Making the most of the last day in Oaxaca

September 12, 2023 (delayed entry)

As I finish up my trip in Oaxaca, I recall that this was the first day of our Camino de Santiago trip, and rather than being nostalgic for a diminishing memory, I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter in October, the Camino Portugués, starting in Porto and finishing in Santiago Campostela.

Today though, I had just the time I needed for a fun tour day with an old friend and tour guide, Margaux. As I walked down to her studio, I found a nice little coffee shop.

As I arrived at the art studio where Margaux lives, my old friend, Sharon, and her boyfriend Jesús showed up. It turned out to be great way for us to share some experiences together.

As we met in the sedond floor of the studio where Margaux and her roommate live, were surrounded by block prints. You may know that Mexico has the oldest printing tradition in Latin America that goes back to the 1500s. Much of it’s artistic and political development can be traced in these prints.

Margaux introduced us to an indigenous young man from the lower Mixtec region who is producing some great art.

Margaux has been doing some amazing work in the prisons in Oaxaca. She takes materials into the prisons and comes out with artwork. She’s found a kindred spirit in another French artist who writes letters to a man in the US on death row.

We descended to the main work area of the studio, met the other artists, and then emerged to the amazing streets of Oaxaca, with the innumerable murals

We walked to several outdoor murals.

We walked to a print studio which houses a large lithograph printer build in 1906 in Paris.

We also viewed a number of famous and classic prints that can still be printed again on the machine.

For our last stop, we had the opportunity to print our own prints, using designs that margaux brought from the prison. The proceeds from the sale of the prints ( included i the tour) helped to support the project.

Finally we stopped at a chocolate and cacao to learn about the process to develop the traditional hot chocolate that laid the framework for chocolate that we know today. It all started here in Mexico and it started as a drink.

I was tired and needed a rest after this. I went back to David’s apartment. He and is girfriend Gabby brought me a little food from their restaurant dinner ( I declined to join them due to recent GI upset that was ongoing).

It was a wonderful end to my time in Oaxaca, and a great chance to rest up and recover from my GI problems. I was packed and ready for an early return flight to Michigan.