Alternative Energy Along West Coast

NEAR TRACY, CA--As we whiz by northern California, inching our way up to Seattle, we've noticed solar panels and wind mills covering the mountainside of the west coast. It's refreshing to see all these alternative energy sources especially because I don't think that a road trip through my native Texas would look like this.

These wind mills provide energy for Los Angeles. But they have also been controversial. Animal rights activists have argued that birds are getting caught up in the blades, diminishing the population of some rare species.

California Dreamin'

SAN FRANCISCO-- Jeremy and I are taking a little break from the megalopolis to explore northern California and the Pacific Northwest. We've been on the move a lot during our road trip, but this time we are on VACATION! We were just discussing how a road trip is a perfect vacation for us because in the last couple of years both of us have gotten so used to always being ready to pick up and go. Jeremy wondered if we are always going to be this antsy.....ya veremos.

Here's a few pics from the trip so far:
photos by jeremy
A very windy day aboard the Oakland ferry, heading to San Francisco.



Lombardt Street is America's most crooked street. If it weren't for the curvy design, people would be in danger of rolling down this crazy steep slope.


Fog towers over the Golden Gate Bridge. In fact, fog towered over most of San Francisco. It was an interesting weather combo that made for cool views of the city--warm air temperatures hitting the cold Bay water.

Mexican Riverwalk

photos by jeremy

MONTERREY--Aside from it's famous and delicious cabrito, there's a new reason to love this city--the Paseo Santa Lucía. It's the Mexican version of the San Antonio Riverwalk. In fact, the Monterrey design is based on the Texas model. But unlike the Riverwalk, the Paseo Santa Lucía (which opened last year) does not feel claustrophobic or way too plastic. It connects the downtown area with one of the biggest parks in the city and runs through Monterrey's colonial neighborhood called the Barrio Antiguo. Art and cool water fountains pepper the Paseo, but the best part is getting to float on the boats while taking in the beautiful mountainous skyline. You definitely can't get those views in San Antonio.

In order to save Olympic face

Forty years ago Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympics--Mexico 68. And just as violence and concerns over China's human right's record are being protested and examined before the Beijing Summer Olympics in August, Mexico, too, faced scrutiny after one of the worst tragedies in its modern history.

Ten days before the 1968 Summer Olympics the Mexican army and police massacred an estimated 300 student protesters gathered in Mexico City's Plaza de Las Tres Culturas or Tlatelolco. The student movement in Mexico City rose out of the constant injustices in the university system as well as politically around the country. But in an effort to silence the students before the world came for the Olympics, Mexico's PRI President Diaz Ordaz ordered the military and police to end a gathering at the plaza on October 2.

Panicked by the intense gunfire, students and supporters ran to save their lives and created a chaos. Most of the media reports were controlled by the government and accused the students of firing shots first. It wasn't until years later that the surviving students were able to tell the disturbing truth about the Tlatelolco massacre.

Mexico faced some world scrutiny, but overrall the downplaying of the events by the media worked and Mexico 68 continued as planned. The only sign of defiance was when African-American athletes who received medals, rose their fists in the air with black gloves symbolizing Black Power.



No one to date has been held accountable for the deaths of hundreds of Mexican students.

While on a visit to the Plaza de Las Tres Culturas and the Memorial 68 museum, we couldn't help but feel the eeriness of the location. The reason the plaza is called three cultures is because, if you notice in the above photo, all the buildings represent the three cultures that make the Mexico of today. The pyramids and ancient ruins were built by the Aztecs, while the colonial-style church was built by the Spaniards and the urban apartment buildings in the background were built by the mestizos (or the Spaniard/Indigenous combo that are now modern Mexicans).

Quiet Before Cockfighting Storm

SAN MARCOS, Guerrero-- A judge prepares for a long night of cockfighting.

A man behind us at this palenque snoozed while we waited almost three hours for the cockfighting to begin at the Feria San Marcos, near Acapulco. We were working on a story, and though I felt like the only woman there, I wasn't. In fact, a few mujeres were peppered in the sea of male faces. And more surprisingly, children of all ages were present as well, cheering on their favorite bird well past midnight. Though cockfighting seems gross and wrong, you have to remember that I'm from Texas and my parents are from northern Mexico. I grew up seeing goat skin hang on trees in backyards and well, I'll leave it at that. Maybe that's why my hubby didn't even ask if I'd get squemish.

Not Your U.S. ice cream shop

photo by marisol flores (my big sis)
A few months ago we discovered an awesome ice cream shop in the magical town of Tepoztlan that has everything from spicy to cactus-flavored ice creams. While taking a walk with my sister through our Coyoacan neighborhood, we stumbled upon the same ice cream chain called Tepoznieves. This shop's awesome decor and unique flavored treats make it a new must-stop on the Coyoacan tour. I am now a proud fan of rice-flavored ice cream. Yum!

Me, mi hermana and Frida

photos by jeremy
My sister Marisol explored the megalopolis last week when she was here on vacation. From an Aleks Syntek concert to an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of TV Azteca, we left no stone unturned. We even met Frida.

Banking in Style

Just imagine doing your banking here. The nation's treasury at the Palacio Nacional in downtown Mexico City blew us away.

Thanks to Mexico, we have...

corn, beans, tabacco, cacao beans, cotton, tomatoes, green tomatoes, peanuts, tuna, maguey, avocados, pineapple, chewing gum, chico zapote fruit, mamey tropical fruit, black and white sapote, papaya, chiles, yucca and jicama vegetable

I found this homage to Mexican foods below a Diego Rivera mural at the Palacio Nacional.
Viva Mexico!

Una Siesta

While taking in the amazing scenary at Mexico City's Palacio Nacional, I spotted this cat snoozing. What a life!