Midterms -> Mexico

March brought a much needed spring break vacation, with Sahar knocking out midterms and me busy at work. We still found time to celebrate our engagement anniversary though, already one whole year! And while there was plenty going on at home, the highlight of the month was definitely our trip to Mexico.

Mexico Adventures

We kicked things off with a travel day on Saturday, landing in Guadalajara around 5:30pm, taking an Uber to our hotel, and settling into our small room. The hotel had a very nice vibe, and the real welcome committee was a super affectionate Pomeranian, which was a nice surprise. For dinner, we went to Tomate Taqueria, and the tacos were so good we were glad we made it there on the first day. Dessert was even better than expected too, thanks to a cinnamon roll cheesecake from a market vendor.

Sunday was all about Centro Historico, since traffic wasn’t allowed in the area from 8 AM to 2 PM. Breakfast at Synergy, the coffee shop in our hotel lobby, set the tone nicely. We enjoyed their cappuccino, chilaquiles for Benoit, and a bagel with eggs and avocado for Sahar. From there, we joined a free walking tour and had a great time exploring the city, visiting a local market, and trying unfamiliar fruits and breads that turned out to be surprisingly tasty (shoutout to Santiago our guide). After a simple lunch of bread and mango back at home and some time to rest, the day wrapped up with pizza at Pizzeria Aptr. 380, which absolutely earned its place on the itinerary even in Mexico.

Monday took us to Colonia Americana and Tlaquepaque. The day included breakfast at Santo Coyote, where the all-you-can-eat buffet of local specialties still felt non-touristy, plus a mix of fruit that made for a strong start. We also saw the Frida Kahlo mural and Casa ITESO Clavigero, which added some culture and architecture to the day. In Tlaquepaque, we wandered through a colorful area full of little shops and streets like Calle Independencia and Plaza de Artesanías, and we stopped by Sergio Bustamante’s Gallery before a meal at Restaurante Casa Luna, where Benoit had mole and Sahar ordered a steak. Hunted down a churro for dessert too!

Tuesday was the ruins and Lucha Libre day. After a breakfast of leftover bread and mango from the previous day, we headed out for the Guachimontones and Teuchitlan tour at 8 AM, which was one of the most memorable parts of the trip. The ancient ruins were fascinating, and the guide clearly cared about the history and people of the region. He shared a lot of information, let us taste indigenous foods and drinks, and even showed us a local obsidian carver. After returning to the hotel we managed to squeeze in the Museo Cabanas before a quick dinner, and then it was time to head to the Arena Coliseo for Lucha Libre, where the energy of the crowd, the backflips, and the wild action made it a really fun night.

Wednesday was tequila day, and we started with breakfast at La Casa del Waffle, where the waffles were solid and did exactly what they needed to do before a tequila tasting-heavy day. The tour was a full experience: we visited an agave farm, learned how the plants mature and how much of the process is still done by hand, then moved on to a distillery to see how the agave gets cooked, pressed, and turned into tequila. The tasting covered a lot of varieties; blanco, cristalino, aged, extra aged, pink, and probably a few more. The last stop featured live music and good vibes.

Thursday slowed things down a bit with breakfast at Karmele, where the pastries were especially good and the croissant was a very pleasant surprise. Then we headed out for a day trip to Lake Chapala and Ajijic, which was nice for seeing the lake and surrounding area even if the guide wasn’t quite as memorable as the others. We ended the day with another dinner at Pizzeria Aptr. 380, because it really was that good.

Friday brought the early checkout, a 5:40 AM Uber to the airport, the flight home, and a return to real life after a packed and very fun week.

It was a great mix of exploring, eating well, and making the most of the trip together. Next month, back to the usual routine, but with plenty of good Mexico memories to carry forward... and a renewed determination to make authentic Mexican tacos at home!