Home in San Pablo Etla

Come visit Casa DaviLinda, our beautiful, art-filled, accessible home in the village of Santa Cruz Etla. Situated on two acres of native plants in the foothills outside Oaxaca City, the Casa is a birder’s paradise. This stunning work-or-play retreat is fully equipped with all the amenities. Enjoy breathtaking views, superb birding, and driving access to outings, cultural activities, good hiking, and great food. Charming tranquility and privacy, only 35 minutes from downtown Oaxaca. ¡Bienvenidos! The space Spacious and inviting, combining the charm of life in a lively mountain village with reliable wifi and easy access (by car) to the delights of Oaxaca City, Casa DaviLinda is the perfect home base for your visit to Oaxaca. Built to be the family home, la Casa is both comfortable and beautiful, offering all the amenities for an enjoyable stay, in a residence graced with art from around the world and set in a wild garden of native plants in the foothills of the Sierra del Norte mountains. Our partially-shaded terrace provides spectacular views of the Etla Valley, and from some spots you can glimpse the silhouettes of the Monte Albán pyramids on a hillcrest across the valley. Take a closer look at the ruins, or the abundant birdlife, with the house binoculars. Downtown Oaxaca City is only a 35-minute drive away, and from our front door there are beautiful hikes through our rural community and into the mountains. The region's boundless artisan communities, markets, archeological sites, fabulous food, and natural splendors are within easy reach. House Overview: The Casa has a flat, open floor plan, and wonderful views of the Oaxaca Valley from every window. There are two bedrooms: one is the master suite; the other, with its double bed and antique fold-out table, can be either a bedroom or a second office. There are two full baths (one en suite and the other adjacent to the second bedroom); living room; dining room; office; spacious kitchen; laundry room with washer and dryer; partially shaded front porch; and shaded back terrace. The house is equipped with wifi fast enough for video conferencing and remote working; a TV screen for streaming; and a safe for valuables. The Casa sits on the rise of two acres of tended native plants, cactuses, and trees, and attracts a wide variety of bird species year-round. As is typical in the village, the property is fenced and gated. House details: The fully equipped kitchen, with its colorful Mexican-tiled walls, was designed to suit our family of cooks. You will find all the appliances you could want, including a coffee maker, blender, Cuisinart, waffle iron, salad spinner, toaster and toaster oven, baking pans, muffin tins, griddle, and plenty more. The master suite has a full-size bed, an airy dressing room, and a master bath with a tub and shower equipped with grab bars. The solar-heated water tank is backed up with gas. The house is fully accessible to a walker or wheelchair, via the brick pathway from the garage. The guest shower has a small bench and is big enough for a wheelchair. Casa DaviLinda’s art collection reflects some of the family’s interests and travels: you will find Turkish rugs, Spanish pottery, Moroccan brass, and Mexican handicrafts of all types. Abby, one of the owners, is a glass artist, and her stained glass windows add splashes of jeweled sunlight throughout the house. The bilingual library of books includes novels, histories of Oaxaca and Mexico, birding guides and other nature guides, local maps, cookbooks, and art books; plus a selection of reference works for scholarly research. Other things to note The Casita: There is also a smaller, one-bedroom guest house on the property, nearby but set off in such a way that both residences have privacy from one another. The Casita is typically unoccupied. (Feel free to check with us about its current status.) The residences share the property’s single gated entrance from the road, but they have separate driveways and parking areas. Our solar water heater is supplemented by gas, ensuring short hot showers even on cloudy days. (Water conservation is important in Oaxaca, so the tank is small and showers will need to be short.) Staff support and privacy: The longtime family gardener, Lauro, works outdoors on the property three days a week, usually from about 8-3. He will water the plants on the terraces in the mornings and then move about the property. He is respectful of guests' privacy but please be aware that he'll be walking near the house windows on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. (The bedrooms have blinds.) The house manager has general access to the property to support guests and handle occasional maintenance, sometimes with the help of other trusted workers. Pets: Our general policy is not to allow pets. Occasional special arrangements can be worked out. Getting to the city: Renting a car, hiring a driver, or taking a taxi are probably the most *convenient* ways to make day trips, and our house manager or we can provide recommendations. (A taxi downtown is around 300 pesos, as of summer 2022.) It is also entirely feasible and a fun adventure to use public transportation to visit the city or outlying areas. To get from the village to the city, typically you take a moto-taxi down to the highway and then catch a colectivo (shared taxi) into town. Generally speaking, you will be more flexible and mobile if you have access to a car. Eco-tourism: In the hills above the village, just visible from the house, is the community-managed eco-preserve. At La Mesita you will find hikes, guided tours, a butterfly garden, ecological demonstration stations, and art by local artisans -- and beautiful vistas from the valley overlooks. There are many pretty walks starting just outside our gates. Driving, we are 20 minutes from the ruins of Monte Albán and of Atzompa, 35 minutes from the Oaxaca City center, and 15 minutes from the cultured pueblo of San Agustín, with its beautiful Centro de Artes and public swimming pools. Birder’s paradise: The mountain chains of two continents converge in the Oaxaca Valley funneling migrating birds through a relatively narrow area, making this central valley a birder’s paradise. On an average day you can spot 20-25 bird species from our front porch, with as many as 40 spotted in one short neighborhood stroll. During the Christmas bird count we have logged 90 species in a day. Ambience: Small town life here is both tranquil and active. Nights can be clear and starry; or they may be slightly hazed with smoke from agricultural burn piles, turning the sunsets a gilded fuschia. Sunny afternoons you may hear nothing but the hum of the carpenter bees in the rafters and distant burros braying. Other times you’ll enjoy a full symphony of background sounds: roosters; passing trucks; vehicles honking to announce the passing of the tortilla seller or the knife sharpener; fireworks; the playing of music, both live and recorded; dogs sharing opinions; and all the sounds of nearby farm life. It can be quiet, but please be prepared that it can also be loud. It’s a sensory tapestry. We love it and we hope you will too.