Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Soccer in San Sebastian Etla

This is an installment in an ongoing post series detailing a typical day in one of our destinations. Not everything in this schedule might happen on any given day, but it should give you a good idea of our usual activities. 6:30 AM – The sun begins to peak over the mountaintops a few miles … Read more

Hiking San Agustin Etla's Aqueduct Trail in Oaxaca, Mexico

Though certainly full of beautiful and rugged landscapes, as well as a growing eco-tourism sector, Mexico as a whole isn’t necessarily known for its hiking infrastructure. There are trails to be found, but these are usually present for much more practical reasons, often as an actual transportation path and not for those wishing to escape … Read more

Etla Sunset

We’ve started to call the area north of Oaxaca de Juárez the “Etlas”. Our house is in San Sebastián Etla, but there is also Villa de Etla, where we make weekly visits to the market, San Pablo Etla, where we enjoyed a jam session last week at a ranch with some expats, San Augustin Etla, … Read more

Oaxaca’s Zócalo

March 18th, 2013 | Posted by Ian in Mexico | Parks | The Places We've Been - (3 Comments)
Oaxaca's Zocalo

Without a doubt, the center of activity in Oaxaca de Juarez is the Zócalo. Officially La Plaza de la Constitucion, plans for the Zócalo were completed in 1529. The plaza has undergone various face lifts through the centuries, but the space itself has been the city’s heart for nearly 500 years. Today a bandstand sits directly in … Read more

Monte Alban

March 12th, 2013 | Posted by Ian in Mexico | Parks | The Places We've Been - (3 Comments)
Ian and Brie at Monte Alban in Oaxacs

Just six miles west of the center of Oaxaca de Juarez lies the large pre-Columbian archaeological site of Monte Alban. Founded around 500 BCE and continuously inhabited for over one thousand years by the Zapotec culture, the site itself sits atop an artificially leveled ridge (i.e. they chopped off the top of a mountain!), 1300 … Read more

Etla Sunset

A week ago today we left Guanajuato and began the 10 hour drive southeast to Oaxaca where we will spend the month of March. Oaxaca (pronounced wa-hawk-a) is one of the two southernmost states in Mexico and is known for its indigenous population and culture. Its capital, Oaxaca de Juarez (often simply called Oaxaca), was … Read more

Talbots and Kietzmans

Guanajuato was a magical place, enchanting, wonderful, and easily one of our favorites of the last six months. The limited number of drive-able streets created an active lifestyle as we walked through neighborhoods and into the centro via romantic callejons. No matter where we went it seemed as though we were always amidst a party. The plazas … Read more

Angel, Then and Now

As we’ve touched on a few times in the last month, much of Guanajuato’s history and wealth can be traced to the nearby silver mines. Our daily walks through the colonial streets of the city were captivating, and we were eager to wrap our heads around the industry that made it all possible. On our … Read more

Guanajuato House

March 6th, 2013 | Posted by Ian in Lodging | Mexico | The Places We've Been - (4 Comments)
Vista Feliz Window View in Guanajuato, Mexico

Our place in Guanajuato was a perfect little place in a perfect little location. Essentially an open split-level studio, the upper level consisted of the bedroom and bathroom overlooking the living/working area and kitchen below. Highlights include: Speedy internet. After spending a month dealing with rationed satellite web access, it was a great relief to … Read more

Callejon in Guanajuato's Centro

This is a series detailing some of what appear at first to be more mundane details of a place, but will hopefully be illuminating as insights into the grind behind the “glamour.”  Streets, Callejons, and Tunnels Understanding the transportation grid is vital in trying to wrap your head around the gem that is Guanajuato. The … Read more