Oaxaca is Magic

All if it was magic.  The city of Oaxaca is colorful and beautiful.  The coast is cool and rugged.  There are murals all over the city.  There is a stunning cathedral.  The street food is just as good as Netflix promised (there is an episode of Latin American Street Food series dedicated just to Oaxaca).  I stayed at a hostel in the city that was perfect also.  It had a great group of people, and I loved our chats in the hostel bar in the evenings.  This was probably my favorite hostel experience in Mexico.
On the coast, I stayed at an Airbnb in Puerto Escondido - it was probably the best Airbnb I've ever stayed in - it had a terrace with hammocks and a thatched roof that was perfect for relaxing and watching the rain.  This is a surf town, and I enjoyed spending time on the beach watching the surfers.  I wish I spent a little more time on the coast to soak up all the relaxing atmosphere that was here.
Mezcal comes from Oaxaca.  It is made from the Agave plant, just like Tequila, but it is made from a specific breed, and it must be made in Oaxaca to be called Mezcal (just like how Champagne must come from the Champagne region in France, otherwise it is just sparkling wine).  It's not my favorite, but I did have a bit and I went to a mezcal distillery.