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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan

Saturday, November 10, 2012

A tale of two beaches, Mazunte and Zipolite Posted on November 7, 2012 by The Dromomaniac


A tale of two beaches, Mazunte and Zipolite

     The two guys here, Arthur from Austria and Max from Quebec, I met in a hostel in Oaxaca, and found them both in Mazunte. Stefanie in the middle runs a nice little bakery in town called Panaderia La Primera. It turns out that Arthur and Stefanie are not only from the same town, Innsbruck, but they went to the same primary school together, they discovered. Small world, but let’s not be distracted from these chocolatins in the front of the basket (10 pesos each. 12.5 pesos = US$1). Mind-blowingly good. The pan de relleno in the back is tops, too.

Mazunte
     I’m a shade less than an hour east of Puerto Escondido in the village of Mazunte. Took the bus to get near here and then twice I hitchhiked short distances with a female friend I am traveling with, both very easily. Funny how it is easier to hitchhike with a girl. Who knew?
     It is veeeery nice to swim on this coast. The water is a perfect temperature, it seems clean enough, the beaches are as clean as could be hoped for and Mazunte has some shady spots on the beach if skin cancer isn’t your goal. Most places are very quiet as it is low season for reasons I haven’t figured out yet. There’s a nice mix of locals, travelers, hippies, Austrians and low-key restaurants.
     This kills me. A love donation—but it’s suggested you pay a minimum of 30 pesos and no one gets hurt.

     I was born and raised in California and even I had to have ‘past life regressions’ explained to me.

     Come on baby light my…FIRE! This isn’t my paunch, but if I maintain my pace of chicken mole tamales, I’m headed that way.

     There was not one but two of these cool Tortilleria VW Bugs zooming around town.

     On a dusty corner lot I got talking to a 20-year-old guy working at a roasted chicken place. He was planning on heading to work in the tobacco fields of North Carolina with his brother, who is already there. His brother claims that he can make $100 a day working 14-hour days in the fields, seven days a week.
     His plan is to pay a coyote (human trafficker) in Puerto Escondido a love donation of 25,000 pesos ($2000) to get him across the border and he thinks he needs only two years to save enough money to build a nice house here for his wife and son.
     He seemed to be aware of the risk and the danger of trying to cross the border. He said it was common for people in the area to go to America because wages were simply too low in Mexico to support a family. The increase in tourism along the coast didn’t seem to affect wages. (What does?)
     He earns 100 pesos a day working at the roast chicken place. A better job might pay 200 pesos a day, he said, but it was still impossible to save enough money to have something better than a shack built of sticks with a linoleum floor if he didn’t go to America.
     Everywhere I’ve been in Mexico are tons of job openings. I’ve never seen anything like it.

     I always wonder about the pull of Mexicans northward. It’s always said that the sense of family is very strong in Mexico, and yet it is common that young, able-bodied men and women go off to America to try and make better money. There is pressure on these migrants to support their large extended families which are the result of a lack of family planning options. This in turn is due to the heavy presence of the Catholic church in Mexican society especially as it relates to abortion. I read that the municipality of Mexico City and the country of Uruguay are the only places in all of Latin America where it is legal to have an abortion. (Uruguay just changed its laws a few weeks ago.)
     Mexico seemingly has so much and Mexicans are hard-working people, so why is it relatively poor? One reason has to be the failure of the government which is lazily reliant on foreign remittances that take the place of a functioning economy.
     I haven’t thought it all out yet. Let’s move on to nearly-dead hippies.
Zipolite
     Less than 10km east along the coast from Mazunte is the village of Zipolite, which is an indigenous Zapotec word meaning “Beach of the Dead”. How quaint! It is famous for being a hippy hangout, but the hippies are a ragged, scraggly, sickly-looking bunch. They appear ready to die at any minute, which would be great as I need a new backpack, but they give me the skeeves. I have no problem with my shanti-shanti travel brethren per se, but something is decidedly unappealing about them.
     The Lonely Planet page for Zipolite is schizo. It is like they are describing two different places. Come for the beauty, the wonderful surroundings, the magic—but live in fear of the violent attacks, robberies and murders by a bloodthirsty gang, all in a little village of 1100 people! Incredible.

     I went to South Central—I mean, Zipolite—as a day trip from Mazunte and survived.

Practical information:
     Accommodation in Mazunte is tricky business. We stayed in the Hospedaje El Mazunte across from the Turtle Center for 200 pesos. I’m sure they will get wifi before they get seats for the toilet. Options in Mazunte are spread out and it is very hot to walk all over with your backpack, so I say pick any hovel for 100 pesos or less if you are alone and then check other places out later. What’s that? You will only be in town a couple of days? Pffft. Everyone says that, and then they have Stefanie’s chocolatins.
     Why don’t you stay with me? You can follow along with RSS or subscribe to an email feed.
You might also like:

Mazunte | The Official Lila Downs Site Nov. 09. México D.F.. Nov. 11. Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México. Nov. 18. Mazunte, Oaxaca, México. Nov. 29. Puebla, Puebla, México ... www.liladowns.com/us/event/2012/11/18/mazunte



Mazunte | The Official Lila Downs Site
Nov. 09. México D.F.. Nov. 11. Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México. Nov. 18. Mazunte, Oaxaca, México. Nov. 29. Puebla, Puebla, México ...
www.liladowns.com/us/event/2012/11/18/mazunte

Mazunte Jazz Festival (Nov. 16-18) features Lila Downs

Mazunte Jazz Festival (Nov. 16-18) features Lila Downs

Posted by Farkem 
Map of Puerto Escondido Centro

Mazunte Jazz Festival (Nov. 16-18) features Lila Downs 
November 09, 2012 11:31AM
Re: Mazunte Jazz Festival (Nov. 16-18) features Lila Downs 
November 09, 2012 02:20PM
Try not to miss Lila Downs, she has costa chica roots, we saw her several years ago in the plaza at Puerto and later at a summer festival in Quebec and can only imagine how much her music and presence has grown.
Re: Mazunte Jazz Festival (Nov. 16-18) features Lila Downs 
November 09, 2012 02:31PM
Ten or 12 years ago, Lila was a frequent visitor to Puerto, and performed here often.

One year, I was disappointed to learn that she was scheduled to perform in Puerto on Nov. 18, as part of the Fiestas de Noviembre, when I was departing Puerto on Nov. 12, and was therefore unable to catch her performance here.

However, two weeks after I arrived in NYC, Lila Downs performed there in a new cabaret theatre, and I caught both shows. She truly is an international musical star of the first order.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/2012 02:34PM by Farkem.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Encuentro Internacional De Jazz Biosfera Marina Mazunte 2012 shared Encuentro Internacional De Jazz Biosfera Marina Mazunte 2012's photo.


Encuentro Internacional De Jazz Biosfera Marina Mazunte 2012 shared Encuentro Internacional De Jazz Biosfera Marina Mazunte 2012's photo.


LA PUNTA COMETA

Mazunte JAZZ 2012


JAZZ Mazunte Biosfera Marina 2012


Guia Mazunte, Oaxaca, Mexico - Restaurantes, artes, hoteles, real ... www.guiamazunte.com/ - Translate this pageShareJazz Mazunte Mexico Septimo Festival Internacional de Jazz Mazunte Biosfera Marina 2012 - 16 a 18 de noviembre 2012. Homenaje a Miles Davis - Invitada de ...


Guia Mazunte, Oaxaca, Mexico - Restaurantes, artes, hoteles, real ...

www.guiamazunte.com/ - Translate this pageShare
Jazz Mazunte Mexico Septimo Festival Internacional de Jazz Mazunte Biosfera Marina 2012 - 16 a 18 de noviembre 2012. Homenaje a Miles Davis - Invitada de ...


 What to do?    What's happening in Mazunte, Zipolite, San Agustinillo, Puerto 
Angel? ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ----------------
MAZUNTESKIM BPS and present: 
INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT SKIMBOARD Mazunte, 3 and 4 November 2012 
The 3rd edition cangrero battles. Info: mazunteskim@gmail.com

------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ------- 
Jazz Mazunte Mexico
Seventh International Jazz Festival Marina Biosphere Mazunte 2012 - 16 to 18 November 2012
Tribute to Miles Davis - Guest of honor Lila Downs -> INFO

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EVA brings to the coast of Oaxaca BASKET ECOLOGICAL with seasonal the ecovillage!
During 12 months to 20 families organic, know the value of eating local and craft ecoaldeaeva@gmail.com ::ecovillananda.com -> PRODUCTS BASKET AND COST

---------- -------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Piña Child Care Center ,
we seek to strengthen donor the worka we do with people with disabilities on the south coast of Oaxaca INFO
---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
Any event to announce? Advise us, we publish free! ->ventas@guiamazunte.com
Previous publication

 MAZUNTE GUIDE NEWS   What's new in Mazunte 
Guide? ---------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------- 
DAVID ROUGAROU , Art Creation - Destruction Art 
-------------- -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ 
HOTEL El Copal , Mazunte ecolodge, four cottages and terrace from which are commonly seen 

dolphins and manta rays playing in the 
waves. ------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ------------- 
Osvaldo Vega , Artistic and decorative wall painting, industrial design, interior design and 
more. ------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ 
The Alchemist ZipoliteTHE ALCHEMIST , restaurant, pub & cottages in Zipolite, 
Mexico. ------- -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- 
CULTURE HOUSE KINGS Mantecón , To promote and preserve the cultural and artistic richness of 
Oaxaca. --------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Casa Emelina , a new luxury villa waterfront 
--------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ---------------------- 
WILD CAT STUDIOS , a professional photographer on the coast of 
Oaxaca. ---------------- -------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- 

 OTHER ADS  Advertise in Mazunte Guide
From $ 500 pesos a year for being seen worldwide. Advertise now in Mazunte 
Guide! ------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- -------
musicians, artists of all types, send us your ad ! The Guide Mazunte, publish them for free. Long live the 
art! --------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ----- HANDLES!
Mangos Mazunte
Mango Pulp ataulfo ​​pitted and zipper bags. 

$ 45 pesos / kilo. 
Available now in 3 kilos bags for $ 135 pesos. Tel: 954 582 0873, with Mrs. Pina ---- -------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------

 QUE HACER?   What's happening in Mazunte, Zipolite, San Agustinillo, Puerto Angel?
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BPS y MAZUNTESKIM presentan:
TORNEO INTERNACIONAL DE SKIMBOARD EN MAZUNTE, 3 y 4 de noviembre 2012
Las batallas del cangrero 3ra edicion. Info: mazunteskim@gmail.com

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Jazz Mazunte Mexico
Septimo Festival Internacional de Jazz Mazunte Biosfera Marina 2012 - 16 a 18 de noviembre 2012
Homenaje a Miles Davis - Invitada de honor Lila Downs --> INFO

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EVA trae a la costa de Oaxaca CANASTA ECOLOGICAS con productos de temporada de la ecoaldea! 
Durante 12 meses para 20 familias orgánicas, conscientes del valor de consumir local y artesanal.
ecoaldeaeva@gmail.com :: ecovillananda.com --> PRODUCTOS DE LA CANASTA Y COSTO

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Piña Palmera Centro de Atención infantil,
buscamos donantes para fortalecer el trabajoa que hacemos con personas con discapacidad en la Costa sur de OaxacaINFO
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Tienes algun evento para anunciar? Avisanos, te publicamos gratis! --> ventas@guiamazunte.com
Publicaciones anteriores

 NOVEDADES EN LA GUIA MAZUNTE   What's new in Guia Mazunte?
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DAVID ROUGAROU, Art Creation - Art Destruction
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
HOTEL EL COPAL, Hospedaje ecológico en Mazunte, cuatro cabañas y una terraza desde donde se ven comúnmente
delfines y mantarrayas jugando en las olas.
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OSVALDO VEGA, Pintura mural artistica y decorativa, diseño industrial, diseño de interiores y mas.
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El Alquimista ZipoliteEL ALQUIMISTA, Restaurante, pub & cabañas en Zipolite, México.
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CASA DE CULTURA REYES DE MANTECON, Promover y conservar la riqueza cultural y artística de Oaxaca. 
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CASA EMELINA, Una nueva villa de lujo frente al mar.
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WILD CAT STUDIOS, Fotografo profesional en la costa de Oaxaca.
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 OTROS ANUNCIOS Anunciate en la Guia Mazunte
Desde $500 pesos al ano para que te vean en todo el mundo. Anunciate ahora en la Guia Mazunte!
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Musicos, artistas de todos tipos, mandanos tu anuncio! En la Guia Mazunte, les publicamos gratis. Que viva el arte!
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Mangos MazunteMANGOS!
Pulpa de mango ataulfo sin hueso y en bolsas con cierre. 
$45 pesos/kilo. 
Disponible ahora en bolsas de 3 kilos por $135 pesos.
Tel.: 954 582 0873, con la Señora Pina





Zipolite on the WWW

Mazunte, takes its name from a blue crab that was once very numerous in the area. This beach belongs to the town of Mazunte, has an area of ​​one kilometer of golden sand, lapped by warm, crystal clear waters with beautiful greenish-blue. There are restaurant services, housing and rented rooms nearby.
There are also small pizzerias and Italian restaurants, Argentina and Japan.
At the western end of the bay is a crescent shape called Punta Cometa or also named Sacred Hill. Punta Cometa is the highest projection of Mexico in the South Pacific. Its strategic location allows since this area can appreciate amazing sunrises and magnificent sunsets.
Mazunte Playa currently houses the Mexican Turtle Center , which has facilities in the Living Museum of the Tortuga factory also the Mazunte Natural Cosmetics , today a model of sustainable development where it is taken from nature, not break the ecological balance.
San Agustinillo BEACH: Just 5 minutes of Mazunte, a beach is suitable for family tourism. The surf is usually varied, some days the sea is excellent for surfing, others are better for swimming and snorkeling, but is safer than Zipolite since there are no underwater currents.
Mermejita BEACH : is a virgin beach near Mazunte. She can be reached by a gap emerges west of the entrance to El Rinconcito.Its waves are quite strong and extreme caution is advised. To the east there is a cache divided by rocks, the largest beach, where the waves lashing violently.
Location
Mazunte is located just a few miles west of Puerto Angel (15 minutes) and last Zipolite Agustinillo.Getting to Mazunte
If traveling by private car .....
From the city of Oaxaca, drive along highway 175, from San Pedro Pochutla, until joining the highway 200. Forward to Puerto Escondido and right in the town of San Antonio, 13 km.Approximately, turn left on the paved road, reaching Mazunte.
Another option is to come Pochutla and continue straight on the road that goes to Puerto Angel, Zipolite and San Agustinillo. The estimated travel time is 5 hours.
From Mexico City, follow Highway Oaxaca-Puebla-Orizaba, to the city of Oaxaca, and there take highway 175, to the junction with highway 200. Forward to Puerto Escondido and right in the town of San Antonio, approximately 13 kilometers, turn left on the paved road, reaching Mazunte.
If traveling by commercial bus ....
From the city of Oaxaca can address, 1st terminal. Class (Heroes de Chapultepec Calz. No. 1036), a bus line "Christopher Columbus" to Pochutla.
The other option is to choose one of the two bus lines 2nd.Class Oaxaca covering the route-Pochutla and having their terminal inside the bus station, located across the street from Margarita Maza s / n. Col. Cosijoeza.
Already in Pochutla, can move to any of Mazunte in taxis or buses covering the route Puchutla - Mazunte


The beach Belonging to the area of Mazunte, has an area of a mile of golden sand washed by warm, crystal clear waters with beautiful greenish-blue. There are restaurant services, accommodation and rented rooms nearby. At the western end of the bay half moon shape called Punta Cometa, the southernmost point of Oaxaca. The nearby beach is Agustinillo quieter and better for swimming than Mazunte Beach. It now houses the Mexican Turtle Center, its facilities Within Which turtle Live With The Museum as well as Mazunte Natural Cosmetics Factory, today a model of sustainable development in Which what is taken from nature, not broken ecological balance. Location Mazunte is located just a few miles west of Puerto Angel (15 minutes) and past Zipolite Agustinillo. Getting to Mazunte





If traveling by private car ..... From the city of Oaxaca, drive along Highway 175 from San Pedro Pochutla Until joining the Federal Highway 200. Advancement for Puerto Escondido and fair in the town of San Antonio, 13 km.Approximately fork left onto the paved road Until You Reach Mazunte.
Another option is to come Pochutla and continue straight on the road That goes to Puerto Angel, Zipolite and San Agustinillo. The Estimated travel time is 5 hours.


From Mexico City, follow Highway Oaxaca-Puebla-Orizaba, to the city of Oaxaca, 
and there take highway 175, Until joining the Federal Highway 200. 
Advancement for Puerto Escondido and fair in the town of San Antonio, 
13 miles, fork left onto the paved road Until You Reach Mazunte. If 
traveling by commercial bus ....From the city of Oaxaca can address in 
the 1st terminal. Class (Calz. Heroes de Chapultepec No. 1036), a bus line 
"Cristobal Colon" to Pochutla. The other option is to choose one of the two 
bus routes 2nd. Class covering the route Pochutla and Oaxaca have 
inside Their terminal from the bus station, located on Calle Margarita Maza 
s / n. Col. Cosijoeza. Already Pochutla Mazunte can move to in one of the 
taxis or buses cover the route Puchutla That - Mazunte 

New Palapas & Hammock Spaces at Roca Blanca Posada Part 2

Lazy days in Puerto Escondido, Mexico Posted on November 3, 2012 by The Dromomaniac


Lazy days in Puerto Escondido, Mexico

     Seen in a health food store, this translates as ‘Wild Immediately’. Amazing graphic on the box, eh? Should I change my logo on the top of the page from my feet to this?

     It’s a thoroughly unenjoyable seven-hour ride from Oaxaca over the mountains south to Puerto Escondido. The views are great, but it’s impossible to enjoy them through tinted windows as you cross over your 5000th speed bump and the driver is careening around every corner at 3 Gs. The only thing worse would have been to do the journey at night, but if you want to save money on accommodation, that’s what you do as a backpacker.
     Puerto Escondido is nicer than I expected. I thought it would be like a poor man’s version of Puerto Vallarta or Cancun, but it has a charm that made me want to linger a few days longer, or it was the evening sea breezes that hypnotized me. Not many others felt the same way as I saw few other travelers, but it’s super-low season and very quiet. The best thing I did was swim and laze by the beautiful bay at nearby Playa Carrizalillo.
     Mexicans can’t always grasp ‘Kent’ so I use other names when they ask. Chicharito is a famous soccer player.

     Overlooking Playa Carrizalillo

     Playa Carrizalillo. Fantastic water temperature, too.

     The costa is not so hermosa for everybody.

     The main drag in Puerto Escondido. Double nonvehicle rolled!
Practical information:
     Simple but very true advice: if you have a choice, always go with an older bus driver over a young one.
     The Hostal Monte Cassino just above Playa Principal is 240 pesos for two or cheaper if you pay for a few days in advance. All the beautiful people stay there. I ate street food every day and almost every meal. By doing so, meals averaged about 25-30 pesos.
     Why don’t you stay with me? You can follow along with RSS or subscribe to an email feed.
You might also like:

Oaxaca this way to southern Mexico! Posted on October 29, 2012 by The Dromomaniac


Oaxaca this way to southern Mexico!

     Oaxaca, which lies almost 500km southeast of Mexico City, is the capital of Oaxaca state. The part of central California I call home (for lack of a better place) has many Mixtecs, an ethnic group from the northwest part of Oaxaca state who speak neither Spanish nor English. The New York Times wrote a story about the Mixtecs and how they make do in Madera County. My favorite part of the article is where DVDs of dances back home are sold so they can see who is dancing with whom! I’ve already met a policeman here who worked in the fields in Madera. Imagine that transition.
     Day of the Dead, which peaks on November 2, is an especially big holiday in Oaxaca, but a full ten days before it felt like the party was already in full swing with fireworks all day and night. Who lights fireworks in the daytime? I asked one guy running streamers through a large spinning wheel in preparation for one night’s show what the event was, but it hardly seemed to matter; something’s going on every night. Not just musicians but complete bands can be heard all over town, and there are a ton of people roaming around selling necessities like fried grasshoppers and plastic spiders. Great atmosphere.
     Heavy fireworks off the church in the main square, the zocalo, in Oaxaca. The pigeons are so used to the nonstop barrage of fireworks and noise in Oaxaca that they hardly budged during this. I think I heard one pigeon say to another, ‘Meh.’

     A ‘semi-new’ typewriter for US$440? The Mayans are right: the world is ending.

     The thing to do in Oaxaca that few do is to visit the surrounding towns on their weekly market days. I loved it. I must have set a backpacker record by going to four: Etla, Zaachila, Ocotlan and Tlacolula. (Try saying “Tlacolula” and “Oaxaca” ten times fast.) It’s a shame I saw only a smattering of other travelers as this is why I am interested in Oaxaca to begin with: to see everyone come from their villages into town wearing their colorful clothes to trade, chat, and eat.
     It’s worth going just to feast. I gorged on tacos, taquitos and tlayudas (large, thin tortillas with a variety of fillings) plus whatever caught my eye: pumpkin seed and honey discs, puffed amaranth and white chocolate wafers, …….and other delectables I should really take a photo of before I consume them.
     In the Tlacolula market I bought some watermelon chunks and tried to pay the woman when I felt someone tugging on my pants. I looked down and saw it was the cashier, a serious girl of maybe seven years old, no taller than my waist. I was apprehensive about paying her, but the woman gestured for me to do so, and I noticed she was wearing a money pouch. The little girl was all business. She reproached me for my hesitation by giving me a stern look and making change quickly. Confused, I looked back at the watermelon woman who gave a proud smile.
     On the way to Tlacolula I saw big, bright signs for “drogadictos anonimos” and “alcoholicos anonimos”, and then, in an appropriately lonely place on the highway, “neuroticos anonimos”.
     Statue in Ocotlan. I don’t know what else to say about this.

     Grasshoppers! Protein! These are sold all over town. In fact, grasshoppers in Oaxaca and the surrounding towns are just as omnipresent as tacos, believe it or not. How does one go about raising and breeding grasshoppers?

     Four tacos al pastor (meat off a vertical spit), only 12 pesos (12.5 pesos = $1.) The light yellow chunks are pineapple, which is surprisingly quite common.

     Hamburguesas McMel. It would be cool if McDonalds’ cease-and-desist letter had mustard stains on it.

     A chocolate miller in Oaxaca. I was fascinated by this. Raw cacao beans are mixed with sugar, almonds and cinnamon that people take home to make chocolate water, chocolate milk or other sweets, while other combinations of cacao and chilis are ground to form a basis of making mole. I poked my head into many mills to chat with the guys and sample their mixtures.

     Dreaming in color at the Tlacolula market

     2 kilos of potatoes for 10 pesos? How barbaric!

     Naming your Hungarian dance company Miskolc is like naming your American dance company Peoria or naming your Australian dance company Ipswich or naming your German dance company Sprockhovel or naming your British dance company Luton or…

Practical information:
     I chickened out of hitchhiking from Puebla to Oaxaca. It would have been a pain to find a good place to stand, lots of people already were hanging out by the road, plus other weak excuses. (It was hot.)
     Rideshare exists in Mexico, even if it feels in its infancy. This is a ride from Mexico City to Oaxacafor only 150 pesos each way, less than half the cost of the bus. It is a website worth keeping your eye on.
     I stayed at Hostal Pochon 120 pesos for a dorm bed, perfectly fine but if it is full, the dearth of bathrooms is a problem. I also stayed at the perfectly fine Hotel Posada el Chapulin (Grasshopper Hotel!) closer to town for 250 pesos for two people with bathroom, TV, wifi, etc.
     My advice is to check the housing listings on Oaxaca Craigslist even if you are in town for a short time. I saw a few private apartments for the same price as a dorm bed in a hostel.
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