Choachi

Welcome, distinguished travelers and cultural observers, to the serene and historically rich municipality of Choh-ah-chee. Having successfully navigated the winding, mist-shrouded roads that descend from the high eastern…

We begin our detailed examination at the most prominent architectural feature of the plaza: the Parroquia San Miguel Arcangel. This church is not merely a place of worship; it is the historical anchor and the primary social…

Leaving the quiet reverence of the church, we navigate a short distance through the narrow, bustling streets to arrive at the true economic and sensory epicenter of Choh-ah-chee: the Plaza de Mercado, or the local agricultural…

Having stimulated our visual and olfactory senses in the agricultural market, it is intellectually and culturally imperative that we address the gastronomic traditions of Choh-ah-chee. We have navigated to a sector of the town…

As we walk toward the eastern edge of the urban grid, the density of the buildings begins to wane, and the grand, sweeping topography of the valley reveals itself more fully. We are orienting ourselves toward one of the most…

Continuing our walk along the rural periphery of the town, we are granted a spectacular, unobstructed view of the steep hillsides that form the walls of the Choh-ah-chee valley. Take a moment to analyze the landscape architecture…

Our final specific point of examination brings us to a seemingly unremarkable, unpaved road leading eastward out of the valley, disappearing into the dense folds of the mountains. To the untrained eye, this is merely a dirt track…

We have concluded our comprehensive circuit of Choh-ah-chee, returning to the vicinity of the central plaza where our exploration began. Over the course of our journey, we have dissected the architectural history of the colonial…