Oaxaca: Day of the Dead

Day 1: 

After a 5 hour bus journey, we arrive in Oaxaca. We jump in a taxi to dump our stuff at our Airbnb, which is incredibly basic and annoyingly a bit of a trek from the centre. It’s impossible to find accommodation here during the festival and places inflate their prices to crazy amounts. Which is why we end up in a windowless tin shack 1.5 miles from the centre. Luckily we both enjoy walking, as we work out we’re walking 6 miles a day just going to and from our Airbnb to the centre twice a day. And that’s before all the walking we then do in between. 

This is the part of the trip I’ve been looking forward to most. For those who don’t know much about the tradition, it’s mainly a 3 day celebration. In the days leading up to the event, families prepare their altars with candles, flowers, photos of the deceased, and all their favourite foods and drinks. I think my altar would just be full of monster munch and wine. At midnight on 31st October, the door between the living and the dead opens. This is celebrated in cemeteries with music, drinking and dancing. The first to pass through the barrier are the lost souls (children) on November 1st, with the adults coming to party on November 2nd, when everyone congregates in the cemeteries once again. 

We both instantly fall in love with Oaxaca. It’s a really pretty town with lots of colourful streets and beautiful churches. And the people are so friendly! Not like in Edinburgh during the fringe when we all just want the tourists to fuck off. Here the locals embrace the people that come to visit and share in their traditions. In the town centre there’s parades left right and centre with brass bands and big crowds of people dressed up with the typical día de los muertos face paints and throwing sweets into the crowds. 

We head for dinner, although it’s now the third day of me having no appetite, so I only manage a couple of bites of a tamale. We walk around the town, which is even prettier in the evening with all the decorations and lighting. It’s one giant fiesta, with shows, music, and parades on every street. 

Day 2: 

I barely slept last night due to feeling really nauseous, but we’re up early the next day for a food tour of a local market. Kill me. The thought of food alone turns turns my stomach, but the smells take my nausea to another level! Especially the smell of the corn tortillas. I’m actually really concerned I’ll never be able to eat a taco again. Despite feeling like shit, I want to experience the market, even if I don’t actually get to eat any of the food! Luckily for Raquel that means double portions for her! 

The market is definitely a place that needs to be experienced with a local guide. Not least because it’s over 800 acres with 10,000 passages and over 200 entrances. Mind blowing. Our guide, Javier, luckily knows it like the back of his hand and navigates us around the alleys for the next 3 hours. We start with freshly squeezed fruit juice, which I’m able to stomach rather well. But then it’s empanadas, tacos and memelas and things start going south! Not literally, I hasten to add! I try to at least have one bite of everything, but the tacos and memelas I actually have to subtly spit out in a tissue after a couple of chews. I was especially gutted about not being able to enjoy Donna Vale’s memelas - she became a Netflix sensation after appearing on Somebody Feed Phil and her street food is apparently the best in the whole of Latin America. I’ll never know. 

That evening we head to the centre to get our faces painted in typical día de los muertos fashion before meeting up with a girl we befriended on the tour, Ashlin from Washington DC. We watch the procession of the main parade which ends up at the cathedral where there’s a big stage with live music. It’s all very jovial and civilised, there’s no drunk people throwing beer (or piss) into the crowds like there might be at home!

We share a taxi to the cemetery in Xoxocotlán, 20 mins from the centre. This is one of the more famous cemeteries for day of the dead celebrations. When we arrive, there’s candles and marigolds everywhere, but no families. We’re gutted to learn that the main fiesta was last night (which is when the gates opened for the dead to cross). But still, it’s a pretty incredible, yet sombre, sight with all the candles and marigolds. 

Day 3: 

I wake up the next day feeling hungry. Hallelujah, I think I’m finally over my sickness! I still don’t feel like eating Mexican food though and at this point I can’t even see a day when I’ll be ready to again! I must have overindulged in Mexico City. Craving normal lunch food, we head to a cafe and order burgers. Just what the doctor ordered! We then spend the afternoon wandering the markets.

That afternoon, while having our afternoon lie down, there’s a small earthquake. I didn’t realise what it was at first, as it was such a weird sensation. Luckily it was just a small one, 5.1 on the Richter scale. It did feel rather symbolic though with the barrier between the dead and the living closing at that time! 

That evening we head to a couple of cemeteries in the city centre where families are once again congregating to say goodbye to the dead for another year. There are groups of people everywhere singing and dancing, some have brought guitars or violins to play music which is really lovely to watch. 

Day 4:

With the day of the dead festival over, we decide to do a day trip to Hierve El Agua, which is basically a set of natural rock formations. There’s a walking route from which you can see the impressive rock faces that resemble cascades of water, and at the end when you’re hot and sweaty from all the walking you can have a dip in the mineral-rich pools. Hierve el agua literally means “the water boils” which is ironic as the water was cold as balls. The tour included a stop at a mezcal distillery where we learnt about how the drink is made, before trying a selection. 

At this point we’re both feeling ready to leave Oaxaca. It’s been amazing but pretty full on and we’re in need of a slower pace and a bit less walking! Next stop, Merida!