Into Mexico We Go

💭 Today is Día de Muertos, and honestly, it might be my favorite time of year to be in Mexico City. The orange cempasúchil flowers are everywhere, homes and businesses are decorated, and there are events happening all over the city. But what I love most is how Mexican culture celebrates and remembers the people who are no longer here. It feels joyful, personal, and meaningful. I do wish American culture had something like this. — Adam, in Mexico City 🇲🇽

Region: Nationwide · Category: Sweet bread / Seasonal · Price: $1-4 USD

Soft, slightly sweet bread traditionally eaten around Día de Muertos. The classic version is flavored with orange blossom or orange zest, brushed with butter and coated in sugar, with strips of dough across the top shaped to resemble bones. Bakeries also make many modern versions filled or flavored with chocolate, cream, cajeta, dulce de leche, Nutella, and more.

What's in it: Flour, eggs, butter, sugar, yeast, milk, and orange blossom or orange zest. The traditional version is usually unfilled and finished with butter and sugar.

If you’re new to Mexico, Día de Muertos can be easy to misunderstand. There are skulls, skeletons, face paint, candles, and decorations everywhere. But the holiday isn’t really about being scary. It’s about remembering people who have died and, in a very Mexican way, welcoming them back into everyday life.

Día de Muertos is traditionally observed on Nov 1 and Nov 2. The celebration reflects a mix of Indigenous traditions and Catholic observances that developed over centuries. Nov 1 is often associated with children who have died, while Nov 2 is generally dedicated to deceased adults.

One of the most important traditions is the ofrenda, or altar. Families may decorate it with photographs, candles, food, drinks, personal belongings, and bright orange cempasúchil flowers. The idea is to remember the person as they actually lived, including the things they loved.

You’ll also see calaveras, decorative skulls, papel picado, and plenty of pan de muerto, the sweet seasonal bread traditionally flavored with orange blossom or orange zest and topped with pieces of dough shaped to represent bones.

And despite the name, Día de Muertos is often joyful. Families tell stories, share meals, visit cemeteries, play music, and laugh about memories.

That’s probably the biggest thing to understand. In Mexico, death isn’t hidden away during these two days. It becomes part of the conversation.

Día de Muertos isn’t a celebration of death so much as a celebration of the people who are still worth remembering.

⭐ This week I'm recommending Baja Bound — a simple way to get insurance for Mexico before you hit the road. They offer coverage for cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, RVs and camper vans, ATVs/UTVs, boats, trailers, homes, and rentals, along with driver’s license liability policies. Whether you're driving across the border, bringing your RV down, or protecting a home in Mexico, you can compare options and purchase coverage online before your trip.

A molar root canal with a specialist in Mexico runs about a third of the US average, and even the top-end CDMX option comes in under the US price. These prices cover the canal only, and a molar almost always needs a crown afterward, so get both quoted at the same visit. Ask if you are seeing a general dentist or an endodontist, because the specialist costs more, and CDMX runs up to 25% higher than smaller cities.

Based on today's exchange rate of 18.73 pesos per dollar — Oct 29, 2026. As the peso/dollar rate fluctuates, your real USD cost will vary.

Avg rent (1BR furnished): $350-$550 USD/mo
Cost of living: Low
Expat friendliness: Small
Expat community: Very small — retirees, artists
Internet reliability: Limited (10-30 Mbps)
Geography / vibe: Highland lake town (7,234 ft)
Pueblo Mágico: No

A small, quiet highland town on the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro in Michoacan, known for its Day of the Dead celebrations (among the most traditional in Mexico), colonial architecture, and indigenous Purepecha culture. Very affordable, very authentic, very slow-paced. For those who want to be truly off the gringo trail in a genuinely Mexican small town.

→ Digital-only payments will phase in gradually under Mexico’s new Digital Economy Law, bankers say, with gas stations and toll booths expected to go first. (Expansión)

→ Mexico marked its first national Xoloitzcuintle Day on October 27, honoring the native hairless dog said to guide souls to the underworld. (Infobae)

→ Every public school student now has a scholarship, the Education Secretary says, with 22 million students expected to have one by year-end. (El Heraldo de México)

→ A 32-meter Catrina tops the Zócalo altar, open free through November 2 as Mexico City goes for a Guinness world record. (El Universal)

→ Cempasúchil marigolds anchor Day of the Dead altars, where their strong scent and bright color are believed to guide spirits home. (AP)

→ The FDA has inspected only 2% of Mexican produce exporters since 2009, even as Mexico supplies most of the fresh produce Americans import. (Washington Post)

📅 Nov 1 — Border Clocks Fall Back, Baja California and Northern Border Towns
Baja California and border cities like Juárez and Nuevo Laredo turn their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. to match the US. The rest of Mexico stays the same.

📅 Nov 1 — Mexico City Grand Prix, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, CDMX
The F1 race starts at 2 p.m., with Checo Pérez racing at home for Cadillac. Expect crowds near Iztacalco and Viaducto.

📅 Nov 1–2 — Day of the Dead, Nationwide
November 1 honors children who have died and November 2 honors adults. Highlights include Mixquic’s candlelit Alumbrada in CDMX and Oaxaca’s cemetery vigils.

📅 Nov 1–2 — Hanal Pixán, Mérida, Yucatán
Mérida’s Maya “food for the souls” celebration closes Nov 2 with altars across the city. The illuminated figures in Parque de San Juan stay lit until Nov 20.

📅 Nov 1–15 — Festival de las Almas, Guadalajara, Chapala and Across Jalisco
More than 350 free Day of the Dead events run in 11 Jalisco towns. Chapala’s malecón hosts a fishermen’s boat parade.

📅 Nov 2 — Banks and Schools Closed, Nationwide
Bank branches close, but ATMs and apps keep working. Branches and public schools reopen Tuesday, Nov 3.

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