Cholula

June 23, 2021

Greetings from day 9 in Mexico! We are currently in Oaxaca, Mexico, but we need to rewind a bit! It’s been awhile since we’ve taken the time to sit down and write. We spent two beautiful days in the magical town of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. We were saddened to leave it, as it quickly won our hearts in the short time we were there, as you’ll soon see. As Hannah said, “Dejamos parte de nuestros corazones en Cholula/ We leave part of our hearts in Cholula.”

First and foremost a huge shoutout to La Quinta Luna! Their service and hospitality was an undeniable reason why we felt so comfortable in Cholula. From their suggestions of local places to eat cemitas (a torta on fluffy bread specific to Puebla) to drying our laundry in their dryer because it was too wet to dry them outside — we were treated so well! All three of us walked away talking about how much we would love to return and stay for a longer time.

The resident guard-cat at La Quinta Luna

The first stop in Cholula was the zocalo in the town center. Although it was beginning to sprinkle (we’ve recently discovered that we’re traveling Mexico during the rainy season which produces short bursts of intense rain during the months of May-September) there were still vendors outside selling textiles, food, and other local treasures in the plaza. We were presented with the opportunity to try chapulines– crickets, something famous in Mexico, and we seized the day! We also enjoyed some fresh fruits from the market which we took back to our beautiful room at La Quinta Luna.

We continued walking around the city center to get our bearings, and stopped at the base of the Cholula Pyramid, atop of which sits the incredible Santuario de la Virgen de los Remedios. After walking the city, we were hungry, but eager to try some authentic local favorites. We asked a local artist to share some suggestions, and he pointed us in the direction of Pachi’s, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant with comida corrida (a meal with multiple courses included.) If we could leave one piece of advice with readers who have never traveled Mexico before, it would be to forget the travel guides and to ask around the neighborhood for dinner recommendations. So far, they’ve been our favorites! Pachi’s food was good, but the soul was what won us over. We felt like we were sitting in our grandma’s kitchen, surrounded by family, eating food that was truly made with love. We tried some new foods, like requesón con chile rojo and tinga de pollo, but it tasted like comfort food to us.

The next day we climbed up the many (many) steps to the top to enter the Santuario and take in the view. Morgen met a sleepy moth at the viewpoint outside Santuario, pictured below. As the rain was beginning when we were in the market at the bottom of the pyramid, we ducked into an indoor market/restaurant for huevos Méxicanos and fresh bread. Hannah and Morgen both bought hammocks at the market there, which we can’t wait to use at home.
- Our beautiful hotel offered onsite amenities, like laundry, breakfast, and massages. We enjoyed relaxing massages at the hotel by some lovely people who took wonderful care of us. Between the hospitality and warmth of the people we met in Cholula, the colorful streets, the history, and the cuisine, we left Cholula feeling like we were leaving home.