Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
|
The
Enchanting Streets
of Oaxaca, Mexico
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
When visiting
Oaxaca, Mexico,
guidebooks might point you towards the ancient ruins of
Monte Alban or
the tempting mezcal distilleries.
Mezcal is the pride
of Oaxaca, like
Tequila
is the love and major product of the state of Jalisco. While those are certainly
worthy destinations, don't miss out on the magic of the city's walking streets.
A Pedestrian Haven
Unlike many bustling
Mexican cities, Oaxaca offers a haven for pedestrians in its car-free
thoroughfares. The most famous of these is Andador Macedonio Alcalá, also known
simply as "El Andador", which stretches through the heart of the historic
center.
Endless Delights
As you stroll along El
Andador, you'll be captivated by the vibrant atmosphere. Colorful colonial
buildings line the street, their balconies adorned with flowers and wrought-iron
railings. Charming shops beckon with local crafts, textiles, and souvenirs.
Cozy cafes spill
out onto the sidewalks, tempting you with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and
pastries. Bars,
hotels, restaurants,
museums, churches and more are all lined up on this street. One can wander from
side to side, walking in the wide street at your own pace.
Andador de Macedonia Alcala
To get there, you can follow the foot traffic
north of the Zocalo until you arrive at a pedestrian-only, new world
styled cobblestone street. (Much easier to meander on than the ankle turning
original cobblstones!) The street is actually named Alcala, but people
interchangeably use this name as well as the word, "andador" which
literally means "walker."
Wide street dotted with casual walkers
It takes more than one time up and down the
street in order to absorb all that is here. MACO is located on this street - one of
Oaxaca's best museums, and MUPO, which is the Museum of Oaxacan Painters, is
just one block off the andador.
Buildings showcasing Oaxaca's beautiful
stonework
There are cultural places, parks, bars,
mezcalerias, and boutique hotels. This street runs through the heart of
Oaxaca City, through the Historico Centro.
Oaxaca has many churches
Walking around the Historico Centro on
either side of the long andador you will see other historical buildings
and churches.
El Teatro
The stonework in this city is gorgeous. Many
buildings were a mixture of pinks and greens, natural colors from the earth.
This stately building is The Theater.
Stylish and clean
All throughout the City's Center, Oaxaca
displays a proud style. Streets are clean, and people are respectful.
Weekend crowds
Here we are back at the andador
itself, with the streets a bit more active with the weekend crowds. It's more
festive at the end of the week, with street musicians playing for tips, clowns
walking around causing mischief, and more vendors selling items like cotton
candy and balloons.
El Jardin Etnobotanico de Oaxaca
Perpendicular to Alcala is the
botanical garden, which lies on the property next to the Church of Santo
Domingo. The state government administers this garden which contains numerous
species of cactus and native plants.
A popular corner
To the left here outside the photo is the
Church of Santo Domingo with its broad plaza stretched out front. To the right
and outside the photo is a favorite coffee shop, Brujula, where natives
and expats alike go to have coffee, pastry, lunch, gourmet beverages and to
enjoy the free WiFi.
Straight down the Alcala, with a few
twists and turns at the end, is the Zocalo, the main plaza of Oaxaca City.
Women in native Oaxacena costume
Brightly colored embroidery decorates these
dresses and blouses that native Oaxacenas wear when celebrating a holiday or a
festivity of significance. We spent several weeks in the city, and were able to
enjoy wedding parties at the Cathedral, some parades, the Guelaguetza festival,
and other colorful displays of folklore and dancing.
Artistic display of
birds attached to wires that cross the street
Further down the Alacala,
there were silvery wires that went from one side of the andador to the
other, with paper birds hanging in a pattern from the wire. Depending on the
weather, some days you could not see the wire at all, and the suspended birds
created a very whimsical scene.
Signs for the tourists
These signs listing the
main attractions of the area were placed throughout the Centro. It was
easy to find where you might want to go in relationship to where you were
currently.
Here the sign lets you know
where the Santo Domingo Cathedral is, where the Government Palace is, and which
direction the Museum of Contemporary Art is.
Santo Domingo Church
The
Church of
Santo Domingo is
a large attraction for tourists, and locals dream of having their weddings,
anniversaries and their Quinceneras there.
A beautiful display of
Baroque architecture, there is great detailed artwork on the ceiling. The church
has been fully restored to it's original condition (the complex of church and
monastery took over 200 years to complete) and the highly decorated interior
includes the use of more than 60,000 sheets of 23.5 karat gold leaf.
Another shot of the
church
The andador lies
perpendicular to the entrance of this church, with the Zocalo at the end of the
walking street to the right about half a kilometer.
This plaza acts as a center
for local fiestas and entertainments and is very active on weekends.
If you ever visit Oaxaca,
spend some time on the Alcala. Have a cappuccino, get some lunch, stop by
a Mezcaleria later in the day, enjoy the musicians of the weekend and generally
people-watch. It's quite enjoyable, and a casual way to spend the day.
For more stories and
photos of Oaxaca,
click here
For more stories and
photos of Mexico, click
here
For more on
Retirement Topics,
click here and
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About the Authors
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are
recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on
topics of finance, medical tourism and world travel. With the wealth of
information they share on their award winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com,
they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since
1991. They wrote the popular books, The
Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your
Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website
bookstore or
on Amazon.com.
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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