Casa Colonial

Oaxaca, one of the most interesting and unusual places in North America, and increasingly a mecca for visitors over the last 20 years, suffered badly in 2006. 

From June through November there were protests, focused on trying to get the state governor to leave office, mostly peaceful marches, but some involving ugly vehicle barricades and the occupation of government buildings and public spaces. 

While Oaxaca was never dangerous for tourists or residents...we had many perfectly safe and happy guests during those months, and never felt ourselves to be in any danger or unable to enjoy life as usual...things were far from normal. 

The media exaggerated the situation, and presented the ugliest possible images. Oaxaca's most important source of income, tourism, practically died.  The economy of the city, and of the artisan villages, was devastated.

Since the end of November 2006, Oaxaca has been peaceful and calm.  No barricades, no disruptions, no ugliness, no political or social violence. 

The governor is still in office, and basic issues remain unresolved.  But the teacher's strike, which was the trigger for the protests in 2006, did not happen in 2007. There is no unusual police presence in the main plaza (the beautiful Zocalo), or anywhere else. The several marches since December 2006 have been entirely peaceful except for one minor fracas in July. 

The Zocalo is full of people enjoying themselves. The daily band concerts  resumed in December 2006, and have continued uninterrupted since then. Religious processions, village markets, fiestas and ordinary life flourish without any impediments.

The perception created in 2006 persists, however; the media are not reporting Oaxaca's return to normal life.  Tourists are still staying away; the economy is still in deep doldrums.  

Of course we hope you'll come and see the reality!

 
To see some other Christmas and 2007 images, you can go to

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oaxacacasacolonial/

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSr-chszktE

If you are concerned about safety or enjoyability, here's a recent visitor's report:

"Christmas of 2006 was spent in comfort in the completely charming Casa Colonial in Oaxaca, Mexico. As we explored this gem of a colonial city we were struck by the contrast between the reality in the city and the warnings posted by the State Department and sensational reporting in the US media. Certainly, there have been demonstrations and another very orderly protest took place while we were there. The Fiesta of the Night of the Radishes and other Christmas parades and celebrations continued as they always have and people who avoided traveling to Oaxaca missed out on a wonderful and joyous cultural experience. We are not reckless adventurers and have no hesitation in recommending Oaxaca as a terrific destination."

For more comments from our recent guests about Oaxaca, and Casa Colonial, take a look at our listing on TripAdvisor.Com:

 http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150801-d156504-Reviews-Casa_Colonial_Bed_and_Breakfast-Oaxaca_Central_Mexico_and_Gulf_Coast.html

 Here's a picture Thorny took of children and parents gathered in the Zocalo to celebrate Spring.