We weren’t really supposed to go to Ciudad del Carmen. It just ended up that way. We used our 12 year old book to find a hotel by the beach, right next to a huge Santa Semana night festival with carnival rides, food vendors, the works. Good fortune for us.

Walking around the fair was super, despite the fact that we were the only gringos for miles. New sweets, great tacos, giant drinks, what more can two displaced travelers want? A friendly duo at the closest stand had just the thing we were missing: Pozol! Pozol is a traditional drink in Tabasco State. Because the area is rich in corn and cacao, Pozol is the natural development. After grinding the corn into cornmeal, the cacao is mixed in along with cold water, maybe other ingredients (like vanilla), making a beverage. It is served sweet and “simple.”

Lovely! A local specialty — a regional drink! Just what we’ve been missing (apparently we have been traveling in a part of Mexico not particularly fond of tequila). We are treated to a little sample. It tastes like… cardboard. Wet cardboard. Not the tasty kind. We smile, we say our thank you’s. We try to find a way to “forget” the cup at the nearest taco stand.

We would like to report that not all regional specialties are delicious.