Getaways!

Time is flying. The past dozen weekdays have been occupied by my last days of teaching, capped off with a pizza/potluck party I helped put together for the students. With that experience ending, I have nothing but good things to say about the English school, but it was not my favorite part of Mexico. Not surprisingly, I enjoy my weekends much more, particularly my weekend getaways.

Two weeks ago I visited Queretaro, a smaller city about three hours away, where half of Blanca’s family lives. Known as one of the cleanest and safest places in the country, the town is a favorite for tourists and better-off Mexican families. I could have stayed for weeks. Favorite activity: strolling the downtown center – a web of narrow streets, old colonial houses and little plazas dotted with artisan and snack stands. Everything right now is decorated in red, white, and green for Independence Day (not Christmas), and street performers are out in full force. Besides the centro, another essential stop was the “arcos” or centuries-old aqueducts, underneath which currently runs an annual sculpture display of alebrijes – traditional imaginary monsters usually in the form of some brightly-colored animal combo, like dragon/fish/insect. After a lovely tour, we (me, Blanca, Mario and Andres – same two friends from our pyramids excursion) hit a few cantinas and ended our Saturday night with tequila and dancing in the bigger, more modern version of them all, La Cantinita. Loved every minute.

Weekend vaycay numero dos took me to Acapulco with the same three friends, plus seven others. We stayed in a gorgeous yet slightly run-down and shockingly cheap multi-level house overlooking the bay and the mountains beyond. Two pools, four balconies, and a 10 to 15 minute drive from the beach. At pretty much every waking hour (and every hour was a waking hour) we could be found swimming, drinking, or eating seafood. Often all three at once.

Friday night we went out to one of the more popular clubs, Paladium, situated in the side of a mountain with a panoramic view of the bay, featuring open bar, bright lights, loud music, and interchanging stage dancers, including one guy painted all in silver and dressed like an Indian. They say he’s been dancing there for decades. Cool? I guess. After the club it was naturally time for more beer and swimming back at the house. And so the cycle continued into Saturday.

Saturday included a round at the beach on an island offshore, and later, several rounds of tequila pong (we ran out of beer) which I helped organize and then lost, miserably. But with dignity =) We relished the sight of the sunset, dined on hot dogs and ramen, pumped the music a little louder, and somehow found ourselves in the pool on Sunday afternoon, counting down the hours til we had to leave. No one wanted that moment to come. But here we are, back in the DF.

A note on security: I have yet to feel unsafe in Mexico. However, I receive a number of frequent reminders that the situation here is constantly stirring. In Acapulco, for example, one friend was warned that it was not safe for us to stay out past 2 a.m., because tourists have been much more frequently targeted here than before. My friends were actually shocked to here such advice – they told me Acapulco is to them what New Orleans or Vegas might be to me, a place where people go to go crazy, to wander the streets at all hours and leave their senses behind. But now, it seems to be less so. In Mexico City too, I’ve heard rumors of a peace pact between narcotraffickers – no gang violence allowed in the city, so druglords can come here to live happily and peacefully (their own weekend getaway?). Some people say the pact might have been broken. Others say alternative groups – mad at the government for not doing more to fight the narcos – are planning some type of revolutionary act for Independence Day. While these are all rumors, the solid truth is that narcotrafficking, and its subsequent violence, is a penetrating reality here. Alfonso Jr. told me he always knows the narcos that come into his restaurant by the way they dress. It’s very distinct and actually pretty comical if you forget the drugs and death thing.

Anyway, not to alarm anyone. In Mexico City at least, the rule applies that if you stay away from the wrong people, they won’t come knocking on your door either. There’s little reason to worry.

To end on an up note, Independence Day is tomorrow. I’m ready to rock my red, white, and green, and dive into the celebration. Can’t wait!