#mammothabroad

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Lok Baintan Floating Market | Banjarmasin, Indonesia 10/10 determined to experience a sunset at this floating market

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Recently stumbled upon this playlist. Brb, gonna teleport myself to Paris for a bit, even if only between my ears.

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Piotr Jabłoński | Białystok, Poland

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Mexico City, Mexico

Día cero y uno | October 27 & 28 We flew Volaris red eye to Mexico City Thursday night--if budget is not an issue, I would highly recommend not taking Volaris as they nickel and dime you from your carry-on luggage to a seat w/ ‘extra legroom’ that would be considered normal on other airlines--and arrived in the city at ~5:30a local time.  Coupled with an uncomfortable flight and slight jet lag, getting through Mexico’s Customs was one of the more annoying experiences I’ve had dealing with national security, but as much as I moaned about it, I much prefer they screen everyone to be safe than sorry. Once we got through, Sandy had a driver ready to pick us up and drop us off at our hotels. Jeff and I were staying at Zócalo Central Hotel and as we arrived way earlier than their normal check-in time, we left our luggages with them and went to explore the neighborhood. After picking up Rams from Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico, we went to Azul for some quick bites and heavy morning boozing. At best, the food was mediocre, but their al fresco dining inside a courtyard and under the trees was gorgeous. Afterwards, we walked around the pavilion and checked out some neat shops. Then we dropped off Rams at Zócalo and called an Uber for Pujol.  Making plans to eat here on the first day was both the best and worst decision I’ve made all trip. Pro: I did something non-wedding related (and on the first day too!). Con: A 3.5/4hr meal after 3hrs, possibly less, of sleep on a flight was a terrible, terrible idea. Jeff and I took turns dozing off during the meal and we got agitated with each other--I think our tiredness and agitation took away parts of our experience, but still, Pujol was fantastic and deserves it’s own post. By the time we made it back to Zócalo, it was close to 6p and we had to be at Sandy’s Welcome Dinner by 7.......we snuck in a quick nap and didn’t hear any of our alarms. Thank goodness Rams decided to knock on our door!  The Welcome Dinner was so much fun. Everyone was dressed to the NINES but Sandy told us to wear jeans. Ugh. The food was cheesy, a little heavy, and hella filling. My favorite was the mariachi band and when Sandy’s cousin’s wife and uncle got up to sing with them! After the dinner, a few of us made it to the bars--okay, it ended up just being one bar, Pata Negra, but that’s besides the point--and we got way too drunk for a night-before-the-wedding. One of the things I noticed about Mexico City’s bar scene was that nobody ordered their drinks at the bar. Instead, you order with a server and they relay your order to the bartenders. Anyway, because we were already buzzing from dinner earlier, we crowded near and stayed at the bar all night and ordered directly with the bartender. After cozying up, the bartenders started giving us free shots and drinks! At the end of the night, my tab came out to be $40 USD. For at least 3 shots and 5 drinks. Unbelievable. By the time we made it back to our hotel, we were exhausted and I was near my breaking point.  Día dos | October 29 Saturday marked Sandy’s B I G DAY and there was so much going on. My day was spent waking up at noon just in time for my hair/makeup session, eating Subway, and running around armed with last minute bridesmaids duties.  Before the ceremony, we all went to hangout with Sandy in her room--drank a little champagne, did a few toasts, took a handful of hella pics--and as the cliché goes, there really is no such thing as an ugly bride. Sandy was gorgeous. The Día de los Muertos parade was happening right before Sandy and Cesar’s ceremony and we were warned that the original 3 blocks brisk walk would turn into a 20+min of shoving/frantically following the wedding planner/trying to not get lost in the throng of festival attendees. Once we got to the church, I barely had time to complain about our hoofing it on cobblestones, because I was swept off my feet by how grand and classic the venue looked. Sandy made all her bridesmaids walk down the aisle alone--this was terrifying--and the ceremony itself lasted about an hour. Once over, we hopped over to some arts museum, where the reception was held and it lasted till 5a. As most of us weren’t aware of Daylight Savings ending a week earlier in Mexico, Rams and I were definitely spooked when 1:59a turned into 1a. F-R-E-A-K-Y. In no particular order, everything else I remember about the night: unlimited te-kill-ya shots, unlimited tequila + Sprite, dancers on silts, SERENA WILLIAMS showing up, and the unexpected fall back in time.  Día tres | October 30 Rams and I had planned to go check out Formula 1 on day 3, but we were hungover af, woke up too late for the tracks, and instead: 

Met up with Ioannis/Alex and walked around Zócalo,

Had morning mimosas with Rams/Asim,

Went to Sandy’s post-wedding Hangover brunch at Gran Hotel Ciudad de México,

Wandered around the streets to help Ioannis look for a crystal skull,

Had drinks/hh at El Balcón del Zócalo,

Grabbed tacos, 

Napped at hotel,

Grabbed more tacos,

Watched the one English channel we had available till we fell asleep.

Día dos | October 31 Jeffrey and I were way too ambitious for our last day: wake up early (6/7a early), check out of hotel/check in luggages, go to the Teotihuacán Pyramids, eat tacos, go to airport. None of that happened, because we woke up late, so instead, we:

Checked out of Zócalo Central Hotel/checked in our luggages,

Brunched at El Balcón del Zócalo,

Wandered around Zócalo and explored the streets in and around the square,

Walked through the Cathedral (and the Chapel of Christ and of the Reliquaries happened to be opened to the public--this supposedly happens only twice a year!),

Tried to check out the ruins/National Museum of Anthropology--the museum was closed, but an anthropologist out front gave us a brief history lesson

Watched Karebear get her face painted for Día de los Muertos,

Wandered off on our own,

Checked out churches,

Ate some bomb@$$ potato/asada flautas (4 flautas @ 16MXN--SO. CHEAP.),

Fought with Jeffrey,

Bought postcards and fought some more,

Grabbed our luggages at hotel, called Uber, went to airport

Día dos | November 1 Landed around 11:30p (10/31/16) but realistically, by the time we got home and was actually ready for bed, it was closer to 1:30a. And on the way home, I sadly realized this wraps up my traveling for 2016 :( So glad I don’t have work today; cheers to more travels in the New Year!

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Everything this man does, is fabulous.

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If only we were in Mexico City today instead; we’d be 4 Pesos richer for every USD we had.

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Things that I will never forget about this Mexico trip (or if I do, I at least have this post):

Hating Volaris for ruining my R2D2 carry-on

Eating at Pujol with Jeff

First ever: FIRE shot (layers of absinthe, Hpnotiq, and Jäger) at Pata Negra 

Día de los Muertos happenings during Sandy’s wedding

Seeing the Aztec ruins + walking on top and alongside of/living in Aztec/Spanish history

Finding it endearing that Mexicans will keep talking to you in Spanish even after you’ve muttered, “Perdon, no hablo español.”

The tacos being slightly disappointing :( 

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Pujol | Part 3, Part 2, Part 1