WILD IN OAXACA
IT conjures up the smell of chocolate and spice, steam rising off of freshly-roasted corn; the sounds of multilingual chatter, and warm, welcoming people, dressed in vibrant, embroidered textiles. We adore Oaxaca City. A mix of many cultures, a few foreign but most homegrown, there’s nothing quite like roaming the city streets, gazing at the majestic, baroque architecture and breathing in the local coffee wafting out from the cafes.
With the wilds of Oaxaca (pronounced wah-ha-ka) being relatively nearby (seven hours isn’t too bad, right?), my partner Sean Reagen and I decided to take La Poderosa, our 1995 Land Rover Defender, for a visit. Ascending through the cold, verdant mountains filled with brisk fog and occasional shafts of bright light, we can see the perfectly blue sky stretch out over the cliff edge as we casually cruise along.
It’s a dreamy day for a long drive. At the peak of the mountain, we stop at what appears to be a European chalet called The Overlook (El Mirador) for quesadillas and hot chocolate. Dressed in shorts from the humid lowlands, we need to warm up. The lively conversation inside the rustic cottage is like music, filled with sounds we can only appreciate without understanding. We later learn that they are
