En el sur de México, a solo cuatro horas en avión desde Los Angeles, te espera una destinación de colores infinitos. Oaxaca es una maravilla de mezcalogía, arte urbano, sabores deliciosos, y el espíritu revolucionario que lo hace distinto a otras zonas del país.

For my mother’s birthday this year I wanted to remind her of the traveler she once was. I grew up listening to her stories of exploring the world alone when she was young. She was adventurous, daring, and curious to see lives outside of her own. I chose to take her to Oaxaca for her reawakening.

A quick plane ride and only one hour time zone ahead, we landed as the sun went down. The night welcomed us in with its warm breeze and a sunset of tangerine and pomegranate hues. We arrive to our home for the next few days: Grana B&B, a restored hacienda from the 18th century converted into a rustic, warm, bed and breakfast in the heart of the city. They offer fresh local breakfast every morning inside the most beautiful shared kitchen adorned with turquoise tile, hanging wax candles, and clay vases with engraved faces filled with colorful bouquets of dried flowers. A big comal in the middle of the room ready for making tortillas dominated the space. There are nopales everywhere and you can see the sky changing from the hammocks on the rooftop where they offer yoga in the morning twice a week. This is a great option to stay if you want to be in the center of the city, literally steps away from some of the main attractions. Here you are surrounded by the best restaurants and bakeries.

We were in the heart of Oaxaca de Juarez at the start of Semana Santa. Easter week in any Latin American country is a time of deep reverence and celebration. The streets were filled with people walking and every corner had new evidence of delicious life. We walked down the cobblestone streets passing a group of people salsa dancing in front of a church on one corner. Down another street we would follow the sound of live music to find a hole in the wall mezcal bar packed with people from all over the world singing together, a shot glass in one hand and another reaching for the heavens. Each place is filled to the brim with flavor and pride.

There are a plethora of beautiful restaurants to choose from, each one with its own rustic charm. The food there is exquisite and a truly fun culinary stop to try new flavors and textures. Street food is a delicacy and for very little you can be truly satisfied by the complex flavors made by hand. Quesadillas de flor de calabaza, pan de yema, memelas, molotes, tetelas, and aguas frescas of every flavor all lined the streets. Ceviche del dia, mole, tlayudas, y tacos, oh the glorious tacos. To experience Oaxaca is a flavor explosion. Each dish a new sensation you never knew you could savor before. The city stays alive at night and invites you in to explore every nook and cranny filled with overflowing culture. Some of the best places to go eat are the central markets which are always the heart and soul of cities.

There are two main markets: Mercado Benito Juarez y Mercado 20 de Noviembre which is the best one for food. Inside you can find everything your heart desires for sale and all of the typical food is made fresh in front of you. Eat lunch at el “Comedor Maria Alejandra” for the best tlayuda of your life. Also inside, there is a section called el “Pasillo de Humo” which is a small section of the market where everything is being cooked, smoked and barbecued. You walk down a hall with vendors on either side and the smoke dances around you as you try some of the best cuts of meat around.

Although Oaxaca has much to offer, you could do an entire trip solely based off the gastronomy and mezcal. The people there are so nice and love to educate further on the extensive world of their flavors and offerings. The cuisine is ancestral in essence, and the ingredients and flavors are the same that have remained a staple throughout the history of the region. Corn, herbs, squash, beans, flowers, and fruit are all dominant staples in their diet and have been since prehistoric times. La Cosecha Organica was one of our favorite places to eat lunch. It is a fully organic market and collective that uses only local ingredients to make traditional cuisine. Some other places that we loved that offer both traditional and modern twists: Guajalote de Oro, Mezcalogia, Mezcaleria Los Amantes, Sabina Sabe (which is considered to be in the top 50 restaurants in the world), y La Popular. I also have to mention our favorite bakery in the city: Masea. It is a joint project with La Atoleria & Tierra Del Sol which are all in the same building and created by Chef Olga Cabrera. This was a unique place to come check out and I was in heaven eating fresh bread and having the options of 6 different atoles to choose from, all simmering in front of you in clay pots. It is the ancestral continuation of this cuisine that really captivates my heart and tastebuds.

After you eat your heart out and you’re too full to decide your next step, here is a great suggestion to walk it off: find the Escaleras Del Fortín and make your way up to the very top of the city to El Mirador. It is an impressive view from the top and there you can access panoramic views of the sunset. You can take a taxi up but I recommend bracing yourself and walking up. It is worth the effort and you’ll be ready to eat and drink more on your way down. When you are up there make sure you also check out the gigantic Guelaguetza tent where they host the annual holiday comprised of traditional dances. You can see all the major cathedrals and main squares from up there and the way down through the residential streets is a great way to see more murals.

Like any part of the world that has previously been conquered by Spain, you can find a multitude of churches throughout the city square. There are a total of 14 churches and cathedrals located within the capitol city limits. Some are definitely worth a look inside like the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman: known for it’s iconic agave plants lining the front, the cathedral inside which made of 24 karat gold and fluctuated between being a convent and safe grounds for soldiers during the civil war, the Museo de Culturas also inside of one of the wings, and out back it is home to the Jardin Etnobotanico which a huge garden of local plant species curated beautifully and protected by the state. Currently there is an exhibit highlighting women’s perspectives and stories regarding the huge problem of femicide in the area. It was a powerful exhibit that I highly recommend checking out if you are in the vecinity.

If you are staying in the city there are countless tours and activities that you can sign up for. Our trip was short so we squeezed in one tour to the nearby archeological ruins of Monte Alban. It is a must to immerse yourself in the ancient world whenever you are in places like this to really get a feel of the history of the region. It is truly astonishing to witness what once was, and to know that we come from such intelligent divinity. A short half hour trip away from the city you find yourself at the top of a mountain overlooking the valley below. Monte Alban is one of the only ancient ruins in the area where there is evidence of Queens ruling alongside their counterparts. The power was shared and they have found there were more than ten queens that ruled during it’s reign. Impressive sculptures of stone, deeply built arenas for gathering, areas for animal sacrifice, and hieroglyphs of ancient knowledge are all on display.

Something noteworthy that I have to mention: I have never been more mesmerized by street art and architecture in a city before. It feels like you are walking in a painting. The brighter colors a house has, the newer it is. The use of pigment is entrancing and it makes an ordinary building stand out. Jalatlaco is a neighborhood known for its street art. This is a great place for photo ops and vibrant backgrounds. Put on your best outfit and walk the streets ready to become part of the beauty.

Being in this world of color I remained impressed by seeing how political in nature the messages of street art and graffiti were. The walls were filled with pro-women art, highlighting the situation of struggle for women throughout the country. It is a place of hope and fierce strength. Positive messages line vibrant walls and you are reminded of the revolutionary people of this land that come equipped with a strong spirit. Xochimilco is the oldest neighborhood in the city and it has a quiet and quaint atmosphere infused with artistic hues. You can walk through the dried river aqueduct and have lunch in a quiet artist cafe that also serves as an art gallery. This is a part of town that would be great to stay to getaway from the hustle of the main part of town and simply create art for hours. In Oaxaca they make art as an offering to the collective.

My mother came back to life on this trip. I saw her inner light shine brighter than it has in a while. She was so excited to see the next new thing every day and even talked about imagining herself retiring in Oaxaca. We are the same type of traveler. Twin souls navigating the streets together with no particular agenda in mind. Not many people can travel like this: walking endlessly for miles and simply taking in bit by bit of what the universe wants you to come across.

Like her, I ask questions, try new things, and am not afraid to talk to new people and immerse ourselves into the mix of life. This is something she passed on to me and I thank her everyday for the bright spirit that I was blessed to be raised by. The thirst for experiencing life has brought her to many corners of the world. Now I hope to facilitate this more for her and send her off to discover new parts of herself that might have remained unseen until now.

Our parents are people too; a concept completely foreign for most to realize. They have desires, likes, and needs separate from parenthood and they deserve to be treated by their children as well. Not many things bring me as much joy as traveling with my mother. “Where to next?”, I ask her. “Everywhere”, she replies.

Hasta la siguiente etapa del viaje, nuestro periplo continua.

Daniela