Ancient Zapotec Ruins are scattered through the Oaxaca region. Colonial Catholic Churches and Spanish Architecture surround the lively Zocalo, with great restaurants, art galleries and musuems in abundance.
Oaxaca is a city rich in history. It has Spanish colonial buildings surrounded by sidewalks made from green limestone, 2,500 year old ruins like Monte Alban, great restaurants with traditional Oaxacan cooking, museums, art galleries, and festivals like the "Day of the Dead". All combine to create a vacation experience with the flavor of Mexico that most tourists can only hope to experience.
The heart of Oaxaca Mexico is the zocalo which has many traditional restaurants. It's a great place to relax and watch the endless stream of tourists, businessmen, street vendors, and locals. The odds of a finding a band playing, street musicians, or preparations for a festival are pretty good here. And the romantic atmosphere in the Oaxaca zocalo at night makes it a favorite place for couples.
One of the most valued experiences in Oaxaca is visiting the various Indian villages. Some are famed for the Zapotec rugs, while others for the black or red clay pottery, painted wooden animals or hand woven and/or embroidered cotton textiles. Mezcal is the local spirit of choice and little distilleries are scattered around the valleys..
So whether your reasons for falling in love with Oaxaca are based on the Spanish colonial architecture, the market, the beautiful zocalo, the nearby ruins, or indigenous crafts, Oaxaca has something that will reach your soul and bring you back again and again.
Location of Casa Raab
The Casa Raab Estate is situated in the rural, traditional Mexican village of San Pablo Etla. We are located in the foothills at 5,500' above sea level, just 20 minutes north of Oaxaca City, and an additional 20 minutes to the airport. The Casa Raab estate consists of 40 acres of beautiful foothills that you can explore by hiking. It is connected to the village by both paved and dirt roads that you can safely walk to your heart's content.
Map with Driving Instructions to Casa Raab (link to be added) : This will get you to Casa Raab from nearly anywhere in Oaxaca.
Maps of Oaxaca and Mexico (link to be added) : Study, download and print useful maps of Oaxaca and the country of Mexico.
History of Casa Raab
The Raab family drove to Oaxaca in a Dodge van, in 1965. Robert and Betty were looking for that "second life" while still in their late 40s After trying their hands homesteading in British Columbia, they headed south, and eventually found themselves in Oaxaca. In the 60s it was still a small colonial town, with donkeys walking around the town square.
While getting to know the residents and the ex-pat community, they found a 10 acre site out in the foothills. Somehow they knew that this was "the place", and purchased the property. Over the next few years they sold out in the states, and began building Casa Raab. They moved to Oaxaca in 1969.
After 25 years Bob & Bettty became ill and had to return to the US. Eventually son Anthony regained control of the estate. In the following years he and his wife Rebecca rebuilt the Casa and its facilities, and also added 30 acres of beautiful foothills and pastures to the original land. The result is a unique, authentic, second generation Mexican estate.
Casa Raab is visited by people from around the world. Its large expanse of natural habitat is host to many different sorts of plant, bird (link to bird list to be added) and animal life. The estate lands remain a sort of Agricultural Park, with sharecropping of corn in the traditional ways, and also large fields of maguey (agave) used for making mezcal.