Elta de Reyes - Oaxaca Part III

These images are in no particular order because this blog has a very awkward upload feature. While in Villa de Etla, we asked a pharmacist if he was familiar with the filiming of Nacho Libre. Of course, he was. He advised that the small church that served as the external shots for the Monastary, was about 2 miles outside of town. As we made our way toward Etla de Reyes (all the towns of the area are calle "Etla" which made it difficult to find our Nacholand), we could see the little church perched on a barren hill. This little church is a modest 16th century building. Since the filming of Nacho the locals have restored the building and added a hideous driveway as well as a circular cement slab that resembles a helicopter pad.


The three vallies of Oaxaca, while fertile, are very dry and extremely hot as you can tell by the cactus and barren landscape.

In it's starkness it is still very beautiful.

The agave plants used to make the local alcohol of choice, Mescal, grow on the sides of the steep mountains along highway 190. Here they are growing on unusually flat terrain.

There are two ways to get to Oaxaca from Huatulco. The first is along Hwy 200 East and then North on the 190. It's a somewhat triangular route but the highways is quite wide and well maintained. I recommend travelling on a Saturday. The other way is the absolutely gorgeous and dramatic Hwy 175. It twists, and twists and twists it's tiny little strip of asphalt high up into the Sierra Madres. DO NOT attempt this if you are at all prone to car sickness. Although the 175 route is more direct, it is only about 1 hour faster given the twisy twiny curves and the extreme grades. The locals say either way takes exactly the same amount of time. A safe plan is to assume the drive (not including stops) will take 6.0 hours.

Hertz in Tongalunda were amazing. We heard nasty stories about car rental companies gouging their patrons for scratches and dents that pre-existed the rental. Hertz was outstanding and the rental experience was a pleasure $3,300 pesos for five days. Thanks to Kevin at Hertz Tongalunda!!!