Mexico

Visiting

Getting there:  Situated in the North Atlantic America accessible by  car from the USA in the north and Guatemala  in the south. Most major US, Asian, European and of course Mexican airlines fly to Mexico City. Cities such as Oaxaca, Puebla, Monterey etc are served by Volaris, Aeromexico,Aeromar and Interjet.

Stopping over/Long weekends =

What to do/see on a stopover?

A long weekend only makes sense if you are traveling from the US  or on your way to somewhere else in Central/South America and can’t spend longer.

If you want to do a long weekend I recommend spending the time in Mexico city, though there is more than enough to see to spend longer.

• Be prepared for traffic – even getting to your hotel / accommodation can take time, you might even consider the Metro – don’t take a random taxi.
• I recommend staying in the Condesa or Roma areas so that you are not beholden to taxis and Uber.
• Walk to see the Zocalo from where you can decide on your next steps; the Palacio National, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Parque Alameda, Reforma and the pop up the Torre Latinoamericana to see a view of the city from the 37^th
• Other options include the Museum of Anthroplogy, Mercaod de la Merced
• Ask your concierge where the Mariachis are playing, often at the Plaza Garibaldi
• Spend a day seeing Frida Kahlo’s and Leon Trostsky’s homes – about an hour south of the city. You can Uber to Coyacan. I haven’t done it but I understand that visiting Xochimilco to see th boats and hanging gardens is worthwhile – again you can Ube

Destination ( 1 week +) ? = 

Absolutely spend more than 1 week in Mexico. Apart from Mexico city, almost everyone I know goes to Cabo San Lucas, Cancun,  Conzumel, Puerta Vallarta and other beach towns for their beautiful beaches; these are fine but you are missing some of the best places.  I, for instance, LOVE Oaxaca  and the Mixteca region of central Mexico. The history, fauna and flora, cuisines, peoples, architecture and civility make them wondrous destinations.

• Across Mexico, including close to cities you can experience Mayan pyramids, Aztec, Mixtec, Zapotec and more ancient  sites
• Visit Copper Canyon for the scenery and vast open spaces
• San Miguel Allende, north of Mexico city, is known for its cultural offering – as is neighboring Guanajuato. Some have referred to the towns as feeling like US university towns staffed by Mexicans but that diminishes the art, food and craft scene. I’d recommend a visit.
• Definitely go to Oaxaca – for the food, history, artisans, mescal, birding, orchids, horse riding, bio-spheres and more (yes- see Riding the Camino Reals and Oohing and Aahing in Oaxaca for more details )

What to eat and drink

The food in Mexico is outstanding and can be astonishingly good. Much of it is unique and difficult to emulate without the local ingredients.

Throughout Mexico

• Fresh seafood and shell fish– shrimp, octopus, snapper, grouper, blue crab
• Tacos and Alhambras made with beef (carne) or chicken (pollo)
• Carnitas – delicious pork morsels
• Cactus, purslane, chayotes
• Pastries and sweet breads – Mexicans have sweet tooth (lucky for me) so there are pastry shops everywhere, some could give a Parisian a run for their money.
• Desserts – flan,
• Regional specialties
  • Puebla – Chile en Nogada – my favorite – a pasila chile stuffed with meat and fruit, with a walnut sauce and fresh pomegranate seeds.
  • Yucatan – Chile Relleno – I’m told the best come from here!

In Oaxaca there are so many choices.

• Moles – Colorado, negro, verde, marillo – and every village cook’s special version. Mole means sauce, it doesn’t always have chocolate.
• Tlayudas – a huge pizza sized tortilla topped with meat, beans and cheese, cooked over a charcoal grill and served with grilled onions, avocado and salsa;
• Barbacoa-slow cooked (underground) lamb or goat
• Chapuline ( yes, tasty grasshoppers fried with chile and lime) ravioli or any dish that includes
• Huitlacoche – a fungus known as corn smut in the US – which is really delicious.
• Oaxacan cheese – string, quesillo, flavored with epazote or yerba buena .
• Tasajo beef and tasty spice cecino (portk)

What to drink:

• Mescal – try a variety of this smoky, roasted, fermented, distilled liquor. Look for artisanal producers and explore the different agave – Cuishe, espadin, tobala, tepaztate, espadin and tobaziche
• Chocolate – usually available with cinnamon but can have almonds. Most Oaxaquenos drink with water, I prefer con leche – with milk. Served foamy, the foam is created using a molinillo
• Atole aka Atol de elote – a hot drink made from cornmeal. Popular at christmas
• Horchata – most commonly rice and almond mixed with milk cinnamon and vanilla. Served cold.
• Aqua frescas – fruit waters. Only purchase where you can be sure the water is good. It’s not that Mexico has bad water, but your system won’t be used to the local bacterias.

What to bring home:  Depending where you visit you’ll have different options, but if you are in Oaxaca or Mexico City (the latter has many stores selling crafts from Oaxaca)

• Pottery
• Rugs from Teotitlan
• Mescal
• Sculptures
• Original art
• Chocolate, a jug and a molinillo.

What you should know before you go:

• You won’t need a visa, you get a card when you land. Don’t lose it. You’ll need it when you leave the country.
• Buy travel insurance. It’s inexpensive but if you need medical attention really important.
• If you plan to drive you’ll most likely find your home auto insurance won’t cover you. Get Mexican insurance . Try to avoid driving at night.
• Get Pesos. Small vendors, restaurants etc don’t take credit cards.
• If you are going to the countryside wear mosquito repellent – they are voracious
• Remember, not everywhere in Mexico is hot – elevation can lead to cool if not cold nights. Pack accordingly