As much as we love the city of Oaxaca, we have managed to get out to see some of the sights in the surrounding area, including some villages specializing in a particular craft. Here are a few highlights:
Santa Maria el Tule - This 2000 year old Ahuehuete tree has supposedly the largest circumference of any in the world - somewhere between 120 and 190 ft (36-58 m) depending on where you measure and who you ask. 
Arrazola - Women paint the popular carved wood fantastical creatures known as Albrijes. The men do the carving; the women do the painting. This "tradition" dates back only about 25 years.
Never finished convent at Cuilapan.
Cuilapan - Kids recreate an encounter between the Spanish soldiers (near left) and the indigenous people.
Hearts of Agave plants ready to be turned into Mezcal, a more primitive form of Tequila with a smokey flavor.
Weaver at Teotitlan del Valle. This one uses only natural dyes. 
Teotitlan del Valle - Nancy bought a rug here.
Archeological site of Mitla. A mixture of Zapotec and Mixtec architecture. Still occupied when the conquistadors arrived in the 16th century.
Mitla - decoration includes fretwork known as "greca"
Deborah at Mitla.
Hierve el Agua - where water leaching through the ground bubbles up bringing minerals with it to produce interesting formations.
Hierve el Agua - The "waterfall" is actually a stone.
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