You know you’ve been traveling a long time when… And pictures of Puebla

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By the time we reached the top of the pyramid in Cholula, Puebla, it was time for a siesta!

You know you’ve been traveling for a long time when…

  • You carry/steal toilet paper because you never know when you’ll need it and it is not provided…which is all the time.
  • The first thing you ask your Airbnb host, hotel receptionist, and waiter is “what is the wifi password?”
  • Whatsapp is your primary mode of communication, second is facebook messenger, third is a tie between text and email.
  • The idea of responsibility and structure in your life begins to sound appealing and even exciting.
  • You have a stash of food items you always carry with you. Our stash consists of salt, pepper, spices, coffee, a garlic head, rice, and popcorn kernels
  • You have conversations in the local language but still find yourself sometimes nodding in agreement without a clue of what the person said.
  • You stop worrying about ice and if the water you are drinking is purified. It always is.
  • You are so sick of getting sick! Colds, flus, sinusitis, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, strep throat, you’ve had it all! You finally start taking Vitamin C tablets on travel days with only a few weeks left of your trip.
  • You are a master at washing underwear in the sink- soak 15 minutes in soapy water, scrub it together, rinse, soak in clean water for 15 more minutes, wring, hang on a line to dry. Depending on the weather, it can take anywhere from 1-24 hours to dry.
  • You get really excited when you find out your accommodation has hot water.
  • On air/bus travel days you always pack a pair of socks and a sweater. Even though it is 100 degrees outside, it is always freezing on that plane/bus!
  • You drink soda like 10 times more often than you do at home. Something about it is soooo refreshing. And the bubbles make the tummy feel better after greasy food.
  • You have no shame anymore in asking random people around you for directions when you are lost.
  • You feel really badass about your travels. Until you meet the couple from England who has been hitchhiking through Latin America.
  • You love days when you do nothing.
  • You stop caring what other people think about your journey. It’s yours.
  • You are still scared of stray barking dogs. But now you know how to fend them off. Bend down and pick up a rock. No need to throw it as they go running immediately.
  • You can sleep comfortably just about anywhere and on any surface. Except on overnight flights, dang it!
  • You have 20 reviews on Airbnb, 4 on Helpx.com, and 5 on couchsurfing.com
  • You decide you want to start a business when you get back. Exactly what it will look like isn’t clear. Pshhh…details.
  • You sometimes have this guilty feeling because so many people have been so generous (showing and driving you around town, welcoming you into their home, cooking you incredible meals, taking care of you when you are sick) and you have no sufficient way to repay them. So you pay if forward.
  • You’ve seen just about every movie staring the Rock. They always play these on buses.
  • You talk about poop…a lot. (which have been quite nice recently if I do say so myself)
  • And lastly, you know you’ve been traveling a long time…when it feels like you’ve been traveling for a long time and you look forward to coming home.

4 days left (eek!) and we are currently in the biggest city in the world, Mexico City! But before we arrived here, we spent 5 days in Puebla. What a cute and lovely city. Here are some photos of our time there:

 

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Downtown Puebla

 

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Churches here are like Starbucks…on every corner!

 

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One of the tallest Cathedrals in the world

 

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Statue in downtown Puebla

 

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Wish there were more zocalos (parks in the middle of cities) in the United States

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We always stop and buy mango slices! This huge cup for just $1

 

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Walking through the tunnel of the widest pyramid in the world in Cholula, Puebla

 

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Bought some of this kid’s really cool “stick art” (still trying to find out what it is really called). It looks way prettier than it sounds.

 

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One of my favorite kinds of textiles in Mexico! This is not made in Puebla, but by the Otomi people from the sierras and from Hidalgo. We bought a few from the Puebla market.

 

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Did you know that real Talavera pottery has to be certified and is waaayyy more expensive than what you find in the street markets? A small piece takes over a month to make and has to meet certain standards as far as materials and process to be considered Talavera.

 

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Cholula is a pueblo outside of Puebla that is trendy, full of university students, and rich in ancient history.

 

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Pazole soup and Mole Poblano, two regional favorites!

 

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Pulque, an alcoholic drink that is sweet and sticky and everyone says has magical healing powers. It is said that many farmers drink this for breakfast because it is full of protein!

 

 

Category : Mexico, Travel Notes
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