Mexico

Playa del Carmen /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Playa del Carmen, MexicoAugust 2013 It’s not easy to take a photo in Playa del Carmen which does not have about five hundred tourists in it. But here is one. Playa is like a smaller Cancun, which means everything feels very inauthentic if you …

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
August 2013

It’s not easy to take a photo in Playa del Carmen which does not have about five hundred tourists in it. But here is one. Playa is like a smaller Cancun, which means everything feels very inauthentic if you go there after two weeks of traveling in less touristed parts of Mexico. Highly commercialized and developed, Playa features a long paved pedestrian mall lined with cafes, bars, shops and ATMs that allow you to withdraw US dollars. The beach clubs lining the sand offer shaded lounges for use if you purchase drinks and food. We took advantage of this, enjoying mojitos and hot chips and guacamole and beers, with live bands behind us playing covers of everything from Daft Punk to Steely Dan. By late afternoon, there were clear views of the empty beach as most people retired to their hotels to prepare for an evening of dancing in the massive night clubs surrounding the beach. This was my favorite part of the day, as we stayed as long as we could by the water, not wanting the time in the open air to end, knowing we were about to leave Mexico.

Xoxocotlán /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Xoxocotlán, Mexico
August 2013

Hot, hot, hot day. About 20 minutes by car outside of Oaxaca city is this small town called Xoxocotlán. We were fortunate that they were holding their weekly market when we visited, so we were able to see local men and women completing their weekly shopping. 

Xochimilco /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Xochimilco, Mexico City
Mexico
August 2013

This was magical. We drank beer, we floated down the canal, we saw craftspeople selling blankets and clothes and plants and toys. For one hundred pesos we were serenaded by a mariachi band from their boat to ours. Mexico is magic. 

Cooking /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Cooking class, OaxacaMexicoAugust 2013This cooking class was one of my favorite experiences in Mexico. First we bought all of the ingredients in a small local market, and then we took two cars to our chef’s home where we set up in her beautifu…

Cooking class, Oaxaca
Mexico
August 2013

This cooking class was one of my favorite experiences in Mexico. First we bought all of the ingredients in a small local market, and then we took two cars to our chef’s home where we set up in her beautiful kitchen. We learnt to make tortilla soup, zucchini blossoms stuffed with oaxacan cheese, chiles en nogada and coconut flan. The atmosphere in the kitchen was lively and collaborative. We were all involved in helping prepare each dish; we diced fruit and vegetables, stuffed chiles, washed blossoms, peeled the skin off walnuts, and sliced fresh cheese. We all agreed it was one of the best meals we’ve ever played a part in preparing. 

Mercado Democracia /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Mercado Democracia, Oaxaca, Mexico
August, 2013

The featherless chickens at the markets in Mexico are always bright yellow, like chickens in Looney Tunes cartoons. Their yellow legs and necks were poking up in the air on shelves in markets everywhere we went. We could not figure out why their skin was so yellow compared to chickens in Australia or the United States, so a couple of weeks into our trip, we asked our Mexican guide who was showing us around a market in San Cristobal. He said they are so yellow because they are raised on fresh Mexican corn and nothing else.  

Among the other amazing things we saw in markets, were the bowls heaped high with fried, crispy brown grasshoppers. The flavor? Kind of bitter actually.

Teotihuacan /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Teotihuacan, Mexico
August 2013

The pyramids at Teotihuacan have secrets inside them.

Inside the pyramids, there are smaller, older pyramids. To glorify their rulers, the Mesoamericans would rebuild pyramids over existing pyramids, sometimes up to six times. 

To even build a single pyramid, is an amazing feat. 

I like to imagine the pyramids inside pyramids inside pyramids, stacked over each other like Russian dolls. 

Musicians /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Musicians, Mexico City
August 2013

At top, a beautiful green street in Colonia Condesa. Cafe diners are serenaded by a busker on guitar.

At bottom, a talented quartet are busking on the subway. The guitarist drew attention to us by speaking to us in English, then broke into song.  

Flowers /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Mercado de Flores, Mexico City
Mexico
August 2013

On our last day in Mexico City we happened to pass this flower market in the early morning on our way to see some museums. The market was a single strip of stalls, all facing the street, alongside a very busy road. Most of the men who worked at the stalls were sitting with their flowers, waiting for custom. One stall owner was amused by us or curious about us, and came out of his stall and began to pose for photos with us. Before we left he gave each of us a single pink rose. It was a sweet, small moment; and one of the many, many nice and unexpected things that happened during our time in Mexico.

Condesa /  by Liesl Pfeffer

Colonia Condesa, Mexico City, Mexico
August 2013

If I lived in Mexico City, I would want to live in the Condesa neighborhood, with its mixture of art deco buildings, wide streets and plentiful greenery.