1) looking across to Structure III at Calakmul from atop Structure II

Time for an adventure!

We flew from Mexico City 2 hours further south to the city of Campeche in Campeche State in Yucatan Peninsula. Campeche is on the opposite side of the peninsula from the tourist-riddled destinations of Cancun and Cozumel and as such, is very much a city and area forgotten in time. More a place for travelers than tourists. Aeromexico flies twice/day here and provides a great in-flight service complete with hot meals and complementary drinks. From Campeche Airport we rented a car (a little PT Cruiser in fact with a cautionary yellow engine light that remained on throughout our journey, rather disconcertingly I thought) and drove 4 hours further south towards the border of Guatemala. 

2) a map to help orient you

Our destination was the Mayan ruins at Calakmul (its original Maya name was Ox Te' Tuun). The site was discovered by air in December 1931 by biologist Cyrus Lundell. He named the site 'Calakmul' which in Maya translated to 'ca' meaning 'two', 'lak' meaning 'adjacent', and 'mul' meaning - more or less - pyramid, so Calakmul is the 'City of the Two Adjacent Pyramids', which is what Lundell would have seen from the air back then - two enormous pyramids poking up above the jungle canopy. While some onsite investigations occurred from 1932-38, all archeological work stopped from then till - amazingly - 1982. As such, visiting Calakmul is probably akin to travelers who visited Angkor Wat upon its initial discovery. The site is enormously difficult to get to; has few supports in terms of accommodations; and is eerily (beautifully actually) wondrous to visit as you are the only visitors there. This, no doubt, will change as the secret of Calakmul continues to emerge. Get there while you can!

After leaving the town of Escarcega (your last petrol fill-up is here along with, rather strangely, a Burger King!) you'll drive another hour and a bit to reach the gate to the Calakmul Biological Reserve. Just off this turn, you'll come across the only accommodations for miles around - the very rustic, ecologically-friendly Hotel Puerta Calakmul. From here, you've another hour drive down an increasingly narrowing and winding (and dangerous) road to the parking lot and from there a hike of about 20 minutes to the ruins. Bring plenty of water, some snacks and plan a (very) early start.

We loved our stay at Hotel Puerta Calakmul - we had a little hut to ourselves and enjoyed our meals in the 'restaurant' hut where, honestly, we had some of the best food we ate in Mexico (hundreds of miles from anywhere and in the middle of a jungle, go figure!).

3) reception at Puerta Calakmul; 4) I managed to get up close to a bird while wandering the trails here

5) G wanders the compound; 6) there was even a swimming pool

7) a pretty much perfectly done omelet in the middle of nowhere at Puerta Calakmul; 8) the view from our hut

9) here's our little hut; 10) and our beds inside - rather rustic and no tv, no phone, no radio

11) I'm ready for bed in the mosquito net; 12) the bar inside the restaurant at Puerta Calakmul

Archaeological documentation at this site is still in its infancy but archaeologists believe the site served as a city for up to 50,000 people from circa 411AD through to about 800AD (more or less). Its height was during the reign of Yuknoom Che'en II, sometimes called Yuknoom the Great, 636-686AD and it ruled over several smaller cities that spread out some 150 miles distant. In this time, it was the capital of what has come to be called the Kaan (or Snake) Kingdom.

13) we're getting close; 14) you pass this swampy area as you hike into the site - it is VERY buggy during the season and I can't imagine that people lived here all the time

15 & 16) suddenly, hiking in, there was a tremendous rush overhead and viola, an entire family of Howler Monkeys wandered by

17) G hikes up to the first ruin; 18) there are hundreds of stelae at the site like this one

 

19) the site is truly eerily quiet like this shot implies; 20) up G goes

 

21) G stops to ponder the ball court and what games may have been played there 1500 years ago

 

22) in the main city square, g heads off to explore; 23) me in front of Structure III

 

24) G heads up; 25) across the way - using my telephoto lens, other travelers!

26) me atop Structure III enjoying the view above the canopy; a view only the royals would have enjoyed at the time

 

27) me atop Structure II, with Structure III in the background

 

28) looking across to the main square of the city; 29) Structure III taken from Structure II

30) again, the quiet rules; 31) one of the stelae - how's your ancient Maya?

32) a direct on shot of Structure II - or, the lower half of it at least ... it goes up beyond the sight-line

33) to finish, a video from the top!

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1) a view of the Pyramid of the Moon and the Avenue of the Dead taken from the Pyramid of the Sun

We had our driver drive us the roughly 48kms north and east of Mexico City - through some of the most amazing views of Mexico City's 'shanty towns' built with haphazardness up each and every mountain ringing the city - to the pre-Columbian city whose name means, "where man met the gods" - Teotihuacan. To this day, very little is still known about the Teotihuacanos and the city they built, which at its zenith in circa 450AD spread out over some 30 square kilometers and was home to a population of some 125,000 (making it one of the largest cities in the world at its time).

The city was founded and built, scholars believe, between 100BC and 240AD-ish. Its people built it willingly by all accounts and lived a life based on agriculture and trade. Teotihuacan was no Sparta despite how history has since protrayed it. It is best know for its two massive pyramids - the Pyramid of the Sun (the third largest pyramid in the world) and its counterpart, the smaller Pyramid of the Moon. Linking these two icons is a kilometer long road known as the Avenue of the Dead (a misnomer as the buildings that lined the avenue were in fact what we would know as government administrative buildings and residences for the elite). 

The Pyramid of the Sun was so-named by the Aztecs who visited the site centuries after the Teotihuacanos had disappeared. Originally, it was covered over with plaster on which the builders painted jaguars, stars and snake rattles. 

The city petered out sometime in the early 8th century, we think because of changes in the weather that left agricultural activity in the lurch.

 

2) the shanty towns of Mexico City are never-ending; 3) the Pyramid of the Sun

4 & 5) some of the still-surviving painted decorations at Teotihuacan

6 & 7) detail of the construction

8) me atop the Pyramid of the Sun

9) looking straight up the Avenue of the Dead from the Pyramid of the Sun

10) G heads up the Pyramid of the Moon; 11) looking back to the Pyramid of the Sun

 

12 & 13) some perspective of the steepness of the climb on the Pyramid of the Moon

 

14) it is really a climb at this angle

 

15) atop the Pyramid of the Moon there is a constant struggle to get to the summit point; 16) looking down from the Pyramid of the Moon

 17) the short video I shot atop the Pyramid of the Sun

Mexico City is home to one of - if not the - greatest museum of Mesoamerican anthropological history in the world - the Museo Nacional de Antropologia. Designed by Pedro Ramirez Vazquez in 1963, it is a very impressive structure with several exhibit halls that surround a patio and huge pond with a cantilevered roof suspended over it by a single slender pillar called "el paraguas" (Spanish for umbrella). If you do nothing else whilst in Mexico City, visit here.

18) detail of the umbrella

 

19) the central court of the museum and the famed roof; 20) another shot of the umbrella to give you perspective of its height

 

21) inside the Aztec gallery; 22) inside the Mayan gallery is this stelae taken from Calakmul (way down in Campeche State) - we were keen to see these stelae as our next stop was a flight to Campeche followed by a 4 hour drive into the jungle near the Guatemalan border to hike the ruins at Calakmul

23) one of the famed jade masks found at Tenochtitlán; 24) a picture of what the Spanish would have encountered when they arrived - Mexico City (Tenochtitlan, as it was called then)

25) the famous Stone of the Sun ... which was a real draw for the many Mexicans who had gathered at the museum

The Stone of the Sun is some 3.7m across and was discovered in the Zocalo (the historic centre of Mexico City) in December 1790 when repairs were being made to Mexico City Cathedral. While debate continues to abound about its purpose, it is likely the stone was used primarily as a ceremonial basin or ritual altar for gladiatorial sacrifices, than as an astrological or astronomical reference (which has often been the case). Most, if not all, Mesoamerican cultures practiced human sacrifice. The massive altar below was used for just this purpose.

 

26) one of the huge altar stones used for human sacrifice at Tenochtitlán; 27) a map of Tenochtitlan as it was - a city of canals, the Venice of the Mexico - when the Spaniard arrived

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1) the interior of Paxia

While in Mexico City we dined at two of the city's best restaurants, Paxia and Pujol. Both were touted by the concierge at the St Regis as molecular cuisine establishments that took simple - and classic - Mexican dishes and fused them with molecular techniques. Indeed, this was more true of Paxia than Pujol but essentially both are built more in a contemporary cuisine mold first and foremost. Of the two, I give nods to Paxia as a place I would return to as I found both the dishes - especially the 'oyster' and 'bone marrow' courses - and the service better. We were honoured to have different members of the kitchen attend our table as each course was served, which I thought was a gracious act. Food at Paxia is more homey, I suppose. That said, Pujol is one-notch higher in terms of its presentation and refinement, and dishes are esthetically ... stunning. I suspect this is the result of a numbers game - Pujol is tiny and a one-off while Paxia is a larger restaurant and one of several in Chef Ovadia's pantheon.

Paxia was our first stop. This is one of several restaurants of Chef Daniel Ovadia and Paxia actually has two locations (so make sure you know which you're after). Paxia on Juan Salvador Agraz is the newer of the two and is located out in the very business-like community of Santa Fe. If you're after a dinner in an environment similar to any bland, large American city, by all means head here. If you're after something more authentic in a real community where real Mexicans live, visit the original location - which we did - on Avenida La Paz in the San Angel area.

2) the amuse was a small croquette with chili sauce; 3) Almeja blanca en rescolda, salsa de lentejas, cebollitas, chile serrano y gajos de limon (this was an inventive take - a baked clam in a clam shell made of blue cornmeal)

4) here is the 'shell' opened to reveal the baked clam 5) Escabeche de pulpo (pickled octopus); the 'seaweed' you see is actually a thin wafer that tasted like smoke

6 & 7) Quesadillita "Oaxaca", rellena de pollo y mole negro, cubierta de axucar (a very rich mole into which you dipped the chicken quesadillita)

8) Costillitas y cueritos de lechon, yema de huevo, guacalmole, rabanitos, totopos de maiz, limon, cebolla y brotes de cilantro criollo (a delicious salad that concealed a soft boiled egg yolk, it was excellent); 9) the open kitchen at Paxia

10) Tuetano al horno, sal de colima, ceniza de tortilla, aguacate, corazon de alcachofa y redccioin de cebolla quemada (another outstanding dish - bone marrow but the 'bone' is potato the Colima black salt was so good) ... and I could not believe you could make avocado into the small tubes you see

11) Selva chiapaneca, canela, cafe, cacao, algodon de azucar, pinole, sorbete de Tlaxcalate y planton liofilizada (essentially a Chiapas State pork in a mole sauce);  12) Molleja cocinada en miel de abeja, pure de poro, melao, acite de chile de agua, limon quemado y panecito de amaranto (um, essentially that is sweetbreads in a honey, molasses, chili broth)

13) this was a digestive that was prepared right at the table - Bebida de muicle, coco, chia, apio y mexcal espadin de santiago matatlan (so, a Mexcal, chia, celery and coconut drink); 14) the light proceeded to get darker as we dined as you can see ... this was one of three desserts we had - Esponja fria de yogurt con galleta de almendra y miel, mermelada de capulin, raiz de amaranto, merengue de leche y chocolate (a cold sponge cake with chokecherry jam, almond cookie and a milk and chocolate meringue)

15) and some petite fors before we left (very full)

Dinner for two at Paxia taking the 11-course tasting menu, a cocktail each, a bottle of excellent, excellent Mexican rose, and tax/tip will run you MXN$3,150,00 (or about US$250 ... a good deal we thought).

Meanwhile, over at Pujol, ranked as one of the World's 50 Best Restaurants (it's at number 36), chef Enrique Olvera is preparing traditional Mexican dishes with a decidedly modern take. Unlike Paxia, I think Pujol gets a fair share of English speaking clients so you can get by here without having to speak any Spanish (which perhaps detracts a tad from its ambiance). Pujol is just north of Chupultepec Park and immediately east of Polanco (the swank area of Mexico City with more Gucci, Prada, Tiffany and etc stores than you'll find on Rodeo Drive and Chicago's Magnificent Mile combined).

 

16) the amuse was a perfect disc of chia topped with avocado and a Serrano chili; 17)  Beef tartar tostada. Alfalfa. Serrano chili.

18 & 19) the signature dish at Pujol is this - Bocol. Tomatillo. Cream - and it is marvelous (I could have eaten 10 of these little corn on the cobs) 

 20) Fish ceviche taco. Hoja santa tortilla. Beans ... delicious ... these you eat as all Mexicans do, lifted with three fingers to the mouth

21) Fried frog leg. Chayote squash. Cauliflower purée. Poblano chilli sauce.

 

22) Baby romaine, deep fried basil and radish salad with fresh cheese; 23) Suckling lamb and eggplant. Isthmus stew. Pineapple. Flowers in escabeche. Chared herbs.

 

24) Yucatecan pork confit. Almond. Raisins and cumin mole. Tamarind. Cauliflower.

 

25) Banana. Macadamia zest. Camomile flower. Cacao. Cream;  26) Guava sorbet. Mezcal and worm salt.

27) Thyme biscuit. Lemon gelatin. Pulque sorbet. Cookie soup. White chocolate - the pulque sorbet was interesting. Pulque is a beer-like drink native Mexicans made before the arrival of the Spaniards; 28) finally, a chocolate mousse to finish

Dinner here for 2 including a cocktail each, the full tasting menu, a bottle of Mexican Chardonnay, tax/tip will run you MEX$4,265,00 (or about US$335 ... also a good deal).

Certainly, if you ever find yourself in Mexico City go try both places. You shan't regret it. G and I have been blessed to have dined in some of the best 'molecular gastronomy' restaurants going and meals of this caliber in other cities would cost double and treble.

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I've long harboured the idea of manufacturing a bar of soap shaped in the figure of the pope. I'd market this bar as "Pope on a Rope" with the tagline, "Take the pope places he's never been".

The idea has re-surfaced as the globe is about to wade its way through another conclave. And this got me to thinking about a way to bring the sad, antiquated institution that is the Catholic Church into the modern world. I'd like to suggest we use a new method which I'll call, "Papacy Idol". Based on the American Idol model, we'll elect the pope by popular vote, narrowing down the selection of cardinals through several segments that test their skills in various religiously-significant competencies. Judges for these segments would provide expert commentary to assist us as voters and could include God, Jesus and the Virgin Mary, or, if we wanted to really be inclusive and test the waters, Buddha, Mohammed and Vishnu. Or maybe Satan? He could sort of be the Simon Cowell of the show.

As to the segments we'll put the cardinals through, I'm thinking:

• deliver a sermon;
• perform an exorcism;
• take a confession; and,
  
• ex-communicate someone.

If there is a tie, perhaps we can assign them a written test to develop a communication plan to cover-up a sex scandal, say. They've plenty of experience in that and it is an important competency in any future pope.

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With the advent of the let's-nominate-100-movies-for-best-picture mentality the Academy adopted in 2011, we've taken to a new angle on our Oscar Dinners whereby appetizers take front and centre. Guests are assigned a film and bring an appetizer somehow related to the film's spirit. We have kept the annual tradition of a cocktail that honours one of Hollywood's fallen stars. This year's drink we dubbed a "Gin Whitney" (based on a Gin Rickey) and honouring Whitney Houston, of course. The drink consisted of bathtub gin (get the reference?!), club soda (as the water) and a garnish of mint and a Lifesaver (as she could of used one the night before the Grammys).

Joining us this year were the twins; Don & Sandra and WestJet Sue & Kevin. It was a fun evening - with too much champagne granted - and won the most-correct Oscar-Categories-Right Award.

1) the Gin Whitney; 2) bread but of course for Les Miz

3) the twins arrive; 4) for Lincoln, Oreo cookies that pitted black on white; 4) for Zero Dark Thirty, a morphed Aero bar

5) WestJet Sue brought an Iranian-inspired melange of dips and breads; 6) for Amour, a movie about aging and the impact of stroke and its accompanying challenges with mobility and memory, we served ... um, I forget!

7) for Life of Pi, we made from scratch mini butter chicken tarts that were omg fabulous; 8) for Silver Linings Playbook, it was earl grey tea-infused marshmallows we made from scratch then incorporated into a Rice Krispie square; the couple in this film first meet in a diner where they order tea and cereal

9) with the remaining marshmallow, G covered them in tempered chocolate - yummy!

For the last two films, I forgot to take pictures - blame the champagne - but they were two types of chicken (one bbq-ed; the other battered) that Don did up for the film Django Unchained and auroch-shaped chicken nuggets we made and served with a creole style to support the film, Beasts of the Southern Wild.

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1) the poncho of Juan Diego above the alter in the Basilica of Guadalupe

The Villa de Guadalupe (or The Basilica of Guadalupe) is one of the most visited Marian shrines in that most silly of cults we call Catholicism. To briefly recount the story, way back on December 9, 1531 the aboriginal Mexican, Juan Diego (Cuauhtlatoatzin) was wandering into Mexico City when he heard a voice calling him from atop Tepeyac hill. He climbed up to see an apparition of a young girl - who he believed was the Virgin Mary. Mary counseled him to tell the bishop of Mexico, Juan de Zumarraga, to build a church on the hill. Juan duly obliged and conveyed the message to the bishop. However the bishop was unmoved and basically called for the proverbial proof. When Juan returned to the hill and recounted this, Mary had Castilian roses appear (they are not native to Mexico). She had him collect them - and here's the key part of this story - in his poncho and advised him to show them to no one but the bishop. Miraculously when he met with the bishop, the roses cascaded from the poncho and *gasp* an image of the Virgin Mary - the one you see above - had been impressed on his poncho. Tada, magic!

Course, the fact here is a little more sobering. Upon the Spanish conquest 1519-21, local Mexicans continued to adhere to the 'old' religion and worshipped the mother-goddess Tonantzin at Tepeyac hill. To say it was convenient that this site ten years later was suddenly home to Mary speaks volumes to the ingeniousness of Spaniards to circumvent one god and transform him into another. The Spaniards had obviously read their Alexander the Great and Constantine histories well and knew the power of a good conversion. ANYhow, this bit of skillful maneuvering aside, the dear bishop was hence a believer and thus started the construction of a shrine on the site that was replaced in 1622 with the original church, known as the Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey. That church is still there, though sinking and much suffered through 400 years of earthquakes. 

The new basilica was built between 1974 and 1976 by the Mexican architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, who was also the architect of the stunning National Anthropology Museum in Chapultepec Park, and which is best known for its massive central pillar (cum waterfall) called el paraguas.

The silliness of the silly religious crap aside, the Basilica is a magnet for Mexicans. Entire families visit the site regularly and will spend the day there picnicking, walking about, and presumably praying now and again. Mass occurs pretty much every hour of the day year round and entire villages arrange busloads of citizens who travel into Mexico City to make a pilgrimage. The site really is a quintessential part of the Mexican psyche and a foundation that links all Mexicans together. Today, its environs are a circus of religious paraphernalia stores (complete with rose-scented rosaries). It is utterly and totally worth a visit and if you can suspend the cultish aspect for a moment and see the site as a force for good - which on many levels, it truly is - you'll enjoy an hour watching the power superstition has on people even in this day and age. It is also a stunning architectural gem.

2) inside the modern basilica; 3) the original - and listing church in the foreground with the newer basilica in the background

4) families attending the service, I thought the lamps were just outstanding; 5) the utterly gorgeous wooden roof of the new basilica

6) here is the bishop greeting Mary with Juan to her right, note that Mary is also black (another tip of the hat to the smart Spaniards); 7) Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey

8) inside the Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey

9) here is a close-up of Juan's poncho with the image of Mary from 1531; you actually stand on a moving sidewalk beneath the poncho and are whisked past it

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a) No Reply performs

We were out last night seeing a group of bands play and came across the cutest - though strangest - panda. The last band of the night was No Reply, a straight-up punk band built in the Sex Pistols mould. They put on a great set and the panda was just the greatest, most surreal addition to the entire scene. Loved it.

2) I snapped a pic side-stage of the bassist taking a break; 3) how much is that panda in the audience?

4) G edges closer to psycho-panda

5) here's a snippet of the band playing (turn down your speakers!) ... and isn't that Panda the greatest band member!

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1) El Angel, or the Centennial Monument in Mexico City

It is interesting when you tell friends/family you are going to Mexico City. Reactions typically followed a standard arc that ran from hesitation, to a sort-of confusion as to why we would want to visit such a place [as though visiting Mexico City was akin to visiting, say, Dhaka], to references to safety and/or corruption, to queries as to why we wouldn't visit Cancun or Puerta Vallarta, and then, catching themselves, to best wishes for a safe trip (with a particular emphasis on safe).

Granted, the news filtered to Canadians, and, I suspect more so, Americans regarding Mexico/City tends to focus on the negative - murders; drugs; illegal immigration; corruption. All this is such a shame; more so - a shame since most visitors to Mexico cocoon themselves in touristy enclaves that cater to a certain North Americanized view of what Mexico and Mexicans are about.

So that said, if you find yourself with the opportunity to travel to Mexico take it! But go to places less traveled and for sure, get yourself to Mexico City!

Mexico City is big - its urban agglomerated population is now close to 22 million which makes it the largest urban city in the entire Western Hemisphere (New York is a close second fyi) and the third largest (after Tokyo and Delhi) globally. The city is built in a valley and ringed by mountains and you are very much at altitude when visiting so be aware of that for your first few days. Incidentally, before Cortez and his motley crew arrived on the scene (in 1519AD), Mexico City was essentially a city like Venice, with complex and beautiful canals. Cortez razed the city and subsequently its lakes were drained. You can still get a small sense of what it may have been like then by visiting the Xochimilco district.

We decided to stay at the St. Regis (arguably the best hotel in the city) located right on Paseo de la Reforma. We had a lovely suite that looked out onto the bicentennial monument, Torre Mayor (the city's highest office tower) and the Chapultepec Park. Like all St. Regis hotels, service is in a word, exemplary, and comes with your very own Butler who is at your beck and call 24/7.  Plus, you are greeted with Veuve Cliquot, so, say no more. While at the St Regis we had a car and driver/guide (a wonderful gentleman named Cesar) at our disposal. We did use this to drive down to San Angel (San Angel is home to the Bazar del Sabado [a Saturday only artist's market]) and to drive out to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the onwards from there to Teotihuacan (the famed Pyramids about 40 minutes northeast of the city). The reality though is that Mexico City's subway is reliable, safe, often entertaining (with every manner of person selling their wares on the cars) and cheap, cheap, cheap - 3 pesos (about 30 cents Canadian) can get you anywhere in the city. Do make a point if you visit of taking the subway once for the experience.  We enjoyed a couple fabulous meals while in Mexico City - at Paxia and at Pujol (which is one of the Top 50 Restaurants in the World - go figure. It sits at number 36). More details on these meals in later posts.

2 & 3) our suite at the St Regis ... which was decorated with balloons when we arrived for G's birthday

4) the hallways at St Regis; 5) our bathroom had a soaker tub and a shower that also served as a steam room

6 & 7) the view from our suite ... you can get a sense of the valley Mexico City sits in with these shots

8) every night wee treats are left in your room at turn-down; 9) the hotel's 15th floor pool is a lovely reprieve from the heat of the city

10 & 11) we enjoyed the pool

 12) and the view from the pool down onto Fuente de La Diana Cazadora; 13) G's birthday gift from the staff at the St Regis left in our room

14) a night shot from our room with Torre Mayor on the right and the Estela de la Luz (or the Bicentennial Monument) to its left

15) Estela de la Luz in daylight; 16) a balloon sales girl hidden in her balloons outside our lunch at El Bijio, where we ate a couple times in Polanco

17) performers perform this high level act just outside the Museo de Antropologia

18 & 19) what was interesting is this chap on the left played his pipe the entire time he was falling!

20 & 21) the gardens inside Grand San Angel (in the San Angel area and near the Saturday Bazar) where we ate at D'Kirico

22 & 23) G wanders the Bazar de Sabado in San Angel

24) of course we toured the La Casa Azul, the home of Frida Kahlo and husband Diego Riviera which is now a museum; he lived on one side, she on the other and they wandered back and forth across the bridge in between; 25) me pausing to read

26 & 27) El Angel looking west towards the St Regis

28) inside the Mexico City Postal Office across from the Palacio de Bellas Artes

29 & 30) more of the beautiful Post Office

31 & 32) the Palacio de Bellas Artes and its dome

33) isn't it pretty?!

34) what is interesting, is that inside the Palacio it is all Art Deco (go figure!); 35) the Latioamerica Seguros which was the first office tower in Mexico City

36) Plaza de La Constitucion (better known as the Zocalo) which is the true center of Mexico City (and the largest public square in the Americas and rivalled only by Vatican Square)

 

37) the Palacio Virreinal; home of the President of Mexico; 38) the president's helicopter sits in the centre of the Zocalo

39) Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de María in the Zocalo (built back in 1573); and sinking ever since; 40) G explores the interior

 

40) the church is sinking, sadly and engineers are doing their best to sink the back end of the church so it aligns

41) the Tiffany glass ceiling inside the impressive Grand Hotel on the Zocalo

42) inside the centre of the church is this pendulum which has been noting the movement of the church since the day it was completed; 43) more of the glass ceiling

44) isn't it stunning?

45) there is even Tiffany glass bird cages inside with real birds, do visit and have lunch here for sure; 46) the streets just outside the Zocalo

47) here is the Templo Mayor, the true 'heart' of Mexico City. It was here that the Aztec's main temple stood. 48) yummy baked goods!

49) more of the baked goods; 50) Mexico City has a store for - literally - everything, including this mannequin store

51) the carousel inside Liverpool in Polanco, a very upscale chain of stores in Mexico (similar to Holt's in Canada); we rode this!; 52) tequila worms anyone?!

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1) Pesos time for us

We're currently en route to the St. Regis Mexico City to eat our way through the city. ?Hablo espanol? I studied Latin American history while at university and wrote my theses on the impact the Spanish conquest of the Americas had on Spain (a twist from the usual focus on its impact on American aboriginal communities (which you can imagine was not good). I can also tell you more about El Salvador and its revolution than you'd care to know I'm sure. But, sadly, my command of spanish which was semi-passable 30 years ago has largely left me. Wah!

We spent last weekend at the Fairmont Pacific Rim to celebrate our anniversary. It was lovely and the team there kindly left us some goodies to help celebrate. We did have an adventure there early Sunday morning when we were awoken by doors slamming and yelling. It seems our neighbours had a fight of some sorts, which ended up with the man leaving and the woman finding herself in the hallway - clad in nothing but her underwear and a bra - locked out of her room. We kindly gave her a bathrobe and she used the phone to call reception to get herself back in. Oh my!

2) G wanders toward Oru; 3) the lobby lounge at PacRim

4) the room; 5) greetings from the team

6) free bubbly; 7) room again

Did you also hear that Vancouver scored being the host city for the 2014 TED Talk Conference. Yay us! Now actively working to score a talk to boot.

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Greetings from Calgary where I am holed up this week in weather that is, well, cold as a witch's ...

However, we drank down a first dose of your friendly neighbourhood dukoral last week which certainly means warmer weather and a trip are on the horizon.

a) mix and drink for stomachs of steel no matter where you head

We were up at the top of Grouse Mountain on Saturday night for Dine Out Vancouver at The Observatory restaurant (very good) and opted to do homemade sushi on Sunday night. Many, many moons ago when we both had far more time than we do now, we actually taught sushi-making but it's been years. The mother-of-all-maki rolls aside, all in all, we still have some competency when it comes to this. We even stopped by Granville Island on Sunday morning to pickup fresh wasabi. It makes such a difference to sushi and is a billion times better than any powdered versions. If you get the chance, always splurge and opt for it.

2) looking up to the summit at Grouse Mountain after dinner; 3) G explores whether or not to skate

4) wasabi as it arrives; 5) trim it down; 6) before grating

7) the sushi nigiri options beautifully prepared by G

8) the full nine yard meal

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