Walk approx. 3 miles total throughout the day; flat terrain.
At the hotel restaurant, we’ll enjoy a buffet breakfast of Mexican and international cuisine featuring a variety of hot dishes, bread, pastries, fruit, and yogurt, plus coffee, tea, water.
Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. An instructor conduct classroom sessions, a certified expert will lead field trips, and transportation will be via bus unless specified otherwise. This is a Road Scholar FLEX program. It offers a more flexible schedule than our traditional programs with ample time for personal independent exploration and several meals on your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Our first lecture will begin with a presentation at the hotel given by our Study Leader on the market system in Oaxaca and its importance in Oaxacan cuisine. We will then walk with our local expert to the famous Mercado Benito Juárez where we’ll feast our eyes on the rich colors of the fruits and vegetables, the smells of the aromatic herbs and exotic spices, the sounds of the vendors calling out “Tortillas! Tamales! Chocolate! Chapulines!” Right in the middle of it all, we’ll take in the hustle and bustle of the local chefs picking ingredients for their evening masterpieces of culinary delights, browse the high quality leather bags and sacred hearts of hammered tin or beaded jewelry, and watch artisans weave rugs, put finishing touches on pottery, and create amazing paintings.
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Our field trip for today will continue with a visit to the Mayordomo Chocolate Factory where we will learn from a local expert about the history of chocolate making and receive a step-by-step demonstration of how it is done. We will learn how chocolate was traditionally prepared as a drink that was only for members of Mayan royalty; see how the cacao is flavored with vanilla and transformed into a liquid, paste, or block form; and learn how chocolate is used in food preparation, beverages, and in the candy-making industry. After the demonstration, we will return to the hotel for a social hour and a great opportunity to get to know your fellow Road Scholars.
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like or sample the local flavor. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
At leisure.