What comes to mind when you think of Mexico? Sandy beaches? Tropical drinks? Handmade tortillas? Over Easter weekend, we traveled to Mexico and only experienced one of those....which was a great thing! My prior experience with Mexico was limited to resorts in the Yucatan, but, when my cousins suggested that we meet up with them in the state of Chiapas, we jumped at the chance! Though the beaches are beautiful, it was great to see a different facet of the country and experience some of the culture. We spent a long weekend in San Cristobal de las Casas, a mountain town located at 7200 ft. The state of Chiapas is located in the southwest of Mexico, bordering Guatemala. It is a mountainous region known for coffee growing and Mayan heritage, meaning that there is excellent coffee to try, Mayan ruins to explore, and a fantastic mix of Mexican and Mayan influence. San Cristobal is a colonial city with a cool, laid-back vibe and BEAUTIFUL scenery. I immediately loved the colorful buildings and the mountain views. If you are concerned about the safety of traveling to Mexico, note that there is no travel advisory for the state of Chiapas. I cannot emphasize this enough - I never felt unsafe in San Cristobal or Chiapas. Just follow common sense rules of travel and you should be fine. Getting ThereI can't lie - getting to San Cristobal was a process. We drove from Austin to San Antonio for our flight, since flights were significantly cheaper from San Antonio. We flew on Interjet, a Mexican low-cost airline that I highly recommend. Interjet flies to numerous locations in Mexico as well as limited international locations, including some US cities. On American carriers, we are accustomed to jamming as many people as possible on an airplane, bumping our knees on the seat in front of us and climbing over our neighbor's lap to get to the bathroom. Interjet reminded me of the "good old days" with plenty of leg room. Now, I am short so legroom doesn't affect me much, but my husband really appreciated it. All of our Interjet flights had friendly flight attendants and free chips as snacks. I can't remember the last time I got a snack on a flight operated by a US carrier. Overall, a pleasant experience, despite one delay out of four total flights. We flew San Antonio-Mexico City-Tuxtla Gutierrez. Tuxtla is the main airport for Chiapas, and, when you land, you have to catch a bus to San Cristobal de las Casas. It is only about 37 miles, but it's 37 miles on winding, mountainous roads, so it takes a little over an hour to climb the 5500 ft to San Cristobal. At the Tuxtla airport, we bought tickets on an OCC shuttle to San Cristobal for 210 pesos ($12) each. Buying bus tickets was simple, as the ticket counter was right by the baggage claim. The shuttle drops off at the OCC bus terminal in San Cristobal. From the bus station, we took a cab for 30 ($1.73) pesos to our accommodations. Exploring the City
Final ThoughtsI've read some other travel blogs that complain about the city being over-run by American hippies and expats rather than an authentic experience. I did not have this experience at all. We felt like the majority of the travelers roaming the city on Easter weekend were Mexican families. True, we saw some of the dreadlocks and granola bunch, but, at least when we visited, it was by no means a majority. Something that may have contributed to this was staying in an Airbnb rather than a hostel. By doing this, we encountered neighborhood inhabitants out for a stroll rather than backpackers looking for a place to crash.
Chiapas has the highest poverty rate in Mexico - over 70% of the residents live in poverty. As you walk the streets, you will be approached by many women and children selling handicrafts or begging. It is very difficult to say "No, gracias" to the small children. Usually their wares are inexpensive, though I have to admit that they all start to look the same. The women and teenage girls carry large piles of wool scarves/shawls that all have similar patterns, and many of the little children sell bracelets and small purses. San Cristobal de las Casas has a lot of character! I loved the colonial buildings, the bright colors, and the vibrancy of the city. We spent three days eating well, relaxing with local coffee, learning about Mayan culture, enjoying mountain views, and stumbling across new sights at every turn. For me, it was a new side of this diverse country. I would love to continue exploring Mexico's colonial cities in the future. Check back for more blog posts about our boat ride in the Sumidero Canyon, Easter Sunday in Mayan Villages, budget tips for travel to San Cristobal, and details about our itinerary!
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I have to admit - I don't love Dallas. Every time I visit, I am overwhelmed by the sprawling size and the amount of concrete interstates criss-crossing around the city.Yet, my in-laws live just outside the city, so I decided to capitalize on the opportunity to explore a bit. Recently, Brett and I spent a very pleasant day exploring various parts of Dallas. Our exploration took us from one side of the city to the other, starting with the revitalized arts district in Oak Cliff. Bishop Arts District, Oak CliffI had always heard about the dangers of Oak Cliff, but I was unaware that north Oak Cliff is undergoing a revitalization, thanks to the Bishop Arts District. The Bishop Arts District is a neighborhood with trendy boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, and shops. Brett and I sought out this area because, of course, we researched third-wave coffee shops in Dallas. This search led us to Davis Street Espresso, a trendy coffee shop with Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters onsite. Brett and I each got a pour over, and it was a high quality cup of coffee. The interior of Davis Street Espresso was in-your-face cool, with old brick walls, wood furnishings, and a large commercial roaster visible. Oh, and, the mason jar pictured above? That's one of their "to-go" cups. Davis Street Espresso doesn't use paper cups, so, if you want your coffee to-go, either bring your own mug or pay a $2 deposit for a mason jar to-go mug. Bring back the mug, get your $2 back. Somehow, the baristas messed up our order, so they actually gave us the to-go jars for free with a casual "try to reuse them" directed at us on the way out. Hipster to-go jars in hand, we meandered down the block, stopping when a shop grabbed our interest. Boy, did Joy Macarons grab our interest! French macarons are delicious AND gluten-free, meaning they are a dessert that this gluten-challenged, dairy-challenged couple can enjoy together. Joy Macarons had this adorable macaron tree decorating their shop. We sampled some seasonal flavors, including Mexican Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Creme, as well as some mainstays, like Violet and Black Currant. When we stopped in Joy Macarons, the owner, Liz, was serving customers, so we chatted with her for a bit. She truly embodied the name of the store, exuding joy as she discussed her business. Speaking of joy, these macarons were unbelievably good! I mean it. When I think back on this day of exploring Dallas, I smile longingly at the thought of our macaron snack. On the same block as Joy Macarons was Spinster Records, a record shop with shelves of new and used vinyls. Judging by the posters, the shop also hosts music events and in-store performances. We wandered in and around the shelves, stopping to ask the clerk how long the store had been there. She sighed and began with, "Oh..." in the way that makes you think that the shop has been around so long that she could barely recall its age. She continued with, "About a year and a half." Ok, not exactly a long-standing institution, but a fun stop for music lovers nonetheless. Our final stop on the block that contained Davis Street Espresso and Joy Macarons was Glass Optical. We basically went in the shop because there was a eucalyptus garland adorning the windows and it smelled SO good. Oh, and I need some new glasses. When we stepped inside, I was blown away by the interior, with it's metal ceiling, industrial walls, minimalistic furnishings, and vintage feel. Then, I noticed this neon quote on the wall - from The Great Gatsby! If you ever need to win me over, plaster a classic literary quote on the wall. I know that not everyone would want to stop in an eyewear shop, but I think this store is the perfect example of the mix of vintage and revitalization in the neighborhood. State & AllenWe had agreed to meet up with some friends for lunch and ended up choosing State & Allen Kitchen + Bar at the recommendation of another friend. It was a 70 degree December day, so the restaurant was open to the outside. I ordered The Lounge Salad, a dish with greens, tomatoes, egg, avocado, and asparagus, adding chicken to the top. Perot Museum of Nature and ScienceWhen I told my mom that we were going to the Perot Museum, she said, "That sounds....interesting..." because it sounds like a museum about Ross Perot. In fact, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is full of hands-on science exhibits about our world past, present, and future.I always love museums like this because there is so much to learn about the world! We started at the top floor and worked our way down, beginning with Expanding Universe hall, focused on outer space. We continued through exhibits with fossils, dinosaur skeletons, gigantic gems and minerals, an earthquake simulator, engineering innovations, and cross-sections from the human body. You could spend anywhere from a couple of hours to a whole day at the Perot Museum, if you choose to take your time or expand your admission to include traveling exhibitions and/or a film. *Hint: if you are an educator from Texas or a neighboring state, you can gain free admission to the museum. SMU CampusFinally, we walked about the campus of SMU, Southern Methodist University, which I had associated with the ESPN 30 for 30 film Pony Excess. SMU has a beautiful campus. The grounds are immaculate and all of the buildings are red brick with ornate columns. None of the students were there since it was only a couple days before Christmas, but it was such a beautiful day that we wandered through the grounds and into a few buildings. After winding our way through the city, I admit that I enjoyed myself in Dallas! There were even a few things that I wanted to experience that we did not have time to do, including riding the free trolley between uptown and downtown. I love exploring cities on public transportation, I love trolleys, and I love free things! I also want to visit The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, where the JFK assassination took place. It was such a big moment in American history and something that is completely unique to the city of Dallas. Luckily, I will have more opportunities to explore Dallas when we visit Brett's family, so I can add these to my "Places to Visit" list for next time!
Portland, Oregon. Stumptown. PDX. Rip City. Rose City. Bridgetown. Beervana. My husband and I decided to take a spring break trip to Portland for a few reasons. First, my college roommate lives in Portland now with her husband. They were married here in summer, but we were unable to come to the wedding, so we wanted to visit with them as well as see the city. Second, my husband, Brett, LOVES the Pacific Northwest. I lived in Seattle for three months, and, when he flew out to visit me, he fell in love with the region. It offers its residents and visitors many of the things that we both love: great coffee, natural beauty, hiking, gluten-free beer (a key factor for someone who is gluten-free by necessity, like me), delicious ethnic food, and the list goes on. Third, Texas is crazy right now with thousands of people descending on Austin for SXSW and hordes of college students road-tripping to South Padre Island. Thus far, we have spent two full days in Portland, exploring the city, walking in the rain, and drinking cups upon cups of coffee. Portland is known for having some excellent coffee roasters and coffee shops. We have visited quite a few during our time, especially given that my college roommate and husband drink coffee throughout the day like it's water. Brett is very into studying coffee flavors, brewing methods, and equipment. Here is a quick run down of some coffee shops that we visited:
Powell's City of Books was on my "must see" list, since I adore books. Everything about them is appealing to me: the smell, the feel of the pages, the cover art, the fictional worlds I can explore, and the new information available. Powell's Books is a gigantic, multi-level bookstore in downtown Portland, divided into various rooms based on genre. I could easily spend days in a bookstore that takes up an entire city block! One of the most interesting rooms to peruse is the rare book room, which displays and sells a variety of rare volumes, including first editions and signed copies. There was a first edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the 1800s. Also, there are staff recommendations in every section. On the shelves, new and used books were mixed in together, so the customer can choose their price and condition for some books. Highly recommended for avid readers. Make sure to go to the downtown location rather than some of the other, smaller locations around the city. We also drove up to Pittock Mansion, which is on a hill overlooking the city of Portland. It was originally the home of The Oregonian publisher and his wife, but it is now owned by the city's Parks and Recreation department. We did not explore the inside of the house (Cost: $10 per person), but the grounds are free and offer spectacular views of the city's skyline and Mount Hood on a clear day. Unfortunately, our day was not clear, so we couldn't see much. When we decided on the dates of our visit, my college roommate asked if I would be interested in doing the Shamrock Run with her. She told me that it's a big race, since it kicks off the running season in Portland. The Shamrock Run offers a variety of race lengths, including 5k, 8k, 15k, and a half-marathon. We signed up for the 8k. It started at Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park along the Willamette River and continued along the waterfront and through downtown Portland. I have only run two other races in my life and have never signed up for one as part of a vacation, but, I have to say, it ended up being a great way to see the city. In true Pacific Northwest fashion, we ended up running in the rain, dodging puddles and questioning whether our dampness was due to sweat or precipitation. In the afternoon following the Shamrock Run, our group went to the Portland Timbers game. We learned that the Timbers are a big deal in Portland, as one of the two professional sports teams in the city (along with the Trailblazers). Walking to the game, we saw many groups of people in green and gold with Timbers jerseys and scarfs. Our seats were around midfield, but the exciting place to sit is in the Timbers Army, if you can get seats there. The Timbers Army is responsible for much of the game day atmosphere, leading cheers for almost the entire game, waving flags, and throwing streamers. They were playing the LA Galaxy, so it was a big game and excitement was high. It ended in a tie (2-2). I had never been to a Major League Soccer game before, and I absolutely loved it!
'WHEN I ROOT, I ROOT FOR THE TIMBERS!" One last note for this post: Portland has a great public transportation system. Anyone who spends any time with me has probably heard about my dislike of cars and car maintenance. I would love to live somewhere that allows me to get around solely by public transportation, biking, and walking. I got around Portland, between my friend's house, the Shamrock Run, and downtown Portland for the Timbers Game, using the bus system. The bus cost me just $5 for an all-day pass. I found it cheap and easy to use. Once downtown, we were able to walk everywhere we needed to go. There is also a light rail system (MAX) that connects the city with suburbs and the airport. Stay tuned for my second Portland blog post, featuring all the restaurants we sampled and hiking the Columbia River Gorge! |
AuthorMy name is Alyssa Good and I have a passion for travel, adventure, culture, and new experiences! I focus on budget friendly travel, trip planning resources, and seeking out new experiences. Archives
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