Spring Break, Chihuahua, Mexico

When I told people I was going to Mexico, they immediately pictured me on the beach, partying with a pina colada in one hand and a margarita in the other (they know me so well...). But no - I'm visiting my friend Roxsana, in non-touristy central Mexico, I explained. Knowing that, most people got disinterested. For whatever reason, we don't know much about our neighbors to the south, and for whatever reason, we don't often travel around Mexico or learn much about it. Even I wasn't sure what to expect - the last time I had visited was for Roxsana's wedding, 16 years ago. Outside the wedding, I only have a few scattered impressions - getting stopped by the Federales and taking pictures with their guns, evacuating a club because of a bomb threat, walking down the dusty streets of Roxsana's hometown of Satevo looking for donkeys and waving at every single person we saw, all of whom ended up being a cousin or uncle or in some other way related to Roxsana.

The view of Chihuahua from my hotel room.

After arriving, I sent my friends a photo out my hotel window, telling them I had a view of Chihuahua from my room.

"Can't lie," my friend wrote back. "Saw the message and was expecting a teeny tiny dog."

Most people know nothing of Chihuahua, even though it is the capital of the largest state in Mexico. It's vast, and sprawling, and quite honestly it may be the cleanest city I've ever been to (and yes, I've been to Singapore). There are parts that remind me of Las Vegas, with huge neon-lit malls and intricately twined overpasses. Other parts look like San Francisco, with hipster coffee houses and artisan shops. And still other are reminiscent of old towns in Europe, with pedestrian-only walkways, old gothic buildings, and outdoor cafes.

It's not just clean... it's going green!!

Author Jose Fuentes Mares

Street art is EVERYWHERE. Statues, memorials, and murals are scattered everywhere downtown. It's delightful.

Finally found a chihuahua!

Murals line the streets

Whimsical statues surround the plaza next to the cathedral

Enjoying a jugo fresca

Roxsana and I spent the day wandering around the old part of the city, the district around the Spanish Baroque Cathedral that was built in 1725. Two pedestrian-only streets lead away from it, with lots of fun shops and cafes. At a small boutique hotel, the receptionist gave us an in-depth tour and history of the facilities, built on the former house of an 1800's general. Just down the street, we stopped at a little cafe for some juice, and the man behind the counter kept giving us samples of things to try - tepache- a fermented pineapple juice (that was good but a little too kombucha-esque for my liking); coffee with our postre chimichanga (I wish I liked coffee!); homemade chipotle pork that was his own recipe (and it was delicious!!). 

The people here are so welcoming and hospitable. As Roxsana said, "That's Chihuahua!"

The courtyard in the Palacio de Gobierno

We headed up to the former post office, now a museum called Casa Chihuahua. It had wonderful exhibits on the three main regions of the state of Chihuahua, the desert, the llanuras, and the sierras. Mixed in were archeological finds and other historical and artistic pieces, including some pretty impressive statues carved by actor Anthony Quinn, who was born in Chihuahua. Across the street is the Palacio de Gobierno, where the governor's office is located and where Miguel Hildago, known as the father of Mexican Independence, was killed in 1811. The building is now covered in murals and is a memorial to Hildago.



We wandered around the city a bit more, forgetting that it was Monday so several sites were closed. But it was still a lovely day and nice to see more of the local life. In the afternoon, we went to a movie in the giant supermall near my hotel. We watched "Dos metros de ti," - Five Feet Apart, which I had read not long ago. It was fun trying to read the Spanish subtitles and translating it in my head - and it was especially interesting that the ticket cost around US $3.

I'm loving Chihuahua. A wonderful, relaxing place to spend Spring Break!!