Oaxaca, Mexico : A Winter Cultural Getaway January 17-24, 2016 With Gary Feinman and Linda Nicholas Monte Albán 1 TOUR HIGHLIGHTS Ø Sojourn in the five-star Quinta Real Hotel, a converted 16th-century convent located in the heart of Oaxaca’s colonial city center. Ø Savor delectable molés and other world-famous Oaxacan dishes in restaurants selected for their high quality and ambiance. Ø Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Monte Albán and the famous Mitla palace complex, as well as lesser-known sites, such as Dainzú, Lambityeco, Yagul, and San José Mogote. Ø Enjoy an insider’s view of Zapotec life during lunch hosted by a Zapotec family of weavers in their home. Ø Follow an expert guide for a stroll through Oaxaca’s remarkable colonial center, with stops at Oaxaca’s ornate Santo Domingo Church, festive zócalo, renowned chocolate mills, and vibrant market. Ø Admire the rich and varied crafts of Oaxaca during meetings with a variety of artisans who preserve traditional techniques, including potters, weavers, and wood carvers. Monte Albán 2 ITINERARY Oaxaca’s zócalo Sunday, January 17 Arrival in Oaxaca Quinta Real (Meals Aloft) • Fly on independent flights to Oaxaca (Group transfer will meet the non-stop flight from Houston to Oaxaca on United Airlines.) • Upon arrival in Oaxaca in the evening, check into exterior rooms of the five-star Quinta Real Hotel, and retire for the night (interior rooms are available for an additional charge). Monday, January 18 Oaxaca's Historic Center Quinta Real (B, L, D) • Today, familiarize yourself with the city of Oaxaca, known for the beauty of its architecture, richness of culture, and soft temperate climate. • Begin at the Santo Domingo Church, celebrated as one of Mexico’s great art treasures. Begun in 1552 by the Dominican order, the church’s severe façade is in contrast to the exuberant baroque interior. • Next, enjoy an in-depth guided tour of the Oaxacan Cultures Museum, located in the Santo Domingo ex-convent. This museum houses a vast collection of historical, archaeological, and ethnographic objects, and features over 500 objects of gold, jade, amber, and silver excavated from Tomb Seven at Monte Albán. • Meander through the newest cultural center San Pablo and enjoy a short visit to the Textile Museum. • Following a luncheon of regional specialties in a charming restaurant, walk through the zócalo, the city’s lively historic center. • In the afternoon, explore the colorful city market, and then stop at a renowned chocolate mill for a demonstration of chocolate making and a sample of this rich Oaxacan specialty. • Enjoy a welcome dinner in one of the city’s finest restaurants. 3 ITINERARY Tuesday, January 19 Monte Albán and San José Mogote Quinta Real (B, L, D) • Spend a full morning exploring the dramatic archaeological site of Monte Albán. This capital city of the Zapotec nation was an important ceremonial center and one of the largest Meso-American cities at its peak. Learn about this ancient civilization, which existed from approximately 500 BC to AD 750, through the remains of its great square, palaces, temples, tombs, and ball court. • Enjoy a guided tour of the incomparable artifacts in the museum. • Following lunch, visit the San José Mogote Archaeological site, which was the largest and most important settlement in the Valley of Oaxaca during the early and middle formative periods (ca. 1500-500 BC) of Mesoamerican cultural development. It is considered to be the oldest permanent agricultural village in the Oaxaca Valley and probably the first settlement in the area to use pottery. See the small museum associated with the site. • Enjoy dinner together in a nearby restaurant. Wednesday, January 20 Archaeological Sites at East End of Valley Quinta Real (B, L) • Drive to Mitla and en route stop for a photo stop of a prehistoric rock carving visible from the road that reveals the prehistoric caves of Yagul and Mitla, a UNESCO World Heritage site. • Spend the morning exploring the archaeological site of Mitla, an important Mixtec ceremonial center, comprising various palaces, central squares, and beautiful tombs for royalty and holy men. A major focus of this site is the unique designs, mostly variations of a geometric fretwork, used to decorate the palace walls and other buildings. • At the nearby textile market, examine the hand-woven jackets, tablecloths, and bed covers that are decorated with the ancient designs found at Mitla. • Continue to Santiago Matatlán for a visit to the town’s small archaeological museum. • Continue to Teotitlán del Valle, a Zapotec village famous for its weaving. • Join a Zapotec family of local weavers who will host a luncheon of regional specialties, and then, observe the carding, spinning, and dyeing of natural wool, as well as the weaving of the wool on treadle looms. • Return to Oaxaca for an evening at leisure. 4 ITINERARY Thursday, January 21 Archaeological Sites in Eastern Valley including Lambityeco Quinta Real (B, L, D) • Spend the morning exploring the Yagul remains that stand majestically on a volcanic hilltop. Yagul was an independent city-state that was occupied for about a thousand years and died out around AD 1100 or 1200. The site features the Palace of Six Patios and the second largest ball court in Mesoamerica. • Continue to Lambityeco. The small-excavated portion is a significant part of Yegui, a large buried town dotted with hundreds of unexcavated mounds. Salt making appears to have been the main occupation of the Yegui people during the town’s heyday, around AD 700, and many believe the mounds to be raised leaching beds, still used in Mexico for concentrating brine, which workers then evaporate into salt. In the present restored zone, archaeologists have uncovered Oaxaca’s earliest known temascal (ritual steam house). • Following lunch, drive east to Dainzú, an ancient village that was first occupied 700-600 BC. The architectural style of this site is important and reflects a high artistic quality. The site features a gallery of carved stone bas-reliefs similar in style to the danzante bas-reliefs at Monte Albán. Forty-seven of these represent ball players wearing protective equipment such as helmets, knee-guards and gauntlets and holding a small ball in one hand. • Return to Oaxaca and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure. • Have dinner together in one of the city’s best restaurants. Friday, January 22 Ocotlán Quinta Real (B, L) • Enjoy a full-day excursion into the valley of Oaxaca to discover the wealth and variety of the region’s arts and crafts. • In the Zapotec village of Ocotlán, learn about the late Rodolfo Morales, an internationally celebrated artist who dedicated his resources to restoring Ocotlán. See his magnificent murals in the town hall; view the town’s beautiful church that Morales helped to have restored; and visit the whimsical Popular Arts Museum, which houses outstanding paintings by Morales and a wonderful folk art collection by local artisans. • Enjoy free time to explore the lively and colorful Ocotlán market, particularly lively on a Friday. • At the studio of artist Josefina Aguilar, see her brightly painted ceramic figures that playfully depict everyday life in Mexico. • Also stop in the textile village of Santo Tomás Jalieza, famous for weavers with back strap looms, and observe sashes being woven using this ancient technique. 5 ITINERARY • Following lunch in a delightful restaurant in the countryside, continue to San Martin Tilcajete to see the “fantasy” woodcarvings by village artisans. Gather in the studio of one of the most highly regarded woodcarvers before free time to explore the many studios in the town. • Travel to San Bartolo Coyotopec, known for its black ceramics, and see a private pottery demonstration in a renowned family studio. • The evening is at leisure. Saturday, January 23 Atzompa & Rufino Tamayo Museum Quinta Real (B, D) • This morning, visit the newly opened archaeological site of Atzompa. • Next visit Santa María Atzompa, an important craft village renowned for its production of emerald green-glazed pottery, famous all over Mexico and the world. Stop at the Mercado de Artesanías, a village cooperative for artists, and/or meet with master ceramist Angelica Vasquez Cruz, schedule permitting. • Return to Oaxaca for an afternoon at leisure. • This evening, bid adiós to Oaxaca during a farewell dinner at Casa Oaxaca. Sunday, January 24 U.S.A Return • Following an early breakfast, take a group transfer to the Oaxaca airport to meet United Airlines’ non-stop flight to Houston. Mayan Warrior, Rufino Tamayo Museum 6 TOUR COST & TERMS AND CONDITIONS TOUR COST Land Package.................................................$ 3,895 Single Supplement..............................................$ 995 Tour price is per person double occupancy, based on a minimum of 15 paying participants. Land prices are calculated as of May 2015 and are subject to change. DEPOSIT & FINAL PAYMENT: A deposit of $1000 per paying participant is required to guarantee participation on the program. The deposit may be by paid by check or by Visa or MasterCard. Final payment will be invoiced and is due on by check only made out to International Seminar Design, Inc. Registrants will be accepted beyond this date on a space-available basis with payment in full by check only. FLIGHTS: Airfare in not included in the tour price. Participants are responsible for all aspects of their round-trip air arrangements into and out of Oaxaca. TERMS & CONDITIONS: International Seminar Design, Inc. acts only as an agent for the participant with respect to transportation, accommodations, and all other services relating to this tour. ISDI, the Field Museum, and/or their agents assume no responsibility or liability for any act, error or omission, or for any injury, loss, accident, delay or irregularity, which may be caused by any defect in any aircraft, ship, train, bus, or other carrier, or through neglect or default of any subcontractor or other third party, which be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the participants of the tour.