Monte Albán – Simply Awesome

UNESCO really got it right when they made the ruins at Monte Albán a heritage site.  Today the excursion was to the first or second most important place to visit in Oaxaca.  We drove right to it, never got lost and have declared a complete driving victory today.  These ruins dating from 500 B.C. are on a hill on the west side of the valley overlooking Oaxaca.  They represent the culture of the Zapotecs, who reached their cultural peak in 850 A.D.

 The road to the site is in great shape and, for goodness sake, there is free parking.  It cost us all of about $5 to enter (57 pesos) and then started with an excellent small museum, café, and state of the art bathrooms. I mention bathrooms as Anne White says we have to pay attention to these issues when we have old geezers along.  From now on, all references to the banos, will be in code, which I have decided will be “Bob-sites”. I hope all those people I know named Bob have a sense of humor! After a stop at the Bob-site, buying a guide in the book store, viewing the museum, we then headed for the climb into the ancient city.  (Anne, for you there are even handicap accessible pathways, and a wheelchair lift up to the rim of the city.) The heritage site may come close to being ADA compliant, but as lawyers, Bob, Amanda, and I will have to confer about that.

When you reach the rim of the city, and see it spread out, it just takes your breath away.  The cameras begin clicking.  Clicks are free these days and we photographed Monte Albán from every side and up and down.  They designed the restoration and excavation with Katy Warren in mind.  She won’t be able to climb every restored pyramid and temple, but you can climb both the south and north platforms from the grand plaza.  We actually, as decrepit as we are, climbed to the top of the south platform, because it had a railing on the side of the steep stone steps.  Sitting at the top was a high school class and when one of the boys gave Mary Ann a hand up the last steps, all the kids hooted and clapped.

With our new found relationship with the kids, several of them followed us around the platform with one girl asking questions in English.  Where are you from?  Do you like Mexico?  How long will you stay?  And so on.  It was fun to talk with them.  When we got down to the plaza, without killing or injuring ourselves, we found a new Bob-site around the side of the platform.  What will .they think of next?  Oh, by the way each mound, palace, temple and building has a tablet describing the structure and its history and use, in Spanish, English, and French.  How considerate of the tourists!

After walking the length of the grand plaza back to the north end, we decided to not climb to the top of the north platform, even though it has extensive excavations of 27 (I think) buildings.  The decision was made because of no hand railing.  We will save that for the next visit when we aren’t worn out by climbing the south platform.  After completing our tour of the grounds we rested with a coke in the café, overlooking Oaxaca.  It was a great visit and our guests this month will love it.  The family thundering herd arrives tomorrow night.  We are stockingQQ up on food and drink!

 

 

A small portion of Monte Alban

 

Quirky Living Note

 

The amazing VW beetle – Mexico has always been a bastion for building and use of the Volkswagen bug.  They continued to make them here for decades, after no longer building or selling them in the U.S.  You see them all over Oaxaca, many looking decrepit enough to have been around since the 50’s.  An amazing vehicle for sure.

 

The bug that never dies!