To get to Hierve el Agua you need to drive out of the surprisingly choked outskirts of Oaxaca for around an hour and half which eventually leads to an impressive if empty stretch of toll freeway that passes through spectacular valleys of agave plantations. Then, as you begin to climb into arid mountain-scapes, you move…
Author: paulandanthony
We're recently early retired from long and exhausting careers in Brand Design Strategy and TV Producing / Writing. After two long years of being trapped by COVID in our home town of Sydney Australia, we're ready to unfurl our wings and fly off on new adventures that will take us first up to Far North Queensland then the UK and Mexico - revisiting favourite places we haven't been to in over 30 years. Now living in Far North Queensland, Australia.
Monte Alban – Island in the sky – 3
The Zapotec citadel of Monte Alban is one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica and dates in parts to around 500BC and, like the rival city of Teotihuacan, outside of modern day Mexico City, extremely blood-thirsty and violent. Walking around this place you try to imagine what life would have been like – possibly fleeting,…
Monte Alban – Island in the sky – 2
…appear dozens of eager, colourful Mexican families, chattering, clambering and sprawling over the nearest pyramid. It’s quite a shock, given the enormous scale of this citadel high up from the valley floor, to suddenly come across such a packed group colonising a single spot. Where did they come from? The first thing that strikes you…
Monte Alban – Island in the sky – 1
The best time to visit Monte Alban is early, as close to opening time as possible as this place can get busy, and very hot! For the first couple of hours and in the cool of the morning (a 37 degree day), you pretty much have the place to yourself, as we did, aside from…
Guelaguetza – Mondays on the Hill – 3
For lunch we stumbled upon an amazing restaurant specialising in local cuisine and, in particular, the art of the mole (not the furry kind). ‘Tierra Del Sol’ – if you ever find yourself in Oaxaca, then we can totally recommend two dishes that are so delicious we’ll be back for more, Tlayuda Oaxaqueña con Frijol…
Guelaguetza – Mondays on the Hill – 2
We were woken at 6am (this time not by an earthquake) by the insistent pounding of drums and (I have to say this) the out-of-tune marching bands – at least we’re yet to detect any recognisable tune – it’s more of a free-for-all of jangling notes, played mainly with the object of making a lot…
Guelaguetza ‘Mondays on the Hill’
We weren’t able to score a ticket to the main event – long sold out – so instead we happily sought out the electric vibe on the street. Tantalisingly, wherever we went you could hear the roar from the auditorium (a vast, open-sided tent set on a hill overlooking the city), further amplified by huge…
Travels With My Ant 