Mexico, Oaxaca

Only here for 2 days. Decided to do a day out to some of the nearby villages. The tours were really expensive starting at 180 pesos. We decided to take local busses as its fairly easy. We first headed to Mitla taking a Mitla bound bus from the 2nd class bus station for 12 pesos.
We visited the moderately interesting Zapotech ruins - 30 pesos entrance. Then back along the same road with an Oaxaca bond bus to the turnoff to Teotitlan del Valle (7 pesos). Then took a shared taxi from the turnoff to Teotitlan del Valle (8 pesos). There are lots of handicraft shops. Then found an Oaxaca bound bus from the village and stopped at El Tule (5 pesos) where we saw the huge and amazing El Arbol del Tule, a massive tree, very old and enormous. Well worth the short stop - 3 pesos for entrance to the grounds. Then hoped on another Oaxaca bus back to the 2nd class station for 5 pesos. Total 37 pesos, much less than the 180 pesos a tour company was going to charge for the same trip obviously with a few more bells and whistles.

Chocolate is a speciality of Oaxaca. You can taste the different varieties at El Solior, just south of the Mercado 20 de Novembre. Also, quite a few places inside the market and around serve hot chocolate with the different flavours. Delicious. You can taste and have a good brekfast at Hotel Posada Chocolate.

Definately go and see the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca next to the Iglesia de Santo Domingo. A excellent museum in the beautiful monastry building.

Have a drink on the Zocalo which has many musicians playing

Taste Mexcal, tequila's cousin which is from here.

The street stalls around Las Casas had great cheap food.

We took a 2nd class AU bus to Mexico City. Good bus, cost 245 pesos. The AU bus terminal is a little out of the way but you can take a bus bound for Zona Rosa to nearby and walk the last short bit. You can book or pick up your tickets at Ticketbus in the center.