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Welcome travelers!
We can't wait for this summer's México mushroom adventures with you! May we present your guide for just about everything we think you need to know, and probably more. Please peruse this page at your leisure. If you forget where to find it, just remember "IMPORTANT:" thefungivore.com/important We will be adding some updates here, or clarifying as folks reach out and let us know how to be more clear, but you should find all the pertinent info already here and catalogued below. If we haven't answered specific enough questions within this document, please let us know, and we will get back to you quickly. About a month before your trip, we will be starting a WhatsApp group (for each of our Adventures), which will help communications be fast and efficient for all of us, as well as opportunities to share photos quite easily. Reach out via email (info@thefungivore.com) or WhatsApp/Text: +1 (510) 899-2343 to ask any questions or if you have any problems accessing this page. --Zack & Kim |
General Housekeeping: Traveling to MexicoWe recommend using skyscanner.com to find cheap flights, and then buying your flights through the airline, instead of a third party like Kayak. Most US cities with large airports have direct flights to Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tijuana, or Cancun and all of these cities--more on that in a second--fly direct to Oaxaca. It is totally up to your comfort with travel, but we have found that buying separate round-trip flights, such as Chicago to Mexico City, round-trip; and then a separate domestic flight from Mexico City to Oaxaca, which are often under US$100. Which brings me to Cancun and Tijuana. Cancun has made it quite affordable for Americans on the East coast to travel there; once there, the domestic round trip flight to Oaxaca is relatively affordable. Tijuana is connected the US by a walking bridge crossing called CBX--or Cross Border Exchange. Coming from the CA side, it is barely different than taking a cab to any airport: you arrive at the 'terminal,' pay the US fee to cross (with proof of a flight within 4 hours), walk about .5 miles, go through Mexican customs, and without ever being outside, you are in ticketing and bag check at the Tijuana Airport. Coming back from Tijuana, just run it in reverse: you land at TIJ, gather your bags, pay the fee to cross, walk about .5 miles, go through US customs, and walk out into the San Diego sunshine without ever leaving the secure airport setting. Easy-Peasy. Tijuana flies direct to Oaxaca. West Coast: Portland flies to Guadalajara (which flies to Oaxaca); Seattle may have other connections via Alaska/Aeromexico; Most California Airports fly to Guadaljara or Mexico City (also see: Tijuana explanation above for Oaxaca connections); Central: Direct to Mexico City, or through Dallas or Houston; East Coast: also Dallas or Houston, or Cancun, as discussed (or Direct to Mexico City) Of course, the one caveat is that you are responsible for making your own estimations on time between gates, possible delays, etc. But honestly, whichever you choose doesn't make a big difference if flying through Mexico City: transferring domestic there is a logistical nightmare for some reason... CDMX (Domestic) is best to be avoided unless you are aseasoned flyer or you are arriving in the City, in which case, the International Terminal is not so bad. We (Zack and Kim) are always here to help, send us an email (info@thefungivore.com) and we will guide you through the process or answer any questions you may have. Most banks give the opportunity to let them know (usually through your online account access) that you will be traveling in a foreign country and please don't cancel my card or flag it for fraud. Highly recommended that you communicate with your bank in this regard and let them know you will be traveling for the time you intend to be out of the country. Many phone companies allow you to add Mexico and Canada for a small additional cost for the month. Some phone companies will charge you $5/day (24 hours starting from your first use of the phone internationally. T-Mobile includes service for our plan, and though they will throttle the speed, it usually takes several weeks. We should not be out of WiFi service areas for very long, except during forays, of course. If you like maps, download your google maps for offline use. These days, there are a lot fo eSIMs being offered, and frankly, they can be difficult to sort out. Mexico offers IRL SIM cards for $200 pesos/month, which is decidedly cheaper than many eSIMs, but must be purchsed from an offcial TelMex shop. We can give limited guidance on eSIMs in Mexico, as none have been spectacular. We recommend using an ATM to pull out Pesos as you need them. There are several in the CDMX airport upon arrival. There can be pretty hefty fees on both the US and Mexico side of transactions, depending on your bank and ATM you use. As a practice, we will usually pull out as much cash as we think we will need to avoid being charged multiple fees. Remember to click “Decline Conversion” or "Use US Dollars" toward the end of the process to let your bank do the math and avoid more fees / lower exchange rates. There is a Charles Schwab Banking card that actually refunds all fees for atms used. One must have an investment account with Charles Schwab (though this can be a very small amount of money) and the Checking Account becomes available (for a nominal fee). For us, since we live in Mexico and often use cash to pay our rural vendors, it is worth it. We DO NOT recommend bringing American Dollars and trying to exchange for pesos, you will lose more money than in ATM fees, furthermore, Oaxacans and Chiapanecans do not accept US Dollars this far from the border. In the cities, debit and credit cards are accepted just about everywhere. If you want to buy anything outside of what is included, having cash is great for food stands, quick buys from local artisans on the street, etc. When you land at the Oaxacan airport you will gather your bags at baggage claim: from here, you will either go through customs first–unless you have already done so in Guadalajara, Cancun, Tijuana or Mexico City–and make your way to the line for Taxis. The stand is before you exit on your right. The line can be long, but moves pretty quickly, and assuming you are heading to the hotel in Centro, it should cost you $125 pesos only to get a colectivo (a ride with other people in a van) to drop you directly at the hotel *see below). Sometimes it is a circuitous route. Enjoy site-seeing in Oaxaca. They do this everyday all day, and are very helpful. We recommend using the ATMs at the airport to pull out some cash, maybe $2000 pesos (about $120). The Taxi Stand takes cards. And you won't need cash much, but can be useful for little things you find at the markets. If you want to pay for your own personal taxi, you have two options: 1) pay the $400+ pesos at the stand, or 2) walk yourself (many people from your flight will be doing this) out of the airport all the way to the highway to hail a cab. It is about half a mile. The Hotels for our summer Adventures are as follows: MyComida: Rupestre: Hotel Parador del Dominico (July 31st) & Hotel Dainzu Oaxaca (August 7th) Mycolores: Sierra Norte - Hotel Dainzu (August 12th & August 19th) MyCongreso: NAMA_MX25 - Ixtlan - Guests are responsible for their own accomodations on August 24th and August 30th MyComida: Mixteca - Hotel Dainzu (September 4th & September 11th) When you land at the Tuxtla airport, which is quite small and easily navigable, you will collect your baggage and make your way to the well-marked TAXI stand. We will be staying our first night (September 24th) in Chiapa del Corzo, at Hotel Mansión Chiapa right on the city square (Plaza de Armas Angél Albino Corzo (incidentally, the same name as the International Airport). There are options for shuttle vans, or private taxis to Chiapa del Corzo. Chiapa del corzo, while served by the Tuxtla airport, is a separate small and historic town at the base of the Cañon Sumidero, and is an excellent launch point for this epic adventure. We will be staying at the following hotels in Chiapas: Hotel Mansión Chiapa in Chiapa del Corzo (September 24th) & Sombra del Agua (San Cris, September 25th-October 2nd (check out) Both Hotels in Chiapas will have your names and room assignments soon, and you will be able to reference this booking should you want to extend your stay on either side of the trip. This trip ends in San Cristobal with Checkout on October 2nd. We are more than happy to help you arrange transport back to the airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez, or if you are staying in San Cristobal, help you arrange for trips to other sites in Chiapas such as Chiffon Falls, or Palenque. As far as finding your own accommodations before or after, these are the most useful services that we have found that don’t require much Spanish! See the hotels for the trips above in Oaxaca and Chiapas if you want to extend your stay on either side and keep the same Hotel. Booking.com is a great resource for booking hotels, as you don’t usually have to pay in advance. We use it frequently for our smaller groups all throughout Mexico; though it is always best to make sure the hotel saw your booking through the service. There has been only one time where they didn’t see it, but enough to warrant double checking. AirBnB has a lot of really great options in Mexico City, Oaxaca and Chiapas. DO NOT book one where the host doesn’t respond, or there are very few reviews, for your own safety. But do have a look around. Oaxaca Centro and San Cristobal de las Casas are small relatively walkable cities, though both have innumerable day trips and over night trips available out of town. If you decide to take some time to visit the magnificent Mexico City on your way in or out (not a bad idea!), it is recommended to search in Colonia Condesa, Roma Norte and Roma Sur for solid and wonderful surroundings. Arbnb conveniently lets you search by neighborhood. The Colonias of Juarez & Cuauhtemoc are fast-growing surrounding neighborhoods. We love Mexico City… we think you will be amazed by this North American "Paris." |
Health and Safety in MexicoThe general rule of thumb is don't drink municipal water in Mexico. However, we (Zachary and Kim) have never had a problem brushing our teeth with it or showering in it, though some people take more extreme precautions and use only bottled water to brush their teeth. Almost all hotels and AirBnBs provide clean water for you to fill your water bottle. Please bring a reusable water bottle (or two) for our forays. We provide large garrafones (20L) of clean water for everyone in our Vans. A recent guest recommended traveling with a self contained filtering water bottle, CNET made a list of their recommendations in July 2023. We (Zack and Kim) have never gotten sick from street food in Mexico (full disclosure, we have gotten sick from a nice restaurant there, however). In fact, all the vendors we have visited take pains to put on a plastic bag before handling cash, provide hand wash stations and are very sanitary when it comes to food safety. Ice at restaurants is safe. The touristed parts of Mexico know how to treat their guests. If on your own, a good rule of thumb is only eat things you have seen be cooked right then and there to a high enough temperature to kill any pathogens. This means food sitting out (and to be eaten as such) should be avoided if you are the most cautious. There is an over-the-counter mild antibiotic that we began using and recommending for people with tummy issues called Treda. We always have it on hand for our adventures. Please know if you have a Sulfa-antibiotic allergy. An attendee in 2023 told us that they started taking Webber Naturals Probiotic capsule once per day for a month leading up to the trip, as well as during the trip, and had zero problems with anything while here. Some weird quirks: In some rural areas, some of the toilets do not have seats, and this can be a little awkward when first encountered. It's kind of a learn-to-squat thing, or just sit on the rim and go for it. In addition to this, we will have plenty of toilet paper available. The only time you may experience this is during our forays or emergency stops while en route somewhere. Toilet paper ALWAYS goes in the trash! Public toilets usually charge $5 pesos, even if you don’t use the toilet paper they provide. Most public toilets are operated privately as a business. We will try to have sufficient change in the van, but it doesn’t hurt to keep a little bit with you as well. As far as mitigating discomforting factors, there are several items we recommend for personal medical stuff: Tummy/Pain Stuff * Activated Charcoal (the best thing for loose bowels, which definitely can happen in Mexico)... some western medication can constipate you, and this can actually make it worse, whereas charcoal binds up the bad stuff to get it out!) * Tylenol or your preferred painkiller for whatever pains may arise (headaches, etc. you know yourself better that we do!); * Benadryl: useful if you have any allergies to stings or bugs or happen to attract Mosquitos or react strongly. In the previous 4 years of leading we have only had one sting incident, mosquitos are pretty common during the rainy season, though decreasing significantly with altitude. * Emergen-C or Nuun Tablets for electrolytes, and anything else you normally need to feel comfortable. Altitude and Bus Travel * Cordyceps Mushroom Supplements: Mountain Mexico is on an elevated center of two mountain ranges. For example, Mexico City is at 7500ft, Oaxaca City at 5000ft, and our time in the mountains at times could be above 8000ft, and up to 10,700ft (so far!). Cordyceps has been used to help with altitude adjustment. Reportedly, this is best achieved if you start taking them regularly a couple weeks before you travel. * Dramamine to be taken about 30-45 minutes before our van rides, if you get carsick (the drive up and down the mountain can be a bit swervy); We will do our best to provide some of these things as well (we do not have cordyceps). We will have a well-stocked First Aid kit as well for nicks, dings, and splinters, including benadryl for stings, and dramamine for travel. We are not prepared for everyone to need everything, so bring what you need to guarantee your comfort. If you need anything specific, it is better to bring it yourself rather than rely on the local pharmacies, even though they have always had the basics when we’ve needed, supply runs do happen here. The most commonly reported crime in touristed Mexico is having things swiped from hands when they aren't paying attention, and in crowded areas, pickpockets. This can happen in any Mexican city, as it can in virtually any city on Earth. We stay in the safest parts of the cities, but it is still on you to check your belongings and be aware of your surroundings, don't leave your backpacks sitting somewhere without attending, wear your bags in front of your body in crowded areas no matter what urban setting you are in, if you are particularly vulnerable to being targeted (it's happened before), divide up you cash between your wallet and a money belt. Most of safety in Mexico, like anywhere, comes down to awareness. Mexico City is quite abuzz during the days–especially on Sundays when museums are free to the public–and we have never once felt unsafe during the day, and rarely felt unsafe at night in our known neighborhoods of Condesa, Roma, Juarez and surrounding areas. As with anywhere, try to stay around people at night, and take a cab if it is very late. The same goes for Oaxaca during the day and well into the evening (until the bars close). And, as outlined above, personal vigilance is your number one safety protocol no matter where you go. If you find yourself–even if there are several people–out late at night in Mexico City or Oaxaca, get a ride. Uber and DiDi phone apps are safe, fast and cheap. (see above in Arriving in Mexico City). Oaxaca has only recently implemented DiDi, but there will be cabs to hail early everywhere you are likely to be. The rural villages that we visit, however, are as safe as it can be. There is next to no crime, and people are happy to host, provided you’ve made arrangements in advance. Suddenly popping up in a random pueblo is not recommended without sufficient Spanish and good sense of humor and humanity.
What to expect in Mexico (COVID-wise) As of the end of February 2025, you will occasionally see some people wearing masks–especially service staff–and many places provide alcohol gel. Mexico has been pretty casual with COVID, to the point of being surprised by our adherence to testing everyone. Nevertheless, your safety and comfort are the most important things for us.Testing for COVID during the Tour You each agreed to bring 2 rapid tests with you for the trip in the original questionnaire. Please do. Though tests are available here, they aren't the best quality. We will be requiring the first of these tests to be submitted at Check-in (first contact) for whichever adventure you have joined. We will use extra tests for any type of emergent symptom in anyone, please be overly cautious. A negative test is required to participate. Please do your best to avoid exposure in the three weeks before coming on this trip. That would be a bummer. Even though most people are not wearing masks on the plane, we had two cases of COVID in 2023, one got it from the other, and the originator didn't wear a mask on the plane! This follows Zack and Kim getting in May of 2023, also from not wearing masks in the plane. So please (please, please) wear an N95 on the plane and take pains to not put yourself at risk in the three weeks leading up to your tour. You are all adults, obviously exposure does happen, but you can take proactive measures to prevent it. That stated, we managed in 2024--with the rest of the group's permission--to keep those who came down with COVID during our trip with us, arranging for different transportation and rooming. ON proinciple, no one testing positive with COVID (or anything serious) will be allowed to join our trip. We cannot cover COVID specific costs that result from infection. We cannot refund you for your trip due to COVID, but if you are concerned, Forbes magazine gave a recent profile of 22 COVID Travel Insurance Options in mid-May 2023. We recommend that everyone have Travel or Trip Insurance. Things happen. You can use this service to compare Travel Insurance from many providers at once! Many people in Mexico City speak English and often like the chance to practice their English, which makes it funny when you are trying to practice your Spanish. I would say an equal amount of urban peoples in Oaxaca also speak some English. Rural people do not necessarily speak English very well, if at all. For many, Spanish is their second language. Google translate is pretty fantastic, and can be used to read signs, menus, and supposedly even translate in real time conversations (though we have never successfully done this). For typing, translating, responding by text or email, it is all you need. Many of our partners, guides, and mycologists speak excellent English. The communities will have Spanish as their second language, too. We recently visited the last Matlatxinca speaking village in the world. The languages in Mexico still spoken number in the high three-hundreds. We will also make sure a translator will be available as needed. If you have time to take some basic language classes, such as Pimsleur (our favorite), DuoLingo (phone app), or SpanishDict.com, or Thoughtco.com. Learning some Spanish really isn’t necessary, but it will help you feel more comfortable when buying water at OXXO, or trying to book a hotel, buy a book or piece of art. But if you have some interest in expanding your mind a bit, Zack think he learned more about English by learning Spansih. Pimsleur is a program that we have used to the fullest extent, and it is quite astounding how quickly you can learn a language using the online program. It is divided into FIVE lessons block of THIRTY Progressive 30-minute Listen & Repeat audio lessons; not to mention all kinds of games and reading activities to sharpen your skills. We’ve successfully used Pimsleur in conjunction with flash cards and Thoughtco.com, and are being told we speak Spanish quite well as of late. Highly recommended! |
What to Expect / What to BringMountainous Central Mexico will be in the throes of the rainy season when we all come together in late July. However, similar to Colorado and New Mexico, Central Mexico’s rainy season is usually* accompanied by pretty warm sunny days until around 4/4:30pm, when the thunderstorms roll in and the sky breaks open and dumps hard for several hours. We will try to be home by the early evening storms. A light rain jacket is a good idea. It is rare that the rains are an all day affair. According to various weather sites, the average high temperature during this time is about 79-81°F during the day, and at night cooling down to 59-61°F. It will be cooler in the mountains (down into the high 30s or low 40s!), a long sleeve shirt and sweatshirt can come in handy. It is a good idea to expect rain nearly every day, and bring appropriate light clothing that is generally waterproof, or have a change of clothes afterward. Pack layers. Bring a beanie. You won't regret it. We recommend bringing a camera that satisfies your needs. For Zack, an iPhone 13 is sufficient, but if you want to bring something else for your own use, please do. We will create a way for us all to share photos of our finds at the end of the trip as well, so if you don't want to bring any camera, you won't miss out on the memories. We also highly recommend making an iNaturalist profile, if you don't have one already. iNaturalist is an incredible app for photographing and identifying all manners of flora, fauna, and funga. In addition, it is a publicly shared app where people from all over the world will be able to see and comment on your posts, and it is a wonderful citizen science tool for logging the natural environment all over the world. With so many of us exploring, we may contribute greatly to the knowledge of the area just by making and posting observations… …HOWEVER… In some communities, sharing locations of mushroom or plant finds is considered disrespectful. So when we are in the community land specifically, we will ask their permission, and it is expected that ALL participants respect the wishes of the community. We have been assured that fines will be enforced. The equipment you need for a foray is up to you: if you are checking a bag, you can bring a pocket (or mushroom knife) with you. We (Zack and Kim) have traveled with our mushroom baskets as our carry on before–a smaller backpack conveniently fits inside of some baskets for convenient overhead compartment storage. We strongly recommend good sturdy ankle-supporting hiking shoes as well as layers for warmth adjustment, sunscreen, water bottle
To be quite honest, there may not be an opportunity to take many mushrooms with us from the community, so please consider this opportunity to observe and learn rather than a collect-and-take-home type of tour. Urban Mexicans like to dress it up slightly more than casual. Of course, Mexico City is as big a city as anywhere in the world, and you are just as likely to see goth, punk, dapper, exercise buffs, bikers, hikers, hipsters and high society and everything in between. Generally speaking, it is rare to see shorts or open-toed shoes in the larger cities (or anywhere, really) in Mexico. The former is probably a cultural thing, but almost without fail, and pair or shorts = new tourist, often European. The latter for good reason. Sidewalks are unreliable, as are sharp pieces of metal or missing manholes. Wear sturdy shoes, and watch your step. Seriously. When in Oaxaca City, the center of the city is cobblestones and paved sidewalks, and though we will be enjoying a night on the town on Wednesday evening, it is not recommended that you wear heels or slippery shoes of any kind, as the pavement can be wet. Often the hotels will provide umbrellas, but if you have one that is easy to pack, it is advisable that you bring it just in case, as well as shoes that are either water proof, or shoes that you don't mind getting wet. In September 2021 during our first night in Oaxaca City, it rained so hard that the storm drains were flowing in reverse and water was bursting out from them in dramatic rapids, but only for about an hour, with streets generally becoming rivers for that short time. Dining out in Mexican cities is generally smart-casual and up, depending on your venue and your company. No one will think you are overdressed except maybe you. You are invited to present your best self to the world. We often begin our first big day (after breakfast) with a trip to a ruin, botanical gardens or something of the sort. We strongly advise you to bring a sun hat, and light sleeves for this day, as well as for the next 6 days when we will be walking around in the woods. We like to have light sleeves for sun protection, and you will also want sunscreen for your face. Our time in the mountains is going to be at or above 8,000ft for the duration of our time, so there isn't much atmosphere to protect you from the UV rays of the sun. Just being exposed to the reflection off the concrete can be quite burning. Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, as funny as it makes you look, works wonders. Additionally, altitude is very real. Take it easy, ask for help, ask to rest, be vocal with what you are able to do and not able to do. We are here to help you have a comfortable time, no need to grin and bear it. We will be walking around in fairly easy to navigate wood with our guides, and we will be looking for mushrooms. Hiking shoes, or comfortable shoes with ankle support is recommended. We will potentially get rained on in the woods or be inside of clouds, so light water repellent clothes are a good idea in this case. We obviously will find other activities if it is pouring down so hard there is some danger we will be washed away... ;) We like to travel with our mushroom baskets, and will fill it with carry-on items for our plane flight, and put it in the overhead bin. We have never had much trouble from the flight attendants for bringing it. If you are coming early, there will be opportunities to purchase both baskets and sun hats here in Oaxaca, and Kim and I will bring our extra baskets for people to use. In addition (if you are checking a bag) a small folding knife and thicker bristled brush is very useful for collecting and cleaning your mushroom findings in the field. A minute of cleaning in the field saves 10 minutes of cleaning at home. For safety, we will be providing everyone in the group with a whistle, and we will go over the calls when we are all together in the woods both for distress, come look at something interesting, or "vamos chicas it is time to gather again." Being able to be loud and clear when you are out of sight is incredibly useful. Please feel free to bring your own whistles as well, if you have one that you like as well as walking sticks, or anything else to make you feel comfortable in the woods. We will be encouraging people to stay in at least pairs, for safety. Both of these days have a start and ending that is different, and are about 4 miles, more or less, but the walking is leisurely. Group leaders will be equipped with walkie-talkies to ensure constant communication if the group is separated Sleeping Accommodations We often stay in beautiful cabins within or just outside of the closest mountain town. You will be in cohabitation, two to a cabin. These cabins have fireplaces and plenty of blankets and hot water (conditionally), and the hosts will light our fires for us when we request to build up the heat for the night time. Many of the villages in which we stay are quite small, and belong to a larger group of communities or not. On that note, the organization of the Rural indigenous communities is such that it is forbidden to pick mushrooms without the expressed permission of the community with a sanctioned guide. Therefore, very interesting or new finds are property of the community first, so if we find rare or interesting mushrooms, these are not necessarily for us to take home–even if it's ‘for science;--but to contribute to the science and knowledge of the community, should they request that. What to do Before or After your AdventureOne of the drawbacks of our tours is that we do not spend much time in downtown Oaxaca. While we do eat at two great restaurants and stay in Centro, the focus is on the mountain communities. We cannot recommend enough coming a few days early or staying a few days--or more, if you can afford it--to give yourself time, especially after the deep dive into the mountains, to explore the enduring wonder that is Oaxaca. Here is our Guide to Oaxaca, which is being updated fairly frequently as we ourselves discover new places and new spots open up. Feel free to stay in the same hotel, or pick from the many available, or an Airbnb for more comfort, We can help you book at the same hotel as the adventure before or after. For our July 17th Adventure, make sure to look up the Guelaguetza festival, slated to beginthe Monday before our adventure begins, and will unofficiallu continuing through the end of July. Coming Early for our July experience is recommended. What's more, in Early February 2024, Oaxaca finally opened the toll road to the beach, shortening the travel time from 9 hours to just 2.5... this project has been in the works for 15 years, and it is amazing and so easy to access the beach from City Center (ADO Bus is MX$300 ~$US17... that's cheaper than gas, never mind the rental car!). If you do choose to drive, however, there is no toll for an unspecified number of months... maybe you'll get lucky! For everyone coming to Oaxaca, we also have contacts for mountain biking, further trekking, mezcal adventures, and more, so don't hesitate to ask! Dr. Samuel Buatista Lazo, his father Mario, and brother Celstino (and several other family members) run Dizxa Rugs and Organic Farm, where they make and sell incredible wool rugs out of Teotitlan del Valle, as well as have 10s of head of cattle, many dogs, some goats and a natural dye area and rug showroom. We first met Sam at the 2019 Cuajimoloyas Mushroom Festival, and have worked with him since 2021 for Textile-influenced tours, such as MyColores. Dr. Sam and Family, through Dizxa Rugs and Organic Farm, are offering several packages for folks who want to take their mushroom dyed yarns and weave it into a rug. the classes are MX$2400 for 6 hours of guided instructions, and--if you pay for your extra wool after a certain length--you can make a rug to your liking! There is also the possibility to stay 1 or more nights at Dixza farms in the charming town of Teotitlan del Valle, a town of over 8000 weavers! For those wishing to extend their stay on either side of the MyColores adventures, we will be staying at Hotel Maela for both our entry and exit nights on Both trips. Maela is perfectly poised in the dead center of town. They are CASH ONLY, please keep that in mind. Mexico City is nothing short of North America's Paris: from extensive greenery and parques to over 150 museums, from oddities to Fine Art. Centuries old Spanish Architecture abounds, as well as Victorian neighborhoods frozen in time or transformed into a Brooklyn-esque deep dive into the modern world we live in. Go back in time even further and see the centuries older ruins of Tenochtitlan, or the even centuries older Teotihuacan outside the city. And the Restaurants! There is no end to the restaurants. It is estimate that there are over 5000 eateries within the sprawling metropolis that is Mexico City. It is best to post up in a neighborhood and eat what looks good. Of course, Eater has been right on in their recommendations for years, and is definitely worth checking... perhaps before you choose your Colonia! Chiapas, the southern-most state of Mexico is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The landscape is one from Fairy Books, Karst (think limestone towers, like China and Thailand) Mountains define sharp valleys filled with pines and dinosaur banana trees and the indigenous Mayans. We have spent the majority of our time in San Cristobal de las Casas, which is a town built on tourism and trade: if you decide to stay after your October adventure, just exploring the town by whimsy is enough, but should you want more, there are countless kiosks for day tours to everything from mountains cenotes (blue clear clean water holes) to Mayan ruins such as Tonalá, near the mouth of the Lancondon Jungle, to the beautiful crystal blue and swimmable Chiffon Falls. Mexico is a large country comprising of 127 million inhabitants and speaking over 500 langauges other than Spanish (and English); it is a megadiverse country, jostling places with countries like columbia and Nepal for a seat in the top 3 in the world for diversity and endemity. Its climates go from tropical coastal jungle to coastal desert to pined mountaintops to swamps with alligators to ancient cactus forests, even forests of oak species beyond imagination (over 50!). The people and the states are equally diverse, and though there are many places we recommend avoiding, such as huge tourist beach towns like Puerta Vallarta, almost everywhere with mostly Mexicans living there is worth seeing: the people are artisans and tinkerers and live simply and fully and hold so much wisdom. Other places we have explored and enjoyed include: Guanajuato State, Queretero State, Veracruz (we only been in the mountains). We have heard excellent things about the city of Puebla, Guadalajara, and even Monterrey. And the natural wonders of Mexico from Beaches to waterfalls to mountains and canyons, are worth doing research, depending on your desired expereince! |
