Travel log
Oaxaca antiguo
Day 2
TEOTITLAN DEL VALLE
The town of Teotitlan del Valle ("place of gods" in Nahuatl language) is famous for the beauty and quality of its textile products as carpets, jackets, sarapes, tapestries, carpets, carpets, curtains and dresses, elaborated in large wooden looms and decorated with natural dyes, with a wide range of designs from traditional greca and taps of Zapoteca and Mixteca cultures to reproductions of contemporary painters.
In the surroundings of the community there are interesting places such as "El Picacho" hill, considered sacred and mystical, whose summit offers an excellent view of the Tlacolula Valley.
The "Cuevita del pedimento" is a cave that traditionally receives New Year visitors from the locals, who make requests to the image of the virgin that is inside.
You can also visit the temple of the Precious Blood of Christ, built in the seventeenth century, whose main facade it's made of cantera stone, which frames the access and the coral window. To the side is a small archaeological area. The tours can include the visit to the houses of some craftsmen, to observe the elaboration of the so-called "shell candles", the traditional confections for the dancers of “Danza de la pluma”.
It is also worth visiting the community museum, called in Zapoteca language "Balaa Xtee Guedchi Gulal" ("Place of the Ancient People" or "Shadow of the Ancient people"), which comprises 3 main rooms: archeological, handicrafts and The traditional wedding. On the other hand, for those who enjoy bird watching, in the "Piedra Azul" dam, it is common to find herons, kingfishers and, during the month of January, three types of migratory birds from Canada. The dam "Benito Juárez", very close to the town, is also a good place to practice this activity.
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ARBOL DEL TULE
In Santa María del Tule, a municipality located 15 minutes from the city of Oaxaca, stands majestic one of the most spectacular trees in the world, an ahuehuete that by its age and dimensions has become a natural tourist attraction obliged for national visitors and foreigners; It is the famous “Arbol del Tule”.
The “Ahuehuete”: National Tree of Mexico
The word ahuehue or ahuehuete comes from the Nahuatl language "ahuehuetl" that means "the old one of the water". Its other common names are: Sabino, Moctezuma's Cypress or River Cypress. Native to pre hispanic Mexico, the ahuehuete has been a silent witness tof Mexico's history and a symbol of its strength and pride. For its longevity, scenic beauty and cultural importance; The ahuehuete “Arbol del Tule” was declared National Tree of Mexico in 1921.
Since pre-hispanic times have been attributed sacred qualities and has been part of legends and the history of various populations. With their wood the natives used to work canoes, poles, beams, instruments of music like the teponaztli.
The “Arbol del Tule” is more than 2,000 years old
The “Arbol del Tule” is located to one side of the Church of Santa Maria of the Tule, in the homonymous municipality located to only 13 km of the city of Oaxaca
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One of the most picturesque natural attractions in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Hierve el Agua offers a unique and off-the-beaten-path travel experience. It’s a top ecotourism destination in Oaxaca, especially popular among naturalists, hikers and photographers.
The name Hierve el Agua translates to “the water boils”, and the natural mineral springs that are found here take their name from the bubbling of the warm water as it flows up from the earth through the springs and releases oxygen into the turquoise cliff-top pools.
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HIERVE EL AGUA
HIERVE EL AGUA
When you arrive at Hierve el Agua you’ll see what appear to be a massive waterfalls frozen to the side of the mountain. These are actually natural mineral formations that have built up over thousands of years as a result of the mineral-laden water spilling over the edge of the cliff and trickling down the rocky mountain side.
It’s hard to resist a soak in the springs at Hierve el Agua. The minerals in the water are said to be beneficial for the skin and the views from the two cliff-top bathing pools, both of which offer expansive panoramas of the valleys below, are some of the most spectacular in Oaxaca.
MITLA
San Pablo Villa de Mitla is a small town located in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, just 46 km (28 miles) southeast of Oaxaca city. The town is home to the impressive Mitla archaeological site, one of the important places to visit in Oaxaca.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, Mitla was once an important Zapoteca religious and ceremonial center. Here you’ll find a series of structures and patios adorned in stonework mosaics. These ancient cut-stone mosaics, created by fitting together thousands of polished cut stones, are believed to date back to the last two or three centuries before the arrival of the Spanish.
One of the distinguishing features at Mitla is the reoccurrence of 14 geometric designs that are represented in the stone carvings throughout the complex. You’ll be amazed at the intricacy and detail of the carvings, especially those found in the palace building.
The Mitla archaeological site is made up of five groups of ruins and each group is believed to have served a specific purpose. The two best-preserved groups of ruins, the columns group and the church group, are located toward the northern end of the site. Here you’ll find more of Mitla’s best stonework mosaics where you’ll even see traces of the original red paint and plaster.
The 16th century Church of San Pablo, built by the Spanish using materials from the ruins in its construction, sits right in the middle of the archaeological site. Located just outside the entrance to the ruins are several shops and a small open-air craft market.
While you’re in Mitla, you’ll also want to try the local mezcal, an alcoholic beverage made from the agave cactus that is native to the Oaxaca region.
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PALENQUE
You’ve probably tried tequila but what about mezcal? A drink of amazing variety and complexity, mezcal is handcrafted in Oaxacan villages. The artisanal production ensures that each batch has its own unique flavor.
Heading east from Oaxaca City along the Pan American highway, you pass field after field of green spiky agave plants. For the most part these are agave espadin, the type of agave most commonly used to make mezcal. Unlike tequila, which is made solely from the blue agave, mezcal can be made from a variety of different species of agave.
There are several distilleries along this section of the Pan American highway, but continue on past the Mitla archaeological site until you arrive at the small town of Matatlan where a large sign announces that you have arrived at the cradle of mezcal-making. Many local families who produce their own version of this spirit will be happy to show you the mezcal production process. Matatlan is off the main tourist routes, but it is definitely worth the trip.
Agave potatorum is the scientific name of the highly prized agave used to make Tobala mezcal. Producers search the high reaches of the pine and oak forests of Oaxaca state for this rare, wild variety of agave. Much smaller than a cultivated agave, it takes eight agaves of the Tobala variety to provide the equivalent amount of nectar that is obtained from one agave espadin. For this reason, Tobala is distilled in very small quantities, and is highly valued for its sweet and earthy flavor.
Like tequilas, mezcals vary widely in price and quality. The white, unaged mezcal is called joven that sometimes comes with a worm inside the bottle (actually it’s a larva found in the agave plant). Reposado mezcal is aged for six months and añejo is aged for a year or more.
A slice of fresh orange coated in sal de gusano (salt mixed with chile and ground worms) is the best accompaniment to a fine mezcal—which should be taken straight, and sipped slowly to appreciate its complex flavors, and why it’s the distilled pride of Oaxaca.
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