I’d been to Mexico twice before on completely oppositely themed trips – once with family to Puerto Vallarta and a second with my dorm to Cancún for spring break. But as it goes, third time is a charm; last weekend, I set off for Playa del Carmen for five days of Mayan ruins, ocean swimming, beachside dancing, and 5/6/7 (!) am nights for the BPM Festival.
There’s something sublime about experiencing the contrast between the familiarities of a music festival with the novelty of a different country. I spent the weekend fitting right in with the electronic music, continuous dancing, and making new friends wherever we went. But on the flip side, I relished the newfound abilities to dance on the beach, cool off by swimming in the warm Caribbean sea, and speak a different language as we went about our days.
Visiting any country comes a very important piece – the FOOD. Mexico has an additional aspect to the food scene because coming from the US, we are highly used to the cuisine – or at least we think so. San Francisco practically fundraises its startups in burritos, but in Mexico, the norm is chilaquiles, flautas, ceviche, and tacos – lots and lots of tacos.
Some favorite spots during our stay in Playa del Carmen included:
- Ah Cacao Café: Good for a quick iced coffee with cajeta
- El Fogón: A chain of taquerias with killer guacamole and nachos
- Los Aguachiles: Fish taco mecca. We came back here twice so we could try more of the menu!
With the best of friends, music, and weather, I’ll admit – 2016 is off to a great start!
Wow, you know how to start the year off! Looks like such a fun trip and you got to escape some of the rain back home. Nice!
I know we need the rain here, but it definitely felt nice to get some tropical sun in!