There’s nothing like knowing Mexico—the place I once knew from sampling gourmet enchiladas and recalling faint memories of Thalía—than by taking a forkful of Tostada de Gusanos de Maguey, an assortment of agave worms, grasshoppers, and chicantas ants on a tray. Like tasting this delicacy, my week at this country was colored by fright and thrills, many of which I won’t do if Mexico hadn’t been too charming.
I’d like to think Mexico had hypnotized me; from the moment I stepped foot in Mexico City—one of the most populous and vibrant modern cities I’ve ever seen—to the time I visited the tree-lined streets of San Angel and Coyoacán and the waterways of Xochimilco, I knew I’ve gotten lost in its whirlwind of cultures, traditions, and habits. My time there made me feel like a citizen rubbing shoulders with Frida Kahlo—which in a way, I did.
I’ve walked the footsteps of some of Mexico’s most revered artists and writers, including a visit to Kahlo’s Casa Azul—the artist’s house-turned-museum dedicated to her life. I also visited the Museum of Dolores Olmedo, a 16th century building with a cohesive collection of fine art as well as hundreds of pre-Hispanic figurines and sculptures.
There were so many sights, and taking them in were more important than seeing. At Xochimilco, I’ve cruised around canals on a colorful trajinera to learn about the Aztec’s ingenious technique of growing food. There was also Teotihuacán, one of the most important Mesoamerican sites in the Americas. The gastronomically exciting and scenic Oaxaca had me visiting markets, meeting chocolate makers, and trying local hot chocolate; while the sacred archeological site of Monte Albán was a trip through time.
Navigating towns like San Miguel de Allende—a bustling expat center peppered with cathedrals, shops, restaurants and art galleries—was an experience. Walking its cobblestone streets to get to the Sanctuary of Atotonilco, a World Heritage Site adorned with Mexican baroque murals, was unforgettable.
As if the art there didn’t impress, the Atototonilco Gallery presented the best Mexican fine folk art there is. The owner Mayer Shacter had gathered talented and imaginative artists, craftsmen, antiques, and other crafts borne out of centuries-old traditions of Huichol art, Mexican pottery, Mexican papel mache, vintage serapes, Oaxacan wood carvings, and many more.
My last day in Mexico was spent at Guanajuato, a great place to sample regional Bajío cuisine. I traipsed in its narrow streets and underground passageway, hoping I didn’t have to leave this country’s rich history.
Of course, I had to. But many years of traveling taught me this: You never leave a foreign country unless you want to. Mexico, since then, stayed with me.
