A wannabe Mexican local

A mere 15 years ago I moved to Mexico City where I spent 2.5 years of my adolescent life. Mostly what I remember of it is crazy traffic, crazy pollution, stray cats, and street performers. Apparently those are the things that stick with an 8 year old. Also one time I almost got lost on a field trip to the city center. That was traumatizing but irrelevant.

I hadn’t been back to Mexico in 12 years, but I broke that streak last week when Michael and I found ourselves flying down to Puerto Vallarta for a late honeymoon (which didn’t feel like a honeymoon, but more of an adventurous free trip, which was awesome). And that’s when I remembered why I love Mexico and speaking spanish and eating tacos. So here are the reasons why I am a wannabe resident of Puerto Vallarta:

1. Street tacos. Nowhere in the United States, or any other country for that matter, will you find tacos this good. Plus, they are like 30 cents so it’s a budget friendly meal. I could go on and on about these but it just makes me want them so I’m going to stop.

2. Music. Thankgiving night we walked along the Malecon, the area down by the beach with restaurants and shops. We ran into a giant procession of mariachis and their mariachi children. It was magical. Also, tons of restaurants have mariachis that sing to you and you find yourself singing along with everyone else in the restaurant and clapping your hands and then you are up dancing around before you realize what is happening. There is no way you cannot love life when a mariachi band is around.

3. Adventure. We spent an entire day zip-lining. It was exhilarating and exhausting. I think they should turn zip-lining in a sport, just so I can compete. At one point that day I was laying on my stomach, flying over a canopy of trees. This lasted an entire 4 minutes, which might not sound long, but when you are flying over a forest at 60mph while only being held up by a wire, it’s the longest and best 4 minutes ever. I was a bird for 4 minutes! If I believed in re-incarnation I would definitely shoot for the level that lets me come back as an animal.

4. Fiestas. Mexicans love fiestas, which is awesome. Fiestas are a mix of some of my favorite things: food, music, dancing, and pinatas. (I can’t find the squiggly line that goes above the ‘n’, but you know what I’m talking about). So yeah, obviously I want to be at a fiesta all the time.

5. Great Coke. Talk to any Coke junkie and they know, Mexican Coke is delicious. Probably because they still make it with cocain or put loads of sugar in it, either way it tastes great. Plus, they give it to you in a cool bottle that is kind of sticky and has sand on it, reminding you that you are in paradise.