I’ve really enjoyed my time in Oaxaca, made easy by affordable, comfortable lodging walking distance from all the delights of the historic center. In spite of clearly being a tourist destination, the ratio of obvious foreigners to locals seems so low that it feels like a legitimate place and not Disneyland. I spent the days leisurely tending to errands, drinking micheladas in the zocalo and hanging out with Barry in the evenings.
I also spent a lot of time staring at maps and drafting routes. Ever since leaving Tepic I’ve been enjoying the milder temperatures and low humidity of the elevated interior, but those days are coming to an end. The Isthmus of Tehuantepec separates the mountains of Oaxaca from those in Chiapas making going back to hot and humid sea level unavoidable. The only choice is deciding where to do the sweating. The routes out of Oaxaca are hilly and all end up on or near the Pacific coast which feels unexcitingly like where I started. Veracruz on the other hand sounds exotic, has nostalgic memories, and is on the opposite side of Mexico which has a certain appeal. So that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve got a ticket tomorrow on a mid morning bus back to Puebla and from there I’ll be cycling towards Xalapa and Veracruz. Choosing between Oaxaca and Veracruz had been an unnecessary dilemma all along
Primary errand was my favorite hat. It had become too filthy to wear and too worn out to wash
Next to the market is a tent full of people grilling meat. The process is take a basket to the stall of your choice, order the meat and exchange the basket for a number. Meat shows up at the table when ready
Full of energy and stories, Barry is a London cycle courier who works long enough to save expedition money and then travels. He’s been doing this for decades, crisscrossing the world and currently on his way to Argentina.
