ericurmudgeon Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Hola, We are thinking of a return visit to Oaxaca City and the surrounding areas. Does anyone know what things are like after the tragic events a couple of months ago. Specifically, was there much damage in the city proper? The pyramids? Are the cultural/artistic tours still operating? Generally is it worth a visit or should we wait? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted November 4, 2017 Report Share Posted November 4, 2017 The desaster is the coast... a real disastre in Chiapas and Oaxaca . The city itself is ok. SOme places were damaged but things are normal from what I heard. I live in San Cristobal de las casas and thre most churches in the highlands have been damged some of the poorly built and adobe houses wcollapsed in some of the villages.. many people have bad cracks but things are pretty normal.. I heard the same was true in Oaxaca.. Now the coast is another story Do not wait people are hurting for tourists and there is no reason to wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Posted November 7, 2017 Report Share Posted November 7, 2017 The worker's union has brought the city to practicality a standstill with protesting blockades. Tough to get in and out according to media News Daily today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted November 9, 2017 Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 Yes, on top of the natural disasters, these gangster unions are making war against the people there. The "teachers" union thinks they ought to be able to buy and sell their own jobs to anyone regardless of qualifications, engage in wholesale kidnapping and property crime and show up for work when they feel like it. Apparently the "workers" union isn't happy their head guy who apparently likes to kill people got arrested for it. So what they do is block people from shopping, going to work, using the airport, getting to and from their homes. Hotel occupancy plummeted in Oaxaca well before the earthquakes because of this and the earthquakes just finished the job off. So between the two they have managed to pretty much destroy tourism in Oaxaca and cause thousands of people to lose their jobs. And this on top of a criminal government led by who else but the PRI that has stolen millions and millions in public funds including now stealing the disaster relief funds and supplies. As it was described to me by our friends from there, the government, the unions and the narcos are all pretty much just a bunch of interchangeable criminal cartels. If the folks in Oaxaca didn't have bad luck, they'd have no luck at all. Piece in Mexico News Daily about the impact of the natural disasters. There's a link in it that gives the hotel occupancy numbers plunging to 10 percent. The artisans in the area who depend on tourism have been devastated as well. http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/quake-wary-travelers-give-state-wide-berth/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted November 9, 2017 Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 Any so-called country that allows this stuff to go on is on the verge of not being a country anymore. Several of the northern states of Mexico have talked about leaving and it certainly seems the southern ones are headed in that direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 Our friends just arrived and confirmed what we've been reading. Their town, San Nicolas, the Alibrijes town south of Oaxaca, has been devastated and they said the other artisan towns have suffered the same fate. Basically what they said is that there is no functioning government in Oaxaca state, it is powerless against the anarchy there. The PRI politicians seem to be occupying themselves stealing anything that isn't nailed down. Their son's public school is closed with no indication when or if it will open and they are trying to get him in private school but those are all pretty much booked up. Very sad indeed. Please come to the Feria and support the artisans from Oaxaca and Chiapas as much as you can. Only the best of the best is invited to this show so you won't be disappointed in the quality of the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 On October 31, 2017 at 8:06 AM, ericurmudgeon said: Hola, We are thinking of a return visit to Oaxaca City and the surrounding areas. Does anyone know what things are like after the tragic events a couple of months ago. Specifically, was there much damage in the city proper? The pyramids? Are the cultural/artistic tours still operating? Generally is it worth a visit or should we wait? ? ericurmudgeon just wants to know it it's OK to visit Oaxaca right now. I'd go in a minute. The rest of this thread is about Mexican politics, frustrations, and problems that have been going on forever. Go to the Feria, and GO to Oaxaca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 Go but be prepared for chaos. That's what I was told today by people who are native to that area. Among other things you may find yourself having to walk out of the airport lugging your bags if they have the road to it blocked so the cabs can't get in. Our friends live south of Oaxaca normally 20 minute drive, took them 3 hours the other day. The disruption has become almost constant I am told. This goes way beyond "Mexican politics." Forewarned is forearmed. Eric, I am also told the physical damage is minimal. You should be able to drive a hard bargain on a top quality hotel room. They are basically empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 With all that devastation and people loosing their jobs, why in the world would anyone want to 'drive a hard bargain', especially when the pesos is already a bargain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 Also Eric our friends say the best months to visit are from now through February March tends to be dusty and windy and the rains start in April there. Perhaps "drive a hard bargain" was a poor choice of words, the point being there should be some very good deals available on the better hotels. Just be aware you might have problems getting around to the many places to visit that are outside of centro. We're planning a trip there in February, hopefully things will quiet down by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted December 3, 2017 Report Share Posted December 3, 2017 The devastation was mostly on the coast just like in Chiapas.. inland many churches and very old or very poorly building went done but there is no devastation like in Juchitan and the towns around there. The roads being blocked is part of life in Oaxaca.. you usually can get were you want to go.. if you wait for things to be quiet you will never go.. same with Chiapas.. If one of the road where you want to go is blocked go somewhere else that day. I was in Oaxaca for a family fiestanot long ago and we had no problems. Nowadays I travel with a little backpack with some dlothes for an overnight stay so if the road gets blocked I sleep wherever.. never had to sleep by the side of the road.. The people demonstrating or blocking the road usually go home at a decent hour. In the last 3 months I had to spend 2 nights away from home and I travelled everyday. Tourism is down so go down there and spend some money that is what people down there need the most- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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