Mexico City 2008

As has been the case for most of my recent travels, I had an early morning flight that required me to arise way before I could ever find necessary on a normal day. Nonetheless, for some reason it was not too difficult and I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to relax. I eventually boarded my flight and was comforted by the fact that there was not a cloud in the sky and the flight looked to be on time. But in true NY fashion, as we idled on the runway with the sun only just beginning to rise, the pilot announced there would be a delay; we were number 51 for take-off!

I was supposed to go on this little get-a-way a month ago, as mentioned in the trip summary, with Jenn and Sybil.

I have wanted to visit Mexico’s capitol for what seems like a lifetime and when my dear friend Jenn suggested I join the two of them on their trip I jumped at the opportunity. However, as luck would have it, the day before I was to leave I was struck by a nasty strain of the flu that required me not only to postpone my trip, but to also visit the hospital. Ever the eternal optimist, I assumed that a month later I would be over the worst. Unfortunately, I was still not feeling well, except nothing was going to stop me from boarding the plane this time. Besides everyone knows that traveling is truly the best medicine.

Thanks to the magnificent world of Couchsurfing, even though my Travchicas were not going to be there anymore to provide me company, I now had some new friends awaiting my arrival in Mexico City.

I had been in contact with one in particular, Mel, for over 2 months and we had developed a nice relationship online. Poor Mel had offered to pick me up at the airport on the first scheduled trip and was unable to receive my message in time about being too ill to make it and thus waited at the airport for over 2 hours for me. She kindly agreed to once more pick me up. Having been delayed about an hour due to the backup at JFK, I was worried that she would assume that I had not shown up. I cleared customs and then began to unsuccessfully search all over for her. I felt so bad at the thought of disappointing her yet again. I bought a calling card, but every time I called it would go to straight to her machine. Just as I was about to give up and take a taxi to my hotel, I heard my name being paged. I looked over at the information booth and there was a smiling Mel! We rushed over to greet each other and I discovered that the terminal I was in was a brand new one and that she had been anxiously waiting at the old terminal for me. Oh dios mio!

Mel and I instantly felt like we had known each other for years. Since she had the whole weekend free, she decided that she would dedicate it to showing me around her city and taking me wherever my heart desired. This incredible generosity she possessed, especially with a stranger, is so uncommon to find these days, that I could not help myself from saying “muchas gracias” every 5 minutes. I felt so blessed by the travel gods and goddesses to have placed Mel in my life!

From the airport, we went for some food at my request. On the way to the restaurant we picked up Mel’s close friend.

After a couple of hours of eating delicious Mexican cuisine and the telling of our life stories, we parted with her friend and went to one of Mel’s favorite area’s called el Centro de Coyoacan. This quaint little part of the city was once believed to have been inhabited by coyotes. Walking through Coyoacan it is easy to imagine how it must have looked in centuries past, since it is still paved with cobblestone streets and lined with colonial homes. One can also find museums, cafes, boutiques, restaurants, and art studios that all help to create a charming ambience. In the middle of Coyoacan are Plaza Hidalgo and Jardin Centenario. These two areas adjoin to make the historical center by forming a zocalo, or labyrinth. The zocalo in Coyoacan is made of hedges, fountains, trees, and benches and is normally bustling with people and vendors. Our first stop was the most prominent feature in Coyoacan: Parroquia de San Juan Bautista, which is a gorgeous, ancient cathedral. Our second stop was a small gift shop where I purchased an enchanting Oaxacan animal woodcarving. These stunning carvings are based on real animals (mine was an elephant), but have parts of various other animals. They are painted with vibrant colors and patterns, with no two exactly alike.

It was starting to get late in the day and I still needed to check into my hotel, so we left el Centro de Coyoacan for Polanco. This is about a 30km drive and should have taken us about 45 minutes, however, due to Mexico City being one of the most populated cities in the world (there are around 20 million citizens), it instead took us 3 hours. While the traffic did not phase Mel at all, I could barely handle the stress.

About hour 2 into the ride we decided to stop for some dinner in la Zona Rosa. It was there where I tried mole, a spicy chocolate stew, for the first time. I am not normally a fan of spicy food, but I was able to make an exception for this special treat. Chilies are the main ingredient, along with unsweetened chocolate, sesame seeds, garlic, ground cloves, coriander, and cinnamon. Together these ingredients infuse the dish with multiple flavors.

After the satiating meal, Mel finally dropped me off at my hotel. I chose to stay at Hotel Habita in Polanco, a posh area of the city. From the website I could tell that the hotel was impressive, but as I stood in my room I thought to myself that I have never seen a more glamorous hotel before. I jumped into my luxurious bathtub, used the provided Kiehl’s bath products, and let the stress from the awful traffic melt away.

As I drifted off to sleep a little later, I could not help and reflect on my first impression of this grand city. Despite the overpopulation, pollution, and traffic, this part modern metropolis and part monstrosity is not to be missed! This city that is so special it has multiple names (Distrito Federal, D.F., Mexico City, Ciudad de Mexico, or simply Mexico) is the cultural, political, and financial nerve center of the country. I believe this quote regarding Mexico City from the Lonely Planet guide accurately describes it perfectly, “Perhaps more than any city on earth, it is at the intersection of the first and third worlds, with all the ills, thrills and surprises that suggests. One moment the city is all Latin beats, glamour and excitement; the next it's drabness, poverty, suffocating crowds and rancid smells. In spite of the negatives, Mexico City is a magnet for Mexicans and visitors alike. You certainly won't be bored in this complex, historic city.” So, ignore the foolish and incorrect warnings that it is the #1 most dangerous city in the world and make sure to add it as a dream destination.