Oaxacan Magic
Oaxacan Magic
February 11, 2006
We have been in Oaxaca for six weeks and are still delighted and fascinated with the place. I always ask fellow tourists why they come here and most say it is for economic reasons. They can afford Oaxaca. Many say they actually save money while wintering in this city over staying at home. It is a nice concept and I think it is true but I am not sure that would qualify as a great marketing slogan. Perhaps the best, but most abstract, answer was by a Parisienne who was visiting Oaxaca for her eighth straight year. “I find this place so magical” she said and I had to agree with her. But first, I had to climb down this “ladder of abstraction” and spell out the reasons.
Perhaps the most magical setting in Oaxaca is the town centre or Zocalo. The Zocalo is a car free, pedestrian oasis covering an extensive part of the downtown. It is heavily shaded by giant trees that provide a canopy of peacefulness. It is far and away the place to be. I certainly don’t mean that in the sense of being seen and seeing others. There is that element but it is such a small part of the Zocalo. If you feel like doing nothing at all and yet being engaged by the senses, just head to the Zocalo. Early any morning, when there is still a chill in the air, grab a copy of the Miami Herald, sit at a table in an open-air café and read while the morning sun slowly heats your body. Take an hour or as many as you want reading cover to cover while sipping coffee and eating bowls of fresh fruit with your fingers. It is so utterly decadent and purposeless that it feels just right.
Look around and marvel at the Mexican families. The degree of family affection is simply astounding relative to Canada and the United States. The whole family is here, from great grandparents to babes in arms. Teenage children hold their parents’ hands in public. Even sisters and brothers hold hands. I think it would be perfectly justifiable to kidnap a few of these Mexican matriarchs and give them a special chair in family values at our greatest universities.
If you feel like sprucing up a bit, settle into a chair at one of the dozens of shoe shine stands. It takes twenty minutes to have your shoes thoroughly buffed in Oaxaca. Shoelaces are removed and your shoes are vigorously brushed to remove dust. The shoes are washed with soapy water and dried, liquid polish is applied and buffed, hard wax polish is applied with a brush and then again with fingertips. The shoes are then buffed with a brush and again with a polishing cloth. Next, the shoelaces are cleaned, re-installed and expertly tied. All of this costs one dollar and is probably worth twenty just in the peaceful relaxation it affords plus the benefit of watching people go by in an endless parade. They range from brown-eyed toddlers to beautiful young ladies to the wizened but still delightful and proud elderly. Tourists also drift by but they are vastly out-numbered by Mexicans.
Unlike San Miguel de Allende of Ajjijic and Lake Chapala, which are dominated by Americans and Canadians, Oaxaca is still a Mexican city. The Mexicans fill most of the restaurant tables, most of the park benches, certainly most of the pews in the cathedral. You are made to feel right at home in their city, at their festivals and in their restaurants. Simply put, Oaxaca is a comfortable home for a guest
February is the busiest tourist month in Oaxaca but the foreign presence is, as yet, a mere bubble in a lake. I feel reluctant to sing the praises of this city too much lest that bubble starts erupting and changes the Mexican character of the city. The activities and music in the Zocalo are not geared to tourists. Symphony orchestras, mariachi bands, brass bands and individual musicians play the tunes most enjoyed by Mexicans. And while the music plays, people often dance in the streets. Sometimes, young people who are experts in traditional dance will perform for the crowds of onlookers. They do this of their own volition hoping to make a few pesos. Bands vying for the same pesos will quit their quest to provide accompaniment for the dancers. The Mexican audience is more thrilled than the tourists since there is great pride in their Mexican traditions. You can enjoy this all for free or throw a coin or two into the hat when it passes.
Going to the Zocalo never gets tiresome. With the upcoming presidential elections, there are often political rallies, sometimes fundraisers are held, oftentimes there are protests. In the next week, Comandante Marcos, the leader of the Chiapas rebels will appear in full facemask. You never leave the Zocalo feeling the visit was anything but eventful.
Into this mix of people and place, one sometimes encounters a hint of anti-American sentiment. It usually erupts from a mouth fed too many cervezas and it usually relates to a man named Bush. As far as I can tell, most Mexicans are fond of Americans if not their government’s attitudes to Mexico. Interestingly enough, these isolated outbursts never lead to confrontation since the American tourists in Oaxaca are more vociferous in voicing such opinions than the Mexicans. As a Canadian, who also knows the sting of US foreign policy in our country, I like to rub a little salt in the wounds of the Americans just to feel superior.
I try not to be too nasty with our American friends since I like them. They, and other tourists we have met in Oaxaca from France, Germany, Switzerland, Britain and Canada, are a breed apart from the tourists you meet in places like Cancun or Acapulco. They are more engaged in worldly affairs, they have travelled extensively, they are bright and interesting, they have focus and they have a lot of time to holiday. Generally speaking, Oaxacan tourists are very young or retired. The young people are surprisingly interesting and well spoken. Talking with them is fascinating and they have absolutely no fear of the open road. It amazes me the number of young women travelling alone and just going where the wind blows.
The retirees are here for extended holidays, typically three to six months. It gives them not only the time but also the desire to make friends and this is another of the magical things about Oaxaca. All you need do is get involved in something or other and you will meet a group of interesting folks much in the same stage of life as yourself. It is a short distance from there to friendship. On occasion, it isn’t even that difficult. On our second day here, a vivacious American lady approached us on the street and said, “You look like nice people. We are having a little get-together tonight. Would you like to come?” You bet.
Simply put, the tourists and expats have a community of interest in one another. There are not millions of us roaming around and it is difficult to make friends with the Mexicans since there is a language barrier. The small, permanent expatriate community in Oaxaca has made the process of meeting new friends a lot easier through their support of the growth of an English library. This library, which boasts 30,000 books and virtually every book on the current best sellers lists, has become the clearinghouse for all things social in Oaxaca. You are actively encouraged to join the family. The library hosts bridge contests, Spanish lessons, has guest speakers and helps tourists find housing. Here, everyone, tourist or expat, gets to come to the party. And, a surprising number of young Mexicans, wanting to learn English, have also joined.
Oaxaca offers so many things to see and do. There is a little bit of magic around every corner or just over the next mountain. Within the city, there are museums, historical buildings and churches, mercados, art galleries, musical events and guided tours. The restaurants are abundant and excellent as are the Internet cafes. There are many opportunities to study Spanish, art or painting, ceramics, yoga and writing.
Outside of Oaxaca city limits are scores of small communities with big attractions. Zapotec and Mixtec ruins abound. Monte Alban and Mitla are the best known but there are many others. Santa Maria del Tule has its monstrous tree while Teotitlan de Valle offers the finest in hand woven woollens and cottons. Puerto Angel has its turtle hatchery. Many villages produce gorgeous pottery. You can travel in any direction from Oaxaca and find fascination. If you weary of sightseeing and just need to chill out in the heat, the beaches of Oaxaca are only six hours away by car or thirty minutes by air.
The weather in Oaxaca is very much to my liking. It is cool overnight and yet hot, but not oppressive, in the daytime. You don’t experience the January frosts common in the inland, expatriate villages north of Mexico City. You will be perfectly comfortable if you walk on the sunny side of the street in the morning and the shady side in the afternoon.
Eating is always an enjoyable pastime in Oaxaca. Mexico has its own food culture and Oaxaca has its own sub-culture. I haven’t yet become a big fan of Mexican cooking but I am sure that will change after our cooking class. What I do delight in are the fruits and vegetables in this area. Oaxaca is a major agricultural centre and produce, ripe from the vine, arrives everyday in this city. The cucumbers are so crisp and crunchy; you think you are eating potato chips. The strawberries, peaches and pears are so flavourful and inexpensive that they round out every meal.
It is not all magical however. From my experience, there is a severe shortage of furnished, rental apartments for those planning a long-term stay. The product that is available in the central part of the city is a cut below what Americans and Canadians expect. Rental rates for one bedroom apartments range from $300 to $800 but most fall in the middle. If you have a car, you will find greater and higher quality choices in the suburbs but don’t expect much tourist activity unless you drive into town.
Interestingly enough, many tourists take great delight in bragging about the cheapness of their accommodation although I can’t imagine wanting to be the grand champion in this category. Owing to rental costs, Oaxaca can be a very inexpensive place to spend a winter if you are can accept a reduction in the creature comfort index.
My pet peeves concerning Oaxaca are holes in the sidewalks, aggressive drivers and noise. I am thinking of running for mayor of Oaxaca on a simple three-point platform. I will put cement in all sidewalk holes, I will pull the horns and alarm systems out of every car and I will sentence any motorist who runs down a pedestrian to ten winters in Canada. I should win by a landslide. I know that Oaxaca has more pressing problems like a serious water shortage and a lousy sewage system but, as mayor, I will blame those on my officials.
I think my Parisienne friend was right in her description of Oaxaca. This is a magical place. It is still a Mexican city with typical Mexican problems but just being here is a delight. It is no longer a wonder to me why so many tourists keep coming back again and again.
February 11, 2006
We have been in Oaxaca for six weeks and are still delighted and fascinated with the place. I always ask fellow tourists why they come here and most say it is for economic reasons. They can afford Oaxaca. Many say they actually save money while wintering in this city over staying at home. It is a nice concept and I think it is true but I am not sure that would qualify as a great marketing slogan. Perhaps the best, but most abstract, answer was by a Parisienne who was visiting Oaxaca for her eighth straight year. “I find this place so magical” she said and I had to agree with her. But first, I had to climb down this “ladder of abstraction” and spell out the reasons.
Perhaps the most magical setting in Oaxaca is the town centre or Zocalo. The Zocalo is a car free, pedestrian oasis covering an extensive part of the downtown. It is heavily shaded by giant trees that provide a canopy of peacefulness. It is far and away the place to be. I certainly don’t mean that in the sense of being seen and seeing others. There is that element but it is such a small part of the Zocalo. If you feel like doing nothing at all and yet being engaged by the senses, just head to the Zocalo. Early any morning, when there is still a chill in the air, grab a copy of the Miami Herald, sit at a table in an open-air café and read while the morning sun slowly heats your body. Take an hour or as many as you want reading cover to cover while sipping coffee and eating bowls of fresh fruit with your fingers. It is so utterly decadent and purposeless that it feels just right.
Look around and marvel at the Mexican families. The degree of family affection is simply astounding relative to Canada and the United States. The whole family is here, from great grandparents to babes in arms. Teenage children hold their parents’ hands in public. Even sisters and brothers hold hands. I think it would be perfectly justifiable to kidnap a few of these Mexican matriarchs and give them a special chair in family values at our greatest universities.
If you feel like sprucing up a bit, settle into a chair at one of the dozens of shoe shine stands. It takes twenty minutes to have your shoes thoroughly buffed in Oaxaca. Shoelaces are removed and your shoes are vigorously brushed to remove dust. The shoes are washed with soapy water and dried, liquid polish is applied and buffed, hard wax polish is applied with a brush and then again with fingertips. The shoes are then buffed with a brush and again with a polishing cloth. Next, the shoelaces are cleaned, re-installed and expertly tied. All of this costs one dollar and is probably worth twenty just in the peaceful relaxation it affords plus the benefit of watching people go by in an endless parade. They range from brown-eyed toddlers to beautiful young ladies to the wizened but still delightful and proud elderly. Tourists also drift by but they are vastly out-numbered by Mexicans.
Unlike San Miguel de Allende of Ajjijic and Lake Chapala, which are dominated by Americans and Canadians, Oaxaca is still a Mexican city. The Mexicans fill most of the restaurant tables, most of the park benches, certainly most of the pews in the cathedral. You are made to feel right at home in their city, at their festivals and in their restaurants. Simply put, Oaxaca is a comfortable home for a guest
February is the busiest tourist month in Oaxaca but the foreign presence is, as yet, a mere bubble in a lake. I feel reluctant to sing the praises of this city too much lest that bubble starts erupting and changes the Mexican character of the city. The activities and music in the Zocalo are not geared to tourists. Symphony orchestras, mariachi bands, brass bands and individual musicians play the tunes most enjoyed by Mexicans. And while the music plays, people often dance in the streets. Sometimes, young people who are experts in traditional dance will perform for the crowds of onlookers. They do this of their own volition hoping to make a few pesos. Bands vying for the same pesos will quit their quest to provide accompaniment for the dancers. The Mexican audience is more thrilled than the tourists since there is great pride in their Mexican traditions. You can enjoy this all for free or throw a coin or two into the hat when it passes.
Going to the Zocalo never gets tiresome. With the upcoming presidential elections, there are often political rallies, sometimes fundraisers are held, oftentimes there are protests. In the next week, Comandante Marcos, the leader of the Chiapas rebels will appear in full facemask. You never leave the Zocalo feeling the visit was anything but eventful.
Into this mix of people and place, one sometimes encounters a hint of anti-American sentiment. It usually erupts from a mouth fed too many cervezas and it usually relates to a man named Bush. As far as I can tell, most Mexicans are fond of Americans if not their government’s attitudes to Mexico. Interestingly enough, these isolated outbursts never lead to confrontation since the American tourists in Oaxaca are more vociferous in voicing such opinions than the Mexicans. As a Canadian, who also knows the sting of US foreign policy in our country, I like to rub a little salt in the wounds of the Americans just to feel superior.
I try not to be too nasty with our American friends since I like them. They, and other tourists we have met in Oaxaca from France, Germany, Switzerland, Britain and Canada, are a breed apart from the tourists you meet in places like Cancun or Acapulco. They are more engaged in worldly affairs, they have travelled extensively, they are bright and interesting, they have focus and they have a lot of time to holiday. Generally speaking, Oaxacan tourists are very young or retired. The young people are surprisingly interesting and well spoken. Talking with them is fascinating and they have absolutely no fear of the open road. It amazes me the number of young women travelling alone and just going where the wind blows.
The retirees are here for extended holidays, typically three to six months. It gives them not only the time but also the desire to make friends and this is another of the magical things about Oaxaca. All you need do is get involved in something or other and you will meet a group of interesting folks much in the same stage of life as yourself. It is a short distance from there to friendship. On occasion, it isn’t even that difficult. On our second day here, a vivacious American lady approached us on the street and said, “You look like nice people. We are having a little get-together tonight. Would you like to come?” You bet.
Simply put, the tourists and expats have a community of interest in one another. There are not millions of us roaming around and it is difficult to make friends with the Mexicans since there is a language barrier. The small, permanent expatriate community in Oaxaca has made the process of meeting new friends a lot easier through their support of the growth of an English library. This library, which boasts 30,000 books and virtually every book on the current best sellers lists, has become the clearinghouse for all things social in Oaxaca. You are actively encouraged to join the family. The library hosts bridge contests, Spanish lessons, has guest speakers and helps tourists find housing. Here, everyone, tourist or expat, gets to come to the party. And, a surprising number of young Mexicans, wanting to learn English, have also joined.
Oaxaca offers so many things to see and do. There is a little bit of magic around every corner or just over the next mountain. Within the city, there are museums, historical buildings and churches, mercados, art galleries, musical events and guided tours. The restaurants are abundant and excellent as are the Internet cafes. There are many opportunities to study Spanish, art or painting, ceramics, yoga and writing.
Outside of Oaxaca city limits are scores of small communities with big attractions. Zapotec and Mixtec ruins abound. Monte Alban and Mitla are the best known but there are many others. Santa Maria del Tule has its monstrous tree while Teotitlan de Valle offers the finest in hand woven woollens and cottons. Puerto Angel has its turtle hatchery. Many villages produce gorgeous pottery. You can travel in any direction from Oaxaca and find fascination. If you weary of sightseeing and just need to chill out in the heat, the beaches of Oaxaca are only six hours away by car or thirty minutes by air.
The weather in Oaxaca is very much to my liking. It is cool overnight and yet hot, but not oppressive, in the daytime. You don’t experience the January frosts common in the inland, expatriate villages north of Mexico City. You will be perfectly comfortable if you walk on the sunny side of the street in the morning and the shady side in the afternoon.
Eating is always an enjoyable pastime in Oaxaca. Mexico has its own food culture and Oaxaca has its own sub-culture. I haven’t yet become a big fan of Mexican cooking but I am sure that will change after our cooking class. What I do delight in are the fruits and vegetables in this area. Oaxaca is a major agricultural centre and produce, ripe from the vine, arrives everyday in this city. The cucumbers are so crisp and crunchy; you think you are eating potato chips. The strawberries, peaches and pears are so flavourful and inexpensive that they round out every meal.
It is not all magical however. From my experience, there is a severe shortage of furnished, rental apartments for those planning a long-term stay. The product that is available in the central part of the city is a cut below what Americans and Canadians expect. Rental rates for one bedroom apartments range from $300 to $800 but most fall in the middle. If you have a car, you will find greater and higher quality choices in the suburbs but don’t expect much tourist activity unless you drive into town.
Interestingly enough, many tourists take great delight in bragging about the cheapness of their accommodation although I can’t imagine wanting to be the grand champion in this category. Owing to rental costs, Oaxaca can be a very inexpensive place to spend a winter if you are can accept a reduction in the creature comfort index.
My pet peeves concerning Oaxaca are holes in the sidewalks, aggressive drivers and noise. I am thinking of running for mayor of Oaxaca on a simple three-point platform. I will put cement in all sidewalk holes, I will pull the horns and alarm systems out of every car and I will sentence any motorist who runs down a pedestrian to ten winters in Canada. I should win by a landslide. I know that Oaxaca has more pressing problems like a serious water shortage and a lousy sewage system but, as mayor, I will blame those on my officials.
I think my Parisienne friend was right in her description of Oaxaca. This is a magical place. It is still a Mexican city with typical Mexican problems but just being here is a delight. It is no longer a wonder to me why so many tourists keep coming back again and again.
posted by John and Marie | 9:49 a.m.
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