The Casa Azul and a Stroll Through Coyoacan

When you only have a few days somewhere, it's important to make wise choices. As we can only see so much in DF in this short 4-day visit, we headed off to Coyoacan where Diego and Frida spent most of their llives together. Most visitors to the capital will enjoy a visit to this neighborhood since it contrasts sharply with the hustle and bustle of the center of the city. Although a distant suburb at one time, Coyoacan is now simply in the southern part of the city. After a metro ride along with a ride on a pesero (a small bus), we ended up at Hilldago Plaza in the heart of Coyoacan.

Garden Area at the Casa Azul




Frida's Studio





Young Lovers at the Blue House



Bob & Donna at the Trotsky Museum




The Music Man, Mercado de Coyoacan

Typical Luncharia at the Mercado! Yum!

Shrimp Cocktail Anyone?

The Best Darn Taco in Mexico City

Even though it's not yet over, our first full day in DF has been a full one. Monday mornings are fairly quiet. It's also the day that many of the museums and public buildings are closed.  After a morning stroll through the cathedral, we found a great little spot for coffee and to have some camera fun. Bob's new Sony has some fantastic features that make photographing great fun.

The 4 Amigos at Morning Coffee

As we couldn't catch the the Rivera murals in the Palacio National (closed today), we headed directly over to Mercado de Jamaica. Markets are markets, and there are lots of them in the city. However, Jamaica is known for the flower sellers. In addition to all of the regular fruit and veggie stalls, we had the chance to walk up and down row after row of beautiful flowers. Gladiolas must be in season. And cheap! One can buy a huge bundle of glads for as little as $2 US. The expensive bundles go all the way up to a whole $4.

Nancy Taking the Time to Smell the Roses (or whatever she's smelling)!

Gladiolas from the Mercado de Jamaica

As usual, markets offer some of the best food to be found in the country. Mercado de Jamaica didn't disappoint. We searched for a particular tepacheria that I was told was there. Although I couldn't find the exact spot I had read about, the "Tepacheria Paty" proved to be not only a great spot for tepache, but it was also a carniceria for delicious tacos. As soon as I saw lengua (tongue), I knew I had to have a snack. I rarely pass on lengue tacos and I hope the photo shows you why.



Check out the Taste Buds on this Puppy!


Temperature wise, it was one of those great days to just stroll the streets. The architecture of Mexico City delights the eyes. The old is intermixed with the new. Hundreds of years of history can be seen even within the same block. And then, of course, there is the interesting mix of people with a few characters thrown in for good measure.

Bob - Time Traveling Back to 1890s Mexico City

The Music Man - A Mexico City Institution

Although we had more great food and drink as the day went on, we'll share that with you later. We head to  Coyoacan tomorrow to visit Frida's house, Trotsky's museum, and Diego's studio. Stay tuned!

A Long Travel Day, But It's Always Worth It!

For those of you who remember the old OJ Simpson rental car commercials, we, too, ran through JFK just making our flight to Mexico City. In one very short half hour period, we were in all three of the airport terminals before we finally were directed to the correct spot. A bit confusing, but part of the travel experience. Nonetheless, we arrived in DF early, cleared customs, grabbed a taxi, and headed for Hotel Gillow. Although we always stay in the Historical District, the Gillow is a bit of an upgrade from where we usually stay. We're just two short blocks from the cathedral and main square and right in the heart of what everyone comes to DF to see. It's a great location and by city hotel standards, very reasonable. A standard room here costs around $55 US. We upgraded to a suite for a mere $12 more. And the suite really is the way to go! Spacial, comfortable, and a nice jaccuzi tub to soak in after a long day of sightseeing.

We had been wanting to try a Yucatec restaurant just down the street for some time. Since there were four of us now, this Sunday afternoon was the perfect time to try Coox Hanal. From the outside, it's hard even to find. However, after walking up two floors, the stairway opens onto the most colorful restaurant filled with happy, smiling patrons all enjoying the tastes of the Yucatan (the Cancun area and much more). We choose a table on the terrace. Live entertainment was going on in the dining room while nearly every table inside and out was filled mostly with family groups.

We come to trust the recommendations of servers in restaurants particularly when we don't really know what to order and don't want to miss out on the house specialities. So, we asked our server to bring us four of the favorites that we could all share. We would never have gotten to taste some of these on our own. We started out with a plate of papadzules. These are rolled tortilas filled with egg and covered in a green pumpkin seed sauce. Delicious! This was followed by a panucho (a corn tortilla with black beans and spicy shreaded pork). Our third starter, and one of my favorites, we're the salbutes - tortillas covered with shreaded turkey, pickled onions, and avacado (be sure to check out more photos by clicking on the links to images and more commentary). Finally, the main course arrived - the cochinita pibil. This large place of shreaded pork must have been cooked for hours as it just fell off the bone. From what I could see, this was one of the most popular dishes in the restaurtand and for good reason. We left stuffed. From what I could tell, although this restaurant can be found in guide books, it's pretty much a local favorite. As we left, the line of people waiting to get into Coox Hanal gave some indication of its popularity with the locals. We've eaten in many reataurants in the Yucatan, but Coox Hanal is by far one of the best! Buen provecho!

To Walk Farther, Carry Less

Okay, I took the title of this blog from a recent book about walking the Camino de Santiago, Spain. Nonetheless, on the day we're getting ready to leave for Mexico, it sure seems appropriate to think about what not to bring on this trip. Rule #1 of the seasoned traveler: Don't overpack! But, no matter how often we travel, we still bring along unnecessary things that get hauled from place to place and never see the light of day. I'm sure that this trip will be no different.

Although I'm traveling with my very experienced backpack again, Nancy has opted for one of those new fancy suitcases with wheels that move in almost every direction (it can almost pull itself). Still, we're trying to pack reasonably. What's making a big difference this year both in weight and in space, is traveling with more light-weight, moisture wicking clothing (even underwear). Not only does it have the qualities I just mentioned, but it also can be washed out and dried for use the next day. Our oldest son put us in touch with a great company for outdoor/adventure/travel clothing - Altrec. This Oregon based company not only carries an extensive selection of all the major outdoor brands, but shipping is free. If something doesn't fit, return it (no questions asked), and a replacement item is sent out immediately. Our Patagonia pants and shorts will be ideal for this excursion. We've also gone this route with most our our "travel" shirts. Many of the athletic shirts by Underarmor, Nike, and Koppen all offer some great alternatives to traditional cotton t-shirts.

Although we leave relatively light, sometimes we come back with more than we had planned on. As we already know we'll be buying craft items in Oaxaca, I'm putting my backpack inside a suitcase for the trip down. As Delta gives us two free bags each, I can fill up that empty suitcase with whatever we buy and bring it all home at no extra charge. At the end of the trip we only have to make it from the hotel to the airport by taxi so an extra bag shouldn't be any problem. Carry less? Probably not.

Getting Our Taste Buds Ready for "La Cocina Mexicana""

We try and prepare as much as possible for our trips out of the country. Besides many good guidebooks, more and more excellent websites now offer the traveler insights that the regular tour routes don't discuss. For some time now, we've enjoyed following Nicolas Gilman's blog "Good Food in Mexico City". In his latest issue, he introduces his readers to the Mercado Jamaica. This is one of the classic city markets whose speciality is flowers. However, the regular fruits, vegetables, and meats can also be found there. What got our attention was his reference to "tepache" a mildly non-alcoholic fruit drink that has all but disappeared. So, no doubt, we'll be trekking off to the mercado to find the Tepacheria 'El Oasis' to chug down a ice cold glass of this pineapple treat. If you have time, explore Gilman's blog more and see how foodies can go crazy with the assortment of foods and experiences that only Mexico can offer.

Just yesterday, we found another excellent Mexico City food blog called "Mexico Cooks." In many ways it is similar to Gilman's blog except that it isn't just limited to DF. Article after article takes you around Mexico to enjoy the tastes this country has to offer. Another big plus to this blog are authentic recipes that are presented in a step by step, easy to follow format. In the March issue, the recipe for a very tasty Carne de Cerdo in Salsa Verde (Pork in Green Sauce) will make your mouth water. Mexico Cooks also reviews restaurants. A relatively new restaurant Azul Historico happens to be very near our DF hotel. No doubt, we'll have to try it so as to report back later on our experience.

So, by now, you've probably guessed that food will be one of our central travel themes this time. Check our these blogs and follow us for some sweet, and possibly sometimes bitter, taste experiences offered south of the border. Buen provecho!

Heading to Mexico City - 3 Days and Counting

It's almost time for our annual trek to Mexico. This year, brother Bob and his wife Donna are joining us for two weeks for fun and adventure. As this is their first trip south of the border, we're looking forward to showing them a few of the "roads less traveled."

Our first destination is Mexico City or DF as we'll refer to it in the blog. From art to markets to street food to ancient ruins, we'll explore the ins and outs of the Mexican capital. After nearly a week there, our journey takes us south to the lovely colonial city of Oaxaca. Here, our hotel is truly in the shadow of the cathedral where well enjoy the local arts and crafts this area is so well known for. A highlight will undoubtedly be the cooking school we'll attend. As our hotels have Wifi, we'll do our best to post photos and commentary daily so that you, too, can share this trip with us. So, all there seems to be to say now is "Vamanos"!