About
Mexico City may be a sprawling metropolis of 21 million, but on its edge is an oasis of green unlike any other in the world. Known as Xochimilco, it is the last part of the city that preserves an ancient system of canals and farms first built by the ancient Toltecs when the area was on the edge of a long-gone lake. On this Xochimilco tour, we’ll explore how this UNESCO heritage site remains relevant to modern Mexico City — as a place for a pleasure cruise to some and a vital agricultural resource to others. We’ll learn more about its culture and food and meet the people who maintain its one-of-a-kind agricultural system, called chinampas, which are island plots of farmland between the canals. Our day-long tour starts with coffee and pastries in central Mexico City, before departing by private van for Xochimilco where our first stop will be the vast market of the area. We’ll try different pre-Columbian dishes such as tlacoyos (oval-shaped corn-meal patties filled with fava beans, cheese, refried beans, spinach, potatoes and more) handmade by local women who set up shop every morning at one of the aisles; banana leaf-wrapped tamales – the best of the city – made by Don Lupe and his wife, an older couple native to the area; and chileatole, an ancient drink made with corn, herbs and peppers. As we explore the market we’ll learn more about the different kinds of produce that are grown locally – often organically – on the chinampas, some of which may have just come from the local farms. We’ll then track those local products back to their source as we ride our own trajinera – a festively-decorated flat-bottom boat used by locals to traverse the canals – through part of the ecological reserve that is particularly rich in flora and fauna. As the boat glides through the canals that connect the chinampas, we’ll have an onboard tasting of seasonal products fresh from the market. Along the way, we’ll stop at a couple of working chinampas to meet the farmers and find out more about the distinctive local way of life and his work, which represents a direct link to pre-Colonial times. At one chinampa, we’ll gather our own fresh greens and assemble a salad back on the boat as we cruise back to shore. After docking, we’ll return to central Mexico City by private van.
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