Adventure Time- 4th of July Weekend on the Lake

Long time no see! After wrapping up my study abroad time in Mexico I needed some serious rest and relaxation. This holiday weekend I was able to go somewhere I’ve been waiting to go all summer- the lake! And what better weekend to do it than July 4th?  

This weekend I went down to Lake Cumberland with my best friend Brittani to celebrate at her lake house. It was really rainy all weekend but we did get to spend some time on the water and in the boat. Even though it was rainy just enjoying the beauty of my lovely state was a treat. On Sunday it was going to rain all day so we headed out early. We stopped along some flea markets and peddlers malls on the way home. This is one of our favorite things to do. Even though I didn’t find anything it was still fun just to take a look. All in all it was a great weekend with my best friend, celebrating the United States! 

I didn’t get a ton of pictures but, here’s what I got! 

   
My obligatory Fourth of July selfie in my ΦΜ American flag shirt!

Our beautiful view from the dock! 

   
A little clip from our drive home! 

Talk to talk y’all later! 

Mexican Inspiration- Full of Flowers

Over the past year or so I’ve found a whole new appreciation for flowers. I love discovering new types of flowers and that is one of my favorite things to do now when I travel. Mexico has not disappointed when it comes to flowers- I’ve even added a new favorite to my list! So here are some pictures that I’ve snapped around Mexico of flowers. 
  Beautiful little guy in the middle of a yard.  

We visited a quinta (or country home) that had the most beautiful landscaping!   

Another snap of the quinta! 

  My newst favorite flower- lluvia de oro // gold rain  

     

Pictures of the flower vendors at some of the markets I have visited! 

Thanks for reading and hasta luego! 

What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’ – Mexican Cooking Class

Through my study abroad program I’ve been able to go on guided excursions, trips to the beach, take salsa classes and cooking classes! We had one cooking class earlier this month and we had another one a few days ago. I was excited for these classes because one of my favorite things to do with my mom is cook. I love food too, so that probably played into it. I loved this class in particular because we went to a “Quinta” or country home on the outskirts of Merida. The quinta was beautiful and we had so much space to work in. Our lovely teacher Señora Gloria taught us how to make two traditional Yucatecan dishes- Panucho and Chayitas. She even threw in a desert and we learned how to make sweet empanadas as well! Usually when I cook or bake I try not to stray too far from the measurements. But, in Mexico they follow family recipes that aren’t written down. A little flour here and dash of salt there and you have your dough! Although it’s a little intimidating to cook without explicit measurements or instructions I put some faith in Señora Gloria (and myself) and went for it! The results were delicious!  

 Beautiful bowl of Chaya leaves. If you aren’t familiar with Chaya it is a leaf similar to spinach and grows on trees here in the Yucatan! 

 Here’s me chopping up some Chaya and trying not chop off my fingers.

   
 We mixed the chopped Chaya with some simple dough and fried it up to create Chayitas! Some people put salsa on theirs but I preferred some shredded chicken! 

   

 For the base of the Panucho we stuffed the inside of some corn tortillas with beans and fried those as well. 

   
The Panuchos were topped with a little bit of lettuce, seasoned shredded chicken, cabbage, tomato and red onion soaked in sour orange juice. These were delicious! 

   

 For desert we made sweet empanadas. We made a simple sweet dough and pressed it into circles. We filled them with a cream cheese filling and then brushed melted butter on top. And for an extra bit of sweetness we sprinkled some sugar on top before baking. These weren’t like our typical American desert but they were delicious! I hope I can try to recreate some of these recipes when I get home! 

Thanks for reading and hasta luego! 

Adventure Time- Uxmal Mayan Ruins

Today my group ventured to the Mayan ruins of Uxmal in the state of the Yucatan! You may think that once you have seen one Mayan ruins site you’ve seen them all but you would be wrong my friends. I have been to three different sites with Mayan ruins (two in Mexico, one in Belize) and they are all completely different. Uxmal has by far been my favorite! My group was lucky in that fact that we went on a cloudy day when the temperatures were only in the mid nineties. Although it is not as large as Chichen Itza, you are able to climb to the top of most of the structures. The structures also have crazy details that are very well preserved. Uxmal is really relaxed. No crazy vendors shouting at you while you look, no huge swarms of tourists surrounding you and a nice breeze while you’re climbing. So if you are only in the Yucatan for a short time I would make a point of seeing Uxmal! Don’t forget to wear good walking sounds because you will be climbing and exploring for hours!

Here are some of my favorite shots from today:

  
Here’s a shot of the main temple at Uxmal! 

 Pretending I’m a Mayan princess after climbing up one of the temples! 

   

 Some of the crazy cool details I found on top of the temple. 

 Taking in the view from the top of the temple! 

   

 Mayan rain gods lined up the side of the temple. 
Thanks for reading and hasta luego!  

Study Abroad Struggle- Trying New Foods

Hola amigos! I’m not going to lie when I decided to come to Mexico for a month I had high expectations for the food. I want to preface this by saying I am not a picky eater and will try almost anything at least once. But, I dreamt of burritos smothered with queso and chicken quesadillas topped with sour cream. Well I was surprised to say the least when I actually made to Mexico. The food here hasn’t been bad but, it definitely wasn’t what I expected. The food is nothing like our americanized version of Mexican food here in the Yucatan. My house mom cooks the majority of my meals and I’ve tried some things I really like here and tried some things that weren’t hitting on much. My advice is if you’re studying abroad or traveling in general it is in all part of the experience to try the local food. Give it a try and if it’s not your thing you don’t have eat it again! (Probably.)

Now let’s get into what food I’ve tried since I have been here! In this tropical environment it’s not surprising that fruit is a staple here. Sadly, I’m not a huge fruit person but, I’ve had some delicious pineapple, grapes and apples. So, when one of those shows up on my plate for breakfast I am a happy camper.

They also love there veggies here and luckily I love vegetables. So, I’ve had some delicious stews with veggies. The stew here usually has pork or chicken and lentils. It’s different but it is tasty!

     

Probably my favorite food I’ve had here is my mama’s homemade cheese. It has some magical seasoning on top and little bit of olive oil. With some chips they make the perfect snack.

They also know how to make a good sorbet here. A place called “Colon” is super popular here. Their sorbets are delicious and super refreshing. (My personal favorite flavor is Lemon!)

Those are some of my favorites I’ve had since I have been in Merida. One of my biggest disappointments since I have been here would be Tamales. I was excited to try these because I know there are very popular in Mexico. Unfortunately I was not a fan of these but, if you get a chance try them. They may not be for me but, you may love them! My biggest advice is just to give new foods a try- you may find a new favorite!

Thanks for reading and hasta luego!

Adventure Time- Mexican Mercado

Hola! Today I got to experience something I have been waiting for- a Mexican mercado! I love going to markets. From the local farmers market in Lexington to La Boqueria in Barcelona, I think they are so fun to wander through. I feel that I become more immersed in the culture when I get to experience a local market. Today I went to the Lucas de Gavez Mercado in downtown Mérida. This experience was different than any other fresh market that I have been to. As with all markets there were a ton of local produce, fish, meat, flowers and spices available to buy. What set this market apart for me was the layout. It was a maze. There were hundreds of tight, winding rows of vendors. There was very little organization to how market vendors were set up. All the meat and fish vendors were in one are but, the rest was a guessing game. One table would be selling peppers and the next table was selling cooking knives. (A little scary since they were all out in the open!) Also something that really stood out to me about this market was the prices- everything was super cheap. You could buy half of a watermelon for less than a dollar! Although it was well over 100 degrees today getting lost in the market was a really eye opening experience. I was able to get an authentic Mexican experience and all the tastes, sights and smells (good and bad) that come with that. Not only did I get to see where some of the food I’ve been eating comes from but, I was also able to see how many Mexican people make a living! When traveling I recommend checking to see if where you’re going has a local market you can explore. It’s one of my favorite ways to experience a new culture!

Some of the flower vendors-

Some of the food vendors that I was able to get pictures of-

I also took an excessive amount of pineapple pictures-

Also there were little statues of virgins and saints for sale along with some lit votive candles scattered around the market-

Thanks for reading & hasta luego!

Study Abroad Struggle- Transportation in Mérida, México

Whenever you embark on a new adventure, you hope that it will all be smooth sailing.  I can tell you from experience that traveling without a few mishaps here and there does not happen.  My current trip in Mérida, Mexico is my longest trip to date and although the experience has been great thus far I have had my fair share of frustrations.  Today, I want to talk about the never ending struggle I have had getting around the city.  Usually when I travel I am all for using public transportation. Whether that be the subways in NYC or the buses in Costa Rica, public transportation is usually reliable, easy to navigate, efficient and affordable.  That however has not been the case for me since I have been in Mérida.  The study abroad group I am with has a really pushed for using the bus system and advises us to be weary of taxis. So here is list of pros, cons and my take of the different transportation options here in Mérida.

Buses-

Pros: Public buses are super cheap, only costing 7 pesos per a person. (Equals about 0.50 USD)  The locations that they are supposed to go to are painted onto the front window so if they actually follow that route then you may know where you are headed.  They all end up in Centro, so you may have a long ride but you will eventually end up in Centro.

Cons: They are several different bus companies all with different routes so it is not always clear which buses go where and how long they will take.  There are no designated bus stops.  So basically you stand on the side of the road and hope if you wave down a bus it will stop for you.  There is no A/C on the buses.  This is a very American complaint but when it’s over 100 degrees outside A/C is a wonderful thing.  The bus drivers run on there own time and route.  They can decide to go on a different route or not stop.  For this reason you also never know when the bus will come to pick you up at a certain location.  The buses are also very crowded and often times you end up squished together and standing for as long as 45 minutes.

Sav’s Take: If you want the authentic daily experience of someone living in Mérida take the bus. If you want to be on time to something do not take the bus. If you’re unsure of the route the bus is going ask the driver or someone else on the bus most people are willing to help.

Taxi’s–

Pros: Taxis in Mérida are also very affordable, especially if you split the total between a group of people.  I have never paid more than six dollars to get from one place to another.  They are fast and reliable.  If you call a taxi to your house and ask them to be there at a certain time they are always on time or early.  They are also readily available if you are on a main road.  They take a lot less time than a bus.  Every taxi ride I have taken has been less than 15 minutes.  You are not expected to tip taxi drivers which keeps cost low.  Lastly taxi’s usually have some sort of A/C. This is a huge blessing on days when the heat index is 105 degrees.

Cons: They are a little more expensive than buses if you are on a very tight budget.  There are two types of taxis in Mérida- ones with meters (TaxiMetro) and ones without meters (Libre).  If they have a meter that guarantees a set rate and if they don’t you must negotiate the price before you get in. Sometimes taxi drivers take advantage of foreigners by driving them around for awhile so that their total cost is higher.

Sav’s Take: Taxis are the best option to get around town quickly, cheaply and stress free. But, be weary of “Libre Taxis” because they are always more expensive than a “Taxi Metro”.

All in all taxis have been the best option for me personally when trying to get around the city. I have had many frustrating bus trips where my group ends up in wrong place or I am late to an event. Although at first I was determined to figure out the bus system I have now given up on that. I now take taxis when I can and fork over the extra few dollars.

Thanks for reading! Hasta luego!

*All images from YuctanLiving.com

Mexican Inspiration- Color Everywhere

Hey y’all! Time is starting to fly by here in Merida but, I’m still finding inspiration everyday. Today I want to talk a little bit about COLOR. When I envision México its a whirlwind of bright colors surrounding you. I can tell you México has not disappointed me with color! In the art, clothing, buildings and even the floors bright colors are everywhere. Here are some of my favorite images I’ve taken that are full of color!

The cemeteries here are crazy colorful!

Some amazing clay art that features the famous virgins of México.

Delicious chocolate milkshake I had in the cutest cafe!

This is by far my favorite! This beautiful floral tiled floor in the Mayan Museum.

Thanks for reading! Hasta luego!

Adventure Time – Chichen Itza & Ik Kil Cenotes

Hey y’all! Yesterday was by far my favorite day so far since I have been to Mexico! Our group took a trip to the famous Chichen Itza. If you aren’t familiar Chichen Itza it is huge Mayan archeological site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Since I’m a huge nerd I was super excited to explore the site. It may have been over 100 degrees and I may have walked six miles on an injured hip but, it was totally worth it! I truly was in awe of how huge and intricate the structures are, especially to have been built without any modern technology! After we took our tour we headed to the Ik Kil Cenote! Cenotes are underground fresh water pools that were caused by meteorites crashing into the earth. Ik Kil is about 70 degrees and is 150 feet deep. Swimming in it was not only super fun but also super refreshing! Can’t wait for more adventures with this great group of people!

Cue the pictures….

The iconic temple of Chichen Itza!

Altar where sacrifices were made…

View from inside the cenote

View from above the cenote

Taking the plunge into the cenote!

Thanks for reading and hasta luego!

Good Vibes Only

Hi all! This is post will stray a little from what I have been blogging about. My intention for this blog is not only to share my thoughts and adventures with the world but also to serve as a sort of journal. That being said, I wanted to talk about dealing with anxiety/ depression/ negative thoughts while traveling. I won’t go into details but I have struggled with anxiety and depression for awhile. Since going to college I have been doing a lot better and overall have a more positive mindset. However when I travel my anxiety and depression tend to find a way to creep back into my mind. I think it’s because I’m away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life back home. I have almost too much time to think and for me that sometimes leads to a downward spiral. A couple nights ago I started to feel a little down about things and thought “I’m in Mexico studying abroad! I shouldn’t feel so down about things!”. So I challenged myself for the rest of the trip if I’m feeling sad or even annoyed or angry to find something positive in the situation. I’m happy to say it’s working pretty well! I want to share one quick story- This afternoon I was trying to find my way back home from class in the 100 degree heat and started to get very discouraged. My mind was swelling with negativity and I took a second to take in my surroundings. I realized how beautiful everything around me was and how lucky I was to be there. It really help put things into perspective for me.

Here are some images that I like to look at when I’m feeling anxious or down.

Thanks! Hasta luego!

* Images from Pinterest