Mexico City. 8th - 12th April 2011

We arrive in Mexico City and hit the streets of Condesa, a vibrant tree lined suburb full of apartments
and great restaurants, bars, accommodation and people.........

And admire some of the great old buildings in the suburb of San Angel.....

While enroute to the San Angel market with Jo and Chad........

Where the hunt for bargains begins......

Until we take a break for lunch (accompanied by music of course!)........

Followed by ice cream (risky yes, but no tummy troubles encountered). Pictured: Fi's Mango sorbet with chilli sauce (tasted as bad as it sounds). I ordered the Mezcal ice cream and it was delicious.......

Back in Condesa we unknowingly come across a Cantina where Fi can't resist someone with a very large "guitaron"...... 

But then hit the Metro (25c for any single journey, no matter how many trains or how many stations you travel. And they leave every 3 minutes! - Brisbane (all other cities for that matter) take note!!). Note the rubber wheels!.......

Bound for a soccer match - Pumas vs Tigers - a real grudge match (with Jo and Chad). Note the old lava to left and right.........

At the University stadium (home of the 1968 Olympics).........

Where we are greeted by riot police at the gate. Is this such a good idea?..........

Solution: Buy home team T-shirts to blend in..........

And sit back and enjoy the view......

And the beer. Hey waiter, over here!.......

Ahhhh, beery Cheshire grins all round.......

Game over, we admire the cloakroom (just for belts) and admire their ability to organise them all.....

And greet our friends again on the way out. No trouble though, home team won 2-0. Goooooo Pumas!!...... 

Beery Cheshire grins all round....

Then off to a restaurant for lunch were I try a Cubana (Beer, Worsteshire, lime juice and Tabasco plus a salted rim). An acquired taste shall we say......

And come across my first ever urinal filled with ice!?...........

We part ways with Jo and Chad and head to the historical zone of Mexico City to check it out.........

And admire some very flash looking peddy cabs. Take note Byron Bay.........

As well as some great old and very crooked buildings (plus a suburb that is FULL of shops and
stalls selling tacky hair clips and the like? Maybe they were fronts?)........

Ditto.........

Then discover a great little cafe for lunch..........

Before checking some more old and very crooked buildings (yes, I am standing straight!).......

And I drag Fi into the cathedral with the biggest stone columns I have ever seen. This building is colossal.......

And rather ornate. The pipe organ in the background is only half of it. It is mirrored to my left........

Then catch up with Jo and Chad again at another Cantina where some drunken Mexicans call my bluff (thinking I
won't be able to handle a Tequila shot). I say "if you pay I'll have one" and suddenly a (Mexican standard) 60ml shot
gets delivered to each of us!......

Next day we take off to Teotihuacan and admire the high density urban sprawl that is Mexico City......

Where the first stop is a climb up the Pyramid of the Sun (view towards Pyramid of the Moon)......

Ditto..........

Followed by the Avenue of the Dead...........

Then towards the Pyramid of the Moon.......

Which is quite a steep climb (and lends itself to some creative shots).......

Ditto..........

But we conquer (view towards Pyramid of the Sun and Avenue of the Dead)........

Next stop........... the beach!!

Mexico's Pacific Coast 14th - 26th April 2011

We become acquainted with Mexico's cheap "Business" class busses, bound for San Blas on the Coast.
Couldn't get the internet working but it had it! Watched movies instead......

Until we hit San Blas and stayed right on the beach. Surf was small but stoked to see water!
The place were we stayed was owned by Pompies (pictured with me) who is a Latin American longboard champ.......

And when I say we stayed on the beach, we stayed right on the beach.......

We check out the local market and a Mexican artform made by threading hundreds, maybe thousands
of brightly coloured beads over a figurine.......

And find a cool wall covered in (mainly political) murals......

Peace..........

And prior to departure get a lesson in how to fit 976 cobs of corn in the back of a ute..........

We admire this gym on the outskirts of our next stop, Puerto Vallarta. Is this a sign of things to come? ........

We check out the market that divides the old (more Mexican part of town) from the
new "resorty", "gimmicky" and "spring breaky" part of town.......

And brave the newer part of town which has a great Mallecon (boardwalk) along the beachfront.........

Where we can't resist a fresh Coco Frio (frio = cold).........

before checking out some great sand sculpture on the beach front.........

And occasionally sneaking back to our old town hotel for some reprieve from the touristy part of town........

And soaking up another perfect sunset........

But then we move on to Barra de Navidad..........

With one very cool tree at it's town centre.........

Before moving on to Zihuatanejo (yes, the town made famous in Shawshank Redemption) and
make our way to Las Gatos (The Cat) Beach.......

To get a view of Zihuatanejo from the water........

And a view of Zihuatanejo from Las Gatos. Arhhhhh. It's tough!............

Before getting another view of Zihuatanejo with lots and lots of little fishing boats in the background.........

And dine out on the beachfront........

Before we discover...........iceblocks!!...........

And move on the Puerto Escondido. Here Playa Zicatela (hallowed surf ground) is pumping
(about 3-4 metres here, but 10m is not uncommon)............

And have to kick back with a refreshing drink and admire the charming budgie smugglers in the background.......

Arhhh, that's better.............

And then head down the bottom end of town to check out La Punta (the Point), a pretty consistant left point........

And discover Guadua, a fantastic restaurant/bar on the beach..........

That has Scorpion infused Tequila........

That I just have to try.......Look what it did to my hair!!..........

And also visit Playa Carrisallio which has a super busy left point and less busy but rocky right point........

Before heading off. Next stop........... Oaxaca