Postcard from Mexico

Welcome to another edition of my travel series. Photos and notes from my recent trip to Mexico City and Puebla.

Mural of the Cholula Drinkers, National Museum of Anthropology - Mexico City

Some of my friends seemed baffled why I was going to Mexico City and Puebla for vacation in August. “Isn’t it unbearably hot there this time of the year?” one asked, followed by: “Isn’t it dangerous? Aren’t you worried about getting kidnapped?” Another friend asked me in a hushed, almost worried tone: “Why aren’t you going to Tuscany this year? Is everything ok?” 

How to address these misconceptions? Let’s start with the mundane: the weather. Sitting some 7,400 feet above sea level, Mexico City’s climate is temperate even in the dead of summer, seldom reaching above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The only caveat is that June through September is the rainy season, and there’s a downpour nearly every evening. 

As for safety, I feel more vulnerable walking through Washington Square Park these days than most of the well-trafficked areas of Mexico City or Puebla. (But maybe that says more about the sorry state of that storied park.)

I am a huge fan of Mexico, having traveled there over a dozen times. Any traveler worth her salt ought to explore the country. And I don’t mean the beach resorts of Cancun, Playa de Carmen, Puerto Vallarta or Cabos, though I am certainly not above those shallow pleasures.

Travelling in Mexico is not a hardship—unless you want it to be—and I don’t. The country is sophisticated and diverse, packed with charming colonial towns, first rate museums, awesome architecture (historical and modern), and incredible pre-Columbian treasures. Then, there’s the food—with its complex spice blends and alluring aromas.

Below is a very random sampling of what I saw and ate (always!) during my recent trip to Mexico City and Puebla, a colonial town two hours away (make that three in traffic).

Roma Norte: the Brooklyn of Mexico City. This is where you’d hang out if you’re under 40 and working at some high-paying job at McKinsey or one of the big American law firms—or a trust fund baby. It’s packed with pricey boutiques and eateries housed in Art Deco and Art Nouveau structures:

Museums galore. In Mexico City, the National Museum of Anthropology is a must. But if you’re into decorative arts, check out the delightful Franz Mayer Museum, the former home of a prominent financier:

The courtyard of the Franz Mayer Museum.

The Amparo Museum in Puebla, housed discreetly in a series of austere mansions, is an absolute gem. The pre-Columbian collection is outstanding, as is the contemporary art. The curation is superb. I’d go as far as to say that the museum alone is worth a trek to Puebla.