52 weeks ago en Meh-hee-ko

• we ate baby goats
• Rob got his hair cut (that lion's mane was ridiculous, no?!)
• I made fun of Summer (what else is new?!)
• we survived a legit futbol game
• my taste buds fell ... hard

I. want. to. go. again. NOW!

signs of our journey

Along the way, I was fascinated by some, appalled by others, and confused by the rest. Here's a collection of my favorite signs of our four month extravaganza:

Barcelona

Bratislava

Budapest


Ireland

from the Guinness Factory

Istanbul


Lisbon


London


Monterrey

Munich



Naples


Paris


Prague


Rome

Santorini



Venice


Vienna

let's wrap up Mexico, shall we?

I promised two lists while we were still in Mexico, and while it feels like it's been a hundred years since then, here they are:

The Odd versus The Awesome

The Odd

• monkeys & hedgehogs at pet stores
• clothes - they look poorly made…why?
• all grocery stores are like a Super Walmart...they sell random crap (like clothes, bikes, chemicals) AND food
• road lights & signs are more like guidelines
• Valentine's Day is a HUGE deal
• no rice, no beans
• TV channels swap between having sound/not having sound…sometimes mid-program!
• everyone smokes. everywhere. its gross
• guacamole = a sidedish on its own, to be eaten with a fork rather than as dip
• we don't hear our neighbors at night, until like 3am…when they BLARE their music and scream the lyrics at the top of their lungs
• everyone honks, all the time. cabbies, soccer moms, everyone
• no one wears flipflops, and almost all women are in heels, no matter what the activity
• cotton candy guys (like those at sporting events) walk around on side streets
• nearly all toilet paper has a fragrance (aloe, flowers, baby powder) and the scent-free is actually more expensive
• all cab drivers are male

The Awesome

• tacos, tacos everywhere
• you can buy meat at a grocery store, take it outside, and have it grilled in the parking lot
• everything is beyond dirt cheap
• all taxes are included in the prices you see!
• the panederia section in supermarkets
• beer = cheaper than water
• warm weather, all the time

stupid t-shirt slogans

I saw a real, live person wearing this across his/her chest:

• looking for a reward
• bat-itude (with a cartoon of a bat...) - Sum's fave, we're all sure
• seafood ball
• little red rock
• luck is for losers
• going comando
• walking - primary form of locomotion
• got tickets (without a question mark...so it was a statement...?)
• take it to the streets - rock style
• livin' in the present (with a cartoon of a cat sitting in a gift box)
• works better than mistletoe (with a cartoon of a pitcher of beer) - okay, so this one's actually sort of funny...
• born
  

done...and done!

Rob's done with finals! Rob's done with finals! (I wish I could figure out how to put music notes in posts, so that this would look right!)

Tonight will consist of A: celebrating that Rob is on vacation for the next 10 days and B: packing for our trip to Europe manana...in that order. Wish us luck : ]

feelin' a bit antsy and artsy...

One part of me isn't ready to leave Mexico. Another part of me can't wait to get to Europe. A little homesick part of me wants to go home and eat Freedom burritos and Psycho Donuts and hang out with Kali Lou.

All parts of me have been itching for some quality time with my camera, and I've been trying to warm up a bit for Europe. I've been super frustrated by not being able to take my good camera out with me (nothing screams "I'm a gringa, please steal this thing," quite like a big ol' Nikon), and I've resorted to taking pics in the apartment building. Most are intensely boring, but here are a few that I thought were sort of cool. Sort of.

vertical blinds in our room

the light was cool and got to practice a bit with focusing and depth-of-field. the little chain actually makes a pretty cool pattern, I think

a few signs just across the street

I love all the different textures in this shot: the thick stucco, the ragged wood of the telephone pole, the smooth metal signs, the flaky paint, the ceramic roof, the bars on the windows

once again, on the rooftop

I didn't even set this up, the clothespins were already clipped all haphazardly on the line and the sun was setting, giving cool light and a difusable (?) backdrop

closeup/depth-of-field practice

Okay, so this one's obviously not at the apartment building. This one's from one of 'my walks' to Paseo Santa Lucia, using the point-and-shoot:

everyone has Ades!

Because of this post by Summer's brother, Justin, I have been converted into an Ades-lover. Odd sounding, I know. Let me explain...

Ades are these different types of juices mixed with soy milk. Odd sounding, I know. I hadn't really noticed them before I read Justin's post, but I certainly would not have tried them on my own. They've got a whole mess of juice flavors (orange, apple, mango) and a chocolate version. These little juiceboxes caught my eye the other day at the farmacia, so I picked up one of each flavor to sample. That's right, I bought Ades. Odd sounding, I know. I liked them so much that I went back the next day and bought liter-sized boxes...and here I thought only wine came in liter-sized boxes!

Note to marketing team at Ades: the name of your product isn't entirely, well, marketable. I mean, do you expect me to waltz into a store to ask if they sell your stuff? "Hey, do you have Ades?" or "Um, hi...can I get Ades here?" Your logic baffles me, Ades-namers. Lucky for you, your juice-milky goodness makes up for it...although I assure you that I'll never ask for it in a restaurant...

check out those pouring skills
if you look really closely, you can see a second stream o' juice, thanks to a leaky box

The orange flavor is smooth and creamy, and my photography assistant (Rob) pointed out that it tastes like a melted orange julius! Oh, sweet delicious cup of love. And he didn't even get to try the chocolate one (because I drank it all before he got home...oops), which I kinda think tastes like Yoo-Hoo.

Remind me why we have to leave Mexico again?! Odd sounding, I know.

(wo)man down...and a preview

With dreaded finals just around the corner, my face time with the computer will be limited, at best. Have no fear - I've not abandoned blogging! I managed to snag a few minutes now to set ya'll up with a preview of lists to come:

The Odd versus The Awesome
This little gem will pit Mexico's rad against Mexico's bad. I've been keeping a list (shocking, I know) as we've been here, and I think you'll like what you see. Here's a tidbit to hold you over:
Odd - pet stores sell monkeys and hedgehogs
Awesome - the panaderia section of the grocery store

Stupid English T-Shirts
I've been flat-out floored by some of the phrases I've seen on shirts here. Since these lame phrases are written in English, I seriously wonder if Mexicans know what their chests are saying. A taste of what's to come: "Luck is for losers", complete with a horseshoe. WTF?!

delicious coffee: found!

While my search for a decent cup o' joe was unsuccessful for 4 weeks, I've managed to track down a little bit o' sunshine so tasty that it might just mend the BF-hole in my java-loving heart.

During our time in Mexico, we've patronized many shops/restaurants only to find that many had just opened for business. With 40-ish gringos, word travels fast about good food, and business then flourishes for the shop/restuarant. A win-win, I'd say.

When our roomate came home raving about "this cool cinnamon-sugary coffee" he had just sampled down the street, I practically ran there. He was spot on. The molten liquid dream is a combo of strong Mexican coffee, molasses, cinnamon, sugar, and cherub kisses. I swear, they mix a little rainbow in it, too...


How could this possibly get any better, you ask?! Add fresh Nutella-filled croissants, and you may have just discovered what I'd want to eat for my last meal.


The owner went to culinary school (I'm jealous, because I'm a wannabe Top Chef) in Vancouver before moving back to Mexico. He also makes these awesome empanada-like pillows of joy filled with pineapple or meat n' potatoes or ham n' cheese.

((odd sidenote: I've successfully talked to more random folks in the last 5 weeks here in Mexico than I have in my entire life in the states. Shop owners, taxi drivers, restaurant owners...I know more about these people than about any of my beloved Barefoot baristas. Looks like I could stand to be a little less shy and a bit friendlier at home, eh?!))

God, I hope Europe has good coffee...we'll be in Paris in a week! Whahoo!

futbol mexicano

We met a guy named Hugo a few weeks ago who works for Tecate. That's right, he works for a beer company. One point of dream job criteria met? Yep. During conversation, we mentioned that we were dying to check out a futbol game (because would the trip really be complete without one? Methinks not.) Turns out, Hugo could get some great tickets from work. Like, number 2 team in the league versus number 3 team...a big game. Another point of dream job criteria met? Oh yeah.

As we walked to the gates on Saturday, one of the guys we went with mentioned that "checking out a futbol game can give you a true sense of Mexico". Damn, was he right. Where shall I even begin?

pregame 'show'/parade
Sponsorship for futbol is expensive, so sponsors want to be sure that their product gets noticed. Here in Mexico, scantily-clad girls are usually one such vehicle to getting attention. So, before the game, the "Carta Blanca chicas" and the "TelCel girls", "Takis mamacitas" and the "Home Depot girls" parade with flags and signs around the field, dancing and shaking their moneymakers. Interesting...

nothing says 'Mexico' like a lucha libre

vendors/beer-guy
While I am fully aware that beer-guys are part of life in the states as well, they're not quite the same. Beer-guys in Mexico are more-or-less on standby for each row of seats, waiting to cater to your beer-related whims. Once you've ordered one or eight, he runs off to gather your brew in a giant white bucket (think 20gallon paint buckets) and brings it to you, where he opens each bottle and pours your frosty beverage. You use a new plastic cup for each beer, and hang on to your empties until the game is over. Then, depending on the number of cups you have at game end, you pay based on the honor system.

please excuse the awful pic...its the best I could do, the place was PACKED

There are also food vendors, similar to those in the US. Pizza, churros, blah blah blah. I did love the vendedores that schlepped around giant cardboard boxes full of goodies - pork rinds, pumpkin seeds, chips, candy, you name it...all carried on their heads.
singing section
There is an entire section of the stands devoted to singing. Not just a jingle every now and then. They sang non-stop during the ENTIRE game. Loudly. Apparently one has to be invited to join the section. I attempted to take a video, but the quality ain't so great and its a smidge shaky...so it may be better to just listen to this one:

SWAT surrounds opposing team's fans
Futbol, as you may now, is serious business in Mexico. So serious that the Mexican equivalent to a SWAT team stands guard of the teeny tiny section that the opposing team's fans inhabit.


the crowd goes wild
I've learned that in futbol, high-scoring games aren't exactly the norm. So, when goals are scored, the place absolutely erupts. I'll save your eardrums on this one, and stick with a pic:


halftime shenanigans
Given the pregame show that we were so lucky to witness, I wasn't sure what could possibly be on tap during halftime. Two groups of 15-20 fans were plucked from the crowd to entertain, and that they did! There was a relay-race of sorts for our enjoyment.
- Phase 1: team A (wearing white) runs at a human-worm/chain formed by team B (wearing blue) and leaps onto their backs, with the objective to break them and make 'em fall. If he/she succeeds, his/her team gets to move to the second phase of the relay...if not, he/she must hold on for dear life until the opposing team completes the same routine, and his/her team gets another shot. If he/she falls off of the worm/chain, the opposing team gets to move to phase 2...
- Phase 2: Upon team A or B's success in breaking the chain, his/her teammate runs, jumps on a small trampoline through an obstacle onto a mat, gets up and shoots a free-kick at a Carta Blanca mascot/goalkeeper (yup, a guy dressed up like a bottle).
This goes on and on for several rounds, and the winning team gets to kick soccer balls into the stands at the fans. I think they also won tickets to something, but the freedom to kick stuff at people could be prize enough for me...

Since this isn't the greatest explanation in the world, let it act as a precursor and experience it for yourself:

other awesomeness

Even rarer than goals are penalty kicks. Lucky for us, we got to see one right in front of us, by Humberto Suazo, the Rayados' star player:

I loved that after he scored, the chant "Suazo...Suazo...ole, ole, ole, ole" quickly rose from the crowd...gotta love Mexico.

Final score: Rayados 3, Toluca 3

Matt, Tracy, Rob, Nicole (um, me.), Hugo, Eric, David, and Daniel

After the game, we gathered at Mister Papa Bill's bar & grill, and had more fun than we probably should have...the game was definitely a highlight of this adventure for me!

Mexi-cut

Rob got a haircut in Mexico. He definitely had a man-mane before the cut, so I thought I'd share a set of before and after shots:

before
after