Hey dude!
 

Hi,
Wondered if you had a "must bring" list for my trip to Oaxaca. Know it'll be warm. Do you have recommendations for a Carribean side beach which is safe and tranquil? You know, just about the opposite of Cancun? Muchas gracias.

You may surprised about the weather in Oaxaca City. The last two years in June and July it has actually been pretty chilly with some rain when we were there. In fact I thought last summer was cooler that the previous January. On the other hand I have been there in July when it is really hot. Cool enough to sleep at night but otherwise very warm. As far as stuff to bring, casual clothes that aren't too flashy. I usually wear shorts in town, but long pants when I am on buses and in villages. Really, you don't need much, make sure to have a good camera that you can securely carry. I used to bring much more stuff than I would at present. I have come to realize that everything you might need, such as pepto bismol,various health realted items, film, etc. are avilible so why bring a lot of stuff? If you like wine, bring a corkscrew (not in your carry onof course). Mexican wine is realy expensive in restaurants, but a good deal if you buy it in the supermarkets like Gigante. Some of the wines from Chateau Domenq are surprisingly good. What else? - I bring about a weeks worth of clothes and have them done at a local laundry. At least for me traveling light works really well. Assuming it is hot and sunny, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. You can get cooked at places like Monte Alban between the sun and the altitude. Money wise I bring more cash than I used to, find the best exchange rate and cash it there. To supplement it I use the ATM's. To be safe I bring some traveler's checks in case the ATM's aren't woking or eat my card, but otherwise you loose on the exchange with traveler's checks. Speaking of exchange, passports are by far the the best I.D. some places won't take a driver's license anymore. As far as the carribean side I can't help. I have been all over northern, central, and the Oaxaca State area of Mexico, but the only beach resorts I know well are Huatulco, and Mazatlan. If I can tell you anything about the Oaxaca valley or Oaxaca City area let me know. I am jealous- I haven't been for a year, and I have been lucky enough to make it 2 or 3 times the past three years. I am still trying to figure out if I can make it down this summer- have a great time!!

Dear Dude,
I reeeeaaaly appreciate your packing advice. I always overpack. Ugh. I'm going on or about May 6 and will return about 3 wks. later. I haven't been to Mexico for about 2 years. Used to always go w/my daughter. Studied Spanish in Cuernavaca and Guanajuato. Again, I tend to stay clear of too touristy places. I go to mingle and immerse myself w/ the locals. One more question if you don't mind. Any idea if there's a tremendous difference money-wise in buying my Mexico City/Oaxaca segment down there or not??? When checking fares on the internet, as soon as I mention Oaxaca, the fare soars! (No pun intended!) Did you buy lots of folkart? Do you recommend bringing tape & bubblewrap? Thanks once again! You should do this for a living if you're not already! I promise to tell all upon my return!

The ride to Oaxaca, from el D.F., at least in my experience, is always really expensive. I have never found it to be cheaper to buy a ticket in Mexico. In fact if you want to buy it when you get there, it could be more. Aeromexico often has the best prices on their site you might want to take a look. The last few trips it has been worth my while to drive to Dallas or Houston (cities that Aeromexico serves) I have normally gotten fairly good fares. The other option would be to go to Mexico city and ride the bus if you were up for that. I am really interested in folk art. Primarily, tapetes- the hand woven carpets from Teotilan de Valle and Santa Ana de Valle and carved wooden figures from Arrazola and San Martin Tilcajete. In my opionion the prices have gone up and the quality down due to the popularity of the items. There are many buyers around pruchasing quality items for export. Before I spent money I would spend some time in the shops in Oaxaca to get an idea of the variety of quality and price, then you will better prepared when you get out and looking around. There are still very nice items to be found at reasonable prices, but your don't buy a wood carving by Angel Ramirez on the Zocalo for $5.00 U.S. anymore. Likewise if you are in Teotitlan de Valle really check out the tapetes. If you are not familiar with the process, talk to the folks, find out about the natural dyes and make an informed decision on your purchase. Any upscale store in town will have bubble wrap and tape. You can also purchase it in a papeleria if you don't want to bring it with you. Once again have a great time. Make sure to report on your trip when you get back.

Hey Dude -
(and apologizes to asanchez for piggybacking, but i'm going to Oaxaca in August)
Is it all right to eat from street merchants and from markets? I hear a lot of conflicting advice on this one.

I really think this depends on your personal constitution. I have only been sick once in many trips to Mexico. At that time we were staying in a private home and my wife and I got incredibly sick. On the other hand I have eaten on the street, various restaurants, truck stops, and in other homes with no problem. A few years back I went with two friedns to Cuernavaca and Taxco. We all ate the same food in the same places and the youngest of the group got so ill she was in the hospital for four days. Myself and our other companion had no ill effects whatsoever. This is just my personal opionion, but it seems like the change in bacteria bothers some more than others. I have three American friends that live in Oaxaca who tell me as long as you clean you hands and make sure plates and utensils are dry- don't worrry about it. Anyway- I do eat from street vendors, using common sense like making sure the food is hot, and that lots of locals eat there too. I also have a personal precaution which I think works-that is, eating lots of yogurt while in Mexico. I usually have at least one yogurt or one of the yougurt drinks like "Yakult" every day while there. This is an ambigous answer to your question, but I really seems it just depends. I would enjoy yourself using good common sense. Eating in certainly a big part of visiting Oaxaca in my mind.

I've only been sick from drinks in Mexico once, and I have ate it all. A word of caution to those adventuresome beings: Beware the pulque. I had some stuff home-made from San Juan de Teotihuacan, I was sick for about 5-days.

what's pulque?

I dunno what my constitution is. maybe i should just play it by ear. thanks for the yoghurt tip.

Pulque is a low alcohol content drink that that has been around since pre-conquest times. Its never bothered me which brings it back to why my answer about the food was so ambiguous. Eat what you want using common sense, in the unlikeley event you do get ill, medical care in Oaxaca for basic ailments, in my opinon, is quite good. I have been treated there twice, once for a sinus infection, and the other time for a respiratory infection (both brought with me from the states)and received good medical care.