Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Great Mexican Experiment $500 Pesos and Counting.....

Buenas Noches Amigos!

I apologize for the lack of posts, but I am now back in Mexico City and ready to proceed.

The rain has hit; my friends here were not exaggerating when they said June and July construct the "Rainy Season." It's definitely different than Texas. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the concept of it raining daily in the middle of summer. Back home people are tucked away inside air conditioned buildings, only appearing before 10am or after 6pm. Mexico City is so high that you can enjoy any time of day. Well, that is if you have an umbrella, rain boots, and a jacket!

I've discovered a new food here in Mexico. I have seen these many times in the States, and have even par taken in their consumption a few times, always to my disappointment. My Mexican friends talk of them fondly, and I am officially a convert. The Flauta. A wildly delicious crispy taco wrapping chicken or beef, drenched in cream, topped with salsa verde, guacamole, onion, and lettuce. Made right, these are pure divinity, and this is coming from a girl who usually dislikes anything fried. Unlike their American counter-parts they are light and airy. Although fried, they don't sit in your stomach like a brick and are really, really delicious. The flautas I've become fond of are located in the back of a neighborhood market. You wind your way down the dark aisles (I frequent there Sunday mornings as the vendors start their day, beating the crowds), turn a sharp left at the fruit husband and wife team, and walk right past the quesadilla stand- and there, beyond, the best flautas in the city. It's become a Sunday morning tradition, chicken flautas and a jugo de naranja or sandia from the fruit stand. It's 30 or so minutes of bliss, and as I finish I'm already looking forward to the next encounter. I'm the only foreigner I've seen in this place; I always love to find "locals only" joints.

I'm conducting an highly scientific experiment; due to some un-forseceen circumstances I'm flat. That's Mexican for, "I'm broke- really, really broke". I have $500 pesos to my name, approximately $45.00, 1 can of chicken, 2 cans of tuna, some tea, salt, and protein powder. The adventure begins my friends- how long can I make this $500 stretch? I'll live off the tuna and chicken as long as I can, pick up some eggs, and frequent tacorias and local markets. I'll take part in the corrida comidas as much as possible, use the metro, and make these pesos stretch like no other. It's actually a little fun, in a high-pressure, living on the edge kind of way.

Okay amigos, it is late and tengo hambre. First stop, tacos. I will get a bistek alambre, grande for $70 pesos and a Coca Dieta for $10. I will eat half of the alambre hoy and save the rest for manama. So, $420.00 to go! It's time to face the rain which comprises this very, very wet rainy season.


Besos