This is the second part in an exploration of Mexican art, from my own perspective. The first post looks at history, religion, street art and graffiti. This one explores Mexican fashion, food, water and people.

Food

Mexican food is diverse and each corner of this vast country reflects the panoply of flavours available that it has to offer. However, I have to admit I found the cuisine too meaty and heavy, but occasionally I’d be lucky enough to discover the odd idiosyncrasy here or there, such as fried bugs with chilly and lime.

A cheeky chicken in Chiapas checks out the corn-filled basket for treats.

Chicken Delight

Bug Snacks

A delicious traditional breakfast and a freshly squeezed orange juice before our epic trek up Tepozteco mountain

Gourds are turned into beautiful painted pots

Sushi

Fashion

When I arrived in Mexico, my friend said ‘your clothing is so English: black, grey and dull.’ By the time I left on a plane to Colombia, my backpack was filled with rainforest prints, yellows, greens, blues and reds. I still want to get my hands on a pair of Mariachi trousers!

Colourful Oaxaca

A proper Mexican smile, accompanied by a brilliant traditional hat

Mariachis’ trousers

The ladies of Valle de Bravo

Beautiful jewellery made from shells and pearls

Christ in a corset

Beautiful Oaxaca

Colourful Mexico at a street market in Cuernavaca

Day of the Dead is very popular in Mexican fashion

Water

The Pacific is one of my favourite oceans to swim in, especially if the waves are so strong they toss you around. Mazunte is definitely a place where going for a dip is a workout and a little dangerous, adding to the excitement and pleasure of being enveloped in water. Another place that I absolutely loved is Xochimilco, a little Venice in Mexico City. Head down there at the weekend, hire a boat, sound system and wait for the food boats to float up beside you and sell you a feast as the Mariachis sing their hearts out. And the cenotes – a sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock – on the Caribbean coast, are literally heaven on earth.

Catching the waves

Playa del Carmen: Cenotes

Powerful waves beat against multi-cloured sands in Mazunte

New friendships are formed whilst messing about on the river in Mexico City.

Young surfer

Mazunte

The room with a view, where the blog began.

Diving outside Playa del Carmen

Cowboy at a reservoir outside Oaxaca City

People

Without sounding too cliche, a major aspect of Mexico’s art is its people. Their passion, affection, musicality, devotion, hard working nature and zest for life makes them living art in my eyes.

Great music is played on our neighbouring boat in Xochimilco, the Mexican Venice.

Girls in Ocosingo, Chiapas

Mexico!

Engrossed, in Oaxaca city market.

My Tepoztlan family

Musical Sunset