Home in Oaxaca

"Los Sabinos" is outside the city and so avoids all of the urban problems of pollution, noise, and crime but it is still close enough to the city for those who want the conveniences an urban center offers. There are ultramodern movie theaters, an American-style shopping center, internet cafes, and world-class dining. Of course, if the indigenous experience you are after, the possibilities are virtually endless with local arts and crafts, archaeological sites, and local markets and restaurants everywhere.

"Los Sabinos" combines all of the modern amenities with the ageless charm of old Mexico. It is close to picturesque hills with countless hiking opportunities. Its entrance is off the old road to Mexico City - a journey that once took four days but now only takes 6 hours on the new toll road a few miles away. Just across from the entrance to "Los Sabinos" are the remains of a protected archaeological site (an ancient village of 100 people or so that existed between 2850 and 3150 years ago) and an abandoned church that is now used as a cemetery. The church and the archaeological site are just two of the many locales that offer unique opportunities for the painter and the photographer.

The presence of an archaeological and historical site on the east side of the development has some unintended effects on our little community. In addition to adding a touch of charm, it also guarantees that there will be no crowding or development adjacent to our homes.

The archaeological site is protected by INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropologia y Historia) and construction of any kind is forbidden.

In addition, the land to the west is agricultural and lacks roads and other services. It is therefore unlikely that any housing construction will take place on that side either in the foreseeable future. In other words, the setting that surrounds "Los Sabinos" today will not change.

At present, "Los Sabinos" is still in the development stage and the workers have begun to put in the roads and other services. In a few short months however, your home will be built for you. The setting is perfect for you: The development is in a tiny valley on the edge of the Sierra Juarez Mountains. It is bordered on the east side by the old road to Mexico City, the archaeological site and the abandoned church. The western edge is partially defined by a small creek that is fed by rainwater coming down from the mountains. The creek is edged by wild Mexican bamboo and that provides a perfect privacy screen along that edge as well as a home for wildlife, especially birds (see the photo in the header of this page).

The name of the development, Los Sabinos, comes from the name of the river that flows along the western edge of the property (El Rio de los Sabinos) which in turn is named after a tree. "Los Sabinos" is Spanish for Montezuma Cypress or Ahuehuete Cypress (In Nahua, the Aztec language, the tree is called Ahuehuete) (Family Mucronatum).

One of the oldest trees in the world, an Ahuehuete Cypress, is growing in Santa Maria del Tule - less than 45 minutes from our development. With a 10 meter (33 feet) diameter trunk it is also considered by many to be the broadest tree in the world. The circumference of the trunk is an amazing 54 meters (178 feet). It is over 40 meters (130 feet) high, boasts a foliage diameter of over 51 meters (170 feet), and weighs over 500 tons.