I spent my first week in Toluca settling into my apartment but by the end of week 2 here, I was ready to make my first big out-of-the-estado trip. A few days after I got here, Eugenia, the wonderful woman I lived with while I was studying in Tijuana, "introduced" me (via Facebook) to a student from her university who's doing an exchange semester in Mexico City. She was incredibly friendly and immediately invited me to join her and her study abroad friends on a weekend trip to Puebla. When I first read her message, I was a little doubtful, and then I remembered that I had no friends and nothing to do, so my roommate Lydia and I booked a hostel and ended up on a bus a few days later.
I quickly learned that buses in Mexico are about one million times better than any bus I'd ever been on in the United States - the bus we took to Puebla included complimentary beverages and headphones, your own personal touchscreen television/computer, and a relatively cheap price tag. I reclined my seat, watched The Dark Knight Rises in Spanish, and the three and a half hour ride just flew by.
We got to Puebla in the evening and after dropping our stuff off at the hostel, we met up with two Fulbrighters based there and walked around with them for a bit before getting some of that famous comida poblana for dinner. (Puebla's a great place to eat, which of course means that you're going to see a lot of food pictures in the post and that I had a grand ol' time there.)
My gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 1 - caldo de papa (not nearly as exciting as the next course)
My gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 2 - chile en nogada (a typical late summer, early fall dish; a chile stuffed with meat, fruit, and probably some nuts, covered in a walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds)
The next morning, we made our way to the Museo Amparo. No photos were allowed of the exhibits (which weren't the most interesting anyway since the famous pre-hispanic art collection was under renovation) but I did snap some shots from the museum's rooftop deck, which afforded some beautiful views of the city:
Then... my gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 3 - momia (a hot dog wrapped in french fries/cheese/dough/bacon, deep-fried and topped with hot sauce; if you haven't guessed this by now, my vegetarianism is taking a break here in Mexico)
To recover from the absolutely delicious grossness of the momia, we decided to spend some time with the written word. First stop, the oldest library in the New World (zealously guarded by UNESCO staff.)
Then a few minutes in a modern bookstore, where I picked up some Spanish reads (translations of The Old Man and the Sea and Fahrenheit 451... thought I'd start with something I know.)
Then we met up with our new Mexico City friends for lunch, aka my gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 4 - enchiladas de mole (yummmmmmmmmm, one of my favorite foods anywhere ever, I'm hoping to learn how to make it while I'm here.)
Then the rest of the afternoon was spent window-shopping, wandering through the city, and enjoying a beer in el barrio del artista.
Of course, I couldn't head to bed without having a snack: my gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 5 - cemita (the Puebla version of a torta)
The next morning, I went to mass in the cathedral, led by the bishop. It was kind of eerie-weird and totally beautiful (check out the video for an idea of the magnificent music.)
Then I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around by myself, enjoying Puebla's lovely architecture, flea markets, and clearly marked streets.
Of course I couldn't get on the bus without eating one last snack. My gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 6 - chalupas:
Puebla was a gorgeous city and was oh-so-different from Toluca with its European looks, colonial buildings, and grid system, making it a fantastic place to visit. Despite its obvious appeal, it also made me grateful to be where I am, which might not be as "traditionally" beautiful but has its own unique character that's less touristy, a little chillier, a little more confusing, a little less exciting, but exactly what I need right now. I'm happy to be in a place that gives me plenty of time to think and pray and read and write, and that challenges me with its absolute Mexican-ness. And everywhere else is pretty close, ya know?
(You can see the rest of my photos here.)
I quickly learned that buses in Mexico are about one million times better than any bus I'd ever been on in the United States - the bus we took to Puebla included complimentary beverages and headphones, your own personal touchscreen television/computer, and a relatively cheap price tag. I reclined my seat, watched The Dark Knight Rises in Spanish, and the three and a half hour ride just flew by.
We got to Puebla in the evening and after dropping our stuff off at the hostel, we met up with two Fulbrighters based there and walked around with them for a bit before getting some of that famous comida poblana for dinner. (Puebla's a great place to eat, which of course means that you're going to see a lot of food pictures in the post and that I had a grand ol' time there.)
My gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 1 - caldo de papa (not nearly as exciting as the next course)
My gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 2 - chile en nogada (a typical late summer, early fall dish; a chile stuffed with meat, fruit, and probably some nuts, covered in a walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds)
The next morning, we made our way to the Museo Amparo. No photos were allowed of the exhibits (which weren't the most interesting anyway since the famous pre-hispanic art collection was under renovation) but I did snap some shots from the museum's rooftop deck, which afforded some beautiful views of the city:
Then... my gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 3 - momia (a hot dog wrapped in french fries/cheese/dough/bacon, deep-fried and topped with hot sauce; if you haven't guessed this by now, my vegetarianism is taking a break here in Mexico)
To recover from the absolutely delicious grossness of the momia, we decided to spend some time with the written word. First stop, the oldest library in the New World (zealously guarded by UNESCO staff.)
Then a few minutes in a modern bookstore, where I picked up some Spanish reads (translations of The Old Man and the Sea and Fahrenheit 451... thought I'd start with something I know.)
Then we met up with our new Mexico City friends for lunch, aka my gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 4 - enchiladas de mole (yummmmmmmmmm, one of my favorite foods anywhere ever, I'm hoping to learn how to make it while I'm here.)
Then the rest of the afternoon was spent window-shopping, wandering through the city, and enjoying a beer in el barrio del artista.
Of course, I couldn't head to bed without having a snack: my gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 5 - cemita (the Puebla version of a torta)
The next morning, I went to mass in the cathedral, led by the bishop. It was kind of eerie-weird and totally beautiful (check out the video for an idea of the magnificent music.)
Then I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around by myself, enjoying Puebla's lovely architecture, flea markets, and clearly marked streets.
Of course I couldn't get on the bus without eating one last snack. My gastronomic journey through Puebla, part 6 - chalupas:
Puebla was a gorgeous city and was oh-so-different from Toluca with its European looks, colonial buildings, and grid system, making it a fantastic place to visit. Despite its obvious appeal, it also made me grateful to be where I am, which might not be as "traditionally" beautiful but has its own unique character that's less touristy, a little chillier, a little more confusing, a little less exciting, but exactly what I need right now. I'm happy to be in a place that gives me plenty of time to think and pray and read and write, and that challenges me with its absolute Mexican-ness. And everywhere else is pretty close, ya know?
(You can see the rest of my photos here.)
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