Experiencing Christmas in another country is always exhilerating. What will be similar? What will be different? This is our first Christmas in Queretaro, Mexico. Lights shaped as Christmas trees and stars hang from the lamp posts. Stores are draped in garlands of poinsettias and sparkling lights, and Christmas music blares out of every doorway and…
When we tell people we live in Queretaro, Mexico, the usual response is “Where’s that?” What people know about Mexico is abbreviated to beaches, cruises and biased media reports. Yes, Mexico has some beautiful beaches on both coasts. A cruise is a nice introduction to Mexico, but it is only a glimpse of what Mexico…
Mexico has excellent wines, and some of our favorites are the Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo blends and Nebbiolo wines from the various regions. One of the bottles of Sauvignon Blanc we tried was from Puerta del Lobo winery located just on the other side of the Queretaro airport from where we live. It was fresh with…
We did quite a bit of research before selecting the greater Queretaro area to relocate to. One thing we did not look into was what are the local food specialties? Call it dumb luck but we were fortunate enough to stumble onto some fairly remarkable local delicacies, most notably carnitas and barbacoa. Carnitas Santa Rosa…
Did you know that Mexico produces and supplies 45% of the world’s avocados? And did you know that Mexico grows 14 varieties of mangoes? One of the highlights of traveling around the world is visiting local markets. Now that we live in Queretaro, the Mercado La Cruz isn’t a tourist attraction for us. It truly…
Chocolate was introduced to Europe in the 16th century, but the indigenous people of Mexico have been consuming chocolate for thousands of years. The Europeans went crazy for this natural caffeine source, and began experimenting with adding sugar, milk and cocoa butter to transform the drink into a solid form that could be eaten. While some may…
The boutique hotel La Casa de la Marquesa is a landmark in Queretaro. It is one of the premium boutique hotels in the Colonial Highlands of Mexico, and it all began with a love story. You can ask any local and they will give you a slightly different version every time, but the foundation of…
We went to the La Glotoneria the other day with our new American friends that we met at Honda (that story later). The Glotoneria is an enclosed area with a bar, playground, a few artist booths, live band and about a dozen food trucks. This is a great place to hangout with friends, family, and…
Mexico is a kaleidoscope of different landscapes. From the beach towns of the Yucatan, wine regions of Baja, the jungles of Oaxaca and mountain ranges twisting their way through dessert and pine forests, it’s hard to choose the perfect place to live. Mexico has something for everyone, from wildlife lovers to allergy sufferers. Big city…