Oaxaca_12_18_2009_to_12_22_2009

Oaxaca 12/18/2009 to 12/22/2009

Tour of local sites and sights.

Sunday's main activity was to take a tour that included the oldest tree in the world, a rug weaving factory, a buffet lunch, a mezcal distillery, the Mitla archeological site and a "frozen" waterfall.

They picked us up at the hotel and took us to a central location to board 12 a passenger van that was new clean and very comfortable.

This is the Tule Tree, claimed to be over 2000 years old and the oldest in the world. You can get an idea of its size comparing the trunk to the Poinsettias.

The trunk and branches are riddled with odd formations and the kids on the site will tell you what each one looks like for a few pesos. This one looks like a lion's head, no? Another part, the head of a floppy eared dog.

As the plaque describes, the Tule Tree is a member of the cypress family, more than 2000 years old, height over 137ft., diameter 46ft., volume 28846 cu. ft., weight 701 tons. This baby is BIG! The young lady just happened by to add interest to the photo.

Well, I had to get into the act too!

What did you expect?

The first stop was a workshop where they weave rugs and tapestries from wool that is cut, carded and spun completely by hand.

Cristy got a chance to try carding wool. It's hard work!

Large or intricate pieces can take as much as six months.

The next stop was Mitla, a small archeological sight. It has good example of indigenous building and carving techniques.

Some of the colors, though faded, have been there for 1000 years.

After Mitlas, we took a break for a buffet lunch. We tried a large number of Oaxacan dishes including 3 of the 5 moles, black, red and yellow. Google it, you might find it interesting. I was too busy pigging out to takes pictures.

The site contains a number of tombs and you squnch down real low to enter.

Fortified with full bellies to avoid any chance of overdoing things, we headed for an artisan mezcal distillery fantasizing over all the free samples we'd have.

It all looked very primitive, and it is. They dig a big pit, line it with rocks and dump in burning embers. Then they load in the fruit of the blue agave plant, called pineapples. Cover it over with dirt and leave it to bake slowly for several days.

They use an old fashioned horse drawn mill to grind up the pineapples which, as you can see, are covered with a liberal coating of ash.

Add water and let it ferment.

Distill it in these wood fired stills that would make any bootlegger proud.

You've heard of the tequila with the worm? Well, tequila is not made with worms. Some mezcal is aged with worms in the cask to give it a special flavor and is bottled with a worm in the bottle. It does have a very different flavor. eat the worm at your own risk. All the mezcal does have a smoky flavor that is somewhat like Scotch is to Bourbon. I've come to enjoy it with club soda and a spritz of lime.

To end the day, the final stop was Hierve El Agua.

Hierve el Agua (Spanish for "the water boils") is set of natural rock formations in the Mexican state of Oaxaca that look like waterfalls.

The site is located about 70 kilometers east of Oaxaca city, past Mitla, near San Lorenzo Albarradas on Highway 190.[1] Relatively small amounts of water -- which, despite the name, is not hot (25°C) -- bubble up from four springs and, running over the cliffs, evaporate. The rock formations, primarily of calcium carbonate, are left behind. This is much the same process as forms stalactites and stalagmites in caves, but in this case takes place on the side of a mountain. [2]

The formations are very high, with the two principal “waterfalls” measuring 12 and 30 meters. [1] The picture in the gallery with tourists on top of the "waterfall" gives an idea of the scale.

The area is also of archeological interest because of the extensive system of irrigation and terraces built by the Zapotecs as much as 2,500 years ago.[1]

The water is artificially pooled in two places so that visitors can wade or swim in it. The water in the pools has such a high salt concentration that it appears turquoise green. Trails allow for hiking to the bottom of the rock formations and to various other places in the vicinity. The pools are not thermal but nonetheless are effervescent enough to simulate water at the verge of boiling, giving rise to the name. [1]

In the 1990s cabins were built for overnight accommodation at the site, with a swimming pool built in the middle of the ring of cabins. In 2007, construction was begun on a new pool on the edge of the mesa, surrounded by building with space for several open air restaurants.[1]

Access to the site is by means of a narrow, winding dirt road for about 12 km (8 miles), crossing several ejidos where vehicle tolls are levied.

It was late by the time we got back to Oaxaca and we had a tough time deciding where to go for dinner.

All the Internet travel sites agreed that Grandma's House (Casa de la Abuelita) was excellent for traditional Oaxacan dishes and they were right. This masterpiece is a Tlayuda with beans, onions, Tasajo and cheese. Look at the size of the sucker in relation to the silverware! It's a thinnish, handmade, homemade freshmade tortilla baked on a clay plate over an open fire till it's semi-crispy. Tasajo is a cut of beef that looks a lot like flank steak and the thin slices are seasoned and grilled also over an open fire. Not all that pretty to look at, flavorwise it's to die for.

Stay tuned for Chapter Three coming in a few days.