Ascend Summer 2019 | Page 24

EXPLORING MEXICO CITY My belief is that Mexico City is best experienced by visiting small enclaves on the side streets. Spend a day in each section to really experience it. But you must seek local advice. On your own, you’ll be underwhelmed since no one is putting things into context for you. With our guide, we got reliable advice on where to go and he took us to places perfectly suited to our liking. On the day I had to conduct meetings, my wife read a book and worked out at the hotel. When I returned at 3pm, we immediately went down to the Museo Frida Kahlo, also known as the Casa Azul (Blue House). It’s located in her former studio space that has been converted into a museum. Guided visits are offered Tuesday to Friday by appointment only. For even more art and history of Mexico, spend a few hours in the world-famous Palacia de Bellas Artes (Fine Art Museum) or the Museo Nacional de Antropologia (National Anthropology Museum). MEXICAN CUISINE Mexico City is a cultural melting pot when it comes to food. Whether it’s in a fine dining restaurant, neighborhood café or a simple street cart, Mexico’s capital city is the perfect place to sample traditional Antojitos or some of the world’s best Tacos al Pastor. At La Buena Barra, we dined on soft shell crab tacos and tasted the local delicacy, ant larva in mole sauce. And the margaritas were off the charts. For a real show, visit the lively La Merced Market, where you can buy everything from an entire cow to crispy-fried crickets and grasshoppers. EMPLOY AN EXPERT M When people travel a lot for work, there’s an opportunity to be successful both professionally and personally. Bleisure trips offer a way to intertwine the two. But you can’t do it alone. You need to employ the services of a travel expert to help guide you through it by putting you in touch with the right local guides and specialty tours to make the most of your limited time. Travel Leaders is partnered with Viator to offer discounted tours and front-of- the-line access to attractions, shows and museums. With direct access to more than 200,000 bookable activities, travelers can easily find and book incredible experiences available via mobile booking. Viator lets travelers plan in advance or book on-the- go to skip long lines and sold-out signs. Backed by TripAdvisor, the app has a low price guarantee and millions of customer reviews to ensure you’ve made the right selection.