Tequisquiapan Sunrise

Surprise!

My mom was looking at me with exactly the mix of shock and excitement that I had expected.

I had startled her awake at 3 am that morning and told her to put on some warm clothes and comfortable footwear and be ready to leave the house in half an hour. She was a little dazed and confused but I refused to answer any of her perfectly logical questions like…why?

But I had a very good reason for being a very irritating daughter that day. As a surprise for her 52nd birthday, I was taking her on a hot-air balloon ride!

After we got into the cab waiting outside our house in Queretaro and before I fell asleep two minutes later, I fantasized about how we would pull up on a hilltop with giant, colourful balloons being readied for flight and I would dramatically reveal the plan to her!

Unfortunately, that only happens in movies. In real life, you go to the booking office first and that is nowhere near the balloons. 

So to my disappointment, when we got there, I had to tell Mom what was happening sans drama and balloons. Thankfully, her reaction didn’t disappoint!

About an hour later, when we finally stepped into our balloon, the sun was just starting to rise and so was my coffee-fuelled anxiety. What if it went too high? What if I felt sick or dizzy? Even worse, what if I had to pee?

I felt a frisson of nervousness when it took off but in seconds I was distracted by this view of beautiful, pristine wine country and little colourful dots that were our fellow balloons.

In fact, a little later I realized I had gotten so preoccupied with the sunrise that and when I looked down I was surprised to see how far up we had already risen. The balloon floated so gently that I never even realized how high up in the air we were flying.

Let me be very clear, this is not an activity for those looking for an adrenaline rush or excitement. This is for people who just want to chill out and watch a lazy, golden sunrise with a view like the one the birds usually have, those lucky bastards.

As the morning came into its own, we watched endless fields only interrupted by a few hills and the famous Pena de Bernal in the distance. Trust me, one cannot ever get enough of that view.

When people think of Mexico, it’s all tacos and tequila and wild parties and beaches.

But Mexico is so much more. It’s pretty little towns, sunny plazas, cobbled streets and smiling people. It’s unique cuisines and a colourful culture rooted deeply in ancient history. 

It’s magical moments filled with golden sunrises like the one I was watching, from a big balloon floating in the sky.

Excess Baggage Tip:

On the way back to Queretaro, be sure to stop at Cava Bocanegra, a beautiful cheese estate where you can take a quick tour of the cheese cave (‘cava’ literally means cave in Spanish) followed by a fun and informative cheese tasting session.