I once spotted a mural in Oaxaca’s Zócalo that’s pure word‑play and food‑art in one. The piece is titled “El Sabor de la Vida” and the word “Sabor” (meaning taste) is actually spelled out with tiny, colorful images of tacos, tamales and churros. So you’re literally seeing a mouth‑watering menu while reading a sentence that means “the taste of life.” It’s a fun visual puzzle that feels like a postcard you can taste before you even take a photo.

I’ve never mapped every single bite, but I did line up a phone photo, zoomed in, and tried to spell out each syllable. It turns out some letters are hidden in the shadows of a corn husk, others are the curve of a churro’s braid. The result was a half‑sized crossword that I printed and taped to my itinerary notebook—so next time I’m in Oaxaca I can check if my stomach and my brain are on the same page.