This morning in Spanish class we listened to an announcer list the 11 must-see sites in Oaxaca. Here’s the list:
11. San Jose El Mogote, an archaeological site in Etla.
10. Playa Zicatela, near Puerto Escondido, a place known for its surfing.
9. Teotitlan del Valle, also known as “tierra de dioses” (land of the gods), a place that known for its talented generations of weavers.
8. Mazunte Playa, a small beach on the Pacific coast that boasts some of the largest tortugas (turtles) in the world.
7. Hierve el Agua
6. Juchitán, in the southeast of the state, is a commercial center of the Isthmus area and is known for delicious foods made of armadillo, iguana, and rabbit.
5. Puerto Escondido, a beach that has a rich vida nocturna (night life).
4. Mitla
3. Oaxaca City and surrounding areas, including Arbol de Tule, a tree that is more than 2,000 years old. Centro Oaxaca is the heart of the city (corazon de la ciudad) and includes the government buildings, Zocalo, galerias, lives bands (bandas en vivo), and all of the excellent gastronomy Oaxaca is famous for, especially mole.
2. Monte Alban
1. Santo Domingo, a church in Centro that has a cultural center, museum, botanical garden, library, and marvelous architecture (among other things).
Oaxaca has many treasures. This list does not even specifically include the various types of art created in the state (except for the weavers in Teotitlan). Oaxaca’s artisans work with black clay (barro negro) and green and red clay. They make alebrijes from wood that they cure and then paint. They weave wool and even silk (making their own dyes and spinning their own materials). Oaxaca’s artisans also make clothing and other textiles, do metal work, and recycle found objects. There is so much to see here; a top eleven list doesn’t do it justice.
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