Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Sparsest Public Square I've Seen in Two Months.

From 19 Monterrey
This Spanish colonial city was founded in the furthest outreaches of the empire.

The cathedral is fine, if a bit rustic.

No shade yet. Gravel makes it look like it look more unfinished than it already is. No restaurants (except for this one that sold the some of the worst bar-b-qued meat I have tasted on this trip) or bars of any kind. One of the least interesting social scenes, as you can tell from the photo.

Let's hope it gets better.

Upcoming Book Projects.

Sexi Diva: The Baffling English Language Shirts of Monterrey.

Mofin: The Fantabuluous Muffintops of Guadalajara.

¡Dejame, Viejita! : An Asshole's Guide to the Public Spaces of San Cristóbal.

The Complete Book Mayan Sex Secrets. Turtle Feather Jaguar! It will blow your mind!

The Dry, Hacking Coughs of Oaxaca. An audiobook.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Fifty One Days.

From 19 Monterrey
br/>I could have stayed more, but I had business I needed to attend to back in San Antonio.

Just an awesome, awesome experience that will take me some time to process.

Practically speaking, it's been more than 50 days without... Driving. Church's Fried Chicken. Lone Star. Flushing toilet paper. Doing ANYTHING vaguely illegal. (Have you seen that show Locked Up Abroad on National Geographic???) Being shorter than someone. Speaking much English. Touching another human being. (Aside from brushing shoulders in a bus seat. A strange realization, but true.) I went for about 45 days without any fast food, but I actually had a Big Mac Attack. (And I'm ashamed of it, of course.) Real Tex Mex flour tortillas.

I'm going to do all this stuff this weekend. Watch out.

Random Image.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
I NEVER saw an indigenous person that looked like this during my time in Mexico.

I guess if white people want to believe their ancestors looked like Conan the Barbarian, then why bother the pre-columbian folk's ideas about the past?

After All the Hype.

From 19 Monterrey
After all the hype, it EXCEEDED the sky-high expectations.

Not one of the top meals of this trip. One of the top meals of my life!

Sublime! Succulent! Crispy, fatty delicious skin over juicy, meaty goat!

What Zankou Chicken in LA does for chicken.

What City Market in Luling does for cow.

El Rey del Cabrito, you ARE the king of goat.

All hail the king!

The Elevator.

From 19 Monterrey
Where does it go? Can I go there? Who do I ask?

Is there some cabrito VIP lounge I should be made aware of???

Would it be like the end of Willie Wonka and the elevator busts out of the building? Would it land on a goat?

I want in!

Casual Dining Norteño Style.

From 19 Monterrey
Everything was goat themed. The elaborate carved wood chairs. All the architectural details. The napkin holders had pictures of splayed goats.

It was insane.

Mollejas.

From 19 Monterrey
I'm not a lover of organ meats, but these beauties were barbequed to perfection. With some onion...delicious.

The Menu Looks Promising.

From 19 Monterrey
I want to know this guy. He looks like a character. A used car salesman of the roasted goat world.

What's his story???

Also I want that shirt. A short sleeve mariachi shirt. Try taking cabrito grease out of the embroidery, though.

El Rey del Cabrito.

From 19 Monterrey
After a couple of short airline flights, my friend and I were in Monterrey, where the journey began for me 51;days before.

I had passed this place before. Curious. Scared. Hungry.

But I had passed it up 51;days ago. Not today, though.

Main Drag.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
Kinda upscale touristy? A lot of English being spoken.

Boo.

View From Under the Palapa.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan

Playa del Carmen.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
A little more crowded. A little more expensive.

Still nice, though.