culture

Jan 07

Day Trip to Valladolid, Mexico

Posted by T.W. Anderson | culture, Mexico | 13 Comments

One of the best aspects of living long-term on the ground in any given destination is that you have more opportunities to explore the surrounding countryside and villages in comparison to backpackers who are just flitting through for a two or three-night stay. It’s the difference between skim-reading the novel and actually reading the whole thing cover to cover.

While I’ve been to Valladolid in the past, our recent day trip over the holidays with Ryan and Angela from Jets Like Taxis along with Devlin from Dream In Reality was jam-packed with over 500 photos shot, 2 hours of video footage filmed (including two Life on the Road entries for International Travel Writers), a massive lunch and two naps in between (there and back again via ADO). The following post is our adventure for the day, complete with a Viajes Con Cristina episode to boot Read More

Dec 03

Ya Estas! In Cancun

Posted by T.W. Anderson | Cancun, culture, Food, Live Like a Local, Mexico | 8 Comments

There’s good, bad, expensive, cheap, greasy, organic, home-style and chain restaurants to choose from when visiting Cancun. If you stick to the Hotel Zone you’ll only ever come across the American-style chains like the Hard Rock Cafe, Outback Steakhouse or Applebees – tired options that you can have any day of the week while back home. If you are looking for real Mexican food while enjoying a vacation in the tropics, you have to get out of the tourist zone and enjoy some of the places that we eat on a daily basis since we live here. Such as Ya Estas! here in the heart of downtown Centro. Read More

Nov 22

Market 23 in Cancun

Posted by T.W. Anderson | Cancun, culture, Food, Live Like a Local, Mexico | 2 Comments

Fresh fruits and vegetables, spices and herbs, fish, pork, beef, chicken, duck, farm-fresh eggs, hand-made goods, soaps and shampoos, cheeses and beyond, Market 23 is the only open-air local market in Cancun. While it’s located in Centro and is sometimes frequented by tourists, the vast majority of daily traffic here comes from the locals. If you are looking for fresh produce for the table, this is the only place you want to be. Read More

Nov 15

Market 28 in Cancun

Posted by T.W. Anderson | Cancun, culture, Live Like a Local, Mexico | 11 Comments

At first glance it appears to be nothing more than a tourist trap. Souvenirs, knick-knacks, vendors yelling at you in broken English, “My friend, my friend, come look, my prices are cheap, almost free!“, the occasional American-raised Mexican with a flawless Californian accent and perfect English, “Hey man, what you need? You looking to score some cheap weed? Need a taxi, a tour somewhere?“, cat-calls and over-priced restaurants all combine for the typical “fish in a barrel” paradise that hawkers and street merchants love. Ripe tourists, fat and full of cash, and an endless sea of them flowing in.

But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Market 28, and if you are a discerning traveler who can look past the obvious tourist distractions and “gringo” vibe of the place, there is a thriving Mexican mercado underneath the glitz and glam, one where you can get a good deal on clothing, hand-crafted goods, cigars, jewelry and more…but only if you know how to navigate the maze of poachers.

Nov 08

Parque Las Palapas In Cancun

Posted by T.W. Anderson | Cancun, culture, Live Like a Local, Mexico | 4 Comments

No matter where you go throughout Mexico you will find one central fixture in every town, village, pueblo and city: the city center, or square, otherwise known as the zócalo. They range in size depending on the size of the surrounding metropolitan sprawl, but there is one thing that all of these central squares have in common: they are the focal point of all things cultural and entertainment-related for the city, and they usually have a church on the premises as well. With Cancun in particular the Parque Las Palapas is the most happening place on the mainland, but you’ll only discover it once you get out of the Westernized Hotel Zone. Read More