WELCOME BACK – OAXACA!

Nearly 4 years ago Ben and I visited Norma Schafer in the village of Teotitlán Del Valle, population 5600, about 40 minutes southeast of Oaxaca City. Those of you who’ve followed my intermittent blogs know that that was nothing short of a magical week for me. I posted 3 installments because I just couldn’t fit it all into one. This trip was very different. This was my first major venture without Ben and I was plenty nervous. I’d heard how huge and crazy the Mexico City airport is and I spent way too much time dreading it. Easy – peazy. Not to mention how the Guadalajara airport has morphed into a giant (and they aren’t done yet!). But I digress…

Norma and I met after Ben and I spent a week in San Miguel de Allende in early 2017. Smitten with the textiles I’d witnessed there I began looking for tours. When I found oaxacaculture.com I struck gold. Norma’s house in Durham, North Carolina, was 12 miles from ours in Hillsborough. This lady is an expert on Mexican textiles – people look at her in amazement when she cites the name and village of someone who did the weaving and/or embroidery of nearly any piece singled out in a shop. And she has taught me ALOT! (She remembers it. I can’t say the same.)

Her small deep red wine colored Mexican style home sits at the back of property owned by “Fe & Lola”, outstanding rug artisans. On the edge of the village it sits nestled in a gorgeous valley of cacti, black volcanic farmland, and commanding Sierra Juárez mountains. Its altitude is only slightly higher than my home in Ajijic at 5479′ so the weather is quite similar. Here you are part of Mother Nature. HVAC is not common. Blankets and ceiling fans substitute. Conserving water and composting, using what you have without running to the grocery store every day. Cooking creatively instead of eating out. (Locals go to the daily village market.) Ways of life often neglected in territory familiar to me – Ajijic, Hillsborough, NC, etc. – for various reasons.

That said, our first meal was in Oaxaca City (population 300,000) where famous and hole-in-the-wall restaurants are visible on nearly every street. We had our first meal at Casa Taviche (Yum!) then headed to do a bit of shopping before moving on to Teotitlán.

Saturday led us to the village of Mitla (“place of the dead”) where the Zapotec archeological site was built around 100 BC and occupied until the Aztecs took it over in 1494, then the Spanish in the early 1500’s. The site contains columns, public squares and empty tombs, but is mostly noted for its fretwork. Geometric patterns are made from thousands of cut and polished stones fitted together without mortar against a red stucco background. (Check out www.tomzap.com or Wikipedia for more info.)

Funny that I was so taken with the temporary display of handmade shoes inside the entry to the ruins. With my little bit of Spanish I gathered that these were made to mimic shoes of the conquerors. I could be wrong but fascinating anyway.

We headed out to Tlacalula (I love that word!) market to stock the frig but first stopped to pick up some linens Norma ordered from Arturo Hernandez, a charming well-known local weaver.

Just outside the Tlacalula indoor market, open daily, is a little restaurant known as “Comedor Mary“. The current owner/operator is Mary’s granddaughter. Great food, delightful company.

This is Saturday in the market. Just wait for Sunday. You’ll see.

By the way, tejate is a Zapotec (local indigenous population) drink made from toasted corn, fermented cacao beans, cacao flowers and pixtle – toasted and ground mamey pits (a Latin American tree fruit). It’s all ground into a paste on a metate then mixed with water and a little sugar for a frothy refreshing drink. I’d seen it last trip and was determined to try it this time. A young Mexican man walked up beside me as I hesitated to order, offered me the first sip from his colorful painted gourd cup (I politely declined), and gave me a long explanation – in Spanish – of its worth. I ordered my own and was quite pleased to say the least. Just wish I’d kept the cup.

Sunday is the big day in Tlacalula, population 16,000. All the streets are closed and the whole town becomes the weekly market. It’s truly amazing, if not a bit overwhelming. I bought a few things – chocolate tablets, a clay pot, a carved gourd – but mostly I looked in awe. One stop shopping for sure. This place is not just a tourist attraction.

We met Norma’s friend in the church plaza outside the market and headed off “tuk-ed” into a “tuk-tuk” for her recommended restaurant with “Cocina tradicional” – authentic regional food. Eva, the owner, recently won prizes for her special food. It’s a bare bones setting with a backdrop of their own mezcalería. What fun!

Had a rough night after all that stimulation so we stayed home on Monday while I soaked up the peaceful energy of the valley and mountains surrounding Norma’s home. I was mesmerized. Give me a hammock. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Tuesday was our last day together so we decided to spend it cruising around the City proper. Norma is an unofficial “cultural anthropologist” who certainly deserves an official title. She’s been studying and touring for well over 15 years and, unlike me, she seems to remember what she’s learned. Though she shops for high end collectibles, I’m a more low-key, low-brow shopper. It was a challenge she enjoyed. I’ll stop here while you view a conglomeration of photos of what I think is one of the most beautiful cities in México. People call it “magical” and I must agree. It has an energy all its own and I can’t wait to go back!

My final lunch in the city was at CABUCHE. A tlayuda with huitlachoche. Got that? We met up with 2 of Norma’s friends there and wandered into the textile museum. Hot and tired after that, we sat down for a glass of aqua de sandia, better known as watermelon water, and a shoe shine by a charming local entrepreneur.

There were other places, other people, but off to the big city…airport that is. Tired and ready to be home with my pup. Thanks to Norma Schafer for all her guidance, teaching, and patience. And to all the folks she introduced me to who shared part of this journey. Aren’t I lucky???