With its surging art and scene, Mexico City is undoubtedly having its moment right now.

Having seen the last James Bond film Spectrum, the Plaza de La Constitucion was our first stop. It’s the nations symbolic center and one of the world’s largest public squares. This walkable area is a visual manifestation of Mexico’s history. Look out for the National Palace and the hallowed Templo Mayer archaeological site. The Metropolitan Cathedral, built over 240 years, reflects three centuries of architectural heritage.

While Mexico City’s haute cuisine scene has blossomed in the past few years, the first thing I was craving for was a real authentic taco!!

We walked through the “Roma” neighborhood and stopped for lunch at the popular Mercado Roma, a food court with a variety of dishes from around the globe. Although I was tempted to try everything I stuck to my original plan of having a delicious taco and tried my first tamale.

My favorite lunch spots: Romita Comedor , Bravo Loncheria, Plaza Louis Cabrera and of course Mercado Roma. More on Mexico city see (link previous post)

Next stop Oaxaca

 

Oaxaca is well known for it’s unique cultural traditions and indigenous people. You can find incredible architecture, food and handicrafts such as pottery and rugs. Simply stroll through the colorful streets and admire its colonial past. Take a view of incredible street art everywhere you go.

Start your morning with a delicious Oaxaca special hot chocolate, it has a really unique taste, kind of crumbly with a hint of cinnamon. I was immediately hooked! For those who are lactose intolerant (such as myself) it can also be made with almond milk.

Food

You can find delicious tortilla’s at anytime of the day across Oaxaca city and that’s exactly how I would spend my day, eating and trying new things.

The food speciality that Oaxaca is most well known for is Mole. Mole sauces are made from all kind of ingredients- chillies, chocolate, nuts, fruits, herbs and spices. There are 7 kinds of mole , ranging from the deep flavours of mole negro to the sharp and citrusy notes of mole verde. I also drank tons of cocktails and in Oaxaca there is only one drink you must try and that is “Mezcal”. This is made from the Agave plant, just like tequila, but it’s much softer and smokier. If straight mescal is too much for you, try all the incredible cocktails they mix it with.

Markets

It’s always the first thing I look out for when visiting a city and to my pleasure Oacaxa has countless markets to choose from. We visited the several markets which were huge and colorful. A market always gives me a first hand impression of how people really live. If you are not a meatlover stick to one part of the market. The meat section are a bit intimidating even for me. They have big chunks of meat hanging by there skin. It’s not refrigated so it’s not at all what we are used to.

Culture

Visit Santo Domingo, an incredible cathedral and the museum of Oaxacan history which are well worth exploring .

Even though the whole of Oaxaca is pretty peaceful, you will find the ultimate peace in the botanical gardens. You can choose to wonder around by yourself or have a guided tour which is also possible to have in English.

Where to stay

Oaxaca has many hotels but I would strongly recommend to stay at Hotel Azul. It’s a beautiful boutique hotel that provides a genuine, culturally relevant experience. Except for the hotel being well designed it also gives a great statement of the importance of Mexican design in the international landscape.

From the design of the lobby, to the rooms to the menu with local specialities, it all gives you the feeling that your were giving a true Oaxacan experience in the most comfortable way.

With Love,

Maureen