Today we’ll begin tracing the long, colorful history woven into Frida’s clothing. Poring over photographs and recently discovered artifacts, we’ll begin to get a sense of how Frida used clothing to create her identity and express her Mexicanidad, drawing from her indigenous and European roots. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Blue House, Frida’s childhood-home-turned-museum in historic Coyoacán. The house is still full of Frida’s possessions, including some of her artwork, family photographs, letters, clothing, and more. After a self-guided tour, we’ll take a traditional headband-crafting workshop, then stroll through Coyoacán for a snack from one of the district’s many street stalls. Then it’s off to Xochimilco, where we’ll float through the famed canals that cut through ancient chinampas—the highly fertile floating farmlands now covered in dahlias, chilis, chard, and more. We’ll return to the city tonight, where you’ll have the evening to explore on your own.

Begin the day perusing the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection, home to “The Two Fridas.” This massive, double self-portrait depicts two Fridas sitting next to one another, hands clasped—one dressed in a white European dress, the other in a traditional Tehuana skirt and blouse. We’ll get to see these two larger-than-life Fridas up close, and discuss the layered meaning behind them. Later, we’ll cross Reforma Avenue and head to the ethnographic halls at the National Museum of Anthropology where we’ll learn about the many ethnic groups that comprise Mexico’s cultural fabric. Tonight is another evening to explore Mexico City on your own.

This morning we visit the Secretary of Public Education murals, where Diego Rivera painted the women of Tehuantepec. At midday, we'll head to the airport and fly south to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec—the birthplace of Frida’s mother, Matilde, and home to endless mango groves, the famed Zandunga dance, and strong and enterprising women, or Istmeñas. For thousands of years, a matriarchal society has prevailed here; often women are the breadwinners of their families, control the purse strings, and express their identity by wearing a kind of cultural passport: their distinct trajes, or outfits. These trajes, among Frida’s favorites, consist of a huipil (top), enagua (skirt), refajo (lace underskirt), and esplandor (lace headdress), and are often ornately embroidered with flowers. You might recognize Istmeña dress from some of Frida’s work (such as “My Dress Hangs There”); she also painted several portraits of herself in Istmeña attire. We’ll kick off the day by visiting the home of Odalia, an expert embroiderer. After sharing a taste of regional tamales and a traditional welcome drink made from corn, Odalia will introduce us to the three traditional embroidery techniques commonly used when stitching huipiles. Later, we’ll have the chance to attend a fashion show that traces the history of Isthmus attire through the ages, followed by a presentation of the region’s renowned Zandunga dance. Tonight, we’ll close out our time here with a community-hosted ceremony, or vela.

Today we’ll dive deeper into the three primary techniques used to embellish traditional Isthmus huipiles: hand embroidery, chain stitch, and a hook technique. We’ll head to an embroidery school that recently opened its doors to younger generations in the hopes of reviving the disappearing art of cadenilla, an increasingly rare form of machine stitching. We’ll try our hand at one of the techniques during a brief embroidery workshop. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the market, the epicenter of life here in Juchitán, where you’ll have one last chance to purchase huipiles, hair accessories, and jewelry before we leave tonight. After a traditional lunch of estofado—a rich dish of simmering mole—return to the hotel for a relaxing evening on your own.

After saying goodbye to the Isthmus, we’ll begin the four-hour drive from Juchitán through Oaxaca’s Central Valleys, finally arriving in Oaxaca City. You’ll have the majority of the afternoon to relax at the hotel or explore the city at your own pace. (If you decide to do the latter, we highly recommend paying a visit to the Textile Museum of Oaxaca!) We’ll regroup in the early evening and head to dinner. Be prepared for a bounty of breathtaking regional mole sauces.

Today we’ll trace Oaxaca’s craft route, beginning in Ocotlán and winding through the Southern Valley. Ocotlán is a Zapotec town made famous by Rodolfo Morales, who was born here and returned later in life to paint. We’ll walk through the town, glimpsing the buildings Morales lovingly restored using the money he made from his artwork. We’ll also pay a visit to the mercado, stopping to meet the famed Aguilar Sisters who make charming collectible clay figurines of national celebrities like Frida. Later, we’ll visit San Antonino Castillo Velasco, where we’ll meet women who embroider intricate flowers on the blusas that gained international attention and wear in the 1960s. After stopping for lunch at La Azucena, we’ll visit the backstrap loom weavers of Santo Tomas Jalieza and explore the Museum of Popular Art of Oaxaca. We’ll return to Oaxaca City in the early evening for dinner.

After breakfast, we’ll head up the mountain where the Ancient Site of Monte Alban was built. Monte Alban became the first urban center of Mesoamerica, and an important center of power for 1300 years. We’ll learn about how the early Zapotec people were highly aware of astronomy and how they used it to orient their buildings. It’s a monumental and fascinating site. We’ll enjoy a brief refreshment at the outdoor cafe on the site. Fresh juices are their specialty!

Returning to Oaxaca City, you can enjoy the afternoon at leisure, to make any last minute visits, purchases or to relax in a cafe. 

We’ll enjoy a festive farewell dinner!