Oaxaca :: Day 07

Sadly, time to go home. Our flight was delayed so we had a little extra time to wander the property, take in the beautiful flowers and greenery, and say goodbye to Buddy and his friends. I loved having those dogs around. They are the sweetest. Just look at this place! The complex we stayed at was absolutely perfect. Because of the delay, we didn't have much time in the Mexico City airport. To our surprise, Brian and I were upgraded again! Crazy. We got in super late, and you'd think it would be a breeze to get through customs. It was not. The lines were long and it took forever to get our luggage. We pulled into our driveway at 4am. Needless to say, Brian and I are still kind of recovering. But it was definitely worth it. We are so lucky to have gotten to experience this wonderful place with such incredible people. Here’s to The Ocho!

Oaxaca :: Day 06

Last full day in this wonderful place. We went to an area with several different artist communities nearby. The first was San Bartolo Coyotepec, best known for for barro negro pottery (black clay). Next was San Martin Tilcajete. The streets are lined with wonderful murals, and the community is known for its production of alebrijes (colorful folk art carvings). The last village we visited was Santo Tomas Jalieza, known for backstrap weaving and embroidery. After a delicious lunch it was time to head back to the city center, say goodbye to Luis. We hit up a couple spots that made a 50 Best Bars in the World list (Selva & Sabine Sabe) and had our last fill of mole at Las Quince Letras before calling it a night. It was so much fun walking the streets of Oaxaca again, and all agreed we could have used another day. Guess we'll have to come back some day. 

Oaxaca :: Day 05

The Tiacolula Market was an absolute celebration for the senses. Open every Sunday, this traditional market had it all. Textiles, produce, pottery, food and even livestock. All from local villagers, artisans and farmers from around the area. This is where I need to give a little shout out for our incredible guide. Seriously, if you ever get to Oaxaca, be sure to contact @luistourguideoaxaca. Our itinerary was very well planned, but Luis made our time in Oaxaca super special. This was one of those occasions. It was an incredible experience. Do not miss it. After the amazing market, we went to the town of Teotitlán del Valle, known for its textiles -- mainly rugs that are dyed with local, natural dyes. I’ve also been reading that was founded around 1465 and one of the first villages founded by the Zapotecs. It was very charming. We were brought to Casa Don Juan Zapotec Weavings, fifth generation weavers who showed us the process of making the yarn, hand dying it, and how the weaving is done. It was so beautiful. Needless to say, I’m getting very inspired to pick up my pandemic craft of natural dying again. After meeting some of the neighborhood dogs and picking up some supplies we headed back for a relaxing night at the house. For many of us, it was the first time we got to enjoy our wonderful salt water pool. We also make dinner which consisted of some delicious chicken we picked up from the market (already cooked - not the live version) and grilled vegetables, also from the market. It was fantastic. An incredible day, and wonderful being able to chill out at home for a bit.