A weekend inside a traditional Mexican home.

There is a little town somewhere that's filled with cobblestone streets, a main square that's bustling with the sounds of people, and street after street of traditional Mexican houses decorated with bright colours and iron-wrought balconies. 

This little town is called Tequisquiapan, and it is located in the southwestern part of the state in which I live. Since it is a quiet, peaceful town and it also houses the National Cheese & Wine Festival, it is a very popular tourist attraction filled to the brim with weekend homes.

This past weekend, my family and I decided to head for Tequisquiapan in honor of my Grandmother's birthday celebration. It is only safe for me to say that while the world was going crazy celebrating Valentine's Day, I was having the perfect getaway at a traditional Mexican house, which I then decided to share with you guys on the blog. 

So, welcome to our little piece of paradise! 

Frankly, I was really excited to get to spend the weekend with every member of my extended family. I think it's mostly because my aunts tell the most hilarious stories from their childhood & we all have a good laugh while the smell of BBQ fills in every space. 

Immediately after we arrived, my little cousins squealed at the sight of the pool. It was only so bad that the day was cloudy and cold (not that it stopped them for long, anyway). 

It was a thrill to see everyone having so much fun. There were Foosball Tournaments going on constantly and the swings/slide weren't unoccupied for long. 

Eventually, light rain started falling. The kids were exhausted and our hopes of having a bonfire had pretty much vanished. 

Thankfully, I could still hear the sounds of laughter in the kitchen and I was very surprised to come in and find my Mom and aunts gathered around the dining room table, having coffee and warm bread, and sharing stories with my oldest cousins (read, making everyone crack up with their jokes). 

The next morning I woke up surprisingly early and decided to take a stroll around the grounds, in order to snap most of the photos you see in this post. 

As usual, I was very pleased to find some quirky spots, like the well standing in a far off corner in the garden, and a hidden (very well locked) shed (?) at the very, very back of the property. 

However, my absolute favourite moment was walking through the gardens and finding out these beauties were in full bloom. 

A couple of hours later, we had all packed our bags and were all walking around Tequisquiapan's Main Square. 

Just like the City Centre at home, Tequisquiapan is full of stores and restaurants that gather tourists and locals alike. 

For the first time in a million years, I saw only one globero (balloon seller) sitting around. Presumably, since Valentine's had been the day before, he was having a pretty slow day. 

We hadn't been around too long before it was time to leave. On our way back  we passed some pretty off-beat streets with the most awesome-looking buildings. Even though we don't do it often, it's always a treat to come to this tiny, magic town. 

See you soon, Tequisquiapan. 

(And Happy [belated] Valentine's Day, everyone!)

P.S. I forgot to mention this in my last post, but I was astounded by all the positive comments I received when I wrote about not going back to India. I hadn't expected that post to have so many readers (at all!). Special thanks to those who reached out and said something particularly nice (Shout out to Dang & Saket: Your words made my day!). 

The warm feeling of home.

One of my favourite things to do at home (and the one I miss the most when I'm gone), is being able to roam the streets of the Historic City Centre. 

It is here where some of the most special moments for my country have taken place, like the Independence Conspiracies at the ancient Mayor's Home or the signing of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 (which is still in force!). 

However, I love visiting the City Centre because it is there where the smell of Mexican snacks blends with the laughter of kids playing in the parks, the voices of the balloon vendors and the thousand colors of the tiny stalls aligned one after the other. 

This week I went out to get to lost in the streets in order to be able to share some photos of my town (yes, it's mine!) over here on the blog.

(In case you were wondering: the gun is fake and the baby is too!)

One of the best things about walking around town is finding artists like the ones above, who dress up as statues of Revolutionary times and stay very still, suddenly surprising you  when you walk by or give them a few coins. Seeing them around is usually pretty fun (and the reactions of the public...priceless!).

Anyhow, my absolute favourite activity is to roam all the lonely streets because they tell stories. There is a certain kind of warmth involved in seeing the busy women walk the streets in a hurry, grocery bag in hand; the old ladies peeking through their windows. It all makes my heart melt.

On the other hand, even the busiest streets have magic of their own. There are stores everywhere and you can hear the vendors advertise their products: everything from food & art to jewellery and local gems. These streets are filled with colour and noises. These streets make me smile.

My favourite place in the whole world is a tiny street called Andador Libertad, or the Walk of the Artists. It is in this little nook where most of the painters & sculptors gather to exhibit and sell their work. There is always something new to admire.

(Besides, at the very end of the corridor you can find one of my favourite getaways, Galería Libertad, an art gallery that never ceases to amaze me with its exhibitions. This week they've chosen photographs by Mary Ellen Mark  -some of which were taken in India and have made me smile real wide). 

It is precisely this part of town where you can find all sorts of knick-knacks, including the prettiest colonial buildings. 

It is also here where you can visit a lot of restaurants with every style imaginable -almost all of which offer Mexican food (because it is the best in the world!).

We've also got some pretty rad sculptures in the most random of places. And a church in every corner. Literally. 

If you happen to visit the City Centre early in the morning, you can see the vendors setting up their stalls, opening their stores, or preparing the stoves & heating the comal (where we make tortillas) in order to receive all of the tourists who drop by. 

If you are feeling lucky, you can close your eyes and stay very still. You will feel how the city awakens and the sun shines a little brighter. That's when you will understand this is the warm feeling of home.