Travels to Oaxaca is a fascinating account of Nicolas-Joseph Thiéry de Menonville's journey to the vibrant region of Oaxaca in Mexico. The author's detailed descriptions of the local culture, traditions, and people immerse the reader in the beauty and charm of this enchanting place.

Through Thiéry de Menonville's eyes, Oaxaca comes to life with its colorful markets, delicious cuisine, and stunning architecture. His encounters with indigenous communities provide valuable insights into their way of life and traditions, offering a rich tapestry of cultural diversity.

The author's writing is engaging and eloquent, capturing the essence of Oaxaca with warmth and depth. Readers will feel as though they are right beside him, exploring the cobblestone streets and ancient ruins of this captivating destination.

Travels to Oaxaca is a captivating read that will transport readers to a world of beauty, history, and charm. Thiéry de Menonville's passion for exploration and discovery shines through in every page, making this book a true gem for anyone interested in travel, culture, and adventure.

Book Description:
Botanical Piracy! A French botanist plots to steal red dye cochineal insects from Spanish Mexico and transplant them and their cacti hosts to the French Caribbean. The year is 1776. Nicolas-Joseph Thiéry de Menonville is a fast talker and a quick thinker. Botanist and physician by training, he insinuates his way from Port-au-Prince, first to Havana and then to the Mexican mainland on the ruse that he is searching for a botanical cure for gout. In Vera Cruz, however, his passport is confiscated, and the Viceroy orders him to leave Mexico on the first available ship. There are three weeks to wait before the ship sails. Thiéry de Menonville concocts a daring plan. Circulating the story that he is spending the interval before his departure at the country estate of an alluring widow, he instead climbs over the city wall of Vera Cruz in the dead of night and sets out on foot for Oaxaca and its cochineal plantations, no matter that he is ignorant of the exact route to take. Not daunted, he stops at a monastery and tells the monks he has made a vow to walk on foot to Nuestra Señora de la Soledad in Oaxaca, and the monks point him on the right road. How Thiéry de Menonville succeeds in bringing living cactus and cochineal insects to the French colony of Saint-Domingue is a non-stop adventure tale. - Summary by Sue Anderson