Take a Twister Trip to Tepoztlan...

Isn't this the most scenic setting you have ever seen for a carnival fairground ride?? Welcome to the Extreme Twister of Tepoztlan!!

This post was supposed to be about my weekend visit to the Mardi Gras Carnival in Tepoztlan, but on this occasion what struck me most was the sheer beauty of the scenery and the setting...

Who can fail to be impressed by the craggy cliffs towering over you, and surrounding you every where you care to look?

There are gorgeous arid, desert-like gardens with the most beautiful of blooms......

And the most beautiful of birds and butterflies. Does anyone know the name of this particular butterfly that I snapped in the garden of the country house where I was staying for the weekend??

The two hour walk into town towards the carnival, with the most inspiring of views, was just an absolute joy from beginning to end...

Yes, I did finally get to the Mardi gras carnival in the end, and you can read a lot more about the celebrations, Chinelos, parades, and elaborate costumes by clicking here...

Tepoztlan is unbelievably only 45 minutes away from the seething metropolis of Mexico City!!

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 : Cholula

This week's shot comes from colonial Cholula, 10 km west of Puebla, which is renowned for two things. Firstly, it has the widest pyramid in the world, 4thc AD Piramide Tepanapa, which measures 450m along each side of the base, and contains a tunnel that you can still walk right through today. Secondly, it is the town where Cortes, the Spanish Conquistador, vowed to build a church for every day of the year - on top of the existing pagan temples. And yes, there is a beautiful colonial church stamped right on top of the widest pyramid in the world, with a view to crushing and stamping out indigenous culture. That was not managed, fortunately, but today from the terraces of the church, you get a wonderful view of Mexico's two most famous volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl (weather permitting.)

The town of Cholula has a university, a huge zocalo with portals, arcades and more churches, and some very colourful colonial buildings. This shot was taken in the harsh, winter afternoon sun in January, making the yellows, rusts and blues even more intense. I can highly recommend a visit to Cholula, and for more atmospheric Sunday shadow shots click here for hey harriet.

Time-Warp in the Big Taco - DF Institutions

One of the things that makes Mexico City so appealing is that the past and present sit cheek by jowl continuously, and thus you can time travel without setting foot outside of the metropolis, making Mexico City the true home of magic realism. Stepping back in time is easiest done in the Centro Historico. Check out all the different historical periods in these DF Institutions..

First up is the Sanborns Restaurant housed in the beautiful 1596 Casa de Azulejos (House of Tiles) with the most exquisite 18th Moorish tiles covering the facade of the building. Sanborns itself is a true DF Institution with its department stores being very reminiscent of the "Are you being served" variety. Next up is the wonderful Casino Espanol, the most traditional of restaurants, located in a 17thc Palace complete with chandeliers, and a full size ballroom.

There are beautiful stained glass panels and ceilings to complete that opulent dining experience...

and the dining room boasts the highest ratio of immaculate, pristine waiters to diners that I have ever witnessed, lending that air of luxury and old-fashioned attentiveness..

For the sweet-toothed a visit to the Institution of Celaya, established 1874, is mandatory. It sells all kinds of decadent sweet treats all with a somewhat archaic flavour...

Fancy something a bit more savoury and substantial?? Forget Subway and head to La Casa de Pavo which has been dishing up hearty, hot turkey sandwiches since 1901 to a very appreciative crowd at this little traditional cafe on Motolina...

Moving on through the centuries, the next Institution of note is the immensely popular and atmospheric Art Deco Cafe Tacuba founded in 1915. Always swinging with Mariachi bands, it is a great place to take visitors for an authentic taste of Mexico..

Yes it does look a bit like you are being served by doctors and nurses here which perhaps enhances the Institutionalised surroundings... but what gorgeous Art Deco architecture is on display...

Want to move on a bit more timewise?? Well how about a bit of 1950s retro chic where you can buy all things 50s kitsch here at Las Galerias el Triunfo.....

And where is my next visit to a DF Institution?? Well actually the expansive, marble bathrooms of Palacio Bellas Artes where the Irish play "Ladies and Gents" is being staged amongst the porcelain urinals and luxurious Ladies...will keep you posted!!

For more MyWorldTuesday Posts click here.

Welcome to My World - Here is the Hood : Colonia Cuauhtemoc!

Sandwiched between two Mexico City icons, namely the Angel de la Independencia and the Diana Fountain, lies the friendly little barrio of Colonia Cuauhtemoc. Having lived in big cities all my life, this is the very first time I have been able to afford to live slap, bang in the centre of the city..

With all the streets named after rivers, the neighbourhood is a mixture of bustling banks, businesses and offices during the week, and quiet, tranquil streets at the weekend, with local shops, cafes, and restaurants. There are glass high rises, and elegant colonial buildings..

My apartment building is modern, and my abode has been labelled "El Palacio Rojo" ( The Red Palace ) for obvious reasons.... the light and the colours here make vibrancy a natural choice..

I have been inspired by the chillis and limes of Mexico, and the apartment is stuffed full of fabulous folk art by artisans from every region of Mexico. How many pieces can you spot in "Kitsch Korner" ??

Outside the contrast continues from posh, upmarket hotels (complete with freelance, abseiling windowcleaners... )

to humble, long-established taco stands. Street stalls are the best in Mexico City and Cuauhtemoc is no exception. Here is Julio Cesar preparing my favourite "Gringa" taco of roast pork, pineapple, and Oaxaca cheese...

It is a barrio whereby you can go for a chilled-out Sunday morning cycle ride along Paseo Reforma....

walk the dog (or the rabbit) along leafy, serene streets...

Perform crazy stunts with the art exhibition of chairs along Reforma (and yes that is a real person on the left!! )

or simply sit back, relax, and lap it all up...

Until the sun sets over the Angel and another day closes in Colonia Cuauhtemoc...

What is special about the area where you have chosen to live?? For more gorgeous glimpses into the lives of others click here for more MyWorldTuesday posts.

Shadow Shot Sunday 1 : San Miguel

This is my contribution (my first) to Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday! This photo was taken in one of the most picturesque and photogenic colonial towns in the whole of Mexico, namely San Miguel de Allende. Cobbled streets and buildings in rich russets, ochres and dusky pinks coupled with the strength and clarity of the Mexican light make it an artist's and photographer's paradise. This was taken in the late afternoon when the slanting rays made the shadows at their most intense. For other shadow shots please visit hey harriet and for more on the charming San Miguel click here

MUAC - Mexico City's newest Art Gallery

Travel down to the South of the city to the UNAM University Campus, and you will find the latest edition to Mexico City's already buzzing modern art scene. Housed in a cool , contemporary building with lots of light, glass, and easy on the eye vistas, Museo Universitario Arte Contemporaneo (MUAC) opened to the public just a few months ago, and is already drawing the crowds...

Drawing on a wide selection of Mexican and International artists, the works are beautifully displayed with the space to contemplate each piece...

( Artist - Jan Hendrix : Holland )

You can admire from a distance or get up close and personal and interact with the works of art...

( Artist Edgar Orlaineta : Mexico : Estalagmitas )

The most complex piece currently on display is a walk through installation containing a mixture of photographs, collages, designs, artefacts, dead rats.... and a labyrinth of live rats... all forming an ironic and critical commentary on Hitler's Germany and Totalitarianism....

( Artist Miguel Ventura and the NILC Project : Mexico : Cantos Civicos)

The gallery is well worth a visit and is open from Wednesday to Sunday. It can be reached by the Insurgentes metrobus or a short 20 peso cab ride from metro Universidad.

Mardi-Gras Carnival - Tepoztlan-style

For a tiny, traditional Mexican village, Tepoztlan always knows how to celebrate LARGE, be it Day of the Dead, Independence Day, or Mardi Gras Carnival all stamped with its own special signature style. Just one hour away from the seething metropolis of Mexico City, it has the most beautiful valley setting amidst high rugged, jagged crags.

And the most festive of celebrations. On February 20th and 21st this year, the tiny plaza will be invaded by the annual parade of over 300 Chinelos led by the brass bands, and dressed in the most elaborate of costumes with fur-trimmed, embroidered robes, intricate masks, and feather beaded headdresses.

The bright blue eyes and the pointed, turned-up beards satirically recall the previous invaders - the Spanish Conquistadors...

The crowd mixes in with the Chinelos dancing around the plaza to the repeated refrain from the band...

Next comes the dancing horses and the highly skilled Charreria (cowboy culture ) displays....

Followed by the rodeo...

Which always starts with the cowboys kissing the ground and praying ( just as well as one of the cowboys here had the narrowest of escapes just skidding in time, under the rails, a hair's breadth from the horns of the bull.....)

After the real rodeo the kids practise their bullfighting skills in the arena - safely with the papier mache bull...

Whilst the adults consume copious amounts of tequila and pulque ( brewed straight from the maguey plant)

And if they get drunk enough, how can they resist buying the most memorable souvenir of the whole event from the fake beard, moustache, and eyelash vendor!!

So what are you waiting for?? Forget Rio, Forget Trinidad, Forget Havana.....get yourself down to Tepoztlan for a truly memorable mardi-gras... I'll be there!!

Monarchs of the Glen

This month is pretty much the last chance to visit the butterfly sanctuaries in the State of Michoacan, before the majestic Monarch mariposas make their migratory return journey to Canada and N. USA, where it should be starting to warm up right?? Every Autumn from late October to November millions of Monarchs migrate to these Mexican forested highlands for their winter hibernation.

The sanctuaries are located in beautiful stretches of countryside, where you climb up through cool pine forests to find the clusters of butterflies clinging to the fir branches before the final farewell. In addition, you find carpets of them on the forest floor, fluttering orange and golden leaves.

It makes for a wonderful relaxing weekend out in the fresh air, away from the chaotic frenzy and urban grit of Mexico City.

It takes from three to five generations of Monarchs to complete the full round trip from Canada to Mexico and back......

There are five sanctuaries open to visitors in the State of Michoacan, and they can all be reached by one of the following base towns:- Zitacuaro, Angangueo, and Ocampo. Like anywhere in Mexico, public transport connections all work smoothly.

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