Yes, yes, end of year round-ups can be lame.

Or they can be a valuable chance for us to look back on the year that was and remember just how damn lucky we are. Done right, an end of year round-up can also be a valuable chance for you to get a quick hit of the best of the best tools, tricks, triumphs and truths that made our  Trans-Americas Journey in 2010 and, we hope, inspire you to hit the road yourself in 2011 (or 2012, no pressure).

Obviously, we’re going for a non-lame version here.

First, a few relevant stats:

In 2010 the Trans-Americas Journey…

…explored three countries (Mexico, Belize and Guatemala–though we’re still not through with the latter two)

…traveled 12,662 miles (a slow year for us)

…spent $2,685 on fuel (yikes)

…had zero flat tires (for real)

…bounced over about a billion topes (vicious Latin American speed bumps)

We also spent nearly all 365 nights of 2010 in hotels (when we weren’t lucky enough to be staying with new friends, old friends or family). In no particular order, here are some of the hotel moments that made all that time on the road even better.

Best Robinson Crusoe romance room: Posada del Arquitecto in a multi-level thatch-roofed open-air bungalow perched on a cactus-covered rocky outcrop a couple dozen feet above the Pacific Ocean which crashes dramatically onto the soft sand of Playa Rinconocito in Mazunte, Oaxaca State, Mexico. We snagged Cactus, the mojo-filled cabana the Italian architect owner originally built for himself. This duplex with its own entrance is rustic romance personified with a peep-free location that encourages traipsing around half-naked, a hammock made for two, a petite kitchen (just big enough to chill some beer, whip up some guacamole or a pasta dinner and brew morning coffee) and the sound and sight of those dramatic waves 24/7. There is nothing fancy here. The romance of this room comes from its location and its sense of seclusion–two key qualities that are hard to find.

Best all-inclusive: Generally speaking, we are not all-inclusive beach resort kinds of people. We ARE world-class food, gorgeous decor, impeccable service,  and classy guilt-free indulgences kinds of people which explains why we were so won over by Grand Velas All Suites Spa & Resort Riviera Maya.   Sometimes we play this video (taken from our suite) just to reminisce…

Best check in: Arriving guests at Live Aqua Cancun are greeted by a staffer who sits them down in a comfy chair and proceeds to give them a hand massage. True story.

Best eco bungalows amongst Mayan ruins: The private flight in and the gourmet food say luxury while the deep-jungle setting and the unexcavated Mayan ruins say natural wonders. Both co-exist happily at Chan Chich Lodge in northern Belize, one of the world’s first luxury eco retreats and still one of the most impressive practitioners of the art of combining a sense of really being in nature (the warbling of ocellated turkeys will likely be your wake up call) with cocktail hour.

Best unexpected hotel art collection(s): There’s an arty little secret lurking in Chiapas, Mexico and it’s all thanks to one man. Mario Uvence is an art and antiques dealer and a figure in the Mexican and international art worlds. He is also the owner of  Parador San Juan de Dios hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas and Parador Santa Maria hotel near Lagos de Montebello. Both hotels offer antique-stuffed rooms in meticulously restored buildings. But the real reason to visit is to gain access to the petite but powerful art collections at each property, both run by the Mario Uvence Cultural Foundation. The  gallery at San Juan de Dios is appropriately called Eklektic and it features 17th to 21st century religious sculptures, paintings and other works of art from Chiapas, the Philipines and Europe. We saw pieces here (like a tiny baby Jesus carved out of ivory) that we’ve never seen in any other museum in the world. At Santa Maria’s Museo de Arte Sacro, religious pieces are on show in thoroughly modern displays inside the old bones of a renovated church. The collections, and their surroundings, are equally spectacular.

Best do-no-disturb sign: Privacy is paramount to many of the bold-name guests who check into Condesa df in Mexico City and that’s reflected in their door hang tags which read “No” on one side and “Do Not” on the other.

Best clever hotel web site: We look at a LOT of hotel web sites and we can honestly say we’ve never been as entertained by a hotel web site as much as we were when we stumbled upon the Luz en Yucatan web site. The Luz, a moderately-priced guesthouse in the city of Merida in southern Mexico, offers “amusing accommodations” (a range of spotless, great-value stylish rooms and apartments) in a big converted home in the center of town. One of the rooms at Luz en Yucatan is named after a dearly departed iguana. The rate you pay ($50 –$94) is based on whether you consider yourself  “not at all successful” “moderately successful” or “exceedingly successful.” Rooms are available by the night, week, or month, or, for the existentialist “they are available by the moment.” Whimsical illustrations and a found-object/DIY look add to the charm of the site. Even if you’re not planning a trip to Merida a trip to the Luz en Yucatan web site is time well spent.

Best hotel surprise: It sounds crazy: A French farmhouse-inspired boutique hotel in a tiny Mexican town in Veracruz State. And yet, there it is. A pleasantly weathered bicycle leans against a stone wall. A bowl of limes sits in a colander on a wooden table under a gnarled tree. A pair of jaunty Jack Russell terriers greets you at the door. Your room is sparingly furnished with meticulously-sourced European antiques and Mexican-made replicas of French classics. Meals are made using French techniques and local ingredients. Even the General Manager  is French! Once we simply accepted (and reveled in) the unforced French style and charm of  Maison Couturier this place delivered the most transporting hotel experience we had all year.

Best new hotel (that we stayed at): From bordello to locksmith to one of Mexico’s best new boutique hotels. That’s the journey Hotel Brick has made. We were there soon after its opening and the place had already become a hip magnet in the very hip Roma neighborhood of Mexico City with cooler-than-you crowds of locals at the inviting lobby bar and lounge, La Modern French Brasserie and the downstairs “speakeasy” bar/club. But the neighborhood patrons (eventually) go home which means they miss out on the rooms at Hotel Brick. Despite the long, rich history of the building and the remains of many architectural details the rooms have a modern loft/pied-a-terre look and feel–somehow hip and homey at the same time. Like the neighborhood, Hotel Brick proudly displayed its own unique style and personality right off the bat–an unusual feat for a new hotel.

Best hotel room bathroom: Luscious beauty products, fluffy towels and extravagant shower heads are standard bathroom issue at luxury hotels. But nothing about Las Alcobas in Mexico City is standard issue that that goes double in the bathroom where we were delighted (and a bit alarmed) to find a Toto toilet which has a heated seat, well-aimed cleaning jets and even a blow dryer for your bum. The shower (which has THREE different shower heads) is constructed so that the drain is hidden along one edge, eliminating the need to stand on the drain while showering. The jetted tub automatically flushes and cleans its own jets after each use. Guests are offered a choice of full-size, hand-made, all-natural soaps upon arrival. Did we mention that the bathroom lighting is perfect too?

Best S&M hotel: While walking around Playa del Carmen in Yucatan State, Mexico something caught our eye. Just off  the 5th Avenue pedestrian promenade we spotted a huge building that looked like condos or apartments. On closer inspection it turned out to be a hotel, but not just any hotel. There were mannequins posed on many of the balconies and thousands of red light bulbs illuminated the interior and the exterior. This is Hotel Reina Roja (which means red queen in Spanish) which is owned and designed by an architect from Mexico City. He calls the Reina Roja “Mexican emergent architecture theme hotel” and that about sums it up if your theme involves bondage. Red and black dominate.  The hallways on all floors leading to the rooms are locked and have been turned into quasi-cages with wire fencing (to keep “them” out or to keep us in?). Half-clad mannequins are everywhere–in the restaurant, on balconies, in a cage in the lobby. The maids brush the mannequins’ wigs daily and the staff moves them around and poses them for best effect. It’s equal parts sexy and creepy.

Related posts:

1. Best of the Trans-Americas Journey 2010 – Best Food & Beverages
2. Best of the Trans-Americas Journey 2010 – Best Adventures & Attractions
3. July 4th: A Trans-Americas Journey Retrospective

First, there’s our interview for Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine with Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel, in which Zimmern spills the beans about his favorite daring (but delicious) eats in the United States.
Read about duck tongues and deep-fried headcheese here.

Next up, our review of the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya in Mexico where their five restaurants push this all-inclusive way over the top.
Read about top shelf tequila and tasty foam here.

And on to an inside look (and taste) at Tuna, the latest restaurant from Chef Richard Sandoval, which just opened in the swanky Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.
Read about one of the best cocktails we’ve ever had here.

Not feeling hungry? Check out our profile of all five of  The Haciendas, a group of historic hotels that are  part of the Starwood Luxury Collection. Scattered throughout Campeche and Yucatan states in southern Mexico, Hacienda Uayamon, Hacienda San Jose, Hacienda Puerta Campeche, Hacienda Temozon and Hacienda Santa Rosa represent some of the most unusual hotels in the region.
Read about luxury in the jungle (and killing a scorpion in the shower) here.

Related posts:

1. Our Latest Work: Zacatecas, Mexico
2. Our Latest Work: An Airstream for Everyone
3. Our Latest Work: Horsing Around at the Best Guest Ranches in the U.S. and Mexico

The Ruins of the Aztec City of Teotihuacan

The archaeological site, located about 25 miles from Mexico City at what remains of the pre-Columbian Aztec city of Teotihuchan, was first opened to the public 100 years ago and millions of people have toured the massive complex, known as The Place Where the Gods Were Created, since then. Despite the site’s long history of archeological exploration new discoveries are still being made. Just this year a 400 foot long tunnel that’s believed to be nearly 2,000 years old was unearthed at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world, after the Great Pyramid of Cholula also in Mexico and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

A visit to Teotihuacan can easily take three hours and be prepared for dusty, hot, shade-free conditions and some steep climbs up the nearly 250 foot high Pyramid of the Sun and only slightly smaller Pyramid of the Moon. Though some Mexican women do it in heels we highly recommend sensible shoes.

It's a long, hot, steep climb up the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan near Mexico City.

The Pyramid of the Moon as seen from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan near Mexico City.

The Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan near Mexico City.

A controversial Resplandor Teotihuacano sound and light show is also put on at Teotihuacan but, thankfully, plans to build a Walmart on a section of the ancient city appear to have been defeated.

Looking down the Avenue of the Dead with the Pyramid of the Sun in the background at Teotihuacan near Mexico City..

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Welcome to the world’s most visited Catholic site–yep, more people come to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a short bus/metro ride from the city center, than any other catholic shrine in the world. It’s estimated that around 20 million people a year visit the Basilica. Even Pope John Paul came here and his Mexican Popemobile is still on display.

The Basilica is impossibly packed during the annual Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe which happens every year in December. The festival marks the time of year when, in 1531, the dark-skinned Virgin of Guadalupe is said to have first appeared to an Aztec shepherd named Juan Diego, eventually proving her existence and her miraculous powers by imprinting an image of herself onto his clothes.

The weirdly modern looking new Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (left) next to the old basilica which is literally sinking into the ground under its own weight.

This leads us to the main reason the faithful (and the curious) flock to the Basilica. The actual tilma or apron that Diego was wearing at the time of his encounter with the virgin is said to be exhibited in the weirdly modern new Basilica which was built after it was discovered that the elegant, stately original stone basilica is literally sinking under its own weight. The old basilica was closed for repairs for a while but it’s open now and despite engineer’s best efforts you still walk uphill into the sagging church when you cross the threshold.

This statue on the grounds of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe shows Juan Diego showing the bishop the miracle of the Virgin of Guadalupe's image printed onto his shepherd's clothes.

But we digress. Back to the miracle shroud. What’s said to be Diego’s actual tilma bearing the actual image of the Virgin seared there in 1531 is framed and hung on a wall underneath the altar in the new basilica. A back-and-forth sets of moving sidewalks slowly ferry people from left to right, then right to left in front of the relic. Tears flow, cameras snap, eyebrows raise.

Relic or not, this framed image of the Virgin of Guadalupe underneath the altar in the new Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe near Mexico City attracts millions of the faithful plus a few of the just plain curious.

The Xochimilco Canals

Mexico City is built on a swamp which was originally tamed by the Aztecs using a clever network of canals and bridges. Today, most of the Mexico City valley has been reclaimed as solid ground but 17 miles to the south in Xochimilco you can still experience the original watery ways.

Here, brightly painted hand-propelled boats called trejineras ply the waters taking tourists and locals alike through a network of calm waterways that make up this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Food and beer and trinket vendors sidle up in their own boats as do mariachis eager for a commission. It’s a festive atmosphere best shared with family and friends.

Colorful boats called trajineras ply the tranquil waters of the ancient Xochimilco canals near Mexico City.

Colorful boats called trajineras ply the tranquil waters of the ancient Xochimilco canals near Mexico City.

Mariachis on a trajinera on the Xochimilco canals give new meaning to the term "roving minstrel."

The UNAM Campus

The full name of this massive campus is the National Autonomous University of Mexico or the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Whatever you call it this is widely considered to be the best university in Latin America.

At least 7 Mexican Presidents and other assorted political figures have attended UNAM plus big Mexican literary figures and, weirdly, William F. Buckley who attended UNAM in 1943.

UNAM is 100 years old this year and the main campus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to the 1950s. The campus earned UNESCO status in large part because of the stunning convergence of architecture and art. The campus was designed by Mexican architects Mario Pani and Enrique del Moral but its vaguely revolutionary, certainly progressive look and feel can be credited to a much larger group of creative types who the architects collaborated with including sixty engineers and artists worked like David Alfaro Siquieros, Diego Rivera and Juan O’Gorman.

UNAM is also home to Olympic Stadium which was  built in 1956 and which hosted the tumultuous 1968 Summer Olympics.

The Central Library on the UNAM campus in Mexico City is covered in mosaics by Juan O'Gorman.

Torre de Rectoria on the UNAM campus in Mexico City is covered in murals by David Alfaro Siqueiros. This one, "Las fechas de las historia de Mexico" (The dates of Mexico's histsory) includes dates representing key events in Mexican history: 1520 (the Spanish conquest), 1810 (independence from Spain), 1857 (writing of the constitution) and 1910 (the Mexican revolution). The final date simply reads "19??."

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Related posts:

1. Mountain Bliss – Tapalpa, Jalisco, Mexico
2. Basic Beach Bliss- Barra de Navidad, Jalisco, Mexico
3. The Mind-Blowing Museums of Mexico City – Mexico City, Mexico

The Angel of Independence is not technically in the Centro Historico, but it is the official symbol of Mexico City. Get here early enough on a weekend morning and you can score a pass that lets you (and a strictly limited number of others) climb into the statue's pedestal up to a small observation deck.

Mariachi cops patrol the Plaza Alameda near the Centro Historico in Mexico City.

The gloriously Art Nouveau and Art Deco Palacio de Bellas Artes is home to wonderful live performances and some of the most iconic murals in Mexico.

Mexico City's Catedral Metropolitana is the largest and oldest cathedral in The Americas.

Grand tiled buildings dot the streets of central Mexico City's Centro Historico. This one happens to house a terrific BBQ chicken joint on the ground level and is on the same block as our beloved Cafe Popular.

Welcome to Mexico City's central post office. The opulent architecture of what's fittingly called Palacio Postal almost makes paying nearly US$1 for a post card stamp from Mexico to the US worth it...

Old and (somewhat) new mingle like friends in Mexico City's Centro Historico. The Torre Latinoamericana was the tallest building in Latin America when it was built and Mexico City's tallest building from 1956 until 1984.

The Palacio de Bellas Artes and Plaza Alameda as seen from the observation deck of the Torre Latinoamericana.

The bright lights of Mexico City as seen from the observation deck of the Torre Latinoamericana.

Mariachi's outside the brand new Tequila Museum in Plaza Garibaldi in Mexico City.

Ideal Bakery is a massive, delicious and addictive institution in Mexico City's Centro Historico.

Cafeteria El Cuadrilatero is owned by famous lucha libre star Super Astro. The wall of costumes from other famous lucha libre wrestlers is interesting and we appreciate the challenge of The Gladiator (if you eat this massive sandwich in 15 minutes or less it

We have no idea why, but Mexico City's Centro Historico is peppered with perfumeries ready, willing and able to craft a custom perfume or copy your favorite at a fraction of the price.

Classic 19th Century architecture in Mexico City's Centro Historico.

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Related posts:

1. The Mind-Blowing Museums of Mexico City – Mexico City, Mexico
2. Cortés the Settler (welcome to the first town in the New World) – Veracruz State, Mexico
3. It’s A (Very) Small World

This macrame bus was parked on a street as a semi-permanent art installation in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City.

Roma

The Roma neighborhood is most like New York’s East Village or Brooklyn before it got all fancy. Roma’s got grit, but it’s attractive grit with a youthful energy and an open mind. The shady sidewalks have cracks and the occasional spilled garbage can and they’re generally filled with hipsters in DIY fashion, big guys walking tiny dogs, people carrying yoga mats, you get the picture.

Gay pride flags are increasingly common in Roma and we once walked past a skate shop here that was staffed by slouchy teenage guys playing with a real live lion cub in the middle of the shop. True story.

Roma is also home to our beloved Non Solo Panino café and restaurant located on tranquil Plaza Luis Cabrera. We still love it for laid back people watching, a real slice of the neighborhood and generally affordable bistro style eats even though they raised their wine-by-the-glass price from 25 pesos to 40 pesos (about US$3.00) since the last time we were there.

Brand new Hotel Brick in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City is buttoned-up and super-cool at the same time.

Best bed: The brand new Hotel Brick does the best job we’ve seen lately of melding hip (the hotel’s bar, lounge and restaurants have become instant hits with Roma locals who help create a vibrant scene most nights) and full-service. Like the neighborhood it’s in, this hotel manages to be buttoned-up and bohemian at the same time.

The lobby bar of the brand new Hotel Brick in the Roma neighborhood.

Condesa

Welcome to Soho, Mexico style! You can’t swing a cat without hitting a model or an actor in the cooler-than-you Condesa neighborhood where the stores are expensive, dinner starts at 10 and you’d better be on the guest list.

The fairly competitive/on display vibe is tempered by big leafy parks and plenty of cafes and bars to wind down in.  Mexico City’s admirable Eco Bici program–which has placed hundreds of bicycles for short or long-term use in automated kiosks across the city–has really taken off in the relatively-traffic free streets of Condesa.

Just a few of the hundreds of bicycles that are part of Mexico City's Eco Bici bike-for-rent program.

Best bed: Condesa df hotel has anchored this neighborhood for years and continues to provide spaces for the cool to congregate, particularly the rooftop bar. Do not miss the tiny but chicly-stocked hotel store.

A vintage car/art installation in front of Condesa df hotel in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City.

Rooms at Condesa df hotel, in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City, are simply chic with views out to the leafy streets.

Welcome to the enormous patio that's part of Condesa df hotel's verison of a Presidential Suite. It's located just below the hotle's A-list roof lounge (is that Bono at the bar?).

Even the hang tags at Condesa df hotel have attitude.

Polanco

On the surface the Polanco neighborhood reminds us more of Beverly Hills than New York but after a day or two its charmingly diverse and gritty side shows itself and makes us feel right at home–if a bit underdressed.

The main four lane boulevard through Polanco is a shopper’s Shangri La with gleaming stores from Hermes to Chanel to Marc Jacobs to Bulgari to Tiffany, just to name a few. In fact, women come here from around the world to get their hands on the season’s must-have waiting-list-only items which tend to be easier to score here than at stores in Manhattan or Los Angeles where you’re competing with so many more shoppers.

Polanco is also where Mexico City’s sizable Jewish population is centered and there are synagogues and Kosher food stores and restaurants like Kleins were we ordered a corned beef sandwich which was positively anorexic by New York standards but was still passable.

What passes for a corned beef sandwich at Klein's in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.

This is also the neighborhood where Carlos Slim’s new US$750 million mushroom-esque Soumaya Museum (named after his late wife), will be when it opens (theoretically) next month. And Mexican-born chef Richard Sandoval just opened his latest restaurant, Tuna, in Polanco. Read our full profile of Tuna restaurant for iTraveliShop.

Best bed: We’ve come to think of Hotel Las Alcobas as a boutique hotel version of the nearby Four Seasons. Perfect service, perfect amenities, perfect design, perfect location.

Another perfect element at Hotel Las Alcobas in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.

Another perfect element at Hotel Las Alcobas in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.

We've come to think of Hotel Las Alcobas in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City as a boutique version of a Four Seasons--it's that perfect.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe may not be the first most logical choice for a purely leisure traveler visiting Mexico City since it’s not convenient to the main attractions and museums. However, it’s a bit like Fifth Avenue with its mix of spending money (fancy stores, including one of only two Saks Fifth Avenue stores outside the US–the other one is in Dubai) and making money (corporate headquarters), making it ideal for business travelers.

Best bed: The new Distrito Capital hotel delivers some of the most exciting design we’ve seen plus awesome views over the Mexico City valley (all hotel rooms are located on the top three floors of an apartment tower).

The pool/lounge off an inviting open-air bar at Distrito Capital Hotel in the Santa Fe neighborhood of Mexico City.

Stark, playful rooms also boast unbeatable views over Mexico City at Distrito Capital Hotel in the Santa Fe neighborhood.

A bathtub with a view over the Mexico City valley from Distrito Capital Hotel in the Santa Fe neighborhood.

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1. The Mind-Blowing Museums of Mexico City – Mexico City, Mexico
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The only place in Mexico where you'll see a sculpture of Chac Mool, the Mayan god of rain, of this quality is in the Museo Nacional de Antropología.

Museo Nacional de Antropología – The mother of all Mexico City museums (and one of the largest, most comprehensive and most respected anthropology museums in the world) sprawls over 100,000 square feet and includes eye-popping artifacts from every epoch of Mexican cultural development. Fuel up for the culture onslaught at the Super Tortas stand near the museum entrance. Just follow the crowds for a great sandwich. Note: this is one of the few museums that does not allow foreigners in for free on Sundays—just Mexican nationals.

One of the many treasures in the Museo Nacional de Antropología is this Aztec Sun Stone (Piedra del Sol). This 25-ton intricately carved basalt slab describing Aztec life is 12 feet in diameter and was carved in the late 1400s, then lost until it was discovered buried beneath the Zócalo in 1790.

The Olmecs created some of the most distinctive art including this emblematic colossal head, seen in the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City and practically nowhere else.

Museo Rufino Tamayo – Not far from the Anthropology Museum lies this tidy museum houses the artist’s collection and rotating modern art exhibits. When we were there only one small, thin exhibit was open but when all the exhibition spaces are in use this is a great place for cutting edge contemporary art.

Museo de Arte Modern – There’s not an artifact in sight at this museum, also within walking distance of the Anthropology Museum, making it a nice way to look into the future after you’ve gotten your fill of gawking at the past.

This partial reconstruction of the massive Temple of Quetzalcoatl from Teotihuacán is a highlight of the Museo Nacional de Antropología. For scale, note the young girl walking past the display in the lower right hand corner.

Museo Mural Diego Rivera – Diego Rivera’s famous 15m x 4m mural “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park” is displayed here along with a small collection of surprisingly traditional and contemplative religious art.

Diego Rivera's famous 15m x 4m mural "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park" is displayed at the Museo Mural Diego Rivera in Mexico City.

Museo Templo Mayor – Located just off  the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main plaza, this indoor/outdoor museum takes visitors along a series of walkways over, through and around areas of excavation which reveal a treasure trove of  Aztec artifacts found beneath what is now modern Mexico City. In fact, this was the great city of Tenochtitlan, the seat of the Aztec empire, and the very reason why Cortes and the conquistadors built their church (the Catedral Metropolitana which still stands) and their main city (now Mexico City) on this very spot. It’s an unusual feeling to be admiring ancient artifacts and art with the modern Mexico City skyline all around you.

Mexico City's Castillo de Chapultepec Museo Nacional de Historia looks like a European castle for a reason.

Castillo de  Chapultepec Museo Nacional de Historia - The Castillo de Chapultepec (castle of the grasshopper) is eerily European looking, and for good reason. Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph of Austria lived here with his wife after being put in charge of Mexico by the French (who were angry that Mexico had refused to pay its debts) with the support of Mexicans eager for better government. Now the hilltop castle is a wonderful history museum with fantastic views over Chapultepec Park and right up Avenida Reforma into the city center. The archduke’s swanky living quarters are a treat to see too.

This "Retablo de la Independencia" mural by Juan O'Gorman adorns one of the walls inside the Castillo de Chapultepec Museo Nacional de Historia in Mexico City.

Galeria de Historia  Museo del Caracol – Just below the Castillo de Chapultepec National History Museum this clever building, which curves in on itself like snail shell (hence the name), is full of chronologically arranged dioramas depicting major moments in Mexican history. Great for kids and anyone (like us) who could use a crash course in Mexico’s complicated past.

Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes – This beautiful theater in the centro, worthy of a visit just for its architecture, is also a wonderful place to see some of the most iconic works from some of Mexico’s most iconic muralists (including Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros) which adorn the theater walls.

This wall gives you some idea why the other name for the Museo de Frida Kahlo, in the artist's home in Mexico City, is Casa Azul.

Museo de Frida Kahlo (Casa  Azul) – For every one thing that Frida Kahlo revealed about herself in her art she seems to have hidden 10 more. Walking around the house she lived in, including her bedroom, almost feels like an invasion. The collection includes  pieces of Communist propaganda that Kahlo and Rivera did in addition to the work we know and love. Tickets include entry to the Museo Anahuacalli (see below).

Museum of Mexico City – When we were there this small central museum had an awesome retrospective of memorabilia from the world of lucha libre including information about early female lucheras. There was also a great collection of models and photos chronicling some of architect Luis Barragan’s work in the city.

A whimsical modern take on classic catrinas at the Museo Arte Popular in Mexico City.

Museo Arte Popular – Playful takes on classic Mexican art forms and iconography make this museum, near the Alameda, the perfect antidote if you’re suffering from artifact-overdose. The museum gift shop is also full of affordable and adorable gifts as well as collectible investments in silver jewelry or handmade shawls and other traditional fabrics.

We like to call this piece "Frijole Jesus." It's just one example of the playful take on Mexican artistic techniques and imagery on display at the Museo Arte Popular in Mexico City.

Museo Franz Mayer – In addition to the stunning and wide-ranging personal collection of Franz Mayer, when we visited this museum was also exhibiting the 2010 World Press Photo Award winners including awesome work from from photojournalists around the world.

An art car version of Mexico's national car, the Volkswagen Beetle, at the Museo Arte Popular in Mexico City.

Museo Casa-Estudio Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera – These connected houses/studios in a lovely affluent neighborhood of Mexico City were both home and workplace to the power couple of Mexican contemporary art. It’s full of atmosphere plus you get to see things like Frida’s bathtub–one of the few Frida moments that feels truly intimate. Diego’s studio is bohemian enough to inspire even the most un-artistic among us. Maybe it’s the power of his size 14 shoes left on the floor in the studio…

The exterior of Museo Casa-Estudio Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera in Mexico City.

Museo Nacional de la Estampa – A collection of historically and artistically important pieces of graphic art (estampa means print in Spanish) are housed in a gorgeous building near the Zócalo. We loved the collection of tiny illustrated children’s books.

The sculpture-filled grounds of the Museo Dolores Olmedo in Mexico City.

Museo Dolores Olmedo – Dolores Olmeda is said to have been one of Diego Rivera’s lovers but her eponymous museum and collection reflects a love of Mexico, not just a love of Rivera. The gorgeous and tranquil home and grounds are bursting with pieces from Rivera (and Frida Kahlo) and other classic Mexican artists as well as a pack of  Xoloitzcuintlis, an ancient hairless dogs, and a fabulous and informative collection of top-shelf examples of crafts from around Mexico. For us, this museum provided a better (and certainly much more relaxing) overview of the work of Rivera and Kahlo than any other museum we visited in the city. The gift shop is exquisite.

Diego Rivera maintains a commanding presence at the Museo Dolores Olmedo in Mexico City.

One of these hairless Mexican dogs, called Xoloitzcuintlis, at the Museo Dolores Olmeda in Mexico City is a statue. Can you tell which one?

Labortorio Arte de Alameda – Near the centro you will find an old church which is now a cutting edge temple to boundary-pushing multi-media art installations that gleefully tackle taboo subjects.  It’s by far the most avant-garde museum we visited in Mexico City and it feels like a gallery/art space that would fit right into the Manhattan or Brooklyn art scenes.

Ones that got away…

Though we’ve visited Mexico City three times (for a total of over three weeks) on our Trans-Americas Journey, most recently to take part in the Bicentennial celebrations including fireworks, President Felipe Calderón’s Grito and other highlights, we have still not manage to visit all of the museums we want to see in the city.  Here are a few that got away but which we hope to get to one day!

Though we visited the Guadalupe Basilica (more on that in an upcoming post), the Museo y Santuario de Nuestra Señora Virgen de Guadalupe was closed by the time we got there.

We never made it out to Museo Anahuacalli, the dramatic pyramd-inspired museum designed by Diego Rivera to house his collection of more than 50,000 pieces of pre-Hispanic art.

We managed to be in Mexico City in between shows at the La Coleccion Jumex. The ubiquitous Mexican juice company has an impressive private art collection and hosts temporary shows that are open to the public in a big space just outside central Mexico City as long as you make a reservation and time your visit to coincide with one of their temprorary shows. Otherwise there’s nothing to see as their private collection really is private. We hear Jumex is planning a new museum in town which will be more easily accessible.

And we didn’t call to make a reservation far enough in advance (they require two weeks notice) to gain entry to Casa Luis Barragán which is famous as much for the architecture as the contents. This UNESCO site is the former home of ground-breaking architect Luis Barragán and it’s a must for art and design buffs.

We didn’t make it to the new museum from the world’s richest man (Mexico’s Carlos Slim) for one very good reason: it’s not open yet. But we did drive by the construction site and get an eyeful of the enormous mushroom-like shell of the structure (being designed by Slim’s son-in-law) in the chi-chi Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City. The $750 million new branch of Slim’s Museo Soumaya, named after his deceased wife, is expected to open in November though that seems ambitious to us.

TIP

At most museums in Mexico Sunday is free day for all citizens and often even for foreigners. Pro: the chance to save some money. Con: huge crowds at the most popular museums.

And now, the burning question we promised you: Art or commerce?

Post a comment and let us know what you think about the fact that the Mexican government just issued a brand new 500 peso note—picturing Diego Rivera on one side and Frida Kahlo on the other.

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Taco Taste Test – Mexico City, Mexico

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Here’s where we’ve been in September 2010–and some places we didn’t get to because of road closures due to the hurricane damage and landslides that have marked this year’s epic rainy season here in Mexico.

We started the month on the Pacific Coast in Acapulco. After a few days exploring Acapulco’s faded glory we headed north to Taxco with a stop at the Parque Nacional Grutas de Cacahuamilpa which turned out to be some of the largest with the most intricate natural formations that we’ve seen.

From the hilly, cobbled streets of Taxco we went to another extreme: Nevado Toluca, a volcano that’s the fourth highest peak in Mexico at more than 15,000 feet. Here we were foiled by road closures again, but we can’t blame the weather for this one. Apparently, the road to the top of the volcano has been closed for a couple of years now…

From Toluca we traveled to Mexico City for our third visit to this amazing city in the course of our Trans-Americas Journey. Of all of our visits to the capital this was, by far, our easiest entry. Light traffic, no police hassles, just perfect.

Then on to Puebla and Cholula before we headed toward Tlacotalpan and Los Tuxlas in Veracruz State on the Gulf Coast. We say toward because the road in front of us was closed yet again thanks to hurricane damage and continuing flooding. With very little daylight left we headed back the way we came, then diverted into Puerto Veracruz.

Stay tuned for more about all of these destinations in upcoming blog posts. For now, check out the map, below.

September 2010 Driving Route – Mexico

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Before we get a tidal wave of territorial taco tirades from folks who believe that they (and only they) know where to find the best tacos in Mexico’s capital city let us say one thing: this is not intended to be the last word on Mexico City tacos. Heaven forbid.

Okay, this taco stand is NOT in Mexico City (it's in Tuxtla Guitierrez), but we love the sense of humor in the name.

This is merely our take on the tastiest tacos we’ve tasted in Mexico City (so far) at places that are not mobile street vendors. Here we’ve focused on another level of tacos—one where there are tables and chairs and a permanent location and a cadre of loyal diners. For its combination of value, tastiness and sheer entertainment we prefer Los Paisas, but you be the judge…

A stack of el pastor meat on the spit--El Tizoncito in Mexico City claims to have invented this style of taco.

Name: El Tizoncito

Neighborhood: Condessa (though there are outposts across the city and across Mexico)

Vibe: Holier than thou. This place (the original installment of a chain) claims to have invented the ubiquitous tacos al pastor and its unique method of slowly grilling a cone-shaped stack of meat on a vertical rotating spit (like a gyro). This is like opening up a snack shop in Chicago and saying you invented hot dogs.

Strong suit: Um…

Insider tip: The al pastor tacos at El Tizoncito come with a fairly goopy, slightly sweep sauce on them—something we’ve never seen on any other tacos al pastor and which we do not generally consider a plus.

La cuenta: The al pastor tacos at El Tizoncito were, by far, the  most expensive we’ve ever had and really nothing special. In the end, we felt like we were paying for their claim to fame as the inventors.

And this isn't even a particularly busy day at Taqueria Los Paisas in Mexico City.

Name: Taqueria Los Paisas

Neighborhood: On the ddge of the Centro Historic

Vibe: Working man—and it’s always packed with working men and working women. Though there is a long comunal table with stools, be prepared for standing room only and join the crowd on the sidewalk.

Strong suit: A bar of DIY taco toppings which include grilled cactus, chunky potato salad and plump beans in addition to the usual salsas and limes. Pile on as much as you want. The handmade tortillas score points too.

Insider tip: The mustachioed grill master loves to practice his English and show off his considerable taco tossing skills. Smile at him and he’ll give you a goofy show.

La cuenta: 12 pesos (about $1.00) for a huge and hearty taco filled with thin slices of beef bursting at the seams with all the toppings you want.  Tacos al pastor and chorizo tacos are even more affordable.

The goofy grill master at Los Paisas puts on a show as he cooks up your food.

Name: Taqueria El Farolito

Neighborhood: Condesa  (though there are other outposts around the city)

Vibe: Jealous. It’s just not as cool as El Califa (see below) which is right across the street.

Strong suit: They serve their tacos with two tortillas so you can split up the ample fillings and their beef tacos come with the meat conveniently chopped for less-messy eating.

Insider tip: Our friend Crispin, who used to live and work in this neighborhood, swears by the tacos Campechano with special sauce here.

La cuenta: At 18 pesos for an al pastor taco and 34 pesos (nearly $US2.75) for a beef taco this place is on the pricey side, even for a fancy sit down taco joint in a hip neighborhood.

Name: Taqueria El Califa

Neighborhood: Condesa (though there are other outposts around the city)

Vibe: The model moms, hipster students and other so-called “Califans” seem to be saying “We’re only here to fuel up on our way to (or from) somewhere even cooler.”

Strong suit: All staff members wear black t-shirts with cool graphic representations of their jobs. The delivery guys’ shirts , for example, have stylized moto-scooters on them. Some of the waiters shirts have a classic waiter’s apron printed along the bottom.  Other waiters wear a great t-shirt that says “Gringa” on the top (referencing a popular type of snack) over a picture of a buxom, half-clad American pin-up. Also, El Califa also provides a tower of salsas, tasty re-fried beans and fresh tortilla chips on the table.

Insider tip: They’ll deliver (even to your hotel) until 4 am and the place is a convivial mob scene on Sunday afternoons.

La cuenta: Their copyrighted beef “Gaona’s” tacos are 38 pesos (without cheese) but we thought the common, everyday, non-copyrighted bistek (beef steak) tacos were tastier and they were more reasonable at 22 pesos (about US$1.70) and their tasty al pastor tacos were just 11 pesos.

This post is part of the Lonely Planet BlogSherpa Travel Blog Carnival hosted this time by Kat over at Tie Dye Travel. The Carnival is hosted every two weeks by a BlogSherpa member. The topic this time is Food Around the World.

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And so it was in Mexico this past week as the people marked 200 years of independence from Spain with celebrations that honored the past and, we hope, emboldened many Mexicans to face the future with the power of pride.

We were lucky enough to be part of the goings-on in Mexico City and here we present some of our Best-Of moments from the parade, the crowd, President Felipe Calderón’s ode to the Grito de Dolores (watch our video) all the way to the mind-blowing spectacle of the finale fireworks (watch our video).

Check out our video compiled while we walked through the performers and the crowds across Mexico City and then from the press box in the Zócalo on the night of September 15, 2010, followed by photos of key moments from the festivities.

Eerie Dia del Muerto (Day of the Dead) figures in the parade down Avenida de la Reforma in Mexico City marking the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

Women representing the colorful arts-and-crafts culture in Mexico march in the parade down Avenida de la Reforma in Mexico City marking the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

Dancers in Aztec costumes march in the parade down Avenida de la Reforma in Mexico City marking the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

A woman representing the colorful arts-and-crafts culture in Mexico march in the parade down Avenida de la Reforma in Mexico City marking the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

Larger-than-life Zapatistas march in the parade down Avenida de la Reforma in Mexico City marking the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

When we saw our first bicentennial countdown clock in Mexico it showed more than 600 days until the celebrations. Here's what the clock said as we entered the Zócalo.

The Presidential Palace on the Zócalo all dressed up for the bicentennial party.

The Zócalo, Mexico City's main plaza, was decorated from tip to toe.

A float version of the sacred serpent Kulkukan entering the Zócalo during celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

The parade even took to the sky with this floating Angel of Independence.

This gold and silver inflated dragon reminded us of the floats above the streets of Manhattan during the Thanksgiving Day Parade, only better.

The Coloso, that huge man standing by the flagpole, was not our favorite part of the party but he does represent the strength of the nation.

Mexican President Felipe Calderón waving the flag after a rousing ode to Hidalgo's 200-year-old grito.

VIPs packed the balconies of the Presidential Palace including (from mid left) crooner Vicente Fernandez (white hair), the new Miss Universe Mexican model Ximena Navarrete (in the sash) and in the blue mask, Lucha Libre icon the Blue Demon Jr.

As a warm up to the fireworks, the Presidential Palace roof was turned into a stage for choreographed fire balls.

A massive fireworks display over the Zócalo in Mexico City marked the end of a night spent celebrating the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

A massive fireworks display over the Zócalo in Mexico City marked the end of a night spent celebrating the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

A massive fireworks display over the Zócalo in Mexico City marked the end of a night spent celebrating the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

One pooped parader.

1810-2010: 200 years of Mexican independence from Spain.

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It’s being called the biggest fireworks display in Mexico’s history and we believe it. For more than 15 minutes the sky lit up and the ground shook as hundreds of well-choreographed pirotecnias were let loose. These included a bunch of fireballs that turned into spinners which were mounted on stands affixed to the façade of the massive Catedral Metropolitana on the Zócalo, turning the historic building into an architectural version of a castillo, the fireworks towers normally made out of bamboo which are part of almost every celebration in cities and towns across the country.

About mid-way into the fireworks show, the wind shifted and began carrying smoke and ash created by the massive display right over the crowd, at times obscuring some of the light and color. But even that didn’t really dampen the effect. See for yourself in our video, below, beginning with the “concert of flames” from the roof of the Presidential Palace.

You even get a glimpse of the brand new 2010 Miss Universe, Mexico’s own Ximena Navarrete, who was on a balcony just above us. Look closely near the end of the video and you’ll also see the distinctive white-haired Vicente Fernández on the balcony too–one of Mexico’s most iconic living singers.

And if you haven’t already seen it, watch our video of President Felipe Calderón delivering the traditional ode to Hidalgo’s Grito Mexicano which sparked the Mexican War of Independencein the first place…

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