Agnieszka How about a moment of rest from the pre-Columbian ruins? We will come back to them, but only in a few days. Today about alcohol and a frozen waterfall. Where to start? Let there be alcohol.
If you haven’t been interested in Mexico so far, you probably associate this country with tequila. Yes, it is a national export good. However, the drink that Mexicans value the most is mezcal. Like tequila made from agave, but it has its own unique and incomparable taste. And the best mezcal is made in Oaxaca.
We set off in the morning, we rented a car the day before. Leaving the city is a bit complicated, but very quickly we enter the desert plains of central Mexico. We are planning to visit Monte Alban and Mitla, but I promised that it will not be about the ruins.
Our main destination is a place called Hierve el Agua, but it’s hard not to visit a few small distilleries along the way. In each of them, the newcomer is welcomed with open arms. The owners proudly present their estates. They also proudly treat us to their homemade mezcal.
We have to take part in a tasting every time. In the distillery, the strong smell of alcohol is intoxicating, I stay outside. After a while I hear
“… try it, it’s their best mezcal…”, Marek serves a shot of golden liquor…. “And how? Do you like it?” he asks. “yes”, I answer, what about you? “I haven’t tried it yet,” he says.
Before he decides to try it, Marek waits for me, carefully observing my reaction to the amber drink. Each time, after the obligatory tasting, the next point of the program, sightseeing, begins. If you understand a bit of Spanish, after visiting a few distilleries you will know every secret of mezcal production. And after all these shots, the world becomes more cheerful.
Hierve el Agua are rock formations that resemble frozen waterfalls. Numerous springs at the top of the 2,600 m above sea level resemble water boiling in a pot. Hence the name. The water flowing out is highly mineralized. Flowing down the slope of the mountain, it deposits large amounts of limestone sediments. This can be seen on the wall built here a few years ago, creating a kind of pool from the flowing water. The wall is already overgrown with limestone. In a few years, it will look like a completely natural creation.
The springs are a favorite place for families living in Oaxaca City to visit. You can rest, swim in one of the lakes, eat something good. As always in such a place, there are plenty of stalls serving Mexican delicacies. You can also hike in the mountains, but you have to remember that in some places it is quite dangerous. But the brave one can count on great views. And a bit of shade at the foot of the vertical rocks.
