Oaxaca, Mexico, September 1995

dougburnett Wyświetlono: 527 razy 2003-11-22 11:32:41

Ocena:4.40 (5 głosów)

The thing I like best about Oaxaca is the zocalo, the central plaza. It's a perfect place to sit, drink a cerveza and watch the people.

The thing I like best about Oaxaca is the zocalo, the central plaza. It's a perfect place to sit, drink a cerveza and watch the people. It's always busy, full of locals and tourist, going about their business or having a meal. And the large trees and absence of motor vehicles means it's peaceful. It's a perfect place to rest your feet after a day of walking.

I went to Oaxaca for five days in September, 1995 - a day or two more would have been nice but you can easily see everything in that amount of time. September is in the rainy season but I was in luck - it was sunny almost every day I was there. The days were warm (high 70's) but it can get real cool at night as Oaxaca is almost a mile high, so take a jacket. I had always heard how nice Oaxaca was and I wasn't disappointed.

The first problem, after I decided to go, was where to stay. After checking the guide books, I picked the Fortin Plaza about a mile (a N$10 taxi ride or a 20 minute walk) from the center. I figured it would be quiet out there and it was. It was off season and for much of my stay I was the only one in the hotel. (By the way, don't let them give you a room in the front of the hotel which faces a fairly busy - and noisy - road.) I made my reservation through a local travel agent for three nights at $70 per. I had tried calling the Fortin directly but couldn't get anybody who spoke English - and that turned out to be the case while I was there too. When I decided to add two more nights I was charged $35 per night - need I say more?

I flew down from Michigan on Northwest to Mexico City and then Aeromexico to Oaxaca on Thursday, September 7. A van from the airport to my hotel was N$23. After I checked in - at about 6:00 in the evening - I walked down to the zocalo for dinner and a quick look around before dark.

In the morning (Friday) I headed down to the bus station. But be careful, there are two of them. The first class (for long distance routes) is on the north side, while the second class (for nearby villages and the one I wanted) is to the south. There are a couple of markets along the way so I stopped for a look as I walked. The first market south of the zocalo sells mostly food and is quite active and interesting. Farther along there is a craft market that simply isn't worth a stop. I found crafts for sale everywhere and the selection here is quite sad. The last market is the big Oaxaca market, across the railroad track, south of town. It's full of local produce and some crafts. It's always active but Saturday, when vendors come in from the surrounding villages, is the day to see it.

The second class bus station is just beyond the Oaxaca market. It's a ramshacked semi-circle affair.

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