We rented this 2012 VW Jetta for ground transportation while in Oaxaca. Was so surprised to see it equipped with NO AIRBAGS and without ABS and with an engine reminding me about Golf MK2s (factory equipped Mexican market)!!!!!! While in US they have mandatory 4 SRS and ABS and add ESP in standard and auto leveling headlights for the European market. Such a huge gap! Not a surprise though, considering they built the original Beetle (Typ1) until 2003 in Mexico!!! see also this 2010 article.
Some Maya ruins can be found not to far away from Oaxaca. Rainy day, but we found cover under a centuries old arch.
Oaxaca city center was “occupied” by protesters requesting some politicians sent to jail for fraud. Other than that a very nice city center, classic colonial style, well preserved!
The longest flight (in a single day) happened while advancing from Mazatlan (MMMZ) to Oaxaca (MMOX) with a refueling stop in Morelia (MMMM). The first leg of the flight was through good visibility air and broken clouds. Surfing those clouds was amazing and very relaxing. However, the situation after MMMM changed dramatically, with low ceiling, low visibility, 10,500 feet mountains, rain and thunders that we could hear in the intercom. Still, we were in mood to enjoy some food that we purchased at the airport eatery. The whole flight was supposed to cover like 650 nautical miles in 6.5 hrs but we ended up doing it in 7.5 hrs due to going around the thunderstorm. As a result, we landed in Oaxaca under rain and during night time, something against Mexican law if flying VFR. I apologized and managed to get away without a fine.
| The flight from Culiacan MMCL to Mazatlan MMMZ was short but fun, with broken clouds at 3000ft – some of the most fun clouds I have been into so far!
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| The city center maintains a colonial look with a central square lined up with restaurants and a church
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| The city rose to prominence as a tourist spot not long time ago. Before that, the only hotel for visitors was Belmar. Nowadays is unmaintained and almost in decay, still I totally enjoyed the interior wooden decoration and the sea side location!
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| A theater play at Angela Peralta theater – recently reopened after renovation.
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| The beach front is famous but we were on our way to better ones so we skipped this aspect. Still was good to take a walk along the water front and return with a pulmonÃa – a buggy looking vehicle commonly used as a taxi in Mazatlan
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