On the Road Again

Well our month long beach holiday is officially over. It went by quick and yet it feels like we’ve been here ages. I thought I’d take this time during a packing break while Jules has a nap to write a catchup entry. This month has been slow to stay the least. Most days I didn’t leave the house until the afternoon. Spending lazy morning getting out of bed as slow as possible, cooking big indulgent brunches and catching up on my writing/ news reading/ watching back to back episodes of Breaking Bad. Most mornings I did a bit of yoga while Jules surfed, mostly so I could later justify snacking on quesadillas.

In the afternoons we swam in the pool or walked down to the beach. If it wasn’t too overcast we went down for a sunset swim. Before Semana Santa, Easter week, we almost had the beach to ourselves. Kicking up your feet on a lounge chair under one of the few umbrellas, with only a bottle of Corona blocking your view, you could easily mistake this for a postcard.

We went out a few times in Zicatela where beach bars pumping reggaeton are a dime a dozen. Most nights we cooked an early dinner, experimenting with new recipes this month, watched a movie and were in bed before 930. Getting up early is essential here because by 11 am it’s almost too hot to leave the house. A midday trip into town to buy a few groceries turned into an exhausting expedition that usually left us cranky and soaked in sweat.

We took a couple day trips out to other beaches about an hour south. Each beach was beautiful in its own right but we were happy to return to our quiet and relatively untourist little slice of paradise.

So now were moving on. Saying goodbye to Puerto Escondido and making our way down to Chiapas. Not sure what lays in store for us down there. We have a few ideas in the mix but hopefully our experience in San Cristobal will lead us in the right direction. Well, a 16 hour bus ride lies ahead!

xo from Mexico!

My Love Letter to Mexico

What can I say. It’s only been 3 weeks and I’m already in love. Something about the warm morning air that creeps through our bedroom window, enticing me to get out of bed. The controlled chaos of the capital that reflects a rapid, but sophisticated momentum towards progress. Even with the slow paced attitude of latin america, you can feel a strong force moving this country forward. On the metro, men push through crowded cars, blasting music from backpacks, yelling their prices & waving CDs in the air. Old men sit on the corner, sipping beers from a communal glass, laughing as they watch the world go by, eager to share their drinks and their stories.

Colors fly uninhibited past my eyes, a whole rainbow of fruits & vegetables crammed into one tiny market stall. Piñatas burst with pinks, yellows & reds, mirroring the sweet treasure inside. The cuisine, simple but challenging, heats your forehead and sets your tongue on fire. Bone crushing hands belonging to tiny abuelas grind maize into powder. Shopkeepers blend any combination of fruit imaginable to create the juice of your dreams.

Walking into a plaza in mexico city is like entering a carnival, men crank antique machines that send old fashioned music through the air. On every corner stalls are lined up, smelling of carnitas and freshly made tortillas. Teenagers make out on the benches, unaware and unashamed. Vendors sell inflatable toys and blow bubbles into a group of giggling children. Families, friends and elderly caballeros chat the afternoon away, promising that they’ll do their obligations manana.

Even now I can hear the faint echo of 40’s music wander down the street, into our window. Yes, I think I could get quite comfortable with this love affair. Mexico, te amo.