Alvin Starkman
Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School, thereafter embarking upon a career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin resides in Oaxaca, where he writes, leads personalized tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sights, is a film consultant, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), combining the comfort and service of a Oaxaca hotel with the lodging style of a quaint country inn .
Articles by this Author
Short essays on rural Oaxaca mezcal production: Part II: Recicado from the Mixteca Alta
- By Alvin Starkman
- Published 03/27/2009
- Travel
- Unrated
A five hour drive from the state capital of Oaxaca, lies the dirt road village of Pueblo Viejo, where mezcal is produced as it was pre-Conquest … using a mallet and canoe-shaped trough to mash; animal skin to ferment; and clay and stone still with wooden canal, river reed and agave leaves to transport water, the life blood of the process. The typical, quaint, rural roadside mezcal facility near Oaxaca is modern, by comparison.
Women potters of San Marcos Tlapazola, Oaxaca
- By Alvin Starkman
- Published 03/3/2009
- Travel
- Unrated
The women potters of San Marcos Tlapazola, Oaxaca, work not with a wheel, not even using two places as Don Valente of Doña Rosa fame does. They spin their magic on a stone, with a bit of sand allowing movement without friction. They bake using not a brick kiln, nor a below-ground oven. They fire on the surface of their dirt floor compound. They work long hours, and in the end they produce wonderful clay tools, cooking utensils, and fanciful pre-Hispanic style human figures … in a humble living environment.
Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque, Chiapas: A Driving Tour
- By Alvin Starkman
- Published 03/2/2009
- Travel
- Unrated
The drive from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas, and Palenque, provides an easy and thoroughly culturally interesting and diverse tour, for those planning or contemplating such a tour of southern Mexico. This driving tour provides details of the major sights, highway quality, and options for diversions to Huatulco and Puerto Escondido, Veracruz and Puebla. The drive is designed to avoid any and all backtracking, and is a clean 2,000+ kilometer circuit.
Should I rent a car in Oaxaca?
- By Alvin Starkman
- Published 01/30/2009
- Travel
- Unrated
Driving in Oaxaca has always been precarious and dangerous. But recent changes to the drivers license requirements have made it even more so! Be forewarned.
Consumer protection in Oaxaca, Mexico: a case study
- By Alvin Starkman
- Published 12/28/2008
- Travel
- Unrated
PROFECO is Mexico’s fair trade practices division, available to consumers, including travelers to the country, to resolve disputes with commercial enterprises. It’s a surprisingly easy and efficient way to achieve justice, as this case study exemplifies … but not without its quirks and unique Mexicanness.
Traveling light to Oaxaca
- By Alvin Starkman
- Published 11/17/2008
- Travel
- Unrated
Vacationers to Oaxaca frequently bring one extra suitcase, empty, to facilitate getting home their purchases … rugs, alebrijes, black pottery, and more. Others ask what they can bring down to donate to the needy. Here’s valuable and important advice for both.
Accommodations in Oaxaca: Ants, noise and toilet paper
- By Alvin Starkman
- Published 10/31/2008
- Vacation Rental Articles
- Unrated
Choosing the accommodation type when confirming details of your visit to Oaxaca can be one of the most important decisions you'll make relating to your trip, and will determine the quality of your full cultural experience. Hotels, inns and bed and breakfast lodgings in Oaxaca each have different characteristics, and their pluses and minuses.