Oaxaca Day trip
Posted: November 9, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized 7 CommentsThe pre-Columbian archeological site of Monte Alban is just a quick twenty minute bus ride from Oaxaca City, but it seems a million miles away. The bus from the city transports you away from the crowds and noise, chugging up and up towards the clouds, and eventually lets you off at the base of a vast plateau. From there you climb a little more on foot, past the vendors selling bracelets and hats and pottery, past the ticket window, to what was, thousands of years ago, the centre of Zapotec civilization.
The site is vast, and requires several hours to see all of the monuments, carved stones and other structures. The best views of the plaza and surrounding hills of the Oaxaca Valley are found at the tops of the North and South Platforms. I climbed what seemed like a million high and narrow steps to sketch these two views, but it was worth it. From atop these platforms, besides getting to practice your one-point perspective, you get an incredible sense of how much construction went into levelling the mountain to create this site. And you meet tons of other tourists who are quite content to sit and watch someone sketch while they also catch their breath at the top.
These are super paintings. I am sure Mexico is interesting but I’d never go there. My late aunt-an artist also, used to visit there very often. In fact she was friends with Diego Rivera. She raved about it and I always thought that I’d see it too. But no longer. Be safe and enjoy.
These are wonderful. I’m sure this was an exciting adventure for you!
Wonderful panoramas. Worth the climb.
Good Evening dear friend Shari,
Good description about this tourist attraction coupled with your amazing sketches appropriate for visionary delight and imagination.
Thanks for sharing these articles with images like spoon feeding about these places of attraction.
Regards and blessings
Uma
Beautiful! A bus trip, climbing and sketching…sounds like a full day.
Looks like an amazing place, I really like your grey skies and muted greens.
Really an amazing place Shawn!