Horseback Riding in San Cristobal

We had a fun family day at a nearby ranch, Grutas de Rancho Nuevo, riding horses and spelunking. The kids decided that horseback riding is their new favorite activity!  The caves were pretty cool, too, and the fresh mountain air and tall trees made for a perfect place to spend the day.

San Cristobal de las Casas - Sumidero Canyon

We left Oaxaca and headed to San Cristobal de las Casas for a few days. The drive through mountains was pretty, but after 9 hours we were ready to get out!  This pretty mountain town reminded us a little of San Miguel, and we enjoyed exploring here. We stayed in one of the best airbnbs that we've been in, with plenty of room and a fireplace to roast marshmallows on the cold nights!  It was also a short walk to the zocalo, where we ate yummy street food.

We spent our first day on a boat ride through Sumidero Canyon, complete with waterfalls, birds, alligators and monkeys!  After the boat ride, we drove up to the National Park for a different view of the canyon.

Oaxaca adventures

We explored a lot in Oaxaca, including going to a huge market in a nearby village - Mercado de Tlacolula de Matamoros. We saw live turkeys for sale and large piles of chilies.  And of course, a Oaxaca specialty - chapulines (fried grasshoppers!).  That's one food experience we can live without!

 We visited a local artisan village that is famous for their weaving, and stopped at a shop for a demonstration of the craft.  Our instructor has been working in the family business since he was 8 years old, and let our kids try their hands at carding the wool and spinning it into yarn.  Ian was so impressed that he decided to buy himself some yarn as a souvenir.

We also learned how they make the different colors to dye the yarn, and how they make the various patterns.  A small rug can take 2 months, working 8 hours every day!  We came away with a pretty blue rug and a new appreciation for the process needed to make it. 

We visited "El Arbol del Tule", a 2000 year old cypress tree that claims to be the widest in the world (42 meter circumference). It's located in a cute little village outside of the city.

 We lived a short walk from the Santo Domingo Temple and visited one day to see its beautiful painted walls and ceiling.  We also went to the Museum of Oaxaca Culture, which is located right next door.  The museum is in a former convent, and has amazing architecture and pretty views of the gardens below. Probably the nicest looking museum I've been in! We really enjoyed strolling the hallways and seeing the interesting displays.

After the museum, we fed the birds and ate some yummy raspas (shaved ice).

Overall, we enjoyed our time in Oaxaca City!

Oaxaca - Hierve de Agua

Mexico is simply beautiful! We drove through the mountains across crazy roads (the toll road was closed because of the earthquake). But it was worth it to visit Hierve de Agua - the mineral springs and calcified waterfalls near Oaxaca City.

The views were breathtaking! We hiked to the bottom of the falls and then rewarded the kids by letting them swim in the springs after we hiked back up. We were literally the first people at the site, so we got some nice pictures before other people came. A tiring but fun adventure!