Oaxaca parade on a typical summer evening walk.

Oaxaca, the gorgeous city, embraces you the minute you step off the airplane. During a warm evening rainfall, I arrived on a delayed flight but didn’t mind at all. I arrived within 30 minutes to the family owned hostel. It was still raining in the beginning of July but rainfall in the evening is a regular summertime phenomenon especially after nightfall. I arrived to a family one room hostel and was shown to with my own room and fell asleep more to more rainfall. The room was perfect for the solo traveler. It even had a sewing kit for your mending clothes. Everything was so simple and I loved being there. I hadn’t solo traveled in quite awhile so it was so nice to be back to such familiar lifestyle.

Oaxaca, is word derived from the Náhault word, Huayacac, which means planted seed. And like a wondrous seed Oaxaca plants itself softly in your heart and begins to show you the mystical images of its own heartbeat. Every corner is a sweet surrender of its historic roots through its pulse of the diverse artisan making process art and its multi-generation and indigenous makers. The local textile vendor scene is thriving and tourism is vibrant part of the city scene well into each season. The mystical city welcomes you and shows you around like an old friend you hadn’t see in a while. If you haven’t seen this city, please go see this bustling city drenched in culture, food, textiles, and lovely breath-taking wonder. You don’t need to even leave the city. Walking around can give you a sense of simplicity and historical insight into art.

Most of my time was dedicated to research and development for my travel bag. I am creating a travel bag for today’s global woman on the go. The main purpose was to seek out some local suppliers to help me create a prototype cross-body bag. I want to create a sustainable travel bag so women can use a travel bag that’s functional, simply designed using sustainable fabric and handcrafted in Oaxaca with an emphasis on the embroidery craft. We are creating a travel cross-body bag so women can simply find their belongings, designed elegantly and made with sustainable materials and in Oaxaca with artisan styled practices.

My stay was short and sweet and I didn’t even go to most tourist sites like the Mitla ruins, Hierve el Agua, or the Tule tree. I know, I know, it’s crazy to miss those sites but I had a mission. Talk to enough suppliers and artisans. It was an ambitious plan but Oaxaca is like a faithful friend that does NOT disappoint. I saw the magic of Oaxaca at night and by day I stepped into Santo Domingo, historical cathedral downtown. It’s a wonder around every corner with the artisan stands and local shops proudly displaying the artisan rugs, textile clothing and pottery famously known in Oaxaca City .

The food was another splendor and experience in of itself. I did have the famous meszcal and famous Oaxacan lunches. I understood how Mexican have invented the word: “enjoy”. Even after filling up on gastronomical wishes under an open patio with their world famous hammocks and chairs. Oaxaca, you are unforgettable and most definitely, this was not the last time I would see Oaxaca. I knew in my heart I would return to Oaxaca City.

Although it was my first time visiting Oaxaca City for business and solo-tripping (hadn’t solo trip in so long), my experience to Oaxaca brought me to this spiritual calling as I walked the streets at night with the famous “desfiles” of wonderfully dressed women and men, musicians, and locals dancing in the streets. I don’t know if it was exactly a “spiritual calling” but it felt so right. I felt I was in the right place and so blessed to travel and be me. Oaxaca, so moved me I needed to return to feel so content with my purpose. Cheers to global travel and to Oaxaca.

Oaxaca downtown in one of the streets where tourist can walk on the streets because of light traffic.

Your turn

Where have you traveled that made you feel so amazing? Did you see textiles on your travel experiences? What made them unforgettable to you and why? We are always discussing travel and textiles on our sustainable travel workshop facebook group. If not, follow my journey easily via email newsletter updates where I will be posting more about my process. We are in the middle of a branding revamp as well. And I will be posting more photos about my updates because there’s been interesting updates you will not want to miss as I discover my path. I promise no spam and you can get special discounts as I attempt to go outside my comfort zone as much as I enjoy entrepreneurship and all of its adventures.