Andre and Wendy: Street art neighborhood and food tour

Around town, art tour and food tour

19,800 steps

Did not rush to get out and about this morning. A light breakfast is outside our room again today which we take advantage of.

Start the day off visiting a church, we have seen here that the churches really don't have a schedule of when they are open, so if they are open we go in for a visit, Followed by a small library that had an exhibit and then a modern art museum which was free.

Next off was to visit the botanical gardens. A little confusion at the gate as you must be on a tour to visit, but there are no longer English tours available. We decide to go along anyway and get what we can out of it. There were about 50 of us on our little walking tour, maybe 15 spoke Spanish. No english was spoken at all. Can't tell you the history of the botanical gardens from the tour, but the gardens are right beside a beautiful church. Very pretty inside, but it was getting hot in the sun.

Following the botanical gardens we visited a new part of Oaxaca we hadn't been to yet called Barrio de Jalatlaco. This is a very pretty part of town. All small buildings, lots of colours, lots of street art. Many shops, restaurants and cafes. Had a break at one of the little restaurants for ice coffee, a mango smoothie and shared a fruit plate. It was a lovely break from all the walking.

Time for money from a bank machine, first bank our card wouldn't work second bank we are able to get out money but it gave us all large bills. Mexico does not like payment in large bills so waiting in line at the bank to get smaller bills. It was a nice wait in air conditioning and hopefully our only time we will need to go to a bank for cash. Some restaurants are cash only, and of course all street vendors are cash only.

Back at the apartment to rest up as we are going on a food tour tonight.

Food tour tonight was lots of fun. There was a family of 3 from New York and the 2 of us, the maximum she takes is 5. Lots of stops and lots of good food.

First off was some tacos in the artisan market. This market was once a local food market, but now lots of souvenirs and a few food spots. The spot we stopped for our first taste has been around for 2 generations, more than 40 years, some of the others are more than 100 years. This was a fish taco place. Very delicious octopus tacos, and minced fish tacos. We split the 2, she said they were small, we know this is going to be a lot of eating after this first stop. I liked the octopus tacos so much I may try to convince Andre to go there again tomorrow at some point.

Next stop was in market for piedrazos. This are very pickled vegetables on bread that has pickle juice on it too. She said most visitors don't like it because it is really pickly, but I love pickles so wanted to try it. So pickly. Pickled carrots, onions, potatoes with Oaxaca cheese and hot sauce on top of a slice of bread that has the pickle juice on it. It was OK, but not sure I would try it again. At this same spot they also made a drink called horchata, which is rice milk with prickly pear cactus and peaches. It was good, but traditionally served with walnut on top, I passed on that bit. It was very refreshing after all the vinegar.

Next stop was in the 28 November market beside the more touristy market for a sit down, smokey alley. You choose your meat and they grill it for you, then you are given a list from someone else with what vegetables you want to add, then the tortilla person comes along for you to order fresh tortillas. So yummy. We had marinated pork with onions, avocado and a kind of salsa as well. No knives or forks, you are given a paper place mat and the meat arrives on a tray. To pick up the meat, and onions you break off a piece of your tortilla. Very yummy again but getting full.

Next we had a quick stop for mezcal, then off to a chocolate place for more tasting. From 100% chocolate, to chocolate blended with different things like ginger, orange etc. We also got to try a chocolate milk drink that was good. The cocoa beans were being roasted here and grounded, very interesting.

We returned to the artisan market to try grasshoppers, ants etc, we passed on this bit, we had tried some of them earlier in the week and weren't interested in buying any.

On our way to our next stop in a restaurant our guide pointed out where a great ice cream shop is to try different flavours, pretty sure I know where we are going tomorrow, it was closed tonight.

Final stop of the night was at the restaurant Las Quince Letras. The boy with the family wanted some dinner as he hadn't eaten much along the way so they decided to leave at this point since they were out of what he was looking for. We had wanted to try Molotes de Platno, which is an appetizer this plantain and mole sauce. I had stepped away to go to wash my hands, and when I came back to the table the family was gone. We spoke to the guide and decided we would just move on as well since this was the last stop on the tour anyway and we were already so full after 3 hours of eating and tasting.

A great night, lots of good food and a few new dishes for us. This is another one of those free walking tours that you just give a tip.

Walking home there was some kind of celebration going on again in the street. Followed the parade for a short time, lots of fun being had.

Home for another early night as we have an early day again tomorrow.

Our first stop at the small library had students and we were not allowed any pictures,