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Mexico City’s Cathedral… a Big Church with an Even Bigger Name
The Metropolitan Cathedral or the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary Into Heaven sits on one side of the Zocalo, the main square of Mexico city, and on top of the pyramids of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. Originally built after the Spanish conquered the Aztecs. To add insult to injury they tore down the Aztec temples and used the stones to build the Catholic church. They wanted to show the power of not only the Spanish but also the church. Mexico city is now predominately Catholic but they often incorporate the Aztec customs. The church has undergone enlargement many times and each time they…
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Dancing With the Aztecs
From across the Zocalo, Mexico City’s largest square , I can hear the beat of drums and the chants of the Aztec dancers or Concheros as they are known in Mexico. While their bright costumes and rhythmic dancing may make you think their purpose is to entertain tourists, while that is a side effect that does bring them some money, these dancers do it to show a history rich in culture that was almost eradicated by the Spanish. Concheros a name given to them by the Spanish is not the original Aztec name, that may be lost forever. Concheros were names for the Concho a stringed instrument that they danced…
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5 things you should know before eating tacos in Mexico City
I finally made it to Mexico City after spending all day in various airports with multiple delays…. thanks to mother nature we needed just one more snowstorm to make this year complete… ughhh but the fact is I made it in one piece and extremely hungry. Lucky for me I had the forethought to book a taco tour prior to leaving the states and boy was I ready for some tacos. I met my guide Axel a native of Mexico City and a world-traveled chef so I was in good hands. Which was a good thing because I realized I knew NOTHING about tacos!!! Our first stop was for veggie…
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As real as it gets… a great taco tour in Puerto Vallarta.
My plane landed around 2pm giving me just enough time to get settled into my hotel and figure out that I was starving!. Lucky for me I had booked a taco tour. I mean what a better way to see a city than eat your way through it. So I hopped in a taxi and headed into old town Puerto Vallarta. Our meeting spot was also our first stop. Seafood el Guero. While waiting I had the opportunity to meet the other guests and was not so surprised to see we were all from North America. Puerto Vallarta is an oasis from the bitter cold in the states and Canada.…
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Sacre Couer the beauty in belief
I arrived in Paris somewhat early and didn’t want to lose a single second waiting around to check into my room. After a quick meet and great at the hotel I dropped off my luggage and headed out to explore the fabulous Montmartre. Montmartre literally means the Mount of Martyrs. It was originally call the Mount of Mars but in 250 AD St. Denis and two of his fellow Christians were decapitated there and being martyrs of their religion the area became known as Montmartre. Its the highest hill in the city and the views are spectacular but walking up the hundreds of steps to get there….. a little less…
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Planes, trains and automobiles
Planes, trains and automobiles. All ways to get from point A to point B but there is so much more to the trip. After working a 12 hour shift and finally finishing all my packing , Im on my way to my next big adventure. Paris, France. I haven’t been to the city in years and I’m so excited to see it again. It’s like a glamorous old friend filled with history and not just a little bit of sparkle. I can’t wait. I find my gate and board the plane and i’m off. I wish I could say that I had this whole trip planned but to be honest…
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Sagrada Familia…. an unfinished masterpiece
Crisp autumn air and bright sunshine greet me as I leave my hotel. Out on the city streets of the Eixample ( pronounced Sham paul ) district of Barcelona I wander around looking at the small shops and apartment buildings that make up majority of the area .. breathing in the life of the busy streets of a new and wondrous place …….. Turning the corner I get my first glimpse of the Sagrada Familia and it is absolutely overwhelming. A huge behemoth of a structure with its towers rising toward the sky, like arms of the earth reaching up to God. The structure is so different than anything I’ve…
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Exploring the Gothic Quarter
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Peruvian Chocolate…. does life get any better?
Cacao, pronounced Cak – Cow originated from the foot hills of the Andes. It has been in Peru for centuries although it has spread across the world and is loved by many it has a special place in the hearts and stomachs of the people of Peru. While Peruvian chocolate has not been one of the most noted in the world market it is gaining more and more acceptance. Each type of Cacao has a name, Peruvian chocolate is primarily Creole, a sharp rich flavor native to only Peru. Lucky me, got to try some today. We stumbled across the Chocolate Museum and shop and got some good information and…
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And This Little Piggy Went to Market
Cusco is full of small stands selling everything from food to toys… its kinda an open air Wal-mart, but today we went to the San Pedro Market. Cuscos most historical and authentic market. A collection of stalls overflowing a huge open air building. You would be hard pressed not to find what youre looking for here. We wandered through the hundreds of small shops looking for elusive gifts for friends and family. We began our quest with nourishment. While not exactly a healthy snack the Churros were delicious. We made our way into the market via the side entrance and directly into the the area allocated to flowers. Flowers of…