Tag: tostada

Tacos vs. Tostadas

When I first arrived in Mexico City, I used my Lonely Planet guide to find a place to eat. What was I looking to experience? The famous Mexican Taco of course!

Until now, I have been raised a naïve kiwi girl. I thought that traditional Mexican food was the Tex-Mex version that can be found in the shelves of our supermarkets (Ol’ el Paso kits ring a bell for anyone?) and when I felt I had found the Lonely Planet recommended taco place I was raving about how good my taco I ate there was. I only realised my mistake when I returned days later. I saw the place I was actually directed to by the guidebook and discovered that the hard shell taco-resembling meal I had eaten was actually a Chicken Tostada. Nevertheless, I went back to the original hole-in-the-wall and made two pacts to myself:

1. Don’t rely too heavily on Lonely Planet (But use its suggestions to find better, cheaper options nearby!)
2. Learn about Mexican food!

Does this prove the stupidity of tourists…or just of me? Is this a common occurrence? This experience really helped me to see that for a cultured, well travelled girl I am really quite un-cultured and inexperienced. No longer will I assume ANYTHING.

I am happy to say that this experience was the beginning of my ferocious passion for cooking and eating Mexican Cuisine.

Until next time,
Love Erika xx

Acquainting myself with Mexico

My flight finally arrived in Mexico at midnight local time. I had heard many horror stories about this part of the world, and Mexico was my first stop on my own, so I was understandably quite worried about this. However, changing some cash to local pesos and taking a taxi to my hostel ended up being pretty uneventful. In fact, my fear probably caused my only problem: the taxi office short-changed me and I didn’t count my change, as I didn’t want to have my money out in the open for too long. It was only 5 US dollars which I lost though, so its not like It broke the bank. The experience did remind me to be extra careful though.

I woke up just before 8 am the next morning to bright sunshine streaming into my dorm room. I walked onto our tiny balcony to see a gorgeous view from my window. I knew then that I was going to love Mexico City and I headed downstairs to book my room for the rest of the week. I was also quite happy when I discovered that there are only 4 people sleeping in my 12 bed dorm and they are all girls who are travelling alone. I spent the morning having breakfast and thinking about how I wanted to spend my time in DF.

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I headed out to explore the Centro Historical (the old centre) after breakfast to get by bearings and have my first taste of Mexico’s hustle and bustle. I wandered the streets, which were exciting and hectic although I was continuously harassed by buskers and beggars and even more so by men in general. Every time I stopped to sit down, I was approached by Mexican men who exclaimed how beautiful I was and started a conversation. These conversations generally didn’t last long thankfully due to my poor Spanish. Even men arm in arm with women walking down the street were blatantly staring and whistling. I thought that dyeing my hair brunette was supposed to discourage this? I wonder what my experience would have been had I been blonde…One guy had been very offended when I didn’t want to go drink tequila with him right then and there, assuming that I must have turned him down because I didn’t like Tequila, that there couldn’t have been any other reason. At least I know it will be easy enough to make local friends and practice my Spanish!

After my walk I found some lunch at a cute little Tostada shop. I paid US $1 for one tostada and it has kept me full all day! My budget will thank Mexico. After lunch I visited the beautiful Catedral Metropolitana where the Archbishop holds mass on Sundays. The photos which I have taken of the cathedral do not do the place justice, especially as flash was not allowed, but are available to view on my Flickr page.

Until next time,
Erika xx