During our final week in Oaxaca, we took a cooking class. We were driven to a private home in the town of San Agustín Yatareni where Susan, our cooking instructor, welcomed us as our cooking instructor. We prepared fresh salsa, masa, and refried beans and used them to create traditional Oaxacan dishes, all cooked on a hot comal, the flat griddle that has been the center Mexican kitchens for centuries. A comal is a flat griddle used in Mexico for…
The city of Oaxaca sits in the Valles Centrales (Central Valleys), a region made up of hundreds of towns and villages. Many of these communities are predominantly Zapotec-speaking and are known for a particular craft, food tradition, market, or festival that has been passed down through generations. A lot of these villages are easy day trips from Oaxaca City. One of our goals during our time in Oaxaca was to explore some of these communities and learn about the traditions…
Before arriving in Oaxaca, we knew it was famous for its food, colorful markets, and stunning architecture. What we did not fully appreciate was just how deep its history runs. The state of Oaxaca lies within what archaeologists call Mesoamerica, a large cultural region that stretched across central and southern Mexico and into parts of Central America. Long before Europeans arrived, this region was home to great civilizations such as the Maya, Aztecs, Mixtecs, and Zapotecs. Each had its own…
We are now in our second week in the city of Oaxaca. After spending our first days exploring on foot and taking a walking tour of the historic center, we have finally gotten our bearings and become familiar with our neighborhood. Our apartment is located just a short walk east of the Zócalo, the heart of the city, making it easy to wander into the center whenever we choose. As with other long stays, Oaxaca is beginning to feel less…
Heat Reprieve Summer has arrived in Florida. Early morning temperatures already hover between 75 and 80 degrees, with humidity levels nearly as high. By late morning, the mercury has climbed into the upper 80s and low 90s—and it’s only June. It’s shaping up to be a long, hot summer in Sarasota, so we decided to head south in search of cooler weather. Wait, south for cooler weather? It sounds backwards, but that’s exactly what we found in Oaxaca, Mexico. Sitting…
Music As night falls, Guanajuato streets don’t just get quieter, they start to sing. We were drinking a beverage in the Jardín de la Unión when we heard guitars and harmony bouncing off centuries-old walls. That was our cue to follow the sound and join a callejoneada, a roving street serenade that’s part concert, part walking tour, and part spontaneous party. The tradition began in the 1960s when University of Guanajuato students borrowed the idea from Spain’s old estudiantinas, who…
Our Uber drove us one hour from San Miguel de Allende to its sister city of Guanajuato, and we weren’t sure what to expect. A friend had recommended that we visit, so we figured, why not? As we entered the city through its winding tunnels and colorful streets, we were struck by how vibrant and alive it felt. It was a different energy from the relaxed vibe of San Miguel. Guanajuato buzzes with movement, students walking to class, street performers…
Just a short drive north of San Miguel de Allende is one of the popular day-trip destinations: La Gruta Restaurant & Spa. These natural hot springs were the perfect way to slow down and unwind. We visited La Gruta on a Wednesday morning, which several locals recommended as the ideal time to go. Here’s why: the pools are drained and cleaned every Monday and Tuesday, so by Wednesday morning, the water is at its cleanest. Plus, arriving early meant we…
We kicked off our four-week adventure with a flight from Sarasota, Florida, to Querétaro, Mexico. Querétaro is the closest major city to our first stop: San Miguel de Allende (SMA). We spent three days exploring Querétaro on a previous trip, so this time we just stayed overnight before making the 1½-hour drive to SMA. Our original plan was to take a bus, but when we saw that an Uber cost less than $50, convenience won out over adventure. For years…
We have visited a few of Mexico’s magical towns (pueblos mágicos). The Mexican government highlights and promotes these small towns for their special tourist or “magical” qualities of beauty, history, culture, or nature. The designation of pueblos mágicos is like that of a UNESCO World Heritage Site; however, pueblos mágicos are only found in Mexico. It is a great honor for a town to be a pueblo mágico. There are 132 pueblos mágicos in Mexico. We have visited eight and…