More color, as promised!

I headed out for a tour of the surrounding area of Oaxaca. My first stop was to see the magnificent Árbol del Tule. The giant Montezuma cypress is in the church grounds in the town center of Santa María del Tule. The tree's exact age is unknown but estimates average around 2,000 years and, with its circumference measuring in at 42.0 m (137.8 ft) in 2005, it is MASSIVE!

This tree was so huge it was impossible to gage its grandiosity while standing under it. People coming to visit the tree were so amazed and moved. There’s a very celebratory, joyful vibe among people visiting the tree, as if everyone's rejoicing at the incredibly powerful moment we're all experiencing.

Next up, I headed for the sunday market Mercado de Tlacolula de Matamoros. Along the road I stopped in several workshops where families of craftsmen specialize in everything from pottery and textiles, to basket weaving and metal work. Oaxaca is famous for its crafts traditions and people are incredibly laborious and talented.

I met a lovely family of weavers who showed me how they spin and weave the natural wools they use in their carpets. They dye the wool with all natural ingredients to create the different colors: pomegranate, lemon, bicarbonate, shells of nuts . . . each resulting in spools with rich color variations.

When I hit the market an explosion of local products unfolded before my eyes. At the market I got to see real local Mexicans form the the countryside. Ladies with beautifully braided hair carrying heavy loads of fruits or plastic containers on their head. All the men wearing cowboy hats and kids helping their merchant parents at their stands selling everything from lighters to strawberries.

There is food EVERYWHERE. Everyone here is constantly eating or drinking some insanely colored juice or Mezcal while musicians serenading passers by. And with so many different small producers of Mezcal, this is definitely the place to drink it.

I love Mexico and its rich culture. The fearlessness for color, the food, and their love for making beautiful artisanal products will continue to bring me back here.

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    Ambra Medda

    Ambra is a passionate, seasoned curator, who facilitates great design through innovative collaborations between designers, artists, brands, and institutions. Among many other things.