The Big Mexico Trip
Nov 6th, 2021, 10:49 PM
#101
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Great stuff Tdiddy! Shame about the invasive nature of parts of the tours. I guess it happens all over as soon as something gets well known. We noticed it Luang Prabang at the alms giving for the monks - appalling behaviour by some. So intrusive on what is supposed to be an act of worship/ respect.
You really didn’t miss much with Janitzio being closed off. We went there and really wished we had not. The amount of garbage there was off the scale! The best part was the boat ride back when we ended up on the same boat as a tour group of retirement age Mexicans and a mariachi band. much dancing and singing! I think as much Mezcal had been consumed on the way out as was being drunk on the way back!
You really didn’t miss much with Janitzio being closed off. We went there and really wished we had not. The amount of garbage there was off the scale! The best part was the boat ride back when we ended up on the same boat as a tour group of retirement age Mexicans and a mariachi band. much dancing and singing! I think as much Mezcal had been consumed on the way out as was being drunk on the way back!
Nov 7th, 2021, 04:57 AM
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Crellston - Yeah, although, it might have felt intrusive to my Western mind, it's quite possible that the Mexicans were simply looking at us in bewilderment because this is natural to them and why anyone would want to observe this ceremony is a puzzle. It definitely has gotten over popular though and that always leads to abuse
Nov 7th, 2021, 05:17 AM
#104
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On to CDMX - Travel Day, on the Primera Plus at 11:00AM for a 4.5 hour bus ride to Mexico Norte bus station. I watch videos of concerts almost the whole way. Carlos Rivera is huge right now in Latin American. He's really good, kind of Michael Bolton meets Ricky Martin. Good looking guy, big sing along choruses. Arrive at Norte and go to the taxi stand to buy our ticket for Coyoacan. $190 pesos, roughly $9 US! Amazing, it would cost me that to take a taxi to the end of my block in the States. Here is the amazing thing about Mexico, in one day you can see all these ways of doing things that are A. so intelligent, buying a ticket for the cab at the bus station, no fuss, no muss and B. beyond old school like seeing a guy standing in the back of garbage truck clanging on a long piece of metal to tell people to bring their garbage out as we saw in San Miguel de Allende.
We are staying in Coyoacan and I'm excited! Going back to the apartment we had two years ago when we could only stay 2 days. Dinner tonight at El Morrel which is an old restaurant, since 1967, according to the sign on the wall. Or course by some standards here that is not really old at all. Especially considering you can go see the house that belonged to Malinche, Cortes' interpreter from 1540 about two blocks from the restaurant. Hernan Cortes settled in Coyoacan, because after all the killing of Mexicas, he longed for a little quiet in the country. While at dinner we get a text that our landlord, Mauricio, who is a concert violinist, is playing Mozart at the San Juan Bautista church right around the corner. It's free, if we hurry we can get in! We're too late, the line is already around the block and they cut off attendance, but we sit outside with about 75 other people and watch and listen on a big screen they set up for the overflow. Welcome to Coyoacan.
We are staying in Coyoacan and I'm excited! Going back to the apartment we had two years ago when we could only stay 2 days. Dinner tonight at El Morrel which is an old restaurant, since 1967, according to the sign on the wall. Or course by some standards here that is not really old at all. Especially considering you can go see the house that belonged to Malinche, Cortes' interpreter from 1540 about two blocks from the restaurant. Hernan Cortes settled in Coyoacan, because after all the killing of Mexicas, he longed for a little quiet in the country. While at dinner we get a text that our landlord, Mauricio, who is a concert violinist, is playing Mozart at the San Juan Bautista church right around the corner. It's free, if we hurry we can get in! We're too late, the line is already around the block and they cut off attendance, but we sit outside with about 75 other people and watch and listen on a big screen they set up for the overflow. Welcome to Coyoacan.
Nov 8th, 2021, 06:20 AM
#106
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Coyoacan - I have only stayed in three place in Mexico City, Centro Historico, La Condesa and Coyoacan. Coyoacan is my favorite. We are staying in a small apartment on Centenario which is one of the main drags leading to Jardin Centenario with it's great Fuentes de los Coyotes and Jardin Hidalgo which is in front of Parroquia San Juan Bautista, named for a city in California. OK, it's probably the other way around. Both Jardin's are bisected by one road so it gives them the appearance of one giant beehive of fun. This is where it all happens! More on that later.
First order of business now that we have a kitchen is to stop at the Mercado de Coyoacan. I picture Frida Kahlo and Leon Trotsky shopping here. Trotsky only buys the Red peppers of course. MLGB, the yellow sign was there but we were pretty early so no tostadas for us. Before entering the Mercado, however, we have stopped at Cafe El Jerocho for coffee and a chocolate donut that is easily the size of a catchers mitt. This little coffee place is famous and at night there will be a line down two blocks to get a cuppa and I'm guessing a donut! The Mercado is pretty normal for those who have visited a Mercado in Mexico. Rows of stalls with fresh fruit, vegetables, clothes, drinks, take away food and the odd bucket of pigs feet. You know everyday stuff. Across the way from the Mercado is the Jardin Allende which will soon be filled with artists selling their paintings. Indeed this morning, around 9AM we see a guy buy a painting from an artist, who strips the canvas from it's frame and rolls it up for the customer. Priceless.
I'm a walker and have already clocked an hour walk this morning, but now it's time to take the wife down Francisco Sosa, the street at the bottom of the Jardins. If you follow the street all the way west it turns into Arenal and then La Paz which will lead past several more parks to San Angel, a rather more upscale community. But we stay on Sosa. It's a straight road but a tricky walk because the giant trees have broken up the sidewalk. It's dead quiet, as you pass these beautiful old casas you can stop and read these little ceramic landmarks that have been placed here in the 90's? Here lived a hero of the 1910 revolution, in this casa poet Octavio Paz died! We stop at Casa de Cultura Jesus Somebody. This is an old hacienda turned into a Cultural Center. It's has a great garden with galleries throughout and art classes. Across the street is Meson Antigua Santa Catarina which sits across from Iglesia Santa Catarina and a little plaza filled with dogs walking their owners!
Our final stop is Museo Nacional de la Aquarela. The National watercolor museum. A beautifully maintained old casa filled with watercolors from the Aztecs until the present. A lot of the paintings are by Alfedo Guoti Roti. Very nice work. Now we have to walk home! It is a ways, but if we head directly north we can walk through Vivieros de Coyoacan, which is a very large arboretum type park that is huge, filled with runners and strollers and us. I keep coaxing the wife on, it's only two more blocks, if the definition of blocks it another mile! We stop numerous times on benches in the park, enjoying the trees. We have literally stumbled upon 4 parks, 4 places displaying art and we are still not all that deep into Coyoacan. But wait there's more! I swear, darlin' it's only another two blocks!
First order of business now that we have a kitchen is to stop at the Mercado de Coyoacan. I picture Frida Kahlo and Leon Trotsky shopping here. Trotsky only buys the Red peppers of course. MLGB, the yellow sign was there but we were pretty early so no tostadas for us. Before entering the Mercado, however, we have stopped at Cafe El Jerocho for coffee and a chocolate donut that is easily the size of a catchers mitt. This little coffee place is famous and at night there will be a line down two blocks to get a cuppa and I'm guessing a donut! The Mercado is pretty normal for those who have visited a Mercado in Mexico. Rows of stalls with fresh fruit, vegetables, clothes, drinks, take away food and the odd bucket of pigs feet. You know everyday stuff. Across the way from the Mercado is the Jardin Allende which will soon be filled with artists selling their paintings. Indeed this morning, around 9AM we see a guy buy a painting from an artist, who strips the canvas from it's frame and rolls it up for the customer. Priceless.
I'm a walker and have already clocked an hour walk this morning, but now it's time to take the wife down Francisco Sosa, the street at the bottom of the Jardins. If you follow the street all the way west it turns into Arenal and then La Paz which will lead past several more parks to San Angel, a rather more upscale community. But we stay on Sosa. It's a straight road but a tricky walk because the giant trees have broken up the sidewalk. It's dead quiet, as you pass these beautiful old casas you can stop and read these little ceramic landmarks that have been placed here in the 90's? Here lived a hero of the 1910 revolution, in this casa poet Octavio Paz died! We stop at Casa de Cultura Jesus Somebody. This is an old hacienda turned into a Cultural Center. It's has a great garden with galleries throughout and art classes. Across the street is Meson Antigua Santa Catarina which sits across from Iglesia Santa Catarina and a little plaza filled with dogs walking their owners!
Our final stop is Museo Nacional de la Aquarela. The National watercolor museum. A beautifully maintained old casa filled with watercolors from the Aztecs until the present. A lot of the paintings are by Alfedo Guoti Roti. Very nice work. Now we have to walk home! It is a ways, but if we head directly north we can walk through Vivieros de Coyoacan, which is a very large arboretum type park that is huge, filled with runners and strollers and us. I keep coaxing the wife on, it's only two more blocks, if the definition of blocks it another mile! We stop numerous times on benches in the park, enjoying the trees. We have literally stumbled upon 4 parks, 4 places displaying art and we are still not all that deep into Coyoacan. But wait there's more! I swear, darlin' it's only another two blocks!
Nov 9th, 2021, 05:11 AM
#107
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San Angel - About two miles west of Coyoacan is the neighborhood of San Angel. Very nice, kind of reminds me of Beverly Hills in that it's green, upscale stores and restaurants and probably fabulous casas behind the puertas. We are on a mission to discover the Bazaar Sabado at Plaza San Jacinto. Elizabeth has read of a art market held every Saturday in the Plaza. In addition to the art market there is the Bazaar Sabado, a building right across the Plaza filled with jewelry shops etc.,there is actually a restaurant called Saks, although I don't know if it's connected to the US company. We stroll through park and admire all of the art and it is really good, large canvasses, small canvases, the artists sitting or standing around their work. It's so Mexican, here is an outdoor gallery for artists to display their work outside of the confines of a gallery. I don't know how you get to grab a space here, first come first serve? We breeze through the Bazaar, look but no touch. Given the exchange, that piece that is priced at $4,000 is really only $200 US! But I tell the wife, our suitcases are full!
On the same side of the street of the Bazaar Sabado is the Museo Casa Del Risco. It's free, today only?, not sure, but it's the former home of a Mexican diplomat and he created a large collection of furniture and artifacts from the 1500's plus some paintings. His office is still intact as is the family dining room, well worth a visit. For my money the prize here is a giant altar that is on the first floor and it is made with seashells, mother of pearl. Can't describe it, you will just have to go see it. Time for our lunch which is a pastry from our neighborhood pasteleria and grapes that I have put in a Starbucks cup with lid to protect them in our backpack. A little MacGyver move that I am particularly proud of. We sit on a bench in front of the people at Saks. You could say that we had breakfast with Biff and Maddie, or the Mexican equivalent.
It's about a 10 minute walk to the Museo Casa Estudio Rivera and Kahlo. A 10 minute walk in Mexico is always a slight workout because nothing is level. The sidewalks, if there sidewalks, are broken and usually narrow, and the streets maybe cobblestone, plus THERE ARE STEPS EVERYWHERE. Sometimes for no reason. I think there must be a cartel that goes around and steals steps from other countries.
We arrive at the Casa, Diego and Frida were married twice, I didn't know that before this trip. One of Frida's stipulations on the second marriage was no sex! Keep your pastels to yourself mister. So, they built two studios side by side with a catwalk from roof to roof. His house is white and hers is blue of course. There was a small line when we got there, only thirty people allowed at a time. The houses were designed by Juan O'Gorman, who also built a small house for himself in the back of the property. It's a pretty boxy affair, probably unique at the time. There are some nice things in the museum, a lot of Diego's "stuff", he was a collector of ancient statues, but hardly nothing of Fridas. In fact it all felt kind of cold to us, but it is worth a visit. Most of the rooms are empty, some pictures. You see his bedroom, office and studio. The studio is interesting with these big paper mache figures and statues. Her side is empty but it does have a bathroom and very small kitchen.
Lunch is at Septimo Osteria, which is just down the street and also a nice place to eat. The most obvious place to eat is San Angel Inn which is right next to the Museum but it is booked up. Our pasta was very tasty and this is good option after your visit. Uber'ed back to Coyoacan. It's Saturday, so tonight will be rocking in the Park, more on that later.
On the same side of the street of the Bazaar Sabado is the Museo Casa Del Risco. It's free, today only?, not sure, but it's the former home of a Mexican diplomat and he created a large collection of furniture and artifacts from the 1500's plus some paintings. His office is still intact as is the family dining room, well worth a visit. For my money the prize here is a giant altar that is on the first floor and it is made with seashells, mother of pearl. Can't describe it, you will just have to go see it. Time for our lunch which is a pastry from our neighborhood pasteleria and grapes that I have put in a Starbucks cup with lid to protect them in our backpack. A little MacGyver move that I am particularly proud of. We sit on a bench in front of the people at Saks. You could say that we had breakfast with Biff and Maddie, or the Mexican equivalent.
It's about a 10 minute walk to the Museo Casa Estudio Rivera and Kahlo. A 10 minute walk in Mexico is always a slight workout because nothing is level. The sidewalks, if there sidewalks, are broken and usually narrow, and the streets maybe cobblestone, plus THERE ARE STEPS EVERYWHERE. Sometimes for no reason. I think there must be a cartel that goes around and steals steps from other countries.
We arrive at the Casa, Diego and Frida were married twice, I didn't know that before this trip. One of Frida's stipulations on the second marriage was no sex! Keep your pastels to yourself mister. So, they built two studios side by side with a catwalk from roof to roof. His house is white and hers is blue of course. There was a small line when we got there, only thirty people allowed at a time. The houses were designed by Juan O'Gorman, who also built a small house for himself in the back of the property. It's a pretty boxy affair, probably unique at the time. There are some nice things in the museum, a lot of Diego's "stuff", he was a collector of ancient statues, but hardly nothing of Fridas. In fact it all felt kind of cold to us, but it is worth a visit. Most of the rooms are empty, some pictures. You see his bedroom, office and studio. The studio is interesting with these big paper mache figures and statues. Her side is empty but it does have a bathroom and very small kitchen.
Lunch is at Septimo Osteria, which is just down the street and also a nice place to eat. The most obvious place to eat is San Angel Inn which is right next to the Museum but it is booked up. Our pasta was very tasty and this is good option after your visit. Uber'ed back to Coyoacan. It's Saturday, so tonight will be rocking in the Park, more on that later.
Nov 10th, 2021, 06:23 AM
#108
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Coyoacan Saturday Night - I have a theory that Mexico always feels so alive to me because so much LIFE goes on outside. If you drive town my street on a Saturday night, there is a good chance that there are parties, barbecues and friends hanging out...in the backyard. In Mexico it is usually in full display! I don't want to over romanticize this, there are places in LA where people are together outside but not like a Saturday night in Coyoacan.
People pour into Coyoacan on Saturday, they stack the cars in the parking lots. Seriously, I'm not talking about "stacked" parking where everything is parked bumper to bumper, there is a parking lot down the street that actually has lifts with a whole row of cars parked on top of other cars! Jardin Centenario, which is surrounded by restaurants, is also filled with food vendors. The streets around the town are filled with food vendors. Selling corn, pancakes, tacos, drinks, pizza, churros and I see all of these people with meat on a stick. A stick that is about 2 foot long, twice as round as a #2 pencil. It's primal! Caveman stuff. I track it down and there is a guy, several actually, that have big grills filled with these sticks with chicken, beef, pork and I don't ask what else.
Although there are hundreds of people, I don't feel "sardined" like I did in Guanajuato. We are not social distanced by any means but you could keep your distance. Also lot's of masks, even on little kids. In the Jardin and Hidalgo Plaza there are crowds that gather around a clown. Not a big Bozo clown, but a guy with a red nose, vest, wig and hat, and he is doing a comedy routine. I can understand enough that he is making fun of all the visitors, from other parts of Mexico who visit CDMX. All those guys from Guerero, Guanajuato, Chiapas, etc. and the crowd loves it. This is stock stuff, just like a comedian might do in the States making fun of other regions. I've seen this before, later the guy will grab some little kid into the giant ring of people and use him or her, in a gentle way for laughs and then finally the passing of the hat. Across the way there is another guy, dressed like Norman Lear, older, little fedora, no red nose, talking to another crowd of people. I don't understand his shtick but they are loving it. Right behind me, Netflix , has put a 15 ft. statue of the girl character in Squid Game, which I haven't seen yet, and people are lining up for pictures. Someone tells me the show is huge in Mexico. AND over all of this is the constant sound of traveling mariachi bands and guitar players, one little corner, there's a teenager, singing with a hat out in front of her. I give her a $10 peso coin. Hey there is Michael Jackson, doing a dance to Thriller, he's still alive living Coyoacan. Smart move Michael.
The people are families, lot's of kids, abuelas and abuelos, couples of course. SO much food. Everyone is eating, ice cream, sweets, stuff from the vendors, but one thing that I don't see is alcohol. In Guanajuato, we saw a lot of people drinking which gave it a frat party feel, but here it is just one big happy family, living life and enjoying each other. There is so much laughter. Even one crowd circle that I have stumbled on has four "dudes" rapping at each other. They are slamming each other and a couple of the guys have really serious faces, but when one little guy really rips the bigger guy, judging by the laughter, with a righteous slam, the big guy laughs and gives the kid a high five. It ends in few minutes and they all have a hug out.
OK, it's past my curfew, my wife is not a fan of crowds, noise or most of this, so I am out on my own, sucking up the life like a vampire, but have to get home before the sun comes up!
People pour into Coyoacan on Saturday, they stack the cars in the parking lots. Seriously, I'm not talking about "stacked" parking where everything is parked bumper to bumper, there is a parking lot down the street that actually has lifts with a whole row of cars parked on top of other cars! Jardin Centenario, which is surrounded by restaurants, is also filled with food vendors. The streets around the town are filled with food vendors. Selling corn, pancakes, tacos, drinks, pizza, churros and I see all of these people with meat on a stick. A stick that is about 2 foot long, twice as round as a #2 pencil. It's primal! Caveman stuff. I track it down and there is a guy, several actually, that have big grills filled with these sticks with chicken, beef, pork and I don't ask what else.
Although there are hundreds of people, I don't feel "sardined" like I did in Guanajuato. We are not social distanced by any means but you could keep your distance. Also lot's of masks, even on little kids. In the Jardin and Hidalgo Plaza there are crowds that gather around a clown. Not a big Bozo clown, but a guy with a red nose, vest, wig and hat, and he is doing a comedy routine. I can understand enough that he is making fun of all the visitors, from other parts of Mexico who visit CDMX. All those guys from Guerero, Guanajuato, Chiapas, etc. and the crowd loves it. This is stock stuff, just like a comedian might do in the States making fun of other regions. I've seen this before, later the guy will grab some little kid into the giant ring of people and use him or her, in a gentle way for laughs and then finally the passing of the hat. Across the way there is another guy, dressed like Norman Lear, older, little fedora, no red nose, talking to another crowd of people. I don't understand his shtick but they are loving it. Right behind me, Netflix , has put a 15 ft. statue of the girl character in Squid Game, which I haven't seen yet, and people are lining up for pictures. Someone tells me the show is huge in Mexico. AND over all of this is the constant sound of traveling mariachi bands and guitar players, one little corner, there's a teenager, singing with a hat out in front of her. I give her a $10 peso coin. Hey there is Michael Jackson, doing a dance to Thriller, he's still alive living Coyoacan. Smart move Michael.
The people are families, lot's of kids, abuelas and abuelos, couples of course. SO much food. Everyone is eating, ice cream, sweets, stuff from the vendors, but one thing that I don't see is alcohol. In Guanajuato, we saw a lot of people drinking which gave it a frat party feel, but here it is just one big happy family, living life and enjoying each other. There is so much laughter. Even one crowd circle that I have stumbled on has four "dudes" rapping at each other. They are slamming each other and a couple of the guys have really serious faces, but when one little guy really rips the bigger guy, judging by the laughter, with a righteous slam, the big guy laughs and gives the kid a high five. It ends in few minutes and they all have a hug out.
OK, it's past my curfew, my wife is not a fan of crowds, noise or most of this, so I am out on my own, sucking up the life like a vampire, but have to get home before the sun comes up!
Nov 11th, 2021, 07:22 AM
#109
You're really capturing the vibrant, lively culture that brings us back to Mexico, time and again. I've only made daytime forays to Coyoacan and San Angel -- will have to stay in the area next time.
Nov 12th, 2021, 04:14 PM
#110
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Fra_Diavolo San Angel is more upscale, we didn't look for a place there, but it does have some museums and shopping and lot's of nice places to eat. We went to the Museo Modern Arte Carrillo Gil the day before, it is in San Angel. Very modern art, in the immortal words of Bob Dylan, "don't criticize what you don't understand" Nuff said.
Nov 12th, 2021, 04:26 PM
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Last full day before heading to the Coast. This will be the end of our journey into Colonial Mexico, so many wonderful places, people and times! We decide to finally go to Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo's house. Many people have talked it down, it's just a house, but we are in Coyoacan, we have to go. We are very pleasantly surprised, it's more than a house, it's a gallery, house, gardens and memorabilia from her career. We have timed entry. The first two rooms are galleries with some of her earlier work, and she was quite accomplished. There were some portraits that were good. This is the house she grew up in and as you continue you walk through the dining area and kitchen, then upstairs to the studio. There is her wheel chair in front of an unfinished work. Quite moving. The original house was pretty small, Diego and she added on the gardens and then Juan O'Gorman added the studio section in what looks like lava rock. We spent a good hour and enjoyed it a lot. We liked it a lot more than their shared house in San Angel which we felt was pretty cold and didn't have as many original things. Juan O'Gorman designed both places. I love the name Juan O'Gorman, it's like seeing Paddy Lopez. Top of the tortilla to you!
Dinner tonite was at Los Danzantes on the Jardin Centenario. We ate here last time and it doesn't disappoint. So we say goodbye to Central Mexico and it's old cities. We are really looking forward to starting our next phase, the beach. Wake up, swim, eat, drink, Rinse and Repeat. Flying tomorrow to Barra de Potosii just south of the airport in Zihuatenejo.
Dinner tonite was at Los Danzantes on the Jardin Centenario. We ate here last time and it doesn't disappoint. So we say goodbye to Central Mexico and it's old cities. We are really looking forward to starting our next phase, the beach. Wake up, swim, eat, drink, Rinse and Repeat. Flying tomorrow to Barra de Potosii just south of the airport in Zihuatenejo.
Nov 12th, 2021, 06:08 PM
#112
Thanks for the report on a part of CDMX we rarely visit. In fact, just once. We did do Danzantes on our only time. Because we liked their Oaxaca location so much.
Looking forward to your Zihua/Troncones and surrounds reports. We've only been there once, and it was during Semana Santa. Too busy for our tastes. We liked the area but didn't enjoy our visit like we probably should or could have. Our hotel was pretty crappy because I was cheap and didn't want to pay high season rates. Subsequent trips to that area took us to a pretty isolated place on the Michoacan coast, Nexpa. But we're more inclined to do a re-visit to Zihua should we go back that way.
Funny story, when we day-tripped to Troncones from Zihua, we thought we were renting an umbrella as is the case elsewhere in Mexico. Had a lovely lunch and several beers at a nearby enramada. Stuffed and a little buzzed from the beers, we figured, lets go back to the hotel and take a nap. As we were leaving, the waiter called out to us, 'oiga señor, se le olvidó su sombrilla', or 'hey man, you forgot your umbrella'. I said, no, we only rented it. He said, no, you bought it.
It did seem kinda pricey at $400 pesos.
Looking forward to your Zihua/Troncones and surrounds reports. We've only been there once, and it was during Semana Santa. Too busy for our tastes. We liked the area but didn't enjoy our visit like we probably should or could have. Our hotel was pretty crappy because I was cheap and didn't want to pay high season rates. Subsequent trips to that area took us to a pretty isolated place on the Michoacan coast, Nexpa. But we're more inclined to do a re-visit to Zihua should we go back that way.
Funny story, when we day-tripped to Troncones from Zihua, we thought we were renting an umbrella as is the case elsewhere in Mexico. Had a lovely lunch and several beers at a nearby enramada. Stuffed and a little buzzed from the beers, we figured, lets go back to the hotel and take a nap. As we were leaving, the waiter called out to us, 'oiga señor, se le olvidó su sombrilla', or 'hey man, you forgot your umbrella'. I said, no, we only rented it. He said, no, you bought it.
It did seem kinda pricey at $400 pesos.
Nov 14th, 2021, 08:04 AM
#114
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Radhikaag2 - We didn't use a driver mostly took Ubers. They are pretty efficient. As for tours or guides, there are a number of Free tours, depending on what part of the city you are in. Someone on this forum will have better info than I.
Nov 14th, 2021, 06:05 PM
#115
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Baldone - I can't say from experience because we always leave Zihua sometime in February, March at the latest, but from what I have heard Semana Santa would be the absolute worst time to come here. Every National from here to Morelia is headed to the beach and I hear that they really trash it. I'm so glad I've never been here for that. During high season, November or December to March, it's a lot of old Canadians and Americans. I count myself amongst that crowd by the way. First time we ever came to Zihua, maybe 7 years ago, we were in LAX at the gate, and I said to my wife, "look at this crowd". Everyone was either a gray hair like us or a couple, 2.5 kids. Nothing in between. So we come to Zihua, thoroughly enjoy it, see some of the gray hairs around town, but none of the families. Found out later, the families all go to Ixtapa, so Mom and Dad can drop off the kids at Club Med and have a vacation without the little ones! That's cool for me. It seems like this whole trip, every time we have walked into a restaurant they have asked, Crying or the Non-Crying Section.
Nov 14th, 2021, 06:44 PM
#116
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Elvis has left the building...or at least Mexico City. We are flying Volaris to the Zihuatenejo / Ixtapa airport. Very happy to be on a plane because all entrances to the airport were blocked. Our Coyoacan landlord warned us we might be wise to leave early for the airport because there were supposed to be protests at or around the airport, so we leave a half hour earlier than expected. Very smooth Uber ride toward the airport, but my wife is watching Google maps on the cellphone and sure enough, although we don't see protests we see lots of riot police and all entrances are blocked. Luckily we have a clever Uber driver and he takes us a back way and gets us right to the front door!
Uneventful flight, a house manager from a previous stay who we have befriended picks us up and we are in Barra de Potosi in less than a hour after landing. No customs as usual because we are flying "in-country". We have a week in a very small area that most people haven't even heard of. Just south of the airport is a serious of beachs and communities, Playa Larga, Playa Blanca and at the end, Barra. Playa Blanca is an area not a town per se. It has grown a lot, bigger new resorts and lots of building as we head the 13 miles to Barra. At the end there is a lagoon filled with birds and other wildlife called Laguna de Potosi. The town itself feels like it's a peninsula but that is because it sits at the front of the inlet to the lagoon. Not much here, 3 or 4 traditional Mexican stores, selling chips, sodas and beers and a back to back strip of beach front restaurants called Ennramadas. Don't know why they are called that but there are about 20 of them, right on top of each other on the beach. Due to the continued erosion of the beach, some of the Ennramadas are behind big stacks of sandbags.
This town has the strangest restaurant selection. There are the Ennramadas, open from 9AM until 5PM, the Fondas which are small restaurants not on the beach side, but in town, open from 8 - 10:30AM and 3PM until 5PM and finally Cenadurias that are open from 7PM until 10PM. We ate at a Cenaduria our first night. It's essentially a big grill, probably in front of the cooks house and hopefully some refrigeration and on the the menu is quesadillas, tacos, tostados etc. In our case, we watch the woman who runs the place hand form the dough and slap it on the grill. When I walked by around 6:30PM they were just setting up. When we went back at 7PM, she had about 10 customers. This woman was jamming! Grab a handful of dough, palm it then slap it on a wax paper covered stone and smash it with a flattener device. She must have made 60 torts in the time we watched. All the time talking back to the customers, and greeting them, joking with them, teasing some. What a great night. More about Barra de Potosi tomorrow
Uneventful flight, a house manager from a previous stay who we have befriended picks us up and we are in Barra de Potosi in less than a hour after landing. No customs as usual because we are flying "in-country". We have a week in a very small area that most people haven't even heard of. Just south of the airport is a serious of beachs and communities, Playa Larga, Playa Blanca and at the end, Barra. Playa Blanca is an area not a town per se. It has grown a lot, bigger new resorts and lots of building as we head the 13 miles to Barra. At the end there is a lagoon filled with birds and other wildlife called Laguna de Potosi. The town itself feels like it's a peninsula but that is because it sits at the front of the inlet to the lagoon. Not much here, 3 or 4 traditional Mexican stores, selling chips, sodas and beers and a back to back strip of beach front restaurants called Ennramadas. Don't know why they are called that but there are about 20 of them, right on top of each other on the beach. Due to the continued erosion of the beach, some of the Ennramadas are behind big stacks of sandbags.
This town has the strangest restaurant selection. There are the Ennramadas, open from 9AM until 5PM, the Fondas which are small restaurants not on the beach side, but in town, open from 8 - 10:30AM and 3PM until 5PM and finally Cenadurias that are open from 7PM until 10PM. We ate at a Cenaduria our first night. It's essentially a big grill, probably in front of the cooks house and hopefully some refrigeration and on the the menu is quesadillas, tacos, tostados etc. In our case, we watch the woman who runs the place hand form the dough and slap it on the grill. When I walked by around 6:30PM they were just setting up. When we went back at 7PM, she had about 10 customers. This woman was jamming! Grab a handful of dough, palm it then slap it on a wax paper covered stone and smash it with a flattener device. She must have made 60 torts in the time we watched. All the time talking back to the customers, and greeting them, joking with them, teasing some. What a great night. More about Barra de Potosi tomorrow
Last edited by Tdiddy12; Nov 14th, 2021 at 06:46 PM.
Nov 15th, 2021, 04:45 PM
#117
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Barra de Potosi - I realize I should explain what I mean by 20 restaurants from yesterday's post. These are the traditional type of restaurant you will find in any small beachfront village. No maitre'd, no reservations, no walls. They are generally palapas, the bigger ones have a cement slab floor, with palm fronds for roofs. They have plastic tables and chairs, some that are right on the beach. They take these tables and chairs in every night and put them back out every morning. Whenever someone tells me, "Mexicans are lazy", I know that that person has never been to Mexico! So how do all of these restaurants survive? The weekends!
We are staying at Hacienda La Rusa, which is just about at the start of all of these restaurants. Saturday and Sunday, 4 or more giant passenger busses drop a bunch of people from Uruapan and other towns nearby for a day at the beach. Because of the lagoon, there is a fairly unique water pattern, lots of different waves from every direction as they hit the various sand bars created by the tide. The restaurants are full and the water is also filled with a lot of laughing kids. I'm a Pisces and grew up on a lake, there is something very enjoyable to watch children in the water. Some of these kids are so small that all you can see is arms and legs sticking out of a life jacket. The kids are totally free. Why? Because there parents are all sitting under the palapas partying with their friends. I am not saying MEXICAN PARENTS are bad. There are tons of cousins and brothers and sisters taking care of the little aquarians. Play dates? We don't need no stinking play dates.
Hacienda La Rusa is a great place to unwind from our Colonial tour of Mexico. The B&B was started by a dress designer named Betsey Johnson who was famous in the 60's, according to my wife. I didn't recognize her name, because, well, I didn't start wearing dresses until the 80's. It's a fabulous place. I think 6 different rooms lot's of spaces with arm chairs and couches, at least four different dining areas and two pools. Google it, it is well worth a visit. Baldone, I'm talking to you!
We are staying at Hacienda La Rusa, which is just about at the start of all of these restaurants. Saturday and Sunday, 4 or more giant passenger busses drop a bunch of people from Uruapan and other towns nearby for a day at the beach. Because of the lagoon, there is a fairly unique water pattern, lots of different waves from every direction as they hit the various sand bars created by the tide. The restaurants are full and the water is also filled with a lot of laughing kids. I'm a Pisces and grew up on a lake, there is something very enjoyable to watch children in the water. Some of these kids are so small that all you can see is arms and legs sticking out of a life jacket. The kids are totally free. Why? Because there parents are all sitting under the palapas partying with their friends. I am not saying MEXICAN PARENTS are bad. There are tons of cousins and brothers and sisters taking care of the little aquarians. Play dates? We don't need no stinking play dates.
Hacienda La Rusa is a great place to unwind from our Colonial tour of Mexico. The B&B was started by a dress designer named Betsey Johnson who was famous in the 60's, according to my wife. I didn't recognize her name, because, well, I didn't start wearing dresses until the 80's. It's a fabulous place. I think 6 different rooms lot's of spaces with arm chairs and couches, at least four different dining areas and two pools. Google it, it is well worth a visit. Baldone, I'm talking to you!
Nov 15th, 2021, 07:19 PM
#118
"Baldone, I'm talking to you!"
Are you talking about wearing a dress, or La Rusa, lol! I was googling as soon as I finished reading your post. It looks really nice and sounds like it's right up our callejón. Our dentist here in San Miguel likes Barra. She raves about it. My wife's going Wednesday so we'll chat her up.
I should have known better than to go to Zihuatanejo during the holiday, but that's what worked out for us at the time. Oh well. Troncones was peaceful, however.
The attached pics were of the house we rented in Nexpa. Not to hijack your post in any way, but if you happen to know of or see or come across something like that, that'd be the bomb. Rusa bookmarked. Just leery these days of venturing too far into isolated Michoacan and thus pressing our luck any more than we have to.
Are you talking about wearing a dress, or La Rusa, lol! I was googling as soon as I finished reading your post. It looks really nice and sounds like it's right up our callejón. Our dentist here in San Miguel likes Barra. She raves about it. My wife's going Wednesday so we'll chat her up.
I should have known better than to go to Zihuatanejo during the holiday, but that's what worked out for us at the time. Oh well. Troncones was peaceful, however.
The attached pics were of the house we rented in Nexpa. Not to hijack your post in any way, but if you happen to know of or see or come across something like that, that'd be the bomb. Rusa bookmarked. Just leery these days of venturing too far into isolated Michoacan and thus pressing our luck any more than we have to.
