Oaxaca on my mind

Resting in the south of Mexico lies a waking giant. With a mixture of ancient and colonial history. With cobbled stoned streets and bustling markets overflowing with more indigenous groups than an other Mexican state. The state of Oaxaca is preparing itself for what will surely be an explosion of tourism. The city of Oaxaca has changed soooo much since i last visited 17 years ago. A bucket full of UNESCO money has seen Oaxaca undertake a myriad of improvement projects. Tourists already show up by the bus load. But somehow, through it all, this culture capital has maintained a lot of it's charm.

Pretty much any visitor to Oaxaca de Juarez, either domestic or foreign, will almost certainly be based out of the city's historical centre. And why wouldn't they? With a labyrinth of narrow, cobbled lanes framed by pastel houses verging on the psychedelic it is certainly the place to be. Most definitely, the heart of the centre would have to be the Zocalo. A large treed-in square where time seems to stand still. Worries melt away while sitting and watching the world go by, either perched on a park bench or refuelling at any one of the street cafes. It's easy to lose count of the endless stream of local tribal folk attempting to peddle one of many indigenous arts or crafts. Once finally deciding to get up and wander for a bit, there are no wrong turns as every corner waits in anticipation to reveal yet another mini-park or square or church or architectural gem. There are more than enough museums to visit should the desire arise. And that's not even mentioning the numerous bars or clubs that fill the evenings.

Churches. Oaxaca's sure got it's fair share of them. But, to be perfectly frank, once you've seen one, you've kind of seen them all. Still, they are kind of pretty and great places to escape the midday heat. Oh yeah, and the whole holy-ness aspect. Of particular note it the Santo Domingo Church with excellent (if not somewhat pricey) attached museum. Most of the churches are blessed (get it? Blessed?) with a large square. And these squares are constantly full of action. Perhaps it's one of the numerous clowns who draw in huge crowds (careful they like to pick on foreigners). Maybe it's kids breakdancing to that young people hippity-hop music. If you're lucky a mariachi band might be striking up a tune in the corner. These places become especially lively as the sun falls and the temperatures drop. Point is, it's never dull. And that's not even counting any of the festivals, protests, weddings or political rallies.

But for me, the real attraction of the city is the people. With 16 different ethnic groups and an estimated 50% of the state population speaking an indigenous dialect, Oaxaca is an anthropologist's wet dream. The women wear brightly coloured clothes specific to their group and village. While it's impossible for the laymen to really make any sense of it, it's real pretty to watch. The central square, Zocalo, or the main market are the two best places to people watch. The market itself is a great attraction. Even laid out in a grid pattern, it's easy to get lost. Everything from toys to leathers to textiles to grasshoppers are up for offer. There are plenty of little stands to get some cheap eats, which move out to the street in the evenings. Be advised, that when walking in the area of the market, girls will temp you with free shots of Mezcal (tequila without the commercialism) There are no strings attached, the shot really are free. But it's easy to get drunk if trying one at every shop.

Oaxaca also has plenty of day trips to occupy one's time. The ancient, ruined city of Monte Alban is important enough to put on the 20 peso note. There are more ruins in Mitla. The fattest tree in the world at Tule. And the unique petrified waterfalls of Heirve el Agua. Plus the jewel of the Oaxacan coast at Puerto Escondido.

Getting to and from Oaxaca is a piece of cake. The international airport has flight to most domestic places one might need. ADO/OCC buses covering most of southern Mexico arrive and depart from the shining new station. Plus a plethora of mini-buses heading off in almost every direction.

I don't want to paint a picture of a life changing sort of place. Oaxaca certainly can't be called that. But With an interesting capital and numerous outlying sights, the area is most definitely worth setting aside a few days of a Mexican holiday to explore.