Mexico

oaxaca

Back from Mexico

3 parts to the trip!

1.       Mexico city…loved going to see the floating gardens ( xo…..cochimil?) and the new incredible architectural area with most amazing  mall Santa Fe ( like no other mall in the world but also empty. Serious economical crisis in Mexico just like in USA). Stayed in Polanco..very relaxing. Of course not first time in Mexico city. I like the city.

2.       Visit with prince….princess., dinner with  president philippe calderon of mexico…fell like going to mass 3 times a day. Very sad..very serious, very not my type of event. ( I did do a seminar for 80 travel agents and some journalists with air france and raileurope which was worthy) no more royal events for me! Belgian delegation…nothing in common with me except a handful of people who were friendly. Again too serious!

3.       City of oaxca and area.

I did not expect such a big city. We did stay in an amazing hacienda ( de los laureles) a little outside of town…very green..we were the only guests,  we had a pool  to ourselves and a suite and I was spoiled to death. We also managed to do some markets. I loved Monte Alban and the food was excellent everywhere. I still think that Antigua Guatemala is more my type of place however a different experience..much more laid back. Smaller town, many more tourist but also  much more colorful. Bob loved Oaxaca! Ready to move there.

I did not want to come back from Mexico however! Hacienda de los laureles is truly a paradise especially at this time of the year.

 isla mujeres perfect for 4 days but NO more

On isla, we first checked out cabana del mar but they only had 3 rooms left. One was acceptable and the others were terrible. The beach was also very crowded!

We walked to Nabalam  www.nabalam.com and got seduced by the place. We were very happy to stay there. Special  place, quiet atmosphere and very relaxing. GREAT massage by alicia. Anyway although it’s over priced it’s was worthy it.( garden rooms $240)

Weather I thought was strange for the season.

Renting a House 

After 2 fulls weeks of business trips, meetings and too much food, I took it very easy for 3 weeks in Puerto Escondido ( close to Guatemala, on the pacific in the middle of nowhere really) closer towns Acapulco and Oaxaca- 8 hours by car.

Ok..you want to found out how the town looks, go to google. In a word, town of 50.ooo people, beaches and more beaches and nothing to see , nothing to do. Hard to get too and very expensive to get there.

I rented a 2 bedroom house with a pool for 3 weeks. The best feature of the house was the palapa on the roof!

What I learned from this vacation.

Check your dream house closer when you rent.

-when I asked for a view I could not imagine that you had to go on the roof to see the ocean

- when I asked for a pool, I could not imagine it would be surrounded by 3 other houses…more like being in a prison/pool

-when I said walking distance from town, I meant 5 min and not up and down hills in 100 degrees.

The town is not pretty but from whatever point you look from it’s beautiful ! the vegetation is how you imagine paradise.

The beaches look beautiful but really most of them dangerous to swim ( paradise for surfers) and the coves where you can swim are swamped with mexicans because of xmas.

It just reminds me that I was supposed to be in India and sri lanka on January 1. So I was just happy to float in my pool, read and not worry about tsunami.

Who goes to Puerto Escondido?

Single older women with not enough money to retire somewhere else. Many Canadians

Younger retirees…or semi retired boring people. Aging hippies

Very young surfers under 23

Mostly Mexican families on vacation like in the 50ies in south of france.

And some intellectuals, interesting people..