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THE RETURN OF THE SOULS
Day of the Dead in Outback Oaxaca
October 31 - Nov. 2, 2011
(For tour price and other information, please see the Trip Details sidebar on this page)
Trip
Details |
| Where |
Oaxaca |
| When |
Oct. 31- Nov. 2, 2011 |
| Duration |
3 days/3 nights*
*should you have other lodging arrangements for the last night in Oaxaca we will adjust the price to compensate.
GROUP SIZE: min. 4 max 10 |
| Cost |
$495 US Includes all specified meals, private transportation and lodging ( double occupancy, single rooms are not available).
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Beautiful, moving and fascinating and in the midst of the most lovely time of year, Day of the Dead in Oaxaca is not to be missed! This unique trip takes it even one step further, transporting us far beyond the crowds and carnival atmosphere that have become the festival norm around Oaxaca city and into a remote village seemingly lost in time in outback Oaxaca. For a moment we will slow down, walk the earthen streets, smell the river scented air and meet bakers, wood cutters and tamale makers, truly immersing ourselves in a small town's preparations for the return of the souls of their loved ones. We'll join them in the candle-lit pre-dawn quiet of the cemetery for this one of a kind ceremony. And we'll be in a natural wonderland of cactus and red-rock cliffs, with a nearby blue river and the almost unknown mountain top ruins of a lost civilization waiting to be explored.
This small-group trip is not for everyone. But if getting beyond the crowds and into authentic culture and natural beauty appeal to you, this unique expedition into the heart of Oaxaca is for you.
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(Meals included B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
 Day 1, Oct 31st.. (LD) SLOWING DOWN
Meeting at 9 AM, we leave Oaxaca valley and travel into a remote and dramatic corner of Oaxaca where cactus grows as thick as grass. Mid-morning will find us in a place of balmy air and mango and lime trees. We'll stop in a small town market below a cliff and shop for flowers, fruits, chocolate and other items that we'll need to build our own altar. We then head to a village in a valley beside a desert river, surrounded by tall cactus and towering mountains where life moves more slowly. Here we settle into the simple and lovely adobe cabins that will be our homes for the next two nights. Then a wander into town to meet some of the villagers, see their altars, visit the graveyard and work on our own collective altar. Evening will be slow and relaxed, with time for chatting, perhaps a walk down by the river and excellent potential for stargazing in this dark corner of the earth. Evening in village.
 Day 2, Nov 1st. (BLD) THE RETURN OF THE SOULS
For those up for a hike well make an expedition this morning beyond the village to the spectacular, but almost unknown and seldom visited red stone ruins that top a large hill at the convergence of two rivers. These ruins are just now beginning to be excavated and understood. The location and views are breathtaking. Afterwards there will be time for swimming and we'll spend the afternoon visiting, as is the way during Todos Santos. We'll visit the baker who still cooks in a wood-fired, stone oven and see the unusual technique of pit baked tamales. Then some rest, for this is the night the souls come home, and it is custom here to spend the pre-dawn hours in the graveyard, awaiting the return of the souls. We'll be there with the rest of the village, under the veil of stars and among candles, flowers, hushed voices. Evening in village.
 Day 3, Nov 2nd. (BL) THE GIFT OF LIFE
As night becomes day and the sun begins to warm the air we will flow with the villagers back to our homes and the festival for the deceased will continue. Mid-morning we will slowly pack our things and perhaps take a last dip in the river, then say our farewells. As we return to Oaxaca we will visit other cemeteries. Each cemetery is unique and idiosyncratic, small worlds unto themselves and reminders of the short, sweet gift that are our lives. And today they will be in full glory, adorned with thousands of flowers and full of care. We should be back in Oaxaca between 3 and 5pm.
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All itineraries subject to change without notice.
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