Comida vegana en Yucatan

Comida vegana en Yucatan

Mi amiga Caydence esta en Merida y se que un par de recomendaciones le vendrian bien para disfrutar la delicia culinaria que ofrece Yucatan, Caydence, esto es para ti:

Una de las caracteristicas de la comida al sure de Mexico son las especies que se usan en la cocina, tal vez no son unicas pero su combinacion si que lo es. Comenzamos con...

Sopa de lima 

Tiene un sabor un poco diferente ya que a veces tiene un poco de la cascara de la lima, pero esta rico, es un platillo tipico de la zona, es un poco dulce. Pidela sin pollo ya que es un ingrediente que se aniade, acompaniala con Cilantro y Cebolla.

Polcan

Proviene de  la lengua maya. “Pol” significa cabeza, “can” serpiente; crea el nombre “polcán” (cabeza de  serpiente).

El polcan es un antojito de la península yucateca, hechos de masa de maíz y rellenos de cebollina, pepita de calabaza molida y frijol blanco que se cultiva en esta región. A esta combinación de ingredientes del relleno se le conoce como “toksel”. Delicioso e ideal para pedir como entrada y acompañar con una cerveza.

Salbutes

Del maya zaal, ligero, y but, relleno. Consiste en una tortilla de maíz frita en aceite. Servida con lechuga, frijol, tomate en julianas, cebolla curtida y aguacate.​ Se suele servir con salsa picante hecha a base de chile habanero. Asegurate de pedirlos veganos, a veces le ponen pollo o res.

Panucho

Es una pequeña tortilla de maíz hecha a mano, a las que se le hace un corte por el que se mete un guiso hecho a base de frijol y que luego es freída en aceite. Posteriormente se adorna con hojas de lechuga, tomate y cebolla previamente sazonada con naranja agria y sal, aguacate, zanahoria y recado colorado (una pasta de semillas de pipián, chile y achiote).

Papadzules

Del maya papa (alimento) y dzul (caballero).

Es un plato relativamente sencillo que consiste de tortillas de maíz remojadas en una crema de pepitas (semillas) de calabaza, y rellenas de chaya, papa y calabacitas. Bañadas finalmente en una salsa de tomate con chile habanero y cebolla. Pueden adornarse con cebolla morada y chile habanero picados. ¡Es uno de mis platos favoritos! Plato que además de ser delicioso los dejará completamente satisfechos.

Sikil pak

Un platillo hecho a base de pepitas de calabaza, tomate y cilantro, este la verdad no lo he probado, pero se ve super rico.

Frutas?

Comete todas las frutas!, la mayoria son frutas del tropico muy jugosas y saludables, algunas frutas solo crecen por aqui, ve al mercado local y solo compralas, comelas, te van a encantar.

El blog siguiente es un buen ejemplo de que puedes encontrar, aunque hay aun mas frutas: http://www.maya-ethnobotany.org/edible-nut-fruit-seed-mayan-agriculture-diet-nutrition-health/images-tropical-fruits-trees-digital-photography-ethno-botany-Guatemala-Mexico-Belize.php

Espero que disfrutes mucho tu estancia y te lleves mil aventuras en la memoria, Mexico es muy diverso y estas en uno de los mejores lugares del Pais, la gente, la cultura, la comida, las playas y los cenotes, hermosos cenotes!! :)

.Kozlex (Alex)

"Chicken Tinga" recipe by chef kozlex

Hi, I recently cooked for my friends and colleagues at Cloudera-ATX, as promised (expecting not too late) here is the recipe :)

Ingredients:

3 people
1 Chicken breast
(4Oz) 100gr of chipotle adobado (You can find it at any Mexican market) - I like "La constena" brand)
Chicken bruillon (optional)
2 Onions
Garlic
Salt
Cinnamon stick
Vegetal oil
Tostadas (Fried tortillas)
Lettuce (optional)
Avocado (optional)




Instructions:

A) Boil the chicken breast (with or without skin) along 1 stick of cinnamon, 1/2 onion and 2 spoons of oil, + salt or some chicken bouillon.

B) Cut 1 1/2 onions, and some garlic, as in following pic and Cook onions with some garlic on oil (low flame) till the onion looks transparent, add just a bit of chicken bouillon, THIS IS THE MEXICAN SEASONING AND SALSAS SECRET:



C) Chop 1/2 can (4Oz - 100gg) of chipotle, mix the chipotle and the onions and cook them together for 2 minutes, then separate from the flame.

D) Fry 1/4 of onion with half spoon of chicken bouillon, then add a can of refried beans. Mix all.

E) Get 2 forks and shred the chicken breast, keep the chicken soup.

F) Mix the chipotle, onion, shredded chicken and cook them together for 5 to 10 minutes on low flame, add some chicken soup just to improve the flavor, add salt and pepper if desired.

G) Try and add salt when needed, if not spicy enough then add more chipotle ;).. and more and more..

Voila! Tinga is ready

How to serve?

1) Get a tostada and add some refried beans as a base

2) Add some Tinga, then sour cream and queso fresco. Optional you can add lettuce, avocado.



Enjoy! :)

Yucatan's Peninsula - Mayan food (Tulum - Palenque - Campeche - Izamal - playa del Carmen)

Time to time when my friends ask me for recommendation I create a new blog post, this my friend Luba is for you.

Since you already have a plan for places to go I will tell you my recommendations of 5 dishes to eat in that beautiful part of Mexico, perhaps the most delicious traditional food of the country can found it there, this might be a debate but Maya food Vs Aztec food, I choose Maya.


Poc Chuc (Roast coal)

This is boar meat that is preserved in salt then marinated that once grilled has a unique flavor and super delicious, I remember the first time I had that with corn tortillas a a good salsa in a remote place into the jungle and couldn't stop eating it. Highly recommended! No need to go to the jungle there are multiple restaurants that have it.

Cochinita pibil (slow cooked pork)

I have great memories about this dish cause my grandma used to cook it when I was a kid, you know what? that is what I will cook today! 👅 The best city to have it is in Merida or Ciudad del Carmen plaza, the best way to eat it is in a taco, be very careful with the onions since those are mixed with a SUPER MEGA spicy chilly called habanero!, I know you are not used to spicy so please be careful :)

Add some lime, little bit of salt and that is it!!! :D 

Tamales

We can debate if those are Mayan or Aztec food, but try them those are a tradition in Mexico, it is a mass of corn filled with meat, alse the corn mass can be mixed with frouts so the flavor is sweet and it is alike a dessert, both types are delicious,  there are different varieties of tamales, in that area you might fine the ones that are wrapped in  banana trees leafs, those have a delicius flavor cause the leaf, most of them are filled as well with a type of salsa, yes we add spicy to everything :)

Ceviche (fish cooked on lime)

You will be surrounded by beautiful beaches and amazing colors that decorate the caribbean and there are some delicious fishes still swimming that you will enjoy :). This dish, ceviche is one of my favorite dishes when on a beach, cause it is fresh and salty and might be spicy, with some crackers and a good beer you will feel like in paradise, wait, you would be already in paradise, paradise-ception!! :D

Sopa de lima (lime Soup)

Last but not least please try sopa de lima, this is going to be a weird flavor, even for me since this is kind of unique in that area, so you might find it ok and not great, but since it is unique I am adding it to the list, this is a lillt bit sweet and has chicken, onions, cilantro, avocado, and garlic :)

What to drink? 

TEQUILA!!! that for sure you will have it so instead I would say after lunch or after dinner you can have a liquid appetitive an this is ixtabentu, this is a drink that is based on mint so can have a storng flavor but if you feel irritated because the spices or the salsa, this would help, 5 shots of tequila might help as well :)

Fruits?

Try them all, you will be in a tropical environment where weird fruits grow, if you get a chance to go to a local market just get one of each :) I love fruit!!!

This blog is a good example of what will you find, although there are more: http://www.maya-ethnobotany.org/edible-nut-fruit-seed-mayan-agriculture-diet-nutrition-health/images-tropical-fruits-trees-digital-photography-ethno-botany-Guatemala-Mexico-Belize.php

Hope you enjoy my country and get great memories of it, I will be there in May so will remember that your steps and mine crossed again, just in a different time, place and space.

Happy traveling!
.Alex

3 days in Austin with Veggie options

Austin - Special edition

My friend and manager Ameet is in town and has asked me for recommendations about what to do in Austin. He is Vegetarian so here are some places to visit and where to eat.

Austin is not only about Music and Festivals, it also has a great culinary culture that still in expansion, more now that it is, in my prediction, becoming the cosmopolitan City in Texas.

Where to go?

Hamilton pool

The must go is Hamilton pool, by far my favorite place. This is a natural pool formed over millions and millions of years that even existed before the earth itself, ok that is not really true. The water is a little bit cold and worth to take a swim, specially if you stand by the waterfall. RSVP is needed here.

Bartoon springs Pool and Zilker park

Both places are one next to the other. Barton springs is a semi natural pool that is worth to see, it is only $4.00 entrance and $3.00 for locals. It is free after 9:00 pm. The polar bear challenge happens every year on January 1st, the COLD water is warmer than outside, you can imagine the pain to take a swim that day.

The Graphity Park

My third favorite place to visit. Artists can do their work over other painting probably with a city permit, it is a not terminated building that stopped its construction because the soil was not strong enough, then people started to do graphity. There are rumors that the owner has sold the land and it will not exist anymore. This is sad. 

The Oasis view

The oasis is a restaurant located at a hill of lake travis. Worth to take a drink and enjoy the view, just don't eat there, the food is not that good. It is a 30 minutes drive from downtown and worth specially if you plan to visit also 360 bridge and Mount Bonell.

Austin 360 bridge

This is a classic pic in Austin. Beautiful view with a small hike, less than 5 minutes to the top of the hill that will take you to take a pic like this:

Mount Bonell

This is also on the route to "the oasis". It is great to appreciate Colorado river and the nice houses around it.

Where to eat? - Veggie options

One of the best Vegeterian restaurants in America is: Bouldin Creek Cafe

Try Torchys tacos, best option in Tex-Mex tacos.

Last vegetarian option that I had not personally tried and my friends had insisted me to go is Bistro Vonish. Will go soon :)

Where to dance?

There are 3 places to dance country music the most classic is Broken Spoke, the most popular and nearby downtown is The white horse, and the one I enjoy the most is an old trains-ish depot: Donn's depot (Although there is not country every night)  

Hope you enjoy it with your family!

That is all folks :)

Monterrey - Tierra regia

Monterrey - Special edition

My friend Amanda is visiting Monterrey and promised her to create the things I liked to do when I live in that amazing city. This is for you Amanda :)


There are many jokes around the Monterrey City and its people, I will skip that even when it might be funny, particularly about the weather ;).

Monterrey is a great city, its gastronomy is great and the people is amazing, once a "Regio" (Person that was born in Monterrey or nearby) accepts you as a friend, that friendship lasts forever.

There are other cities that are part of this metropoly,  Escobedo, San Pedro, Santa Catarina are some of them, so you will see that it is an immense city, it is, but it is also because the urban area is composed by many other cities.

What I like the most of it is their mountains, these are everywhere and are really beautiful the most known is "El cerro de la silla" This is a mountain that looks like a saddle.

Being a Regio means that you are part of the royalty, the people adopted this name because when Mexico was invaded from Spain, Diego de Montemayor founded the city and he was supposed to be from the royalty, then the people feel they belong to the realm. Nuevo Leon is the state and its name comes from the New Kingdom of Leon, Leon or Lion is a city from Spain. 

What to eat?

There are 2 thing that are a must!

1) Cabrito. This is a baby goat that never had ate grass, so its meat is soft cause it only had milk during its life. There are many places to have it, the most popular is "El rey del cabrito", this is a nice place to visit as a tourist and I prefer to eat it at "El gran pastor" you can even buy it on the airports around Mexico.

This traditional Cabrito comes from Jew families that moved to Monterrey in its early days, these families still have the economical and political power in Monterrey and pretty much in Mexico.

2) Carne asada, my favorite place is "El castor
" they have great meat and is is exquisite. Monterrey is known as the city of the Carne asada, most of the people during the weekends have a grill party with friends and family. In my opinion the meat of Sonora is better, but Monterrey still has great cuts.

3) Carne seca (Machaca) or dried meat is also unique in Monterrey, specially if you eat it for breakfast with scrambled eggs. This is name Machacado con huevo. You can have this at the Chipinque restaurant and enjoy a great view.

4) If you want to try good food american style and very good beer, visit "Sierra madre restaurant". Try the beers sampler, it is really good.

What to do?

There are many things to do in Monterrey and nearby.

- Chipinque is a great park on top of one of the mountains, you can bike around or do hiking.

- La via ferrata, is great for adventure and adrenaline, this is part of la Huasteca.

- La huasteca is a magical place that is really beautiful, worth to visit and spend some time there.

- Matacanes, it is a set of  waterfalls and creeks. Great for nature lovers.

- Parque fundidora is one of the favorite places for massive events and culture.

- Paseo Santa Lucia, it is part of the parque fundidora as well, and it is a river similar to the San Antonio's river in some areas.

- Macro plaza. This is in downtown, around you can find museums, restaurants and the traditional architecture.

TRY the local bear: Tecate and Carta Blanca. The flavor is different because of the type of water of the region.


Here is the song of Monterrey, probably the most traditional one. Enjoy!! :D

Merida de mis Amores

Merida de mis Amores- Edicion especial

Mi amiga Erika esta por embarcarse a una aventura en Merida, este blog es para ti :)

Pueden ser consejos o solo una guia, como quiera espero que te pueda servir. La realidad en mi experiencia es que es bonito perderse en la ciudad y platicar con la gente local, y particularmente en Merida te hablan de una manera tan cordial y curiosa que hacen que te enamores un poco mas de este maravilloso lugar.

Merida para mi es la ciudad mas hermosa de Mexico por todo lo que en conjunto se puede disfrutar. No he tenido la suerte de vivir en Merida, solo de visitarlo en 3 ocasiones.

Que comer? 

La gastronomia es deliciosa, de las mejores del pais. solo que en ocasiones requiere no tener un estomago tan delicado dao a que se utilizan muchas especias.

Mis platillos preferidos son:
- Cochinita pibil
- Poc chuc. Carne de Puerco con un toque de lima que la hace unica. Mi favorita al 1000%
- Sopa de lima

Por supuerto hay mil platillos ma que probar como: Zalbutes, Zalbutes, Frijol con puerco, relleno negro (No tiene buen aspecto pero buen sabor), huevos motulenios, etc

Vas a encontras puestos de algo que parecen crepas, no mee acuerdo como se llaman, son ambulates regularmente. Saben rico con cajeta.

Donde comer?

Para platillos tipicos la chaya maya es el lugar mas tipico. Con un poco de mas presupuesto Los almendros es una excelente opcion, sazon mas rico y platillos mas elaborados igual de ricos. Un lugar imperdible es el estilo botanera como el lucero del alba, aquel lugar donde mas tomas mas comida te sirven GRATIS, solo te cobran la bebida, las bebidas son mas costosas pero lo valioso es los diferentes platillos no tan comunes que solo son preparados en algunos lugares, toma y come, come y toma.

Que tomar?

Cerveza Montejo por supuesto, su sabor es un poco diferente al resto del pais, y mira que he tomado cerveza por todos lados.

xtabentun, es un digestivo en base de anis muuuuy rico. una copita pequenia despues de comer es lo mejor.

Con suerte puedes encontrar Pozol, sip pero no el de puerco que conocemos, es como un atole hecho de mails cacao y miel. Delicioso. Pareceria que es mas de Chiapas pero por la cercania saben muy similar.

 

Que visitar?

Chichen Itza
Es una visita en un tour de preferencia de 1 dia. puedes llegar en auto y sale mas economico soi van 3 o mas personas. Aplaude frente a la piramide principal de Quetzal Coatl, definitivamente un guia es recomendado, hay mucho por aprender.

Puerto progreso -- Come CEVICHEEEE (De los mejores que he probado), hay muchos platillos ricos ricos pero un pez muy de la region es el Mero. el pulpo por alguna razon es delicioso en la region. tal vez porque esta fresco.

Cenotes de Homun
En toda la peninsula hay Cenotes, algunas casas tienen cenotes privados. Existe un pueblo cercano donde al llegar estacionas tu carro, y unas motos te llevan a visitar diferentes cenotes, 4 o 5. Cada cenote cuesta como 15 pesos por persona para entrar, y en ocasiones los motociclistas te cobran una tarifa unica $150 para visitar varios.

Paseo Montejo.
Paseo Montejo, ahi se encuentran las casas gemelas, el museo de antropologia, y casas viejas-viejas que aun no se restauran, cual es la razon? Es mas caro restaurarlas que dejar que se pudran y se caigan por desgaste para despues contruir algo mas moderno, triste pero eso pasa en toda la ciudad.

Mercado  de Lucas Galvez
Disfruta sus olores, sus colores y algunos chispazos de como era el comercio Maya. El nombre que lleva no hace honor a lo que en realidad es, mas silo es para representar la falsa conquista que mas bien fue masacre y esclavismo que nuestra gente sufrio (Sad).

Que hacer?

Bailar el domingo por la tarde Danzon en la plaza principal o Zocalo es maravilloso. La energia y ambiente.

El palacio de gobierno tiene unos frescos pintados por Fernando Castro Pacheco, son hermosos. La entrada no se cobra. Hay un salon en el segundo piso que regularemente esta vacio con piso en blanco y negro, bonito lugar para pretender que tienes una gran fiesta y bailar al centro :)

Seguro estoy que encontraras mas cosas en tu visita diferentes a mi experiencia, espero tue recomendaciones de vuelta :)

Te dejo com maldita vecindad y "Me regreso a Yucatan" y un Danzon:

Cuernavaca and surroundings

Cuernavaca - special edition

I've always wanted to write something about my city and the secrets it hides, and now that my friend Hayley is going to Cuernavaca, it is a good time to do that. This is for you. :)

First things first!!.. What you want to drink is "Cafe de Olla", it is a traditional way to prepare coffee, like an american coffee but with particular cinnamon/ground taste :) .. In Cuernavaca downtown I would recommend to go for a coffee at "La India Bonita", this is a traditional restaurant that have a very good cafe de olla... :)... Calle Morrow, No 15-B, Centro 

Now..

Original name is Cuauhnāhuac which means place of trees, the spanish "conquestors" couldn't pronounce that and named it Cuernavaca.

Cuernavaca is named the "eternal spring city", the weather is great most part of the year. Although lately is a little more extreme, just a little more. When I was a kid I used to play in the streets with my friend at the posada until 2 a.m. Our parents were not looking at us,  we were really safe, and they stayed in the house while we had fun, the weather was perfect although a bit cold. but I was a kid, who cares about the cold?

The reason of the great weather is that Cuernavaca is build at the middle or bottom of a mountain, in the top of that mountain is Mexico City. The north of Cuernavaca is a forrest, it is a little bit cold and the south is reaaally hot sometimes, so from the north to the south there are many types of weather which makes it so great, probably the most perfect area to live is "Delicias" or Vista Hermosa, in those city areas the weather is just perfect.

Why is the weather so great? There are multiple canions in the middle of the ciyy, these canions or "barrancas" work as a cooler bringing the cold wind from the top of the mountain and it mixes with he wind in the top which is hot creating a mixed temperature that creates the eternal spring.

My mother says that, any plant you ground, any flower, any tree, any fruit tree will grow in Cuernavaca.

Cuernavaca downtown (centro) is so small that you can visit almost everything in one day.

Ok, where to go?

- Palacio de Cortes --must go-- @ Downtown

Cortes palace is a great place to visit, it was a jail, government palace, now a museum, it is built on top of a pyramid and you can see that from the inside of it, it has a great mural in the back side, for sure you know Diego rivera and Frida Kahlo, he painted those murals. 

Last month my brother proposed in a restaurant in front of the palace and I had the chance o take that picture :)

- Plaza de Armas @ Downtown

This plaza before the spanish people arrived was the main commerce center, even during the colonization the main market was here, eventually the market was moved and this is the main plaza of the city, where all the independence celebrities happen. I am against celebrating an independence that really didn't happen btw.. Viva Mexico!! ;)

- Zocalo and Kiosko @ Downtown

This is probably the story I like the most. One town from spain asked for a Kiosko  (see the picture) to a really important French Engineer,  then Cuernavaca did the same but to a different engineer, the designs were sent to the wrong city, so Cuernavaca got the design of the important engineer , I always feel like I want to cry a little bit with this story ;/.. the name of the engineer: Gustave Eiffel ... enough said! :)

All over Mexico we have french architecture and the reason is that the wife of a president/dictator (Porfirio Diaz) liked so much french architecture, so she told her husband that she wanted everything to look like Paris, this is another evidence that the world is controlled by woman ;)

- Museo Brady -optional- @ Downtown

You probably have seen great museums already and this is a small one, just the collection of an english man that loved Cuernavaca, he traveled around the world and was collecting objects like masks, pillows, frames etc from all over the world. When he passed away he donate his house and his collection. (or maybe his family cause he was not alive anymore hehehe)

- Plazuela del Zacate -- must go -- @Downtown

It is a nice place to have the first beer before getting a seriously funny night.. I use to meet my friends there every weekend to plan the night after college... try "el garage" that is probably the best place to go. although lately there are many new places .. during the day there is not much to see, but the 1 block distance block walk is worth :).

- Mercado, or central market. --must go-- @Close to Downtown

Full of color, noisy, some areas are smelly, but all the businesses inside the dome, yes the market is in a huuuge dome, all the things are amazing, it is delicious to have food although your bacterias are different so probably is not a good idea for you to eat there. I used to go with my mom to do the grocery every weekend, always carrying a huge bag of oranges for the week...

like this:

Well not that big, but I was still a kid :)

- Jardin Borda --must go-- @ Downtown

Jardin Borda is the most traditional park, although is most for tourism, there are art expositions and music. You can be the captain of a boat like a kayak and travel trough the the artificial lake., make sure to not find the pirates on your way, they might sink you :) 

- Catedral --must go-- @Downtown

All the cathedrals are on top of ancient pyramids, usually ceremonial pyramids were destroyed, so the parents would take their kids to venerate the old gods, but eventually the kids started to venerate Jesus, that was part of the spanish strategy to conquer. The maintenance manager of the cathedral is my fathers friend, they respect a lot my father, if you tell the manager "Tonio" that you know me, "El hijo del contador Alejandro Gonzalez" (the son of the accountant, my father is an accountant), then if you ask for it he might show you the tombs of the fathers that are in the backside of the atrium.

- Hacienda de cortes

This is a hotel and spa... so beautiful for weddings and to stay and eat, although is not that cheap.. however you can visit it and walk around just asking for permission in the front desk. this is not in downtown so you might need to take a taxi.

Take a look to this architecture, isn't it amazing???? Recently like 10 years ago Antonio banderas bougth an Hacienda close to Cuernavaca and he is fixing it to be a SPA too.

- Hosteria las Quintas @ Nearby downtown

And this is my mom and me at las quintas recently :)

Las quintas breakfast buffete is delicious you can try most of the traditional mexican food, it is not really cheap but worth it. Its gardens are amazing and so beautiul, you can walk around that place and you will see the magic of the colors of Cuernavaca, flowers, fruits, trees, just beautiful.

What and where to eat?

- Tacos acorazados @ Tacos mary at "Pasaje bellavista" this place is in front of the kiosco/zocalo
- Pozole @El barco at owntown too. Taxco however might have better Pozole
- Tacos de Canasta. There is no a particular place I could remember
- Gorditas @Gorditas donia tina at the central market
- Tacos de res @El cuniado. Beef tacos with a special soup "consome" in front of Comercial Mexicana Centro.

What to drink?
- The water of Cuernavaca is really delicious, it is compared to Evian water although is not comercialized like that. Buy a "santoriny" water bottle at any "tiendita" or oxxo.
- Buy a BIONICO, this is a mix of fruits that you can get in the kiosko :)

Hidden places?

- Barrancas
Take the turistic bus tour and it will take you to the inside of one of the barrancas, although it might not be something impressive, think about during the revolution all the gun power was hidden in those barrancas.

People says that if you get a love kiss in a barranca, you would marry that person.. I never had a kiss there ;/ .. or not yet

- Underground tunnels

These tunnels communicate Catedral, Jardin Borda and Palacio de Cortes underground, Used by the spanish people to go everywhere without mixing with the population at that time. Later those were used to date the Emperator Maximiliano with his lover "La india bonita" an indian girl that is said was really beautiful, he cheated on his wife :/

You cannot visit those tunnels anymore, they are closed but if you carefully look at the main hallways in the Jardin Borda you might find the entrance, follow picture is part of the tunnel, the tunnel is under that hallway and the entrance to it is at one of the sides.

(Keep the entrance as a our secret...)

Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl
Take a look to the east and if you are lucky you will see them:

The legend says that Popocatepetl was a warrior and Iztaccihuatl was a princess, her father sent him to war cause he didn't like popocatepetl, she was told that he died in battle so she killed herself, when he knew about her dead he ran till find her and took her in his arms and ran away when he got tired let her sleep and he continued his way then he died too in pain. That is why you see them side to side... Iztaccihuatl means "Sleeping woman" and Popocatepelt the "mountain that smokes" ... we usually make a joke when the Popocatepelt is active and has a small eruption: "The popocatepelt is hot (horny) and the woman is sleeping -typical- " ;)

The secret treasure

My family has a secret of a treasure hidden in Cuernavaca, only my mum, my dad and me know where it is, but it is in a private property. I am not sure if I told you before about this story and if not, I will someday :)

Around cuernavaca and Taxco

Don't forget to go to Tepoztlan --must go--.. that place is amazing... make sure you have tennis shoes to climb the mountain to get to the Tepozteco pyramid, get a michelada, try tepoznieves, eat quesadilla de chapulines and quesadilla de flor de calabaza.

Bring some cookies, if you are lucky you will find my friends and feed them, tell them I send them my regards::: :D

Close to Taxco is also Xochicalco --must go-- one of my favorite places. I wish I could explain you all the symbols of the next pic.

You can do camping overnight here, with a RSVP and there is a light show.. I was part of the very first group that did this camping, it is so magical, all the pyramids are iluminated with different colors, can you imagine all those symbols but painted with different live colors? native mexicans were really amazing!!!!

El rollo 

Morelos has a ton of aquatic parks ... best one and most fun is "el rollo" you --must go-- to any of them, although it might be a little bit cold in jan/feb. Don't forget your sun blocker...

Atzala, to be honest I have never been there.. but I wish :)

There are many other things to see... and hopefully I can join you to any of these someday.

Enjoy so much!
A hug!! :)
.Alex