Category: Mexican Culture

What to See in Coyoacán: A Guide to Mexico City’s Colorful Colonia, Part 1

Nearly every visitor to Mexico City sets foot in Coyoacán. They’re drawn here for one major reason: the Casa Azul, or Blue House, iconic artist Frida Kahlo’s home and museum. While the Blue House is undoubtedly touristy, I’ll admit that it truly is a must-see. When you visit the Coyoacán neighborhood, however, you can find so much more than this one beautiful building! Beyond the Frida Kahlo Museum, you’ll uncover layer upon layer of fascinating history — from Hernán Cortés and his conquistador army, to ghostly centuries-old legends, to famous writers, directors, and even movie stars who called this place home.

A glimpse of what you can see when you venture off the well-trodden tourist path in Coyoacán.

In this Mexico City travel guide, I’ll delve into where to go and what to see in Coyoacán. I live near this stunning neighborhood, and often walk here to destress and get some much-needed quiet within the city. I’ll structure this guide as I do my own explorations: as a meandering walk through the neighborhood. Feel free to follow it when you visit Coyoacán, and let me know what you discover along the way!

This is Part 1 of the Coyoacán neighborhood guide, covering Frida and Trotsky’s homes, the market, the colonia’s center, and plentiful detours. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for Part 2! It will take you further into Coyoacán’s oldest street, Francisco Sosa, and its most iconic park.

Two Small Notes:

  1. To use this as a walking guide, click on the purple-colored place names I’ve included throughout the article! These will take you directly to Google Maps links for each spot, so you can orient yourself. Or just write me, and I can show you around myself!
  2. Today, Coyoacán is the name of an “alcaldía” of Mexico City: a sprawling municipality with many distinct neighborhoods. However, its center was once the ancient village of Coyoacán — spots like Del Carmen and Santa Catarina — and they’ll be my primary focus for the guides, as they form the most historic and walkable area. Many people consider this area to be the original neighborhood of Coyoacán.

Walking in the Footsteps of Frida, Diego, & Trotsky

Frida Kahlo shared this home with her husband (married two separate times) Diego Rivera for a number of years. Today, it serves as the main tourism draw in Coyoacán, and an iconic Mexico City museum.

For most of you, the Blue House will undoubtedly be your introduction to Coyoacán — perhaps even one of the main reasons you wanted to visit Mexico City! In my opinion, this is wholly justified. (My only wish is that people also explore beyond this well-known site! And, frankly, look beyond the glamorized, commercialized image of Frida that companies use to sell their products, getting to know the real, complex artist behind the image.) Even when crowded, Frida’s home is a work of art that reflects her life philosophy and immense creativity. She grew up here, and later moved back as an adult, transforming the house into an extension of Kahlo and Rivera’s boundless artistic vision.

Frida Kahlo’s house sits on the northern edge of Coyoacán. It may be hard to imagine today, as you pull off the busy highway and arrive at the museum, but when Frida was born here at the turn of the 20th Century, this was considered the very outskirts of Mexico City. Coyoacán was a sleepy, colonial village slowly being swallowed up by the capital’s expansion.

Frida and Diego’s erstwhile home actually sat in relative obscurity for decades, before Frida’s more recent “rediscovery” by the global public made it the must-see spot in Coyoacán.

*Important Advice*: How to Visit the Frida Kahlo Museum Stress-Free

Time and time again, my visitors in Mexico City have encountered the same issues when seeing the Blue House. Everyone wants to visit, but not many know that they should plan in advance. On multiple occasions, my visitors weren’t aware of just how popular this destination is. By the time they arrived, the museum was completely full! Because of this, I strongly recommend that several weeks before your trip, you buy tickets ahead of time here. Make sure you buy them from the official website, boletosfridakahlo.org, to avoid scams or up-charges from tour companies. If you don’t purchase in advance, there’s a good chance that tickets may be sold out when you get to the Casa Azul. I also suggest buying tickets for a weekday morning, as the afternoons and weekends are especially crowded at this famous site.

A lesser-known exhibition at the Casa Azul displays many of Frida Kahlo’s dresses. It’s much more than a typical “fashion” exhibit, though. Really, it presents a thoughtful and complex exploration of Frida’s life philosophy, cultural expression, and identity as a person with disabilities.

My other tip for the Frida Kahlo Museum? Many visitors miss one of its loveliest exhibits, “Appearances are Deceiving: The Dresses of Frida Kahlo.” This is a separate building within the complex, to the far right of the entrance past the gardens and pyramid sculpture. A permanent exhibition, it features dozens of pieces from Frida’s legendary wardrobe, many inspired by the Tehuana culture from Oaxaca State. Whether you’re a fashion lover or not, this part of the museum provides deep insight. It explores Frida’s disabilities, cultural identity, and politics — and how she used clothing to turn herself into a complex work of art.

More to See in Northern Coyoacán: The León Trotsky Museum

About two blocks away, you can easily visit the Leon Trotsky Museum as well. After receiving asylum from the Mexican government, Trotsky and his wife Natasha lived with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in the Blue House for two years. Then, perhaps due to an affair between Trotsky and Kahlo, they moved to this (appropriately) red colonial home just a stone’s throw away. The modest house is much less crowded than Frida’s home, and you can tour it in 30 to 60 minutes. (Depending on your level of interest in the highly-detailed timeline of global Communism at the entrance.) See how Trotsky lived out his last few years, reading texts and recording hours of his thoughts in the study.

The Trotsky house’s lush garden features a memorial to the Communist thinker.

Soon after, a supposed colleague — the Stalinist spy Ramón Mercader — fatally stabbed him with an ice pick in that very room, assassinating Trotsky on behalf of the Soviet Union. In the nearby bedroom, you can see bullet holes from a previous assassination attempt, led by famed Mexican muralist David Alfonso Siquieros. At the end of the self-guided tour, you can contemplate the hammer and sickle memorial in the lush patio garden. Cuban author Leonardo Padura’s novel The Man Who Loved Dogs explores this assassination and the man behind it — a fascinating read! This unassuming Little Red House is at the crux of so much global history…

Getting There

It’s easy to see this area of Coyoacán from any part of Mexico City, especially if you take care to avoid arriving or leaving during rush hour from 4-7 PM. You can take an Uber, Didi, or taxi. Most likely, you’ll arrive in 30-40 minutes from centric areas like Roma, Condesa, or Polanco. Via public transportation, you can take the Line 3 (Green) subway in the Universidad direction. Get off at the Coyoacán stop and walk several blocks through the neighborhood to arrive at the museums.

León Trotsky’s Coyoacán study, where he produced new political writings constantly — and died at the hands of Ramón Mercader and his ice pick.

Frida Kahlo tickets cost 320 pesos for foreigners. As I mentioned above, it’s best to buy them online ahead of time to avoid any hiccups. The museum is open from 10 AM – 6 PM each day, except for Wednesdays, when it opens an hour earlier. The Trotsky Museum only costs 40 pesos to enter, and you don’t need to reserve beforehand. It’s open from 10 AM to 5 PM, and sometimes offers cultural activities related to Trotsky and his work. Both museums — and, in fact, almost all museums in Mexico City — are closed on Mondays. Because of this, I’m working on a guide recommending what to do in the city on Mondays…

Detours

There’s more to see in each part of Coyoacán than I could possibly describe — and this is just Part 1 of the guide! Just across the highway (and easily reached) in the traditional Xoco neighborhood, you’ll find a lovely cemetery graced with elegant tombstones and jacaranda trees.

The Cineteca Nacional is one of my favorite spots in Southern Mexico City. On top of their wonderful film selection, I love enjoying a drink or dinner here, and sitting outdoors to watch a movie at the “Cine al Aire Libre.” During the pandemic, this was the only way I could enjoy a big-screen movie!

Right next door is the beloved Cineteca Nacional, Mexico City’s National Cinema. This modernist movie theater features fantastic Mexican films and many independent and classic movies, as well as several restaurants, cafés, and bars. (Chicha is my favorite restaurant there, try the flores de calabaza and flautas de jamaica!) It’s worth a visit for its incredible ambience, architecture, and of course a plethora of great films!

Exploring Central Coyoacán: Markets, Street Food, and Ancient History

Once you’ve finished up at the Casa Azul and Trotsky Museum, it’s time to delve into the heart of this historic neighborhood. Meander just a few blocks south from Frida’s Blue House on Ignacio Allende Street to the Mercado de Coyoacán. Because of Frida’s popularity, the market has evolved into a hybrid of tourist and local offerings. The city block-sized mercado‘s edges are lined with folkloric clothing and Frida souvenirs, but walk into its depths and you’ll still see plenty of Coyoacán residents shopping for fresh produce, household goods, plants, and supplies, as well as enjoying lunch at quick, tasty food stands.

The Mercado de Coyoacán is a fascinating jumble of everyday items, delicious snacks and produce, and traveler-oriented gifts, like souvenirs and artisanry. It’s a great example of what to see in Coyoacán: street food and local atmosphere alike.

This is a fun place to grab gifts for friends or family back home, including lovely woven baskets, and to sample unique fruits like mamey, granada china, and zapote negro. Of course, you can try popular Mexico City street foods like elote, esquites, and (my favorite) pambazos here as well! Be sure to bring cash (efectivo) in smaller peso bills and buy from the busiest stands, as locals know best. Keep in mind that due to the tourist presence, prices here may be inflated, and not all products are artisanal. For a better artisanry selection, I much prefer La Ciudadela Market and other vetted gift spots.

What to see in Downtown Coyoacán: Place of the Coyotes

On the weekends, Central Coyoacán becomes a gathering place for neighbors and families from all over Mexico City. They come to enjoy street food, performances, and the area’s lively atmosphere.

After the market, continue south towards Coyoacán’s center. Before the mega-city swallowed it up, Coyoacán was actually a small village on the edge of Lake Texcoco. Appreciate the Prehispanic and colonial history soaked into every cobblestone as you make your way towards the Jardín Hidalgo and Jardín Centenario, the two interconnecting plazas at the heart of Coyoacán. These central squares are home to an infinite number of historical and cultural spots. It would take me a full day to describe them all, but if this article leaves you wanting more, feel free to write me and perhaps I can show you around. I’ll try my best to bring them to life here!

Look for “Coyohuacan” in the mid-left of this map to see where modern-day Coyoacán sat near Texcoco Lake, later drained and filled in by the Spanish. Image courtesy of Ciencia UNAM.

Age-Old (Explosive) History and Coyohuaca Culture

If you went back even earlier in the history of Mexico City — nearly 2,000 years ago — you’d witness the volcano Xitle’s violent explosion. In fact, this decades-long eruption covered the southern valley in ash and lava. In the centuries that followed, the strong, porous dried lava — known as tezontle — became the main building material in many indigenous and Spanish constructions. As a result, you can still see this beautifully textured stone all over Coyoacán. Look for deep black rock covered in tiny holes: that’s tezontle.

Ancient, colonial, and modern Mexicans in the Coyoacán area have used tezontle, volcanic rock, as a durable and lightweight building material.

The Coyohuaca people, a Nahuatl-speaking culture, lived in this area for hundreds of years before the Mexica (Aztecs) conquered them. This was “the place of the coyotes,” a name still reflected in the striking fountain featuring two coyotes on the far right side of the plaza. Because the Mexica had oppressed native residents, when the Spanish arrived on Lake Texcoco’s shores in 1519 they found allies among people in Coyoacán and elsewhere.

To your right as you enter the square, there’s a long, blood-red building known as the Casa de Cortés. Today, this handsome building is the municipal headquarters for the neighborhood, but many believe that conquistador Hernán Cortés based his operations here as he plotted to conquer Tenochtitlán, the mighty Mexica (Aztec) capital just to the north. In fact, the myth-ridden structure was actually built in 1755, long after Cortés had died, by his descendants! Some history buffs still say that this piece of land — if not the building itself — was the site where Cortés and his henchmen tortured the Mexica (Aztec) emperor Cuauhtémoc, forcing him to reveal his empire’s treasures. (You can head a bit further south to the Plaza de la Conchita to see his supposed real house, shared with La Malinche. See more in my “Detours” section below!)

The Casa de Cortés is home to many rumors swirling around the man who “conquered” Mexico for Spain, Hernán Cortés. It stretches along the entire plaza garden.

Coyoacán’s Ghosts, from Spanish Monks to Revolutionary Soldiers

The rest of Coyoacán’s striking central square is equally packed with stories. There’s endless details to see in Coyoacán — the challenge is what to focus on. In fact, it’s quite literally a walk through centuries of Mexican history, from ancient times to the modern-day. Peek at the traditional colonia‘s parish church, the somber, stone-facade of the Parroquia San Juan Bautista.

Coyoacán’s stunning, centuries-old parish church as the sun sets. Plants sprout from its crumbling bell tower.

Inside, it’s quite lovely, and more lavish than you might expect from outside. Built in 1522, the impressive structure once held a large colonial monastery as well. The entire grounds of the Coyoacán plaza, in fact, were once part of the monastery’s gardens. Today, it remains a thriving center for community worship. Outside its doors, street performers like clowns, magicians, and indigenous dancers often share their gifts with delighted crowds — especially on the weekends.

The Coyoacán church’s ornate interior belies its relatively simple stone facade.

A Historical Eye-Spy: Stories Stretching Out in Every Direction

Right in the middle of the square, you’ll spot a pretty wrought-iron gazebo. Depending on the season, it may be adorned with a nativity scene, patriotic banners, or even marigolds during Day of the Dead. A detailed rendition of the national symbol — an eagle with a serpent in its mouth perched on a cactus — is always at the very top. French-made, the Kiosko de Coyoacán, as locals know it, was built by dictator Porfirio Díaz in 1900 to commemorate Mexican independence. Just a decade later, though, Mexicans across the country would rise up against the president and end his Porfiriato (as the leader’s reign is known) for good, initiating ten years of the bloody, civil war-like Mexican Revolution.

The unassuming Kiosko de Coyoacán contains so many years of Mexican history, from the “Porfiriato” dictatorship to the Revolution to present-day performances.

That takes us to the colorful facades of two classic Mexico City cantinas, La Guadalupana and La Coyoacana, just behind the church. These old-school drinking halls will take you right back to their glory days nearly 100 years ago! Squint, and you can almost see soldiers of bygone conflicts standing in the shadows, tequila and rifle in hand. La Coyoacana remains open, and while La Guadalupana closed for a while, it appears to have reopened in a limited capacity.

Cantina La Guadalupana, sadly now closed, dates back to the 1930s. The building maintains its colorful, classic feel.

Finally, if you look straight ahead, you’ll see a lovely stone archway. Remember when I said that this entire plaza was once part of the San Juan Bautista church and monastery? Those arches are what remain of the monastery’s garden walls. Try to spy the figures of shadowy monks out of the corner of your eye. In Part 2 of this guide, it’ll be time to walk through those arches and continue the journey through time!

Walk through Coyoacán’s famed archways, and venture back in time — coming in Part 2 of the neighborhood guide!

Getting There

Even if you’re not walking to downtown Coyoacán from the Frida Kahlo or Trotsky museums, it’s still pretty easy to get to the plaza. Take the subway, Line 3 (Green) towards Universidad and exit at Viveros/Derechos Humanos. Alternatively, you can take the Line 2 (Blue) towards Tasqueña and get off at General Anaya. Either way, you’ll have a 20 to 30 minute walk to the neighborhood’s lively center.

Of course, you can also take an Uber, Didi, or taxi. Just be aware that on the weekends, downtown Coyoacán’s traffic gets bad. You might actually want to get out and walk before reaching the main plaza.

Where to Eat

Whether you’re in the mood for savory, flavorful street tacos or elegant small plates, Coyoacán has a fascinating blend of foodie delights.

Central Coyoacán in bursting with food options, from casual street eats to some of Mexico City’s most elegant restaurants. On the weekends, Ignacio Allende and Aguayo streets are packed with stands, selling street food classics like elote and pambazos. For consistently excellent street-style classics, I love the Mercado de Antojitos. I’ve always had great experiences with the talented cooks at this small market — try the Michoacán-style pozole! Bring cash (pesos, of course) just in case.

When I want to show my guests a real fine-dining gem, I take them to Los Danzantes. This restaurant may have the best location and ambience in Coyoacán. It’s situated right on the main square, and candlelit evenings there are truly romantic. The menu is a mix of Oaxacan, other regional Mexican specialties, and great mezcals and wines. Just be aware that if your outdoor table’s right next to the plaza, there will be plenty of vendors and buskers.

Los Danzantes is an iconic part of Central Coyoacán’s restaurant scene — by no means cheap, but a fantastic option for a fancier meal.

Detours

If you have more time and want to stick around this area, there’s plenty more to see in central Coyoacán. Just off the main square, you can pop into the Museo Nacional de las Culturas Populares (Museum of Popular Culture). This small, charming building features rotating exhibitions on Mexican folk art, and often hosts festivals or bazaars on the weekends.

The Museo Nacional de las Culturas Populares often hosts cultural events and folklore fairs.

If you continue to the east and south, you’ll come across two more treasures of Coyoacán. First, the Centro Cultural Elena Garro is a spectacular, modernist brick-and-glass bookstore and cultural center. You (well I, at least) could spend hours exploring its collection and enjoying the in-house café. Then, just a block further south, you can visit the Plaza de la Conchita. This tiny neighborhood square is lost in time, centered by a lovely, delicate colonial church. The chapel is considered the oldest European religious building in Mexico. Historians also suspect that Malintzin (La Malinche), the indigenous translator and mistress of conquerer Hernán Cortés, once lived in a house on this plaza.

Final Thoughts

I hope you’ve enjoyed this exploration of what to see in Coyoacán! Remember, this was just Part 1. (I got a little carried away with the details, so decided to split this guide in two.) Next time, stay tuned for a deep-dive into the neighborhood’s oldest street and a stroll through its lush, sprawling park-nursery.

A little glimpse of what’s to come in Part 2…what to see in Coyoacán’s oldest area, down cobblestone streets and winding alleyways.

¡Felices fiestas!: 6 Incredible Spots to Buy Artisanal Mexican Christmas Gifts

Whether I spend the winter holiday season with family back in the States, or enjoy my navidad mexicana, this remains my favorite time of year. Christmas is a big deal in Mexico, a predominantly Catholic country. Regardless of whether you celebrate the holiday’s religious aspects, Mexican Christmas festivities can be infectiously fun and diverse.

The presents under my tree this year — nearly all purchased at local markets, bazaars and village tianguis.

Over the years, I’ve discovered many of the jewels of Mexican artisanry — although there’s always more to explore. I love sharing these stunning traditions with family and friends during the holidays by bringing back unique gifts. In years past, these have included textiles and Christmas ornaments, basketry and brilliantly glazed ceramics. I seek out many of these treasures right here in Mexico City and its neighboring villages. Here, I’m sharing my favorite spots to find the perfect gift your loved one will never forget. For more holiday experiences in the area, check out my guide to Christmas in Mexico City as well!

1) La Ciudadela and City Markets

La Ciudadela is host to many high-quality pottery shops, often featuring the acclaimed talavera style from Puebla.

This must-visit market in central Mexico City bursts with artisanry from all over the country. While La Ciudadela has its share of souvenir junk (think: wool ponchos emblazoned with U.S. football team logos), it’s full of real gems as well. This is the place to go for classics like patterned talavera ceramics and tiles, lovely table runners and cloths (keep an eye out for ones with poinsettia patterns), and even tonalá pottery from Jalisco state (in Aisle 4). Bring plenty of cash to avoid credit card fees.

Markets provide a wide variety of gift options in one place. There, you can find everything from charming baubles to full furniture sets.

For even more holiday cheer, you can’t miss the iconic Mercado Jamaica in the historic center. Usually the city’s wholesale flower market, the Jamaica transforms into a Mexican Christmas wonderland this time of year. Its focus on more on decorations than presents — come here for your nochebuenas (poinsettia flowers), garlands, and of course, seven-pointed Christmas piñatas. It’s just as fun, however, to drink in the colorful atmosphere. Wander with a warm ponche drink and a cup of flavorful esquites (roast corn), some of the best in the city!

The Mercado de Coyoacán also has a decent selection of gifts and artisanry, though it’s quite touristy.

2) Bazaars

The Bazar Sábado, each Saturday in San Ángel, is one of the city’s most beloved street fairs. The plaza is lined with stands and tents, along with permanent shops like this one.

In recent years, Mexico City has teemed with popular bazaars selling handmade items. These range from highly traditional to artsy to hipster-dominated. While not every bazaar is created equal, I have found several favorites. This year, in fact, I bought most of my Mexican Christmas gifts at them!

Bazar Zona Zero, in the upscale Roma neighborhood, bills itself as a center for design, fashion, and art. The market’s location just off of the beautiful Plaza Río de Janeiro makes it a great part of your weekend stroll. The bazaar has an interesting mix of stylish clothing, unique pottery, accessories, and vintage, some for fairly accessible prices. You can take a look here. They usually accept credits cards or bank transfers, as well as cash.

Zona Zero is one of the most varied bazaars I’ve visited, in both goods and prices. Image courtesy of Zona Zero @mx.zonazero on Instagram.

The classic among all Mexico City bazaars is, of course, the Bazar Sábado in San Ángel, centered around cobblestoned Plaza San Jacinto. As the name would suggest, this market takes place every Saturday. This is where well-heeled Chilangos and visitors alike come to drink in the area’s charm, grab brunch, and pick up high quality artisan goods. This is a pricier spot, but it has fantastic ambience and some decent deals. Bring cash and good walking shoes.

Finally, Libre Liebre is a fun, slightly quirkier bazaar that pops around to different locations. It’s an excellent spot for jewelry, candles, and other more off-the-beat gifts. Just check their Instagram to see the newest venue and dates.

3) Museum Gift Shops

Mexican Christmas invariably fills the city with festive piñatas. None are more impressive than those displayed at the Museo de Arte Popular.

While I’m often a little disappointed by Mexico City museum gift shops (Modern Art Museum, I’m looking at you, sigh), there are two jewels among the more “average” ones. My beloved Museo de Arte Popular (Folk/Popular Art Museum) is already one of the best places to visit in the city. But on top of its spectacular folk art exhibitions, the “MAP” boasts a top-notch store. It brings together excellent quality artisanry from all over Mexico — during the holidays, this includes many Christmas-y items. While the store is pricier than some, it directly benefits artisans and features unique pieces.

Every year I find beautiful new Christmas ornaments at the Museo de Arte Popular. This year, a delicate corn-husk angel joined my collection.

Perched at the edge of Chapultepec Forest, the famed Anthropology Museum also has a nice shop. This features a great variety of books on Mexican history and arts, along with some lovely artisanry, food items, clothing, and jewelry. The selection is a little more basic than the MAP, but makes for a strong starting point.

If you’re into art books and very contemporary gifts, the Tamayo Museum and Museo de El Chopo have interesting collections as well. The smaller store at the Museo Franz Mayer has some interesting stuff, including fun earrings, scarves, etc.

4) FONART Stores & Fairs

FONART’s recent Christmas fair brought artisans and buyers together directly, benefitting both. Image courtesy of FONART @fonart_mx on Instagram.

FONART serves as the Mexican government’s official fund to support artisans and their traditions. The organizations has played a big role in helping preserve artistic craft all over the country, and I really admire its work. An important aspect of FONART’s mission is connecting artisans directly with potential buyers. Here in Mexico City, they achieve this in two ways: through their permanent shops, as well as seasonal fairs.

There are three FONART stores in the city, which you can find here. They all have superb selections of artisanry, giving you the opportunity to put money in the pockets of talented creators, many of indigenous heritage. Recently, FONART has also opened a small, but very cool shop in the lobby of the Secretaría de Economía building. I certainly recommend checking it out — right now, it’s Mexican Christmas galore! Find it at Pachuca 189 in the Condesa neighborhood.

If you have any religious relatives, Mexican Christmas nativity scenes make great gifts. Image courtesy of FONART @fonart_mx on Instagram.

Then, there are the fabulous artisan fairs they’ve been organizing ever more frequently. I’ve become a regular at these themed events, when FONART actually brings artisans to sell their wares in-person in Mexico City. Recently, they’ve offered holiday-specific fairs, but any will have great-quality goods. It’s a singular experience to buy artisanry in the capital directly from the artisans themselves — many hailing from Michoacán, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Guerrero, and more. I highly recommend following FONART on Instagram or Facebook. There, the organization announces when and where its next fairs will take place. Both the stores and fairs offer goods with a wide variety of values, which makes it easy to find gifts of all shapes, sizes, and price-points. The pandemic has been especially hard on artisans here, and this is a fantastic option to support them.

5) Markets in Nearby Pueblos Mágicos

Pop into local markets in magic towns like Tequisquiapan, famed for its basketry, to find especially singular presents.

If you’re traveling in November or December, consider visiting one of Mexico’s lovely pueblos mágicos (magic towns). While you enjoy their beauty, charm, and local culture, be sure to check out the local market. These will be especially well-stocked on the weekends, when many villages set up downtown tianguis (temporary markets) filled with artisan goods. The “Christmas ornament” towns of Chignahuapan, Puebla, and Tlalpujahua, Michoacán, produce many unique, hand-painted decorations and even export them abroad. Pueblos mágicos like Tepoztlán, Tequisquiapan, and Metepec all feature their own singular artisan traditions. Visit any of the small towns I highlighted in my guide here, and you’ll be sure to give loved ones one-of-a-kind Mexican Christmas gifts with a real story behind them.

The nearby city of Puebla is brimming with talavera artisanry, antiques, homemade sweets, and many other charming choices.

Don’t overlook neighboring cities like Puebla, Guanajuato, or Querétaro either — while these are larger and more bustling, they all boast their own marvelous artisan shops and traditions. For a unique eat, grab some fresh mole in San Pedro Atocpan, a village right within Mexico City limits.

6) Don’t-Miss Spots for Edible Delights

We’ve all found ourselves in a foreign airport, desperately searching the Duty Free for acceptable gifts. Here in Mexico City, my first few visits home saw me scrambling through mediocre mezcals, spicy gummy candies, and truly terrible chocolate. Learn from my mistakes, though, and you’ll be rewarded with delicious presents your family will be begging for next year, too.

Rosetta’s jams are to-die for, and very highly sought after in my family. Image courtesy of Panadería Rosetta @panaderiarosetta on Instagram.

Mexico City is blessed with many fantastic bakeries, chocolate shops, and of course, mezcalerías, but I do have a few personal favorites. For chocolates, “Qué Bo!” in the historic center, as well as Polanco and Coyoacán, makes unbelievable truffles. They often feature unique Mexican flavors like tequila and sal de gusano. During the holidays, their chocolate-studded panettone is ridiculously good. La Botica is a nice, if hipster-y, place to get great mezcal. Grab a seat and sample a few before making your decision — their cocktails are lovely as well. Rosetta Bakery’s biscotti and jars of homemade jam are my family’s gifts of choice. Their mouthwatering guava preserves go just as wonderfully on ice cream as on buttered toast.

“Qué Bo!” chocolate shop is just a few steps from the lovely Azul Histórico restaurant, both in the Downtown shops complex near the Zócalo. Both are personal favorites for me.

FYI: How to Send a Gift Package To Family Back Home

If you, like me, are spending the holidays in Mexico this year, it’s not impossible to send presents abroad to family. I’m referring to North America here — packages to Europe, South America, or elsewhere may be much pricier. For the U.S. and Canada, I highly recommend DHL’s efficient service. Their packages arrive in just a few days, and they’re much less expensive than UPS and FedEx. That doesn’t mean cheap though. My four kilo (around 8-9 pound) box cost around $90 USD, or $1800 pesos, to send. Another possibility is the “Mexico Mule” Facebook forum. There, you can post that you want to send something to a certain area, and share if you’re offering any payment. Expats returning home can offer to take the item with them, and some may even be willing to drop it off at the post office once there.

Small details, like this simple piñata swinging in an apartment passageway, make the Mexican Christmas season special in the city.

While these steep prices and logistical issues might entice you into braving the Mexican postal system, just don’t do it. Also warn relatives abroad — if they send you something using their national mail service, it will enter the Mexican system once it crosses the border. Many of these packages and cards can be lost completely, or they may take many months to arrive. Tracking will become impossible once it enters Mexico.

I often purchase unique presents and decorations from their makers on humble street corners. I discovered this amazing Mexican Christmas tree, made out of dried palm by a talented older woman, on the sidewalk outside the Oasis Coyoacán shopping center.

If you’re planning to pack gifts in a checked bag, just be sure to wrap them in many, many layers. (I’ve successfully brought quite a few ceramics back to the States as gifts, to my mother’s astonishment.) Ask the shop owner or seller to wrap breakables tightly with bubble wrap or newspaper and tape shut. Fill them with your socks, and pack in the middle of clothing in your suitcase.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

All in all, I hope this humble guide given you ideas on how to find one-of-a-kind Mexican Christmas or Hanukkah presents that also support Mexican artisans and makers! While I created this with the winter season in mind, this would work just as well for celebrations year-round. Happy Holidays to you all!

Mexico City’s Sensational Street Food: How to Eat Your Way Through Town

Mexico City is going through a gastronomic renaissance. The vibrant metropolis is buzzing with new restaurant openings, from flavorful international joints to revivals of. Despite all this hype — some of it well-deserved — the city’s lifeblood isn’t found in these fancy, instagrammable hotspots. It’s in Mexico City street food.

Delicious delicacies can be found is on every corner in town. Even in the wealthiest neighborhoods, a taco truck will sneak its way in, a tianguis (weekly market) or neighborhood bazaar setting up wherever it can find the space. Street food is a way of life in this city! This guide will take you through the classics you can try.

Elote and Esquites

This first go-to street food is almost too obvious to mention. Corn has been king in Mexico since ancient times, and today is no exception. (Drive six hours south of Mexico City, and you’ll arrive in Tehuacán, whose church holds the oldest corn kernels in the country.) Everywhere in the city, you’ll come across the tantalizing scent of roast corn.

Elote, the basis of Mexican street food. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

This, of course, is from elote and esquites, staples of everyday life in the country. Elote is a corn cob, either boiled or roasted, then placed on a stick. Esquites is similar, but has been boiled with poblano peppers, cut off the cob and placed in a cup to eat with a spoon. Both get a bath of crema (Mexican sour cream), lime, crumbly and salty cotija cheese, and as much or as little chile as you want. I always search out the roasted elote on the grill, as I love its charred flavor.

Best Spots to Enjoy It: Outside the Anthropology Museum on Reforma Avenue, buy tasty roast elote and enjoy it on a bench under the tree canopy, across the street in Chapultepec Forest. If you’re more adventurous, get the beloved esquites at the Mercado Jamaica flower market downtown. A famous stand there sells them made with cacahuazintle, a unique large-kerneled corn native to Mexico, and flavors them with fragrant herbs and spices. Really, however, you can enjoy this treat anywhere in the city!

Pambazos

Oh, the glory that is the pambazo, Mexico City’s legendary sandwich. My first week working in the city, my new friend took me to the tianguis (open air markets that have existed since Aztec days) that took over the street near our office every Thursday. There, we had to choose between every possible type of Mexico City street food.

A stack of sauce-soaked, crispy bread rolls awaits their flavorful filling. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Out of all this abundance, she recommended I try the pambazo. My life has never been the same…this sandwich is a uniquely chilango creation. The cook soaks bread in a tomato and chile-based sauce, then bakes it all over again. Once you order your pambazo, they’ll toss some chorizo and chopped potatoes onto the grill to cook, topping them off with crema and salsa. After that, eat up! The result is a delicious blend of textures (crunchy, soft) and flavors (spice, meatiness, acidity). Every once in a while, I get an intense craving for one of these and search out the closest street cart.

Torta de Tamal/Guajolota

Every weekday morning, Mexico City’s metro, buses, and roads fill with godinez, workers heading off to their offices. On their way through the hustle and bustle of the city, many stop for a wholesome breakfast: the guajolota, or torta de tamal. This is exactly what it sounds like: a tamale sandwich.

The guajolota may not be the most beautiful food, but trust me on its deliciousness. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

When I first came to the city, I thought this was a terrible idea for a food. Who’s ever eaten a tamale and thought, “I need more bread and carbohydrates on this”? And yet, that fateful day when I finally got one…I loved it. Somehow, the combo of crusty bolillo (a Mexican sandwich roll) and tamale just works, especially once salsa and even avocado or jalapeño add new textures to the mix. I only eat them every once in a while, but when I do, it’s the ultimate godín indulgence!

Atole and Champurrado

Remember how corn is king in Mexico? That extends throughout Mexico City street food, from meals (tamales) to snacks (elote) to drinks! On those bustling workweek mornings, right next to the tamale stands you’ll see vendors selling steaming cups of atole, a traditional corn-based drink. It’s sweet, with a creamy, satisfying texture that’s perfect for chilly mornings in the mountainous city. Even better is champurrado, basically atole prepared with chocolate. It’s like a thicker version of hot chocolate, and I treat myself to one every once in a while.

Champurrado is like a thick, filling hot chocolate. I love the one’s served in Desierto de los Leones National Park. Photo by the gringa herself.

Best Spots to Enjoy It: Just like tamales and elote, you can find this treat almost anywhere in the city every morning. That said, however, the best champurrado I’ve had is in Desierto de los Leones National Park, a lovely pine forest in the south of the city. (I have to do a whole post on this place soon.) There’s a row of little open air restaurants there, with delicious fresh champurrado and a perfect, crisp woodland atmosphere.

Camote (Mexican Sweet Potato)

Mexico City is a sensory experience: locals can take a quick glance at a picture, whiff of a certain smell, or even tune into a particular sound, and they know it’s their beloved Ciudad de México. One of the most distinctive sounds of the cityscape comes every evening around 6 pm. Sitting in my house or working at the office, I hear a long, low whistle echo through the street below. No matter where they are in the world now, chilangos remember that sound with longing and nostalgia.

Camoteros and their steam whistle are an iconic part of Mexico City life. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

That melancholy whistle is a relic of Mexico City’s past, passing through the 21st century metropolis. It comes from the camotero: the sweet potato vendor pushing his heavy metal cart down the streets and alleyways of the city. Inside the cart, flavorful camotes are steaming, and he releases the steam out of a chute to create the whistle sound. As a result, people know the camotero is nearby, and they can come down to buy his delicious wares. He serves the sweet potatoes with toppings like brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Buying his wares is not only delicious: it’s taking a step back in time, and supporting a Mexico City street food tradition.

Tacos, Quekas, Oh My! (Variations on Tortilla + Meat)

I could make an entire guide (an entire encyclopedia, in fact) just explaining the combinations of tortillas and meat you can find in this city. A famous Mexican comedian even has a joke about popular Mexico City street foods: when you boil it down to the essentials, most are a combo of tortilla, meat, beans, and salsa! But in short, here are the two most common tortilla-meat combos you’ll find in in the city. Others I don’t have space to describe in detail here include: gorditas (thick corn dough stuffed with meat), tostadas (fried hard tortilla topped with almost anything you can think of, sopes (a little corn masa circle topped with vegetables, meat, and cheese), gringas (a rare flour tortilla in Mexico City, filled with melty cheese and meat)…and oh my gosh, so many more.

Tacos al pastor are the favorite street food of many a foreigner (and locals!). Photo courtesy of Ari Helminen, Flickr.

Tacos:

You already know this one — small tortilla filled with meat, topped with salsa, and often white onion, cilantro, and as much lime juice as possible. But there’s endless variation within this simple template! Tacos al pastor are the most popular in Mexico City, and these spit-roasted, marinated pork tacos topped with pineapple are beloved for good reason. They came to Mexico via Lebanese immigrants at the turn of the last century. Beyond pastor, you can get chorizo (spiced sausage), arrachera (flank steak), lengua (tongue), tacos de canasta (tacos made at home and sold from baskets), even sometimes sesos (brains). And that’s only the tip of the iceberg!

Mexico City street food is incredibly diverse! I love this guide, which (if you speak Spanish) goes through the taxonomy of dishes. Photo courtesy of Pictoline.

Quesadillas:

You probably think you know what these are. Tortillas filled with melted cheese, right? Haha, think again. Mexico City street vendors very logically decided that quesadillas shouldn’t have cheese, unless specified. It’s a weird quirk of the city. Here, you have to order a “quesadilla con queso” (with cheese) if that’s what you want! Cheese or no cheese, these are tortilled stuffed with beef, chicken, etc., folded in half and fried. They’re delicious, and go by the nickname quekas.

Final note: One of the best things about Mexico City taco stands is consommé. The cook saves the delicious meat juices as he’s making beef tacos, and turns them into incredibly flavorful soup! They’ll give it to you free with your tacos. Add cilantro and lime, and enjoy. (If you’re eating barbacoa tacos, you’re in for an especially delicious consommé.)

Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles verdes for life. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

A block from my office, godinez line up every Friday morning for a Mexico City delicacy: chilaquiles. This dish is what office workers dream about all week. A bed of crispy totopos (fresh tortilla chips) is drowned in spicy, acidic green or red salsa made especially for the chilaquiles. You can throw some chicken, flank steak, or fried eggs on top, then everything gets a dousing of chopped white onion, cotija cheese, and crema (Mexican sour cream). The flavors mix and mingle: crunchy and soft, rich and spicy, savory and sour.

For a Mexico City twist, get a torta de chilaquiles. This is literally a sandwich filled with green chilaquiles. Yes, chilangos make sandwiches out of everything! Finally, there’s an eternal debate about which are better, red or green. I’m a strong proponent for green, but try both and decide for yourself…that green is better.

Best Spots to Enjoy It: I strongly recommend you seek out a place with a big grill, where they’re cooking everything fresh and only pour the salsa on once you order. If you see a bucket full of sauce and mushy tortilla chips, stay away. I am a weekly addict at a little white cart on Berlin Street in the Colonia Juárez, in between the streets Londres and Hamburgo.

Honorable Mentions

This guide is already getting rather long, and alas, there’s so much more I could say. To sum up, Mexico City street food is truly its own universe, full of endless possibilities. If dishes can possibly be combined or remixed, someone will do it — and go viral on Facebook in the process. Here’s a few honorable mentions that didn’t make it above:

August/September brings pomegranate to every fruit stand, while winter means fresh, smooth mango. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Jochos: A Mexicanization of the word “hot dog,” but these are so much more. Hot dogs here are often wrapped in bacon, and topped with rajas (pickled vegetables), jalapeño chiles, and chopped onions. So flavorful!

Fresh Fruit and Juices: These are another staple on every street corner. Find chopped mango, jícama, even cups of pomegranate seeds depending on the seeds, and enjoy the freshest fruit. In the mornings, stop by a juice stand and order your custom blend of fruits and vegetables, all for a buck or two. If you go to a hipster “juice bar” in Mexico City, you’re wasting money and cheating yourself.

Chicharrón: I must admit, my jaw dropped the first time I saw someone walking down the street with a giant chicharrón. These fried pork skins are sold in little pieces as a snack, but it’s especially memorable when somebody buys the skin of an entire pig for their family. Sounds gross. Absolutely fantastic.

Movie Lover’s Guide to the Best Mexican Films

The coronavirus pandemic and self-isolation are drastically changing the very fabric of society, from the way we work to what we do in our free time. For many of us, this means passing time indoors reading, exploring creative pursuits… and after that, lots and lots of streaming. In my case, I’ve been watching a hodgepodge of crime shows, old school comedies, and of course, beloved Mexican films.

More than just entertainment, our newfound watch time is an opportunity to learn about new places and cultures — to discover new directors and actors, countries and languages. With this in mind, I’ve assembled a few of my favorite Mexican films for your viewing pleasure! No list could ever capture the rich diversity of Mexican movies over the decades. Rather, this is a small sampling to pique your interest and give you a wide-ranging view on life and cinema here.

1. Y Tu Mamá También (And Your Mother Too)

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox/FlixWatch.

Before Roma, before Gravity, before the Oscars and international renown, Alfonso Cuarón was a young Mexican filmmaker who wanted to capture a slice of life in his country. The result of his efforts was Y Tu Mamá También, the ultimate Mexican road trip movie and one of my all-time favorite films.

The movie follows Julio (middle-class) and Tenoch (upper-class), two Mexico City teen boys. They invite a beautiful Spanish woman, Luisa, on a road trip to the untouched beaches of Oaxaca. The spontaneous trip will bring unintended consequences for the trio. Meanwhile, Y Tu Mamá También propelled actors Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal to stardom and made a name for the young director.

With its contemporary soundtrack, heavy use of Chilango slang, and deep-seated class, political, and sexual tensions, the movie set the standard for a new era of Mexican films. It’s a deceptively simple movie. Yet Julio, Tenoch, and Luisa’s journey across Mexico expresses many subtle truths about both the country’s beauty and its sharp, cruel divisions. Y Tu Mamá También sketches Mexico at the turn of the 21st century. It depicts a rapidly changing society reeling from NAFTA’s transformative economic effects, yet still relatively calm before the start of the drug war.

Y Tu Mamá También is available on Netflix US and the Criterion Collection.

2. La Jaula de Oro (The Golden Dream*)

Image courtesy of sensacine.com

A starkly different kind of “road” movie. This little-known film from director Diego Quemada-Díez follows another trio, these young people moving across Mexico with much higher stakes. Juan, Sara, and Samuel are Central American preteens who leave home with a few belongings — seemingly without telling family. They head north, crossing into Mexico with the hope of reaching a better life in the United States.

Once in southern Mexico, they begrudgingly allow Chauk, an indigenous Tzotzil Mayan boy, to join their group. Together, the kids head north on la Bestia, the dangerous cargo trains that many migrants ride. This isn’t the first time this journey has been placed on film. However, La Jaula de Oro is by far the most beautiful and heart-wrenching depiction. These young amateur actors convey the innocence and hope, love and realism of young migrants who have to grow up far too quickly. The film immerses you in their world: where adolescent jealousies and a youthful sense of adventure coexist with the nagging, very real fear of assault, rape, kidnapping, and detainment.

La Jaula de Oro is available to rent on YouTube.

*A more accurate translation of the original Spanish title is “The Golden Cage,” however, the film’s creators chose the English title “The Golden Dream.”

3. Como Agua para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate)

Image courtesy of The University of Texas at Austin.

For a magical realist escape from reality, Like Water for Chocolate is a fun and fantastical romp through Revolution-era Mexico. The film is based on the famous book by Laura Esquivel. Both book and movie follow a Northern Mexican family through trials of love and loyalty during the 1910s and beyond. The action is centered around food, as the protagonist is a jilted woman who pours all her repressed desires and feelings into elaborate meals. The movie will have your mouth watering for baroque Mexican dishes. (Enjoy them for real at El Cardenal once self-isolation ends!) It’s a little fluffy and melodramatic — and a hell of a lot of fun.

Like Water for Chocolate is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

4. Rojo Amanecer (Red Dawn)

Image courtesy of La Izquierda Diario.

Rojo Amanecer is no escapist flick. On the contrary, it’s one of the most important Mexican films in history, depicting a moment shrouded in darkness and controversy. When director Jorge Fons decided to make a film about the 1968 Tlatelolco Massacre, he was risking his own reputation and career. It takes place over the course of one infamous day. On October 2, 1968, the Mexican army and paramilitaries opened fire on student protesters and killed hundreds in Tlatelolco Square. This occurred just 10 days before the Mexico City Olympics.

The film follows a middle-class Mexican family living in an apartment on Tlatelolco Square. As the day begins, the family bickers and goes about their daily routines. By nightfall, all of them have witnessed a brutal, state-sponsored mass killing. Their ordinary domestic life has been shattered, and more bloodshed is to come before the dawn.

Despite filming Rojo Amanecer two decades after the massacre itself, Fons still faced government censorship that nearly derailed the project. He shot the movie secretly in a warehouse, unable to show the full extent of the day’s violence. As a result, the film takes place entirely in the family’s apartment. We don’t see the massacre and chaos in the plaza itself. Instead, we see only the horrified reactions of the family witnessing the killing from their high-rise window. The effect is powerful. We feel their fear, the oppressive claustrophobia as they are trapped inside, phone lines and electricity cut.

One family’s apartment becomes a microcosm of Mexican society on that fateful day, reflecting the paralysis and bitter conflict that ensued. The result is an important, necessary, and difficult entry into the lexicon of Mexican films.

Rojo Amanecer is available on Facebook here.

5. Roma

Image courtesy of Rome Central.

Roma came out to so much fanfare in 2018, from Oscar nominations (and wins) to feverish praise from Mexican and international critics. So when I watched it, my expectations were already sky high. As a result, I couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit let down by the much-hyped film. After all, almost no movie could live up to such high praise!

While Roma isn’t my favorite Mexican film, it is very well done, and certainly worth a watch. The movie is a beautifully-shot exploration of the life of Cleo, a domestic worker in 1970s Mexico City. Roma follows her life during a tumultuous period for Cleo, the family she works for, and the city itself. Set in black and white, the film looks back at director Alfonso Cuarón’s own childhood through the eyes of his beloved nanny (a fictionalized version of her, anyway).

My advice is to go into the film without expectations, and without reading reviews beforehand. Watch with subtitles — in Spanish, ideally. (The movie features a lot of obscure Mexico City slang terms and can be hard to follow for non-native speakers.) Finally, appreciate Roma‘s sensory details. No film captures the sounds of Mexico City better than this one. The street musicians, the trash-collector’s bell, the camotero’s whistle, the melodic and chaotic cacophony. For this alone, the film is worth a watch (and listen).

Roma is available to stream on Netflix.

6. Miss Bala

Image courtesy of Encadenados.

This Mexican thriller from Gerardo Naranjo is unsettlingly, ominously quiet. We’re used to fast-paced Hollywood action movies with slick dialogue and frequent explosions. Miss Bala, however, is more of an inaction movie. It makes the most of actress Stephanie Sigman’s expressive face as she tries to survive an impossible situation through passivity and acquiescence. Most rational people would probably have done the same.

There is no hero in Miss Bala. It’s a movie about the ways Mexico’s problem with organized crime and violence takes away ordinary peoples’ agency and voice. All of this is channelled through Laura Guerrero (Sigman), a young beauty pageant contestant who becomes unwittingly wrapped up in Northern Mexico’s organized crime. The film doesn’t provide easy answers or a satisfying resolution. Instead, it focuses on the gray areas between criminal and civilian, government and cartel, that arise with a weak and corrupt state. These shadows make for fascinating, thought-provoking film.

Miss Bala is available to rent on Amazon Prime. Moreover, be sure not to confuse it with the widely-derided 2019 Hollywood remake.

7. María Candelaria

Image courtesy of El Universal.

This 1944 film is the oldest on the list, hearkening back to Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema. María Candelaria takes place in Xochimilco. (This agricultural canal region of Southern Mexico City is so iconic, it’s been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.) Legendary Mexican actor and director Emilio “El Indio” Fernández filmed in Xochimilco itself. As a result, the area really becomes its own vital character.

The film follows María Candelaria, a young woman (played by beloved actress Dolores del Río) who lives on a flower-covered chinampa (island farm) in 1909. The setting certainly seems idyllic, almost dreamlike. But María’s mother was a prostitute, and the villagers treat María and her fiancé as pariahs. When a renowned painter becomes obsessed with María’s beauty, a tragic course of events is set into action.

Nowadays, Xochimilco is a part of Mexico City, its famous canals and chinampas much diminished. But in the 1940s, the area was still pristine, small villages sitting far outside the big city. The location serves as a symbol for all of rural Mexico right before the violent, destructive Revolution and 20th Century transformations. With spectacular music, setting, and cinematography, the film is a well-deserved giant in Mexican film history.

Watch María Candelaria on Facebook here.

8. Güeros

Image courtesy of Quique Ollvervides.

Imagine an old school road movie — filmed in black and white, nostalgic soundtrack, friends on an epic quest as they drive for hours down endless roads. Both Mexico and the U.S. have their fair share of road movies, with plenty of beautiful landscapes and desolates highways to film on either side of the border. Güeros takes this age-old movie formula, and twists it. Here, the kids set off on their road trip…and basically never leave Mexico City.

This “urban” road movie follows a group of young students navigate the never-ending streets, traffic, slums and highways and even farms of Mexico City metro area. A troubled tween is sent from coastal Veracruz to the capital to stay with his older brother in the capital. After they both become obsessed with finding an old, obscure Mexican rock-and-roll star, this improbable quest sends them all through the city. Above all, it’s a joy to watch them meander through the UNAM (National Autonomous University), Chapultepec Forest, the center, even Texcoco. The Mexican film is a sweet and pensive rumination on the passionate curiosity of youth, exploring the city as its own self-contained universe.

You can rent Güeros on YouTube.

Mexican Films: Honorable Mentions

There are several Mexican films that for whatever reason, I 1) Just didn’t connect with personally and found hard to watch, or 2) Haven’t had time to watch fully yet, but come highly recommended by friends and colleagues. These are those films.

Los Olvidados (The Young and the Damned):

Firstly, this midcentury classic by Luis Buñuel. Los Olvidados is considered as one of the only films in history to unflinchingly depict young, troubled delinquents. It is a sad, often brutal film to watch, but a fascinating and important look at rough young lives on the outskirts of Mexico City. It’s become part of the fabric and historic and 20th Century Mexican films.

Amores Perros:

Secondly comes Amores Perros, a surprisingly hard-to-watch popular film. Everyone loves this fast-paced early movie that subsequently propelled director Alejandro González Iñárritu into the spotlight. It traces several storylines around the capital city, exposing fault lines of class and identity. On the other hand, I just can’t stomach its depiction of dogfights and other suffering dogs…and that’s the whole theme of the movie.

Canoa:

This film depicts a horrific real-life event. In documentary style, it follows a group of students who became the victims of anti-communist fervor during a hiking trip. Canoa depicts the heady atmosphere of political fear and repression in 1970s Mexico. It’s simply not in the main list above because, well, I still need to see it!

Museo:

This is the second film from Alonso Ruizpalacios, director of Güeros. While it didn’t receive as much critical acclaim as his first film, Museo was praised for its unique style. The movie retells a stranger-than-fiction heist from the ’80s. Then, a couple of slacker students decided to rob hundreds of priceless Prehispanic artifacts from the National Anthropology Museum. Improbably, they succeeded.

In short, Mexico has been home to an incredibly rich, diverse film industry since the days of silent movies. Because of this, keep in mind that this guide is only a small taste of Mexican cinema heritage. Finally, write the Gringa’s Guide a message on Facebook with your recommendations on what else to watch!

8 Essential Mexican Books to Read During Quarantine

Every night since I began my quarantine a month ago, I stand at my window — about 10 tall stories above southern Mexico City. Of all the places to “self-isolate,” I’d choose here. I can watch the sunset, then stare out and see the twinkling lights of a million apartments and houses rising up the mountainsides in the distance. There is no better place to contemplate the beauty and fragility of our existence. And the spectacular, precarious, over-populated chaos we all live through in this wonderful monster of a city. And curl up on my sofa, with one of my favorite Mexican books.

But it should come as no surprise that even as I enjoy my home and my solitude, I’m also jonesing to travel. Gazing out the window is great, but it also reminds me of all the places I love, those I’ve yet to visit, and the people I’m longing to see in this miraculous country.

Mexico City is full of passionate readers and beautiful bookstores…I’ll dedicate a future guide to the bookstores themselves!

Fortunately, Mexico is unbelievably rich in forms of cultural expression — many of which I can enjoy from my home! With that in mind, I thought I’d share some of my personal favorite Mexican books. Many of us are struggling right now: with the psychology of isolation, difficult finances, and anxiety over the coronavirus epidemic. For all that we lack, there remains an incredible bounty of cultural richness to explore.

Without further ado, here’s my guide to the books that will transport you through Mexico from the comfort of your armchair! This list is by no means exhaustive or definitive. It’s simply full of novels and nonfiction works that are especially close to my heart.

1) Caramelo, by Sandra Cisneros

© sandracisneros.com.

This novel by Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros is a wonderful introduction to Mexican culture and history. While perspectives and time periods shift around, it’s written largely from the perspective of a Chicago kid road-tripping south with their parents in order to visit family in Mexico City. It follows this story, along with the personal histories of various family members, introducing you to a remarkable expanse of Mexican life throughout time. Cisneros’ passage while the family crosses over from the U.S. into Mexico is one of my all-time favorites. It perfectly captures the sights, the sounds, the sensory experience of this crossing.

2) The Mexico City Reader

© University of Wisconsin Press and © Kasper Christensen/Flickr, via The Culture Trip.

This collection of writings about Mexico City was written at a darker time in history, in the ’90s when crime was rampant and the city hadn’t yet undergone its present-day beautification. Despite these discrepancies, the diverse works of The Mexico City Reader often get at essential qualities of the city. It’s a fun, lively read that will make you laugh and think more deeply about this marvelous place. Don’t skip the front matter, which includes an excellent introductory essay on the city’s development and modern life! (For a deeper dive into Mexico City’s urban history, check out I Speak of the City, by Mauricio Tenorio Trillo.)

3) Malinche, by Laura Esquivel

© Simon & Schuster.

Many of you are already familiar with Mexican writer Laura Esquivel. If you spy some Mexican books on a U.S. bookshelf, it’s likely that she’s the author. Her bestselling romantic novel Like Water for Chocolate and its movie adaptation made her a household name.

I like Malinche even more, though! Esquivel was fascinated with Malinche, the indigenous woman who became conquistador Hernan Cortez’s translator and mistress. She’s a polarizing figure in Mexico, at once considered the Mother of the Mestizo (mixed) Race, and the first traitor of the Mexican people. Esquivel dives deep into Malinche’s reality in this fictionalized account, breathing new life and autonomy into this fascinating figure.

4) La Perdida, by Jessica Abel

© Astiberri Ediciones.

A young Mexican-American woman moves to Mexico City in this intriguing graphic novel from Jessica Abel. Her art style is beautiful, capturing urban scenes precisely: markets, bars, city streets and parks, the canals of Xochimilco, the blooming spring jacarandas. The story is very dense, shifting between English and heavily slang-influenced Mexican Spanish. But its unfolding mystery is highly rewarding if you give this book the time it deserves.

5) Instrucciones para vivir en México (Instructions for Living in Mexico), by Jorge Ibarguengoitia*

© El Mañanero Diario.

If you’ve lived in Mexico for any length of time, this book will make you laugh out loud endlessly. Jorge Ibarguengoitia is widely beloved for his poignant, sarcastic, and often hilarious observations on Mexican life and politics. Instructions for Living in Mexico compiles hundreds of the short columns he wrote for Mexican newspapers in the 1970s.

Despite being nearly 50 years old, these pieces could have been written yesterday. Ibarguengoitia tears apart everything from Mexican bureaucracy to elections, etiquette to small town life. Many have already read Octavio Paz’s famous The Labyrinth of Solitude, which contains some similarities. But I love this book’s exacting observations and clever wit even more.

6) La fila india (The Indian Line), by Antonio Ortuño*

© Weltbild.

No novel captures modern Mexico with more unflinching power than Antonio Ortuño’s La fila india. In some ways it’s a shame that no one has translated this powerhouse book. Yet it’s one of those books that probably only works in Spanish, so unique is Ortuño’s use of language. The novel follows a human rights functionary in the Mexican government as she travels to the southern border with Guatemala. There, a horrific massacre of Central American migrants has taken place. The event is fictional, but it’s based on similar real-life killings in recent years.

La fila india takes a clear-eyed look at the ugliest parts of contemporary society: not only the inhumanity of the cartel and the immense suffering of the migrants who cross through Mexico, but also the hypocrisy, apathy, and veiled racism of the educated elite in Mexico City. Of all the Mexican books featured on this list, Ortuño’s masterpiece may have left the most unnerving impression on me.

7) The Power of the Dog, by Don Winslow

© The Works.

Another dark yet powerful story comes in this first novel from an action-packed trilogy. The Power of the Dog is the only book on this list from an author who’s neither Mexican nor Mexican-American. Rather, Don Winslow is a well-known American crime and noir writer. When he set his sights on the history of Mexican narco-trafficking, the result was this page-turner, which reads like Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico (but far preceded the series).

Media focus on this issue is often highly sensationalist and graphic. What I like about Winslow’s books is that they remain utterly gripping, yet this guy clearly did his research as well. Names have been changed, but many historical events are quite accurate. The U.S. government’s role in the violence and instability is made particularly clear. Even while focusing on the early days (1970s onward) of the drug war, Winslow extolls Mexico’s sophisticated culture and beautiful cities, not just violence. It’s not a perfect book. However, it’s an entertaining and well-written look at a challenging period in the country’s recent history. It’s the first in a page-turning trilogy, followed by The Cartel and The Border.

8) Hurricane Season, by Fernanda Melchor

© ND Books.

The only reason Hurricane Season is listed last is because I haven’t gotten my hands on it yet! I’m including it, however, because Fernanda Melchor is one of Mexico’s most promising young writers. Her short story collection Aquí No es Miami (This Isn’t Miami) explores her native Veracruz, and its current crisis of crime and violence, with a clear voice and sense of irony. Now, Hurricane Season has come along: Melchor’s first book to be translated into English. And it’s already shortlisted for the Booker International Prize! The themes in her previous works are reflected here, on a more epic scale.

I hope this brief introduction to the wide world of Mexican books helps you get through the quarantine, coming out on the other side a little more knowledgable about the country and culture! And with muchas ganas (a strong desire) to visit and explore in-person ASAP. Stay tuned for guides to Mexican film, TV, art, and more in the near future!

*Note: The titles marked with an asterisk are only available in Spanish at this time, without subtitles/translations that I could find. Seek these out if you’re looking to brush up on your language skills during quarantine!

Mountain Peaks and Mysticism in San Cristóbal de las Casas

Few cities capture your imagination as quickly as San Cristóbal de las Casas. This mountain hamlet has remained in the world’s eye since Zapatista revolutionaries briefly seized it in 1994. But these days, far from a revolutionary hotbed, San Cristóbal is a bohemian oasis where quirky expats live alongside locals, many of Mayan ancestry.

The magic of the town’s setting is undeniable — and you probably already know how much I love Mexican mountain towns by now. Cobblestone colonial streets slope up and down the hills, while green mountains stretch out in every direction. Likewise, San Cristóbal’s rich indigenous cultural blend is just as responsible for its enduring charm. Here, I’ve collected my favorite experiences in and around town. From food to textiles, nature to religious practices, these encapsulate what I love about San Cristóbal.

San Cristóbal de las Casas is teeming with lovely colonial churches.

1. Overwhelm Your Senses at the San Cristóbal Municipal Market

Firstly, there’s no better way to start out your day than San Cristóbal’s sprawling municipal market. All around the market’s edges are tamale vendors, their tall metal canisters steaming. Try a classic Chiapas breakfast: a tamal de chipilín, corn mixed with fragrant wild herbs and chicken, steamed in banana leaves. It’s one of the most delicious tamales I’ve tried anywhere in the country!

But there’s much more to the market than tamales. San Cristóbal is a meeting point for the dozens of Mayan villages that dot the countryside around town. Many days, villagers come down the mountain to buy and sell their wares. As a result, the market is incredibly vibrant. Wild turkeys are sold alongside regional herbs and chiles, while villagers wearing their town’s distinct clothing style (black sheeps’ wool skirts and ponchos for Chamulans, brightly embroidered flowers for Zinacantans) and haggle for goods. It’s an unforgettable, immersive slice of highland Mayan culture.

At the bustling San Cristóbal market, you’ll meet many shoppers and vendors from nearby Mayan villagers — including Chamulans, like this gentleman.

2. Sip on a Chiapanecan Coffee at Carajillo

After that, your energy may have started to flag. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: some of Mexico’s best coffee! The mountains of Chiapas are home to hundreds of small family farms producing rich, earthy café. While there are many places to taste and try coffee in San Cristóbal, Carajillo Café is singularly beloved by visitors — for good reason.

This lovely café sources their organic coffee straight from small farmers in the surrounding hills, roasting it in-house. I loved the balanced medium blend, but Carajillo’s knowledgable staff will help find something perfect for your taste. It’s especially fun to order coffee served in their Japanese siphon coffee-maker! They’ll prepare it in front of you in this funky contraption, which looks straight out of a laboratory, explaining the unique process! While I can’t deny Carajillo’s hipster-ness, it was all worth it for the best cup of coffee I’ve had in Mexico. Fruity, strong, and even chocolatey… I guarantee you’ll want to buy beans to bring home.

Carajillo Café is legendary for a reason. Its coffee, breakfasts, and ambience will have you coming back again and again.

3. Delve into the World of Mayan Textiles

The cobblestone streets of San Cristóbal are filled with color, thanks to the region’s vibrant, diverse textile traditions. The common thread (pun intended, sorry) behind this explosion of pattern and texture is Mayan culture. This indigenous heritage reaches from the tropical Yucatan Peninsula all the way to these cool, cloudy mountains.

The textiles’ best introduction is found in the colonial Santo Domingo Church, home to the Mayan Textile Center. This stunning museum is small enough to visit in an hour or two, but jam-packed with clothing and textiles from all over the Mayan world — from Chiapas to Guatemala.

Mayan textiles, however, aren’t confined to museums. In fact, they’re a vital part of everyday life for many in and around San Cristóbal. Zinacantán, a popular textile-producing village nearby, is home to detailed flower embroidery and the woven chal, a poncho-like garment work over the arms and shoulders. Take a taxi or combi there from San Cristóbal to visit artisans in their homes. In Zinacantán, you can learn about their complex work, supporting it with a worthwhile purchase.

In the mountain village of Zinacantán, you’ll have the opportunity to observe skilled lifelong weavers at work. It’s truly a privilege to watch them creating their art.

4. Hike Amongst Wild Orchids and Mountain Songbirds

Just outside San Cristóbal (up a big hill, FYI), the Orquideas Moxviquil is an oasis of natural beauty and calm. This remarkable orchid reserve was founded to save many of the endangered species in Chiapas’s forests and jungles. You can hike through the hilly woods with a guide, spotting wild orchids and many endemic bird species. The main attraction is the garden, with both outdoor grounds and two fantastical greenhouses that look like hobbit houses. They hold hundreds of species of orchids — the sheer diversity of shapes, colors, and sizes is mind-boggling. It’s both a worthwhile cause to support and a stunning place to spend an afternoon!

At the Moxviquil Orquid Reserve, hummingbirds flit through an enchanted garden with hundreds of flower species. It must be like a candy shop for them!

5. Discover Highland Mysticism in San Juan Chamula

San Cristóbal and the villages that surround it are places of syncretism, blending indigenous Mayan culture with outside influences. In the town of San Juan Chamula, for instance, this fascinating cultural mixing is made manifest at the parish church.

The Chamula church outside of San Cristóbal is home to a potent blend of Mayan and Catholic spirituality.

Take a quick combi or taxi from near the municipal market to Chamula, as locals call it. You can’t miss the small, lovely church in the main square, gleaming with bright turquoise detailing. Once you’re inside, you’ll enter a wholly unique world of religious practice. Pine needles carpet the floor, where Chamulan families drink carbonated beverages, pray, and sometimes sacrifice animals such as chickens as a part of their religious practice. It’s a beautiful, spiritual experience, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to visit. In order to respect the community’s wishes, make sure not to take any pictures or video inside the church.

You can’t take pictures inside the church — but feel free to do so while admiring its spectacular facade.

7. Explore Mexico’s Grand Canyon: Sumidero

Chiapas is a land of contrasts. San Cristóbal is perched high in the mountains, with a crisp and even chilly climate. Here, spring rains can fill the cobblestone streets with water in the afternoons. But start down towards the Sumidero Canyon, and things change drastically within a dozen miles. About an hour from San Cristóbal, the Sumidero Canyon is an iconic symbol of Mexico’s dramatic natural beauty.

Less than an hour from San Cristóbal, the Sumidero Canyon is a national symbol of natural beauty.

Sumidero couldn’t be more different from San Cristóbal: here, you’ll descend into the tropics. Temperatures and humidity can be very high (bring lots of water, sunscreen, and a hat) in this monumental ravine, which formed around the same time as the Grand Canyon. Take a boat tour into its depths to see the canyon’s majestic walls, river, and even spider monkeys! You can take a tour from one of the many providers in San Cristóbal.

In the canyon, you’ll see spider monkeys swinging in the trees at the edges!

8. Learn About Ancient Archaeology at Casa Na Bolom

Before you leave San Cristóbal, head up one of its many cobblestone hills to visit Casa Na Bolom, the House of the Jaguar. This charming colonial house was the longtime home of Frans and Gertrude Blom, a Danish and Swiss-German couple who dedicated their life to unearthing the rich Mayan archaeological sites of Chiapas. The house is like a mysterious, Indiana Jones-esque treasure trove. It’s teeming with artifacts, dusty books, and exploring equipment that will transport you to a fascinating time in Chiapas history.

Casa Na Bolom is a lovely colonial house, transformed into a museum about to Mayan archaeology and the adventurous couple who dedicated their lives to it.

Trip Tips for San Cristóbal de las Casas:

Be prepared for all weather conditions:

Between my arrival at the nearest airport in Tuxtla (lowlands) and my climb up to San Cristóbal in a combi, I went from about 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 60! The highland climate can be rainy at times, and quite chilly at night, so come prepared for these contrasts. Definitely bring an umbrella and supportive walking shoes — hiking boots would be even better.

In the mountains surrounding town, weather can be variable. This makes for some strong rains, but also shining wet cobblestones and stunning afternoon skies.

Stick to bottled water:

I usually brush my teeth with local tap water in Mexico, but for some reason, I decided to use bottled water while in San Cristóbal. Later, many friends and acquaintances told me they’d gotten stomach sicknesses while in town, most likely from tap water. My instincts served me well in this case! On the other hand, I ate quite a bit of street food without any issue.

Finally, whether you love culture, nature, or food, San Cristóbal is sure to fascinate and delight.

Book Your Tours in Town:

For excursions like Chamula, Zinacantán, and the Sumidero Canyon, don’t worry about booking beforehand. San Cristóbal is teeming with pretty inexpensive tour providers. Just look for the little storefronts advertising tours a day or two before you want to go, and shop around for the best price.

To sum up, San Cristóbal has become a haven for people from around the world, drawn to its natural and arquitectural beauty, artsy feel, and singular culture. This was just a small taste of what you could do in a long weekend in the city — Chiapas has so much to offer!

Christmas in Mexico City: Piñatas, Ponche, & Posadas!

For a Minnesotan living in Mexico City, Christmas feels a little different these days. The snowstorms and cold of my childhood holiday seasons just don’t happen here! (No complaints: I love the chilly nights and crisp, sunny days of December in Mexico City.)

Nonetheless, there are subtle signs Christmas is coming to the metropolis. You’ll spot little old cars topped with giant, brightly colored piñatas — their seven shiny points reflecting the Seven Deadly Sins. On the weekends, families head south to Amecameca, chopping down their Christmas trees at farms in the shadow of two volcanoes. Bright lights and decorations grace businesses and homes around the city. Every office and friend group celebrates with a posada, a lively Mexican Christmas party.

Here, I’ll be sharing a guide to the best places and events to experience the holiday season in and around the city!

Reforma Avenue

Reforma, the elegant main avenue of Mexico City, is a beautiful place to walk and explore any time of the year. But December brings an especially festive air to the grand boulevard: poinsettias! City workers seasonally change the plants on Reforma from spring flowers to marigolds for Day of the Dead.

Just a tiny fragment of the grand avenue, lined with thousands of poinsettias.

This time of year, that means the stunning red poinsettia. These flowers are native to Mexico, going by the name nochebuenas (midnight flowers). Today, poinsettias are a popular Christmas decoration in the U.S. and elsewhere. Long ago, however, they were used for medicine and ritual purposes by the Aztecs (Mexica). Centuries ago, the flower was called cuetlaxochitl and symbolized purity. When the Spanish arrived to Mexico, they co-opted the poinsettia in the 17th Century as part of their Catholic Christmas celebrations.

Poinsettias don’t just grow in cultivated gardens. Native to Mexico, the nochebuenas spring up all over and grow to be several meters high, as in this Mixcoac courtyard.

While not everyone is aware of all this backstory, the end result of the nochebuena’s history is striking: thousands of blooms lining Reforma Avenue for miles! Take a morning stroll along the avenue from Chapultepec Park and ending at the Angel of Independence for the most iconic view of the poinsettias. There, you’ll find a sea of red flowers with the famed golden angel statue glinting in the background.

Mercado Jamaica

Piñatas and poinsettias are two hallmarks of the Mexican Christmas season. Many shops like this one get their wares from the cavernous Mercado Jamaica.

As Mexico City families gear up for the holidays, there’s a one-stop shop for all their Christmas decorations. In the U.S., this would be a superstore, like Target or Michael’s. But in Mexico City, there’s somewhere much better: the Mercado Jamaica! This legendary downtown market stretches on and on. Year-round, it forms the heart of the city’s flower trade, supplying thousands of blooms to both vendors and direct customers.

The holiday season brings a special feel to the market, as it fills up with poinsettias and other Christmas-y flowers, the walls and ceilings of many stands lined with festive piñatas. It really gets you in the spirit of the Mexican Christmas season!

Last year, Chapultepec Park even exhibited colorful piñatas made of plants and flowers!

Atlixco

A few hours outside Mexico City, Atlixco is one of the region’s loveliest pueblos mágicos (magic towns). Perched in the mountains of Puebla and overlooking the region’s two volcanoes, the colonial village has a wondrous setting year-round. Christmastime means one thing in Atlixco: the annual lights festival, called “La Villa Iluminada” (The Illuminated Village).

Atlixco’s light festival is legendary, drawing visitors from around the country.

From late November through January 6, the town comes alive with elaborate lights displays lining every plaza and historic street. I recommend staying in lovely Puebla City for a night, then heading out to Atlixco (a half hour away) for a day of exploring, culminating in the incredible lights displays. Check out my full guide to the “magic town” here, and be sure to visit the gorgeous fields of poinsettias nearby!

Visitors stroll and ice skate under the lights.

Pastorela

Mexico has many unique Christmas traditions, but one of the most iconic is the pastorela. This is basically a play depicting the nativity, but it might not be exactly what you read in the Bible. In this dramatized version, shepherds traveling to see Jesus have to confront the devil in order to continue. While the Spanish introduced this custom to Mexico during their evangelization efforts, it’s become a wholly Mexican form of cultural expression, combining Christian beliefs with indigenous traditions.

The pastorela is based on the nativity story…with plenty of creative flourishes. Similarly, you’ll find many natividades outside homes and churches around Christmas in Mexico City.

A fantastic place to experience a traditional pastorela is Tepotzotlan, an old-fashioned town north of Mexico City. The play is held in the courtyard of a stunning colonial museum, making for an atmospheric setting. Even better, you get the chance to participate in a Christmas posada as well! During the show, enjoy ponche, classic seasonal foods like buñuelos (sweet fritters), and piñata breaking. These piñatas are made out of clay, the way they were centuries ago.

Folkloric Ballet

Imagine watching a ballet performance with this view — Chapultepec Castle rises above Mexico City’s skyline.

Finally, during December and a bit of January, Mexico City’s lauded Ballet Folklórico puts on a spectacular show: Navidades en México (Christmas in Mexico). This dance performance features Christmas customs and celebrations from around the country. But most importantly, the setting is the famous Chapultepec Castle, the historic fortress perched above the city. Enjoy panoramic views of Mexico City while you drink in the sheer diversity of Mexican traditions, centered around this one holiday.

Welcome to Chilangolandia: Mexico City Slang Guide (Part 1)

To me, nothing reflects the vivacity and color of daily life in Mexico City more than language. Locals have invented countless slang words over the course of the city’s long history. Some of them date back to Aztec times, while others are hilarious Mexican-izations of American phrases. All of these words reveal the creativity, cultural blending, and constant changes that drive this city.

Here, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite “chilangüismos”: slang words used mostly in Mexico City, though some phrases are used in other parts of Mexico.* I hope they help you communicate, relate to locals, and give you insight into the city’s unique culture! There are simply too many phrases for one post, so I’ll explore this topic more in the future!

Chilango:

If you’re going to learn one bit of Mexico City slang, let it be the word “Chilango.” This refers to Mexico City residents themselves, whether they were born here or not. Locals often dispute its origin, possibly linking it back to the Nahuatl (language of the Aztecs and many other Central Mexican peoples) word “chilan-co,” which once referred to people from Central Mexico. The phrase became popular in other states around Mexico, where, ahem, Mexico City residents aren’t always beloved. Folks say “Haz patria y mata a un chilango”: literally “be patriotic and kill a chilango,” but more an insult than a real threat. Chilangos took the insult in stride, and reclaimed it as a word of pride. These days, the city’s magazine is called Chilango, and is a great resource for local information.

Defeño:

Many Mexico City residents, whether they were born here or not, consider themselves chilangos. Defeños, on the other hand, are a more rarified group — they were born in Mexico City, and some view chilangos as outsiders or interlopers. The term comes from D.F., Distrito Federal (Federal District), which is what Mexico City used to be called. This designation, similar to Washington D.C., came with issues of representation, and so a few years they officially transformed Mexico City into its own state. The Federal District is no more.

De provincia:

This is one of the snootiest Mexico City slang phrases out there. “De provincia,” literally “provincial” is almost always used in a derogatory way to imply that people from outside the capital are less sophisticated simpletons or rubes. Not one of my favorite local phrases, but an important one to understand attitudes that some in the city do have.

Edomex:

This is the last term I’ll discuss that deals with location and residency. “Edomex” simply shortens “Estado de México,” Mexico State. This is the state that surrounds Mexico City, and makes up the Metro Area of the huge capital, over doubling its size.

“When someone lives in Mexico State…and thinks they’re a defeño.” Note: Mexico City folks love to hate on Mexico State! I don’t endorse this view (or this meme) myself.

Colonia:

In much of Latin America, and even Latino areas in the U.S., you’ll hear “barrio” all the time to refer to “neighborhood.” Here in Mexico City, the city is split up into huge delegaciones, or districts, and each district has dozens of colonias, or neighborhoods. The other common word you’ll hear for neighborhood is zona, which is more general.

Qué padre:

When you think of Mexico City slang, you most likely think of “Qué padre,” one of Mexico’s most famous phrases. Literally meaning “How daddy,” locals use this to say things are cool or awesome. For example, if a local Chilango shows you their favorite taco stand or city sight, say “Qué padre!” to express your admiration.

“Ohhhh…cool.” Like the way John Oliver says “cool.” The phrase can be used sincerely, or very, very sarcastically.

Guëy:

“Güey” is probably the second most well-known phrase for foreigners in the Mexican lexicon, with “Ay güey!” as its stereotypical use. Güey basically works just like “dude” or “man” in the U.S. — you use it with friends, tacking it onto phrases like “What’s up, man?” The word came from “buey,” meaning ox or bull, to refer insultingly to men, but now it’s lost that meaning. In the internet age, lots of people spell it “wey,” too.

“When you’re Mexican, and you’ve gone five minutes without saying güey/wey.”

Chavo:

“Chavo” is similar to güey, used as a catch-all, casual term for a person, usually young. You would describe that “chavo” who was creepy to you on the subway, or a couple of “chavas” you’re going to hang out with after work. Some linguists think the term, used in different spots in Latin America, came from the gypsy word “chaval,” which meant boy.

No mames:

If you’ve watched a lot of Mexican movies or TV, from the classic “Y Tu Mamá También” to new hit “Narcos México,” you’ve probably heard characters groan “No mames, güey” to complain. In unpleasant or awful situations, Mexicans often turn to this phrase to say “You’re kidding me”… albeit in a more vulgar way. “No mames” is like the “Screw this” of Mexico, but literally, it refers to, ahem, sucking — either related to a baby breastfeeding, or oral sex. Literally, it doesn’t make a ton of sense. Anyways, because of the graphic nature of the phrase, the Televisa TV network started using “No manches,” basically a more polite way to express dissatisfaction.

Are there a lot of Chihuahua memes in Mexico? I’ve got to be honest…yes, yes there are.

La neta:

“La neta” is one of the most common phrases I hear every day in Mexico City. It means “the truth,” but people use it as “honestly” or “on the DL” too, to represent the Absolute Truth. So you’d say “La neta, no me cae bien”: “To be completely honest, I just don’t like him.” You can also use it as a question, as in “¿Es neta?”: “Seriously/Really?” Young Chilangos love the word, and it most likely comes from the French word “net,” which means “clear/pure.”

“Tbh…yeah man.”

Godín:

No one wants to be a Godín, but most of us are. This word basically means a white collar office worker, what Americans used to call a pencil-pusher, and the Japanese call a Salaryman. A Godín has a boring but stable office job, commutes on crowded public transport, and brings a “tupper” (tupperware) with their lunch every day. It’s impossible to track a precise origin of the term, though some say it came from jokes on the popular “El Chavo del 8” comedy show years ago. Regardless, the Godinez (the plural of Godín) are here to stay. As much as we make fun of them, we also identify with them…they’re a reflection of modern city life and Mexican workaholism. So much so, that even Pepsi made a popular ad laughing knowingly at the Godín lifestyle.

“It’s finally Friday! Only 40 years of work left.” The Facebook group “Lo Que Callamos Los Godinez” is a hub of relatable Godín humor.

Al chile:

“Al chile” is a somewhat lewder way to say “la neta,” as in “the truth” or “really?” While technically it refers to the chili pepper, it really has a more phallic connotation…no, I can’t really explain why. Sometimes it’s better to just accept Mexico City slang. Don’t question it. Amusingly, people wanting to be polite will say “al children” as a weird, nonsensical substitute.

“Ok girl, tell me the truth: how do my brows look?”

Chafa:

Chafa means cheap or shoddy, and it’s use all the time in Mexico City. That presentation was chafa, your disappointed professor might say. That girl looks so chafa. That store was super chafa. It has endless uses — there’s plenty of chafa stuff in this giant, crazy city, after all.

When Julie buys a new purse…and it’s cheap af.

Cabrón:

This word is used all over Mexico…but that doesn’t mean you should use it lightly. It is the Mexican equivalent of asshole, as in jerk or idiot. But unlike those English words, friends also use it amongst themselves, as a fake-insulting term of endearment just like “güey.” Cabrón comes from cabra, meaning goat. Be careful using it, as it will be taken as an insult by strangers.

“Ay son…you’re a real a**hole.”

Chido:

If you listen to a conversation between young people in Mexico City, you’ll probably hear “chido” every other sentence before long. This catch-all term expresses admiration; you use it to say something’s cool, awesome, great. It’s used similarly to “padre,” as in “¡Qué chido!” (Cool!) or “Está bien chido” (It’s pretty awesome). The term came from the Asturian word “xidu,” meaning great or beautiful, then on to the Gypsy word “chiro.” Finally in Mexico the “r” rounded out to a “d.”

“Oh really? That’s good for you.”

Pedo:

Like aloha in Hawaii, in Mexican Spanish “pedo” has endless meanings and connotations. Unlike aloha, “pedo” literally means fart. A few of its most common uses are “Qué pedo,” basically “What’s up,” and “Está bien pedo,” as in “He’s wasted.” But there are a LOT of ways to use this term; I could literally dedicate an entire post to it. Instead, I will let beautiful actor and intelligent man Diego Luna explain it to you: his great explanation to Conan O’Brien is here!

Apapachar:

This is one of my personal favorite Mexican slang phrases. Coming from a Nahuatl indigenous root word, this verb basically means “to show care for.” If you look like you need a little TLC, someone might tell you that you need an apapacho, maybe a hug. But this word has a lovelier, deeper meaning. Many Mexicans consider the original Aztec word to truly mean “embrace someone with your soul.”

On rainy days, I need lots of hugs!

Chamba:

Mexico City is a metropolis of hustlers, in the best sense of the word. Chilangos work hard, with long hours and higher cost-of-living than the rest of the country. Many of my friends and coworkers do freelance in addition to their day job. This is all part of “chamba,” which means work, but connotes much more. Mexico City residents are always chambeando, hustling for work and opportunities. It’s part of the fabric of this “work hard, play hard” city.

“So what you’re telling me is…now we have more work?”

¡Híjole!:

This expression is usually used when someone is surprised or shocked. If a pedestrian steps out in front of a car and narrowly misses getting hit, most likely both the driver and the pedestrian will exclaim “¡Híjole!”…before shouting something nastier along the lines of “¡Cabrón!” at each other. The phrase actually began as a euphemism for the vulgar expression “hijo de la chingada,” which is kinda the Spanish version of, ahem, motherf**ker. The phrase shortened (also trying to make it less vulgar) to hijo-e-la and morphed into “Híjole.” Use it when you’re surprised, disapproving, or just don’t know what to say or how to react.

“God, I went all the way to Bolivia, and they didn’t even take me to the beach.” (Making fun of Enrique Peña Nieto, the widely mocked former President of Mexico.)

¡Órale!:

As similar as it sounds to the above phrase, “¡Órale!” can mean almost the exact opposite. It basically means what Matthew McConaughey means when he says “Alright alright alright!” You use it to express affirmation, like when the food comes at the restaurant, or someone invites you to a party. ¡Órale! On the flip side, it can be used similarly to híjole sometimes, to express surprise or shock. Just say it whenever.

¡Órale, Matt! Gif courtesy of Giphy.

Qué fancy la Nancy:

I use this phrase. All. The. Time. It’s not, erm, traditional, but it’s hilarious. It literally means “How fancy the Nancy,” as in “Well isn’t this fancy.” You basically use it whenever someone comes in to work looking nice, or goes on an expensive vacation, or you go to a chic restaurant. You can genuinely use it to express you’re impressed, or ironically: with something that’s really chafa (cheap), roll your eyes and say “Qué fancy la Nancy.” It’s inspired lots of copycat phrases, including “Qué sexy la Ceci,” all of which combine an adjective and a woman’s name/nickname. I invented my own, “Qué económica la Mónica”© (Copyright Merin McD 2019), which makes fun of how cheap I am. People really get a kick out of it.

Adiós popo:

I’ll end this glossary with one of the most colorful phrases that Chilango youth currently use to say goodbye. “Popó,” like in some parts of the US, is a nickname for the police, but this has nothing to do with them. Just say “Adiós popó” to be a little silly and ridiculous.

“When the bus driver sees you running full speed towards the bus, and leaves anyway…Adiós popó.”

I hope you’ve enjoyed this glossary of popular Mexico City slang! Toss in a phrase or two with local chilangos, and they will be very impressed. I could never put together a comprehensive list, so let me know what you think I missed!

*On a final note, I haven’t included most Mexico City slang that refers to a certain class or social group. I’m working on a future post about class in Mexico City, so those will appear there!

Pilgrimage of the Bird-Sellers: A Tradition of Semana Santa in Mexico City

Mexico offers many of the most vivid, lively, and passionate Holy Week celebrations in the world. This holiday week, called Semana Santa in Mexico City and around the country, forms the week before Easter Sunday. It’s one of the most important holidays of the year in Mexico, a heavily Catholic country, and it shows. I began my Holy Week celebrations on Palm Sunday with a unique pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe. Every Palm Sunday, hundreds of pajareros, the traditional bird-sellers of Mexico, come from around the country to this famous basilica to bless their birds and businesses. The result is a surreal, unimaginably vivid sight.

The bird-sellers wait to enter the basilica for mass.

Palm Sunday at the Basilica of Guadalupe

The centuries-old Basilica of Guadalupe draws millions of pilgrims every year to worship Mexico’s Virgin of Guadalupe. I’ll have to do a post soon on the Basilica itself; there is too much to explain here! It’s the site where the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego, an indigenous convert, in colonial times. Today, 12 million people come every year to behold the manta, the blanket, on which the Virgin’s image miraculously appeared. Palm Sunday was lively with worshippers from all over, including several I met from the Ivory Coast, and a group of Mexican cowboys who had ridden there on horseback.

The Basilica of Guadalupe is lively with worshippers on Palm Sunday.

The Basilica and the Bird-Sellers: A Mini-History

But for decades, Palm Sunday has meant one thing for the basilica: the pajareros, the bird-sellers. Over a century ago, there were thousands of bird-sellers all around the country, and one, they say, on every street corner in Mexico City. In colorful cages, they sold domestic and wild-caught songbirds, from parakeets to robins — popular pets at the time. This year (2019) marked the 77th anniversary of the bird-sellers’ pilgrimage to the basilica.

The pajareros create elaborately decorated bird cages to be blessed.

Today, songbirds are much less popular, and especially amid increased awareness for animal rights, the bird-sellers are slowly dying out. But this traditional profession lives on for some families, who have passed it down through the generations. On Palm Sunday, they arrive from throughout the country, walking up the long Calzada de Guadalupe until they arrive at the Basilica. Their colorful, incredibly tall cages strapped to their backs, birdsong fills the air.

Bird-selling is a long-standing tradition throughout Mexico, though it’s greatly declining these days.

The Ethics of Bird-Selling

Now, let’s get this out of the way: I don’t condone this kind of bird-selling, especially of those that are wild-caught. The birds are not for sale on Palm Sunday — the bird-sellers are forbidden from selling them in the Basilica grounds. But regardless, I have very mixed feelings about this practice in the modern-day.

Many pajareros bring photos of their parents or grandparents, to honor them and the family tradition.

That said, no matter what you think of its ethics, bird-selling has played an important traditional role in Mexico. I met families who’d brought their babies with them, strapping a tiny cage onto his back with tiny toy birds inside. Four generations of bird-sellers in the family were represented there, and others had placed photos of their deceased fathers, bird-sellers themselves, as a touching tribute on the cages.

Many families have passed on this calling for several generations.

The Artistry of the Pajareros

On top of all that, the artistry, passion, and creativity the pajareros put into these 10-foot-tall cages is unbelievable. You couldn’t imagine a more surreal scene: with an explosion of color and song all around, I couldn’t help but feel joy at that aspect of the pilgrimage. Pajareros paint every cage vividly and decorate them with thousands of flowers. These must have taken their creators a long time to make. Of all the celebrations I saw during Semana Santa in Mexico City, this was perhaps the most unique.

I know why the caged bird sings — this complicated practice invokes mixed emotions.

Finally, all this to say: it’s complicated. It made me sad to see many, many kinds of birds in cages, from exotic ones to common songbirds I’ve seen free in my Midwest backyard. There’s no getting around that. But I also appreciate the beautiful aspects of this long-standing tradition, especially the bird-sellers’ remarkable creativity. At the end of the day, I reserve my full judgement, because this is a way of life, and a way to make a living, for families who have passed this job from father to son, and mother to daughter. Do I hope songbird-selling continues, anywhere in the world? Probably not. But I hope this beautiful pilgrimage finds a way to survive and adapt, as societal values shift and evolve.

It’s easy to head north in Mexico City and visit La Villa, where the basilica sits.

How to See the Pajarero’s Pilgrimage

When:

This event takes place on Palm Sunday, which of course will vary every year. In fact, this day marks the beginning of Semana Santa in Mexico City. The Spanish name for the Catholic holiday is Domingo de Ramos. The pajareros get together in the morning, starting around 9 or 10 AM, but they don’t arrive at the basilica until around noon. That’s when I recommend arriving at the basilica to see them.

Pilgrims come from around the world to worship the Virgin of Guadalupe at the basilica.

Where:

The pajareros begin at the Glorieta de Peralvillo, a roundabout where the Calzada de Guadalupe begins. This is the long avenue that leads up to the Basilica de Guadalupe, and where pilgrims walk to the basilica. It’s a long walk, and I recommend you go straight to the basilica to see them. You can tell any cab or Uber driver “Basilica de Guadalupe”, and they’ll take you there — around 25 minutes from downtown, way to the north. The red Line 6 of the metro goes straight there, to the Basilica stop; or take the more centric green Line 3 to the Deportivo 18 de Marzo stop, and walk east for 10 mins to get there. The green line 7 of the Metrobus (the big red buses you’ll see in cordoned-off areas of major avenues) also goes there, getting off at the Garrido Stop.

Another touching tribute to a relative who’s passed away.

Above all, this is a day about tradition, creative expression, and family ties. It was clear to me that many bird-sellers were passionate about their professions, and took care of their small charges. Whether you find this tradition charming or outdated, it’s a memorable and fascinating experience. Most of all, this experience gave me insight into the complex contradictions of modern Mexico.

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