Zain Deane - Explorers Guide Mexico City, Puebla & Cuernavaca

A COMPLETE GUIDE

MEXICO CITY, PUEBLA
& CUERNAVACA

A COMPLETE GUIDE

1ST EDITION

Zain Deane

Copyright 2010 by Zain Deane

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any way by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

Website URLs listed in this book were current at the time of publication. If you find information that has changed, let us know at and we will use that in preparing future editions.

ISBN 978-1-58157-105-9

Interior photos by the author unless otherwise specified

Book design by Bodenweber Design

Composition by PerfecType, Nashville, TN

Maps by Erin Greb Cartography, The Countryman Press

Mexico City subway map courtesy of AdvantageMexico.com

Published by The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, Vermont 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Recommended by National Geographic Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines

A crisp and critical approach, for travelers who want to live like locals.

USA Today

Great Destinations guidebooks are known for their comprehensive, critical coverage of regions of extraordinary cultural interest and natural beauty. Each title in this series is continuously updated with each printing to ensure accurate and timely information. All the books contain more than one hundred photographs and maps.

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The authors in this series are professional travel writers who have lived for many years in the regions they describe. Honest and painstakingly critical, full of information only a local can provide, Great Destinations guidebooks give you all the practical knowledge you need to enjoy the best of each region.

This book was a labor of love, but one that never would have been feasible without the help and support of the many people who made me feel at home in Mexico and let me experience it as both a tourist and a local. At the top of this list is my sister, who was the first person to convince me of Mexicos beauty and who blazed the first trails for me.

I must thank Kim Grant, who supported the idea of this book, and Kermit Hummel, who commissioned it. Yusfia Jimenez was a tremendous help in my initial research. Once I reached Mexico, I had the support and friendship of a vast number of people who showed me what Mexican hospitality is all about. While I cant mention them all, I have to give special thanks to Jos Carlos Gutirrez Margin at Apporta and Patricia Quintana at Izote, my ambassadors of Mexican fine dining; Sylvie Laitre at the outstanding Mexico Boutique Hotels; and my friends Sebastian Fitje, Gonzalo Serrano, Gerardo (and Mom!), Maria Cristina, Javier, Jos Luis, and the gang. In Puebla, Denise and Mercedes organized a wonderful stay, and Erica Perez was a great help in Cholula. Eleonora Garca Ferrel, Karina Aguilar Corona, and Rubn Corts were amazing hosts who made Cuernavaca feel like home. Without them, and without the hundreds of people who extended their hands to help me, Id never have been able to write about the Mexico I know and love.

Finally, to my parents, thanks for letting me continue to live a dream, and thanks to Saira, who gets to hear about my adventures ad nauseam after the fact but hasnt yet been able to come with me. I hope to change that.

Mexico City gets a bad rap: while tourists flood Mexicos well-known, footloose-and-fancy-free resort centers in Cancn, Acapulco, and the Mayan Riviera, many visitors avoid Mexico City because its reputation has preceded it. Rumors of pollution, overpopulation, high crime, and a bustling, dangerous, angry urban sprawl keep travelers away.

This is unfortunate, because by skirting Mexico City, tourists who love this country are missing out on its most exciting urban center and one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Theres no doubt that this can be a daunting destination; as you fly into Benito Jurez International Airport and look out over the unending expanse of the metropolis, you cant help but notice how overwhelming Mexico City is.

Not to worry: once you get acclimated, its more likely that you will be fascinated by the sights, sounds, tastes, and charm of this city, and that youll fall in love with its mix of ancient empire and modern, sophisticated society. The oldest city in the Americas, Mexico City was both the Aztec and Spanish capital, and it has preserved its pre-Hispanic and colonial heritage so well that two of its areas (not buildings... areas) have been designated World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).