The day we had a car...

The other weekend I had some friends come into town, they were traveling through Mexico and stopped in Oaxaca for a few days.  What was really exciting about their visit was that they had a *gasp* car!  Jonny and I don't have a car here, nor do any of our friends, so we always feel pretty confined by public transportation (which is great and easy to take, but limits your freedom).  So when we found out that Cole and Lisa had rented a car we got really excited to spend the day with them and enjoy the freedom that a car brings

Cole is from Seattle and works in the wine business there. He has a friend who put him in touch with the man who produces the best Mezcal in Oaxaca.  For those of you who don't know, Mezcal is a liquor that is native to Oaxaca, and is essentially the sister of Tequila.  It is becoming pretty popular in the States in all of the posh bars, and this mezcal in particular "Del Maguey" sells for about $20 a shot or $200 a bottle (honestly, who spends $20 on a shot?).  So Cole took us to meet Don, the man behind Del Maguey and he gave us a private tour of his Mezcal factory.  Though before we began tasting mezcal, he took us to the market for some delicious breakfast and fresh juice....

Jonny, Lisa, Cole and Don eating breakfast at the market

The entrance to Del Maguey

Don and Cole tasting some Mezcal


After we were done with mezcal tasting, we went to these ruins outside of Oaxaca, called Yagul.  As you can see below, they kind of look like they have the same layout of a real-life PacMan game.  If I had kids, I think that it would be so fun to bring them here and have them partake in a Human PacMan game....

Yagul

The beautiful valley of Oaxaca


After we left Yagul, we went to Hierve el Agua (translation: where the water boils), which is a petrified waterfall at the top of a mountain range.  It has water that "boils" out at the top of the mountain and then drips down and calcifies into these petrified waterfalls.  You can swim in the natural pools at the very top and it is pretty cool.

Jonny and I showing ya'll how it's done

This is what the waterfalls currently look like in the Dry Season

And just for fun, this is what it looks like when we were there during the Rainy Season.  Holy smokes right??!!!  Check out that difference!   

Swimming in the natural pools at Hierve el Agua

After we were done swimming in the pools, we took off for home as it had been a long day and we were all tired.  But we did all of these things in one day, which was amazing, and we could have never done it if we didn't have a car.  It was fun!  More adventures to come.....

Love,

Els