Weekend EAT – BPM Festival, Mexico

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!