Mexican mountains and beaches

It’s seems like an age since I last wrote, it’s actually just been over a week but I’ve packed so much into it that I have loads of pix to share.

On leaving Mexico City, I headed to the state of Oaxaca (Geordie pronunciation is wah-hah-Kah). I soon found out that Mexican people are very colonial about their states, Mexico City (or the state of Mexico – not the country) could have been another planet from Oaxaca.

First port of call, Oaxaca City. A colonial place bustling with artisans, fine restaurants (I sampled my first glass of Rioja accompanied by tapas and the city’s renowned Mole) and beautiful buildings, the city is flanked with mountains and indigenous towns, oh and of course lots of archeological sites. The centre of the town is the Zocalo; bustling by day and pulsing by night.

They also had a balloon thing going on! Yeh, most peculiar. The centre was filed with vendors selling balloons and not just regular balloons I tell you, balloons with wheels. Wonder if it’ll catch on in the UK

My day trip here included a visit to a village (Teotitlande de Valle) specialising in traditional rug making (I’ll keep the pix to a minimum; promise!) a mezcal factory, a temple (of course) and Herve el agua. Oh yeh, I also saw a big tree!

We visited Mitla meaning place of the dead, a burial ground for the upper echelons of Zapotec society (the priests). Like many places in central / south America the Spanish in the 16th century demolished most of the temples and recreated their own religious icons.

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And so onto Hierve el Agua, bubbling mineral springs with fantastic panoramic views. You’ll see me stood in front of what looks like a waterfall, it’s actually not, but mineral formations.

Pretty, eh? But enough about mountains and pretend waterfalls, I was heading to Puerto Escondido – yep a beach! Two days to just chill and soak up the rays – most lovely.

So, what’s not to like about Mexico?