I picked up Oliver Sacks’ book, Oaxaca Journal, thinking I’d have lots of reading time at the beach—wrong! Had I read it, I’d have known San Jose del Pacifico was one of the Oaxacan villages where sacred ceremonial mushrooms were traditionally used only with great reverence and care until the psychedelic movement of the 60s brought seekers like Sacks.
Though I’d heard villagers lamented the loss of those sacred times before the world discovered them, San Jose del Pacifico remains a beautiful peaceful haven in the mountains. Though lots of natural herbal teas, dried mushrooms, and knitted art and clothing were for sale, the few tourists I met were all interested in enjoying mountain trails and vistas.
I met an older woman from Minnesota who was teaching English in a village about an hour north, and was in town for a friend’s birthday. It was easy to imagine staying there for a long time…
The first few photos are from the coastal road and as I headed back up into the mountains.
Wild Bee Plantings 