The neighboring village of El Tule, a ten minute walk from the campground.
Rusty won’t walk outside the campground as there are dogs all over the place in addition to the assorted traffic…
…including times when the road is closed by locals moving their herds. Rusty would not enjoy this so he stays behind on my walks.
There’s a tattoo shop for those in need. Nearby are a couple of eateries, a laundry and a mechanics shop. This street is a short walk from the campground but the village is spread out.
I wandered the village one hot afternoon to enjoy using my camera.
It was pretty quiet.
I enjoyed the bright colors under the midday sun and the mixture of more expensive homes and empty lots and shacks.
A house not finished is house not subject to properly taxes so if you leave rebar sticking out of the roof the house isn’t finished.
Apparently strong bars are indicated for peace of mind here. I also saw electric fencing above tall garden walls. El Tule doesn’t look like a hot bed of crime.
Layne and I walked into the village for lunch one day at the pink moon.
Oaxaca is internationally famous for its cuisine and it’s considered the Mexican mole sauce capital. However it’s also known for a dish called tlayuda which is a local variation on tortillas beans and meat.
The corn tortilla is crisped over a wood fire so it has that singed pizza crust flavor. We could have used some hot sauce but it was good as it was with meat and cheese and very filling.
Our neighbor recommended fresh squeezed coconut which was refreshing and not too sweet. Five bucks each for lunch. As we were enjoying lunch we spotted a dude ordering food to go and waiting in the street.
Noah it turns out is an American who has been renting a home for two years in the village. He works remotely and wanted to test life in a small Mexican village. He says it’s been fun getting used to the local culture. He says the locals accept him and some wave but he doesn’t think he’ll ever get properly integrated into village life.
He did recommend a Japanese restaurant of all things and we’ll be trying that later. Noah was an interesting character who dropped into a whole new life here; good for him. There are lots of interesting ways to enjoy Mexico if you choose.
And from there we came home to a dog glad to see us.
And more glad to be hanging out in the grass, in the sun. Rusty loves El Rancho.
