If you are like many of our friends …you ask – Oaxaca?? You are returning to Oaxaca for the third time… for two weeks?? When you could go many other interesting places? Why

For Greg & I it is not – so much – about the fascinating places, mountains or beaches – it is about the people & experiences. We stay at Las Mariposas & every morning share breakfast & ideas with fascinating people. We have wonderful conversations.

We go to fabulous local concerts either incredibly skilled musicians. We hike and meet fascinating people like Pedro – who has chosen to return to his community of 80 people at 10,000ft – because it is home. They live off the land. We visit the incredibly talented craftspeople who make alebrijes. We tour fascinating museums & learn more about the ancestors of this area. We go to the market & buy cheese & vegetables from our fav vendors. Really…home grown tomatoes for $0.10 / of course I tip! We enjoy amazing Oaxacan cuisine at local cafes. We embrace & support the vibrant community. …and don’t get me started on Llanos park…just the way a community park should be.

An old knee injury reappeared-Dr Breccia – worked her magic on my muscles & I am back in action. She saw me with 2 hours notice.

Oaxaca fills my heart & I look forward to my return.

Oaxaca Lending Library has books, lectures, guided hikes, & cultural excursions into the pueblos around Oaxaca. Greg & I enjoyed the waterfall hike & I signed up for a trip to a Fresco school & print making studio. Fascinating. We learned so much about the very complicated process of frescoes.

Our next stop was to a print making studio. Beautiful coloring techniques. Prints carved into stone, marble, wood, metal.

There is a pup who lives at the studio who could be Jinx’s cousin and prints were made of her. Love it!

Sites of a vibrant city

Music is a huge part of our Oaxaca fun!

Oaxaca has several interesting museums. Stamp museum – yes, very interesting, textile museum, art museums.

John’s son is a mezcal aficionado & he recommended a tour with Omar. Very interesting. We toured a small boutique farm. Saw the different agave varieties & the fascinating process of harvesting & coaxing juice from plants.

The bulb is harvested. Roasted, & distilled. Very complex.

After tasting we visited an amazing restaurant.

We taxied to San Martin Tilcajete to see the alebrije artisans. Amazing woodcarvers & painters – true artists.

Wr also learned about spirit animals – based upon birthdates. Jack – coyote. Greg-eagle. Kathy -armadillo. The pigments are from natural elements & palette is shown below.

Love to attend Lucha Libre when in Oaxaca. It is a community event & the participants are athletes & actors. the athletes come into the crowd & one guy was thrown into the row in front of me – yes- I had to scurry to get to side & avoid contact! Crazy!

On day 2 we hiked to a waterfall at 10,600 outside a tiny village of 80 people. Pedro is one of our guides. Born here & except for a few years in LA lived here his whole life.

We spent 15 days in Oaxaca this year & so glad to return. We love this place! Fortunate to spend all days at Las Mariposas. Brekkie is where we find out about all of the fun things to do and it makes our trip wonderful.

We spent 2 days in Avignon before joining our bike trip. Loved visiting the papal palace, wandering small streets and enjoying fresh oysters, snails, & shrimp at market.