The Palafoxiana Library
Founded in 1646, the Biblioteca Palafoxiana was the first public library in colonial Mexico and may well be the oldest in all of the Americas.
In a long room with ribbed vaults in the ceiling are three-story carved wooden shelves. They are loaded with 41,000 books, manuscripts and documents such as original maps from the time of the conquistador Hernán Cortés in the 16th century.
Position yourself in the center of the library with this 360-degree view
The El Parian market
The San Roque square to the northeast of the Zócalo dates from 1805 and was transformed in 1961 into a permanent craft market (Mercado el Parian).
More than just a place to shop for souvenirs, the Parian market is a place where you can get in touch with the traditional know-how of Puebla.
Dozens of stalls sell Talavera pottery, and Puebla is one of only five places in Mexico (four of which are in the state of Puebla) where these ceramics can be produced authentically.
Other handcrafted products sold at the Parian market include leather goods, textiles, candles, tin, copper, and puppets.
Take a walk around the middle of this market with Google's "street view" .
Then you can also visit the Barrio del Artista (artists' quarter) , which is nearby and is home to galleries, art shops and cafes.
The landscapes
The terrain is relatively rugged and characterized by volcanoes, forests, and fertile agricultural land. A few rivers and lagoons complete the landscape.
Mexico is renowned as a sun destination, but it's also an excellent destination for mountain hiking. Puebla is surrounded by three volcanoes (Popocatépetl, Iztaccíhuatl, and La Malinche).
Virtual exploration of volcanoes
Join an expedition and virtually explore the summit of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano (the third highest mountain in Mexico).
Observe Popocatépetl from the National Park that surrounds it.
Admire the summit of La Malinche in this video recorded using a drone at an altitude of over 14,500 feet.
Celebrate like in Mexico
The Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Puebla begin with many citizens dressing up as French and Mexican soldiers and participating in the famous Cinco de Mayo parade ( video ). Afterward, they gather in a field for the reenactment. They do so with enthusiasm and try to give the battle a more realistic appearance. For this reason, there is always smoke, shouting, sword fights, etc. ( video ).
When the moment arrives that the Mexicans have won the battle, everyone begins to celebrate. They play traditional games, eat, listen to mariachi bands, and dance all day long. The entire city—the buildings, the streets, the lamps—is covered in colorful decorations. They remind everyone of the happiness and joy that come from the event they are celebrating.
To celebrate Cinco de Mayo elsewhere in the world, there are no reenactments or parades, just the celebration (the best part).
Decorate like in Mexico
To add some color to your party, making a papel picado banner is the perfect activity and children love it.
Create a Papel Picado banner
Papel picado (“perforated paper”) is a decorative banner made by cutting elaborate designs out of sheets of tissue paper.
They are often assembled to create a banner that can be hung in the streets during all Mexican festivities.
Drawing and cutting out designs on sheets of paper may seem childish. In Quebec, who hasn't made a paper snowflake?
However, the Mexicans have elevated this craft to an admirable level. Several artisans still produce Papel Picado according to the purest tradition using chisels, hammers, lead plates and punches .
A true work of craftsmanship lies behind these colorful banners (video)
To have fun making a few leaves, all you'll need is scissors. Let yourself be inspired by these tutorials that will teach you how to create your own Mexican banner.
Video tutorial 1 (with scissors, craft knife and awl — Spanish)
Video tutorial 2 (explained by children — English)
Video tutorial 3 (pretty, moderately complex patterns — Spanish)
Music like in Mexico
Banda , mariachi , norteño and ranchera are among the most popular genres on the radio today, but other genres have developed such as huasteco , jarocho , grupera and tamborazo zacatecano .
Mexican rock groups obviously exist, as do pop groups, alternative Latin groups, ska and electronic groups.
Spotify playlist
We've selected some playlists to add some musical ambiance to a party!
Fiesta Ambiance (24 tracks, 1 h 9 min)
Mexican atmosphere for couples (75 tracks, 4 hours 30 minutes)
Contemporary Mexican ambiance (42 tracks, 2 hours 43 minutes)
Genre: Mariachi (40 tracks, 2 h 14 min)
Genre: Banda (117 tracks, approximately 6 hours)
Genre: Norteño (36 titles, 1 h 49 min)
Genre: Ranchera (30 tracks, 1 h 51 min)
Genre: Huasteco (23 tracks, 1 h 9 min)
Genre: Jarocho (40 tracks, 3 h 27 min)
Genre: Grupera (223 titles, approximately 12 hours)
Genre: Tamborazo Zacatecano (50 titles, 2 h 25 min)
Extra: La Voz Kids on Youtube
If you liked The Voice Junior in Quebec, you'll love discovering 3 Mexican songs in our top 3 from La Voz Kids.
Isabel Sanchez canta “Cucurrucucu Paloma”
Ashley Acosta singing “La Cigarra”
Jesus “El jilguerillo de Tlaxcala” canta “Ay Chavela
Dancing like in Mexico
The Jarabe Tapatío
Although Lili is a good dancer (it's in her blood), we don't offer Mexican dance lessons. Let's leave that to the professionals.
If you want to dance like they do in Mexico, watch and learn from these videos. Have fun! It's in Spanish, but we bet you'll understand...
Un dos tres cuatro… Un dos tres cuatro… Have fun and learn the steps:
Dance class (video 1 of 3)
Dance class (video 2 of 3)
Dance class (video 3 of 3)
Or admire the professionals performing.
If you want to know more, the article about this Latin dance company in Montreal summarizes the history, clothing, and music well .
Eat like in Mexico
The Mole Poblano
Perhaps one of the most famous Mexican sauces, mole has an ancient history dating back to the Mayans and Aztecs. This rich sauce, made with ground cacao, spices, and chili peppers, is deliciously well-balanced. Add fresh cilantro or a squeeze of lime, and you'll have Mexico on your plate.
Want to cook up this complex sauce yourself? Try this Mole Poblano recipe from a Montreal-based chocolatier.
The Pastor Taco
One of the most delicious taco fillings is taco al pastor. The marinated pork is slow-cooked for several hours and is similar to shawarma or Turkish kebab meat.
This dish was first introduced to central Mexico in Puebla by Lebanese immigrants. Pieces of meat are sliced with a knife and served with onions , cilantro, and pineapple slices , which give the tacos a tangy flavor.
The pork version is the original, but many taquerias now offer chicken variations. ( This is the version Lili cooks .)
"All dress?" Did you know that in Mexico, when you want onions and cilantro in your taco, you ask the taquero "Con Todo" (with everything)? That's the "All dress" taco filling.
Drinking like in Mexico
In Mexico, people drink beer, cocktails, flavored waters, fruit liqueurs, mezcal, tequila and... Coca-Cola.
The fresh waters
For the occasion, we suggest a pitcher of agua fresca. Sold by street vendors throughout Latin America, this iced non-alcoholic drink is prepared with water, fruit pulp, flowers or grains, and sugar.
Traditionally, they were kept in clay pots and placed in crates of damp earth to keep them cool. Nowadays, it is common to store them in glass containers, and that is why it is customary to add a little ice to keep them cool.
The most common are: Agua de Horchata, Agua de Jamaica , Agua de Tamarindo and Agua de Limón.
Among our range of ready-to-eat products , we have prepared a hibiscus syrup that will allow you to make 2 liters of agua de Jamaica easily and super quickly.
In the category of lightly alcoholic fruit drinks, we also suggest tepache, even though it's not an agua fresca. Discover this drink in our article " How to Make Tepache (a traditional fermented drink from Mexico) ."
Mexican cocktails
Are you a cocktail person? Did you know that our hibiscus syrup is perfect for making cocktails like a margarita or a paloma ?
"Una cerveza por favor"
Among Mexico's popular beers, our favorites for this occasion are Modelo or Dos Exquis. If you can't find them, fall back on the ever-popular Corona. And if you like clamato with your beer... you absolutely must make this beer cocktail called Michelada .
Do you prefer to buy a beer from a Quebec microbrewery? Be aware that certain styles make our taste buds more receptive to Mexican flavors.
Mezcal or Tequila?
Tequila and mezcal are both made from the fermentation and distillation of agave, but the type of agave used varies between the two. Tequila is produced exclusively from Tequilana Weber or blue agave, while mezcal can be made with 12 different varieties.
Just as champagne must originate from the French province of the same name to be called Champagne, the same is true for tequila. The region where it comes from is called Tequila and is located in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
The traditional way to serve mezcal is in a shot glass and garnished with orange slices and gusano salt (mezcal glass).
For tequila, the traditional way to serve it is in a shot glass accompanied by lemon and sangrita (a cocktail of tomato, orange, lime, Worcestershire).
Here are two suggestions available for sale in Quebec for your Mexican evening.
The first one isn't tequila, because it's not made in Tequila, Mexico, but in Quebec!! YES YES a tequila An agave spirit distilled in Quebec!
The Comont distillery in Bedford took a bold step by importing agave directly from Jalisco. It's not exactly "traditional," but for its daring and delicious taste, we suggest this Comont agave spirit , available online and at select SAQ locations !
The second is a popular tequila in Mexico. It's also the one Lili's mother bought at the checkout for our wedding celebration. It's good and reasonably priced. Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado 2017 .
You'll also enjoy discovering excellent quality tequilas and mezcals at the SAQ and on importation-privee.com . On the latter, the Tequilart agency offers a very fine selection .
Are you already too familiar with tequila and mezcal? In our blog post " What Mexican spirits should you discover ?", we invite you to discover other popular Mexican spirits to try on your next trip.
The wine
Tacos and wine for Cinco de Mayo in Quebec... why not!
There are 220 vineyards in
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