Thursday is market day in Villa de Zaachila. Thus, once we turned off the carretera, we crawled our way into town joining scores of other cars, trucks, tuk tuks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, dogs, and the occasional goat. The scenes were pure country village. Once parked, we meandered our way along the street stalls, stopping to examine their wares and chat with vendors.
However, our stomachs were grumbling and our trajectory was set — Zaachila’s mouthwatering barbacoa de chivo (goat) beckoned!
Once sated, we went in search of Zaachila’s beautifully decorated pan de muerto (Day of the Dead bread). It was still a little early in the season but, zigzagging up and down the bread aisles, we eventually found a couple of vendors and bought a few to be placed on our ofrendas.
Being members of the “clean plate club” and needing to walk off our very filling lunch, we walked toward the Templo de Santa Maria de la Natividad to begin the Muertos mural walk to the Panteón. However, before even reaching the church, we were stopped in our tracks by this massive and incredibly moving mural dedicated to the victims of Covid-19.
New Day of the Dead murals had been painted along calle Coquiza since I was last in Zaachila two years ago and I will post pictures later. In the meantime, next stop — a mezcal palenque in Zimatlán de Álvarez.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 
Thank you so much for this series of posts. Will use it as a guide for my upcoming visit to Oaxaca in January.
Happy to help! You might also be interested in my series of blog posts from a few years ago, Week in Oaxaca. https://casita-colibri.blog/tag/week-in-oaxaca/
Thanks for a great post and photos. I was just writing about markets, Zaachila and others, sadly nothing current, all photos from past years and memories. Nice to see what’s happening now.
It was my first venture to a weekly market in one of the villages in 18+months. I’m SO missing Tlacolula!
I so love these photos! Especially the pan de Muertos, which I was just thinking of! I wonder what the decorations are made of, especially the little heads. And what do they use to color them? I’m going to make pan de Muertos this season. Trying to decide on the dough, design, and how to make those decorations. Missing Oaxaca!!
I understand the little heads of the “almas” (souls) are made of a flour paste and painted with food coloring – though not meant to be eaten.
The little heads are known as cabecitas or muñecas, are made from flour and water, are hard as a rock, and sold in markets in October. The paint is usually acrylic. Needless to say, they are not for eating. 😉
Great pIcs ! Good to see catrinas(Skeletons) donning masks, perhaps a subtle message to the living 🙂 Barbaoca is my fav ; tacos or consume delicious. Feasted on some in Quiroga, alleged Barbacoa “capital”
Thanks. And, most of the living were also masked. 😉 One of these days (it was supposed to be this year), I will finally make it up to Michoacán — for the food and textiles!
When in Michoacan, visit to the Monarch Butterfly sanctuaries a must, so is the enchanting city of Morelia.