Guided by Mexicans

We did a free walking tour of Oaxaca this morning and learnt a great deal about the place and about Mexico. There’s no question it’s a pretty town with an engaging story.

One interesting story was about how they enforce the uniform colour palette and height limit that makes Oaxaca look so great. If someone ignores the rules they put posters on the building saying that the building has been shut down. But if you are connected, or can pay someone off – you can just ignore the posters and carry on as if nothing had happened. We had coffee in a shop liberally plastered with ‘suspendia’ notices after it had modernized its interior, but it’s owned by a politician and so untouchable.

After the tour we had a lunch of chalaquitas from a tiny stall in a park. Although they were recommended by the guide, they weren’t stunning – bit like soggy nachos. We did better with a follow up coffee and unusual cake.

Then we went to the convent and museum which proved to be both a lovely building and and interesting museum. The museum included items from tomb 7 which is the richest grave site in the Americas. The mosaic skull was particularly striking.

After a bit of a siesta it was another tour – the food tour we had been supposed to have yesterday. This turned out to be excellent – we got to try things we’d otherwise have found difficult, and got tons of background information. Highlights included eating ants, drinking a local delicacy from a huge urn, trying 100% freshly ground chocolate, and eating from the aptly named pasillo de humos, or passage of smoke.