude
and high elevation sunburn is a distinct possibility.
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