The day we have all been waiting for (well, at least Nick and I) has at last arrived! Our epic five week adventure begins today as we set sail from Boston to San Diego – then South of the border from there. I can almost taste the freshly-fried fish tacos and zesty margaritas from my pillow castle, as Portland’s sub-zero winds whip at my windows. But I digress – back to the origins of this adventure.
Having not had an international frolic since last April, come September I was starting to feel the stir-crazy. I craved abstract unknowns, inspired spontaneity and getting myself into strange situations that I probably shouldn’t tell mom about. I needed to travel. My boyfriend, Nick, being the up-for-anything partner that he is, suggests “How about this winter?” The seed had been planted. Where to? “How about Central America?” Boom.
Over the coming months our trip morphed and evolved. We zig-zagged all over a map plotting how much we could do and see, and for how long we could do it before being rendered unemployed entirely. At last we had it – three weeks starting in Guatemala, ending in Nicaragua, with infinite possibilities for playtime in between.
But, wait. My brother Forrest, stationed in Ensenada, Mexico, not only suggests that we start our trip there instead, but he also has a purpose for us: To Feast. His online Mexican restaurant directory, ComerBeber, would be launching around the time of our trip and our help was needed to “research” (aka devour) the country’s culinary offerings. Nick and I, being the food geeks that we are, had already eaten a celebratory taco before the proposal was completed. Ou trip had taken a turn for the delicious. Viva México.
Our now five week trip begins in Ensenada – then it’s down to Mexico City for a few days of exploring the city by mouth. From there we will discover the rich culinary history of Oaxaca in the forms of mole and mezcal before heading to Puerto Escondido for some much needed ceviche y sol. Three weeks will then remain to romp in Mayan ruins, scuba dive with whale sharks, and see what other various forms of trouble we can get ourselves into.
The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “a good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving.” It’s all about the journey and embracing the unknown is half the fun. This is a journey linked together by feasts. By saying no to nothing and why the hell not to it all, we will become intimately acquainted with new places through their flavors and people. As a first-time-blogger, my posts will not always be pretty or polished. They will, however, be a record of my experiences on this odyssey, both gastronomic and otherwise, that I wish to share with you. The world is just too damn delicious to enjoy alone.
Boys Eats World 