Duke BOLD

January 8, 2012

With Pico de Orizaba in our rear view mirror, the collectively exhausted Team MexDream shared a final day of recovery and exploration in Mexico.  Team Cultural Czar Stephanie led us, from the back alleys of Puebla to the surrounding hillsides, in our pursuit of traditional Mexican culinary delights.  We first visited a pulquería to sample pulque, a beverage fermented from the sap of agave plants that dates from the Mesoamerican period.  While we had several fans of the original, the fruit and nut infused versions, called curado, were unanimous winners.  We then left town to find traditional barbacoa tacos, consisting of lamb slow roasted in an open pit under agave leaves, as well as traditional Mexican hospitality at a family run roadside cafe.  And what better side dish than mixote, barbequed cubes of rabbit meat and venison seasoned with peppers, cumin, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, cloves and garlic.  It was a feast that left everyone anticipating a return trip to Mexico.

After eating more than our fill, we headed back to Puebla to treat our aching muscles and exhausted willpower to an afternoon of massages, jacuzzi and cerveza at a nearby spa.   Then, with our bodies rejuvenated, we headed out on the town to bid adieu to this charming and beautiful city.  Several rounds of Patrón toasts to our team accomplishments, our individual contributions and our new friendships, segued to the dance floor of a local tavern.   As it was Sunday, we ended up with a semi-private party where everyone got to show off their best dance moves to the few amused locals.  After the exhaustion of descending Pico just 36 hours earlier, who knows where all our energy came from.  I’m betting on the pulque.

(Posted by Lannas)