Went to Benito Juarez today, a small Zapotec village about 65 km from
Oaxaca and it was cool. We left Oaxaca about 7:30 am and got there a little after 9. They have a new road. Not the old winding, gravel road from Teotitlan del Valle but another one from Tlacalula. This one is sort of paved. We kept seeing signs that said, Caution this road has lots of potholes. Pay attention to those signs. But it wasn't all bad. At times there were stretches as much as 100 yards long with good pavement.
The area is now an ecotourism preserve and costs 50 pesos to get in (about $4). Well worth it. We took about an hour long hike high up a very steep hill to the top of the mountain. We took many, many & few more many's of pictures so we didn't kill ourselves getting up there. Great views, wildflowers, interesting stuff all the way. Take lots of water though.
Got to the top to the 'mirador' or viewpoint. Incredible vistas of Oaxaca valley. Also a suspended footbridge about 200 yards long across a canyon. We walked across it, the 5 of us. I made a movie of the students going across and then one of me going across. It was a little scary trying to hold the camera, talk, look down at my feet, shoot occasional still shots with my other hand, etc. The camera was a little shaky when I reached the other side. And what was on the other side? More vistas and the other side of the mountain of course. Nothing else. So we did the only logical thing. After resting and looking several minutes, we walked back across the bridge.
Rachel was first to go back and she found the zip lines we were looking for. There were two guys there with equipment waiting for us. They have 3 zip lines and the cost is 100 pesos for all three or about $7. The first line was longest and spanned the same canyon as the bridge. The cable looked in good condition but I wasn't sure I really wanted to do it. Well, Angela had to try it first. First one of the guys who met us had to go across to the other side as the 'catcher' to stop you on the other side. We watched him as he hung upside down like a monkey all the way across. Next Angela went with no problems. I thought 'that doesn´t look so bad´. I could maybe do that.
Quinn went next. Then the second helper guy went. Then we saw them go on the second line and then the third. It looked pretty easy. So when the helper guys came back the other 3 of us decided to go. I have to admit, I would have been just as happy not going, but when 4 girls do it with no problem I don't want them to think I am just a big fraidy cat. So I put on the harness and went last. It wasn't near as scary as I thought it would be, accept for getting turned around backwards in the middle of the canyon so I can't see where I am supposed to end up. But at the last minute I turned around, the helper guy caught me and I scampered up on top of the
big anchor rock.
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