Oaxaca, the capital city of the Mexican state of the same name, is colorful and lively, with an impressive mix of cultures, crafts, and cuisines, including the always-popular chapulines (fried grasshoppers).  The city is rich with colonial buildings, some of which date to the 1500s.  But these are newcomers in the region:  Just a few miles to the west of Oaxaca is the ancient Zapotec capital of Monte Albán, which thrived for more than 1,200 years beginning around 500 BC.

Wendy and I traveled to Oaxaca on the last weekend of 2007 to attend the wedding of Wendy's friend, Viany.

Photographs from Oaxaca