Three reasons to love Puebla

It’s no secret, we LOVE Mexico and we happily tell anyone about the fond memories we have of spending time there. The food, the people, the weather and the history make Mexico a street explorer’s dream. So it should come as no surprise that, when we were invited back by our friends at Tourism Mexico and AeroMexico, we jumped at the opportunity to experience a new part of the country we hadn’t visited.

In May, we headed to the enchanting state of Puebla. The itinerary promised jaw-dropping churches, authentic restaurants and the opportunity to learn more about the country’s rich history and traditions. Puebla was a natural fit for our traveling style allowing us to spend our time doing what we love most: exploring on foot, eating delicious food and learning some history as well.

The Architecture
The majority of our journey was spent in the city of Puebla where we wandered from one amazing structure to the next. Our favourite attraction was the massive and ornate Capilla del Rosario where every inch of the interior seemed to be coated in gold.

We also had the chance to visit two of the other magical towns in the state, Atlixco and Cholula. Cholula is a history buff’s dream with the town’s focal point being an ancient Aztec pyramid topped with a brilliant yellow catholic church. We walked through the tunnels dug by the archaeologists who originally discovered the pyramid. It was a fascinating experience (not recommended for the claustrophobic) and was followed by a short but steep walk to the top of the pyramid where the church opens up to an expansive view of the city below.

Next to the church and pyramid was Museo Regional de Cholula, built inside an old psychiatric hospital. We got lost with our cameras in hand exploring the long hallways, arches and landscaping of the beautiful grounds. During our explorations, we stumbled upon the museum’s resident cat and her three tiny kittens. Who doesn’t love kittens?

Another stop that should not be missed is the beautiful Museo Internacional del Barroco, designed by renowned Japanese architect Toyo Ito. We loved photographing the building’s unique and minimal exterior and its open centre courtyard featuring an endlessly swirling pool surrounded by sparsely placed but perfectly manicured trees.

The Food
When we travel we love creating little rituals that help us connect with the locals.

Every morning, we got up early, grabbed our cameras and headed to the local juice bar where we started our day with a fresh green juice, a medley of spinach, orange, parsley, cucumber, celery and cactus. The owners, a married couple who have owned the shop for 18 years, taught us a few new Spanish words every morning.

One of our favourite rituals in the early evening was retiring to the mezcal lounge at our hotel. There were always local mariachi performing, and the cool evening breeze in our window seat perch helped us unwind while we were sipping mezcal and beer. Actually, we wish we were there right now!

The Pottery
Before we left for Puebla we promised each other that under no circumstances would we bring pottery home with us. That all changed when we stepped foot into the Talavera De La Reyna studio.

This Talavera is something different. A mix of traditional shapes and techniques combined with modern painting style and patterns. Talavera De La Reyna pieces are absolutely unique. Our tour led us through the factory and we learned all about the rich history and artistry that goes into making each piece of Talavera. It takes three months to complete  a single piece of this often useable art. We then held up the whole tour group combing through the showroom in search of the perfect piece to bring home with us. Truth be told, Tina wanted to bring an entire set of dishes home. Unfortunately, she had already filled the extra room in her suitcase with mezcal.

Once again, we left Mexico in love and swept off our feet by a country full of kind-hearted, funny and beautiful people.

The only thing for us to figure out now is which part of Mexico to visit next!