Sierra Norte

To get some fresh air and interrupt our city life, in early July we decided to visit the Sierra Norte, the high hills north of Oaxaca.  The Pueblos Mancomunados (translated as “joint villages”) are a series of eight villages that are linked by 100 km of foot paths.

The forested highlands are rich in biodiversity, home to 350 species of butterflies.  Even though we did not see any, pumas and jaguars live there.  About 30 years ago the communities decided to turn to eco tourism and preserve the forested land that the Zapotec and Chinautec communities have occupied for centuries.  Eight villages are part of this project and have built cabins, maintain paths and provide guides for avid hikers.  We visited three pueblos and hiked from each of them.  Cuajimoloyas was at an elevation of 3200 meters which we felt with every step.  Thinking that our trek in the Himalayas prepared us, we were not concerned about the elevation or difficulty.  However, I struggled.  Of course, I was hiking with a broken big toe (results of slipping and stubbing against hard on brick steps one week before).  Having become an avid runner in Oaxaca, Cork had no issues.  It was challenging for Addie and at one point as she sat crying, only wanting to rest, our kind 75-year-old guide warned in Spanish that if we stopped for long the hungry coyotes would find her.  Addie did not appreciate his advice.

We stayed in rustic cabins and spent our time playing cards and breathing in the crisp air.  It is quiet in the high hills of the Sierra Norte and even though this is “high season” for tourists, we saw very few.  We put all our clothes on and bundled under the covers as the cabins had no insulation and it got very cold at night, even in July.  We lit a fire, but since the chimney was not maintained, our cabin filled with smoke, necessitating us to open the windows, which kind of defeated the purpose of the fire in the first place.

The food was simple and hearty.  There was one comedor that we would get our meals from in each village.  There are no menus or prices.  The women of the house tell you what they are serving and you choose from those daily options.  Every exchange is done in Spanish.  The quality of the meal depends on what is being served and who is cooking it.  For the most part the food was tasty and reasonably priced.  Our meals consisted of beans, meat, eggs, queso, tortillas and rice.  For dessert they would serve jello or sweetcrackers with jam.  Coffee was weak and milky, but hot chocolate was rich with cinnamon.

Although we had a rich experience and were proud of our accomplishments, it was a relief of sorts to return to our apartment in Oaxaca.