Viva Mexico, cabrones

Our time in Mexico is over and now we're packing up for the next stage in our adventure around the Globe: Singapore.

We're grateful and very lucky to have lived in Mexico for the last few months. This is a very special country and will be forever with us.

Air quality in Mexico City

Removing a Vinyl Wall design, I uncovered a black, grimy stencil of the outline.

Which does remind us of the poor air-quality of this place. Maybe our life expectancy has been reduced by a couple of years or so.

Rock-Ola

The real thing: 1960's jukebox on a roadside grocery stall in Antigua Veracruz

Synchro Delivery

Mobile sculpture in the Museo Rufino Tamayo of Modern Art

Shopfront in Parque Lincoln, Polanco

"Wildly feminine outfits"

. . . roar . . .

Gringa al Pastor

The ultimate Mexican after-pub bite:  awesome marinated pork kebab -right off the spit- with guacamole, in a wheat tortilla.

All washed down with a Pacifico beer.

A posse of stilt-walkers

Practicing in front of the "Monumento a la Revolucion"

San Miguel de Allende

A lovely colonial town, some four hours away from the chaos of Mexico City.

Full of retired Americans, living the utopian life of the lazy gringo, learning Spanish, painting and enjoying the lifestyle that is just not possible to live any longer in the First World.

An absolutely stunning place: we might as well retire there one day.

In case of earthquake

Mexico City was built on the dried lake of Texcoco - some of the city's foundations are not over solid ground, but on a spongy wet mass which amplify the effects of seismic activity elsewhere.

Some are wondering if the city is due for a big shock - the last big earthquake was 25 years ago and left 10-thousand people dead.

A worrying sign is the banners installed recently by Civil Defense around the city, telling people to be prepared.

Land of the Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle, locally called "vocho", was produced in Mexico from 1961 until 2003 - a longer production run than anywhere else in the world.

Mexico City is flooded with "vochos" in all shapes and colours - A VW Beetle taxi is recognized everywhere as a Mexican cult object.

A second hand one in good nick, goes for AUD3,000, so we will see them on the road for decades to come.

Tacos-from-a-Basket

Literally, that is the meaning of "Tacos de Canasta" - the lowest common denominator of street food in Mexico.

Starting from 5 pesos each (roughly 50 US cents, in 2011) - they are assembled from ingredients stored in a wicker basket: minced meat, beans, potatoes, chicken, etc.

And mind you, Mexico has some of the best street food in the world, but "Tacos de Canasta" are outright dangerous. The hygiene of the whole set-up is very poor, and a foreigner is bound to get some serious gastro disease after having one of these.

Divine intervention

Religion takes a whole new meaning in Mexico and is wholly accepted in daily life.

A shrine in a public place in Mexico is a common sight -in the middle of the road, on a taxi rank, a market or a bus terminal, shopkeepers always have fresh flowers around for the Virgin.

For protection. Perhaps for some heavenly endorsement of the services sold.

For the woman in need

Spotted in the hygienic products aisle in a supermarket in Mexico City.

"Lady Emotions" toilet paper.

Lucha libre

The quintessential friday-night family entertainment - you have to be here to believe it

Los Voladores

A pre-columbian end-of-harvest tradition, the aerial dance of "Los Voladores" has four acrobats spinning from the top of a 25-metre pole, slowly descending back to the ground as they spin.

Looks dangerous and fun.

"Los Voladores" - Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City

Guanajuato - part 2

One-fourth of all the silver extracted by the Spanish Crown in the Americas came from the area of Guanajuato - some of this wealth eventually trickled down and contributed to the stunning colonial architecture of the city.

Basilica de Guanajuato

The Basilica at night

Foyer of "Teatro Juarez", Guanajuato

Guanajuato

The utopical Mexican small town - friendly, colourful and stunning gorgeous. The famed Diego Rivera was born here and his house is now a beautiful museum.

A "must do" weekend trip to escape the concrete jungle, and a favourite spot in Mexico.

A vintage look at Guanajuato

Angel of Independence, Mexico City

Built in 1910, the "Angel" is one of the most photogenic landmarks in Mexico City. Officially known as "Columna de la Independencia", the bottom part is a mausoleum that contains the remains of some of Mexico's founders.

Just like the "Palacio de Bellas Artes", it is also slowly sinking in the subsoil.

El Angel de la Independencia

The "Angel" is the mascot of the city's local government

An afternoon view of the "Angel"

Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City

Started in the late 19th century, under the government of Porfirio Diaz, this beautiful building is slowly sinking, due to its massive weight and the spongy subsoil in Mexico City's basin.

Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City

The beautiful tilework curtain, Palacio de Bellas Artes

A closer look at the Palacio de Bellas Artes

San Angel, Mexico City - part 1

In the "Centro Cultural San Angel" - arts, crafts and all kinds of creative decorations and toys.

Papier-mâché toys and decorations, San Angel, Mexico DF

Papier-mâché toys and decorations, San Angel, Mexico DF

Dancing skeletons

In Frida Kahlo's  "Blue House", Coyoacán, Mexico DF

Back to life. Really?

So what happens to a travel blog that gets restarted after six months? Why did it just stop, in the first place? Boredom? Lack of it?

Living in a hugely photogenic place and not sharing the experience. Shameful, indeed.


Sorry. My bad. Now, bring on the photos. Now.

VW Kombi in Condesa, Mexico DF