Oaxaca, Mexico: A city that celebrates death with life
July 24th, 2007 by Helen Sarkanova
Oaxaca, Mexico is closer to the shores of the Pacific Ocean than to the warm waters and white beaches of the Caribbean Sea. For this reason, if a beach vacation is what you are looking for, it can hardly be comparable to Mexico destinations such as Cancún or Cozumel. But if you are a fan of folk art, could admire hand-made crafts for hours, and you’d be interested in exploring the vibrant world of Mexico’s distinct contemporary art and the country’s ancient traditions, Oaxaca has a lot to offer.
Death is a real part of the Mexican culture, and Oaxaca is a city that celebrates the dead in ecstatic thrill of life. In almost every craft store, you will find art-pieces referencing death. Looking at tiny statues of skeletons placed next to vividly painted masks and wooden boxes, you get a grasp of how visions of contemporary artists fuse with subtle influences of ancient cultures.
The same thing could be said about many festivals and celebrations that Oaxaca is so well known for. The Night of the Radishes, celebrated on December 23, is probably the strangest of Oaxaca’s fiestas. On the night before Christmas, people from all over the valley meet at the zócalo, the main square, to present the largest of their homegrown radishes, which they have carved into any imaginable objects. The greatest local celebration is, however, the Day of the Dead. This Mexican equivalent to Halloween is celebrated on November 2 and represents an opportunity to actually mock the death by preparing lavish altars and dishes dedicated to the deceased and celebrating life. Oaxaca is a very popular place to celebrate Day of the Dead, so anyone considering visiting Oaxaca around this time should book accommodation in advance.
To me personally, Oaxaca is a perfect spot for a romantic vacation. Here, you can spend the day visiting galleries and city markets, and have a lunch in one of several restaurants at the main square. Later, you can stop by at the Centro Cultural Santo Domingo, where you’ll find a magnificent collection of gold and ancient jewelry retrieved from Monte Alban, a large pre-Columbian archeological site located about 5.6 miles west of Oaxaca City. And as the evening falls, you have a great opportunity to explore several great restaurants and bars of the Oaxaca City. Even if your budget does not allow you to stay in the luxurious Camino Real, you can still enjoy an afternoon cup of fine cappuccino in the hotel’s garden restaurant while listening to Mexican performers singing in the background. Another romantic spot might be the Hostal de La Noria, a beautifully restored colonial mansion with a very good indoor and outdoor restaurant, in which will the chef prepare some of the less complicated courses right in front of your eyes. But as for a quiet late evening for two, I recommend Casa Oaxaca – a hotel with an adjacent art gallery, a great restaurant serving delicious food and excellent wine, and a beautiful small bar, where the bartenders will prepare for you one of the smoothest margarita cocktails you’ve ever had. It is probably the best place to finish, or start, an evening.
