5 Days in Oaxaca - Day Two (Part I)

Oaxaca Diary by Renée Netzel

As the church bells rang at 8 am, we lazily rolled out of our comfortable bed to have some breakfast and greet the day. Our second day in Oaxaca would take us out of the city to see Monte Albán, the Tule tree, and the Sunday market in Tlacochahuaya (try saying that one fast!).

We had booked a private guided tour with Discover Oaxaca Tours and we were excited to begin our adventure. Benito Hernández, our guide, is of Zapotec descent and has lived most of his life in Oaxaca City. As a result, he is very knowledgeable about the history, culture, and traditions of the area...especially Monte Alban, which was the first stop of the day.

5 Days in Oaxaca - Day One

Oaxaca City Diary by Renée Netzel

We have just returned from spending five days in Oaxaca City...what a great place!  How Oaxaca has stayed below the travel radar is beyond me.

Picture a flight on a little 13-seat airplane climbing over the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains with layer upon layer of green slopes and billowy clouds nestled between them.  Now imagine cresting those jungle covered peaks only to reveal an expansive fertile valley dropped between these large mountains flanking the perimeter.  Somehow, you can imagine what it must have been like thousands of years ago when the great ruin of Monte Albán marked the first true city of Mesoamerica.

Oaxaca is arguably the most colonial of all of Mexico's cities and certainly the main centre of Oaxaca is representative of this.  Sitting at 1,550 m above sea level, the climate of Oaxaca is very envious indeed.  Warm sunny days with little humidity give way to cooler evenings providing a very comfortable environment.

10 Myths About Mexico

There are many myths, misconceptions, or stereotypes about Mexico.  Let's have a closer look at a few of these.

The Lizard Who Adopted Us

Today's post is by Renée Netzel

It was late in the morning when we first spotted him...a little brown lizard, crouching near our patio doors and trying to hide from our dog, Monte, in the curtains.  He was pretty cute and he was pretty scared as he laid there as still as possible.  I tried to coax him into moving but he was frozen in place.  I even tried feeding him little morsels of food but there was nothing that was going to make him move.  So, I finally worked up the courage to pick him up by the tail and send him on his way out the front door.  He was free!

Mexican Wine?

Like anything in life, what you don't know or don't understand, will always surprise you.  We all know that Mexico is famous for its beer and  Tequila, and now Mezcal is becoming more popular and more understood.

What about Mexican Wine?

Mexican wine making actually began in the 16th century with the arrival of the Spanish and Hernán Cortés. The legends says that Hernán and his troops arrived in what was to become New Spain (Mexico) and they brought with them loads of wine that were quickly depleted.  But as part of his agenda when he became the governor, was to plant new vines and produce wine.  Vines were brought over from Europe and flourished in the states of Puebla, Coahuila, and Zacatecas.  It was these vines that would later be sent to Napa Valley and South America.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

We in Huatulco are very sensitive to environmental issues as this area just received the Earth Check Gold Certification.  So when an old issue came full circle, we thought it best to bring this to the forefront again.

While it may be an old issue it has certainly not gone away...The North Pacific Gyre is essentially a huge island of garbage twice the size of the state of Texas, and weighing in at more than 3.5 tons.

The "patch" has actually been around since the 1950s, or at least this is when we first really noticed it.  Most of the garbage originates on-shore and is swept to the ocean via wind and currents, often times from our lack of proper disposal.

Why Do People Love the Beach?

I have often thought about this.  After all, the beach, or sand is nothing more than crushed up rock and coral.  Why do so many people search far and wide for the best beaches?  Why do many people choose beach destinations for their holidays? 

Here are my top 10 reasons why people love the beach.

Win a Free Trip to Huatulco, Mexico

Don't miss your chance to win a free trip to Huatulco, Mexico courtesy of The Secrets Resort & Spa.

Follow the link below to go to Mexico Today's Facebook page and click "Enter Now" on their page for a chance to win!  From here just follow the directions and you are on your way...see you in Huatulco!

Click here: http://www.facebook.com/MexicoToday?sk=app_180588498662106

Copalita Eco-Archeological Park

Today's post is by Lic. Carlos Alejandro Becerra Ortega, Analista de Comercialización, Parque Eco~Arqueológico Copalita.  The English translation is by Sue McClam www.huatulcolanguagecourses.com

The Copalita Eco-Archeological Park extends over an area of 81.14 hectares.  It offers a wide diversity of ecosystems and great cultural interest due to the existence of pre-Hispanic structures.  The National Institute of Anthropology and History has begun excavation work with economic help from FONATUR.  Evidence of human occupation that dates back more than 2000 years has been found on the site which is located along side the mouth of the Copalita River.  The park forms part of the pre-Hispanic settlements of great importance on the Pacific Coast of Mexico.