Tidings of Joy: February 2024

With car removed from our anchor chain we hit the road and made the 30 mile trek south to Huatulco, Mexico. After the anchor chain fiasco the day had a weird feeling about it. When we entered Marina Chahue in Huatulco the feeling continued. We were directed to a side tie between two pile-ons with metal bars sticking around them. I told Jeff via the headset that this set up was not going to work. He told me we would try it and see if we could make it work as he eased the boat slowly between the piles. The dockmaster and other boat owners helped to keep the boat in position while I tied the lines. The marina told us they would bring us large inflatable fenders to keep us off the piles. Until I saw them I wasn't very comfortable. The marina did make good on their promise and a dockhand set up the fenders bow and stern to keep us protected. After a dance with the power pedestal and having the electricians come we finally were able to hook up to 50 amp power and settle in for the evening.

Entering Huatulco

Approaching Marina Chahue

Side Tie

The next morning we needed to check in with the port captain so we took a cab and headed into town. While waiting at the office we met a nice ex-pat who was running a dolphin research boat and had a nice chat with him. Everyone at the office was really nice and the process to check in was easy. We strolled around town until lunch time then enjoyed a delicious lunch at Sabor de Oaxaca where we got to try the famous mole of the region. I had no idea there was more then one kind of mole. After more strolling and a coffee we made our way back to the marina so we could pack for our upcoming trip to Oaxaca in the morning.

Basin in Front of Port Captains Office

Church in Huatulco

While we were in town at the Port Captain's office we picked up our rental car in order to make the 6 hour drive to Oaxaca. We were packed and ready to go. Jeff put the directions into Waze and found the shortest route through the mountains. Little did we know what the "road" conditions were going to be like. Due to the high volume of rain the area gets during rainy season a lot of mountain passes had major erosion and at times we found ourselves driving on a single lane dirt round around huge mounds of dirt while crews with shovels worked to clear it out of the way. It was really nerve wracking at times but somehow we made it and were at our first stop outside of Oaxaca- Mezcal Real Minero where we had a mezcal tour lined up. We arrived a little early and were immediately welcomed by the family and shown to the waiting area filled with old black and white photos of the 5th generation operation. The private tour was from 3-6 with just us, the tour guide and an english interpreter. We were shown all around the grounds and explained the various types of agave used in the mezcal making process. After we drove down the street where they have their mezcal processing building. We saw the agave fermenting in barrels in the open air, the large burning circles where mezcal gets it's distinctly smokey flavor and then finally the 6-9 cement baths, pots and an old wheel where everything is done by hand until it is deemed ready. It was a very interesting process from agave plant growth to bottling. After we learned the process we were taken into a gorgeous room full of mezcal in barrels and bottles and given a sampling of various types and ages of mezcal. All of the them were wonderful and we left with three bottles. Finally it was time to head the final 30 minutes into Oaxaca and check into our hotel and grab some dinner. We were both pretty tired from the drive and the mezcal samples.

Sketchy Dirt Road to Oaxaca

Waterfall

Waiting for Tour at Real Minero

Agave Growing

Agave Burning Pit

Stone Tools

Tasting with Tour Guide and Interpreter

Hotel Courtyard

A lot of people don't know but Oaxaca is a food meca. When researching what to do in Oaxaca the first two articles that came up were from Food and Wine and Conde Nast so I made an extensive list of where we should eat. I think I had 19 places listed. Our first morning in town we hit one of those restaurants called Boulenc where I had an excellent vegan ciabatta avocado sandwich and Jeff had brioche french toast. So far so good start to Oaxaca. Our day was busy and we got lots of steps visiting the Museo de los pintures, the zocolo, the cathedral de Oaxaca and stopping for lunch at yet another great restaurant from the list called Las Quince Letras and washed it down with a coffee from Cafe Beijula. After more walking we went back to the hotel for a little rest before dinner. After such a wonderful day I would have to say for me the highlight was the dinner at Criollo. This restaurant mentioned in both articles is owned by the most famous chef in Mexico City who owns the famous Puhol that nobody can get a reservation at. The garden setting was stunning and shortly after sitting the waiter told us they don't have a menu that the food changes nightly and is a 7 course tasting menu. When we told him that I was vegan and Jeff pescatarian he said no problem and offered us a drink pairing to go along with it. Duh! So we sat back and watched and learned and ate all of the artful creations put in front of us making noises to show our enjoyment. After, when explaining the restaurant to friends and family I couldn't tell them one thing I ate. Just delicious.

Oaxaca

Cathedral in Oaxaca

Downtown Oaxaca

Lunch at Los Danzantes

Dinner at Criollo

The next day in Oaxaca would be much like the first- lots of touring around seeing cultural sites sprinkled with lots of good meals. We started our day back at Boulenc but this time in the take away pandaria (bread shop) where I got coffee and a baguette and Jeff got quiche. From there we took a tour of the botanical gardens then it was time for lunch at Los Danzantes where we sat in another beautiful courtyard and shared a bottle of white wine with our meal. I had a whole roasted cauliflower and Jeff had shrimp quesadillas. Then afternoon coffee was at Cafebre. Super full we needed to walk more so we went to the temple and then museo de las cultures. On our walk back to the hotel we heard music and as it got closer we realised it was a marching band. And as we were right in front of it we realised that it was a wedding. The couple had just been married and they were walking down the streets with a full marching band and all of their guests dancing down the road. We stopped for several minutes and watched this wild celebration. I decided that even though I never want to get married if I ever change my mind there must be a marching band. Dinner was at Levadura de Olla.

Botanical Gardens

With Tour Group at Botanical Gardens

Temple

Lunch Los Danzantes

Museo de las Cultures

Marching Band Wedding Celebration

Dinner Levadura de Olla

The next morning the Conde Nast and Food and Wine did not disappoint. We walked about 20 minutes to Onno for breakfast. It was a little unassuming place that was packed with locals. They had a vegan sandwich for me and Jeff got this enormous biscuit egg sandwich which he said was the best he's ever had. Full and caffeinated we walked to the cute neighbourhood of Jalatlaco which Jeff read about online. It was very colourfully lined buildings with shops and restaurants and looked very hip and touristy. We saw several other people just roaming around like us. After much walking we decided to grab a cab back to the hotel for a pit stop before going any further. From the hotel we headed right for the two municipal markets which happen to be conveniently right across the street from one another. The first one was all food stalls mostly selling meat and chicken. The smell was very very pungent and I felt like dry heaving more then once. Across the street at the other market it was venders selling everything from clothes to chickens to fruit. This market too had it's own strong smell and I tried staring at either the ceiling or the floor every time we would walk past chickens hanging over the counter or meat slabs strung across in a line. Lunch was at a cute place called Casa Taviche followed by good coffee at Cafe Rustiko. That night the nfl playoffs were on and we began searching for a gringo sports bar that would show the game. I found a place called Guns and Beers. Very gringo sounding and their website boasted that they had 20 tvs all playing nfl games. So off we went. The bar was nothing special but it did have lots of tvs all playing nfl games announced in Spanish. But hey beggars can't be choosers. I had the worst inedible pizza I've ever had and Jeff had a more edible version of the same. We had a couple beers and watched as the 49ers made it to the superbowl.

Jalatlaco Neighbourhood

Crickets at the Market

Chickens at the Market

Turtles at the Market

Chilies

Dried Herbs

More Herbs

Cafe Rustiko

Football at Guns & Beers

The next day was the day I was most looking forward to. It was our trip to Mount Alban. Mount Alban is a pre-Colombian archaeological site located 6,400 feet high and the one of the earliest sites in Mesoamerica. The drive was about 20 minutes from downtown and we arrived early to avoid the heat and too much sun. The grounds were well kept and it was easy to learn and walk around on our own. We walked and climbed up the the amazing sites and soaked in what it must have been like back then and awed at that ancient place we got to visit. There was a small museum on site that we walked through after and about three hours later we were on our way back into town. We had another good lunch at Casa Oaxaca Cafe. Back at the hotel we watched the Lions playoff game then walked to our final dinner at Oaxaca restaurant. It was located on the second floor of a building right across from the cathedral and we had stunning evening views and it was a great place to celebrate our wonderful time in Oaxaca.

The next day on our way out we had to go back to Boulenc one last time for not only breakfast but to get lunch to go for the road. We also hit a chocolate shop so I could get some good Oaxacan chocolate to take back to the boat with me. What an amazing trip.