Day of the Dead

La Catrina
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We caught yet another overnight bus from San Cristobal to Oaxaca. Oaxaca is also a beautiful city filled with a unique mixture of both colonial and grand european style architecture. We stayed in an amazing hostel here called Hostal Paulina (highly recommended) that served the best breakfast we've ever had.

We were lucky enough to be in Oaxaca for the 'Day of the Dead' celebrations. This is a time when Mexicans celebrate the lives of family, friends and pets who have passed away. This celebration is not at all morbid but actually very lively and visually interesting. The celebrations and everything that goes with them are much more extravagent than Christmas time back home.

This celebration is not at all morbid but very lively and visually interesting

Monte Alban ruins
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Every single shop, restaurant and hotel was decked out with very artistic skeleton decorations. There were even decorations involving the (man made) skeletons of cats and dogs. Local artists created 3D pictures of various skeletons from coloured sand. This was an amazing sight to see. There were also skeletons dressed up in wedding outfits. During this time of year the streets are alive with people dressed up in costume and dancing everywhere. There is also a large selection of products available in the shops with skeleton designs on them. We spent a few days soaking up the festival atmosphere and also checking out the many interesting restaurants and shops.

Mole in the market
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Oaxaca is very famous and justly so for its Moles (pronounced Mo-Lays). These are sauces used for cooking and there are offically 8 different types, with many other varieties. The most interesting mole was the chocolate one. On numerous occasions we had chicken or taco dishes covered in the rich savoury chocolate mole more accurately known as mole negro. The other moles came in a variety of flavours and colours some being spicey and others mild.

There are dozens of chocolate shops around town producing and selling different varietes of mole negro along with drinking chocolate. It was interesting visiting these stores as locals order a specific type of chocolate and then take a seat while the mixture is ground using large machines and prepared in front of them. We found ourselves standing around and observing this as well as enjoying the delightful chocolate smell radiating within these stalls. Most of the shops offer free samples and some have cafes where you can order hot chocolates and milkshakes. If you get the chance the milkshakes are great and worth the taste. Surrounding cafes also produce some great chocolate drinks using these products.

Alebrijes
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There is a nice local market at Oaxaca selling all types of imaginative food products including the colourful mole powders ready for making sauces. This area is also known for selling crickets that are either eaten on their own or used in cooking. You can also pick up some cool retro looking vinyl shoulder bags for next to nothing complete with funky designs on them.

Whilst in Oaxaca we decided to do a cooking class and chose to do it through a restaurant called El Naranjo. The owner of this restaurant, a friendly American called Andrew, runs the classes. Andrew has spent time training with some famous Mexican chefs/authors and has mastered the local Oaxacan specialties. The class was held within a large modern kitchen and our small group prepared and cooked the food together with Andrew. We cooked a 5 course meal with the maincourse and highlight of the class being the Estofada chicken mole. After the meal was ready we got to sit down and enjoy eating it. If anyone is interested in booking a course through Andrew you can either speak to him in person and a days notice should be sufficient or alternatively email him on acpeterson1@aol.com Also if you're not interested in a cooking class but you'd like a nice meal drop by the restaurant and try one of their lovely Oaxacan dishes.

Yes this is Shannyn cooking
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From Oaxaca we decided to do two day trips. On the first day trip we visited the Monte Alban Zapotec ruins. These were interesting as you were able to climb some of the higher temples and get an amazing view of the other temples and overall area. We then got to see the beautiful church of Cuilapan and then visited a local village called Arrazola. The people in this village specialise in making Alebrijes which are animals carved from wood and then painted in bright colours. Whilst here we spent time at a family's workshop learning the procedure and watching the family busily working away. Some of the Alebrijes are fascinating works of art as they are huge and made up of a collection of tiny pieces. These figurines are very famous throughout Mexico and are available for sale in most areas.

Day of the dead decorations
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Finally we visited a village called San Bartolo Coyotepec which is famous for its black pottery and also spent time there at a family workshop watching the step by step process and were amazed at how such beautiful items were made using such simple tools and processes.

Our second day trip took us to the Mitla ruins which were completely different to any others we have seen as they are comprised of unusual geometric stone mosiacs. We then visited the famous Tule tree in Santa Maria Arbor Del Tule, this tree is the widest tree in the world (with a 164 feet circumference) and over 2,000 years old. This was followed by a visit to a nearby village famous for its traditional and colourful rug making. Again we saw a family making these in their workshop (including boiling the local plant sources as they prepared the natural dyes).

Crickets for sale
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There is much to see and do in Oaxaca and it's a definate place to visit if you are in Mexico. If you are thinking of being in Mexico for the day of the dead celebrations (October 29th to November 2nd) then we would say Oaxaca and the surrounding villages is an ideal place to be. Shannyn