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New Website, New Blog, but the Old Blog Archive remains: September 28, 2023

After many years of wanting a real website, this month I finally have a website designed by the very knowledgeable Rey Rey Rodriguez ( TheMindOfReyRey ). My old blog,  Vacation-Travel-Adventure  continues with the same address but it is located in the "Archives" tab on my new website  https://www.ceciliaclark.com/ . The new blog which is a continuation but with much better resolution for 4K screens, it is now at  https://www.ceciliaclark.com/blog .

Sights in Oaxaca City's Historic Center: December 17-26, 2017


For us, it is always interesting and photographically rich to visit local markets. In Oaxaca City, it was no exception.


Chapulines (grasshoppers)
Grasshoppers and Maguey moth larvae are excellent ecological sources of protein. We tried grasshoppers sautéed and grasshoppers fried. Both ways there is an oily grassy flavor (probably because they are raised in alfalfa fields) to them and I got to the point that if I was even close to a chapulines seller, the smell kind of turned my stomach. If pushed, I preferred the crispy texture of the fried chapulines.

Sal de Gusano made from the toasted Maguey worm, salt, and chilis
Sal de Gusano is made from toasted Maguey worm combined with salt and chilis (not actually a worm but larvae of a moth found on the mezcal agave plant). It is used in salsa, sprinkled on orange slices, and to flavor the rim of margarita glasses.

Seller of Moles
Molé means mixture. Molé sauces often contain many ingredients and come in many flavors. At the Benito Juarez market in Oaxaca City, after tasting a few flavors of molé, I committed to buying two. Afterward as I schlepped my MUY heavy purchase back to our hotel, I realized I had a lot of molé--six pounds! After I figure out what portion to use for a meal, I'll freeze the rest for another time, and another time, and another time... Molé dinner party anyone?

Cheese shop at the Juarez market


The site of the piñata party



The Templo de Santo Domingo is appropriately landscaped with agaves. The interior of the nave is European Baroque while the Chapel of the Rosary is Mexican Baroque style. A European looking Virgin of the Rosary is enthroned behind the alter while just inside the door to the chapel, the Virgin Mary is dressed in Mexican peasant clothing.


Ceiling in the Chapel of the Rosary-Each of the 4 apostles are depicted and named in the corners
The antechamber ceiling decorated with the family tree of the Dominican order beginning with Santo Domingo de Guzman. He is the father of the Dominican Order

Inside the front entrance and under the Santo Domingo family tree, are the symbols of Faith, Hope, and Charity. Faith is blindfolded, Hope has an anchor because when an anchor is cast into the sea, one must have hope that it will find the bottom, and Charity is a pelican who is said to pluck its own flesh to feed its chicks when other food is unavailable.


From the windows of the adjacent Cultural Museum of Oaxaca it is possible to get a really good view of the Ethno-botanical garden without the crowds.




Every flower bed in the Zocalo (main square) was lined with poinsettias. Poinsettias are indigenous to Oaxaca.

Zocalo at night
Marimba players in the Zocalo
Marimba music floats over the zocalo as families stroll past shops and restaurants or just stop to chat.



We stayed at the well located Casa de las Bugambilias on Reforma Street. The staff were kind, the rooms comfortable, the table always colorful, and breakfast so very flavorful.

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