Esos sabores que nos evocan recuerdos son los que nos dan vida. 

(The flavors that evoke memories are the ones that give us life.)

–Olga Cabrera, Chef 

Living in a country where every other car is black or white and houses are painted white with black trim, am I the only one who asks what happened to color? I drive a green car so I can find it in a parking lot. I may be odd, but I believe color brings joy, for it shows imagination. Do you need some joy?

Where better to find it than in the Land of Seven Moles— Oaxaca. Red, green, orange, and yellow. Just a few of the colors found way down south in Mexico where long ago the indigenous Zapotec built an incredible fortress and civilization where you’ll find the authentic and traditional Mexico.

An Invitation I Couldn’t Refuse

A couple years ago, my fellow Next Tribe travel bud, Beth Schrader, suggested Oaxaca. Was I in? I wasn’t sure. I have a long list of places to visit in this lifetime. I truly love Mexico, and its people, yet I’d seen quite a bit of it. I’ve snorkeled in Cozumel and wandered the streets of Playa del Carmen. My first Next Tribe trip to Troncones brought a life changing experience on the beautiful beach and yoga stage.

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on fun, transformational trips. We’ll be heading to Oaxaca in August 2026. Learn more here. And come to our Trip Preview via Zoom on Monday, Feb. 23rd. RSVP here.

Happily, I returned with the Tribe to Troncones three more times. (Rarely do I visit the same place twice. Just saying.) And then I was hooked. Painted up in Catrina garb found me giggling with delight while joining the parade during the Dia de los Muertes festivities on Next Tribe’s trip to San Miquel de Allende. And Mexico City? One of my top five favorite cities in the world.

But Oaxaca? How do you even say that? O-wa-ka. Ox-ack-aa? Took me forever not to sound like an idiot.

Waa, Haa Kah 

 Waa Haa Kah

Learning how to pronounce Oaxaca was a challenge, but I recalling that when an opportunity presents itself, take it. I was in. The trip was not only affordable; it offered a safe place to land. Ready for adventure.

Final impression? Most interesting place I’ve visited in Mexico.

Let the Color Fest Begin

Oaxaca is not only a city; it’s also one of Mexico’s 31 states. Mountainous, with waterfalls and natural springs, a biosphere region flush with massive species of birds and butterflies, plus the remains of ancient societies, Oaxaca offers a multitude of adventures.

Murals, music, mosaics, flowers, food markets, chocolate, mescal, Michelin restaurants, and artisans tendering wares of clothing, painted wood carvings, and black pottery – well, where does one begin when all your senses are aroused?

Colorful banners hung across streets fluttered in the breeze. Families gathered in bright attire. Very few tourists.

How about arrival. After an early morning flight, a white van may have retrieved us at the airport, but that’s the last time color didn’t surround us. Buildings painted in vibrant blues, greens, reds, oranges and yellows. Colorful banners hanging across streets fluttering in the breeze. Families gathered in bright attire. Very few tourists.

After checking into our boutique hotel, hunger set in. Just down the street on an upstairs patio, I dove into my first delightful bite. Chapalines. Grasshoppers in my guacamole. When in Rome, baby, when in Rome.

No wings and bulging black eyes. No long, creepy legs. Chapalines are tiny little things. Add as much as you want to your dip. They didn’t alter the taste. Only provided a crunch to the usually mushy guacamole.

Oh, there was that mescal margarita, too. Required. And then a walk.

Frescoes and Gold

Oaxaca City is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Spanish conquered Oaxaca and with that came the colonial buildings represented here. In Oaxaca Centre, the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman rises tall and majestic. The church’s construction, begun in 1572, is a classic example of Baroque architecture. The exterior utilizes, as do many buildings and churches in the area,  the green-tinted stone found in local quarries; green due to copper oxide.

Inside, frescoes line the church’s walls and ceilings along with gold leaf and marble. Lots of gold. Did I say lots of gold?

Outside, local families gather. Occasionally small parades with marchers dressed in brightly colored costumes, some playing instruments, lined the streets. Large puppets bobbed on street corners.

I’m not a shopper, but oddly, I WAS a shopper in Oaxaca. Too many beautiful things.

Walking the city center’s grid offered easy routes, although a few small hills. Shops and kiosks of clothing, art, chocolate and artisan wares caused much reason to stop and gander.

I’m not a shopper. I scout out the bar for when the shoppers are done. Oddly, I was a shopper in Oaxaca. Too many beautiful things. A deep blue dress for the equivalent of $7. A hand-embroidered shirt for $12. A favorite clothing store where I’d bought a top in San Miquel had a sister store here. Bad news for my credit card.

Each Meal a Culinary Adventure

Do you like to eat? Various food markets offered a clue of culinary delights to come. The weekend market in Oaxaca, housed in a large warehouse blocks long, had booth after booth of meats, fruits and vegetables, fresh Oaxacan cheese, every variety of corn, dried and fresh fish, yellow chickens complete with feet, pastries and breads. All beautifully displayed.

We ate food truck food. Street food. Out in the middle of nowhere food. Rooftop food. Michelin chef food. Top Chef of Mexico food. All delighted the senses.

For breakfast, who needs coffee when a big bowl of hot chocolate suffices?

For breakfast, who needs coffee when a big bowl of hot chocolate suffices? Fresh squash blossoms stuffed with homemade Oxacan cheese folded into a blue corn tortilla. Chilaquiles, molletes, menudo. By the time we finished, it was time for lunch, perhaps at an inside market where meat is cooked right then and another booth supplies the avocado, herbs, cucumber, tomatoes, nopales—with a squeeze of lime. So fresh.

Dinner: My favorite bite – cannelloni made of cucumber stuffed with ground pork. Followed by watermelon crudo, a suckling pig taco, smoked fish ceviche. Each meal a different culinary adventure.

And What About the Mole?

As to that Land of Seven Moles? Mole (pronounced “moal-ay”) is a sauce. Black, red, green, yellow, chichilo, coloradito, and manchamanteles are the seven. Each one has its own flavor and long tale of tradition. Mole is made from dried chilies, roasted vegetables, seeds, bread, masa, nuts and/or other ingredients. Every family and restaurant has their own recipe. In my mind, it’s a “clean out the icebox” sauce. Only better. A labor of love.

Markets do sell moles, vacuum-packed, for tourists to take home. As well as other ingredients that pass customs such as avocado leaves and Mexican oregano, not as available in the states. Along with mescal, all can be taken home in checked bags.

Where Artisans Thrive

Outside of town is where one finds waterfalls, hiking, natural spring soaks and Monte Alban (500BC-800AD), another UNESCO World Heritage site. Founded by the Zapotec people, astronomy and engineering reigned as did agriculture and a defined system of social stratification. The Zapotec claimed discovery of a yearly calendar based on the consistent rise and set of the sun in the distant mountains. A population over 5,000 lived here at its peak. Now, tourists wander the massive grounds.

Many countryside villages are artisan communities where the same craft is made. We visited a family who harvested wood from the Copal tree and carved the wood into bowls, masks, and animal shapes, large and small. The daughters of the owners each sat at a table, their own artistic twists painting intricate designs in brilliant colors.

In another village, generations of a family have tended their sheep and spun the wool.

In another village, generations of a family have tended their sheep and spun the wool. Large cauldrons dye the wool, the colors made from natural plants like marigolds, turmeric, leaves, roots, and indigo. Or bugs. Yes, bugs. The cochineal, an insect found in cacti, produces the bright reds, pinks and purples.

On large looms the family weaves intricate rugs and other items such as purses or clothing, some taking years to complete.

Is Oaxaca worth a trip? I wish I had experienced the Sierra Norte biosphere or the petrified waterfalls in Hieue el Aqua that NextTribe is offering in their trip to Oaxaca. Yet, the memories I hold are not only for the food I relished and devoured, the fragrance of the flowers, the embroidered shirt I wear with pride, or the kindness of the Oaxacan people. The flavors of my memories remind me of the vibrancy that culture and color bring to my life. May the humanities live on.