Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca City is located in Mexico's southern region in the middle of a zone surrounded by four valleys. Behind the valleys lie three important mountain ranges, which keep the climate mild with an average temperature of 18º C (64º F).
In this city, the capital of the state of Oaxaca, you can admire the beautiful architecture of the buildings in the Centro Historico (Historic Center), which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. The edifices include la Catedral (The Cathedral), el Templo y ex Convento de Santo Domingo de Guzman (The Temple and Ex-Convent of Saint Domingo de Guzman), la Basilica de la Soledad (The Basilica of Solitude) and el Teatro Macedonio Alcala (The Macedonio Alcala Theater), among other magnificent colonial and 19th-century constructions. As you visit the main plaza, the numerous establishments surrounding the Historic Center, and the traditional markets, such as Benito Juarez and 20 de Noviembre, you'll find all kinds of crafts that come from various regions of Oaxaca. Among the most popular crafts are the colorful alebrijes, swords, wool garments and beautiful black pottery. At some of the more traditional places you can try the delicious local fare, such as tamales, mole dishes and Oaxacan cheese. Another favorite is Oaxaca's famous mezcal, a regional alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant.
In the city's surrounding areas, you can visit archaeological zones Monte Alban and Mitla, pre-Hispanic capitals of the Zapotec and Mixtec people. If you visit the town of Santa Maria de Tule, you can marvel at the famous Arbol del Tule (Tule Tree). What's more, the magnificent natural scenery at Parque Nacional Benito Juarez and the spectacular fossilized waterfalls at Hierve el Agua are certain to impress you. All of these places are relatively close to Oaxaca City, one of Mexico's most charming cities.
oaxaca.gob.mx
Oaxaca Mexico The City
Oaxaca at the foothills of the Sierra Madre is a lovely city with Plaza de la Constitución or Zocalo as its centre (see separate video). The Macedonio Alcalá Tourist Corridor is a pedestrian street paved with green cantera. The Cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. The richly decorated Santo Domingo de Guzmán Church was constructed between 1555 and 1666. The Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad is built between 1682 and 1697 is of Baroque style.There is also a separate video on the markets.
OAXACA FOOD! TOP 5 dishes you must eat in Oaxaca | Food and Travel Channel | Oaxaca, Mexico
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Chasing a Plate is in Oaxaca, Mexico! We have spent 2 weeks eating as much as possible in Oaxaca. Here are our Top 5 Oaxacan Foods and suggestions for where to sample them...
1. Oaxacan Tamales: especially the mole negro kind! Our favourites were from Geno at La Merced Market.
Traditionally tamales are a masa or a type of corn dough which is steamed in a corn husk and filled with all types of fillings. In Oaxaca the masa is steamed in a banana leaf, this one is filled with mole negro. Mole is a really rich sauce which is prevalent here in Oaxaca and in other states like Puebla in Mexico, it's filled with nuts, chocolate, spices, a whole range of things. This one is mole negro so it's black, so it's got the chocolate in it and it's also got pollo which is chicken. It's really rich from the saucy mole and the chicken is really tender because it's steamed. You can find tamales usually in the morning or late at night on the street or at markets like this one.
2. Memelitas covered in frijoles, asiento (pork lard), Oaxaca cheese and salsa. Our favourite stand Memelas de Gio is only open from about 9:00am until 1:00pm at the latest. The address is: Ávila Camacho 203A, Obrera, 68115 Oaxaca, Oax.
Memelitas are a thicker tortilla, grilled on the comal to which you can add frijoles which are beans, verde or roja sauce, green or red salsa and then Oaxacan string cheese. Super crispy tortilla, really salty string cheese and that verde sauce, really spicy.
3. Nieves (ices), specifically the flavour combo of leche quemada (burnt milk) and tuna (prickly pear cactus). You can find nieves all over the city but Benito Juarez market have a few stands as well as the area in front of Basilica de Buetra Señora de la Soledad.
So leche quemada is burnt milk and tuna is the prickly pear cactus and this combination is famous in Oaxaca The leche quemada is really savoury it almost tastes like you've licked a BBQ because it's so burnt but not in a horrible way and then you've got the really sweet, refreshing cactus to complement it.
4. Tlayudas known as the Mexican pizza. You can find tlayudas at fondas (small family run restaurants) in the markets or on the street late at night. We liked the ones at Comedor Chabelita at 20 de Noviembre market as well as the more traditional ones at Libres Tlayudas located at Calle de Los Libres 212, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 6800, Oaxaca
Also known as the Oaxacan pizza it's basically a really crisp tortilla which has been baked and then it's covered with pork lard, frijoles which is refried beans, vegetables, so we've got cabbage, avocado, tomato and I've also added cecina which is a slice of pork. Traditionally you just get a tlayuda and it's folded in half and it's just got the beans and the pork lard and sometimes a bit of cabbage and then the meat on top but this is a little bit more modern with the veges added. It's also got quesillo, the cheese, Oaxacan cheese.
5. Mole! Oaxaca is famous for its 7 moles. We love mole negro (the dark mole containing chocolate) as well as mole amarillo which you can sample stuffed inside an empanada at the Ocotlan Market (see the link to our Oaxacan Travel Guide above for more details).
After 2 weeks in Oaxaca, those are our top 5 must eats by no means have we covered all the food here but those are our 5 picks that you must try when you're here.
We hope we've inspired you to eat and explore like a traveler, not a tourist. Remember, details below on the food.
Let us know YOUR favourites in the comments below!
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We’re Thomas and Sheena, travel and food fiends. We want to help you eat and explore like a traveller, not a tourist! We started full time travel in October 2016 visiting Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. We’ve just been in South America and now the rest of the world awaits! There is no end in sight for our travel. If you like what we're doing we'd love you to subscribe and join the ride.
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|TRAVEL VLOG 083 |
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Folkdance in Oaxaca, Mexico
Performed on Saturday night, December 5 in the plaza of the Basilica de Soledad in Oaxaca, Mexico, by the Compania Folklorico de Oaxaquenos. The last performance, Fandango Mixe, is a dignified, traditional dance of the pueblos.
OAXACA MEXICO - TOUR AND TRAVEL VLOG
Oaxaca is one of Mexico's most unique states, noted for its rich traditional heritage and diverse ethnic population, as well as for its artistic, cultural, and culinary treasures. This video will cover the many sights and UNESCO World heritage sights to photograph in this region.
1. Oaxaca City (7:23 - 9:35)
Designated UNESCO Site noted for its Spanish colonial architecture. It is filled with colorful, wonderfully preserved
buildings.
2. Markets (8:18 - 8:23)
Oaxaca is known as the Land of the Seven Moles, a complex sauce used with meat and rice. But that is not all. Oaxaca is renowned for its unique regional cuisines. The markets are a great way to try the food.
3. Mezcal Factory Tour (2:06 - 2:50)
Mezcal is one of Oaxaca's most famous exports. It is similar to tequila, only with a rich smoky flavor. Mezcal comes in many unique flavors and different aging categories including a variety that comes with a worm for added flavor. Check out the Mezcal Factories where they will show you just how this liquid gold is made.
4. Textiles (1:14 - 2:00)
Oaxaca is world famous for its textiles. They are created using natural dyes and wool. The textile patterns mimic the design elements from the Mitla, an archeological site with distinctive geometric patterns, making them distinctive from any other textiles.
5. Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman (7:36 - 8:00)
Glorious Baroque church found in Oaxaca City. It includes lavishly ornate interior. Construction started in the 16th Century but did not complete until the 17th Century. The town cathedral is witness to all the cultural activities taking place beneath its facade, including weddings and festivals.
6. Árbol del Tule (0:40 - 1:10)
Botanists estimate this tree to be 2,000 years old. It is considered the largest and oldest tree in the world with a perimeter at 139 feet in circumference. It didn't even fit into one picture frame!
7. Hierve de Agua (3:50 - 4:30)
One of the most surreal landscape I have ever seen is Hierve de Agua, found about two hours outside of the city. The name translates to place where the water boils, and contains non-thermal pools, and natural rock formations rising form the valley below including the main highlight, a petrified waterfall. It was created by minerals that pushed through limestone, depositing onto the mountain. You can hike to the waterfall or wade around in the mineral pools.
8. Zocalo and Basilica of Our Lady of Solitude (8:23 - 8:36)
The Zocalo is the central plaza in Oaxaca City that includes a Spanish Baroque style church, Basilica of our Lady of Solitude. The Zocalo is connected by a pedestrian walkway to the other plaza, Santo Domingo. Along the Zocalo are many street shops and markets.
9. Mitla (2:30 - 3:46)
One of the famous archeology sites which translates to place of the dead. Mitla was an ancient burial and funeral ritual site for the Zapotec people, one of Oaxaca's indigenous groups. It includes one of the few surviving temples, noted for its distinctive small tile mosaic-like geometric patterns in the facade.
10. Monte Albán (6:00 - 7:28)
Monte Albán is so amazing, that it deserves its own blog post (coming soon). It is a UNESCO World Heritage site found about 20 minutes outside of the city. It is the first great city of Mesoamerica and dates back to 500 or 600 BCE. The Zapotec people leveled the mountains by hand (no metal tools or even wheels) to build their ceremonial center known as Monte Albán here, complete with temples or astronomical and religious purposes. Mitla and Monte Albán give you an idea of just how advanced this indigenous civilization was in its heyday.
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