24th-25th-26th/12/09 Christmas Mexican Style

24th
Spent the whole day doing nothing except preparing our gigantic feast for christmas dinner.
On the menu was roast turkey with cranberry sauce, with side of braised almond and butter beans and crushed garlic and rosemary potatoes. This was follwed by indulgent chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream.

During the day we had created an amazing gingerbread house (pictures below) and watched a movie like little sardines in one bed.

Our table looked beautiful for the evening and the atmosphere was increased with an old favourites cd of christmas carols with the likes of frank sinatra and bing crosby. All in all a rather luxurious evening of wine, champagne and good company.

25th
Another late start but what is christmas about if not sleeping in!!!
We decided to head to Xochimilco......the hardest place in the whole world to find!!!
After one hour of searching in the general area of Xochimilco for the canals, a fat man on a little pink bike approached the car obviously sensing that we needed assitance!!

He removed a laminated card from his shirt which to us immediately became formal identification of an important person. He led us on a windy trail through the town of Xochimilco until we arrived at the canals. After an amazing parking fete perfomed by Javier in which 5 cars fit snuggly in the size of a bedroom!!! we arrived to our boat/gondola.

(Some furry locals hanging by the canal edge)

The canals are very old and were used before the spanish invasion about 500 years ago to transport food, flowers etc... The whole of mexico city is built on a series of lakes and the governmnet has preserved this tiny corner of how Mexico used to function, quite similar to Venice in Italy. The water of the canals are used to grow flowers and vegetables all of which can be seen conveniently from the gondola.

For 16 dollars you get a hour and a half ride in these boats/gondalas up various canals. Throughout the journey various smaller boats approach you and offer to sell food, beer, drinks and flowers. We found a very special bonsai tree which was 5 yrs old and only 20$.

(Lady Selling flowers)

(Our Bonsai that we purchased on the canal)

The owner of our gondola was a 12 year old boy who mastered a 4 meter pole with which he steered, rowed and fended off other boats which frequently collided with ours.

A few songs with a floating Mariachi band was a great end to the journey.

The rest of the evening was spent with a lovely family with amazing bbq and hot fruit punch.
We attempted to change our bus tickets to platinum class on the way home from the BBq but failed so we are now doomed for our 22 hr bus tour to Playa del Carmen.

26th-
Just spent the day buying food and preparing for our horrific 22 hour bus trip. Danni was very sick, and spent the day sleeping, hopefully she will recover before this trip.
We had an early celebration for Javier's birthday including amazing pizza and pasta and then life changing drinks at the W hotel. Pre warning all those who are hassling us we will not be blogging for the next week!!!! talk to you soon!!