The first thing we noticed when entering Oaxaca, was how pristine everything looked. The moment we crossed the border on that spectacular, scenic drive from the state of Puebla, things just got a little neater. The gardens were manicured, pretty tablecloths draped the outdoor tables of restaurants, and their flowerpots were infused with bright colours. Things had even begun to get a little bit organic here, with composting food scraps and separating trash being a priority. The first time we had experienced this in Mexico! And ‘El Rincon’ Campestre, was no exception. This campsite filled the above description to the max!
Beautifully landscaped with mandarine and mango trees in their plenty and a lawn that one could sleep on, it was no wonder this family played croquet on their Sunday afternoons. The grass was perfectly suited for this pleasant pastime, and we got to share in on the fun, as well as eating some of their yummy bbq! Our gracious owner and her family gave us our first sample of the Oaxacan cuisine we’d heard so much about. And it was good! Carne Asada filled in blue corn tortillas, prickly pear, and some Oaxacan cheese; what a treat!
Next stop: Oaxaca City, where we parked in the downtown car park for the night. We usually do this when visiting bigger cities. A small overnight fee and walking distance to the historic center means a more relaxed and convenient visit for us.
And we certainly enjoyed our afternoon wandering around the streets, plazas and markets, absorbing everything Oaxaca’s city center has to offer. And it really is all about the food. Beautiful displays of spices, chili and chapulines (grasshoppers) decorate the vendor’s tables and there are many shops dedicated to Oaxacan chocolate powder, which by the way is not only used for drinking, but for cooking Mole (a chocolate and chili spice used with chicken). We tried our luck at learning a little more about the latter, but, unfortunately, our visit was short-lived. Eating a cocoa bean at the main ‘Mayordomo’ branch just wasn’t for Zoe, she threw up after sampling one, right in the middle of a demonstration of how chocolate was made there. Oops!
Well, there’s nothing like some good old meat to take the bad taste away. And just around the corner, at the famous ‘20 de Noviembre’ market, Zoe’s cure was found. The ‘El Pasillo de las Carnes Asadas’ (the grilled meats aisle), is an aisle devoted to carnivores. And we weren’t the only ones who were lured in by the thick smoke and enticing smell filling up the corridor. This food court was packed. We quickly selected the meat we wished to be grilled, and squeezed in amongst other hungry meat-lovers at the table. Our meat platter arrived and we chewed on beef bistec, some pork cuts and spicy chorizo. Although this was nowhere near as spicy as the salsa that accompanied the meat…even our Mexican neighbour was dripping with sweat!
Full and satisfied, we burnt off our calories with a walk around the colonial buildings, taking photos in the beautiful evening light, and purchasing some Oaxacan T-shirts, which by the way, changed colour in the sunlight!
Another city tour ticked off and a peaceful night’s sleep was had, but we had a feeling there was much more to be discovered in Oaxaca. And just south of town lay one of Mexico’s best campsites; ‘El Rancho’ in El Tule.
This campground was a hub for many international travellers, some of whom almost lived there. Yes, the pandemic had forced them to take refuge there, and with so many like-minded people hanging out, we can see why. This place was a welcomed break from our city carpark stays and sure felt like home. We ended up spending two weeks with travellers from France, Germany and the Netherlands, Russia and Belarus, and Canada, USA, Mexico and Columbia.
Zoe had a whole bunch of friends to play with, and we enjoyed taking mini excursions to the surrounding area, sampling Oaxaca’s famous Mezcal, and a meat platter (yes another one) at the ‘Casa Embajador de Oaxaca’ restaurant in El Tule, making the most of Tlacaloula on a Sunday, where the whole town is transformed into a huge market, and relaxing by the lake in Teotitlan with our new friends ‘@Expedition.all.Bambinos’.
Oaxaca lies at around 1600m above sea level and has a very pleasant climate. Combine this with good quality of life, excellent food and only a day’s trip to some of the best beaches in the country, it is no wonder property prices are on the rise. We probably wouldn’t be able to buy a house here, but we’re certainly glad we stopped by. New friendships were made, we found our travelling tribe, and we got stuck into some fantastic meat!
Thanks for reading and we’ll ‘meat’ you guys around the world!
